Review Nisi V6 Filter Holder
When the Nisi V5 filter holder for 100mm filters arrived on the market in 2016 it revolutionized my use of filters. The ability to use a polarizer which operated independently from the inserted filters and that without producing vignetting even when shooting ultra wide angle opened up a new world of possibilities. The V5 Pro was an update which offered a better polarizer, and a new design for the filter slots made inserting filters considerably smoother.
Now the second generation Nisi 100mm filter holder is released — the Nisi V6.
The first thing we notice is a dedicated locking screw to keep the filter slot part of the system securely attached to the ring with the polarizer. This of course eliminates any chance that the filters may loosen and fall off the lens.
Secondly, to insert filters has now become even easier and smoother, but yet the filters are held securely in place in their respective slots. My first outing with the V6 entailed wading through at times waist high snow and climbing over and jumping down from fallen trees. The inserted filter didn’t move at all in spite of all my efforts to move around. It is possible to insert three filters in addition to the polarizer without being troubled with any vignetting.
It has also become easier compared to the V5 to attach (screw in) and remove the polarizer due to a new “lifted up” thread. A new design of the filter holder makes it now possible to reach the corners of the 100x100 ND filters, and they are thus much easier to remove.
In the same fashion as the V5 filter holder the polarizer is located behind the filters and can easily be adjusted with the help of two adjusting wheels.
The holder is made from black powder coated Aviation-grade billet aluminum, which basically means that it is lightweight, durable and made to last a long time.
It had snowed heavily the weeks prior to test shooting the V6 for the first time — everything was covered in white pristine snow. This made it easy to see how turning the polarizer affected a scene — how it among other things went from warming up a scene to give it a colder appearance. My first reaction to its behavior was a tad negative until it dawned upon me that this can be taken advantage of creatively. Why not shot a warm exposure for the sky and a colder exposure for the ground, I mused. It is pretty easy to blend the two in for instance Photoshop. In my case it was chiefly affecting the camera’s auto white balance something which is very easy to correct in Lightroom.
My main uses of a polarizer are, though, to enhance reflections and add contrast to a sky. A cpl (circular polarizer) also comes in handy when we want to reduce or eliminate glare in for instance water.
The V6 holder is 82mm, but comes with three step down rings for 67, 72 and 77mm lenses. Adapter rings for smaller lenses are available and can be purchased.
Nisi has also produced a ‘lens cap’ for the ring containing the polarizer. In practical terms this means that we do not longer have to unscrew the polarizer ring from the lens for protection when not in use. Personally I find this very practical and clever.
A new filter pouch for safe and convenient storage of 100mm filters has also arrived. It can store 9 filters and is well padded.
Nisi filters are lauded for their optical quality, various nano coatings and that they do not produce any color cast.
Behind the scene images:
