The new HOYA PROND FILTER KIT is a high-quality set of essential filters, designed for discerning amateur and professional photographers and videographers. It consists of three high-quality ND filters (PRO ND8, PRO ND64 and PRO ND1000), which allow photographers to control the light and the resulting images down to the finest detail. In recent years, long-exposure photography has become an extremely popular genre because it offers a wealth of opportunities to depict the world in artistic and unusual ways. ND filters are the essential tool for this.


Three filters, three applications

• Shots with shallow depth of field – shooting wide open despite bright surroundings
• Blurring people or removing them entirely from shots
• Creative photography: creating motion blur (clouds, waterfalls…)

HOYA offers a wide range of ND filters for this purpose. Ten models with varying densities from ND2 to ND10000 are available to meet the needs of every photographer and videographer. But which ND filter is ideal for beginners? This question is likely to interest many amateur photographers who have decided to explore the exciting field of long-exposure photography. With this in mind, HOYA has now developed an essential ND kit to help photographers quickly master this challenge.

The PRO ND filters utilise the highest quality clear optical HOYA glass, which is coated with a metallic layer on both the front and rear surfaces. This allows for the even reduction of almost all areas of the light spectrum – including the IR range. The ACCU-ND technology used in the coating process also ensures a truly neutral colour balance without colour distortion.

The choice of ND filter depends on the shutter speed the photographer or filmmaker wishes to use. The contents of the HOYA PRO ND FILTER KIT are based on the experience gained from millions of ND filters sold worldwide. Experience has shown that the PRO ND8, PRO ND64 and PRO ND1000 models are the most important ND filters in the HOYA range. They help photographers and filmmakers to realise their creative visions perfectly.

PRO ND8 (3-stop)
The HOYA PRO ND8 is ideal for shooting in bright environments with a wide aperture (e.g. F1.2, etc.). The filter is therefore perfect for portraits intended to be captured with a shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh. The subject appears sharp and clear against a softly blurred background. Other recommended scenarios include night-time photography, fireworks and lightning.

PRO ND64 (6-stop)
With the HOYA PRO ND64 filter, people or moving objects can be captured in blurred motion, something that cannot be achieved using camera settings alone. For example, when visiting a popular tourist attraction, a busy street or even a pedestrian zone, it can be difficult to take photographs there without other people walking through the frame. It is also problematic to photograph people without their consent. Using long exposure and the PRO ND64 filter, people can be rendered blurred or removed entirely. The filter is ideal for landscape photography, city snapshots, video recording and many other photographic genres.

PRO ND1000 (10-stop)
The HOYA PRO ND1000 filter reduces the amount of light by 10 stops. It can be used to smooth out waterfalls and water surfaces, create motion blur in clouds, take architectural photos without people walking through the frame, and much more. For example, with the PRO ND1000 filter, you can expose for a full 8 seconds instead of 1/8 of a second – and the image will still not be overexposed.


HOYA PRO ND filters for filmmakers

ND filters are an indispensable tool for demanding film shoots. When shooting with flat colour profiles, for instance, the ISO setting cannot be lower than ISO 800. For example, Sony cameras in S-Log mode automatically set the ISO value to 800, which is far too bright for outdoor shots without an ND filter and results in overexposed footage. ND filters bring the exposure down to the correct level. To maintain natural motion in the image, it is recommended to match the shutter speed to the frame rate. During the day, PRO ND8, PRO ND64, PRO ND1000 or a combination thereof (such as PRO ND8 + PRO ND64) would be necessary to achieve optimal results.


Combinations of HOYA PRO ND filters

The choice of the right ND filters depends on the photographer’s intention to achieve the desired effect in the image. In the event that the effect achieved by using a single ND filter does not meet the photographer’s expectations, a combination of PRO ND filters may also be useful. For example, the combination of PRO ND8 and PRO ND64 produces an effect equivalent to that of an ND500 filter. The combination of PRO ND8 and PRO ND1000 produces the effect of an ND8000. This makes it possible to capture the sun in full colour without overexposure, whilst retaining the visibility of the sunspots.