A Guide to ND Filters (Neutral Density Filters)

B+W ND Filter 802 77 mm Master MRC Nano. ND filters or neutral density (ND) filters are used if too much light restricts creative possibilities. They reduce the light in accordance with their density. They therefore allow longer exposure times or more widely opened apertures. Applications are highly varied and in some cases experimental. For very bright motifs in the snow or on the beach the aperture would also have to be closed, despite minimum exposure time. This would mean losing the option of short depth of field, e. g. for portraits. ND filters can produce wipe effects in movements if the exposure time can be extended with the required aperture. A waterfall then no longer appears to be frozen, but as a flowing motion. ND filters create ingenious effects in architecture or urban photography.

With long exposure times of several hours, people walking through the shot are blurred or not reproduced at all. For physical reasons, very dense filters possess a warm tone which can be compensated in image processing.

The excellent, finely ground and polished special glass is used as the basis for the new ND filter glasses. This guarantees the necessary optical quality, and also does not have any adverse effect on a correspondingly high-quality lens. In the thin-film technology that has been developed here, it is not just the pure ND filter effect that delivers results: a 3-layer combination coating also optimises the ND filter.

MRC Nano Coating

An important criteria for a perfect B+W filter is a high-quality coating, also known as an antireflection coating. With a B+W filter, such layers are evaporated by means of thin-layer technique, a quite complex coating process. The coating material consists of special substrates that are applied in one or more layers depending on the coating system.. In the MRC nano coated B+W filter, a water droplet remains practically spherical. It rolls over the surface. A first-rate dirt and water-repellent effect occurs.

Master Filter Holder

Durable and robust due to brass mount with better grip due to optimized knurl. Easier mounting due to new lacquer technology. Best choice for super wide angle – telephoto lenses.

In addition to the filter effect, the combination coating also prevents trouble-some reflections by including a multilayer anti-reflection compo-nent with seven layers on each side of the filter. Finally, an outer layer with the usual dirt- and water-repellent properties is applied. With this feature, the filter not only has all-round protection, but simple cleaning and care of the filter disk are also taken care of. The light attenuation itself is very uniform over the entire visible range and therefore produces optimal, colour-neutral images.

By being able to use this coating technology at specified glass substrates, the process can also be applied in the B+W XS-Pro digital filter range.

Foundation of the company “Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.” The company, founded 1913 by Joseph Schneider, trades today under the name of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. It manufactures for the world market high-performance lenses, photographic and industrial filters as well as professional accessories. Further product ranges are electro-hydraulic and electro-pneumatic servo valves for the machine constuction and industrial processing engineering as well as single and multiple focus lenses and graduated lenses for the ophthalmic optics. The company’s B+W brand for photo filters are established worldwide as premium products.

B+W ND-Filter (Neutral density filter) 803 77 mm Master MRC Nano. Type 803 reduces the light by exactly three f-stops, filter factor 8x. By increasing your aperture or slowing your exposure time, you can control depth of field and convey movement more easily. Neutral density filters do not affect the coloration of the image and are ideal for pairing with other filters.

• 0.9 Solid Neutral Density Filter
• 8x Filter Factor, +3 Stops
• Darkens Entire Image Area
• Allows Reduced Shutter Speed
• SCHOTT Optical Glass
• MRC Nano Coating
• Brass Ring with Enhanced Top Knurling

ND filters can produce wipe effects in movements if the exposure time can be extended with the required aperture. A waterfall then no longer appears to be frozen, but as a flowing motion. ND filters create ingenious effects in architecture or urban photography. With long exposure times of several hours, people walking through the shot are blurred or not reproduced at all. For physical reasons, very dense filters possess a warm tone which can be compensated in image processing.

The excellent, finely ground and polished special glass is used as the basis for the new ND filter glasses. This guarantees the necessary optical quality, and also does not have any adverse effect on a correspondingly high-quality lens. In the thin-film technology that has been developed here, it is not just the pure ND filter effect that delivers results: a 3-layer combination coating also optimises the ND filter.

MRC Nano Coating

An important criteria for a perfect B+W filter is a high-quality coating, also known as an antireflection coating. With a B+W filter, such layers are evaporated by means of thin-layer technique, a quite complex coating process. The coating material consists of special substrates that are applied in one or more layers depending on the coating system.. In the MRC nano coated B+W filter, a water droplet remains practically spherical. It rolls over the surface. A first-rate dirt and water-repellent effect occurs.

Master Filter Holder

Durable and robust due to brass mount with better grip due to optimized knurl. Easier mounting due to new lacquer technology. Best choice for super wide angle – telephoto lenses.

Video - B+W ND Filter

In addition to the filter effect, the combination coating also prevents trouble-some reflections by including a multilayer anti-reflection compo-nent with seven layers on each side of the filter. Finally, an outer layer with the usual dirt- and water-repellent properties is applied. With this feature, the filter not only has all-round protection, but simple cleaning and care of the filter disk are also taken care of. The light attenuation itself is very uniform over the entire visible range and therefore produces optimal, colour-neutral images.

