This filter has been discontinued – these are the very last sizes. It has been replaced by the new Swift system which is much faster to use and features better optics. The Swift VND kit has the standard 1-5 True Colour VND and the 4-Stop FSND which connects to the front to give you 5-9. If you already have the 1-5 True Colour VND, you can purchase the 4-stop separately.
While somewhat useful to stills photographers, variable ND filters are an indispensable tool for filmmakers. This filter allows quick and easy manipulation of the exposure in order to achieve the desired aperture and shutter speed when there is too much light.
Variable ND filters are made by mounting two polarisers facing each other and when turned, they progressively cut out more and more light. This can achieve an exposure reduction ranging from 1 – 10 stops, so why is this filter limited to a 5-9 stops range? The problem with the double-polariser approach is that beyond a certain range, the darkening becomes very uneven across the frame, resulting in what is known as the x-effect. This is why most commercial film productions still make use of conventional ND filter sets.
A Variable ND filter does however still have a great place in the world if used within the limits of the x-effect, which is why NiSi have limited their offering to a 1.5 - 5 stop version and 5 - 9 stop version. The 5-9 stop is a 1.5 - 5 stop combined with an ND16 film, which achieves the darker densities without allowing any x-effect. Compared to a conventional cinema ND filter set and matte box with filter trays, this filter costs about 5% of the price. It also offers instant manipulation of the exposure reduction by simply turning the filter and thanks to its compact size it is much more friendly to DSLR and mirrorless filmmakers.
This filter features NiSi's renowned scratch-resistant and hydrophobic nano-coating, which ensures that it lasts and makes it quick and easy to clean. It also features a pin on the side that makes it easy to rotate from behind the camera.
Is there any X-effect at 9 stops?
If you set out to look for it, you will encounter a hint of the X-effect at 9 stops... if you use an ultra-wide lens and you shoot against a clean background. Our staff have used this filter for countless video productions and we have been selling it for a year, without noticing the X-effect in any of our videos or receiving one complaint about it from a customer. So while you might find it if you really look for it, it simply doesn't show up in practical use.
Is the pin on the side removable?
This pin acts as an easy handle for turning the filter quickly, but not everyone likes it. The good news is that it is simply screwed in and secured with threadlock. You’ll struggle to get it out with your fingers, but a soft turn with pliers gets it out. If you want to reattach it, just dip the thread in threadlock and screw it back in. (Threadlock is available at any hardware store for about R20-50. Usually a tiny blue bottle)
Do you have the item in stock?
Products are either in stock, out of stock (sold out) or special order.
- In stock: We have stock at our local warehouse. You can see how many we have in stock, add these products to your cart and check out.
- Sold out: We usually carry stock of this item but it has sold out. Please get in touch to get an ETA and reserve and incoming product. Or use the "Email me when available" button to get an email when new stock arrives.
- Special order: We don't carry local stock of this item. Get in touch to confirm stock availability and ETA to place an order.
Delivery options and what they cost
We pride ourselves on lightning fast shipping, FREE on all orders over R1000. For orders under R1000 a courier fee of R120 will apply. Apart from large f-stop gear orders and large tripods, most of our items ship overnight and the daily cutoff is 13:00. You can read more on the deliveries page.
Can I collect my parcel?
Yes, you can collect your order from our warehouse in Saxenburg Park, Blackheath (08:00 - 14:00). Just choose the collection option at checkout- we'll follow up with the specifics. Please note that we are very strict about payment if collecting. We will not release any goods if we are not 100% comfortable about payment. We accept the following as payment confirmation in order to release the goods.
- Payfast Card Payment (any customers, new or returning)
- EFT from FNB to FNB, pending fund clearance (any customers, new or returning)
- Normal EFT from other banks to FNB (return customers only)
- Instant EFT from other banks to FNB, pending fund clearance (Any customers, new or returning)
- Cash (any customers, new or returning)
What payment options are available?
What is your policy on returns and or exchanges?
We are more than happy to exchange any product for something else or a full refund* if you feel that the item you chose isn’t quite right for you. See our Return Policy page for more.
*If paying with any card, 4.5% of the transaction value goes to the credit card payment facilitation company. "Full Refund" means that we will return the full amount we received after the credit card service fees. If you are at all unsure that what you're buying is ideal for you, rather opt for EFT payment to be safe.
Where is my order? How can I track my order?
You will receive an email with your tracking number once your order has been collected by our couriers. You can also find tracking number for your orders under "My account"
Shop 5 Roeland Square, Cnr Roeland and, Upper Canterbury St, Cape Town
0214653573
Victorian Towers, 2 Palm St, Bellville, Cape Town
Fritz, 0219101380
Boskruin, Randburg
Deon Truter, 0823148308
Stonemill Office Park, Greenstone House
300 Acacia Rd, Johannesburg
Wilhelmus Möller, 0118802885
28 Pearce St, Berea, East London
043 726 2200
Kloof, Durban
Emil, 0844849959
Shop 5 Roeland Square, Cnr Roeland and, Upper Canterbury St, Cape Town
0214653573
Victorian Towers, 2 Palm St, Bellville, Cape Town
Fritz, 021 910 1380
Kloof, Durban
Emil, 0844849959
Durbanville
Bernard Kotze - 0727156743
Ivan Fourie - 0825290593
1032 Silvergrass St, Montana, Pretoria, 0182
Wayne Lesch – 0798834407
Damien Bradshaw
Eastern Cape (Hunting Products Only)
0835749134
Approved Arms
Pretoria
Dirk Pio – 0730556726
We have a no-nonsense approach. If a product breaks due to a manufacturer defect, we will replace it without asking any questions. If we have any reason to believe that the product was put through unreasonably heavy usage, we will have to follow the manufacturer's standard warranty procedure.
Leofoto
The manufacturer offers a 10-year limited warranty on all products and we extend that warranty to our customers. Please read the below very carefully, so you understand your position when something breaks or doesn’t work ideally anymore.
It is critical to understand that this warranty only applies to factory faults and not to standard wear and tear. Tripods are subject to a lot of gray areas in this regard as tripods used outdoors, particularly in sand and sea water, are subjected to extreme wear and tear. We will e.g. replace the affected part of your tripod if a carbon tube snaps or cracks without much pressure applied to it or if the apex breaks. We will not replace your tripod or the affected part if e.g. a joint locks up due to sand or salt build up or if a hinge becomes corroded or stiff/floppy and unserviceable due to corrosion or salt build up.
In sum, if we see that you took good care of your tripod and something went wrong, we will go out of our way to fix or replace it for you. If we see that you dragged it through the mud (literally or metaphorically), then we are unlikely to fix/replace it for you. How you handle your tripod and take care of it, is all the difference between 3- or 20 years of service.
The best of tripods will not last longer than 2/3 years if used regularly in the sea, INCORRECTLY, and never serviced. Always make sure to extend the lowest leg section first, so you keep the joints out of the water/sand. Always rinse with freshwater after use in the sea, wipe down with a wet cloth, leave extended to dry and ENSURE YOU KEEP THE HEAD AND APEX DRY. If your tripod’s joints start feeling sandy/gritty, open them up, give them a proper clean and lubrication and fine-tune the tension on the joints.
If travelling on dirt roads, ensure that your tripod is in its carry-bag when not in use.
Your tripod will not take care of itself – it is up to you to do so. All our tripods ship with an info-sheet on taking care of your tripod. We also offer a full tripod disassembly and service for R1000, including shipping both ways.
