Chinese accessory company Haida Photo has released a 150-millimeter magnetic filter holder for the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM lens that provides quick and easy release of filters and does not require the lens to be removed from the camera body to affix and use.
As spotted by Sony Addict, the new adapter ring works with the Haida M15 150mm filter system which includes Circular Polarizer (CPL), Neutral Density (ND), Clear Night, as well as CPL and ND 2-in-1 Filters. Each filter option uses a magnetic design that the company claims is capable of quick changes without having to remove the filter holder, adapters, or lens from the camera.
Haida’s system is a two-part setup: the adapter ring and mount attach to the lens, and then the filters can be magnetically affixed. The neutral density filter has a series of notches and grooves that provide hard stops at each end of the ND range to make adjustments easier to perform. These notches will also help prevent photographers from extending the filters too far in either direction which can result in unwanted artifacts.
According to the company, the magnets in the system are strong enough to hold the filters securely in place, while still allowing photographers to easily make adjustments or filter changes when the need arises.
While magnetic filters may not be groundbreaking, the ability to easily use this system on extremely wide-angle lenses such as the FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM from Sony is unusual, especially in this case where the holder does not require removing the lens from the camera body.
Most landscape photographers have a variety of filters, especially ND and CPLs that are in square format since they often have systems designed for quick-release adapters to move filters from one lens to another relatively quickly. Some of these systems include Lee, Nisi, and HiTech, and while their relative adapters allow for quick swaps, photographers still have to physically place and adjust the filters in the mounts carefully in order to avoid scratching them. Additionally, the filter hodler systems for larger wide-angle lenses can be quite bulky, cumbersome, and very expensive.
The new 150mm Magnetic Filter Adapter Ring from Haida is available on Amazon for $99, making it one of the more affordable for the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens especially considering the added factor of convenience the design promises.
Author: David Crewe
Source: Petapixel
