URTH ND2-400 Variable Filter + Discount Code

Introduction

We have never really been big fans of using a Variable ND Filter. Mainly because we’d heard so much about the dreaded ‘X’ Effect issue with these filters. Some brands have now released Variable ND filters that address this issue but only give you a maximum of 5-stops of light reduction and quite frankly are too expensive for the average photographer.

So, what is a Variable ND filter?

A Variable ND filter is a neutral density filter that allows you to adjust the density (strength) of the filter manually. Typically, you twist a ring on the outside of the filter, similar to a polarizing filter, and the filter shifts between low and high densities (often anywhere from 1 up to 10 stops of light depending on the brand).

Why use a Variable ND filter?

As Travel Photographers we tend to take a wide range of images and more recently during trips to Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Shanghai we have been taking a lot of street-type images. We love to blur movement in our images, and this was not ideal at times using our bulky NiSi Square Filter Holder combined with the 6 or 10-stop filters, so many of our images were shot at a small aperture (f16-22) and low ISO settings to obtain the slow shutter speeds that we required. However, shooting at a small aperture can result in ‘Diffraction‘, which most photographers try to avoid (don’t worry about shooting at small apertures if your intended output is just social media). Ideally, we wanted to shoot at larger apertures (f2.8-f8) but with slower shutter speeds. The only alternative solution was to look at a Variable ND filter where we would have complete control over the amount of light that would allow us to achieve the slow shutter speed we needed.

Please Note: We are NOT primarily Landscape Photographers. We would generally NOT use a Variable ND Filter for our landscape images. Instead, we would use a Square Filter Holder with the URTH square 100mm x 100mm ND Filters as these can easily be combined with a C-PL (Polarizer) and ND Graduated Filters without vignetting.

As mentioned above, Variable ND Filters have had a reputation over the years for being quite expensive. However, over the last couple of years, we have been using the Urth brand (formerly Gobe) of filters. We have found their filters to be of the highest standard in quality while still remaining reasonably priced.

We were sent the 77mm Gobe branded version for this review. The filter arrived in a round metal case slightly larger than the filter (so much better than the crappy plastic cases that are supplied by some filter makers). Also included was a GOBE Cleaning Cloth which is a great touch.

The Filter

The filter is well-made and the rotating ring is smooth although it is a little tight to rotate which, in our opinion, is a good thing as it restricts it from moving once set. The rotating ring is also quite narrow so for those of you with ‘big fingers’ it may be a bit awkward, however, it is a necessary evil to avoid excessive vignetting in the corners of the frame. The filter is made with Japanese optical glass and is weather sealed. The filter can be rotated from ND2 (50% light transmittance) which is equivalent to 1-stop all the way up to ND400 (0.25% light transmittance) which is equivalent to 8.65-stops. This is a fantastic range to work with, and will cover most of your long-exposure needs.

In our testing with the filter, we have found that it struggles with vignetting at wide-angle focal ranges such as 16mm-24mm. We tested it with our Sony FE 24-105 f/4 lens and to get the maximum strength of the filter we needed to shoot at 35mm and greater. We also tested the filter on our Sony FE 16-35mm f/4 lens at 16mm (f/8) and there were dark corners at all settings using the filter (this could be partly due to the need to use a 72mm-77mm step-up adapter ring on the lens).

No matter what focal setting you use, we have found that the dreaded ‘X’ effect issue does affect images once you use this filter at the MAX setting. However, once the rotating ring is moved slightly back the ‘X’ disappears although you will still have dark corners on wide-angle lenses. We found the ideal MAX setting was between the MAX and the largest square box on the scale once zoomed in to at least 50mm. Therefore, we would really only class this as a 1 stop – 8.65 stop variable ND filter when used on focal lengths 50mm or higher. Also, as is the case with many brands of ND Filters, there is a colour cast when using the filter. This can be easily fixed in post-processing.

There are no ‘stop’ markings on the filter so when using the filter you will need to have some sort of an idea of the shutter speed you want to attain for your image. Naturally, at the MIN setting, it will be a 1-stop reduction in light but beyond that, you will have to watch your shutter speed if you want to calculate full-stop increments.

Note: This is just a guide. You should always test your filter settings as they may change from filter to filter. The test below was taken using a Sony FE 24-105 f/4 lens at both 24mm & 35mm focal ranges. Hover over the images for a magnified view.

The Garage Roller Door Test

CONCLUSION

We found this filter easy to use. It gave us so much more control over our shutter speed when shooting at our ideal apertures. The filter is NOT ideal for wide-angle lenses, however, it does perform better when using longer focal lengths. For wide-angle lenses or if you want a filter that isn’t affected by the ‘X’ effect you may want to consider the URTH ND2-32 Variable Plus+ filter (1-5 stops),  URTH ND8-128 Variable Plus+ filter (3-7 stops), or the URTH ND64-1000 Variable Filter Plus+ (6-10 stops), however, these are a bit more expensive. This is not a premium Plus+ quality filter.

PRICING

URTH ND2-400 Variable Filter  – The price ranges from USD$40.00 for the 37mm lens thread up to USD$80.00 for the 95mm lens thread. Click on the banner below to take you to the product and don’t forget to add the discount code at checkout.

RATED: RECOMMENDED

If you are interested in checking out some of our other GOBE/URTH product reviews, see below –

Disclaimer:  Although we are affiliated with URTH Filters and receive a commission on any sales when using the coupon code, this review is totally unbiased (we are also NiSi Resellers). As Professional Photographers we would never recommend the use of any product unless we use the product ourselves. We always strive to give you our honest opinion in order to help you make the best choice. We did receive the product with compliments of URTH but were not paid for this review. We may also receive commissions on other links in this post.