Haida Red-Diamond ND Review

Author: Miguel Mesquita

Here I am again this time to make a review to Haida Red-Diamond ND Filter, first, I will make a little introduction. From using polarisers to cut glare, to neutral density (ND) filters to manipulate shutter speed, filters are a staple piece of equipment in any photographer's camera bag.

Filters fall into two major categories, circulars filters, and square filters, and there are pros and cons to both systems. I prefer to use square filters as it allows me to use the same settings across all my lenses by switching the adaptor ring, and I can also stack multiple filters, something screw-in filters don't allow.

Haida offer a variety of round drop-in option such as square NDs option, 0.6 (2stops), 0,9 (3stops), 1,2 (4stops), 1,8 (6stops), 3,0 (10stops), 3,6 (12stops), 4,5 (15stops)

In my case, I use the new Haida M10 Holder that you can see the review I made here, with RED-DIAMOND square 0.9 and 1,8 filter, this time I will talk about them. 

In my opinion, a good quality filter is one that preserves the image quality of the lens it's attached to. Whilst reviewing these I paid close attention to see if there was any color cast and/ or reduction in image sharpness. I found they tended to add a subtle amount of warmth and magenta tint to my images, with the exception of the graduated ND which casts a very faint green tint.

As you know, before I have the Haida System, I had the other System and now I can use it thas as a point of comparison. Compared to my other brand 3.0  ND filter, the Haida Red Diamond glass filter does not exhibit any color casts at first glance, whereas the blueish cast on the other filter is very apparent from the photo above. That said, I have been using my other filter for years. 

I was particularly impressed by how little color cast was present in the 6-Stop and graduated ND. 

Handling 

The M10 Filter Holder System handles exceptionally well. It's quick to set up and pack away and the drop-in system and square system makes changing filters effortless.

Features 

Although filter holders can be such a simple piece of equipment, Haida has packed this system with many useful features. The drop-in filter system, external dial that independently rotates the polariser and the secure 360° rotation of the holder are features that set this system apart from the competition.

Build quality 

Red-Diamond series of filters released last year. These filters are made from K9 optical glass and feature a shock and scratch-resistant design.

The coating on the Red-Diamond also helps to repel dirt, oil, and water. With my Haida filters, I can easily wipe away debris with microfibre cloths and continue to shoot with it. This is especially crucial when shooting in rainy conditions or shooting seascapes, or bigs waterfalls where the spray is oftentimes a concern. Another good thing is the corners of the filters have also been rounded for easier installation into the M10's filter slots.

Image quality 

I was very impressed by the image quality. All of the filters performed exceptionally well at retaining image sharpness, with no perceivable loss in detail. Even after stacking multiple filters to try and exacerbate any potential issues, I found these filters performed really well and I would consider the amount of color cast to be negligible and the ultra-thin nano multi-coating did an excellent job of minimizing color casting and preserving image sharpness

Vignetting

I have tested the 0.6 and 1.8 ND filter and I have not seen any vignetting at all. 

Value for money 

Whilst the M10 filter holder kit and Red-Diamond filters are not the cheapest, considering the features and quality, I think they're great value for money.

In conclusion 

Red-Diamond filters, you're getting a high-quality filter system that is competitively priced and well suited to photographers of all levels.

What I Liked

No Color Cast

Nano-Coating System

K9 Optical Glass

What I Feel Could Be Improved

I don't see anything that can be improved