Photography News issue 23

Photography News Issue 23 absolutephoto.com

Reviews

Accessories First tests We get our hands on the latest kit and share our first impressions – so you know whether or not to add it to your wish list

Words by Kingsley Singleton and Will Cheung

Vü Filters’ Sion ND Grads & 82mmcircular polarizer £180& £150

Specs

Type Drop-in filter system and screw-in circular polarizer Sizes

Drop-in filters: 100x150mm Circular polariser: 82mm Construction

The quality continues in the non-scratching ABS resin spacers at the front, into which you can slide up to three 100x150mm filters. Out of the box, it’s a snug fit, and while the spacers can be loosened with an Allen key, which is handy, we didn’t find the need. Fitted to our 16-35mm f/4 at 16mm there was no sign of vignetting at all. This brings us to perhaps the holder’s most interesting feature; it has a front-mounted thread where the slimline Vü Sion-CPOL 82mm polariser screws in and this sits behind the first of the drop-in filters. Once a slide-in filter is in position it would normally be impossible to rotate the polariser but there is some innovative thinking here. The design means you can rotate the ring that holds the polariser from the rear of the holder, next to the front element, meaning you can perfect your skies or reflection effects without messing with the other filters. So to the filters themselves. The 100x150mm grads are made from impact-resistant Ultra- White Schott glass, boasting superior strength and light transmittance, and using a mix of UV and other coatings to prevent reflections and ghosting. They also feature a hydrophobic layer to make cleaning easier. In use, the grads produced very neutral results with no discernible colour cast and a seamless transition from dark to light. Nor did we notice any perceptible softening of the image, even when shooting with all three spacers filled. The 2.5- stop hard grad proved particularly striking for

Review by Kingsley Singleton

VFH100 Holder: Aircraft-grade aluminium Drop-in filters: Multi-coated Ultra-White Schott glass Circular polariser: Anodised aluminium and multi-coated Ultra-White Schott glass Contact vufilters.com

Vü is a relatively new name to the filter market, but the company is hoping to distinguish itself with a range of first-class optical products. On the strength of what we have seen so far, it seems sure to do it. We reviewed both the company’s Sion square filter systemcomprising theVFH100holder and 100x150mm drop-in glass hard and soft neutral density grads, as well as its Sion 82mm screw- in circular polariser, which functions with the holder in a uniquely simple but effective fashion. Starting with the holder, it comes supplied with both 77mm and 82mm adapter rings as standard, so will fit many pro- and enthusiast- level lenses straight out of the box. We tested it on Nikon 16-35mm f/4 and 20mm f/1.8 lenses. Step-up rings for smaller filter threads (67mm, 72mm etc) can easily be bought online as a bridge, and don’t affect the functioning. Like the supplied adapter rings, the holder is made from machined aircraft-grade aluminium and you can feel the strength and durability in it straight away, as well as a reassuring (but not oppressive) weight. The process of attaching the holder onto the adapter is simple enough with some practice and smooth turning, knurled screws securely lock the holder in position. All round, it’s a world away from the cheaply made plastic or ‘pot-metal’ versions you often encounter.

seascape shots, but it was nice to have the 1.5- stop version too, for a more subtle effect, and of course the filters can be stacked to multiply the loss of light. The 82mm Sion-CPOL 82mm also put in a great performance. Using the same aluminium as the holder, the added strength should keep it fromwarping and the anodised metal means the thread remains truer than untreated surfaces. With the same coatings as the drop-in grads, the polariser gave excellent sharpness and was easy to turn either from the front via its ridged bezel or from behind the other filters as designed. The only difficulty we encountered was that it wasn’t the easiest to remove. Screwed into the ridged adapter ring, the slimline mount means there’s very little to grip, so removal was best done by taking the ring off, positioning it upside down and unscrewing it with a little help from gravity (and with a microfibre towel below, just in case). In either case, it led to fingerprints on the filter and it would be even harder in gloves. Ideally you’d buy a second adapter (£30) and leave the polariser permanently in place. In terms of filter factor, there’s light loss of at least -1.0EV and this rose to around -2.3EV at the maximum polarisation.

Verdict

There’s no doubt this is high-quality gear, but of course it comes at a price. The holder and 82mm circular polariser have a guide price of £150 each. The drop-in grads are priced at £180 each so a lot more than top-quality resin versions. Build and image quality are undeniable though, and they come with a five-year warranty, so there’s plenty of peace of mind as you part with your cash. Overall Putting anything between the lens and the scene you are recording has the potential to spoil the ultimate quality of the result, and that’s why high quality filters are essential. The Vu range is certainly high quality but it comes at a price. Pros High-quality products with an innovative design and a build that should see them last a lifetime Cons Slightly fiddly to remove the polariser and a chat with bank manager probably required before purchase