NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Stop Pro Nano filter review

A Neutral Density filter, also called an 'ND' for short, is a filter that acts a bit like sunglasses for your lens and comes in different strengths to block out varying amounts of light from hitting your camera sensor. Doing so is useful for all sorts of reasons, from enabling longer exposures to create movement in water or clouds of a still photograph, or for taming the light when working with video where your shutter speed is often locked.

A Variable ND (VND) filter such as Nisi’s True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Stop Pro Nano has the ability to block out a range of light depending on your requirements so it's a bit more flexible and as it does the job of multiple ND filters it's a more portable option too – no bulky square filters or filter holder needed here.

ND filters are essentially tinted pieces of glass designed to block out a specific amount of light, such as three, six or 10 stops. With each stop being a halving of light. However, VND filters work differently, sandwiching two polarising filters together and when twisted against one another, they allow more or less light to pass through the lens. Image quality is usually inherently poor with VNDs compared to standard ND filters and it is possible to run into an unsightly X-bar effect caused by cross-polarization, though I'll be putting the NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano through its paces in this review to see if it bucks this trend.

But what they trade in image quality can be made up in convenience, portability, and versatility. Not all VND filters are made equal and the Nisi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano is one of the most expensive VNDs available, so we're expecting big things from this little filter. I got hold of one and put it to the test in this review. Here's how I got on...

NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano: Specifications

NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano: Build & Handling

The NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 stops Pro Nano has a sturdy metal frame and employs the company’s exclusive High-ultra Clarity (HUC) optical glass with a nano water repellent coating. This means water drops bead off the front and it’s easier to clean as a result. It also comes with Nisi’s new True Color film added to the optical glass which claims to deliver high color fidelity without the “X bar effect” from cross-polarization, though I’ll inspect image quality later on when I evaluate its performance.

It has a strength of 1-5 stops, which matches the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Signature Edition II, though might sound a bit weak compared to the likes of Tiffen’s 1.5-10 stop MCS VND, however, when I tested the Tiffen MCS VND it didn’t live up to expectations only blocking out about seven stops of light at its top setting. Nisi’s more conservative 1-5 stops is a more accurate representation of what the filter can achieve and I appreciate the company doesn't overpromise and underdeliver.

The filter comes in a range of sizes for different filter threads ranging from 40.5mm to the largest 105mm with fifteen options available to cover pretty much every common filter thread size out there.

With a thickness of 11mm (9mm when mounted), it’s one of the chunkier VND filters I’ve looked at, similar to the basic Tiffen Variable ND with its 12mm thickness (10mm when mounted) but a far cry from Tiffen’s latest MCS magnetic VND which is super slim at just 8mm in depth (6mm when mounted).

The Nisi VND comes packaged in a plastic hard case inside of a grey fabric Filter Pouch Pro soft case. It also only comes with the front plastic protective cap and has no rear cap unlike the Tiffen MCS VND or PolarPro PMKVND II. This means the bulky plastic hard case is essential and is less travel-friendly compared to the Tiffen MCS and PMKVND II as a result – as both use their respective front and rear caps to form a space-saving hard case.

The NiSi True Color ND-Vario comes with a plastic cap to protect the front of the filter. The front of the filter is larger than the filter thread it attaches to, so when fitted to our 82mm font filter thread our 82mm lens cap will no longer fit, so it’s handy to have Nisi’s plastic protective cap to protect the filter when transporting between locations. This was a similar issue I experienced with Tiffen’s standard VND though that filter doesn't come with a front cap, so props to Nisi for providing a solution.

There were a few reviews online saying the plastic cap couldn’t be attached with the rotating pin in place, however, I found that not to be the case as there is a small notch carved into it which allows the cap to be attached with the handle still screwed in. Perhaps those users didn't see the notch was cut out and assumed it didn't fit.

The NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 is made up of two separate metal filter rings with polarising glass that turn against each other to reduce light flow into the camera. The rear metal part of the filter which screws into the front filter thread of your lens has some nice chunky knurling and because the filter is bigger than the front of your lens it’s very easy to screw on to your camera, I can see this being a big benefit for photographers with conditions such as arthritis as smaller filters are more fiddly by comparison.

The front metal part of the filter rotates is de-clicked and rotates smoothly through its five strength settings – this will be preferable to videographers looking to change the strength of the VND on the fly as they react to changing light. There’s also a hard stop at the extreme ends preventing you from going past the intended weakest and strongest strength settings. Not only does this provide the user with some haptic feedback that you’ve reached the maximum setting, it also prevents user error from turning the filter too far, which could cause an unsightly X-bar effect – this is one of the downsides of VND filters which sandwich two polarizing filters together to restrict light flow. Though I'll touch more on image quality later on in Performance.

Videographers will also rejoice at the screw-in handle that comes with the filter which makes it easier to operate and turn smoothly. One nice touch is it comes with a spare handle too, so you have an extra one should yours become misplaced.

NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano: Performance

Nisi's VND uses High-ultra Clarity (HUC) optical glass with a nano water-repellent coating. This means water drops bead off the front and it’s easier to clean as a result.

It also comes with Nisi’s new True Color film added to the optical glass which claims to deliver high color fidelity without the “X-bar effect” from cross polarization, though my tests showed there was a fair bit of x-bar when shooting at 16mm, though when zooming in to 35mm the biggest offending areas were mostly cropped out and this only appeared more towards the Maximum end of the scale, the Minimum setting was mostly clean and unaffected. The colors also showed a tiny bit of a yellowish-green cast, so weren't as neutral as we'd have hoped.

Other aspects of the image quality were impressive, there was very little vignetting at 16mm (on full-frame), this is possibly due to the front of the filter being one step larger than the back mounting thread (excluding the 95mm and 105mm versions). Usually, this would be a gripe as it means the lens cap can't be used, but Nisi provides a plastic front protective cap for the filter, so it's not an issue here.

The filter also didn't introduce any extra chromatic aberration and the sharpness was pretty strong, though you can see a slight dip in clarity if you really go digging for it – zoom in to 300% and you'll see some of the ultra-fine details have been softened ever so slightly.

I also tested the accuracy of the filter strengths and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Our test shot without a filter gave us a shutter speed of 1/200 sec, this slowed to 1/60 sec with the filter in place and set to Min, and slowed to a further 1/5 sec at the Max setting. So its claims of blocking out between one to five stops are bang on.

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Performance isn’t all down to image quality though, it’s also about how easy it is to use – a really good filter will make us want to use it. One issue I have with the Nisi VND isn’t the image quality at all – it’s its storage system. It comes packaged in a plastic hard case inside of a fabric soft case, which adds bulk to your camera bag and also makes it slower and more difficult to get to the filter. Of course, you don't need to use the fabric case at all – to m,e it feels a bit overkill.

The biggest sin the Nisi VND commits is not including a rear cap. Both Tiffen’s MCS VND and PolarPro's PMKVND II come with both front and rear caps which make it easier and less bulky to store, but also faster to grab and start using – the Tiffen MCS VND also uses magnetic front and back caps so it's even quicker to remove them and get shooting with no hard case required.

I found Nisi’s front plastic cap to be a far less elegant design compared to the Tiffen MCS, and its tight fit around the front of the filter creates a bit of a vacuum inside which means you have to exert quite a bit of force to remove it. So removing the plastic hard case from its soft fabric pouch, then opening the plastic hard case and removing the plastic front cap which is suctioned onto the front made for quite a slow experience. But, putting this to one side – once you have finally attached the filter to your lens it's a very enjoyable experience, and features such as the screw-in handle and hard stops at each end make it a joy to use.

NiSi True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano: Verdict

NiSi's True Color ND-Vario 1-5 Pro Nano is one of the more expensive VND filters on the market and as such it comes packed with a solid range of features, including its High-ultra Clarity optical glass, water, dust and grime repellent nano coating, a screw-in metal adjustment handle for smooth video transitions and hard stops at each end for some haptic feedback when you can't easily see the text on the filter ring.

That said, whilst reviewing this Nisi VND I also had access to the PolarPro Peter McKinnon VND Edition II and Tiffen 1.5-10 stop MCS VND. All three are in a similar price bracket with an 82mm version from each costing $200 for the Nisi, $249.99 for the PolarPro and just $155 for the Tiffen’1.5-10 stop MCS VND. The image quality was a little better from the PolarPro but my favorite design and set of features came from the Tiffen MCS with its magnetic front and back caps that make it ultra portable and so easy to use that you want to bring it with you. The Nisi has not one but two hard cases and a plastic front cap (which is stiff to remove) so there's more stuff that gets in the way of you taking it out before you can start using it. A lot of my qualms with this filter could be addressed if Nisi ditched the dual hard case system and created a back cap for the filter, in a similar way to the PolarPro or Tiffen MCS filters as they're so much easier to use and travel light.

Overall, it's a decent filter and although image quality is never going to be mind-blowing due to the inherent flaws of a VND filters' construction, but for its class the image quality was pretty solid. It's larger filter ring which is also knurled will also be good for those with mobility issues or if your dexterity isn't the best, as there's more grip to hold onto and it has a screw-in adjustment handle which makes tweaking the strength easier too.

Alternatives

Tiffen’s newer 1.5-10 stops MCS VND filters is a little more expensive but has some desirable upgrades including a wider range of strength settings, magnetic design, compact magnetic filter caps and case as well as a smooth de-clicked strength ring with a detachable metal handle for easy adjustments when recording video.

Is this the ultimate VND filter? The PolarPro PMVND Edition II demands top dollar but has exceptional image quality and build. Its Defender360 system doubles up both as your filter caps and weather-sealed hard case when stowed away, and it has a clicked strength ring for haptic feedback.