Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter – Circular and Rectangular filters
In this review, I will talk about the hugely popular Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter (IRND 4.8), the most “neutral” neutral density filter in the world. The new Firecrest 16 offers 16 ND stops in one filter, this is what 16 stands for. This neutral density filter is not only the most neutral in the world, but, in its circular version, it is also the slimmest stackable ND filter in the world, only 5.5mm thin.
UPDATE 2020
More recently Formatt Hitech has also launched a 10-stop Firecrest ND filter and a 13-stop Firecrest ND filter, whose characteristics are similar to the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter we are reviewing now, so you can consider this review covering the 10-stop and 13-stop filers too. Also, the Formatt-Hitech neutral density filter line has extended from 1-stop up to 24-stop ND filters, which is more than you will ever need in terms of long exposure.
You can find more things about the Firecrest filters and many other subjects related to black and white fine art photography (composition in black and white photography, vision, black and white processing tutorials), in the book From Basics to Fine Art – Black and White Photography, by me and Joel Tjintjelaar, where we both talk about these filters extensively together with reviewing the most important other filters on the market and generally the equipment you need for creating long exposure and black and white fine art architectural photography, and even going beyond architectural photography. We were the first who talked publicly about the Firecrest filters (in the book) even before they were
released and now we do this again by reviewing these filters extensively on our sites too.
Another resource where I talk extensively about long exposure photography is my video tutorial Long Exposure and Fine Art Photography – Creating (en)Visionography that comes together with my 50-page eBook “Advanced Black and White Processing” where I present in detail my workflow for black and white and long exposure photography.
Also, more information about neutral density filters and the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter specifically you can read my Long Exposure Photography Extensive Tutorial that is a complete guide to the fascinating technique of long exposure photography.
10% OFF ANY FORMATT-HITECH PRODUCT: FILTERS, HOLDERS, ACCESSORIES
WITH CODE “JULIA10”
ANY Formatt-Hitech product – filters, holders etc. discount 10% OFF – CODE “JULIA10”
These are the neutral density ND filters and accessories I am working with to create my long exposure photography and you can see the great results in my many award-winning images. Formatt-Hitech was the first to create truly neutral ND filters back in 2014 , the Firecrest line, the first to create an "anti light-leak" holder, and they keep innovating with the new Firecrest ULTRA ND filters.. This is why I work with this brand. It gives me the best results. Get 10% OFF discount for any Format-Hitech product - ND filters, ND grads, polarizing filters, holders, accessories from the link above with code "JULIA10"
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ANY PRODUCT Gitzo, Manfrotto, Lastoline, Lowepro, Joby, Rycote, Syrp, Colorama, Avenger, National Geographic – discount 10% OFF – CODE “JULIA10” 0share
You can now purchase any Formatt-Hitech product, filters, holders, accessories, as single products or in kits, with 10% discount by using the discount code “JULIA10”, that Formatt-Hitech offered me exclusively for my students and followers. To use the code all you have to do is go to Formatt-Hitech UK website or to FormattiHitech USA website, choose the products you need and then use the code at checkout. Very simple steps that can save you a good amount of money, considering that the Formatt-Hitech products are high-end professional products with a price tag obviously higher than other regular filters. This way you can buy Formatt-Hitech filters spending as little as you would for regular filters.
INSPIRATION…
What is inspiration?
Can gear give you inspiration? Can a neutral density filter give you inspiration? Yes, it can do that. Because it can open new horizons and give you new possibilities. Let’s see why…
FIRST TIME EVER A 16-STOP NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER
Let’s start by saying that this filter is a first. It is the first time anyone builds a 16-stop ND filter. Why wasn’t this possible before? Because anything higher than 10 stops would have had a heavy color cast that was making getting a decent result color-wise in the image almost impossible.
