REVIEW – I have been a Photographer/Videographer for many years, and I have been fortunate to be able to shoot either in controlled environments or at chosen times of the day. However, I have still encountered several instances when I either wanted to introduce creative lighting into my shot, or I wanted to effectively combat bright and opposing light while maintaining my desired ISO and shutter speed. Filters work well for many scenarios, and now I get to put the Sandmarc Hybrid Pro Filters to the test!!
What is it?
The Sandmarc Hybrid Pro Filter is made up of a combination of an ND filter and a Polarizer filter. It is designed for both DSLR and Mirrorless cameras and is an asset for both the Filmmaker and the Photographer.
What’s in the box
1 x Polarized ND16 Filter (ND16/PL)
1 x Polarized ND32 Filter (ND32/PL)
1 x Polarized ND64 Filter (ND64/PL)
1 x Storage/Protective Case
Design and features
The Sandmarc Hybrid filter is a combination of an ND and Polarizer filter. ND is the abbreviation for Neutral Density. The purpose of an ND filter is to reduce the amount of light entering the lens. This allows the photographer or videographer to use combinations of aperture, shutter speeds and sensor sensitivity that if no filter was used the result would be an overexposed picture or video footage.
“ND filters let you improve the dynamic range of your shot in bright light, add motion blur to moving objects, and have more control over exposure without sacrificing a cinematic shutter speed.
A polarizer filter is the ultimate protector of highlights, defending against specific types of light pollution, while also providing a boost of color and capturing more details in your photograph.”
Explaining the numeric values of ND filters and the effect on light stops and shutter speeds can be complicated. The following is a chart that should provide a better understanding:
From the side of the filter, you can see the size marking, the adjustment gear and the threads for attaching to the camera lens.
Performance
The first thing you do with these filters is to use the chart to select which one (ND Value) you want to use. For testing, I just used each one and played around. Once you make your selection, you carefully screw it into the threads on the inner edge of the lens. The pictures below show the before and after of the filter attached to the lens.
The following photos are a small sample fo some of the uses of the filters and the effects. In the first pair of photos below, I took a photograph of a church steeple shooting into the sun. (Constant camera settings)
Without filter
With Filter
In this next photo, I used the filter to reduce the brightness and flare of the light and to make it become a focused glow.
The photo below was taken through a double-pane window with an outer bug mesh screen. As seen, there is no evidence of them or effect in the shot.
What I like
- The nice build quality
- The ease with which they attach and can be removed from the lens. (I have heard that some filters have horrible threads)
- The resulting effect
- The combination of the ND and Polarizer filters that form the hybrid
What I’d change
- They work as designed
Final thoughts
I really enjoyed using these filters and I really like the quality. The hybrid capability is a great benefit and I will be using them for a long time and in many creative ways. Well done and two thumbs up!!
Price: 58mm – $169.99; 67mm – $179.99; 77mm – $189.99; 82mm – $199.99
Where to buy: The Sandmarc website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Sandmarc
