Whether or not you’re a skilled photographer or an fanatic, you already know that digital camera lenses could be fairly costly, and the price of changing or repairing them could be exorbitant. For this reason it is important to take measures to guard your funding, and among the finest methods to do that is by utilizing a UV (ultraviolet) and even higher MCUV filter (multi-coated ultraviolet).
UV filters are among the many most simple filters in pictures and supply a variety of benefits. The finest safety filters for lenses are designed to guard your primes and zooms from unintended harm attributable to drops, scratches, or cracks. They’ll additionally safeguard in opposition to environmental components similar to water, sand, or mud, which may negatively impression the longevity of your lens. That is notably vital when capturing close to water or within the rain, as water may cause main harm to your lens. Even condensation could be dangerous if you happen to transfer from a chilly setting to a heat one whereas capturing.
Regardless of their benefits, some photographers hesitate to make use of UV filters as a result of they imagine that the additional aspect in entrance of the lens can impression picture high quality. This can be a legitimate concern, as some filters can cut back sharpness, colour, and distinction, or block gentle. Nonetheless, choosing the proper filter may also help you keep away from these points. When in search of a transparent filter, it is important to search out one that’s made with high-quality supplies and coatings. With so many choices obtainable, it may be difficult to search out the proper one.
That is why we’re testing the Nano-X Sequence Tempered MCUV Filter. This mid-priced filter options 28 multi-coatings and guarantees to be clear and never cut back picture high quality. It could even improve picture high quality with further options…
Specs
Filter sort: UV lens filter
Sequence: Nano-X
Mount: Screw-in
Thread diameter choices (mm): 37, 40.5, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82, 86, 95, 105, 112, 127
Filter materials: Japanese AGC Glass
Ring materials: Aviation aluminum alloy
Thickness: 3.3mm
Construct & Dealing with
In contrast to different producers, similar to Tiffen, this filter is available in a compact round filter housing. The container can accommodate filters of various sizes, making it sensible for storing different filters (on this case, round filters from 43-82mm). The filter housing has a safe locking mechanism that forestalls unintended opening. Due to its knobbly surfaces, it will probably nonetheless be opened simply with a two-handed motion, by adjusting these in the wrong way.
This Ok&F MCUV filter is made from Excessive Density Sharp Reduce UV Glass, which is chemically enhanced to make the Optical Glass 12x stronger. It’s a part of Ok&F Idea’s Nano-X sequence, which suggests it has a 28-layer Anti-Reflective Multi Coating. This coating makes it water and oil-repellent, scratch and stain-resistant, and anti-glaring. The nanometer coatings promise a 99.6% gentle transmittance as demonstrated in a graphic supplied on the Ok&F web site.
In comparison with filters made by different well-known producers, the Ok&F filter is extremely slim, with a thickness of solely 3.3mm, and likewise lighter. The Tiffen or AmazonBasics filters are normally thicker and aren’t as simple to connect and detach. Subsequent to the non-slip sample, The Ok&F Idea MCUV filter additionally gives two grip sections, which aren’t as superb because the competitors is offering.
The filter is double-threaded, which suggests that you could stack your lens cap and likewise mix it with different filters if wanted. This characteristic gives further versatility to your pictures wants.
Efficiency
I carried out robustness checks to confirm its sturdiness. When including water to the floor, the filter successfully repelled water droplets, stopping them from getting into the lens. Moreover, Ok&F Idea has a video on its YouTube channel showcasing the filter’s sturdiness. The Nano-X Sequence Tempered MCUV Filter withstood a fall from a peak of 2m with out sustaining any harm. To check, the workforce dropped a 120-gram weight from a distance of 50cm instantly on the filter face, and the Ok&F Idea filter remained intact with none scratches, whereas the conventional glass filter was destroyed.
Unquestionably, the Ok&F Idea filter boasts ultra-clear glass. Even at first look, the filter appeared invisible on account of its distinctive transparency. Upon attaching it to the lens, the readability of the filter grew to become obvious, capturing particulars with none compromise in sharpness or colour. In truth, this filter barely improved the standard of the pictures.
By means of using the filter, the quantity of UV gentle was minimized leading to an enhancement of the general distinction of the scene, whereas efficiently lowering the quantity of haze. The filter proved to be efficient in stopping undesirable reflections and glare.
Ok&F Idea’s ultra-slim frames are excellent for leaving an MCUV filter on the lens always. As a result of its body measurement, the lens cap was simple so as to add. Furthermore, the filter could be mixed with different filters with none vignetting results or high quality loss. This was examined by combining the MCUV filter with a Ok&F Idea ND filter. This makes it notably helpful for panorama or seascape photographers who wish to seize the scene with the favored lengthy publicity method, because the ND filter could be hooked up with out having to detach the MCUV filter. Additionally, the ultra-slim design successfully prevented vignetting when capturing the scene with low focal lengths/ a wide-angle optic.
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Earlier than: Captured with a Sony A7III, Sony 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 lens, 1/80sec, f/14, ISO50, second picture at 100% magnification
Picture 1 of 2
Earlier than: Captured with a Sony A7III, Sony 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 lens and Ok&F Idea Nano-X Sequence MCUV Filter, 1/80sec, f/14, ISO50, second picture at 100% magnification
Verdict
The Ok&F Idea Nano-X MCUV filter is a wonderful premium selection for photographers of all types in search of uncompromising high quality and sturdiness. The filter is constructed to final and boasts a strong design that ensures the safety of your costly optics. The filter comes with a 2-year guarantee, which could be prolonged by scanning the QR code discovered on the again of the packaging and registering the product.
The multi-coating of the filter prevents moisture, mud, and fingerprints from getting into the lens floor, making it scratch-resistant and straightforward to scrub. This filter is nearly indestructible as proven in a YouTube video demonstrating its sturdiness.
The ultra-clear glass and anti-reflective coating of the filter don’t negatively impression the picture high quality. Moreover, the discount of UV gentle and haze enhances the general distinction of the scene barely, which is seen when zoomed to 100% within the earlier than and after pictures of the overview. With a powerful gentle transmission of 99.7%, the Ok&F Idea filter beats the costlier Tiffen Extremely Clear HD filter by 0.7%.
The filter’s super-slim design is made to be discreet and could be left on the lens on a regular basis. It may be mixed with different filters with out compromising the standard or creating vignettes.
The Ok&F Idea’s Nano-X sequence filters could include a better price ticket than the budget-friendly Nano-Ok filter sequence, however whereas each filter sequence use Japanese optical glass and have an aluminum body, they differ of their coatings. The Nano-Ok sequence has 18 layers, which supplies it some optical superiority, whereas the Nano-X filters have an additional 10 layers of coating. These further layers present the filter with distinctive scratch resistance and are well worth the funding.