Formatt Hitech Firecrest Superslim Circular Polarizer Filter Review
In this review, I will talk near the hugely popular Firecrest sixteen Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter (IRND 4.8), the most "neutral" neutral density filter in the world. The new Firecrest 16 offers xvi ND stops in one filter, this is what 16 stands for. This neutral density filter is not only the almost neutral in the globe but, in its circular version, it is as well the slimmest stackable ND filter in the world, merely five.5mm sparse.
UPDATE 2020
More recently Formatt Hitech has also launched a ten-stop Firecrest ND filter and a 13-stop Firecrest ND filter, whose characteristics are similar to the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter we are reviewing now, and then you lot can consider this review covering the 10-stop and xiii-end filers too. Also, the Formatt-Hitech neutral density filter line has extended from 1-stop up to 24-stop ND filters, which is more you will ever need in terms of long exposure.
You can find more things about the Firecrest filters and many other subjects related to black and white fine art photography (composition in black and white photography, vision, black and white processing tutorials), in the book From Basics to Fine Art – Black and White Photography, past me and Joel Tjintjelaar, where nosotros both talk most these filters extensively together with reviewing the virtually of import other filters on the market and generally the equipment you need for creating long exposure and black and white fine art architectural photography, and even going across architectural photography. We were the first who talked publicly nigh the Firecrest filters (in the book) fifty-fifty before they were
released and now we do this over again by reviewing these filters extensively on our sites as well.
Another resource where I talk extensively about long exposure photography is my video tutorial Long Exposure and Fine Art Photography – Creating (en)Visionography that comes together with my fifty-page eBook "Advanced Blackness and White Processing" where I present in detail my workflow for black and white and long exposure photography.
As well, more information about neutral density filters and the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter specifically you can read my Long Exposure Photography Extensive Tutorial that is a complete guide to the fascinating technique of long exposure photography.
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These are the neutral density ND filters and accessories I am working with to create my long exposure photography and yous can see the groovy results in my many award-winning images. Formatt-Hitech was the first to create truly neutral ND filters back in 2014 , the Firecrest line, the offset to create an "anti low-cal-leak" holder, and they continue innovating with the new Firecrest ULTRA ND filters.. This is why I work with this brand. It gives me the best results. Get 10% OFF discount for any Format-Hitech production - ND filters, ND grads, polarizing filters, holders, accessories from the link higher up with code "JULIA10"
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INSPIRATION…
What is inspiration?
Can gear requite yous inspiration? Tin a neutral density filter give yous inspiration? Yes, it can do that. Because it can open up new horizons and requite you lot new possibilities. Let's run into why…
Offset TIME EVER A xvi-End NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER
Let'south start by proverb that this filter is a kickoff. It is the first time anyone builds a 16-stop ND filter. Why wasn't this possible before? Because anything higher than 10 stops would have had a heavy color bandage that was making getting a decent result color-wise in the image most impossible.
The highest density neutral density filter you could find was then far the fifteen-stop Singh-Ray but it was non complimentary of color bandage and, despite what you might call up, at that place is a big divergence between 15 stops and 16 stops – in terms of exposure 16 stops means a double exposure of what yous can get with fifteen stops, which is very important. In addition, Singh-Ray filters are traditionally quite expensive then they are not a solution for everyone. Only the main problem with college density filters was the color cast, peculiarly for those wanting to work in colour. This is where the new Firecrest 16 gave a solution, a great i indeed.
However now, in 2018 when I brand this update, Formatt-Hitech has the largest range of densities in neutral density filters, ranging from 1 stop to 24 stops for the Firecrest Ultra 100mm Square Filters, which is all that yous would ever need, from "brusk" long exposures to extreme long exposures.
A HYPER-NEUTRAL (NO COLOR Bandage) ND FILTER
If yous utilise to shoot long exposure photography and take some experience with neutral density filters you lot volition know what I mean virtually the color bandage. If you are still at the beginning of your long exposure journey, you lot volition accept to have my word for it or inquire everyone who was shooting long exposure over the past years. They will all tell you the same.
Color cast was one of the most annoying things you could go far a long exposure, particularly for those working in colour, but for black and white photographers too, because the color cast doesn't mean only shift in colors but besides degradation of the clarity of the black tones and degradation of the contrasts. But this is in the past, colour cast is not an issue anymore if you lot work with the Firecrest filters!
The Firecrest 16 Stops ND filters, that have a carbon-neutral coating as the characteristic giving them the color neutrality, have been independently tested and declared hyper-neutral, which is an impressive result and if yous read this review till the end you will besides see which is my opinion nearly them after testing them in different conditions over the last weeks.
Let me start by showing you lot how one of the images I shot looked like on the dorsum of my photographic camera. Even like this, y'all can run into how natural and gratuitous of color cast the image looks.
