Last week, PolarPro announced their new Peter McKinnon Edition Variable ND filter. PolarPro has been at NAB 2019 this week and so has DIYP. So, we went over to talk to them and find out a little more about them.
The filter comes with both hard and soft cases, as well as one of PolarPro’s Defender caps designed specifically for the variable ND filters. They’re “slim” filters and as such, they have no front thread. This means you can’t just use your regular lens cap to protect the filter in your bag. The Defender goes on and comes off easily, though, and holds very strong when it’s attached. I’ve been using the 2-5 stop version of the filter myself for a couple of weeks now and so far I’m very impressed. Each of the filters features hard stops at the 5 and 9 stop limits to prevent the dreaded X issues we often see with stronger or less expensive variable ND filters. They also claim the lowest refractive index of any variable ND filter on the market to further minimise this issue. Personally, I’ve not experienced it myself yet, even with the filter all the way down to 5 stops and relatively wide angle lenses. The prices have changed slightly since the initial announcement. The 2-5 stop version is still $249.99, and the 6-9 stop version is still $299.99, but the package price for the pair is $449.99, and not $499.99 as originally reported. We would love to send a shoutout to our sponsors who helped bring you this NAB 2019 coverage: Artlist, StoryBlocks Video, SYRP, B&H, Spiffy Gear. Don’t forget to check out our NAB Giveaway, where we’re offering over $8,500 worth of cinema goodies.