The highest density neutral density filter you could find was so far the 15-stop Singh-Ray but it was not free of color cast and, despite what you might think, there is a big difference between 15 stops and 16 stops – in terms of exposure 16 stops means a double exposure of what you can get with 15 stops, which is very important. In addition, Singh-Ray filters are traditionally quite expensive so they are not a solution for everyone. But the main problem with higher density filters was the color cast, especially for those wanting to work in color. This is where the new Firecrest 16 gave a solution, a great one indeed.
Still now, in 2018 when I make this update, Formatt-Hitech has the largest range of densities in neutral density filters, ranging from 1 stop to 24 stops for the Firecrest Ultra 100mm Square Filters, which is all that you would ever need, from “short” long exposures to extreme long exposures.
Firecrest 16 IRND Formatt-Hitech on Canon TS-E 24mm
A HYPER-NEUTRAL (NO COLOR CAST) ND FILTER
If you use to shoot long exposure photography and have some experience with neutral density filters you will know what I mean about the color cast. If you are still at the beginning of your long exposure journey, you will have to take my word for it or ask everyone who was shooting long exposure over the past years. They will all tell you the same.
Color cast was one of the most annoying things you could get in a long exposure, especially for those working in color, but for black and white photographers too, because the color cast doesn’t mean only shift in colors but also degradation of the clarity of the black tones and degradation of the contrasts. But this is in the past, color cast is not an issue anymore if you work with the Firecrest filters!
The Firecrest 16 Stops ND filters, that have a carbon-neutral coating as the characteristic giving them the color neutrality, have been independently tested and declared hyper-neutral, which is an impressive result and if you read this review till the end you will also see which is my opinion about them after testing them in different conditions over the last weeks.
Let me start by showing you how one of the images I shot looked like on the back of my camera. Even like this, you can see how natural and free of color cast the image looks.
Firecrest 16 on Canon TS-E 24mm – 484 sec Long exposure shot with Canon 5D MKIII
THE NEW FIRECREST ULTRA NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTERS
In late 2017 Formatt-Hitech launched the new line Firecrest Ultra, which is an even more neutral line of neutral density filters, treated with a special procedure called “lapping & polishing” that makes the filters flatter and more uniform, sharper, more neural and more resistant to breaks.
These new Format-Hitech Firecrest Ultra neutral density filters range from intensities of 1 stop up to 24 stops, as I was mentioning before.
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF REVIEW – HOW CAN A FILTER MAKE YOU FEEL?
I will try not to stress too much on numbers and technical aspects in this review, not more than necessary, because in my opinion, they are not truly helping you in your creative work. They are only a tool that helps you realize your vision in an image. You need to know the tools but even more, you need to know what to do with these tools.
An artist focuses more on what lies behind numbers and tries to reach the essence. You need to be informed about technical aspects, of course, so you can get the best of your inspiration in your work (I try to be very well informed because knowing my tools gives me freedom of creation), but you don’t need to know everything to create art. Besides, there are people who are much better at technical stuff, as the scientists at Formatt-Hitech who have thought about everything, just for me and other photographers like you to be able to spend our time creating and not analyzing numbers. So I’m going to leave the advanced tech stuff to the scientists and only touch the technical aspects that you really need.
What I want to mention and even emphasize here is how this filter can make you feel.
Yes, a filter can make you feel something. And in my case, working for some time with the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter made me feel inspired. It made me see the world around me in a new way, because it opened for me new creative possibilities, making possible some of the things that were not an option before. As I was saying earlier, it solved some practical aspects freeing my mind and giving me more time to think about the creative part of my work. And this is the role of a tool like your camera or your filter. This is why working with quality well-done equipment is so important. Even if you can create with any tool, there comes a moment when your equipment will give you a creativity push and the new Firecrest 16 is capable of doing that.
So, you understand now, I think, why I say numbers are not so important but what is important is what they give you, what your photography tools can give you. The end goal for them is to give you the freedom and the inspiration to create photography that makes you happy. Because why do we do this in the first place? To make us feel good, to make us feel happy.
This is the “raison d’être” (the reason of existence) of art. To give us the key to enter a world where we feel at peace and in balance with everything.