THE NEW FIRECREST ULTRA NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS
In late 2017 Formatt-Hitech launched the new line Firecrest Ultra, which is an fifty-fifty more neutral line of neutral density filters, treated with a special process called "lapping & polishing" that makes the filters flatter and more uniform, sharper, more neural and more resistant to breaks.
These new Format-Hitech Firecrest Ultra neutral density filters range from intensities of 1 stop up to 24 stops, as I was mentioning before.
A Different Type OF REVIEW – HOW Tin can A FILTER MAKE You lot FEEL?
I volition endeavour not to stress too much on numbers and technical aspects in this review, not more than necessary, because in my stance, they are not truly helping you in your creative work. They are simply a tool that helps you realize your vision in an image. You need to know the tools just fifty-fifty more, you need to know what to do with these tools.
An creative person focuses more on what lies behind numbers and tries to attain the essence. You need to be informed well-nigh technical aspects, of course, and then you can get the best of your inspiration in your work (I try to be very well informed because knowing my tools gives me freedom of creation), only you don't need to know everything to create art. As well, there are people who are much better at technical stuff, equally the scientists at Formatt-Hitech who have thought nigh everything, just for me and other photographers similar you to be able to spend our time creating and non analyzing numbers. And then I'one thousand going to leave the advanced tech stuff to the scientists and only touch the technical aspects that you actually need.
What I want to mention and even emphasize here is how this filter can make you experience.
Yes, a filter can make you feel something. And in my instance, working for some time with the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter fabricated me feel inspired. It made me see the world effectually me in a new way, because it opened for me new artistic possibilities, making possible some of the things that were not an option before. As I was saying earlier, it solved some practical aspects freeing my mind and giving me more than time to think most the creative part of my work. And this is the role of a tool like your photographic camera or your filter. This is why working with quality well-washed equipment is so important. Even if you can create with any tool, in that location comes a moment when your equipment will give you a creativity push and the new Firecrest 16 is capable of doing that.
And so, y'all empathise at present, I call up, why I say numbers are non and so of import but what is of import is what they give you, what your photography tools can give you. The stop goal for them is to give you the liberty and the inspiration to create photography that makes you happy. Because why practice nosotros do this in the first identify? To make united states feel good, to make us feel happy.
This is the "raison d'être" (the reason of being) of art. To give usa the central to enter a world where we experience at peace and in balance with everything.
A FEW NUMBERS
Considering I know you volition still be interested in technical characteristics, let me mention a few details nearly the filters now.
Hither is also a very clear and to the point clarification of the Firecrest filters past Rod Clark, VP of marketing at Formatt-Hitech. You tin can go the most important info about these filters from this video.
Also, you can visit the Formatt-Hitech website for fifty-fifty more info and technical data nigh the Firecrest and the new Firecrest Ultra filters.
WHAT ARE THE FIRECREST FILTERS
A few words from Formatt-Hitech on the Firecrest filters:
"Firecrest ND is a revolutionary new blazon of infrared-attenuating neutral density filter from Formatt-Hitech. Firecrest is a 15 layer multicoating procedure that is applied directly to the glass through a vacuum-formed, hard-coated, electrolytic process. Firecrest filters are anti-reflective and extremely flare resistant, which increases contrast and visual acuity in challenging lighting conditions. They are too hydrophobic and scratch-resistant. "
HOW MANY TYPES AND DENSITIES OF FIRECREST Y'all Can FIND
And some more info about these filters from the source.
As of 2017, Firecrest and Firecrest Ultra ND filters are bachelor in the following densities:
- 1 terminate Firecrest ND Filter
- ii stops Firecrest ND Filter
- iii stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 4 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 6 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- viii stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 10 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 13 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- xvi stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 18 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- xx stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 22 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 24 stops Firecrest ND Filter
The Firecrest and the Firecrest Ultra neutral density Grad filters are available betwixt i-five stops.
The sizes the Firecrest filters are available in are:
- Format-Hitech Firecrest circular ND filters – from 37mm to 77mm diameter and from 82mm to 127mm diameter
- Format-Hitech Firecrest Rectangular ND filters – 85x85mm, 100x100mm, 150x150mm and 165x165mm. The classic size is 100x100mm
RECTANGULAR Drinking glass FIRECREST FILTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
The rectangular Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter I am referring to is the 2mm thick filter and information technology is the one you should buy for use with photo cameras. I've been asked by quite a few fellows photographers which thickness they should choose: the 2mm or the 4mm rectangular Firecrest, and this is the answer:
The filter used for photography is the 2mm version. The 4mm Firecrest rectangular filters are meant for use in picture palace where more than resistance and hardness are needed, thus their bigger thickness.
Hither are more specifically the dimensions or rectangular 2mm Firecrest yous tin find, in both classic rectangular neutral density filters and neutral density graduated filters.
