At the beginning of April on a whim I bought the 1/2 strength version of the Tiffen Black Pro Mist Filter.
This filter come in a 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, & 3 Versions. Everything I could read about it was suggesting the subtle 1/8 or 1/4. Because I am anything but subtle I went for the 1/2 because you know what they say… go big or go home. (Well I say that I guess)
Now I bought it at the beginning of April and have been carrying it around in my camera bag ever since but other then popping it on once or twice in Vegas I have’t really used it.. So on this day I decided to walk about in the glorious sunshine (for those that know me they know that I am actually being sarcastic right now as the Sun actually hates me and is out to kill me) and give it a go. I popped it on with a IRND Filter onto the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 Art on the Blackmagic Pocket camera and gave it a “test’.
I ‘like’ it but I am not really sure about it so the verdict is out as of yet but more testing will be needed. It is way better then just a standard Vaseline on the lens style diffusers but it really shines when you are shooting back-light sunshine
For me it wouldn’t be a “put on a walk about all afternoon” sort of filter for me. I can definitely see it when shooting people in the golden hour (which I will try and post results soon) but in a standard normal front lit situation it kinda just looks like a cheap lens.
What is a Black Pro Mist Filter?
Well… feel free to correct me in the comments but it is essentially a Diffusion filter but not really. It increases highlight halation and lowers contrast but unlike a standard diffusion filter it does so with out severely decreasing the overall sharpness of your shot . How it works is if you look super close you can actually see tiny speckles of black Hence the black In the Black Pro Mist :)
It is a great add to the camera bag, AKA it can definitely take the place of some crazy scoured from ebay 1950’s Russian Iron curtain Zeiss knockoff that has just the right softness and bokeh to make it hipster chic enough to pay $900 dollars for… so for $120ish CDN it seems like a win :)