Firecrest 16 IRND + Polarizer Formatt-Hitech on Canon TS-E 24mm
A FEW NUMBERS
Because I know you will still be interested in technical characteristics, let me mention a few details about the filters now.
Here is also a very clear and to the point description of the Firecrest filters by Rod Clark, VP of marketing at Formatt-Hitech. You can get the most important info about these filters from this video.
Also, you can visit the Formatt-Hitech website for even more info and technical data about the Firecrest and the new Firecrest Ultra filters.
WHAT ARE THE FIRECREST FILTERS
A few words from Formatt-Hitech on the Firecrest filters:
“Firecrest ND is a revolutionary new type of infrared-attenuating neutral density filter from Formatt-Hitech. Firecrest is a 15 layer multicoating process that is applied directly to the glass through a vacuum-formed, hard-coated, electrolytic process. Firecrest filters are anti-reflective and extremely flare resistant, which increases contrast and visual acuity in challenging lighting conditions. They are also hydrophobic and scratch-resistant. “
HOW MANY TYPES AND DENSITIES OF FIRECREST YOU CAN FIND
And some more info about these filters from the source.
As of 2017, Firecrest and Firecrest Ultra ND filters are available in the following densities:
- 1 stop Firecrest ND Filter
- 2 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 3 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 4 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 6 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 8 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 10 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 13 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 16 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 18 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 20 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 22 stops Firecrest ND Filter
- 24 stops Firecrest ND Filter
The Firecrest and the Firecrest Ultra neutral density Grad filters are available between 1-5 stops.
The sizes the Firecrest filters are available in are:
- Format-Hitech Firecrest circular ND filters – from 37mm to 77mm diameter and from 82mm to 127mm diameter
- Format-Hitech Firecrest Rectangular ND filters – 85x85mm, 100x100mm, 150x150mm and 165x165mm. The classic size is 100x100mm
RECTANGULAR GLASS FIRECREST FILTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
The rectangular Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter I am referring to is the 2mm thick filter and it is the one you should buy for use with photo cameras. I’ve been asked by quite a few fellows photographers which thickness they should choose: the 2mm or the 4mm rectangular Firecrest, and this is the answer:
The filter used for photography is the 2mm version.The 4mm Firecrest rectangular filters are meant for use in cinema where more resistance and hardness is needed, thus their bigger thickness.
Here are more specifically the dimensions or rectangular 2mm Firecrest you can find, in both classic rectangular neutral density filters and neutral density graduated filters.
- 67x85mm solid & grad neutral density filter
- 85x85mm solid & 85x110mm grad neutral density filter
- 100x100mm solid neutral density filter
- 100x125mm grad neutral density filter
- 100x150mm grad neutral density filter
- 150x150mm solid & 150x170mm grad neutral density filter
- 165x165mm solid & 165x200mm grad neutral density filter
Firecrest IRND Rectangular – Formatt Hitech
CIRCULAR FIRECREST FILTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Circular Firecrest ND filters are available in the thinnest rings on the market. There are two types.
The first and classic type is the SuperSlim, which is threaded, stackable and is 5.5mm thin.
The second type is the UltraSlim that are 3mm thin. They are not stackable and don’t have threading for lens caps, but they are the thinnest circular screw-in filters in the world.
Firecrest IRND SuperSlim Circular – Formatt-Hitech
SOME PRACTICAL INFO
Both the circular and the rectangular Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter are delivered in a resistant package that will keep them safe till they reach you.
The circular filter is ready to use as you take it out of the box, on the square one you will need to apply the foam gaskets included in the package to help you avoid light leakages when mounted on the holder.
The square filter has a protective pouch provided by the manufacturer. The square filter is made of 2mm thick glass and is very solid and resistant.
The first impression you have when you hold the circular filter in your hand is to wonder how can this filter be so slim and still cut off so much light. I’m sure all long exposure photographers will agree with me, especially those who started with regular circular neutral density filters that, if stacked, would give you a quite thick result.
