We offer three different UV filters from NiSi as well as a more modern alternative - a protector filter. Please read below to understand the difference between the products on offer -
UV filters eliminate the ultraviolet light, which we cannot see, but affects our images. One of the first issues to take note of is that the light we as humans see and that is critical to our images' colour capture is around 400-750nm. Anything below is considered UV and anything higher is considered IR.
Most camera's sensors can potentially see a massive spectrum, ranging from 200nm to 900nm, which contains a lot of light that is detrimental to the colour integrity of any photo. For this reason, most cameras have an IR and UV filter that limit the range from around 250nm to 780nm. What remains between this range and the visible range can affect colour, but it is very seldom noticeable in images. It used to be a much bigger problem in the film days when UV filters were considered a must-have accessory. One can't absolutely make the argument that UV filters serve no optical purpose in the digital age, as there are situations in which they do help as they cut out the range between the built-in filter and the visible spectrum; 280-395nm. Their real purpose lies in something much simpler - as a protective element for the lenses that cost us so much money.
In the film days, this was a secondary benefit to the filters, but with the advent of digital sensors and built-in UV filters, their secondary property has become their primary purpose. NiSi offers three different UV filters, the primary difference being the material that the ring is made of. They also offer a filter that is the more modern approach to this situation - a protector filter, which features much stronger glass than the UV filters at a lower price. If you truly just want to protect your lens, this is the one to go for. If you want to protect your lens and eliminate the 250-395nm light spectrum, then choose one of the UV's based on the below information.
- SMC UV (77mm = R699.00) - This is NiSi’s budget UV filter and doesn’t offer much. It is a reliable UV filter made for economy. It lacks their proprietary HUC nano-coatings and doesn’t have knurling, which makes it easier to grip a filter.
- Pro Nano HUC Protector Filter (77mm = R1 049.00) - This filter features their HUC nano-coatings, but instead of a UV cutting filter, it features super-strong optical pro glass that allows near perfect light transmission to protect your lens without interfering with the image quality. It also features prominent knurling, which make it much easier to grip and the aluminium frame means it is super-light and ultra-thin.
- PRO Nano HUC UV (77mm = R1 399.00) – This filter series filters feature a brass ring, which doesn't jam easily as it's a very malleable material. It is also more resistant to temperature changes, meaning it won't get stuck as easily in extreme temperatures. The downside is that brass is very heavy (3.5x times the density of aluminium).
- Titanium Alloy UV (77mm = R2 099.00)- When it comes to metals, there are few that beat Titanium. It is stronger, lighter and more resistant to extreme temperatures than almost any other material. If you're the kind of person who doesn't compromise, then this filter is for you.
What does HUC stand for? This is a term you will see repeated often in NiSi’s filter naming, so it is worth knowing what it means. It refers to the nano coatings on the filters, which is where the magic happens. Below are some of the qualities derived from their HUC nano-coatings
- Hydrophobic – This makes water bead and roll off as well as making it very easy to wipe away moisture and spray.
- Anti-static -This also makes it much easier to clean filters as dust and grime cannot grip onto the glass.
- Anti-reflective – This ensures that the light you want gets through, but the light you don’t want doesn’t. A more literal example is when shooting into a bright light source, it prevents ghosting caused by light reflecting around between the filter and the lens.
- Ultra-hard anti-scratch surface – nano-coatings can be made much harder than optical glass, which protects it from scratches, which can easily ruin the filter.
All NiSI circular filters ship with a hard plastic storage case. If you are purchasing multiple circular filters, the circular caddy pouch is a great addition for quick, safe and easy transport, storage and access.
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 R75 will apply. Apart from large f-stop gear orders, most of our items ship overnight and the daily cutoff is 14:00. You can read more on the deliveries page or get in touch for a confirmed delivery date and time.
Can I collect my parcel?
Yes, you can collect your order from our office in Bosman's Crossing, Stellenbosch (09:00 - 17:00). 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
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 shop NiSi Filters at the following retailers.
Orms BellvilleVictorian Towers, 2 Palm St, Bellville, Cape Town
Fritz, 021 910 1380
KamerazRosebank Mall, 50 Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg
Martin Wright, 011 880 2885
Photoquip28 Pearce St, Berea, East London
Damien, 083 574 9134
Katz
66 17th Ave, Broadwood, Port Elizabeth
Lascel, 041 367 4401
Lime Photo
Kloof, Durban
Emil, 084 484 9959
Photo Freedom
Ballito, Durban
Graham, 032 586 1212
DPC
Pretoria
Danie, 072 608 3345
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.