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This filter system is the ultimate variable ND solution

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Have you ever wanted a set of filters that could offer 1 to 9 stops of light reduction without having to screw in different filters? Then check out the latest kit from Haida with their Nano Pro Magnetic Variable ND.

Variable ND filters have come a long way in the last few years.  They offer a great combination of image quality and versatility. While there are a few different types of variable ND filters, the most common normally come in two verities:

Ones that offer a very wide range of ND reduction. Say, for example, one to eight stops with no limitations on rotation.  These tend to cause image quality issues like the dreaded X pattern when you try to reach their advertised limit or surpass them.

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A funny lens hood to kill all window reflections

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Have you ever wanted to shoot out of a window, but the reflections ruin the shot?  Introducing the Haida super wide-angle silicone lens hood (Amazon, B&H).

As the name describes, this is a silicone hood for your lens. It’s has a designed contort to seal around a window to cut out unwanted reflections. It comes in two sizes, One for 50-70mm lens and another for 70-90mm lens. Most of my lenses are on the larger side, so I opted for the 70-90mm version.

The large hood is 210mm wide and is designed to stretch over your lens to hold in place. You can even do this while the lens is mounted. Check the photo above.

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The perfect rear filters for the Sigma 14-24MM DG DN

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The Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN is fast becoming my favorite L mount lens for the Sigma fp. I’ve been taking it around Scotland to capture some wonderful scenes like his scene of Bow Fiddle Rock close. The wide field of view it provides along with its clean and sharp rendering makes it a joy to shoot landscapes with. Today I want to show you how I use this lens without cumbersome front filters using the Haida’s Rear Lens ND Filter Kit (B&H, Amazon).

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Haida bring the Variable ND filter to the M10 100mm system; a review

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Normally when we think of Variable ND filters, we think about a circular filter. One that gives us the ability to change the exposure simply by rotating the front element. Something like this K&F concept one I  recently reviewed here.

But what if you wanted both the convenience of a Variable ND filter AND the ability to use graduated or other filters. This would give you far more control over the scene that you are going to capture?

Well! Haida has released a brand new filter the ‘Insert Variable ND filter‘.

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This is how you use filters on wide angle lenses; Haida M15 filter holder review

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If there is one thing I have grown to love about photography, it is the ability to capture, control, and manipulate time.  Photography is giving us the option to see things in ways that are impossible to achieve with our naked eyes. This opens up a whole new world of creative options.

While cameras do offer us a fair amount of control using ISO, shutter, and aperture, we sometimes need to look at other options to get extremely long exposures. This is particularly true where there is a lot of light around. Add that to the wide shots you can get with a  Sigma 14-24mm weird construction, and you soon realize the need for something like the Haida M15 filter holder system.

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2019 DIYP Holiday Gift Guide – Accessories & Gadgets

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All photographers and filmmakers have accessories and doohickies in their bags to help them with their pursuits. And now that we’ve covered cameras, lenses, lights, bags, tripods, sliders & gimbals out of the way, it’s time to crack on with those in today’s final 2019 DIYP Gift Guide. Here are some of the things we find absolutely invaluable in our work and some of the new tools and toys that have come out this year.

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Review of the Haida M10 Filter System and 6 & 10-stop neutral density filters

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Although many lens filters were pretty much eradicated by the advent of digital photography, there are two which still hold a lot of value that can’t really be accurately replicated in Photoshop. Those are polarizers and neutral density filters. You can try, but you’ll never get it looking exactly like the real thing.

Recently, I’ve been trying out Haida’s M10 filter system, along with their circular polarizer, 6-stop M10 drop-in ND filter and the 100x100mm square 10-stop Red Diamond ND filter. The weather’s been kind of crappy here in Scotland lately, but I did get out to give them a try and do some slightly more objective tests, too. Here’s what I found out and what I think.

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7 Cool products in under 7 minutes from The Photography Show

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The Photography Show is the UK’s biggest annual show. Held each year at the Birmingham NEC, it attracts all of the well-known brands, and a few newer ones. And while the main focus of shows now for me are the people I get to see and hang out with, you can’t ignore the gear. Because, like most shows, it’s packed to the gills with it.

DIYP went to The Photography Show 2017 last month, and we picked up seven of the most interesting products for your enjoyment:

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