I started shooting long exposure with a Hoya ND400 (9 stops) and I was stacking it in the beginning with an ND8 (3 stops) and a polarizing filter to add some density (the polarizing filter cuts around 1.5-2 stops of light). Later on, I would use a B+W 106 (6 stops) instead of the ND8 so I can get longer exposures. You can see below what a difference there is between my first set up and the Firecrest IRND 16.
The difference in thickness is mind-blowing and what this change gives me besides the lack of color cast? It’s the lack of any vignette, no matter how wide the lens I use is. This practically makes your usable image area at least 15-20% larger.
Hoya ND400 + Hoya Polarizer + B+W 106 on Tamron 18-270mm PZD
Firecrest 16 IRND Formatt-Hitech on Canon TS-E 24mm
I didn’t have this issue when shooting with square filters, but the circular ones can be more practical in many cases, especially when speed is important. so it is good to know that now we can combine practicality with such a slim filter and not worry about vignetting.
SHOOTING WITH THE FIRECREST 16 STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER AND THE ISSUE OF LIGHT LEAKAGE IN LONG EXPOSURES
There are a few things you need to take care of when shooting with ND filters. The most important thing after mounting the camera on a tripod, composing the image, attaching the filter and setting up the correct exposure is to take care of the light leakage that might occur in these cases.
From my experience, the Canon cameras have more issues with light leakage than the Nikon ones so you need to give even more care to sealing your camera if you shoot with a Canon. Also, the light leakages will be more intense when the light is stronger, i.e. in the middle of the day as opposed to shooting at sunset, when you can be more relaxed about sealing your camera, or when the sun hits directly some of the points that can allow the light to reach the sensor, as for instance the viewfinder or the sockets for your shutter release and other connections. In the case you shoot with a tilt-shift lens you can add this to the list too.
When you shoot with a tilt-shift lens you will need to take care of the lens and seal it or cover it since it has more openings and moving parts than a regular lens and this can lead to more intense light leakage. You can see below how I covered the viewfinder of my 5D MKIII that has a special piece for this on the camera strap.
In case you shoot with a Nikon, on the more advanced Nikon cameras you will find a sliding cover that you can close the viewfinder with, or you can use the separate cover piece for the viewfinder in the other Nikon cameras. In the other image, you can see how I covered the T/S lens with a lens pouch from which I cut off the bottom making it into a sleeve that wraps the lens keeping out the light from it.
Canon 5D MKIII + Canon TS-E 24mm – Viewfinder cover to avoid light leakage
Firecrest 16 IRND Formatt-Hitech on Canon TS-E 24mm – Lens cover to avoid light leakage
Another thing to keep in mind and be careful about, when you use circular filters, is not to screw them too tight so they don’t get stuck on the lens and you can’t take them out. Especially with such a slim filter, it can be a serious issue to take out a stuck filter even if you use the special clamps that exist for this purpose.
FIRECREST 100MM ANTI LIGHT LEAK HOLDER
When you shoot with square filters and regular holders, even if the Firecrest filters have an isolating foam gasket, the safest thing would be to cover the edges of the filters too, either by using a larger lens pouch or other cloth or by applying duct tape on them.
An even better solution to avoid the light leaks through the holder when you work with a rectangular filter you can use the new Firecrest 10mm Anti Lightleak Holder Kit , the Julia Anna Gospodarou Edition – you can recognize it by my image on the box, an advanced holder that will eliminate the light leak you can experience when shooting with square filters. The holder also contains a polarizing filter, and has incorporated a rotation system for this filter which is very practical and useful. Here is how this kit looks like below and you can get it, like all other Formatt-Hitech products with 10% discount with code JULIA10.
Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Kit – Anti lightleak filter holder with integrated polarizer
Formatt-Hitech Firecrest 100mm Anti Lightleak Holder
RAW FILE RESULTS WITH THE FIRECREST 16 STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER
I have tested the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter in different conditions and at different times of day to see in a more objective way how they behave and how the results differ from each other.
