Freewell Launches a Very Slim Variable ND/CPL Filter Kit

My first impression when pulling Freewell's latest filter kit offering out of its packaging was how small and light it was. Filter kits tend to be bulky and take up lots of space, often housed in boxes that take up valuable space in camera bags too. They can be a nuisance to lug around. Not this kit. I immediately liked it.

This new filter kit was designed in collaboration with YouTuber and filmmaker Brandon Li. His run-and-gun style of filmmaking using lightweight gear and gimbals required a light, slim variable neutral density filter, with the ability to control reflective light and soften night scenes with diffusion. I can relate to this, having shot a lot of run-and-gun videos and films myself. Finding the perfect kit is a challenge, and we often have to make our own using various bits and pieces from different manufacturers. For photographers transitioning into filmmaking, Fstoppers offers Introduction to Video: A Photographer's Guide to Filmmaking, which covers the fundamentals of this kind of shooting.

For Filmmakers

There are three things a filmmaker requires that I would say are essential. We need neutral density filters to control the amount of light entering the camera. We often need a circular polarizer to keep reflections under control. And, if we're using modern clinically sharp lenses, we need a mist filter to help create a more organic, less digital look. For evening shooting, a mist filter gives a very "cinematic" look, which is very desirable. There are kits out there that address all three of these requirements, but they are bulky, clunky, and far from perfect.

This new kit from Freewell gives you all three solutions, with the slimmest form factor on the market. And that's a big deal. I'm often running around shooting outside in bright light and want to shoot with a shallow depth of field to separate my subject, and need seven or eight stops. I'm shooting that scene with lots of glass in frame, and want to remove the reflections. And then, I'm running indoors to shoot, and need to drop down to one stop—or none—but need a mist filter to soften all the artificial lighting. To do all of this, it's really useful to have the pieces I'm not using in my pocket that I can grab instantly, rather than mess about with boxes in a bag. With this small kit comes a useful cloth pouch, to stash the ND32 or mist when not using them. It also comes with a hard clamshell case, although I found it too bulky to carry anywhere.

You can buy adapter (step-up) rings so you can use the filter kit across all your lenses. I always buy 82mm filters as my main video lens is that size, and then step-up rings for a couple of my other lenses. So it's possible to go on a video shoot with this one slim kit and a couple of adapter rings, and every shooting scenario with every lens is covered. Perfect!

For Photographers

This kit, however, is not solely for filmmakers, despite the marketing. It's actually a perfect piece of kit for photographers too. If you enjoy landscape photography, for example, you have everything you need fitting right into your pocket. Long exposures of the ocean, slowing down by 10 stops for an ethereal minimalist image? You're covered. Need to reduce reflections in all that foliage? You're covered. Need to shoot a more natural, organic photo with your new clinically sharp lens, or shoot a night scene in the city and make it cinematic? Covered.

Photographers are choosing smaller camera kits these days that are lighter and easier to take everywhere. This filter kit is the best solution, in my opinion, with that in mind. For travel photographers, in particular, this little kit fits into the smallest shoulder bag. If you're looking to take your landscape and travel work further, check out Photographing the World: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing.

There are two versions of the kit you can buy:

The Brandon Li x Freewell Magnetic VND/CPL Basic Kit

• Magnetic base ring
• 1-5 stop VND
• ND32 filter (for 6-10 stops)
• Front and rear lens caps
• Retails for $350

The Brandon Li x Freewell Magnetic VND/CPL Pro Kit

• Magnetic base ring
• 1-5 stop VND
• ND32 filter (for 6-10 stops)
• Glow Mist 1/4 filter
• Front and rear lens caps
• Retails for $380

You can always buy the Basic Kit and add the Glow Mist filter later.

Additional base rings are $30 and come in 49mm, 55mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, and 82mm.

Color Issues?

The first thing I look for with a new filter kit is whether there is a color cast or not. I shot with all the filters to compare, and the results were impressive. No color variations whatsoever; every test shot was perfectly neutral. If we're shooting raw, this isn't such a big issue these days, but it is nice to get it all correct in camera.

Things I Love

• It starts with one stop, not two stops, like most VNDs.
• It's incredibly thin, and the screw-on back cap and magnetic front cap mean you don't need a pouch for it; you can slip it in your pocket.
• The inside of the front cap has a gray card for checking exposure and white balance. A thoughtful touch.

Things I Don’t Love

• The clamshell filter case is too big, and bulkier than it needs to be—although with the front and rear caps, you don't need it.
• Removing the additional mist and the ND32 filters is a little fiddly, because the kit is so thin, ironically.
• The magnetic front cap doesn't lock when the mist and ND32 filters are attached—and I always keep the mist filter on. Actually, maybe this point should be added to Things I Love, as it's much quicker to pull off the cap with just the magnet!

I've tested and used many VND filter kits over the years. This one is one of the best that gives you the three filters needed for most filmmaking and photography situations. The size is great if you're traveling light, but it also makes taking filters on and off a little fiddly. I rate the Brandon Li x Freewell VND/CPL kit 8.5/10.