Foundation of the company “Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.” The company, founded 1913 by Joseph Schneider, trades today under the name of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. It manufactures for the world market high-performance lenses, photographic and industrial filters as well as professional accessories. Further product ranges are electro-hydraulic and electro-pneumatic servo valves for the machine constuction and industrial processing engineering as well as single and multiple focus lenses and graduated lenses for the ophthalmic optics. The company’s B+W brand for photo filters are established worldwide as premium products.

B+W Filter ND 806 77 mm Master MRC Nano, six f-stops. ND filters or neutral density (ND) filters are used if too much light restricts creative possibilities. This B+W ND filter, which reduces light entering the camera by six f-stops, already qualifies as an extreme filter. With this filter, and without changing the aperture (and DOF), an exposure time of 1/60 s becomes a full second. Running water is rendered hazy and soft. A tripod is necessary in any case.

ND filters can produce wipe effects in movements if the exposure time can be extended with the required aperture. A waterfall then no longer appears to be frozen, but as a flowing motion. ND filters create ingenious effects in architecture or urban photography. With long exposure times of several hours, people walking through the shot are blurred or not reproduced at all. For physical reasons, very dense filters possess a warm tone which can be compensated in image processing.

Available with different densities

B + W ND Filters are available with several different densities, which gives the photographer the opportunity to choose a filter that suits each situation.

MRC Nano Coating

An important criteria for a perfect B+W filter is a high-quality coating, also known as an antireflection coating. With a B+W filter, such layers are evaporated by means of thin-layer technique, a quite complex coating process. The coating material consists of special substrates that are applied in one or more layers depending on the coating system.. In the MRC nano coated B+W filter, a water droplet remains practically spherical. It rolls over the surface. A first-rate dirt and water-repellent effect occurs.

Master Filter Holder

Durable and robust due to brass mount with better grip due to optimized knurl. Easier mounting due to new lacquer technology. Best choice for super wide angle – telephoto lenses.

Video - B+W ND Filter

In addition to the filter effect, the combination coating also prevents trouble-some reflections by including a multilayer anti-reflection compo-nent with seven layers on each side of the filter. Finally, an outer layer with the usual dirt- and water-repellent properties is applied. With this feature, the filter not only has all-round protection, but simple cleaning and care of the filter disk are also taken care of. The light attenuation itself is very uniform over the entire visible range and therefore produces optimal, colour-neutral images.

Foundation of the company “Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.” The company, founded 1913 by Joseph Schneider, trades today under the name of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. It manufactures for the world market high-performance lenses, photographic and industrial filters as well as professional accessories. Further product ranges are electro-hydraulic and electro-pneumatic servo valves for the machine constuction and industrial processing engineering as well as single and multiple focus lenses and graduated lenses for the ophthalmic optics. The company’s B+W brand for photo filters are established worldwide as premium products.

B+W Filter ND 810 77 mm Master MRC Nano. ND filters or neutral density (ND) filters are used if too much light restricts creative possibilities. With a light reduction of ten f-stops, this ND filter delivers a further intensification compared with the B+W ND 106. Running water virtually transforms into mist. People walking on streets become blurred and indistinct or even invisible. In some cases this involves extremely long exposures of up to one minute. A stable tripod is essential.

ND filters can produce wipe effects in movements if the exposure time can be extended with the required aperture. A waterfall then no longer appears to be frozen, but as a flowing motion. ND filters create ingenious effects in architecture or urban photography. With long exposure times of several hours, people walking through the shot are blurred or not reproduced at all. For physical reasons, very dense filters possess a warm tone which can be compensated in image processing.

Available with different densities

B + W ND Filters are available with several different densities, which gives the photographer the opportunity to choose a filter that suits each situation.

MRC Nano Coating

An important criteria for a perfect B+W filter is a high-quality coating, also known as an antireflection coating. With a B+W filter, such layers are evaporated by means of thin-layer technique, a quite complex coating process. The coating material consists of special substrates that are applied in one or more layers depending on the coating system.. In the MRC nano coated B+W filter, a water droplet remains practically spherical. It rolls over the surface. A first-rate dirt and water-repellent effect occurs.

Master Filter Holder

Durable and robust due to brass mount with better grip due to optimized knurl. Easier mounting due to new lacquer technology. Best choice for super wide angle – telephoto lenses.

Video - B+W ND Filter

In addition to the filter effect, the combination coating also prevents trouble-some reflections by including a multilayer anti-reflection compo-nent with seven layers on each side of the filter. Finally, an outer layer with the usual dirt- and water-repellent properties is applied. With this feature, the filter not only has all-round protection, but simple cleaning and care of the filter disk are also taken care of. The light attenuation itself is very uniform over the entire visible range and therefore produces optimal, colour-neutral images.

