WHY FILTERS ARE NECESSARY

For many professional landscape photographers like myself filters are a must have when out in the field. Neutral Density graduated filters are great for balancing exposures between foreground and background whilst Solid Neutral Density filters are the go-to tool of choice for controlling your shutter speeds for various effects. Neutral Density filters are available in different various frequencies, such as stops of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2, allowing you to increase exposures by one, two, three and even four stops respectively.

If the slowest shutter speed you can use before over exposing your image is 1/8 of of a second, using a ND filter can increase that value to ¼, ½ sec, one, two or even four seconds. Relative to your filter holder you can additionally stack multiple filters for a cumulative effect, (combining a 0.6 (2-Stop) and 0.9 (3-Stop) filter will give you the advantage of a 5-Stop filter). Additionally, investing in extreme ND filters with densities of 10, and 15 stops will allow you to create images with unmatched motion blur especially when shooting in strong light. If when shooting you find that the using a filter extends your shutter speed beyond 30 seconds, you’ll need to calculate the new correct shutter speed by using a long exposure calculator (easily downloadable from you app store) or via a long exposure chart card (often referred to as an exposure cheat sheet). If however the scene doesn’t call for an ND filter where you simply need to pull your exposure back ever so slightly, you’ll be pleased to know that using a circular polarising filter cuts back your exposure by removing an estimated two stops of light (the equivalent to a 0.6ND) which can be just what you need.

Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit

When it comes to filters there’s NO shortage of choices – these days there’s something to suit just about every type of photography. Whether you’re a professional landscape or wedding photographer or just simply enjoy shooting casually shooting random subjects with your camera, you’ll find options available to suit your budget.

Sitting at around $168 USD, the Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit sits at the affordable end of the budgetary scale, however don’t let that mislead you into thinking this kit is a cheaply built. On the contrary, this no-frills neatly-designed and well-made filter kit offers great value.

Featuring an innovative holder for completely eliminating any light leakage coupled with a removable 82mm removable Firecrest Circular polarizer which rotates via an integral gear system, the Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit offers improved usability more than any other filter system I’ve owned. .

Build quality of the Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit is exceptional considering it’s price and while I’m not sure how it would last over an extended period used in extreme weather conditions, I can confirm it’s certainly suitable for every day use.

If you need a budget filter system to take your photography to the next level, then this intuitively designed and affordable option is well worth your consideration. Though I must admit it will take some getting used to but build quality is unmistakably good and of course there’s no arguing with the price.

Check out the Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit here on Amazon