Nisi Filters Review - Are these the BEST filters money can buy?
In this video, we are bringing you a comprehensive Nisi filter review. We’ll be using the new V6 100 mm filter holder system with Grad filters, ND filters and their circular polarizer.
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We are taking out the Nisi Filter V6 Advanced Kit which currently retails in the UK for £965. This is a lot of money so let’s see what you get. The kit includes the following:
1 x NiSi V6 Holder with 67mm 72mm 77mm rings + 82mm main ring + Landscape Polariser included
1 x NiSi GND Nano IR Medium filter – GND8 (0.9) – 3 Stop
1 x NiSi GND Nano IR Reverse filter – GND8 (0.9) – 3 Stop
1 x NiSi ND Nano IR filter – ND8 (0.9) – 3 Stop
1 x NiSi ND Nano IR filter – ND64 (1.8) – 6 Stop
1 x NiSi ND Nano IR filter – ND1000 (3.0) – 10 Stop
1 x NiSi Natural Night Filter 100x100mm
1 x Cloth for cleaning filters
1 x Air blower for dust and sand removal
1 x Clever Cleaner, filter cleaning tool
1 x PRO soft case, can hold up to 9 filters (4 ND filters 100x100mm and 5 GND 100x150mm)
1 x Lens Cap V6, cap to keep your V6 always mounted on the lens
Here is what Nisi states on their filters:
Construction
All NiSi square use Nano Coating®, this wording indicates the use of the exclusive Nano Coating treatment which makes the filter water-repellent and oleophobic for perfect sharpness. NiSi filters also use IR technology, i.e. the coating that blocks infrared light, and therefore eliminates the risk of magenta colour cast.
Unparalleled Quality
NiSi filters are all made of the highest quality lens grade optical glass so as not to lose even the smallest detail in your images. The special Nano Coating on both sides minimises unwanted reflections and gives the NiSi neutral density filters the characteristic of being water-repellent and oleophobic. There are no comparable quality filters thanks to the exclusive NiSi glass used, with which you can be confident that your lenses will not lose definition.
Unique on the market
Thanks to the very high chromatic correspondence and absence of dominant colours, you can finally say goodbye to impractical and time-consuming colour corrections in post-production. NiSi optical glass is not the classic B270 used by many manufacturers, but it is a superior quality glass used by the major manufacturers of photographic lenses specifically for the finest optical elements, NiSi filters do not degrade the image and your lens and photographic sensor will always work at maximum of their potential.
Weatherproof
The Nano® Coating treatment gives the filter the quality of repelling water and oils, making cleaning very easy even in extreme conditions or with the presence of seawater. The finishing of the edges and the rounded corners improve the resistance of the filter and the grip. Our filters and holders are born to be used outdoors, in any weather situation, enjoy photography in its purest essence.
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Our Test
We took the filters out to a place called The Chappel Viaduct in Essex, UK and I was going for a shot showing this impressive structure with the clouds steaking in the sky behind it. I used the 10 stop ND filter and the circular polarizer to create the shot.
Camera Settings - f.11 - ISO 100 - 16mm Focal length - 31 second
For those of you that don’t know what filters can do to a picture, below is the same shot taken without using them.
Camera Settings - f.16 - ISO 100 - 16mm Focal length - 1/20 second
Verdict
It seems like a lot of money at first but what struck me instantly was the sheer quality of the equipment. It really is of high quality and I can see the filters lasting for many years. The circular polarizing system is great as is the holder it goes in. It’s also a 100mm filter system so you will be able to mix and match other filters you may already have. E.g. you could use your Lee filters in this holder or use Nisi filters in the Lee holder system.
The grad filters are made from glass and personally, I would prefer them to be made of resin as this gives less chance of them smashing. The accessories that come with the kit are great. They are nice little touches that makes you realise Nisi really do understand the filter using photographer. The amount of times I’ve got specs of dust on my ND filters whilst shooting is annoying, and the blower brush and clever cleaner does a great job removing these.
This particular kit comes with a Natural Night Filter. This is for night photography and retails at £150 on its own so if you're not looking at doing night photography then maybe you would want to choose another kit and save a bit of money.
Bottom Line
The bottom line here is that I would definitely recommend Nisi Filters for the serious or pro Landscape photographer. They are of very high quality and will last you for years. Below are links to the Advanced Nisi Filter Kit we use here and a starter kit that we recommend as a cheaper option.
NiSi Starter Kit – V6 (Series III) https://amzn.to/2Rvk1zQ
NiSi Starter Kit Plus – V6 (Series III) https://amzn.to/3hxXYTB
NiSi Professional Kit – V6 (Series III) https://amzn.to/2FAGp8f
NiSi Advanced Kit – V6 (Series III) https://amzn.to/3oF48G2
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Like this? - Check out similar tutorials below
ND Filters – In Depth Guide For Beginners
Best ND Filters
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