Each firm appears to have jumped on the magnetic filters factor over the previous couple of years. We’ve seen magnetic programs from Ok&F, Irix, H&Y, together with quite a few others, all hoping to lock you into their filter programs.
Now, it’s the flip of PolarPro with their its Helix MagLock (buy here) magnetic filter system. These aren’t the primary magnetic filters the corporate has launched, having produced them earlier than for small cameras just like the DJI Osmo Motion, however that is their first for DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
PolarPro Helix MagLock – More durable and Sooner
Following on from the corporate’s authentic variable ND filters for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, the brand new PolarPro Helix MagLock system is a part of the Peter McKinnon collection. PolarPro says that Helix was have been designed to be harder and quicker to make use of than conventional threaded filters. In addition they remove the potential problems with cross-threading and caught filters that may’t simply be eliminated.
All the filters are the identical dimension. The system incorporates completely different filter thread diameter mounts to have the ability to connect every of these filters to your entire lenses. So, there’s no extra want for step-up rings. Effectively, so long as all of your lenses have a filter diameter of 67mm, 72mm, 77mm or 82mm. In the event that they’re smaller than that, you’ll nonetheless want these step-up rings to connect the mount.
The PolarPro Helix filters magnetically connect to the mount after which twist to lock into place. This helps to make sure that slightly tough dealing with or rolling round in your digital camera bag isn’t going to make them simply fall off. While you do have to take away or connect them, rubber grips across the filter enable you get grip on them.
The system consists of a wide range of Variable ND filters in 2-5 and 6-9 cease ranges, with some in Mist flavour, together with common Mist filters and BlueMorphic and GoldMorphic filters that emulate the look of anamorphic lenses.
Yet one more proprietary filter system
It’s no secret that I’m not an enormous fan of proprietary filter mounting programs. They pressure you to return to that firm for future filters and restrict you to the vary of filters they provide. That being stated, the addition of rubber grips across the filter is a implausible concept. That is one thing that screw-on filters – filters that programs like this are designed to exchange – desperately want.
Regardless of my common dislike for them, proprietary programs like these actually do provide benefits over extra conventional accepted requirements resembling screw-on filters. The power to rapidly swap filters between a number of lenses, much less probability of stumbling and dropping them as you unspin them out of your lens, and no threat of cross-threading… They’re fairly tempting and are going to be of profit to numerous photographers on the market.
Value and Availability
When you’re a type of numerous photographers and wish to get your fingers on some, the PolarPro Helix MagLock filter system is obtainable to buy now on the PolarPro website, with particular person filters and kits beginning at $200. Particular person gadgets, mounts, defender covers and filters are additionally accessible to pre-order now from B&H.