Login

ND Filter Shootout

Formatt Hitech's Firecrest ND goes head to head with Breakthrough Filters' new Cinema line of ND Filters... Who will win in this epic battle of strength, purity and... honour?!

The most neutral opponent, that's who!

Filters used in this test were all in 4"x5.65" Panavision Standard Size.

Methodology

The camera was set to 4000 ISO, which is the higher of the Panasonic S1H's amazing dual gain settings and a very clean image, similar to 640 ISO. Doing this allowed me to expose for some of the stronger NDs (this test goes up to 16 Stops), but even then, I maxed out the light I could take in with a 16 Stop ND.

Exposure was adjusted using shutter speed, not ISO, or the lens' aperture, both of which would affect the colour shift.

For each new filter pair, I'll re-include the Base with No ND, so that you always have the neutral reference point to observe exposure and tint shifts.

1 Stop

Formatt comes in a touch magenta. Breakthrough are a touch dark, but a cleaner tint, which wins for me.

Winner: Breakthrough
Formatt 0 | 1 Breakthrough 

2 Stops

Formatt are a touch dark and a touch cool. Breakthrough land the exposure, but come in a touch magenta. Neither nails it for me. It's a draw.

Winner: Draw
Formatt 0 | 1 Breakthrough
Draws: 1

3 Stops

Formatt are coming in a bit dark and a bit cool. Breakthrough have their best match to Base yet. A solid win for Breakthrough.

Winner: Breakthrough
Formatt 0 | 2 Breakthrough
Draws: 1

4 Stops

Both are a touch dark. Formatt leans cool, Breakthrough leans a touch green. Another draw.

Winner: Draw
Formatt 0 | 2 Breakthrough
Draws: 2

5 Stops

This is Formatt's darkest filter yet, compared to base. They are also a touch magenta. Breakthrough match base nicely for exposure and tint. Read on...

Winner: Breakthrough
Formatt 0 | 3 Breakthrough
Draws: 2


5 Stops - Adjusted

I adjusted the exposure in camera, using shutter speed only. Formatt's filter required an extra 1/3 of a stop to get its exposure back to Base. This means that its 5 Stop ND is actually 5 and 1/3 Stops. 

I haven't adjusted the tint, so we can now better see that Formatt is also coming in a touch magenta again.

6 Stops

This is Breakthrough's biggest slip up yet, coming in 1/3 Stop brighter, meaning their filter is 1/3 Stop less strong than it should be. Formatt has also come in a full 1/3 Stop dark this time. That puts a 2/3 Stop difference between them for this pairing. 
Let's call it a draw.

Winner: Draw
Formatt 0 | 3 Breakthrough
Draws: 3

6 Stops - Adjusted

As before, I compensated in camera by raising the exposure 1/3 for Formatt, and lowering 1/3 for Breakthrough, and we see that their luminance falls back in line with Base. 

With exposures corrected, Breakthrough have a better tint, with Formatt coming in a touch green.

7 Stops

Formatt are coming in very green on this one. I would say this is their worst performing filter so far compared to Base.

Winner: Breakthrough
Formatt 0 | 4 Breakthrough
Draws: 3

8 Stops

Formatt land the exposure, but they are a touch magenta. Breakthrough come in a bit dark, but their tint is spot on. It's a close call, but I'd take more accurate tint over an exposure variance, so it's a win for Breakthrough for me.

Winner: Breakthrough
Formatt 0 | 5 Breakthrough
Draws: 3

9 Stops

At this point, Breakthrough drops out and we continue along with Formatt. Their 9 Stops filter comes in 1/3 Stop bright, meaning 1/3 weaker than it should have been, so here it is again with an in camera 1/3 Stop exposure adjustment, and it now sits right again compared to Base.

10 and 13 Stops

We're getting into very strong ND territory here. Formatt's 10 Stops is a little magenta/blue, and their 13 Stops is very green, throwing the colours off more than any of the other filters in this test so far. But that's a lot of ND (that I'll probably never use), so I'm not surprised we're seeing such strong shifts.

16 Stops

16 Stops is so dark that I couldn't get a correct exposure shooting video, even at 4000 ISO and a 1/2 second shutter. So, we'll never know how well this stacks up in colour or exposure accuracy to its advertised 16 Stops, but that's almost a win in itself. Nicely played, Formatt.

Conclusion

5 wins for Breakthrough, 3 draws, and no instance where Formatt outright beat Breakthrough. My filter set of choice going forward will be Breakthrough for Stops 1-8, with Formatt completing the range for 9, 10, 13 and 16 Stops.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to make this test, but I was sent the Breakthrough filters to test, pre-release. I paid for and own the Formatt filters. None of this affected my conclusion - I believe the results speak for themselves.