NiSi Filters 150mm Explorer Medium Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8
NiSi Filters 150mm Explorer Medium Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8-
NiSi Filters 150mm Explorer Medium Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8-

NiSi Filters 150mm Explorer Medium Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8

Regular price R 3,499.00
/
Tax included.
3 in stock

The NiSi Explorer Collection is made for adventure. The filters feature a special glass hardening process that makes them double the strength of typical glass filter. The Explorer series are much less prone to accidental breakage and perfect for active photographers. The NiSi Explorer Collection is made from B270 tempered glass and features the same Nano coating process as NiSi's optical glass filters.

The following filters are available in the Explorer Range:

  • Nano IRND 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8
  • Nano IRND 1.8 | 6-Stop | ND64
  • Nano IRND 3.0 | 10-Stop | ND1000
  • Medium Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.9 | 3-Stop | ND8
  • Reverse Graduated Nano IR ND Filter 0.6 | 2-Stop | ND4

Want to know more about the difference between NiSi's optical and Explorer filters? Emil von Maltitz does a side by side comparison here.

Landscape photographers use graduated neutral density filters because the sky is usually brighter than the land – especially in dramatic sunset light. Graduated ND filters are dark on the top half and transparent on the bottom half. When the dark part is positioned over the sky of an image, it ‘reduces’ the amount of light allowed through that part of the frame and this results in a darkened exposure of the sky. On the left side of the image, it shows the result without any filter and on the right, it shows the result with the filter.

Graduated ND filters are available in soft, medium and hard and this determines the distance of the transition between the dark part and the transparent part. The softer the graduation, the more even the transition between the darkened area and the normal area. There are also reverse and horizon grads, which are a slight alteration. Read below to find out more or browse the product images to see classic examples of ideal situations for each grad type. 

  • Soft Grad –These filters are typically for scenes with a very dynamic horizon, like landscapes with trees or high mountains. Soft grads are the most forgiving and easiest for beginners to use.
  • Hard Grad - These filters are typically for scenes with a straight and uniform horizon, like the sea. If a hard grad is not positioned perfectly, it will be clearly noticeable in the image as a dark line below the horizon or a bright line above it. We advise that beginners stick to soft and medium grads. 
  • Medium Grad – Medium grads are a newer product that most manufacturers only released in 2016/2017. Many photographers often found hard grads too hard and soft grads too soft and thus it was obvious that something in between was necessary. It is also the perfect solution for photographers that don’t want to commit to a hard or soft grad. Not everyone can afford to buy the full range of these filters and the medium grads are an excellent new compromise.
  • Reverse Grad – These filters serve a very niche, but useful purpose. When shooting into a bright sunset/sunrise, the brightest area is right on the horizon and then the sky darkens towards the top. When using a normal graduated ND, it will result in a correctly exposed horizon, but the top part of the sky will be far too dark. A Reverse Grad also has a clear lower half, but it is darkest in the middle and then gets lighter towards the top. This allows one to more accurately balance those exposures that are brightest on the horizon. 

All the different types of grads are available in different densities because light is dynamic and different scenes require a different amount of ‘darkening’ of the sky. We stock a variety of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 (0.3 = 1 stop) in NiSi's various size ranges. The most popular densities are 0.6 and 0.9, but 1.2 is becoming increasingly popular. 

If you’re unsure about which density is right for you, read below or check out product image #2.

  • 0.3 (1-stop) is for experienced shooters, usually to be combined with a 0.6 or 0.9.
  • 0.6 (2-stop) is the most popular filter as a 2-stop difference between land and sky is most common. If you shoot a sunset/sunrise the 0.6 will be the all-rounder that best balances exposure between land and sky in most directions.
  •  0.9 (3-stop) is the ideal if you like shooting into the sunset as the 0.6 isn’t always dark enough for into-the-sun shots. The issue with the 0.9 is that it will be too dark if shooting 90-degrees from the sun or with the sun at your back.
  • 1.2 (4-stop) is for shooting directly into a very bright sunset/sunrise.

      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?  

