A filter can be an essential tool when it comes to getting the shots we have in mind helping us shoot anything from long exposures to balanced video. Today, Polar Pro released their Variable ND filter giving us the option to spin a ring for further control of how much light we let through the lens.
Polar Pro has grown to become one of the largest companies for quality camera accessories over the past few years. They make everything from backpacks to amazing filters for drones and cameras. Today, Polar Pro has launched their newest product with Peter McKinnon, the VND Filter. The best part about these is being able to make quick easy adjustments on the fly without having to change your camera settings or swap your filter. Instead, just spin a ring and hit the shutter/record.
Polar Pro Variable ND
Packaging
I was lucky enough to try this filter out and off the bat had some great impressions about it. I think its safe to say that Polar Pro is the Apple of the camera industry with their packaging. A lot of time and hard work goes into this stuff; you can tell when you buy one of their products and actually handle everything yourself. Every time I unbox something from Polar Pro, I really admire the quality and feel of everything.
Polar Pro Packaging
Quality
More importantly than packaging would be the filter and quality of that. A few years ago Polar Pro just had a few filter lines that compared to a lot of other companies at the time. However, after using their filters for years on my drones, I started to realize these things were making my photos and videos look a lot more how I wanted. Today, the Cinema Series Quartzline has become an absolute favorite of mine for the build quality, image quality and colors the filters give out. Filters are going to be more fun since I have the freedom to adjust things when I need to now with this VND and I'm excited to get out there and see what we can do with it.
Polar Pro | Peter McKinnon Branding
Pricing
The Peter McKinnon Edition VND ranges from $250-$299 and comes as you see it above. The filters are available in 2-5 stops or 6-9 stops for 67mm, 77mm and 82mm rings. Polar Pro also sells step up rings if you are looking to put your filters on multiple lenses that are different sizes.
For more products from Polar Pro, check out their website.
For more on Peter McKinnon, check out his YouTube and Instagram.
Would like to actually see how these perform, my recommended was hammered with these influencer overviews which really didn’t tell me anything you couldn’t get from the press email.
These influencers received the product for free as part of a influencer marketing campaign and none of them really break down or compare how the filter performs.
Packaging on a VND, seems utterly useless from a cost perspective.
Also, outside of peters sub base, why should anyone care who he is? Big portion of his followers comments I’ve seen are “too expensive”. Makes sense since most people who follow Peter are actually young and not of high means.
AS per the filter.
Did you test it st 16mm close to full stop rating? How is the colour shifting? How is the image clarity compared to cheaper filters half the price.
Why is packaging a thing? I feel like this overview like all the other ones paid for in filters out there really doesn’t tell me why I should buy this product over one that costs half as much.
If you were lucky enough to try this filter out, why did you only review the packaging?
Fstoppers needs to have a policy on transparency of what's a legitimate review, what's a product announcement, and what's really just plain advertising. It's only fair, guys.
It's pretty easy to spot ads as opposed to true reviews from the high amount of links back to the manufacturer's page- 4 links alone to the lens on this article. On a side note, the only thing McKinnon sells on his website is jewelry, clothes, coffee, and a LOT of coffee making accessories.
Influencer marketing. They get to hide behind the veil of “we didn’t get paid to say this” but they got the filters for free and want to maintain a relationship with brand. FCC has regulations for paid advertising, especially sponsored segments on a radio show. That doesn’t exist here, it’s all advertising. To even discuss the packaging on a variable ND filter is pointless. It’s like talking about the packing on the lens and now shooting some samples through various conditions.
No offence to stoppers, but i notice you kept Peters name out of the title. Curious as to why you did that, it was clearly intentional.
His name is all over the article.
Yes, but abscent from the title. You would think it would bait more clicks. I guess not? He doesn’t tend to get favourable engagement by many when his name is mentioned. Too many PM articles last year i think.
Watch the review Lee and I did on the Fstoppers channel. It's a great filter, expensive, but one of the best VNDs we've used.
Post a link? I couldn’t find it.
I'm going to second 16mm Camera I wasn't able to find the review.
no problem, thanks Rodney.
I’m staying away from these simply because Peter McKinnon is promoting them.
What exactly was I supposed to take away from that video?