Polar Pro’s Luna Ultra ND Filters Might Be More Obtainable Than Insta360’s
When Insta360 launched the Luna Ultra last month, it seemed to have plenty of stock to address demand. However, the same couldn’t — and still can’t — be said about its accessories, namely its neutral density filters.
Insta360 has not successfully rolled out widespread availability of its Luna Ultra ND filter set and didn’t even have any available for reviewers during the launch window. Now, nearly a month later, the stock remains out directly from Insta360 (they do appear available in some regions), and some official retailers still haven’t stocked them at all. B&H Photo, for example, hasn’t listed any for sale yet and does not have an estimated time for when buyers could expect to see them.
That’s why Polar Pro’s option, slated for arrival by the end of August, might end up being the de facto choice for Luna Ultra owners in North America if the situation doesn’t get any better.
The design of Polar Pro’s ND filter set is very similar to Insta360’s, but with notable differences. It features a set of three glass ND filters with metal frames that magnetically attach to the front of the Luna Ultra camera. However, while Insta360’s first-party ND filter set covers ND4, ND16, and ND32, Polar Pro opted to start higher: its filters will be ND8, ND32, and ND128.
Beyond the ND filter set, Insta360 will also be offering a Black Mist filter to add a “cinematic glow” to footage. Similarly, Polar Pro isn’t stopping with just neutral density but will have significantly more options than the first-party alternative. Firstly, its “Vivid” collection will add a polarizing filter to the existing ND line, a “Cine” collection that adds full spectrum infrared, and a “Vybe” collection that includes three different looks to captured footage: the CineBlack 1/4 promises smooth highlight rolloff, CineGold 1/4 promises warm highlight rolloff, and the Portra filter says it captures “a warm nostalgic” look that resembles Portra film.
As a side note, the Portra filter sounds just like the one Polar Pro announced earlier this year for full-size lenses. The company faced significant online blow-back to this filter, as many photographers were quick to point out that the resulting footage doesn’t really resemble Portra film at all.
Each of the four filter sets will be available by late August for $70, which is a $10 premium over Insta360’s first-party option. That said, all of them are different enough to warrant the slight pricing premium, especially the plain ND filters, which Polar Pro is making significantly stronger than Insta360 is.
What will probably end up mattering more, though, is who can get these to market first. As it stands, Luna Ultra owners in North America can’t obtain any ND filters.
Image creditsPolar Pro