      • EFT
      • EFT via Payfast
      • Credit card: VISA & Mastercard
      • Payflex
      • Float

      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" 

      You can also shop NiSi Filters at the following retailers & dealers. 
      Orms Cape Town
      Shop 5 Roeland Square, Cnr Roeland and, Upper Canterbury St, Cape Town
      0214653573
      Orms Bellville
      Victorian Towers, 2 Palm St, Bellville, Cape Town
      Fritz, 0219101380
      FilmFlow (Cinema Specialist)
      Boskruin, Randburg
      Deon Truter, 0823148308
      Kameraz
      Stonemill Office Park, Greenstone House
      300 Acacia Rd, Johannesburg
      Wilhelmus Möller, 0118802885
      Photoquip
      28 Pearce St, Berea, East London
      043 726 2200
      Lime Photo
      Kloof, Durban
      Emil, 0844849959
       
      You can also shop Leofoto Tripods at the following retailers & dealers. 
      Orms Cape Town
      Shop 5 Roeland Square, Cnr Roeland and, Upper Canterbury St, Cape Town
      0214653573
      Orms Bellville
      Victorian Towers, 2 Palm St, Bellville, Cape Town
      Fritz, 021 910 1380
      Lime Photo
      Kloof, Durban
      Emil, 0844849959
      3% Tactical
      Durbanville
      Bernard Kotze - 0727156743
      Ivan Fourie - 0825290593
      Pretoria Arms
      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. 

      Find more info on proper care and use for each brand below. 

      NiSi Care & Use

      F-stop Care & Use

      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.

      NiSi Swift vs Square Systems

      Emil von Maltitz of Lime Photo does a comprehensive comparison of the two systems for photography. Not sure where to start? This is it!

      CHOOSING NISI

      Circular or Square?

      This is the first question to ask yourself when choosing a filter system to invest in. Each one has its pros and cons and while most now prefer the Swift circular system system for its economy, portability and modularity, the square system still hold a place for using graduated NDs.

      1. Economy - Circular filters win hands down when it comes to economy. An 82mm Swift Fixed ND (FSND) Kit with 3, 6 and 10-stop filters costs just R5 999 compared to R9 897 for its 100mm square counterpart. Circular filters don't require a filter holder, which will cost another R5 499.

      2. Portability - Circular filters also win hands down when it comes to size and portability. They are smaller, lighter and take up very little space compared to the equivalent square system.

      3. Versatility - While square filters used to dominate this area, NiSi's new state of the art Swift System has set a new standard with stacked circular filters which added or removed in seconds. This change saw a massive shift in square filter users shifting to circular filters, so when are square filters still superior?

      4. Graduated Filters - While circular grads do exist, they are flawed from the drawing board as the graduation can only be in the middle of the frame, which forces you to compose the horizon in the middle. A square system allows the graduation to be positioned at any height in the frame.

      If you shoot video, the Swift Variable ND System is the best fit for you.

      If you shoot photo, the Swift Fixed ND (FSND) System is the best fit for you..

      If grads form an essential part of your kit, go for a square system.

      CHOOSING NISI

      I choose square, but which system size?

      This is determined by the thread size of the primary lens you want to use the filters on. For landscape photography this is usually your wide angle lens.

      As NiSi's circular filters technology has become the new industry standard, many square filter systems are fading to the background. We now only stock the V7 System for 100mm. For any other system/size, get in touch.

      1. For thread sizes of 67mm and smaller, the 75mm system is ideal.

      2. For thread sizes of 62mm - 82mm, the 100mm system is ideal.

      3. If you have an ultra-wide lens with a bulbous front element and no thread, the 150mm system is your only choice.

      4. If you have the Canon 11-24mm, the 180mm system is your only choice.

      Custom filter holders/kits are available for the for Fujifilm X100 and Nikon Z 14-24mm.

      CHOOSING NISI

      Solid Neutral Density Filters

      Solid neutral density filters lengthen exposure by cutting out a specific amount of light. This is very useful for creative purposes, whether you want to blur a wave, waterfall, leopard or a street scene.

      They are available in many different densities, ranging from 2 to 20 stops, but the most popular are 3-, 6- and 10-stops.

      3-Stop | 0.9 - This filter is used to add a slight blur to water before the sun has set or after it has risen. At f/16 and ISO100, it is impossible to achieve a slow enough shutterspeed to get the ideal amount of blur in the waves while the sun is up. Three stops of darkening will normally allow a shutterspeed of 1/10s to 1/2s during this golden sunlight phase, producing soft lines in the waves.

