Exhibiting improved clarity, flatness, and reduced reflectivity, the 100 x 100mm Firecrest Ultra ND Filter for Solar Photography from Formatt Hitech is a neutral density filter providing a 4-stop reduction in exposure. This 1.2 density creates a darkening of the entire image, allowing you to photograph with a wider aperture or longer shutter speed than normally required. By slowing your exposure time or increasing your aperture, you can control depth of field and convey movement more easily. Designed using inspiration from their cine Firecrest filters, this Ultra line of filters receives an additional lapping and polishing process during production to ensure lower reflectivity and improved clarity and sharpness.





The design of this filter has 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 multicoating, 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 3.9 x 3.9" / 100 x 100mm and is 2mm thick, making it compatible with the Formatt Hitech 100mm Filter Holder.





This filter is designed specifically for photography applications. This filter is not suitable for direct solar viewing with the naked eye, including with optical viewfinders.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 0.9 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.The Formatt Hitech 100mm Firecrest Filter Holder Kit is designed to allow for the convenient use of up to two, separately-available 100mm-wide, 2mm-thick filters along with an included circular polarizer. This kit comes fully assembled and features a holder which has its sides encased within a cover that helps to eliminate stray light, which could have unwanted effects on exposure, from coming in between any installed filters, as well as the filter holder and the lens behind it.





The included aluminum-alloy filter holder is pre-installed with two pairs of plastic filter slots, a configuration that accommodates two rectangular filters. These slots are attached to the filter holder by a total of four screws, which also serve to apply pressure on any filters placed between the slots. Those screws can be loosened or tightened using the included Allen wrench to vary the level of grip upon the inserted filters, which can complement the use of graduated filters whose effect can be adjusted to better suit changing lighting conditions or creative demands by sliding them up or down within a filter slot.





The filter holder cover is constructed from a matte black, scratch-resistant plastic that can be pulled in half to allow access to the filter holder. Compatible 100 x 100mm filters can fit entirely within the cover when they are installed on the holder. To permit the use of rectangular graduated filters that are 100mm-wide, but may be longer than 100mm, the ends of each half of the filter holder cover features two caps that can be substituted for two included slotted caps. Those slotted caps allow rectangular graduated filters to be used with minimal stray light even as they extend beyond the dimensions of the cover while it is assembled.





A built-in gasket placed along the front of the filter holder further ensures that stray light does not come between an installed rectangular filter and a connected lens, regardless of which filter holder cover end caps are in place. Use of the filter holder can be easily accomplished by first screwing the included 82mm filter holder adapter ring onto a lens with 82mm front filter threads. Step-up rings are included to allow the adapter ring to be used with lenses that have 67mm, 72mm, or 77mm front filter threads; while additional step-up rings are separately available for lenses with 46mm, 52mm, 58mm, or 62mm front filter threads. After being fitted onto the adapter ring, the filter holder's pull-and-release locking lever helps to provide a reliable, yet adjustable connection that allows the holder to be rotated 360°, further benefiting the use of graduated neutral density and other filters that are enhanced by varied positioning.





The 82mm adapter ring also accommodates the included Formatt Hitech 82mm Firecrest UltraSlim Circular Polarizer Filter for 100mm Firecrest Filter Holder Kit. When combined with the adapter ring and installed onto a lens with 82mm front filter threads or adapted to lenses with other front filter thread diameters, the polarizer filter can be rotated to adjust its effect. The combination of the circular polarizer and the adapter ring, plus an optional step-up ring, can also be used with the filter holder with or without its cover installed. In such instances, an external dial on the filter holder allows for the independent rotation of the circular polarizer.





Alternatively, separately-available filter holder adapter rings accommodate the circular polarizer as well. They provide the ability to mount the filter holder onto a lens with 72mm or 77mm front filter threads without the need for the 82mm adapter ring and an additional step-up ring. When the filter holder is used on a wide-angle lens with 72mm or 77mm front filter threads, those adapter rings can help prevent vignetting.