K&F Black Diffusion Filter
(1/8-1/4-1)
K&F Black Diffusion filter (1/8-1/4-1)
Some time ago, I reviewed the K&F Black Diffusion filter 1/2. The thing I didn't like with that specific filter was the strength. Since it has a strength of 1/2, the effect it gives is really strong and not very subtle.
K&F Concept has fixed this issue by releasing three new variants of their Black Diffusion filter: a 1/8 strength, a 1/4, and a 1. This means there are now 2 filters that have a more subtle effect and one filter which has an even stronger effect. I've put all of them to the test and here are the results:
No filter
1/8 Strength
1/4 Strength
1 Strength
There's a big difference going from no filter to the 1/8 filter which has the lowest strength. It gives the image a very cinematic look. The shadows get lifted a bit and the highlights start blooming (there's a glow around the highlights). The difference between the 1/8 and 1/4 is very subtle. The highlights are blooming a little more but not a lot more. The 1 strength looks very different compared to the 1/4 strength. The highlights bloom a lot more and the shadows are also lifted a lot more. The colors also start changing a bit. There's also a lot less contrast but you can always add more contrast during the editing phase.
Build quality
The filter is made of an aluminum alloy frame which is only 3.3mm thick. This makes sure there's no vignetting when using a wide-angle lens like a 16mm lens or wider. The frame itself feels really solid and has a trapezoidal pattern to create friction and allows you to make sure the filter is securely attached.
More comparison photos
No filter
1/8 Strength
1/4 Strength
1 Strength
The same things can be said here. There's a big difference between no filter and the 1/8 filter. The difference between the 1/8 and 1/4 is very subtle and the 1 is a lot stronger than the 1/4.
I personally would only use the 1 if I want to create a very specific mood. Like when I want to mimic the effect of being in a dream. The 1/8 can be used a lot more because the effect is a lot more subtle.
1/8 Strength
1/4 Strength
1 Strength
Conclusion
The Black Diffusion filter is really great tool to make your footage look more cinematic and remove that digital look that modern cameras have. It has a lot of nice effects like the glow around the highlights, the smoother skin, the shadow lift, and the nice highlight roll-off. It's awesome that there are now different strength options to choose from. The 1/8 and 1/4 can be used a lot because of the subtle effects it has. But the 1 should only be used to create a specific mood / atmosphere.
It would be nice if they also made a magnetic version of these filters so they can be changed very quickly.
If you're interested in buying this filter, you can do so using the links below.
K&F Black Diffusion filter:
K&F website: https://bit.ly/3k4I4o4 (use promo code KF10US for 10% off, valid until December 31, 2021)