What does a photographer do, when they're looking to create a look, for a photo session, and that look requires multiple angles of capture.. but you only have 1 ND filter for one of your 82mm lenses?

... get another ND filter, of course.

Yeah yeah.. I know, it was a corny lead in (but a very real problem we ran into a few months ago).

The fact is, I honestly don't know what happened to K&F in the last couple of years, but they went from a sort of 'Oh.. another filter manufacturer' to a 'Wow... that's a fantastic result!! Who makes that filter??'

This filter is NO exception to the above.

ND filters are often a double edged sword for photographers.. They work, and they do what you want.. kind of.

They tend to add a color shift to your images, add distortion if you have cheap glass, and can often push your camera to the point that you have to do manual shutter control... thereby requiring you to do trial and error photos.

On top of that, when you use an ND filter, especially for very long exposures, you're going to be fighting the light, as it were. As the light of the day changes, so will your exposures... and while you're doing a lot of trial and error, a 5 min exposure at noon, won't give you the same result at 5pm, so it's not like you can 'set it and forget it', so to speak.

Then, when you add the word 'Variable' to the equation.. that's when things tend to get even stranger. As you adjust the ND level, you will often find yourself experiencing strange banding, sudden lurches in exposure changes as you adjust the ring, AND that doesn't even consider the fact that so many ND filters have very loose adjustment rings, that (I kid you not) can sometimes change their setting, with a strong breeze.

This filter... WOW.. I can honestly say, I have none of the above issues. There IS still a slight color shift, but its even, and doesn't change as you increase or decrease the ND level. Also, the levels are smooth, and clear, and there seems to be no distortion... which is extremely shocking to me.

Also.. there is NO rattle or looseness in the ring, which makes me happier than it should, to be perfectly honest.

The adjustment 'putter' makes it easy to adjust without getting your fingers on the edges of the lens (makes it easier to adjust, if you need to dial up or dial back, based on light... this is especially helpful with video).

I really only have 3 complaints, and they're extremely minor.

1.) As with any filter, I'd really like to see K&F either add a magnetic mount option, or include a filter tool to make it easier to twist on or off. I know someone will say that the 'putter' makes it easier to do, but I don't trust applying pressure to a free floating multi-part filter.

2.) The case it comes in, is different from their other Nano-X series cases. It's more of a pleather type, whereas some of the others are sort of suede/denim style.

3.) Threaded front element. I know some people will say 'you NEVER stack filters!!!'. Yeah, well, there are a large number of photographers that do it.. if you don't want to, fine.. but don't argue against potential functionality.

Its works amazingly well, and doesn't interfere with the image I'm trying to capture, so the above 'complaints' are more of a wishlist, than anything else.

Definitely recommended.