One of the first conclusions was one that I was expecting at, namely that there is no vignetting when shooting with the filter attached and this is because its thickens is only 5.5 mm.
The other aspect I was interested in was how much color cast I will get in long and very long exposures.
So I tried to push the exposure to times of 8+ minutes where other neutral density filters traditionally give enough to excessive color cast. When shooting with other neutral density filters, the most difficult moment as for the color cast I would get, was at sunset and especially while shooting longer than 4-minute exposures.
This is why I wanted to try the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter in these conditions too and you can see below the results. You can compare the still image I shot before taking the long exposure one so you can see how perfectly neutral these filters are. I have to repeat, for any long exposure photographer, this is really mind-blowing. See for yourselves!
Canon 5D MKIII + Canon TS-E 24mm – Still Image 1/30 exposure
EXIF: 24mm, 1/30 at f/13, ISO 100
Firecrest 16 SuperSlim circular by Formatt-Hitech + Canon TS-E 24mm – RAW Image – 474 sec Long exposure
EXIF: 24mm, 474 sec at f/7.1, ISO 100
Canon 5D MKIII + Canon TS-E 24mm – Still Image 1/125 exposure
EXIF: 24mm, 1/125 at f/3.5, ISO 100
Firecrest 16 SuperSlim circular by Formatt-Hitech – RAW Image – 484 sec Long exposure (Click to see 100% zoom)
EXIF: 24mm, 484 sec at f/3.5, ISO 200
Canon 5D MKIII + Canon TS-E 24mm – Still Image 1/60 exposure
EXIF: 24mm, 1/60 at f/3.5, ISO 100
Firecrest 16 SuperSlim circular by Formatt-Hitech + Canon TS-E 24mm – RAW Image – 484 sec Long exposure (Click to see 100% zoom)
EXIF: 24mm, 484 sec at f/3.5, ISO 100
Below you can see the RAW file and the final processed result of an image I shot with the Firecrest filter (the image is called In search of Lost Time. and you can see more details about it at the link).
In Search of Lost Time – RAW file + Processed black and white image shot with Firecrest 16 circular filter
Also, another image shot with the Firecrest 16, called Fading Away, this time processed in color.
Fading Away- RAW file + Processed color image shot with Firecrest 16 circular filter
CONCLUSION – CAN THE FIRECREST 16 STOPS FORMATT-HITECH ND FILTER GIVE YOU INSPIRATION?
Coming back full circle to the beginning of this review, I will ask again: can a neutral density filter or any gear give you inspiration? Can the Firecrest 16 Stops Formatt-Hitech ND Filter give you inspiration?
Looking back to the last weeks that I was shooting with this filter and at the images I shot with it, I can surely say: Yes, it can, because it opens new possibilities, it remove the frustration and the limitations of the vignette or the color cast it is easy to transport, apply, take out and back again when you need to recompose. In a word, it takes your mind from thinking about the tool, thinking about solutions and gives you more time to concentrate on your vision and on what you want to create with it.
MY VERDICT
My verdict as to whether it is worth using these filters in your long exposure work is undoubtedly YES.
I will go as far as to say that this is a revolution in the ND filter industry. So far we were talking about which ND filter has the least color cast or the most acceptable one, from now on we can say that there is a filter out there that has NO color cast. It still amazes me even after having worked with this filter for a few weeks, and this is because I was so used to having this issue so far with all the other brands I was using that I was considering it a matter of fact. But now things have changed and frankly, I don’t know why someone buying a neutral density filter for the first time would choose anything else.
If you don’t mind color cast you may still use the solutions you own, but if you do, I am definitely recommending you to invest in the Firecrest system. It will just make your (photography) life easier. Add to this the lack of vignette with the circular filter even when you shoot with ultra-wide lenses, and you have the ideal ND filter for landscape and architecture long exposure, both color and black and white.
I hope this review will be helpful for you and help you choose the neutral density filter you need. I know I don’t need another filter and that Firecrest covers my needs fully, so it will sit in my photo bag at all times and you will see even more images shot with it very soon from me. If you have questions or would like to know more about these filters, don’t hesitate to ask me and I will add the info here or answer you personally.
