Review: Kase 77mm Magnetic Wolverine Revolution Plus Entry Filters Kit
I’m about to set off on a what promises to be a fantastic trip to four very different locations: the Greek island of Rhodes, Istanbul, Cappadocia, and London. There will be lots of different shooting locations from the glistening blue Aegean waters to the neon-nights of Picadilly Circus. In just one afternoon in Turkey I’ll be in bright sunlit valleys one moment, and in the next exploring dimly lit churches carved into the rock. And in that diversity lies a challenge: I have to carry everything I pack, so there is a premium on packing light. I’m not one of those guys who carries a camera store worth of lenses in my backpack. I scrutinize what travels with me like a NASA engineer planning for a moonshot. I want what I need, but nothing more.
One of the lightest things in my camera kit are filters. Notwithstanding that they are light, over the past few trips I’ve tended to leave them home, not because they aren’t useful, but because they are too much of a bother to use “on the go”. I have always had trouble lining up the threads to screw them on, particularly when my pausing to do so results in “c’mon James, let’s go” from my travel-mates. Then, the last time, I couldn’t get the filter off. It had “frozen” on tight.
In Portugal’s Algarve last summer, though, I really missed having a polarizing filter when we went out on the water. The filter would have cut through the glare and brought out contrast in the sky. So, on return, I investigated using magnetic filters.
The basic operation is the same for most manufacturers: you screw on a thin adapter and then the filters snap onto its magnets. The challenge for filter makers is that the magnets have to be strong enough to survive jostling about in your bag or you strap. On top of that you have the standard image quality issues that accompany any filter. Introduction of color cast is often an issue with polarizing filters.
Filters come in all price ranges, but once you decide on magnetic filters you are automatically in the $100 and up range. This affected my decision on how much to spend for the glass. The difference in price between “ok” filters and the best really wasn’t that much. I reasoned that though I might not use a polarizing filter all that often, I do protect my lenses all the time with a UV filter. Therefore, every picture I take would be affected by whatever filter set I purchased. Why degrade my camera and lens with a second-rate filter. As a result I spent more than I planned, but don’t regret the decision.
I selected the Kase 77mm Magnetic Wolverine Revolution Plus Entry Filters Kit ($210). It had the two filters I knew I wanted on the trip (a UV and Circular Polarizing Filter) plus the adapter and lens cap. It even included a zippered case with room for extra filters if I need them.
I wasn’t certain I wanted the magnetic lens cap. I was concerned it might yank off the other filters if I was in a hurry and not paying attention. As it turns out, it is very convenient to use and has given me no problems. However, I sometimes prefer using my Sony non-magnetic cap because the squeeze mechanism is very fast to remove; you might say in a literal “pinch”.
The zippered case is a little big for me to lug around. Instead, I borrowed one of my old single-filter cases. I only shoot with one filter at a time. (Stacking filters on a lens can lead to vignetting and other issues. If I want the polarizing filter I just snap-of the UV lens and click on the CPL.
The whole process is so easy. No stripping the threads; no trouble removing the filter. The magnetic filter let me be “creative” without the hassle, without getting in my way.
The tempered, ultra-low reflectivity, anti-glare glass works as advertised. Kase claims it has an ultra-low reflectivity of 0.1%. This results in natural colors and sharper images. I don’t often add items to my photography kit, but this set earns its way to travel!
Highly recommended.
