Freewell’s iPhone Professional Hybrid Filter Equipment does simply sufficient for me

After we start to study images or videography as younger grasshoppers with our mother and father’ outdated DSLRs, the very first thing we’re taught about is gentle, and precisely how a lot or how little of it to let in or out. Then, as we progress in our journeys, we study to bend that gentle to our particular wants, whether or not it is by way of in-camera settings, completely different lenses, or on this case, filters.

For any iPhone creator, filters are an important a part of nailing the pictures you need, particularly in extraordinarily shiny conditions. They’re proper up there with gimbals so far as mandatory tools in relation to video and picture high quality, so when Freewell launched its personal Hybrid Filter Kit, I used to be stoked. You imply that I can change filters on the racetrack on the go with out having to unscrew them? Signal me up. To do that on my skilled digital camera would run me nicely upwards of $100, and even nearer to $400 for choose high-end CPL filter fashions, and my iPhone 16 Professional data 4K 60fps already, so why not?

To that finish, I used to be greater than happy with these filters, particularly the vary of various filters you get for $150. After I went to make use of them once more, nevertheless, it was a unique story.

They’re pretty purpose-built

As filters go, they do precisely what they’re alleged to

I’ve zero complaints concerning the video results these filters supply me. They appear nice capturing in 4K, which is all you need from a set like this. I discover the round polarizing function to be essentially the most helpful, as most creators will inform you is the case, and the precise dial is clean straight out of the field. Nonetheless, with it sitting on my desk in entrance of me proper now, the dial is just not practically as clean. That is partly my very own fault, as I used them final at a dust racetrack right here in West Texas, however I can truly hear the particles of mud and dust grinding between the steel filter dials, even after being wiped off repeatedly with a microfiber material and cleaner.

There was a considerable amount of mud collected across the bezel of the lens after I eliminated it from its carrying case for the second spherical of testing, too, which I attribute to the funnel-like bezel across the filter lens itself. Nonetheless, for the value, I can stand having to wash them earlier than and after every shoot. A lens hood could be a sensible thought for future filter choices, although.

All in all, so far as precise video is anxious, this package improved my pictures just by dialing within the CPL filter, which is strictly what it advertises. The video beneath does a strong job of showcasing the consequences of the CPL filter, that includes my practically lifeless garden (do not decide me, we’re in a drought).

What comes within the field

The quantity of filters you get is stunning

The most effective half about this package, although, is the sheer quantity of filters you get. To this point, I’ve solely talked about the CPL filter, which is undoubtedly the spotlight of the set. Nonetheless, there are a couple of others included that do supply some fascinating choices, like a comfortable GND filter which, for many who wish to shoot in cooler colours, would in all probability work very nicely for city utilization. There’s additionally a unique ND filter at a steeper grade and a Glow Mist filter to present your movies a little bit of that dreamy effect that is develop into fashionable in the previous couple of seasons.

The field itself additionally earns factors for having a real laborious shell casing, which I left clipped to my backpack by way of a carabiner on my final shoot, that does maintain up nicely to the weather. It feels of upper high quality, and that is one thing that I can admire.

By far essentially the most helpful accent, although, was the Selfie Grip, which doubles as a stabilizing deal with to your pictures. It additionally doubles as an extendable selfie stick, and whereas it does not really feel sturdy sufficient to check out some crane pictures on my cellphone, that does not imply it would not on one other. With the case and magnetic gimbal mount that I maintain hooked up, my iPhone 16 Professional might be fairly heavy. The most effective half concerning the Grip, although, is that it incorporates a distant motion button to begin capturing in the identical location any true digital camera would, making the transition from capturing on my professional set as much as the iPhone a breeze. So, some well-earned factors there, then.

There’s room for enchancment

As widespread as gimbals are, they need to be extra pleasant with them

This was the one photograph that I obtained of an Insta360 Move 2 Professional — one in every of if not, the most effective gimbals on the iPhone creator market — truly working with the Freewell filter package. As regular because the Selfie Grip would possibly make your palms, nothing goes to be as secure as a superb gimbal, and for that purpose, these filters and the cellphone case you are required to make use of them with dropped the ball a bit. The added weight was merely an excessive amount of for the gimbal to deal with extra occasions than not, and any movement round what I might name a medium panning pace noticed the Gimbal lose centering energy and throw off its equilibrium.

This was disappointing within the sense that, in case you may effectively pair the 2 merchandise collectively, I feel you would really have an incredible iPhone videography setup, with the facility to report in as many 4K modes as you please and use the Insta360 app performance for results like barrel rolls or zoom crashes.

So who is that this package for? In all honesty, if I have been simply beginning out on my videography journey, I might scoop one in every of these kits up in a coronary heart beat and start working with the completely different colours and contrasts it gives. In the event you’re very severe (much more so than me) about your video content material, you in all probability have already got a cinema digital camera at your disposal, and the iPhone would possibly solely be used for social content material, so this package in all probability is not tailor-made to your wants.

With a couple of minor enhancements, I do assume that this package may very well be added to the bag of extra skilled videographers, as long as it might work alongside their favourite gimbal system and maintain all of the mud particles out of its many dials.