Freewell’s New Filter Is a Super-Slim Locking, Magnetic Hybrid VND/CPL
Freewell has announced a collaboration filter product with filmmaker Brandon Li. Called the Brandon Li x Freewell VND/CPL System, the company says it is the world’s slimmest locking hybrid VND/CPL system with a 100% mechanism-free design.
The new filter system supposedly took Freewell around two years to develop in tandem with Li, with the goal of creating a system that could retain quality and usability while also removing the traditional internal components that it says often cause failure, inconsistency, or bulk. The result is an extremely slim variable neutral density (VND) and circular polarizer (CPL) — both in one.
“Unlike conventional VND systems that rely on complex internal mechanisms, this design delivers pure optical performance with zero mechanical dependency, resulting in a slimmer profile, improved reliability, and consistent results in demanding shooting conditions,” Freewell claims.
“The system is designed to reduce friction during production. Instead of carrying multiple filters and constantly swapping them, creators can rely on a single, compact setup that adapts instantly to changing light conditions.”
Photographers and filmmakers can adjust the VND and CPL independently. Twisting the green ring tunes polarization, while rotating the black ring adjusts neutral density strength. Combining both in one ring removes the need to stack filters together, and Freewell’s solution is therefore less prone to loss and breakage, and is overall thinner. The hybrid filter weighs 50 grams.
Freewell says it designed the filters to be modular, and the VND/CPL unit works with the included MD32 filter to deliver a one to 10 stop range without losing the reflection control available with the CPL. It can be further combined with other diffusion filters for those who want specific creative looks.
The system is also magnetic, but has a locking mechanism to prevent the filter from falling off accidentally.
“This product took around two years of development and multiple iterations to get right. The goal was simple but difficult to execute: remove all mechanical dependency and create the slimmest possible locking VND without compromising optical performance. What we ended up with is a system that’s more reliable, more compact, and built for real-world use,” Freewell’s product designer Gary Lu says.
“This system was built to remove the usual friction filmmakers deal with when traveling or shooting on location. You don’t have to think about swapping filters. It just works the way you need it to,” Brandon Li adds.
The kit is available in a “Basic” designation in 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, and 82mm sizes, as well as a “Cine Kit” version, which is available in 86mm and 95mm sizes. The difference between these kits appears to be just in their size.
Both kits ship with a base ring, the hybrid VND/CPL, an additional ND32, a front lens cap, and a back cap, as well as a storage pouch. The kit starts at $350 for the 67mm through 82mm sizes, with the 89mm and 95mm options costing $500. Optional creative filter add-ons are also available.
Image credits: Freewell
