Why would you need one? I wondered that a year ago, and now I’m obsessed with mist/diffusion filters. It happened when I started taking filmmaking seriously. I use very sharp modern lenses for my filming and photography and wasn’t happy with the crisp, sterile results I was getting. I wanted a more natural, organic feel. I’ve tested many kinds of mist/diffusion filters, and now I’ve finally found one I really love.
Recently, I got to test a new product from Formatt Hitech, a relatively small UK company that makes professional-grade filters for the movie industry. Their products have been used on Hollywood blockbusters like Dune, The Batman, and Star Wars. They collaborated with British filmmaker Philip Bloom to create Bloom Gold diffusion filters.
Philip is a highly respected DOP and director with an impressive 30+ year career. His CV includes work as a cameraman for Lucasfilm, CNN, Sky, and the BBC. He takes quality seriously and wouldn’t put his name to anything unless he really believed in it and used it himself. He also puts a lot of time and effort into helping stray cats. That’s a few extra bonus points in my book.
Bloom Gold filters are circular and perfect for those of us shooting on mirrorless cameras who don’t want the hassle of using matte boxes and slide-in filters. They come in 49 mm, 67 mm, 72 mm, and 82 mm. There are three densities: 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2. They have an impressive gold finish, or there’s a more stealthy black finish.
Bloom Gold filters are gold mist filters, named because they contain thousands of tiny gold flecks, which create a lovely halation to highlights, smooth skin, and give a subtle warm tone in the brighter areas of an image. The more common black mist filters contain black flecks and create a similar effect, minus the warm tones.
Bloom Gold filter. For scenes lacking high-contrast lighting, a diffusion filter is barely noticeable, although the sharp digital edge is taken off clinically sharp lenses.
These filters take off the sharp digital edge on modern lenses, creating a softer, more organic feel to the image. You can achieve a vintage or more film-like look. I’ve tested this gold mist filter in many scenarios along with black mist filters. It takes away contrast and flattens out your image more than a black mist filter, and I like that. You can easily bring the contrast back in post, though, if required.
Unlike many filter brands, Firecrest Bloom Gold filters don’t have a thick, grippy edge on them. They are very smooth and look and feel sophisticated. I immediately noticed they’re lighter than other aluminum filters I own. They’re made with Schott B270i optical glass and hand-finished in their UK factory.
Aluminum filters tend to stick to a lens or step-up ring. According to Formatt Hitech, the aluminum they use is different from what’s typically used on a lens thread, and sticking isn’t as much of a problem as it used to be. I’m not 100% convinced about this. In my experience, sticking is still a nuisance, particularly in cold weather. I’ve had this happen a few times now, as I’ve been testing quite a few filters recently, including this Bloom Gold, in temperatures below zero. I’ve found brass filters and step-up rings are better than aluminum. The way to avoid issues is to not screw your filters on too tight—keep them slightly loose.
Bloom Gold diffusion filters are a higher-end product. The 82 mm versions are $140. Other notable higher-end brands making gold mist filters include the Tiffen Gold Diffusion ($150) and the Hoya CinePro HD Gold Mist ($120).
I’ve been using a 1/4 density Bloom Gold on my very sharp Soft, Warm, and Cinematic, using it in a variety of conditions, and I absolutely love it. It gives my footage a more natural look. I’m also using it for photography too. It works particularly well for golden-hour landscapes and travel photography. I even tried it on my Leica Q2 Monochrom, comparing it to a couple of other brands—it’s great for black-and-white photography. Have I said that I really love this filter already?
Things To Love
- Made in the UK, in Aberdare, Wales
- High-quality build and heritage
- Refined visual appeal, with a very understated black option
Things That Could Be Better
- The case is a bit of a letdown. White plastic with sharp corners. Brands like PolarPro and Moment make lovely user-friendly cases that are much nicer and easier to pop into a bag or pocket.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a superb filter, which I doubt will leave my lens much. Because Philip Bloom is behind this product, it would be appropriate to say it’s the cat’s meow.
Which type of filter do you prefer—circular screw-on or slide-in?
I really like the results you're getting from that filter. I purchased a Cinebloom 10% about a year ago hoping to get the same effect. My intent was to diffuse some of the sharp detail in my flower pictures. It's amazing what pops out at you in the way of debris on a flower petal with a macro lens that you don't normally notice with your eyes. Anyway, the results didn't impress me all that much. I decided I could accomplish the same thing by reducing the clarity slider in Camera Raw.
So I forgot all about that filter until your article this morning inspired a second take. My two pictures are: without the filter (top), and with the filter (bottom); otherwise same camera settings. The first thing I notice is that the reds are brighter without the filter. The diffusion is minimal though. Again... something easily created in post-processing. My first guess is that the Bloom Gold is a better quality filter at US$110 than the Cinebloom at $50. Maybe I should have bought the 20% density filter instead. Maybe I need to try it outdoors with a larger field of view than a macro indoors picture. Any thoughts?