I have for a long time been using the Hitech Format 100m slide-in filter system. It has (mostly) served me well. But it’s big and bulky, and occasionally the filters slip if you don’t fit them correctly. So I have been curious about the various magnetic filter systems on the market. I was recently introduced to the OKKO brand and thought they sounded great. So when I was sent a kit to review, I was thrilled.
Note: I was sent the OKKO Magnetic filter kit to review and then returned it, but my views and opinions are totally my own.
Are you looking for speed, ease of use and a full system for all types of photography? The Okko Pro Magnetic Camera Filters Range offers the full solution. All are engineered with German optical glass and backed with their “break it, we replace it” lifetime warranty. Sound impressive, right?
OKKO Magnetic Filter Kit — What’s in the kit?
- It all starts with either the magnetic screw-on adapter or you could go with the screw-on UV filter. I asked for a 67mm as that fits my 28-75mm, 70-300mm lenses. I’d need two kits for my wide-angle as that is 72mm. Or you could go large and then use adapter rings to scale down?
- Then there are the actual magnetic filters. I was sent a CPL, ND6, and ND10
- Then there is lens cap, which is a great idea as the standard lens cap doesn’t fit as snugly with the adapter ring on.
- The adapter rings and magnetic filters come in a range of sizes from 49mm – 82mm
- The full kit I received in 67mm diameter cost roughly AUD$605.00. Not cheap but also not overly expensive compared to other brands on the market.
I must admit at first I thought the UV filter attached to the magnetic adapter ring, but it doesn’t. You can use either the UV adapter ring or the basic adapter ring. As I generally don’t use a UV filter I would probably stick with the basic adapter and save some money.
OKKO Magnetic Filter Kit — The Adapter Ring
The Adapter ring (and the UV Filter) both fit snugly and even with my stiff fingers pretty easier to screw on and off. But once attached can simply remain there. The magnetic filters fit snugly and remained in place even in high wind and a gentle shake. The basic filter has no glass so there is no difference in the images. I did a comparison between the UV filter and none. I did find the UV filter was slightly darker and there was a slight blue cast.
Pros
- The Okko Adapter and UV Adapter were easy to install and uninstall
- Once installed they can stay and you simply change out the filter you require. So easy
- They are lightweight and seem to be very well made.
- Once attached the filters do not come off, until you take them off
- Break it, they replace it, lifetime warranty
Cons
- One of the biggest cons I have always felt with the circular filters is you need a different size for each lens diameter. Or adapter rings for the adapter rings.
- Kit did not come with a multiple-purpose carry case. Each filter and adapter had its own case. It’s a little bulky to carry them all on a day trip. But you can stack them together.
- I found the lens cap a little too easy to get knocked off in bags and such
- When doubling up filters (ie ND6 and ND10) I found a slight vignetting on the outer corners
OKKO Magnetic Filter Kit — The CPL filter
I have used a variable CPL filter for years, my biggest annoyance is it can be tricky to get on and off and the variable section often knocks the filter loose. I have dropped and cracked a few this way. So I was really looking forward to trying the OKKO magnetic CPL. It does not appear to be variable at first glance, but it IS – twist and look through the viewfinder to notice the results. It did fit well and did not come loose at all. It was easy to take on and off when I wanted them to. Just shooting in the backyard it did not seem to make any difference to the images, apart from slightly darker. No Color cast, but no noticeable drop in haze or glare either. There is 1-stop reduction in light and 50% reduction in reflection according to their marketing.
It was when I really put the OKKO CPL to the test at the beach that I noticed what it could do. In the images below there is a slight difference between no CPL and CPL at 50%, but when you twist or turn the filter to achieve 100% there is a marked difference in the reflections in the rock pool. It also warms the images up nicely. The below images are unedited apart from cropping.
OKKO Magnetic Filter Kit — ND 6 Magnetic Filter
Neutral Density filters have a few various uses, one of which is to cut down glare and to darken your image in bright sunlight so you can take longer exposures. The OKKO ND 6 magnetic filter is a 6-stop drop as the name suggests. The website also claims no color cast, but I did find a distinct blue cast to the ND6 in the backyard. That could be due to the drop in ISO from 100 to 800? I don’t mind a blue cast. The slim design also prevents vignetting.
Another reason I like a Neutral Density filter is for lighting painting with still-life. By using the ND6 filter I could easily take a 20-30 second exposure at f9 in the studio and by using a torch I could paint in my highlights. The CPL helps a little but not enough. Taking a longer exposure gives the beautiful painterly effect I look for in my Light Painting.
Of course, one of the most obvious uses for an ND filter is long exposures, making waves and waterfalls look smooth and silky. Such a great effect on water and wispy clouds too.
OKKO Magnetic Filter Kit — ND 10 Magnetic Filter
Then there is a step up to the OKKO ND 10 filter. More of the same but is darker and allows for much longer exposures, as seen in the galleries above.
In the image above, I was able to capture an 8-second exposure at f/22 on a bright sunny day. This was possible on a tripod to capture some of the motion of the waves crashing on the rocks below. Being magnetic and such a slim design you can even double them up. The below image was the ND 6 and ND 10 together and a 30-second exposure. I did however find a dark vignette on the outer edges doing this.
Overall I found the OKKO filters really great to use on all my 67mm lenses. I would need another kit to use on my 72mm wide-angle. I found them easy to take on and off and gave great results with minimal fuss. If you were just starting out and only had one lens, or indeed only one lens diameter, these filters would be the perfect kit for your camera bag.
