Product Review – Tiffen 82MM Variable Neutral Density Filter

Today on The Slanted Lens, our product reviewing is on the new Tiffen 82mm Variable Neutral Density Filter.
If you are doing video, you got to have a good ND filter because you want that shallow depth of field. Using an ND filter is the only way you are going to get that outside in the sunlight.

I think it is a valuable piece of equipment, and I can’t shoot without one.

[note: the image is the 77mm, but I reviewed the 82mm.]

Video Transcription

Hi, this is Jay P. Morgan. Today on The Slanted Lens, we’re going to take a look at Tiffen’s new ND filter. The nice thing about this is that’s a variable ND filter, one to eight stops. It gives you a variety of places, but it’s a bit of a disadvantage that it doesn’t click into place. It just has a ring. It does have dots, it goes from minimum to maximum, so you can see exactly where it’s at. But as you put this on a camera, it’s nice because I’ll just dial my ISO down to 100, I’ll dial the ND down to where my exposure looks correct to 2800, and I’ve got that really shallow depth of field. That’s really what ND is for. You put it on the camera, it allows you to darken the image so that you can get to 2800 and give you that really shallow depth of field. I bought mine at 82mm because that’s the filter size for my largest lens. A lot of lenses are going to 82mm. But it also gives me the ability to put just a simple step dial ring on the back that will step it back to 77, which a lot of my older lenses are. So, it gives you a lot of options if you get it at 82mm, and also makes it so that on your wider lenses it’s not going to vignette as much. It gives you a little broader glass in the front, it’s not going to vignette as much as you use it one those wider lenses.

So, I’ve found this a very workable piece of equipment on set. I have heard people say that you get some criss-crossing when you go to eight stops, I’ve not had that experience since I’ve gotten it down to eight stops. But the reality is, when you’re shooting onset, doing video, you’ve got to have good ND because you want to have that shallow depth of field and that’s the only way you’re going to get it outside in the sunlight. So, I think it’s a valuable piece of equipment, I can’t shoot without one. And this is a great solution because of the price point, it comes with a great case to store it in, really makes it viable to get it in your case and let you go. So check it out, Tiffen’s new filter.