- 67x85mm solid & grad neutral density filter
- 85x85mm solid & 85x110mm grad neutral density filter
- 100x100mm solid neutral density filter
- 100x125mm grad neutral density filter
- 100x150mm grad neutral density filter
- 150x150mm solid & 150x170mm grad neutral density filter
- 165x165mm solid & 165x200mm grad neutral density filter
CIRCULAR FIRECREST FILTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Round Firecrest ND filters are bachelor in the thinnest rings on the market place. There are ii types.
The first and classic blazon is the SuperSlim, which is threaded, stackable and is 5.5mm thin.
The second type is the UltraSlim that are 3mm thin. They are non stackable and don't have threading for lens caps, but they are the thinnest circular spiral-in filters in the world.
SOME Applied INFO
Both the circular and the rectangular Firecrest sixteen Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter are delivered in a resistant package that will keep them safe till they reach you.
The circular filter is gear up to use as you take it out of the box, on the foursquare one you will need to use the cream gaskets included in the parcel to help you avert lite leakages when mounted on the holder.
The foursquare filter has a protective pouch provided past the manufacturer. The square filter is fabricated of 2mm thick glass and is very solid and resistant.
The start impression you lot have when you concur the round filter in your hand is to wonder how can this filter exist so slim and withal cut off so much light. I'm sure all long exposure photographers will concord with me, especially those who started with regular circular neutral density filters that, if stacked, would give you a quite thick result.
I started shooting long exposure with a Hoya ND400 (nine stops) and I was stacking it in the beginning with an ND8 (iii stops) and a polarizing filter to add some density (the polarizing filter cuts around 1.five-2 stops of light). Later on, I would use a B+W 106 (6 stops) instead of the ND8 and then I can get longer exposures. You can encounter beneath what a departure in that location is between my first setup and the Firecrest IRND 16.
The difference in thickness is mind-bravado and what this change gives me abreast the lack of color bandage? It'due south the lack of any vignette, no matter how wide the lens I utilise is. This practically makes your usable prototype area at least 15-20% larger.
I didn't take this result when shooting with square filters, but the circular ones can be more applied in many cases, peculiarly when speed is important. so it is adept to know that now we can combine practicality with such a slim filter and not worry about vignetting.
SHOOTING WITH THE FIRECREST sixteen STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER AND THE Effect OF LIGHT LEAKAGE IN LONG EXPOSURES
There are a few things you demand to take intendance of when shooting with ND filters. The most important thing later mounting the camera on a tripod, composing the image, attaching the filter and setting upwards the right exposure is to accept care of the light leakage that might occur in these cases.
From my experience, the Canon cameras accept more than issues with light leakage than the Nikon ones and so you demand to requite fifty-fifty more intendance to sealing your camera if you lot shoot with a Canon. Also, the light leakages will be more intense when the light is stronger, i.eastward. in the middle of the day every bit opposed to shooting at sunset, when you tin be more than relaxed virtually sealing your camera, or when the sunday hits direct some of the points that tin can permit the low-cal to attain the sensor, as for instance the viewfinder or the sockets for your shutter release and other connections. In the case you lot shoot with a tilt-shift lens you can add this to the list too.
When you shoot with a tilt-shift lens you volition need to take care of the lens and seal it or encompass it since it has more openings and moving parts than a regular lens and this can pb to more than intense light leakage. You can come across below how I covered the viewfinder of my 5D MKIII that has a special piece for this on the photographic camera strap.
In case you shoot with a Nikon, on the more than avant-garde Nikon cameras you volition find a sliding cover that you lot tin shut the viewfinder with, or you can apply the dissever cover piece for the viewfinder in the other Nikon cameras. In the other image, you can see how I covered the T/S lens with a lens pouch from which I cut off the bottom making it into a sleeve that wraps the lens keeping out the light from it.
Another thing to proceed in mind and exist careful about, when you utilize round filters, is not to screw them too tight and so they don't get stuck on the lens and you can't accept them out. Particularly with such a slim filter, information technology can exist a serious outcome to take out a stuck filter even if y'all employ the special clamps that be for this purpose.
FIRECREST 100MM ANTI Lite LEAK HOLDER
When you shoot with square filters and regular holders, even if the Firecrest filters have an isolating foam gasket, the safest thing would be to encompass the edges of the filters as well, either by using a larger lens pouch or other cloth or by applying duct record on them.
An fifty-fifty better solution to avoid the light leaks through the holder when you work with a rectangular filter you can use the new Firecrest 10mm Anti Lightleak Holder Kit , the Julia Anna Gospodarou Edition – yous can recognize it by my image on the box, an advanced holder that volition eliminate the light leak you can experience when shooting with square filters. The holder also contains a polarizing filter, and has incorporated a rotation system for this filter which is very practical and useful. Here is how this kit looks like below and you tin can get it, similar all other Formatt-Hitech products with 10% discount with code JULIA10.
