The 7 Best Lens Filters For Eclipse
Much like people are not supposed to look at eclipses with our naked eyes, camera lenses need the same level of protection whenever it’s directed for some kind of solar photography. This is because using your camera to take a photo of the sun without the use of a filter or a proper filter increases the risk of damage not only your camera device but also your eyes. Pointing your camera at the sun and looking at it through your camera lens without the appropriate filter would multiply the intensity of the sun and likely damage your retina and your camera’s shutter curtains as well as the autofocus sensor. And while there are numerous camera filters available in the market, do you know what exactly is the best lens filter for eclipse?
Solar filters are a type of camera filter specifically designed to allow you to view the sun by minimizing the intensity of the sun. Ideally, a quality solar filter should be able to decrease light passthrough by 16 to 24 stops in order to effectively protect the camera and its lens without affecting the image quality, such as difference in color and clarity.
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Comparison Chart
Kenko Pro Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filters
Coming from a renowned Japanese brand, the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter ensures quality material and performance, nothing short of the best lens filter for eclipse.
Orion 07710ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter
Best known for its high-quality and durable build, the ORION 07710 ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter is a highly versatile filter that can be used on both DSLR cameras and telescopes.
FORMATT HITech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density
The Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density Filter comes in a surprisingly slim and compact design and is available in several variants of different stopping powers.
Gobe Ndx Variable Nd Lens Filter
The GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter is a highly versatile solar filter that features several variants between ND2 and ND4000 that effectively reduce light from 1 to 8.66 f-stops. Ideal for both landscape and videography, the GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter offers quality and versatility at a competitive price.
K&F Concept Fader Nd Filter
Considerably one of the best lens filter for eclipse, the K&F Concept Fader ND Filter is an amazing variable ND filter engineered and optimized to perform exceptionally better than other variable ND filters available in the market nowadays.
Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter
Coming from one of the most known brands in the industry of solar photography equipment manufacturing, the Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter is considerably one of the most reliable and arguably the best lens filter for eclipse.
Ice Slim Nd Filter Set
The ICE Slim ND Filter Set is another mid-value solar filter that provides quality and ensures the product’s versatility and durability.
A Detailed Review on the Best Lens Filters For Eclipse
Kenko Pro Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filter
Coming from a renowned Japanese brand, the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter ensures quality material and performance, nothing short of the best lens filter for eclipse.
Product Highlights
The KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter uses engineered glass and has an effective light-reducing capacity. It is a viable solar filter option if you want to capture the sun or simply reduce light in your photography.
The Good
Aside from the material used in the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter, this product comes in 76mm and 100mm variants and is easily attached and detached from the camera using the camera’s leading edge.
The Bad
While there aren't any bad review about the KENKO Pro multi-coated camera lens filter, some user nitpicks mentioned that the Japanese packaging makes it hard to set up the filter. The lack of hard case or storage makes it difficult to properly store and protect the lens from scratches and damage.
PROs
CONs
Orion 07710id Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter
Best known for its high-quality and durable build, the ORION 07710 ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter is a highly versatile filter that can be used on both DSLR cameras and telescopes.
Product Highlights
The ORION 07710 ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter is built using strong aluminum and quality glass material that ensures the product's durability and longevity. It includes a foam lining and thumbscrews that help secure the solar filter in place despite any kind of movement.
The Good
The ORION 07710 ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter uses engineered glass material that is machine-polished and triple-coated with an advanced nickel-chromium stainless steel alloy for a scratch-resistant surface. Aside from that, this filter is also effective in decreasing light passthrough and rejecting harmful ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
The Bad
While the ORION 07710 ID Full Aperture Glass Telescope Solar Filter is an highly effective and efficient lens filter for eclipse and solar photography, some say that this particular filter is notably expensive compared to other solar filters with nearly the same construction and performance.
PROs
CONs
Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density Filter
The Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density Filter comes in a surprisingly slim and compact design and is available in several variants of different stopping powers.
Product Highlights
The Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density Filter is known for its quality built and performance both produced using Firecrest technology. Featuring Schott Superwite glass that is considered the finest optic glass available, the Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density produced fine neutral images perfect for long exposure photography.
The Good
Compatible with photo, video, broadcast, and cinema productions, the Formatt Hitech Firecrest Natural Density Filter features Firecrest technology that allows it to be neutral across all spectrum why effectively reducing light at the designated stop. Aside from that, the technology used in this filter makes it UV, visible, and infrared resistant while also being waterproof and scratchproof.
The Bad
While the Formatt Hitech Limited Firecrest Neutral Density Filter undoubtedly performs well, one of the most notable downfalls of this product is that it is much more expensive compared to other solar filters available in the market.
