Breakthrough Photography has been producing high-quality lens filters since opening in 2015. Now, with their most recent product release, you can acquire these great lens filters in a magnetic design.
Breakthrough already began to shake up the filter market with their unique edge design for the rings to aid in grip traction, which enables photographers to more easily apply and remove threaded filters from their lenses. Not only that, if you remember back to our comprehensive neutral density filter shootout, the Breakthrough filter came through quite clearly as the winner.
Now, with a magnetic design, you no longer have to worry about filters binding on threads, and square filters are now no longer needed despite their one-size-fits-all format, because you can either use a magnetic ring adapter or step-up ring to use your filter on any lens up to 82mm. Since these magnetic filters are circular in design, there is no part of the filter that goes unused, making them a much more cost-friendly purchase compared to square filters. There are many other benefits to making the switch to magnetic filters, and now you can get them from Breakthrough in all the major filter types: UV, CPL, ND, Dark CPL, Night Sky, and Infrared.
Breakthrough filters can be purchased here.
I've been using xume magnetic filter rings for years and they are super low profile. also they work with all of my filters, even if I need to replace one. is there a benefit with this bulky magnetic holder over something like the xume system, which I currently have on all my filters and lenses?
Yeah first thing I noticed was the excessive size.I knew there was a low profile version out there.
It is designed so you can use their x100 square filter holder in front of the magnet filter. Mainly so you can use a graduated ND along with a standard ND
Scott Mosley There *is* an important advantage of the Breakthrough magnetic holder system over the XUME that I have personally experienced...
I had the XUME system in the 82mm size until I discovered that it vignettes on my wider angle lenses (24mm FF or less, which surprised me!). The reason being that I own one set of 82mm filters and step-up rings to 82mm for each of my different lens thread sizes. So, when mounting a filter on my wide angle lens, for example, I have the step-up ring to 82mm, then the XUME lens adapter at 82mm, the XUME filter holder at 82mm, and finally the filter all sandwiched together in front of my lens. The extra few mm added by the step-up ring in combination with the XUME is enough to produce vignetting on my wider lenses.
So, basically, XUME is great if you aren't using filters on wide angle lenses, and ideally if you aren't using step-up rings (i.e. you have a different filter for each thread size). However, this was too big of a constraint for me since I'd prefer to own only a single set of high quality circular filters and be able to use them on all my lenses.
The other advantage I would say is that the Breakthrough system also allows you to securely attach their X100 filter holder to it also, which gives you the flexibility to use ND graduated filters, which still need to be square for adjustment.
That is a brilliant idea.
I want...
Graduated ND?
Yup, you just attach the X100 filter holder to the magnetic adapter and you get the flexibility to use square filters also.
Is it possible to stack them? also does it have a front thread incase you want to add a square filter holder infant of the ND?
There is no front-filter needed because the magnetic holder itself has a rim on it that allows the X100 holder (also from Breakthrough) to attach directly, which then allows you to use standard size 100mm square filters.
Stacking filters is not possible unless you use it in combination with the X100 holder. Breakthrough also makes "Dark CPLs" which you can use instead of combining separate polarizers and solid NDs.
Cool. Thanks for the response.
I think those filters would be very good addition to anyone doing photographic blends as it reduces the chance of moving the camera. Can’t say the number of times I moved the lense or changes the zoom because of me trying to screw in a filter or a filter holder.
Xume (now Manfrotto) had magnetic filter holders YEARS ago. This is a paid ad for this product and should be listed as such.
It's not a paid ad for the product; therefore it won't be listed in any such way. It is posted in the news category simply because that's precisely what it is, news. For fans of the pre-existing Breakthrough system, news like this is important.
In the header picture, it looks like the filter is so far away from the front glass. Wouldn't that create a lot of unnecessary vignetting?
I actually used the system this week on a trip with the magnetic CPL. I am new to polarizers but it worked as described and didn't seem to reduce image quality. Easy to take on and off and can leave the ring on but it does stop you from using a lens hood.