Has anyone checked out Haida ND filters?

FlowtographyBerlin

I recently came across those ND filters made by HAIDA, a chinese manufacturer. They're rather affordable, and they come in normal and silm versions, and in non-coated and in multi-coated versions. Has anyone ever checked them out yet?

Thanks,
Flow

FlowtographyBerlin

What? No one? I was told meanwhile that they're not sold in the US. But there's some European folks here, too, no?

John

Well, there are a few European folks on here (I'm one of them although I've probably seen a lot more of the states than the average US citizen). The problem is that ND filters are very specialized equipment.
Most people are either happy with the light that they get or they want to add light (with flash or strobes).
Comparatively few people want to remove a lot of light. ND filters are only useful if you want to give long exposure photography a try. Or are you talking about gradated ND filters?
(Not that there is anything wrong with that type of photography. It’s fun and give really nice and interesting results.)
Combine this with the fact that it’s a less known Chinese budget brand (as far as I know) and few people will have direct experience with them.
I think I’ve heard the name mentioned once in combination with ND filters. They tended to be cheaper but also provided a slight color cast for the strong filters. They were also ever so slightly soft. (Not perfect optically). But that’s based on a half remembered conversation I once had with some other photographer. So not exactly direct advice.
I have heard a lot of good about the B+W ND filters but they tend to be expensive.
If no one is able to provide some better feedback (and you don’t find any good reviews on the internet) I would look at the price.
If it’s cheap and you can afford it to be less than perfect (because it’s something that you just want to try out a few times and you don’t want to spend too much money) then I would say go for it.
If you need the best quality that you can get or if the price difference is only marginal then I would go with B+W.
If you do decide to go with HAIDA then I would suggest going for the multi-coated lenses. Normally these are better than regular ones. Choose slim if you need very wide angel shots or are combining this with other filters (like polarizers).
Just my suggestions but once again, I have no hands on experience with the company.

Ironheart

We've hashed this out a few times already. A quick search turns up these, but there are many more. Bottom line? Don't cheap out on anything in the optical path. Ever. Unless you want it to look like instagram on purpose.
http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/972/which-brand-of-filters-nds-and-grads-do-people-use-and-why/
http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/202/nd-filters-and-white-balance/
http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/1054/genuine-nikon-filters/
http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=5760

Msmoto

There is an article as well from Lens Rentals which can be found by Googling
"good-times-with-bad-filters"

Very clearly demonstrated the better filters were the way to go.

I find if I am sticking a filter on a lens which may cost upwards of $1,000...why would I want to take a chance.

FlowtographyBerlin

Hey! Superb! Thanks to the three of you, I'll check all that out.

I do have a B+W ND Filter, the thing is that the 3.0 grade is not available in that XS-Pro or whatever that slim version is called, yet. I recently heard of those Haida things, and there are some German sources who praise them quite a bit, but I haven't seen any thorough comparisons, especially not the B+W.

Thanks again,
Flow

FlowtographyBerlin

I find if I am sticking a filter on a lens which may cost upwards of $1,000...why would I want to take a chance.

Oh, just to comment on that question: Because if I can find the same (effective) quality for 100 bucks less, I can use 100 bucks for something else. Plus, in this case, a slim 3.0 ND filter simply doesn't exist by B+W yet.

Ironheart

In the world of filters, esp. ND, we haven't seen a cheap one yet that doesn't add some color cast or other issues. Why do you need the XS so bady anyway? Are you stacking? Just curious.
Why not "take one for the team" and go ahead and buy one. If it stinks, you can let us all know. If its great, then you've got 100 bucks to take your spouse out to dinner :-)

FlowtographyBerlin

@Ironheart: Yeah, guess I'm gonna do that, and share the results once I have them.

Yes, the non-XS version lets the ring of a stacked filter get in the way at wide angles.

Concerning the color casts: Every filter I've tried so far, and every filter I have (just very few) of any brand introduces some kind of color cast. Except for the clear filters of course, and I guess UV filters would be included, as well. The issue is more which color cast you like best :-)

JJ_SO

Color cast can be adjusted by white balance in post production, no? If the color cast can be adjusted, I wouldn't mind. Only if the optical quality suffers. And here's a compromise to be made: Either way a certain ND filter alone is not enough to get the effect, we can close aperture. By doing so, the effects of diffraction will appear. What get's glass to become dark? Small color-particles that will effect the transmission. On one side we're happy to get rid of AA filters covering the sensor, on the other side we're reducing the transmission with ND filters. So, a bit of a price is to be paid.

Also, when extending shutter times in normal daylight it could be the sensor itself is color casting, too. After all, the Schwarzschild-Effect / Reciprocity is not only effecting at nightshots.

FlowtographyBerlin

Color cast can be adjusted by white balance in post production, no? If the color cast can be adjusted, I wouldn't mind.

Yeah well, the cast is never really completely eliminated by white balance. That's the thing.

On one side we're happy to get rid of AA filters covering the sensor, on the other side we're reducing the transmission with ND filters. So, a bit of a price is to be paid.

Also, when extending shutter times in normal daylight it could be the sensor itself is color casting, too. […]

Yes, but these issues wouldn't be dependant on the filters but are the same for any ND filter. I just like to stick with the principle that anything that I use in the optical path has to have as little negative impact on image quality as possible.