PROs
CONs
Gobe Ndx Variable Nd Lens Filter
The GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter is a highly versatile solar filter that features several variants between ND2 and ND4000 that effectively reduce light from 1 to 8.66 f-stops. Ideal for both landscape and videography, the GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter offers quality and versatility at a competitive price.
Product Highlights
Considerably one of the top rated solar filters available in the market nowadays, the GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter is built using Japanese optical class that features 8-layer nano-coating that allows this product to achieve neutral color balance, reduces lens flare, and removes ghosting. The GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter also allows slower shutter speed, greater depth of field, and motion blur with clear and crisp results.
The Good
Aside from its performance, the GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter is priced at a competitive price point compared to other brands. Furthermore, the GOBE company started an initiative where each sold product fund tree planting operations in communities greatly affected by deforestation such as Madagascar, Haiti, Nepal, and more.
The Bad
While the specs of the GOBE NDX Variable ND Lens Filter are rather spectacular, some reviews say otherwise. As per the filter’s performance, several reviews mentioned experiencing adverse image outputs such as intense vignetting and polarization. Aside from that, several reviews complain about receiving scratched up filters that render the product useless.
PROs
CONs
K&F CONCEPT FADER ND FILTER
Considerably one of the best lens filter for eclipse, the K&F Concept Fader ND Filter is an amazing variable ND filter engineered and optimized to perform exceptionally better than other variable ND filters available in the market nowadays.
Product Highlights
The K&F Concept Fader ND Filter is made using Completed Professional Optical Glasses offer better light reduction capacity and color balance. Furthermore, this product features newly developed and engineered Nano coating layer technology that keeps the filter waterproof, scratchproof, and includes anti-reflective green coating to protect the filter from oil, fingerprint, and scratches.
The Good
Aside from the materials used on this filter, the K&F Concept Fader ND Filter also features an ultra-slim design that helps in preventing persistent vignette issues for wide-angle shots. Aside from that, this filter also includes heavy-duty aviation aluminum frames that ensure the product's security and durability.
The Bad
Several reviews expressed their disappointment with the K&F Concept Fader ND Filter. Unlike what was advertised, the maximum ND setting for this filter was ND16 and not ND32. Furthermore, several users still noticed the persistent X-mark spots and vignette issues, particularly on dark settings.
PROs
CONs
Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter
Coming from one of the most known brands in the industry of solar photography equipment manufacturing, the Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter is considerably one of the most reliable and arguably the best lens filter for eclipse.
Product Highlights
The Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter is built using the Helios Solar Glass that is highly reflective and can block 99.99% of all light and protect the lens from harmful IR and UV rays. Aside from that, this solar filter can also allow you to view and observe details such as sunspots, solar granulation, planet transits, and eclipses.
The Good
In terms of performance, the Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glass Threaded Camera Filter offers high-quality results without sacrificing the device’s integrity and durability. It features a heavy-durability and quality aluminum frame and includes a foam-lined filter case for better security and protection.
The Bad
The Seymour Solar Helios Solar Glasses Threaded Camera Filter is one of the few products that do not have a single bad review. However, it should still be noted that this solar filter is much more expensive compared to other solar filters with nearly the same build and performance.
PROs
CONs
Ice Slim Nd Filter Set
The ICE Slim ND Filter Set is another mid-value solar filter that provides quality and ensures the product’s versatility and durability.
Product Highlights
Ideal for wide-angle shots, the ICE Slim ND Filter Set is built with a luxurious-looking matte black frame and high-quality glass material that effectively reduce light without notable color cast issues. For a rather cheap product, the Ice Slim ND Filter Set performs extremely well.
The Good
Considering its price, the ICE Slim ND Filter Set offers high-quality results. Several reviews noted having clear and detailed images without experiencing common filter issues such as vignettes and X-marks on their pictures.
The Bad
Several reviews also mentioned having difficulty handling the filter as the threads do not come on and off the camera easily. Aside from that, the Ice Slim ND Filter's performance is rather inconsistent and depends primarily on the photographer's adjustment.
PROs
CONs
Conclusion
The purpose of solar filters is to protect your camera and your eyes from the glare of the sun, while also allowing you to capture images of it without apparent distortion in color and clarity. Easy, right? However, with the growing popularity of solar and eclipse photography, there is an increase in the development and innovation surrounding camera lens and filters dedicated to it. Whether you are just a beginner or a pro, it is important to do enough research to known which is the best and most suitable type of solar filter for your needs. As long as you're interested in capturing that much-awaited eclipse, you have to make sure that you have the best lens filter for eclipse on hand and ready to go. Fortunately, our list of the 7 best lens filter for eclipse can help you find exactly what you are looking for. Here's how to learn more about lens filters.
