Exhibiting improved clarity, flatness, and reduced reflectivity, the 100 x 150mm Firecrest Ultra Soft Edge Graduated ND Filter from Formatt-Hitech helps to balance the overall exposure within a high-contrast scene. Ideal for situations involving both bright and dark areas, such as an open sky and shadowed foreground, half of the filter has 1.5 neutral density and the other half is clear, with a soft-edged transition between the two that is ideally suited for use with medium and wide-angle lenses or when there is an uneven, undulating horizon. By reducing the exposure in selective areas, you are able to balance the overall exposure of the scene in order to gain detail in both bright and dark areas.
Designed using inspiration from their cine Firecrest filters, these Ultra filters receive an additional lapping and polishing process during production to ensure lower reflectivity and improved clarity and sharpness. This filter has also been optimized for use with digital sensors and promotes nearly flat attenuation of visible, UV, and infrared light. Due to imaging sensors' greater susceptibility to infrared light, compared to traditional film, color casts can occur when photographing darker subjects that require increased exposure times. This filter provides a high level of neutrality across all three spectrums in order to eliminate color casts and ensure cleaner, truer blacks.
Applied to the outside of the Schott Superwite glass construction is a 15-layer Firecrest multi-coating, which helps to minimize reflections and flare in order to maintain truer colors and contrast. The multicoating is also scratch resistant and hydrophobic to benefit the overall durability of the filter. It measures 100 x 150mm and is 2mm thick, making it compatible with the Formatt-Hitech 100mm Filter Holder.