For sure the biggest advantage of the Freewell system, is the access to the square style landscape filters. So if you’re a landscape photographer, and a filmmaker, it’s one system to bring and use, not two. This may be a limited demographic, but I happen to do both, so this is totally game changing for me.

I'm literally unknown of everything I just watched, it's not in my knowledge about filtures. I need to start from the basics literally to get a slightest idea. 💡

@@markwiemels Without writing an essay, absolutely. The Freewell is more of an all-rounder but primarily a photographers kit. Recon is a videographers kit but sort of has the functions for some if they're street or midday photographers. Also, the spirit level means nothing if you want a GND in the right position in a lot of cases unless you're looking at a flat horizon. It's a nice feature to have as an extra though.

How about Sandy deserts? 😏😉

It depends on what you want. The older Freewell magnetic system has a stronger yellow color cast (more like the polar pro) and is more compact and less expensive option if you aren't interested in all the extra slide-in filters!

I think you're right. For some people these lens filters are expensive as an entire camera

As far as I know, there is no way to do this.

This answers a lot of the questions I’ve had, we just had a pretty noticeable yellow color cast with a 2-5 polar pro on our fx30 a couple weeks ago

@@matt_berg_media I've found if I drop my Kelvin by about 200ish it usually brings it back to around neutral white balance!

Obviously a big deal if you need graduated filters. But not something many people need. Even landscape shooters really use them.

Agreed. Like Will said in the video it seems like something you want to keep set up on a tripod. It's not the easiest thing to pack in a camera bag.

Yes correct

I feel like even in normal use cases ie. Not pointed at the sun, or at a solid white wall, you wouldn't notice it

Thanks for that breakdown, I'll be sure to check out your video. Fully agree on the ability to rotate your VNDs freely. Every VND needs this. The follow up video I made after this one, I talked about the HAIDA "VND + CPL", which has this function. Since posting that video I've actually made it my everyday VND filter for exactly this reason. I originally filmed a segment on how polarization affects colours within your image, but ultimately decided to cut it for the final edit. Practically speaking I feel most users of the K2 system won't be bothered to unscrew the red knobs, or if you own a NISI, I don't think most users will want to unscrew their filters to compensate; which ultimately becomes the selling point of the Recon; reflections stay the same without requiring extra effort every time you make an adjustment to the ND. I'm not fully convinced the tests are flawed. I actually would argue they represent a more realistic use case, simply because of how common focal lengths below 18mm are; particularly in the Canon RF ecosystem. Neither PolarPro or Freewell mention a minimum focal length for these filters. When Freewell sent me samples they made no mention of 16mm as a minimum, and only brought it up in an email to me AFTER I posted the results from my 15mm sample photos. Freewell also made no effort to add this limitation on their Indiegogo page, which is somewhat misleading consumers given how common focal lengths below 18mm are; Both of Canon's ultra-wide L-series zooms go below 18mm (15-35 f2.8 and the 15-35 f4.0) These are lenses that a lot of videographers, vloggers, and content creators own and will want to use with VNDs.

@@AnthonyGugliotta seriously? You think your tests aren’t flawed when you stated incorrectly what the polarisers were and failed to show how the K2 rotates to combat this? Why not simply be honest? The reason you didn’t show this is because you didn’t know. It took weeks of digging and tests to get to the bottom of the behaviour off all types of VNDs. Freewell didn’t tell me. Do you even realise the Haida one is not what it states it is by its name? Anthony, my video was made to educate people. It educated me. Please watch it.

