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PRICE: FILTER HOLDER £39, FILTERS FROM£19
BREAKTHROUGHFILTERS.CO.UK
A newbie on the block, Breakthrough Filters is based in San Francisco and its unique selling proposition is clear: to offer the world’s sharpest and most colour-neutral ND and circular polariser filters. PN tests them out Breakthrough Filters SPECS
› Prices and filter availability X100 filter holder £39 › Aluminium adapter rings 49mm to 86mm£7 each › Starter filter kit from£288 X100 filter holder, one adapter ring, 2EV hard grad, 3EVND, case, cloth › Golden Hour filter kit from £899X100 filter holder, one adapter ring, 3EV soft grad, 3EV reverse ND, 6EVND, CPL, case, cloth › Long Exposure filter kit from £895 X100 filter holder, one adapter ring, 3EV soft grad, CPL, and 3EV, 6EV, 10EVNDs, case, cloth › Pro Filter kit from £1118X100 filter holder, one adapter ring, 2EV soft grad, 3EV hard grad, 3EV soft grad, CPL and 10EVND, case, cloth X1 series UV– from£19. 49mm to 82mm X2 series UV– from£26, 39mm to 105mm X2 series CPL, from£55, 43mm to 105mm X2 series ND, X4 series ND, 3EV, 6EV, 10EV from£59, 49mm to 82mm X4 series UV– from£55, 39mm to 105mm X4 series CPL, from£99 39mmto 105mm X4 series ND CPL, from£145, 46mm to 105mm X4 series ND, 3EV, 6EV, 10EV, 15EV, from£109, 43mm to 95mm, 100mm square X4 series graduate ND (100x150mm) 2EV, 3EV, 3EV reverse, from 139 Please see Breakthrough’s website for exact availability › Formats Screw fit, 100mm and 150mm › Glass X2 series AGC Japanese glass X4 series Schott B270made in Germany › Coatings MRC16 –X2 series has eight coatings (four either side), X4 series has 16 MRC coatings (eight either side), and nanotec › Contact breakthroughfilters.co.uk
Modifying images and getting them right in-camera with the help of filters is part of the craft of making pictures. Of course, if you’re going to put anything in front of the lens, it’s self-evident you need to use the best possible filters you can afford to avoid any image degradation. Breakthrough Filters, based in San Francisco and imported into the UK by Camera Cal, offers screw and 100mm fit filters designed for its X100 filter holder. Neutral density, graduated NDs, circular polarisers (CPL) and ultraviolet protection filters are among those available in the range, as well as more specialist products like night-sky and infrared filters. Also on offer are dark circular polarisers, available in 3EV and 6EV strengths, which allow you to enjoy the benefits of a polariser and neutral density in a single filter without vignetting on wide lenses. Two main filter types are available from Breakthrough, the X2 and X4. The X4 is the flagship collection, with filters made from German B270 Schott glass, and features 16 MRC coatings (eight on each filter side) and nanotech to repel dust and water, making then even easier to clean. The X2 collection uses Japanese glass, has eight MRC
ABOVE Breakthrough Filters’ system comprises a holder and a good range of screw-in and rectangular filters, which includes graduates, NDs and circular polarisers. BELOW The system holder is excellent. The rear of the holder is shown on the left
coatings ( four on each side) and also has nanotec coating. For this test, I had a range of X4 filters: 77mm screw fit CPL, 3EV CPL, 6EV CPL, 6EV ND and 10EV ND, plus the X100 holder and two ND grads, the 2EV soft and 3EV hard. The X100 holder has two slots with an extra slot and thumb screws are supplied if you want to use three filters, which means the slot configuration can be changed without the need for a screwdriver. The holder itself can be attached to the adapter ring with one hand by hooking the ring on one side and then pushing the other – the side with the large locking knob – against the ring the holder clicks on. The holder can then be freely rotated or locked into position.
40 Photography News | Issue 74
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