LAST WORD
Just don’t forget, like I said above, that now you can get…
10% OFF ANY FORMATT-HITECH PRODUCT: FILTERS, HOLDERS, ACCESSORIES
WITH CODE “JULIA 10”
These are the neutral density ND filters and accessories I am working with to create my long exposure photography and you can see the great results in my many award-winning images. Formatt-Hitech was the first to create truly neutral ND filters back in 2014 , the Firecrest line, the first to create an "anti light-leak" holder, and they keep innovating with the new Firecrest ULTRA ND filters.. This is why I work with this brand. It gives me the best results.
Get 10% OFF discount for any Format-Hitech product - ND filters, ND grads, polarizing filters, holders, accessories from the link above with code "JULIA10"ANY Formatt-Hitech product – filters, holders etc. discount 10% OFF – CODE “JULIA10”
Julia Anna Gospodarou - (en)Visionographer
Julia Anna Gospodarou is an internationally acclaimed photographer, architect with a Master degree, author and highly sought-after educator, teaching workshops and lecturing around the world. Founder of (en)Visionography™ and creator of Photography Drawing™, author of the best-selling book From Basics to Fine Art - Black and White Photography , with high distinctions in the most important photography competitions worldwide (International Photography Awards IPA Photographer of the Year, World Photography Awards SWPA and Hasselblad Masters finalist, as well as 80+ more awards), widely published internationally in books and magazines, Julia is passionate about the art in photography and striving to spread it into the world.
Great write up Julia, can’t wait to try mine;)
You will find it outstanding Chris! Such great results and so easy to use!
Have fun shooting with it!
Thanks for sharing your first impression concerning the Firecrest 16 ND filter. It seems obvious that the new filter has improved a lot.
However, when I use this filter I have the impression that it is not exactly 16 stops. I need to correct the exposure time for every picture in PS with about 0,5 to 0,75 stop (lighter). Do you have the same experience?
greetings, Adri van den Hooven
Thanks very much, Adri!
I can’t say I noticed this so far, but there can be different causes for something like this happening. One thing is how you meter the light in the scene. The best is to meter it on a neutrally lit surface , not a dark or bright one and lock the metering then focus wherever you need so you don’t relate the two. Then, another things that I saw happening is that, when the light is changing – at sunset or when the weather is unstable, you may get variations in the exposure between the metered light and the long exposure you get . Not much to do in this case, just shoot again if the difference is too big and the light conditions have changes too much during the long exposure. Again, it has happened to me that the exposure was off without any apparent reason, But I had this experience with all my filters at times, so I guess that there are moments that all filters go crazy. When this happens I just repeat the capture if I still have the conditions I need. The good thing is that it didn’t happen yet with the Firecrest 16. But I’ll keep an eye on this issue and let you know how it goes.
great review !! Julia Anne a very clear, informative and interesting review ,these filters are defiantly on my must have list to buy .
Glad you found it useful. Thank you, Colin! And yes, these filters are a must for LE. I’m really happy I have them.
Nice review Julia Anna. Can’t wait to try my new Firecrest 16 stop out. You’re right about feeling inspired by the Firecrest filter. I felt that same way when I took mine out of the box and examined it. I pretty much feel inspired by all of my equipment.
Thank you, Brian! You’ll love the filter and I can only imagine how inspired you must feel now after getting the Firecrest 16 and the T/S. It’s the ultimate set up for architecture LE. Have fun with them!! And looking forward to your photos with them!
Excellent review Julia!
As a recent changer from Nikon to Fujifilm, I’m looking for a ND filter solution for my Fujifilm X-series cameras and lenses; Problem is they all have a different lens diameter, some 58mm, 72mm and an upcoming lens (16-55 2.8) will be 77mm. Have you tried step up rings with these filters yet? Thinking of getting the 77mm version…
Still not sure, if I want to go for the circular or the square filter system?
