I bought this product about 2 months ago but didn't have much time to use it until this past weekend. The product works great and is exactly as advertised - a 10 stop reduction in the amount of light. Realistically though you actually lose a little bit more than 10 stops, so it's always a good idea to check your histogram. I have found that an overexposure of about 1-1.5 stops produces just the right effect. When used at sunset the slight coffee tint makes the sunset color ("golden hour") look very beautiful - see the photo above of Honolulu Harbor. I've also shot the partial solar eclipse in Honolulu using two of of these stacked on top of each other (because there's only a ~6 stop reduction in the infrared, two are needed so the IR light won't fry the camera).
Pros:
-Excellent optics that barely affects the acuity of your photos. Some other filters are not manufactured using very high grade glass, and will slightly affect your image. Remember that the more glass (filters) you put in front of your lens, the worse it will affect your images (only at 100% zoom). The B+W ND3.0 (10^3.0 = 1000X reduction, which is close to 2^10 = 1024X or 10 stops) filter doesn't affect the acuity much at all.
-The high quality brass rings are definitely useful especially with cheap aluminum step up rings. These brass rings are really easy to thread on and off, whereas the cheap aluminum rings it usually takes me 10 seconds before I can get it to thread onto my lens. It just makes life that much easier, especially with putting on/taking off filters (see cons).
Cons:
-Because it is 10 stops, you cannot focus (auto or manual) with it on, so it's necessary to compose and focus, screw on the filter, and then take your shot. Fortunately these aren't really (or at all) used for sports or other situations where speed is a necessity.
-Price - let's face it, it's almost $120 at the time of writing, and it's not pocket change to most people (or photographers for that matter). But you get what you pay for - it is a high quality piece of glass you can put in front of your lens.
IMPORTANT: If you see a color cast on your photos (mostly on the Nikon D800 it seems like), it is NOT the filter's fault! The filter does not and can not introduce a purple tint one on photo, and not the next. The photo I posted above did not have its white balance levels changed. To explain the tint, we have to remember what long exposures can do to sensors. Most people use long exposures when the lighting is very dim and they have to expose longer to get a properly exposed scene. So during this time there is barely any light out, and that *includes* IR (infrared) light. So for example if you're taking a shot of the stars at night, the level of IR light is so low, a several minute exposure won't reveal any IR light. So what happens when we reverse the situation? If you were now to take a photo in broad day light, with an exposure of several minutes (thanks to your 10-stop filter), the amount of IR light (from the Sun) is intense enough to be comparable to the scene you're exposing. Why? Because your B+W filter is cutting down the amount of optical light through your LENS by an appreciable fraction (0.1% to be exact), the IR light entering through your VIEWFINDER will now be much more comparable! Now, you may ask, what about the IR light coming through the lens? While that does exist, the B+W filter actually also cuts down the amount of IR light, by around 6-7 stops in fact (I got this info from a published transmission curve of all of their filters). So the 10-stop filter cuts down 10 stops in the optical and 6-7 stops in the IR. The only logical conclusion is light leaking through the viewfinder (manufacturers do provide a viewfinder cover for a reason). I hope this clears up any future misconceptions about this (extreme) filter.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE GETTING PURPLE/PINK COLOR CAST: On higher end DSLRs (D800/E, D810/A, D700, D3/S/X, D4/S) all you have to do is flip the viewfinder cover on the left side of your viewfinder during your exposure. That's it! For all other cameras, all you have to do is block direct sunlight from entering your viewfinder. As long as direct sunlight wasn't entering the viewfinder, I found that I got no purple/pink color cast, even without blocking my viewfinder (from ambient daytime light).
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Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2018
Pros: build quality is excellent, filter case is very good keeps filter inside tight does not wobble around, it does not get stuck when stacked with other filters, I believe the metal is brass, cleaning is easy doesn't scratch easily at least I haven't had any scratches so far and I have used it outdoors in dusty conditions as well as salt spray beside the sea. Cons: If you plan to stack this with a CPL filter you will need to zoom in otherwise vignettes but this isnt the issue with this filter anyway, if you are planning to use a GND filter or you have lenses with wider/smaller thread, I would advise to buy a filter holder and a square 10 stopper rather than this screw on filter.
One more thought which might not be relevant to this filter but is my experience with long exposure is that with too long exposures you get a bit of shake from wind or water on sand on the beach, I usually find 15 seconds optimal, with this in mind, 10 stop is not long enough in bright sunny conditions (works around 4 seconds), and is too long in late afternoon/cloudy conditions, so you would need a 6 stopper to pair up with a 10 stop in bright sun or use the 6 stop alone in less light. This brings me to the point that you would either need to stack, which may cause vignetting or you might as well go with a square filter system before spending money on screw-on filters. I still find this filter useful when I dont want to carry a filter pack, it is small and easily fits in the side pocket of my camera bag.
