Haida ND 3.0 Review: A Great 10-Stop ND Filter For Under $50

After using a Hoya ND400 (9 stop), I was looking for an extra stop filter and came across the Haida Slim Pro II 10 Stop.
I've also read a few good reviews and so samples, so I've pulled the trigger.
I'm very happy with it. It is sold on a good package (kind of luxury and surprisingly good presentation for the price of the filter compared with other filters).
This is the most thin filter I've ever seen and used, allowing me to use it on the 12mm end of the Olympus 12-50mm zoom + Cokin series A filter older and Grad ND (over the Haida filter).
It produces a slight blue cast, but nothing serious bad, and easy to correct on PP.

 

Thanks for posting this. I've been wanting to get into a 10stop, but was alarmed at the price for a decent one and read about bad color casting on some brands....I'll have to get one. Have any samples from other scenes in lower light?

 

I am currently using the Haida 83mm slot glass filters. Very please with the quality of the filters and the images taken with them.
I also have B+W 10stop ND filter and I find the color cast of B+W warmer compared to Haida 10 stop.

 

Sounds like a good deal. I've honestly never dabbled in real long exposures or anything that might require such a strong ND - might get one of these to encourage some inspiration.

 

https://www.flickr.com/groups/longexposures/discuss/72157629926744945/

some samples found here....

 

What's the main difference between the Pro II and the one the OP has?

 

arggh...I got the regular...looked like the Pro II has Multi coatings as the main difference...but I thought I read somewhere else that gives off more color cast than the coated version?..The slim version seems to only offer 1mm more angle availability...can always crop if it's an issue with stacking. The 52mm was only $24 shipped though..the Pro II was about $38....I'll get a square one probably if this pans out to use with my cokin P sized filter kit, since I have a zillion rings for it.

Decent review here.

http://text.flowtographyberlin.de/neutral-density-filters-are-haida-nd-filters-as-good-as-bw/

As you can see, the B+W doesn’t add any flare at all, while the Haidas do. In fact, there is no difference between the coated and non-coated version. The non-coated version does add a little more haze, though. I misread this in a rush...didn't see the haze part. Not too concerned w/flare.

Even if it’s harder to remove, I don’t really have a problem with the B+W’s color cast. Again, a matter of taste. But if you want neutral, the non-coated Haida is the winner.

SUMMARY


The Haida filters perform excellent otherwise and offer very good value for money.
What’s more, you don’t really need to spend the extra money for the coated version of the Haida. The coating will provide a more difficult sepia color cast, while the flare isn’t really reduced, only a slight amount of haze (see section 3). Then again, this isn’t noticeable at all in standard practical application, as you can see above.
In case you don’t plan on stacking filters, you don’t need the slim version. Even with the standard (non-slim) versions of Haida and B+W, you can get down to 16 mm without the filter frame getting in the image. At that focal length, you’re more bugged by the vignetting of the ND filters, which is pure physics and not a lack of quality (see section 5).
When stacking filters, the slim version gives you only 1 mm more focal length than the standard version. Since B+W and Haida have the same frame dimensions, this will also be valid should B+W ever release an XS-Pro (=slim) version of their ND 3.0 filter.

 

I'm torn between just getting one round filter at a large size (maybe 62mm in case I ever get the Oly 12-40), or getting the even larger Cokin P compatible square ones in case I want to also use a graduated filter... Either way these sound like a good price/performance option.

 

Do these Haida filters have female threads on the front. Online shopping images are difficult to see.

 

I have the Haida "slim" 10-stop and a Haida polarizer, both have front threads.

 

Thank you for the quick reply!

 

I've used the Haida Slim Pro II MRC, B+W XS-Pro, and Formatt Hitech Firecrest 10-stop ND filters. The differences between them are very minor, yet the price difference is drastic. Haida is by far the best value. There doesn't seem to be a truly neutral 10-stop filter available, as they all have slight (or in some cases not so slight) color cast.

 

Haida is a quite decent Chinese brand and I have the ND 1.8 58mm, which is a 6 stop ND. It's sold in China for about 27 Dollars, but I can see some colour shift with my ND6 attached.