2 weeks ago
14
The Nano-X Pro filter system proves there's still a place for those who try to get it right in camera.
It's no secret that I enjoy taking the "scenic route" when it comes to photography. For better or worse, these days most of my work orbits around non-digital and historical techniques.
Don't get me wrong, I'm no purist when it comes to photography. An idealist? Maybe.
My darkroom shelves house enough black and white color filters to stack to the ceiling. I possess a neutral density filter collection that would make Ansel Adams weep with envy. That's before we even get into my psychotic proclivity for infrared.
In short, I love a good lens filter.
That's why when Kent Faith (K&F Concept) asked me to evaluate their new Nano-X Pro square filter system, I couldn't wait to find out what fresh filtration goodies the current photographic industry is capable of producing.
The Nano-X Pro Square Filter System
You've read these types of reviews before, folks. First things first. Allow me to pitch a list of the more important technical specifications for the Nano-X Pro system before we get down to business:
Design
- Holder Material: Aluminum
- Holder Thickness: 12 mm
- Holder Aperture: 91 mm functional opening
- CPL Mount: Rear-mounted circular polarizer for easy installation and removal
Included (as tested)
- Nano-X Pro Square Filter Holder
- GND8 Filter: 150 mm x 100 mm, 3-stop graduated neutral density
- ND1000 Filter: 100 mm x 100 mm, 10-stop neutral density
- CPL Filter: 95 mm circular polarizer
- Adapter Rings: 67 mm, 72 mm, 77 mm, 82 mm
Optical Construction
- Filter Glass Type: Japan-made AGC optical glass
- Filter Coating: 36-layer nano coating (both sides)
That Packaging…
I've always been a sucker for a good box. With an admittedly small pool of exceptions, the attention to detail and refinement in a product's packaging often translates to the same degree of care put into the product itself.
Friends, let me tell you, the packaging for the Nano-X Pro square filter system literally deserves its own section in this review.
Aside from the ridiculously handsome box, the carrying case for the Nano-X Pro system is outstanding. The housing of the case is faux leather with orange and gold accents. Protection for the filters is provided by a sueded interior.
Closure of the case is facilitated by hidden magnets that strike the sweet spot between security and ease of opening.
One of the best features of this and other K&F Concept filters I've reviewed over the years is the inclusion of a ripcord access mechanism in the carrying case.
A gentle yank of the orange strap liberates the filters from the case for easy access.
It's true, I love the window dressing, but I've been burned before. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty aspects of the Nano-X Pro square filter system to see if what's inside is as good as what's on the outside.
Build Quality
Overall, every aspect of the construction put into this filter system appears to be wholly top-quality. Below is a breakdown of the major components of the Nano-X Pro system.
Holder
First up is the heart of the Nano-X Pro square system: the filter holder itself.
The holder is made from what appears to be black anodized aluminum. It is minimalistic and well-executed with bright orange articulations and understated white lettering. I can find zero signs of grind marks or other imperfections in the tooling of the filter holder.
In terms of weight — or rather the perceived heft in hand of the holder — it feels "solid" but not overly heavy. I broke out my darkroom scale (and cleaned it, you're welcome) and the holder itself weighs roughly 116 g or just over 4 oz.
There is very fine velvet-like black flocking present on the front face of the holder. The Nano-X Pro filter holder can accommodate two square (or rectangular) filters by way of twin filter slots which appear to be made of some sort of high-density plastic.
Readily apparent is the flip-up circular filter access arm located at the top of the holder. This arm raises to allow access to the CPL compartment, which rests behind the two forward slots for the square filters.
A great bit of engineering is the "foolproof" design of the CPL slot. If the CPL (or other compatible circular filter) is inserted backwards, the access arm will not close and will display a "CPL error" message.
Filters
The Nano-X Pro system is available in a variety of configurations. For this review, the included filters were the 95 mm CPL, along with a 100 mm x 100 mm 10-stop ND filter and a 150 mm x 100 mm 3-stop (soft gradient) GND filter.
You'll notice these filters are mounted in a type of detachable housing which makes you wonder, "Why didn't I think of that?"
These housings are plastic, roughly 1.5 mm thick, and serve dual purposes. For one, they act as a layer of protection for the filters themselves, allowing your filters to carefully be laid on flat surfaces. The housings also provide a small degree of protection against accidental bumps and drops.
Secondly, the plastic filter housings offer outstanding grip on the filters. This means no more careful edge handling to avoid fingerprints on your filters. Those tabs at the top and bottom of the housings serve as excellent snatch points for pulling the filters from the case as well as removal from the filter holder.
We'll talk more about the importance of these housings later in the review.
Lastly, let's take a minute to discuss the 95 mm CPL.
The polarizer fits behind the other two filter slots, with the polarizing effect controlled by the orange wheel to the left of the filter holder. This works well enough and the polarizer itself seems to be of adequate build quality.
However, the rotation action of the polarizer feels a bit rough and makes a good bit of noise. This would be something to consider should you choose to use this filter system for videography.
For an in-depth look at the Nano-X Pro square filter system in action, with a more detailed demonstration of its functions and capabilities, I've put together a full video review which you can find below.
Image Quality
I was extremely pleased with the Nano-X Pro system's filter performance in terms of overall image quality.
I tested the filters with the Sony a7R III fitted with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM by way of a Sigma MC-11 EF-to-FE adapter. If that's not enough of a gear salad, I'll also add that I used a 58 mm–77 mm step-up ring to fit the Nano-X Pro's smallest diameter adapter ring to the lens.
During my tests I noticed no discernible decrease in sharpness throughout the frame even when stacking multiple filters. Likewise, I saw no increased peripheral vignetting or chromatic aberrations.
Granted, I use very few short lenses (wide angle). Those who do might comment further based on their own experience.
Below you can find a variety of image samples made with various combinations of filtration from the Nano-X Pro square filter system.
All image samples are Sony Raw files. The images of the farmland were captured using in-camera daylight white balance, with the images of the window dialed to 3,700 K to better match the blue-hour hue observed by eye, with minor adjustments to white balance and lighting.
You can also refer to the video portion of the review to observe a firsthand application of the filters and judge the overall quality for yourself in real time.
To my perception, there was no truly discernible color cast imparted by the filters. To that end, I have no doubt that any color shifts could easily be corrected in post-processing even if shooting in-camera JPEG.
In Use
I encountered no problems while using the Nano-X Pro square filter system. The filter holder itself locked down securely to the adapter ring with no play while changing filters.
However, there was a single instance (as seen in the video) where the filter holder and adapter ring were not securely threaded to the 58 mm–77 mm step-up ring used in my application. This was not due to the filter holder itself.
The filters slid in and out of the holder with no undue friction or force and were greatly aided by the tabs on the filter housing. Speaking of the housings…
…they can be a bit fiddly to change out until you get the hang of the concept. Don't force them on or off and consult the user's manual for a detailed explanation of their function. Essentially, they operate on a hook-and-eye closure.
There appear to be no noticeable internal reflections with the filters even when stacked to capacity within the holder.
Small Issues
While I was extremely pleased with the overall build quality and image production of the Nano-X system, there are some small issues that I hope will be addressed in future refinements of the product. You can find these in the Oxford English Dictionary under "nitpicks."
CPL Wheel Noise
If absolute silence is of importance to you while operating your camera, then the audibility of the CPL rotation wheel could become a problem.
While not overly abrasive, for on-camera microphone setups in videography or for the incidental nature of the landscape photographer who prizes stealth, this might be an issue.
User Manual Continuity
An interesting aspect of the Nano-X Pro square filter system came to light during the writing of this review. I noticed the locking knob, located at the lateral aspect of my model of the filter holder, was different from some other online images I found.
After consulting the user's manual and various online sources, I found that I have a newer version of the system.
It would be preferable to have an updated, model-accurate user's manual to go along with this product. In the same vein, knowing the differences between models of the Nano-X Pro system could aid in long-term use of the holder and filters.
That being said, this is really a non-issue from an operational standpoint, but something I hope is addressed and remedied by K&F Concept in the future.
A Few Considerations
I know the question on your mind because it's something I was thinking about also: can you use your current 100 mm square filters with the Nano-X Pro square filter system?
The answer to this question is yes — but with one giant caveat.
While the Nano-X system is indeed built for standard square 100 mm x 100 mm/150 mm filters, you must use the Nano-X frames with those filters.
Meaning bare glass filters in those sizes will be too small to fit the holder.
These Nano-X filter frames can be purchased separately, and from what I've learned they fit square filters up to 2 mm thickness. I personally used the frame with older K&F Concept square filters as well as an ancient filter from Breakthrough Photography (yikes) and they fit beautifully.
This means that while it's true your current square filters will likely fit with the Nano-X Pro holder system — provided you have the requisite filter frames — those same filters, if mounted in the Nano-X frames, likely will not fit another filter holder system.
This makes it a trade-off depending on which direction you are hoping to go with your filters.
Final Thoughts
The easier it is to implement a filter system, the more likely a photographer is to use it — and that's my biggest takeaway from K&F Concept's Nano-X Pro square filter platform: ease of use.
Combined with the optical qualities of the Nano-X filters, the easy-going nature of this system makes using square filters an absolute breeze.
I could not be happier with the overall build quality of the Nano-X system. It truly does feel like a much higher-end filter platform than the price would lead you to assume.
Find the current price for the K&F Concept Nano-X Pro square filter system at B&H Photo.
The "mix and match" nature of the platform is also appealing, as the avid photographer is able to purchase only the components needed to fit their needs.
If you already have a solid stable of workhorse square filters, all you need is the filter holder and the filter frames. If you're starting from scratch, K&F Concept offers a wide selection of kits that can be tailored to your style of shooting.
To that end, I will leave you with a brief word about K&F Concept (Kent Faith) as a whole. I've reviewed products from this company for nearly a decade. Some have been good, a few bad, and some — such as the Nano-X Pro system — have proved to be absolutely outstanding.
Throughout it all, and even through a few lively interactions concerning products, I have only seen earnest improvements made in the offerings from K&F Concept.
At the very least, they have been a company that listens to feedback, both positive and negative, and makes adjustments based on that feedback.
Have you used the Nano-X Pro square filter system from K&F Concept? Do you have experience with other K&F products? I'd be curious to hear your thoughts (good and bad) down in the comments below.
Have you used the Nano-X Pro square filter system from K&F Concept? Do you have experience with other K&F products? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts (good and bad) down in the comments below.
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