Reviews
Excellent Filter Kit for the Landscape Photographer, Superior K&F Quality, Includes Useful Extras
I’ve been a fan of K&F Filters, and many of their other photographic products, for some time now, and have come to appreciate the consistency and the quality of the brand. The majority of my lenses live their lives with a K&F Concept UV protective filter on their front element.
I have done enough testing of the transmittance and sharpness of K&F UV filters in the past that I now consider them a trusted brand; I feel confident in their quality. I consider them a go-to, trusted seller.
I ordered this set of filters specifically for a fast, manual focus Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar Canon EF lens that mounts to my Sony camera via a Metabones EF-E adapter; this is an ideal kit for maintaining more control over exposure when recording video in a brightly lit environment. The UV filter provides inexpensive insurance, protecting the front element of the lens. The UV filtration, in practice, has little effect, since a UV filter is already installed over the Bayer array of digital sensors by the manufacturer; it has a more practical application in film photography. The included CPL filter is, of course, a mainstay of professional photography. Besides controlling some reflections and saturation, it also provides a limited range of variable neutral density.
K&F was thinking slow shutter speeds when they decided to include a 10-stop ND filter, which implies that this set of filters is geared toward the landscape photographer. On the other hand, it allows for shooting wide open at f1.4 in bright sunlight, although at a higher ISO than I would prefer. It’s more useful when using the camera on a tripod or monopod so the ISO can be kept reasonably low. Or, of course, using it with the lens closed down with a slow shutter speed in order to facilitate a special effect, like the smooth, ethereal look of blurred flowing water.
The physical attributes of the filters are, without exaggeration, their near featherweight, along with facetted chines on its circumference, for grip. In addition, K&F’s beautiful, 24-layerd, multi-coated glass to inhibit internal reflections. Interestingly, and unfortunately, although no fault of their design, the faceting on the aluminum frames prevents putting on or taking off the Zeiss lens’ original reversible, bayoneted lens shade. I can attach the lens shade, then the filter(s), but I need to remove the filter(s) before I can remove the lens shade; I’m a stickler for the use of lens shades and its an unfortunate inconvenience. But particular to this lens.
The two K&F front lens caps provided are a match in quality, if not an improvement, to the OEM lens cap that came with the lens. The pinching levers are easy to use, firmly spring-loaded, and provide a firm grip to the filter or the lens, on whichever it’s placed.
As I noted at the beginning, I’ve come to rely on the quality of K&F filters, and for all the benefits that the seller asserts, but most importantly to me, the high quality of their AGC multi-coated, anti-reflective glass. AGC, a Japanese company, is the largest manufacturer of glass in the world. Another reason I have confidence in K&F filters.
The filters are supplied with two lens caps, two lanyards to keep the lens caps from wondering off, three high-quality microfiber lens cleaning cloths and two plastic storage cases. K&F Concept provides plenty of value for your money and they don’t cut corners; everything provided is of the same high-quality.
I have done enough testing of the transmittance and sharpness of K&F UV filters in the past that I now consider them a trusted brand; I feel confident in their quality. I consider them a go-to, trusted seller.
I ordered this set of filters specifically for a fast, manual focus Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar Canon EF lens that mounts to my Sony camera via a Metabones EF-E adapter; this is an ideal kit for maintaining more control over exposure when recording video in a brightly lit environment. The UV filter provides inexpensive insurance, protecting the front element of the lens. The UV filtration, in practice, has little effect, since a UV filter is already installed over the Bayer array of digital sensors by the manufacturer; it has a more practical application in film photography. The included CPL filter is, of course, a mainstay of professional photography. Besides controlling some reflections and saturation, it also provides a limited range of variable neutral density.
K&F was thinking slow shutter speeds when they decided to include a 10-stop ND filter, which implies that this set of filters is geared toward the landscape photographer. On the other hand, it allows for shooting wide open at f1.4 in bright sunlight, although at a higher ISO than I would prefer. It’s more useful when using the camera on a tripod or monopod so the ISO can be kept reasonably low. Or, of course, using it with the lens closed down with a slow shutter speed in order to facilitate a special effect, like the smooth, ethereal look of blurred flowing water.
The physical attributes of the filters are, without exaggeration, their near featherweight, along with facetted chines on its circumference, for grip. In addition, K&F’s beautiful, 24-layerd, multi-coated glass to inhibit internal reflections. Interestingly, and unfortunately, although no fault of their design, the faceting on the aluminum frames prevents putting on or taking off the Zeiss lens’ original reversible, bayoneted lens shade. I can attach the lens shade, then the filter(s), but I need to remove the filter(s) before I can remove the lens shade; I’m a stickler for the use of lens shades and its an unfortunate inconvenience. But particular to this lens.
The two K&F front lens caps provided are a match in quality, if not an improvement, to the OEM lens cap that came with the lens. The pinching levers are easy to use, firmly spring-loaded, and provide a firm grip to the filter or the lens, on whichever it’s placed.
As I noted at the beginning, I’ve come to rely on the quality of K&F filters, and for all the benefits that the seller asserts, but most importantly to me, the high quality of their AGC multi-coated, anti-reflective glass. AGC, a Japanese company, is the largest manufacturer of glass in the world. Another reason I have confidence in K&F filters.
The filters are supplied with two lens caps, two lanyards to keep the lens caps from wondering off, three high-quality microfiber lens cleaning cloths and two plastic storage cases. K&F Concept provides plenty of value for your money and they don’t cut corners; everything provided is of the same high-quality.
19/10/2024