WHY USE FILTERS?
Photographers use filters for a variety of reasons. To protect the front lens element, the most expensive part of the lens. To capture the image as much as possible in the camera and minimize time spent later in front of the computer. To increase exposure time to give an ethereal feel to the motion of water and clouds. To reduce reflections and glare on surfaces such as water or glass. To boost color saturation and contrast. And cut out unwanted light wavelengths such as UV or infrared. Whatever the reason, the desired end result is always a better image, which quality filters can help you achieve.
The highest quality Schott B270 optical glass. Precisely parallel glass surfaces, absolutely essential for optimal light transmission and color accuracy. Advanced coatings to reduce reflection, prevent glare between the lens and filter and eliminate unwanted light frequencies. These are just a few of the characteristics of a very high quality filter such as Benro’s – and they are not easy or inexpensive to accomplish. Most bargain-priced filters lack these essential characteristics and can seriously degrade the quality of your images. Putting a $25 polarizer in front of a $1,500 lens often means losing the image quality that lens would otherwise produce. Quality lenses definitely deserve quality filters.
Master Glass Solid Neutral Density Filter
Click below to see an image captured using a Benro Master Glass solid neutral density filter
FILTER TERMINOLOGY
HD (High Definition)
High Definition Optical Technology: precisely-ground optical glass ensures that surfaces are perfectly parallel, allowing the light entering the lens through the filter to do so in a straight line, essential for maximum image quality and color accuracy.
WMC
WMC is an advanced Nano coating applied to filter surfaces to create an ultra-smooth, scratch-resistant finish. This clear coating also repels dirt and liquids and allows for quick, easy cleaning of the filter surface.
L39 Coating
This coating absorbs 99% of unwanted UV rays (below 390nm) and minimizes haze, resulting in sharper images with greater contrast and improved color separation.
ULCA
The Ultra Low Chromatic Aberration coating prevents light reflection and improves light transmission to above 99%, resulting in higher quality images.
Hardened Glass
Benro’s hardened (tempered) Schott B270 glass is over 60% stronger than regular glass. All our round threaded UV filters are made with this glass, to protect the costly front lens element from damage. In addition, many of our drop-in filters are now available with hardened glass. Hardened glass filters are put through rigorous ball-bearing drop tests to ensure protection against direct impact, without affecting the visual properties of the glass after impact.
PMMA
The PMMA resin used in Benro Universal drop-in filters is durable, shock-resistant and perfectly suited to heavy extended use. These resin filters are cost-effective alternative to glass filters and perfect for photographers eager to learn new photographic skills. While resin filters are more susceptible to scratches and marks than glass filters, they can be dropped or bent without breaking.
Anti-IR
Advanced anti-IR coating blocks infra-red and ultra violet light which can negatively affect image quality in the form of a blue or orange tone across the image. Benro Master filters also have an anti-reflection coating applied, which cancels out infrared light waves before they can reach the camera sensor.
ADT
Advanced Dyeing Technology is used on Benro Universal resin filters, reducing color shifts in dye graduations often seen with other resin filters.
Low Reflectivity
To reduce reflection on the filter surface and prevent glare between the lens and filter, our Master glass filters are given a special reflection absorption coating, which reduces the reflective properties of our filters to less than 1.5%.
Precise Graduation
Both our Master glass and Universal resin graduated neutral density filters have an optimized gradient region for ultimate control of light and dark. Graduation coatings are extended to ensure that the best coverage is in the center of the filter.
Master Glass Polarizing Filter
Click below to see an image captured using a Benro Master Glass Polarizer
DROP-IN AND ROUND THREADED FILTERS
Drop-in filters, extensively used by landscape, cityscape and architectural photographers, are an advanced photographic tool for enhancing your images. Benro drop-in filters are available in these filter types, in a variety of sizes:
• Soft-edge graduated neutral density
• Hard-edge graduated neutral density
• Reverse graduated neutral density
• Solid neutral density
• Drop-in circular polarizer
Graduated neutral density filters are used to balance exposure in images with wide contrast ranges, such as in a scene with a bright sky or horizon and a foreground in shadow. Solid neutral density filters increase exposure time, enabling the photographer to capture motion in the image. A polarizer enhances color saturation and reduces glare and reflection. We also offer a more specialized drop-in filter, the True Night, which is used for nighttime photography and is currently available in only the 100x100mm size.
Benro Master glass round threaded filters are available in these filter types:
• UV filters with hardened glass
• Slim polarizers
• Solid neutral density filters (3, 6, 10 and 15 stops)
• Variable neutral density filters (1-9 stops)
Our round threaded filters are among the thinnest on the market and are available in a wide range of sizes to fit virtually any lens. The exceptions are some very wide angle lenses which have integrated lens shades and no threads. Drop-in filters must be used with these lenses.
Master Glass Graduated Neutral Density Filters
Click below to see images captured with Benro Master glass hard-edge, soft-edge and reverse graduated neutral density filters
TYPES OF FILTERS AND WHAT THEY DO
Soft-edge Graduated Neutral Density Filters
Balances the light ratios between sky and foreground, darkening the brightest portion of the sky while blending smoothly into the foreground, ideally so that the end of the gradation is not obvious in the image. It also allows for longer exposure times to bring out detail in a darker foreground. Typically used in scenes with uneven horizon lines.
Hard-edge Graduated Neutral Density Filters
As with the soft-edge grad, the hard-edge grad is used to balance exposure between a bright sky and darker foreground. Used when there is a clear horizon line separation between sky and foreground and when there is also an obvious exposure difference between the two.
Reverse Graduated Neutral Density Filters
Reverse graduated neutral density filters are often used during sunrises and sunsets with a flat, defined horizon line. The reverse grad darkens the center of the image where the light is brightest, while also reducing brightness at the top of an image and opening up detail in the foreground.
Solid Neutral Density Filters
Solid neutral density filters are designed to lengthen exposure times, typically in brighter light. Colors become fuller and details become richer. Running water, such as waterfalls, ocean tides and streams, becomes smooth and misty. Clouds soften or blur and other moving objects, such as people and cars, blur while static objects remain pin sharp. Great filters for expanding creativity.
Variable Neutral Density Filters
The variable neutral density filter is perfect for use in the same conditions in which you would use a solid neutral density filter. But, instead of a fixed number of stops, the variable neutral density filter is adjustable, in the case of Benro’s, from 1-9 stops. You just dial the filter to increase or decrease exposure time as needed for the specific scene and lighting conditions.
Circular Polarizers
A polarizer is one of the photographer’s most essential tools and one which cannot be replicated with software. A polarizer will reduce or eliminate reflection and glare, enhance color saturation, increase contrast, darken skies and remove haze. A polarizer is also completely adjustable, so that you can see the effect change as you rotate the filter. Can be used for any type of photography, but most often used for outdoor and landscape photography.
UV Protective Filters
UV filters not only block unwanted UV light, but provide valuable protection for the front lens element, the most expensive part to replace. All of Benro’s UV filters are made with hardened Schott B270 glass, which is more than 60% stronger than regular glass. Many photographers screw on a UV filter when they take a new lens out of the box, confident they have just protected that lens and minimized the time needed to touch the front of lens for cleaning, minimizing potential damage.
True Night Filter
The True Night filter is made specifically for photographers shooting at night or at dusk or dawn. Light pollution from city lights comes from a mix of competing light sources, such as sodium and mercury vapor lights, often producing an unpleasant yellow/orange color cast in images. The True Night filter cancels all light with a wavelength of 589nm and gives a more pleasing color to the entire scene. Ideal for cityscape photographers.