​@@philipbloom ​ I'm still not clear on why a vignette and color shift test performed at 15 or 16mm is problematic and flawed? I understand what you're saying about the K2 unlocking and rotating, but this doesn't fully solve the problem I have with the results. Assuming you want to use the CPL AND use the system as-designed with streak or graduated filters, then you're forced to choose between the two since you can't maintain both the orientation of the drop-in filter, and the polarization effect. If Freewell had designed the system with a second rotation element to somehow rotate the VND independently from the drop-in filters, then I might be inclined to agree with you, but based on the way the system is designed currently it feels more like a happy accident as opposed to a feature of the system. At the time of filming I was fully aware of the possibility of rotating the filter to offset the polarization effects. Again, it was a segment I recorded, but ultimately left out of this video because that feature is counter-intuitive to both the design of the system and the way I shoot. Shooting in run-and-gun scenarios I don't have the luxury of time to unlock my filter and adjust the orientation with each micro-adjustment in ND. I would much rather use a double-CPL VND like the Recon that maintains consistent reflections, even at the cost of very minor hue shifts. I watched your video, and you do a good job explaining the differences between CPL VNDs and Linear VNDs. I still maintain my position that the K2 system is bulky and over-designed for my use case.

@@AnthonyGugliotta mate, I am not trying to sell you the K2, I am trying to help you understand the difference between VNDs that every video I’ve watched from you and others gets wrong. I didn’t fully understand them all until I started working on my last video about 6 weeks ago. Why would you record the most important bit of information about rotation and not include it? Are you telling me you understand the difference between LPL and CPL VNDs? You keep taking about vignettes but it’s not. Vignettes are when you see edges of the filter. What you are referring to is cross polarisation. The two types you are seeing are from when you try to go too far with a VND with hard stops. The other is to do with the use of polarisers that is more visible with angles. 15mm is wider than Freewell, NiSi etc say you should use them at, therefore showing tests at 15mm is pointless and unfair. A dual CPL VND will generally do better though as it doesn’t polarise. What you are seeing is dependent on the angle to the light source. With the K2 which is dual linear then it’s actually polarising the light. If you use a single polariser on a wide angle lens you will see uneven polarisation at certain angles to the light. You simply rotate it to get it as good as you can. It can be impossible to get even polarisation on solid colours like a blue sky or a white wall. You need things like clouds to break it up. I avoid using polarisers or VNDs on lenses wider than 18mm. Because dual LPLs are not just polarising but cutting light there is also a sweet spot that is tied to the strength, rotation of the filter and angle. Dual CPLs don’t polarise but you will still see the same cross polarisation effect it pushed too far but what you are also getting it a colour balance shift as I showed in my video. This can make very wide frames look uneven. Again, if the filter could be rotated you can try and even it out. All VNDs have flaws. Each type have their pros and cons. The new dual LPL ones like NiSi and K2 can use that special film to give no colour shift but can polarise want it to, BUT you need to be able to rotate them otherwise you are stuck. VNDs with an front LPL are the only ones that can polarise thought. Dual CPLs cannot polarise light, despite what you say in the video. You cannot add a polariser to a dual CPL VND. it’s impossible. It’s easy to colour correct a colour balance shift due to the angle or strength of these, you can’t fix a shot that’s removed reflections ok one shot and not in another, the problem with using LPLs. You also cannot use an LPL on a DSLR using the mirror. You cannot use a VND with a rear LPL element like the K2 or NiSi either. Live view with them? No problem. Take the Nisi or a dual CPL VND and hand hold it. Rotate the whole camera and you will the change from both of them.

No reply? I took a long time to write that out to you. I am trying to help you by explaining things.

I did a sharpness test, and neither set had a noticeable impact on sharpness. Keep in mind every variable ND will exhibit a similar pattern at 15 or 16mm it's just exaggerated in this test because of the plain white background. The only way to avoid it is by stacking standard non-variable ND filters.

I always use a lens hood - reduces chances of damage and flaring whilst not reducing light into your lens or unwanted reflection and loss of contrast. I never use any filter that prevents me from using a lens hood.

​@@stew_redman good point. Neither of these systems will work with a standard lens hood.

@@AnthonyGugliotta only the old fashioned thread on filters will work with lens hoods...

@@stkuj There are good magnetic systems that work with lens hoods too, like Gobe/Urth.

What's gnd?

when shorts work kinda too good

It's better off this way 😘

Haha nah. They gotta step it up

That's my feeling too