Thanks for your feedback
BJORN
Hi Bjorn,
You won’t have any problem with the step-up or down rings, I have used them with the Formatt-Hitech filters in the past and tried the Firecrest 16 on my other lenses too by using rings (I have the 82mm version for my T/S lens) and had no problem. So you can go for it. As for what version to choose, its more a question of what you are used to shoot with but I think the circular is more practical and it has no light leakages either, So you may consider it.
Glad you liked the review, thanks very much and good luck shooting with the Firecrest!
Just ordered firecrest 16 nd – cant wait
I guess you must be very excited Andrew. Good luck with it, you will love the results.
Hi Julia anna, i shoot with the LEE Big and little stopper stacked together, have you ever used this set up together, gives maybe approx 14-15 stops… Yes gives a blue colour cast but for BW which i mainly do now, doesn’t seem to be an issue, but I’m interested in your comments about contrast and tonal difference . If you have shot with LEE how do the systems compare ? Also on a technical note do you know if the Hicrest 16 will physically fit in the LEE square 100mm holder system ? Cheers Steven.
Hi Steven,
I haven’t shot personally with the Lee system, because I was never patient enough to wait for the delivery times Lee has, so this stopped me to order it in the past. But I know people who shoot with this system and I’ve seen the results from first hand and I’ve also seen RAW files shot with the Lee filters. . While the blue color cast is not annoying if you convert to B&W, you will always get a better initial B&W conversion if the RAW file covers all the colors in the scene and do not remove some to replace them with others, which is happening in the case of the filters that give you color cast, not only Lee but most of them. One of the results of this color cast and infrared contamination of the colors is the fact that the blacks are not so pure and this affects the overall contrast of the image. This is why I prefer the Firecrest, because these filters have overcome all these problems and give you a much better initial image to start with. This is vital for those working in color but it’s important for the B&W photographers too. If you will work on such an image you will understand immediately what I mean. You have a wider range of gray tones to work with. As for the Firecrest fitting the Lee holder, from what I’ve heard, the Firecrest with the gasket fit on it is a bit thicker than the Lee filter and this can give you issues when you slide it into the Lee holder, while the Hitech holder is adjustable. Hope this helps, Steven. Cheers!
Hi
I’m waiting delivery of my Firecrest …. only ever used 10 stops of ND! I just wondered if it is at all possible to compose the scene with the filter in place using Live View? Thanks
Paul, it’s possible to compose through the filter if you work with a Canon that has the possibility to show you the scene simulating it but you need to tweak your exposure or ISO to make it visible. Good luck with the new Firecrest, you’ll love it!
Hi, just want to respond to a point in your post. You mention a color cast with the 15-stop Singh-Ray. I shoot with it, along with several of my friends, and none of us have experienced any color cast at all, just neutral color, unlike most of the other competitive NDs. Singh-Ray also recently introduced the first ever 20-stop, also with no color cast, for very long exposures, even at wider lens apertures and in very bright light.
Hi Stephen! Thanks for your feedback. I haven’t shot with Singh-Ray myself and the info I have is from others who have used the filters. They are great filters and I’m sure they perform very well in most situations, but from my information, there were cases of color cast in certain shooting conditions and this is what I’m referring too. But good to have your opinion too for comparison. Thanks a lot!
Hi! Great review. Just wonder about the vignetting. You write that there is no vignetting with the glass screw filter, and thats nice. But what about using the Firecrest in a filter holder, like Lucroit. Will there also be no vignetting?
Hi Jan. Indeed, there is no vignetting with the Firecrest 16 because it is very slim. If you use square filters you won’t get vignetting anyway and this was the main reason to use square filters instead of stacking 2 circulars to get 16 stops (10 + 6). But the problem with the square filters is that you might have light leakage with them so you need to cover their edges, which is something you don’t get with circular filters. If you use an ultra-wide lens though which is too bulgy for screwing a circular filter, you will need a square. No vignette then either, but keep an eye on the light leakage.