      6-Stop | 1.8 - This filter serves the same purpose as the 10-stop, but it is better suited for sunset and sunrise. When the sun is close to setting or rising, a 10-stop ND will require a very long shutterspeed at f/11-16 and ISO100 to produce the correct exposure - often as much as 5-10 minutes. A 6-stop ND is thus much more suited for capturing long exposures of 30-60s around sunset and sunrise.

      10-Stop | 3.0 - This filter is used primarily for blurring the sea to a flat mist and for blurring clouds into abstract lines. It can also be used to remove traffic and people from urban scenes by blurring the moving elements. At f/11-16 and ISO100, it usually produces a shutterspeed of 20-30s in early morning or late afternoon with strong sunlight.

      15-Stop | 4.5 - This filter is serious long exposure territory and will produce exposures times of 1-4 minutes in peak daylight and 5-30 minutes during golden hour.

      CHOOSING NISI

      Graduated Neutral Density Filters

      Landscape photographers use graduated neutral density filters because the sky is usually brighter than the land – especially in dramatic sunset light. Graduated ND filters are dark on the top half and transparent on the bottom half.

      When the dark part is positioned over the sky of an image, it ‘reduces’ the amount of light allowed through that part of the frame and this results in a darkened exposure of the sky. On the left side of the image it shows the result without any filter and on the right it shows the result with the filter. Graduated Filters have two variables - the graduation type and the density. Read below to find out more.

      CHOOSING NISI

      Graduation Type

      This determines how the filter changes from transparent to dark. No two landscapes are the same and thus there are different grads for different situations.

      These filters are typically for scenes with a very dynamic horizon, like landscapes with trees or high mountains. Soft grads are the most forgiving and easiest for beginners to use.

      Hard Grad - These filters are typically for scenes with a straight and uniform horizon, like the sea. If a hard grad is not positioned perfectly, it will be clearly noticeable in the image as a dark line below the horizon or a bright line above it. We advise that beginners stick to soft and medium grads.

      Medium Grad – Medium grads are a newer product that most manufacturers only released in 2016/2017. Many photographers often found hard grads too hard and soft grads too soft and thus it was obvious that something in between was necessary. It is also the perfect solution for photographers that don’t want to commit to a hard or soft grad. Not everyone can afford to buy the full range of these filters and the medium grads are an excellent new compromise.

      Reverse Grad – These filters serve a very niche, but useful purpose. When shooting into a bright sunset/sunrise, the brightest area is right on the horizon and then the sky darkens towards the top. When using a normal graduated ND, it will result in a correctly exposed horizon, but the top part of the sky will be far too dark. A Reverse Grad also has a clear lower half, but it is darkest in the middle and then gets lighter towards the top. This allows one to more accurately balance those exposures that are brightest on the horizon.

      Focal Length Factor - A longer focal length softens the graduation as the image is captured through a smaller portion of the filter. If you shoot a lot of landscapes with your 24-70 or 70-200, then you'll need hard grads.

      CHOOSING NISI

      Graduation Density

      All the different types of grads are available in different densities, because light is dynamic and different scenes require a different amount of ‘darkening’ of the sky. We stock a variety of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 (0.3 = 1 stop) in NiSi's various size ranges.

      The most popular densities are 0.6 and 0.9, but a 1.2 is becoming increasingly popular.

      1. 0.3 (1-stop) is for experienced shooters, usually to be combined with a 0.6 or 0.9.

      2. 0.6 (2-stop) is the most popular filter as a 2-stop difference between land and sky is most common. If you shoot a sunset/sunrise the 0.6 will be the all-rounder that best balances exposure between land and sky in most directions.

      3. 0.9 (3-stop) is the ideal if you like shooting into the sunset as the 0.6 isn’t always dark enough for into-the-sun shots. The issue with the 0.9 is that it will be too dark if shooting 90-degrees from the sun or with the sun at your back.

      4. 1.2 (4-stop) is for shooting directly into a very bright sunset/sunrise.

      CHOOSING NISI

      Local ambassadors

      See how local NiSi ambassador Kyle Goetsch is putting his filters to work. Photo by Kyle Goetsch taken with the NiSi 6-stop ND.