RAW FILE RESULTS WITH THE FIRECREST 16 STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER
I take tested the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter in different conditions and at dissimilar times of twenty-four hours to see in a more objective mode how they behave and how the results differ from each other.
One of the beginning conclusions was one that I was expecting at, namely that there is no vignetting when shooting with the filter attached and this is because its thickens is but 5.5 mm.
The other aspect I was interested in was how much color cast I volition become in long and very long exposures.
So I tried to push button the exposure to times of viii+ minutes where other neutral density filters traditionally give plenty to excessive color cast. When shooting with other neutral density filters, the most difficult moment equally for the color cast I would get, was at sunset and especially while shooting longer than four-minute exposures.
This is why I wanted to try the Firecrest xvi Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter in these weather too and you can run into beneath the results. You can compare the withal image I shot before taking the long exposure one and so you can meet how perfectly neutral these filters are. I accept to echo, for any long exposure lensman, this is actually listen-blowing. Come across for yourselves!
EXIF: 24mm, i/30 at f/13, ISO 100
EXIF: 24mm, 474 sec at f/7.ane, ISO 100
EXIF: 24mm, i/125 at f/3.v, ISO 100
EXIF: 24mm, 484 sec at f/3.5, ISO 200
EXIF: 24mm, 1/60 at f/3.5, ISO 100
EXIF: 24mm, 484 sec at f/3.5, ISO 100
Below you can see the RAW file and the last processed outcome of an image I shot with the Firecrest filter (the image is called In search of Lost Time. and you can run into more details almost it at the link).
Also, another image shot with the Firecrest sixteen, called Fading Away, this fourth dimension processed in color.
Decision – CAN THE FIRECREST 16 STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER GIVE YOU INSPIRATION?
Coming back full circle to the outset of this review, I will ask again: can a neutral density filter or whatsoever gear give you inspiration? Can the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter give you inspiration?
Looking dorsum to the final weeks that I was shooting with this filter and at the images I shot with information technology, I tin can surely say: Yep, information technology can, because it opens new possibilities, it remove the frustration and the limitations of the vignette or the color cast it is like shooting fish in a barrel to transport, apply, take out and dorsum over again when you need to recompose. In a word, it takes your mind from thinking virtually the tool, thinking about solutions and gives you more time to concentrate on your vision and on what you want to create with information technology.
MY VERDICT
My verdict equally to whether it is worth using these filters in your long exposure piece of work is undoubtedly YES.
I will go every bit far equally to say that this is a revolution in the ND filter industry. Then far we were talking about which ND filter has the least color cast or the about acceptable one, from at present on we can say that there is a filter out there that has NO color cast. Information technology still amazes me even afterwards having worked with this filter for a few weeks, and this is because I was so used to having this issue and so far with all the other brands I was using that I was considering it a affair of fact. Merely now things have inverse and frankly, I don't know why someone buying a neutral density filter for the first time would choose anything else.
If you don't mind color bandage yous may still utilize the solutions you lot own, just if you practise, I am definitely recommending you to invest in the Firecrest organisation. Information technology will only make your (photography) life easier. Add together to this the lack of vignette with the circular filter fifty-fifty when yous shoot with ultra-wide lenses, and you have the ideal ND filter for landscape and architecture long exposure, both color and blackness and white.
I hope this review volition be helpful for you and help you choose the neutral density filter you need. I know I don't need another filter and that Firecrest covers my needs fully, and then it will sit in my photo bag at all times and you will see even more images shot with it very soon from me. If you accept questions or would similar to know more most these filters, don't hesitate to ask me and I will add the info here or answer you personally.
Terminal WORD
Just don't forget, like I said above, that at present you can become…
ten% OFF Whatsoever FORMATT-HITECH Product: FILTERS, HOLDERS, ACCESSORIES
WITH Lawmaking "JULIA 10"
Whatsoever Formatt-Hitech product – filters, holders etc. discount 10% OFF – CODE "JULIA10"
These are the neutral density ND filters and accessories I am working with to create my long exposure photography and you can see the bang-up results in my many laurels-winning images. Formatt-Hitech was the offset to create truly neutral ND filters back in 2014 , the Firecrest line, the first to create an "anti low-cal-leak" holder, and they keep innovating with the new Firecrest ULTRA ND filters.. This is why I piece of work with this brand. It gives me the best results. Go 10% OFF discount for any Format-Hitech product - ND filters, ND grads, polarizing filters, holders, accessories from the link above with lawmaking "JULIA10"
You lot can find more resources near fine art black and white photography, (en)Visionography, long exposure photography and architecture photography in my all-encompassing collection of photography tutorials. To receive my futurity tutorials straight via email you tin subscribe to my website.
Source: https://www.juliaannagospodarou.com/firecrest-16-irnd-formatt-hitech-review/
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