Mini test: Polar Pro VND/PL Peter McKinnon filters
Posted on Jan 3, 2025 by Pro Moviemaker
Our test of Polar Pro’s Peter McKinnon Chroma VND/PL filters reveals exceptional precision and performance in every shot
Words Adam Duckworth
It’s easy to roll your eyes in dismay when the biggest selling point of a filter system seems to be that it bears the signature of a famous YouTuber and comes with expensive packaging and a posh lens cap. Having said that, the Peter McKinnon series of filters from Polar Pro goes to show that beauty can be more than just skin deep, especially in this new range of VND/PL combination filters.
If you were a reader of Pro Moviemaker magazine four years ago, you might remember our test of the Polar Pro McKinnon Signature VND filter. We found it was top-quality kit that takes variable ND filters to a new level and makes them an object of desire. The Polar Pro VND only has a limited range, so you can buy either a 2-5 stop or a 6-9 stop.
That range means there aren’t horrible cross-polarisation patterns, with the fused quartz glass giving excellent optical quality. In our tests, the filter worked incredibly well with no major colour shift or degradation in the image at all. It’s been our go-to VND filter ever since. These new filters are available in a VND-PL version, a combined variable ND and circular polariser which can be used to cut out reflections and add colour saturation to parts of an image like the sky.
It seems like an odd combination that shouldn’t work, as VND filters control the light by using two circular polarising filters. As you turn one, the scene gets lighter or darker, but there’s no polarisation effect. For that, you have to add an extra polarising filter, and putting more glass in front of your lens is never a great idea when it comes to image quality.
The Peter McKinnon Chroma VND/PL Edition II filters have an adjustable ND filter in click stops from 2-5 stops like the original we tested, or there’s also a 6-9 stop version. Polar Pro’s Chroma Glass allows the filter to have two independently controlled elements for neutral density and polarisation. The new glass will also increase the filter’s colour accuracy.
When you carefully rotate the complete filter around – without changing the VND setting – you can see the effect of the polarising filter. You can see glare and reflections change or the sky darkening, for example. What you see is what you get, all from one filter, but there are no click stops or markings to let you see how far the polariser has moved.
Turning the filter just increases saturation in the sky but doesn't affect exposure
There are also optional versions with quarter-strength Black Mist or Gold Mist, to add subtle diffusion to surrounding highlights. We wanted to keep things simple with the standard VND/PL filters.
If you buy the simple screw-on McKinnon Chroma VND/PL Edition II 2-5 stop filter, it costs £239/$249. You might also wish to buy some step-down rings to make it fit other lenses. The same filter also exists in a Helix Maglock version at £299/$299, plus you need to buy the right size of adapter to fit your lens.
These are £25/$39 each and you can even get a 114mm one to fit matte boxes. So, to fit our 77mm and 82mm lenses, we spent £350/$377.
The Helix system uses a baseplate to screw onto your lens, then the actual filter uses magnets and a small bayonet system to make them quick and easy to attach. You can even stack another Helix filter on top.
While McKinnon’s promo videos show him practically throwing a filter on with almost reckless abandon, the reality is that you need to line up the filter cartridge and baseplate, then twist to lock them together. But it is fast and very secure. Meanwhile, to take the filter off, you pinch a couple of small, gold-coloured buttons on the filter and twist to remove.
The results are even better than we found with the original VND version. The image quality is even more impressive and polarisation works incredibly well. Often, using a wide-angle lens, the sky can darken more in one area than another, but we found very little evidence of this. Perhaps with a super-wide lens it might be a problem, but this would be more due to capturing a bigger expanse of sky, where the polarisation effect becomes more pronounced in certain areas.
We did find that, although Polar Pro claims these filters work on full-frame lenses up to as wide as 16mm, it depends on the lens dimensions themselves. On the latest Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8, the standard screw-in filter showed no vignetting, even without removing the plain filter we keep on the lens to protect it. Fitting the Helix Maglock version resulted in a little vignetting at 24mm. Removing the protection filter – though it was relatively slim – cured the issue, but it’s something to watch out for.
However, to make the Polar Pro filters so slim, the actual rings to change the ND setting and adjust the polarisation are very thin. You need nimble fingers, so gloves on cold days are out of the question – or you might adjust something you don’t want to.
In our quest to do a full and thorough test, the threaded filter was fitted to a Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 lens on a Sony A7S III and subjected to a drop from tripod height onto a concrete floor. It landed right on the edge of the Polar Pro filter, which didn’t smash – the same can’t be said for the protection filter underneath.
Of course, this was a total accident rather than a serious test, but the Polar Pro held up well, although it was knocked out of round so was difficult to adjust. We haven’t tried it with the Helix Maglock version, fortunately!
From £239/$249
Specifications
- ND stops: 2-5, ND4-ND32
- Glass: 16-layer multi-coated Chroma
- Threaded size options: 49mm, 67mm, 77mm, 82mm, 95mm, 95mm coarse
- Helix Maglock size options: 49mm, 67mm, 77mm, 82mm, 95mm, 95mm coarse, 114mm matte box
- Frame material: Aluminium
Pro Moviemaker rating: 9/10
It’s the best VND filter system we have ever used
- Pros: Optical performance and unique features
- Cons: The slim control rings can be fiddly to handle
This review was first published in the January/February 2025 issue of Pro Moviemaker
