I just got the PolarPro Variable ND Filter Peter McKinnon Edition 2-5 Stop and I’m so excited about putting it to work on lots of exciting projects this year. I did a lot of research before buying a variable ND filter, hoping that I would come to the conclusion that the $45 one would indeed be good enough, but in the end, like I always do, I decided to go with the item that would give me the most possibilities and least limitations in my work (this is the main deciding factor for every piece of gear that I purchase “How is this going to give me new possibilities or make my work significantly better"?, this is the question I ask myself.)

I decided I’m going to call my unboxing videos unboxing in the wild, because I like that name, and it gives me another excuse to get outside. I unboxed this on a rock, at the beginning of the Polecat trail, a place that I frequently mountain bike.

I purchased this filter for use with my EOS R (well and any camera that I ever own) for professional photo and video work. I use all L Series Canon Lenses (You can see my gear here), and I tried some cheaper variable ND filters, but found three problems:

They degraded the image quality.
They changed the image color.
They got a massive black x on the image at the outer ranges of their capabilities.

These are all problems II could for the most part work around, but it would require more work in post, and my main concern is delivering the best work to my clients as fast as I can, which is in the end why I went with the PolarPro vs the cheaper options.

If you just look at the filter, it’s beautiful. Spending so many years doing photo work, I haven’t seen the need for a variable ND filter. Sure it would’ve been fun in some ways, but with doing video, and being able to shoot with the shallow depth of field look that I love, an ND filter is a must.

I purchased the 82mm version of this filter, because I can use step down rings to make the filter fit smaller lenses, as my lenses are 77mm and 72mm, if you’re going to purchase a variable nd filter, I recommend you do the same, so that you only have to purchase one of them, that you can use on every lens.

I haven't used this filter yet, so I’ll review it in the next few months after I put some real time into using it, and I've got some projects that I'm really excited to put this to work on.

Email me with any questions: bryan@bryanrupp.com

Here's the Link to the PolarPro Variable ND Filter Peter McKinnon Edition 2-5 Stop 82mm

Gear Used for this video:

Canon EOS R: https://amzn.to/35RA1Rv

Canon 35mm F1.4L: https://amzn.to/35PcDns

Tascam DR-10L Recorder + Lav Mic: https://amzn.to/36YIJhO

ProGrade V90 128gb SD Card: https://amzn.to/35PcPDc

Manfrotto Tripod: https://amzn.to/35J1dS3

Comment or email me with any questions or comments, it’s snowy and beautiful in Boise today and my kids want me to drag them behind my car on sleds, so yeah, I’m going outside now and doing that :).

Bryan

On this episode of materialism Monday-

I just bought the Canon EOS R. Considering that I was trash talking it (albeit while knowing nothing about it) when it was initially released in October 2018, I was a bit humbled to be dropping my money on it. I've started doing a lot more video work, and I absolutely love it. It’s so inspiring to me to be able to implement what I love about still images and compliment it with motion and audio (insert tingly feeling), I love it.

So this all started when my mother in law asked me if I could video a project for her. I responded, “Uh, sure, just so you know I don’t know how to actually do that, but I do have all the right stuff to do it, I’m in.” So I started researching how to shoot video on my 5D Mk III’s, how to record high quality audio and I purchased a set of super rad and cheap LED Video Lights, and I was off.

The project for my mother-in-law was really simple, which is part of why I felt so confident taking it on with literally no video experience, but it was simply filming an online course where she and her business partner share the unique curriculum the’ve come up with based on their life and career experiences. From a creative perspective, it’s not the most exciting content to create, I use my two Canon 5D Mk III’s, on tripods, I use my Canon 50mm F1.2L on camera one and it captures both people, and then I run my Canon 135mm F2L on camera two and pan it between the two of them, but regardless, after being a professional photographer for over twelve years, capturing content with motion, movement and audio, was super inspiring to me, and I knew I was hooked. Actually, to show how ridiculous I am, after that day I texted several people saying, “How much is video rehab, because I can already tell I’m addicted :)”.