rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH

Amazon is hawking K&F Concepts filters. Anybody use these? Or have an opinion? One they advertise is a combo polarizer and ND and then they add the descriptor "no cross." A first in the industry? Or just something this old guy hasn't heard of.

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

I'm watching this thread

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Never heard of them. Is the price the attraction? I use M+W filters by Schneider these days.

RightOnPhotography Loc: Quebec,QC

It's my preferred brand. I have several of them. Good quality, decent price. I am satisfied.

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

Is this it?

https://www.amazon.com/Concept-Variable-ND2-ND32-Circular-Polarizing/dp/B07M8LTQ98/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2N47XPLAOTPG9&keywords=k%26f+polarizing+filter&qid=1648059236&s=electronics&sprefix=k%26f+polarizing+filter%2Celectronics%2C63&sr=1-5

I think the "No Cross" you mention is really the "No X Spot" the manufacturer refers to in the ad. Probably referring to the X pattern that commonly appears in images made with some of the very inexpensive circular polarizing filters on the market.

NickGee Loc: Pacific Northwest

You're likely much better off checking out some of the online review (which are abundant) than relying on the impressions of Hoggers (who tend to bias in the direction of what they already own).

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I have several K&F Concept filters.

They sell two or three different qualities. I've only purchased the "nano coated" type... circular polarizers (high transmissive) and a couple fixed strength ND. More recently they have been listed as having "high quality optical glass", but earlier (when I bought mine) were stating it was German Schott glass. Don't know if it still is or, for that matter, if it ever actually was!

I have no complaints at all. They seem like very good filters. For the past 20 or 25 years, I've mostly have used only B+W MRC, F-Pro and XS-Pro. But these were available at bargain prices so I thought what the heck, give them a try! Don't know if it's still available, but it was a kit of C-Pol, 3 stop ND (ND8) and 6 stop ND (ND64) that they offered for a great price. All three in the kit were about 2/3 the price of a B+W C-Pol at that time. (I don't know how the prices compare now.)

K&F are not mounted in brass frames (like B+W) and the only complaint I've heard once or twice were "stiff adjusting ring" on C-Pol or variable ND. Mine have been fine and I can't help but wonder if that stiffness would have gone away pretty quickly, after a little use. Stiff certainly seemed preferable to too loose a ring that might not reliably hold a setting.

They have offered at least two types of variable ND. I don't use either, but one is fairly standard with a range like 3 stops to 10 stops (approx... a wide range). The other type is a pair with much narrower ranges.... something like 1 stop to 5 stop and 5 stop to 9 stop. These latter seem to be the "better" type that are multi-coated and don't suffer from the problems typical of a variable ND with wider range.

There are a number of places where you can buy K&F Concept filters. You'll find them on eBay, at Adorama, B&H, their own "Kent Faith" website (Hong Kong?) and elsewhere. They also have begun offering tripods, camera bags, lens adapters and other photo accessories.

You didn't say what size you needed, but the K&F CPL + 1-5 stop ND in 67mm costs...

Amazon........... $85
Adorama.......... $80
B&H Photo........ $80
KentFaith.com... $74 (+ shipping?)

https://www.adorama.com/kfc011140.html
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1534830-REG/k_f_concept_kf01_1140_67mm_nano_x_circ_polarizer.html
https://www.kentfaith.com/nd-filters/KF01.1085_67mm-variable-nd2-nd32-neutral-density-and-circular-polarizing-filter?filter=11

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Sound advise.

Canisdirus

Reputation is middle of the road...you won't be ripped off...you won't be blown away.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

With filters the only person that matters is me, because every photographer will get different results based on their knowledge and experience.
My advice is to buy one of your choice, if the price is right it becomes a cheap experiment. Take an exposure with and without the filter and enlarge to check any loss in sharpness.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

First I've heard of K&F filters. Years ago, thanks to a discussion with an optics engineer at Schneider, I have slowly switched to B+W filters.
--Bob

gwilliams6

I use them professionally and they are superb and yes there is no X pattern at all, and no color shifts. Other new ones in the industry also have no X pattern. It is newer designs.

Here a nightime shot of part of the Las Vegas strip shot with a Sony A7RIV, Sigma Art 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN lens and a K&F VND/CPL filter at max VND.

24mm, ISO 50, f8, 180 second exposure to get the streaks from car headlights and taillights. No X pattern ever with these. The VND allowed for the long exposure and the CPL took out the window reflections as I was shooting through the window glass of my room at the Escalibur Resort.

Great filters and great company.

(Download)

gwilliams6

Here is the one I used in above Las Vegas shot :

https://www.kentfaith.com/nd2-nd32-cpl-filter


Cheers

gwilliams6

I use B+W also, but love the K&F for VND/CPL combo filters, superb quality and very useful having them combined. K&F is widely used by pros as well as B+W.

Cheers

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

According to K&F, the filters can get the X pattern. https://www.kentfaith.com/faq_3927
--Bob