Foundation of the company “Optische Anstalt Jos. Schneider & Co.” The company, founded 1913 by Joseph Schneider, trades today under the name of Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH. It manufactures for the world market high-performance lenses, photographic and industrial filters as well as professional accessories. Further product ranges are electro-hydraulic and electro-pneumatic servo valves for the machine constuction and industrial processing engineering as well as single and multiple focus lenses and graduated lenses for the ophthalmic optics. The company’s B+W brand for photo filters are established worldwide as premium products.

B+W Vario ND Filter XS-Pro MRC Nano 77 mm. Flexible light control without changing filters: Because of its effect the B+W Vario ND filter can be adapted to a wide range of shooting situations and photographic requirements. Portrait photographers need for example even in bright ambient light, large apertures in order to optically separate the subject from the background. Using extremely long exposure times, architectural photographers can make people passing through the subject “invisible”. In landscape photography flowing water or the sea surface in broad daylight appears fluffy and soft when using long exposure times. Due to the long time exposure the adventurous photographer achieves a more dynamic image composition by motion blur. Working always with a fixed exposure time on a shootthe film technique often uses variable ND filters. For lenses with insufficient stopping down possibilities, especially in bright light, a variable ND filter allows matched exposure values.

Adjustable density

Thanks to its steplessly adjustable density control, the B+W Vario ND filter can be exactly adapted to individual requirements. For this purpose it comes with an index setting, allowing the photographer to set the density between +1 and +5 f-stops. The filter is optimally colour-neutral and guarantees a professional image performance without abberations. The Vario ND filter can be combined with further ND filters of fixed ND values, leading to considerably higher density values.

Features

• Steplessly controlled density (from +1 to +5 f-stops)
• Two polarizing filters in one holder
• Optically exact image (no cross image)
• No colour shift
• Scale with index setting
• MRC nano on both sides
• Available in Ø 46/ 49 / 52 / 55 / 58 / 62 / 67 / 72 / 77 / 82 og 95 mm
• In oversized version, also for wide-angle lenses
• Light precise filter technique, made of aluminium

 Fields of application:

•  Reaching large apertures to optically separate the subject from the background
• Motion blur for more dynamic pictures
• Wipe effect (continuous light trails)
• Long time exposures (flowing effect with running water)
• Combinable with fixed ND filters for even more extreme light absorption

For more than 70 years, B+W filters have been synonymous with quality and innovation. B+W has succeeded in establishing itself as one of the world‘s leading filter manufacturers. It has, for example, made decisive progress in surface coating. B+W is the first filter manufacturer in the world to offer MRC (Multi Resistant Coating). MRC nano coating is the most innovative development in thin-layer technology. The world-famous Käsemann type polarizing filter with its outstanding quality has been produced by B+W since 1989.

The Schneider True-Match Vari-ND® MKII 77 mm is a variable ND filter that allows you to seamlessly adjust the filter density from -1.5 f-stops down to -11.5 f-stops. Many manufacturers of variable ND filters exhibit large deviations in color neutrality, a problem that Schneider nearly completely avoids with the MKII series. By using two neutral polarizing filters, placed in the same filter holder ring, the True-Match Vari-ND provides a range of 10 f-stops.

• Range covering a full 10 f-stops
• Adjustable between -1.5 to -11.5 f-stops
• Color neutral
• Slim design - only 5.9 mm

One filter instead of many

With the Schneider True-Match Vari-ND® MKII in your camera bag, you get several filters in one. Thanks to its fantastic range covering a full 10 f-stops, this filter replaces many fixed ND filters.

Increases your creativity

With ND filters, depth of field can be shortened, and exciting effects can be created by using long exposure times. The variable ND filter gives the photographer another option to influence exposure. In addition to controlling aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, the photographer can now seamlessly decide how much light should pass through the lens.

Slim Design

Despite its large ND range, the True-Match Vari-ND® MKII is only 5.9 mm thick, which allows vignetting to be completely avoided with most lenses and focal lengths.

Features

• Adjustable between -1.5 to -11.5 f-stops, giving the photographer great flexibility in controlling exposure
• Slim design, lightweight, and smooth-rotating density adjustment
• Create a soft/blurred background through shallow depth of field
• Allows quick exposure changes

Specifications

• Filter Type: Variable Neutral Density (VND)
• Density: 0.45 (1.5 f-stops) to 3.45 (11.5 f-stops)
• Shape: Round with thread
• Filter Thread: 77 mm & 82 mm
• Front Filter Thread: Yes 
• Filter Thickness: 5.9 mm
• Filter Material: Glass
• Coating: Anti-Reflective (AR)

Schneider Kreuznach was founded in 1913 in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. The Schneider Group specializes in designing and manufacturing premium lenses and filters for filmmakers, photographers, and industrial applications.