Breakthrough Photography’s Magnetic Filters Attach in a Snap

Breakthrough Photography has launched a magnetic circular lens filter system that allows filters to be attached and removed instantly with zero screwing and zero light leaks.

It’s “a revolutionary new way to use filters,” Breakthrough says. “[W]e reimagined the way you use camera filters by allowing you to attach a filter instantly.”

The system comprises two parts: a magnetic adapter and a magnetic lens filter.

A magnetic adapter.

The adapter stays screwed into the front of your lens, allowing Breakthrough’s new magnetic filters to be snapped securely into place just by pressing them into the adapter.

Breakthrough’s new system has notable advantages over traditional circular and square filters.

Compared to circular filters, there’s no screwing required, which not only saves time but also ensures that you won’t ever be frustrated with stuck filters again (for that problem, though, there’s the special tapping trick).

Compared to square filters, the magnetic filters attach much faster (any angle is the correct alignment), can rotate independently, and avoid the light leaks that often plague square filters.

“For decades filter manufacturers have designed around the problem of square filter light leak by making different holder designs attempting to completely eliminate light leak 100% of the time,” Breakthrough says. “And when using 10 or 15-stop ND filters, any light leak significantly reduces contrast and saturation.

“We have eliminated light leak with magnetic filters.”

Breakthrough’s magnetic filters work on 82mm thread sizes and smaller, so instead of having to buy a new filter for each lens, all you need is a new adapter/step-up ring.

Another magnetic filter system on the market is the Manfrotto XUME quick release filter adapter system, which use two adapters (one for the camera and one for filters) to allow you to use your existing lens filters.

Breakthrough has magnetic filters for all the major filter types, including UV, CPL, ND, Dark CPL, Night Sky, and Infrared. The 49mm to 82mm magnetic adapter rings cost $12 each, and the filters themselves cost around $100 to $200 each. There’s also a magnetic X100 universal holder for 100mm square filters.

(via Breakthrough Photography via Fstoppers)

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