Update March 2019:
This filter still wins all my ND filters from Lee, BreakThrough and third party cheap ones I have gathered over the years. In my review above I advised square filter system over screw-on, but more experience in my photography especially when traveling has taught me a lesson that I want to share: if you are travelling and a lighter/faster set-up I have found screw-on filters more practical. I literally used my square filter system only a couple of times in my latest travel around Great Ocean Road in Australia (where long exposure is a must if you want to get a decent shot - see example image I have uploaded). But many more times I ended using this one. I am also going to buy B+W 6 stop 77mm but oddly it is more expensive than 10 stop at the moment. Then I will leave my square filter system at home when travelling. The square filter system I use is made by Lee, other than more weight it is clumsy when you are on the move and dont have heaps of time on locations. Even though it might sound easy to remove the Lee filter using its quick release but to be able to put your lens hood/cap on you have to remove the adapter which becomes more time consuming than just a screw on filter. I have also noticed my Lee square filters reduce the fire of the sky at sunset whereas B+W produces very close results to what I can with my eyes. Given B+W tells their filters produce warmer cast I initially thought this might just be a white balance adjustment to bring back fire on the sky for my Lee images, but my hope turned to disappointment as white balance only doesnt fix Lee filter results. I havent used ND filters from other big brands but from the three I have used B+W has given me best results. Only thing I wish B+W could make thinner frames like BreakThrough.
Size: 77 mmStyle: 3.0-1000XVerified Purchase
High quality no color cast as far as I can see
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2018
I have used this filter for about a year now, many long exposures, I have found no color cast in the results, definitely recommend it. Only issue, when this arrived it was clearly used before with scratches on the case and a bit of dust on the seems, I was very disappointed when I realized it isn't brand new, but the quality is top notch. I have used this filter with Canon 24-105 widest zoom, Rokinon 16 mm f2, Sigma 17-50 mm @17 and Canon 16-35 mm @16, all work well, no vignetting or color cast.Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2018
Pros: build quality is excellent, filter case is very good keeps filter inside tight does not wobble around, it does not get stuck when stacked with other filters, I believe the metal is brass, cleaning is easy doesn't scratch easily at least I haven't had any scratches so far and I have used it outdoors in dusty conditions as well as salt spray beside the sea. Cons: If you plan to stack this with a CPL filter you will need to zoom in otherwise vignettes but this isnt the issue with this filter anyway, if you are planning to use a GND filter or you have lenses with wider/smaller thread, I would advise to buy a filter holder and a square 10 stopper rather than this screw on filter.
One more thought which might not be relevant to this filter but is my experience with long exposure is that with too long exposures you get a bit of shake from wind or water on sand on the beach, I usually find 15 seconds optimal, with this in mind, 10 stop is not long enough in bright sunny conditions (works around 4 seconds), and is too long in late afternoon/cloudy conditions, so you would need a 6 stopper to pair up with a 10 stop in bright sun or use the 6 stop alone in less light. This brings me to the point that you would either need to stack, which may cause vignetting or you might as well go with a square filter system before spending money on screw-on filters. I still find this filter useful when I dont want to carry a filter pack, it is small and easily fits in the side pocket of my camera bag.
Update March 2019:
This filter still wins all my ND filters from Lee, BreakThrough and third party cheap ones I have gathered over the years. In my review above I advised square filter system over screw-on, but more experience in my photography especially when traveling has taught me a lesson that I want to share: if you are travelling and a lighter/faster set-up I have found screw-on filters more practical. I literally used my square filter system only a couple of times in my latest travel around Great Ocean Road in Australia (where long exposure is a must if you want to get a decent shot - see example image I have uploaded). But many more times I ended using this one. I am also going to buy B+W 6 stop 77mm but oddly it is more expensive than 10 stop at the moment. Then I will leave my square filter system at home when travelling. The square filter system I use is made by Lee, other than more weight it is clumsy when you are on the move and dont have heaps of time on locations. Even though it might sound easy to remove the Lee filter using its quick release but to be able to put your lens hood/cap on you have to remove the adapter which becomes more time consuming than just a screw on filter. I have also noticed my Lee square filters reduce the fire of the sky at sunset whereas B+W produces very close results to what I can with my eyes. Given B+W tells their filters produce warmer cast I initially thought this might just be a white balance adjustment to bring back fire on the sky for my Lee images, but my hope turned to disappointment as white balance only doesnt fix Lee filter results. I havent used ND filters from other big brands but from the three I have used B+W has given me best results. Only thing I wish B+W could make thinner frames like BreakThrough.
Images in this review
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