Excellent review ! I have just ordered 77m firecrest 4.8. I cannot find any review on Firecrest CPL. I want to stack CPL with 4.8 without vignetting. Is there colour cast on B+W 77mm Kaesemann XS-Pro Circular Polarizer MRC Nano Filter (0.7cm thick) ? Recently, I have issues stacking Prostop 10 IRND with Grads. The lower half of my photo went pink. http://1drv.ms/1BUCF8g. It was a sunny morning. I never used a black material to wrap around Lucroit filter (The grads are 200mm). But I did cover the top of the Lucroit filter and the pink circles went away. I want to think that I can stack Prostop 10 IRND with Grads because there are 2 slots. Any barn doors for Lucroit filter in future ? Love the 2-stop hard and soft gards !
Glad you liked the review, Heng.
I haven’t yet used the Firecrest polarizer, but I’m using the regular Hitech polarizer and the results are very good, with no color cast. Generally the polarizers don’t have serious issues with color cast, and much less than ND filers do. Normally you can stack NDs with grads and if you use Firecrest for both you won’t have problems with color cast, even if you stack them. What I see in your images is most likely a light leakage and not a problem with color cast. If you see that you get these leakages, you could cover your holder and filters better with a cloth or with duct tape on the edges and openings. It works really well. Good luck!
Great review. I read this article and was impressed and ordered my own filter. My first impression you can find. I like the true colors and the less color cast.
Going to buy firecrest 16 was planning getting 82mm circular for my 24-70 ii. However am I better getting square one for le landscapes
Hi Julia,
I truly enjoyed your review about the Firecrest 16stop ND filter.
I already have the square version, but dont find very practical the square system, although I sometimes need to use ND grad filter.
As you use more often the ND circular filter, how do you do it when you need to use a ND grad?
Thanking you in advance for your reply.
Regards,
Francisco
Hi Francisco,
Glad you liked the article. I prefer the circular filters when I can use them because they are more practical. In essence you only need a filter and your lens if you work with the circular filters. However there are cases when I use the square filters on holder. This happens when I need to use an ND grad, as you mention, or when I use an ultra wide angle lens, like my Canon tilt shift 17mm that is too bulky to use with a circular filter and needs the holder. I think in the end it is just a matter of getting used to use both and the result justifies the little more effort you need to make when you use the square filters.
Hi Julia
Thanks for the review. Anybody using the Canon 5D series camera may be interested to know that the rear body cap fits snugly over the viewfinder eyecup thereby cutting out any extraneous light.
Regards
Rod
Great review! Where in North America can I order the Firecrest circular ND filters for 1-9 stops? I can’t seem to find them anywhere.
Also, are you sponsored by Formatt Hitech?
Thanks.
Glad you liked the review, Harvey. I am indeed a featured artist for Formatt-Hitech. I think the best place to find the Firecrest filters is to order them on the Formatt-Hitech website. Here’s a link to it http://www.formatt-hitech.com/ I know that B&H also sells them.
I was looking for reviews on Formatt-Hitechs Firecrest 13 and 16 and accidently stumble upon this great review. Thanks for sharing!
Im considering upgrading my filter collection and im in doubt whether to go round or squared filters. Furthermore im considering a combination of Formatt Hitechs Firecrest Circular polarizer and Firecrest ND filters.
For practical and economical reasons im most keen on the round ND filters since i rarely shoot with ND grads and the lenses i use have the same filter size. However im worried about vignetting issues when stacking the Firecrest circular polarizer with the Firecrest ND filter on Ultra Wide angle lenses (16-35mm).
Have you tried the combination and experienced any vignetting issues?
Thanks in advance.
Hello Julia,
Thanks for the review, I was just about to order a firecrest square 10 stop filter to replace my Lee Big Stopper which got broken when I read some reviews which said that you can’t use them with lenses over about 50mm, Hitech admit there is a problem and you should use the 4mm ones. Also another review said there was a problem using them with grey grads he got funny effects. I have not experienced any problems with Lee filters.