Review of the Haida M10 Filter Holder Kit & Red-Diamond Filters

Author: Samir Belhamra

In Start of the year 2019, Haida replaced their 100-Pro Series Square Filter System. with a new one, called : "M10 Filter Holder Kit" , superseding their old system. 

Thanks to the team Haida to let me the chance to to try and use the new M10 Filter Holder Kit. Beyond the quality of the system (we will talk below), i find it really usefull, light and simple. 

I received the Haida M10 Filter Holder Kit & Red-Diamond Filters. 

With : M10 Drop-In 10-Stop ND Filter, Red-Diamond 100mm 6-Stop ND Filter,  Haida M10 Drop-In Nano-Coating Round CPL Filter and Haida 100mm Clear-Night Filter NanoPro MC Light Pollution Reduction for Sky / Star.

The Filter Holder System are composed of 3 parts : 

     - Adapter Ring : M10 Exclusive, optional sizes from 37mm to 82mm

     - M10 Holder : in Aluminum,  insert filters at 100mm width x2mm

     - Light Barrier : Designed to prevent light leakage when using the holder without round filters.

Large choice of M10 Drop-in Round Filters

ND

Dedicated to M10 Filter Holder

CPL

Dedicated to M10 Filter Holder. Independent Installation

Grad.ND Filters

Dedicated to M10 Filter Holder. Independent Installation

CPL+ND Filters

A dedicated 2 in 1 filter for M10 Filter Holder

Clear-Night Filter

Dedicated to M10 Filter Holder

Easy to use :

Connects to your lens with an adapter ring, then a light barrier or drop-in round filter, and then finally the filter holder itself. The M10 system connects to your lens with an adapter ring, then a light barrier or drop-in round filter, and then finally the filter holder itself.

Two slots are avaible for the 100mm wide by 2mm thick square filters. To switch holder systems but also if you want to use your others filters from other brands, but i prefer personaly to use the Haida round drop-in filters, or a combination of both. 

1 - Put the adapter ring on your lens.

2 - The M10 system connects to your lens with the adapter ring. In just 10 seconds you are ready.

3 - You have the choice to put the light barrier (if you don't use a round filter, to not let the light enter into the free space or you can put drop-in round filter (ND, CPL, etc...).

Red Diamond Filters ( the gear i have now)

Testing the new filter on some landscapes and cityscapes give me very promising results, but the best to see the result are to use the filter for seascapes. You can see and try to find the difference of colors on the water. Definitely, the result are for me 95% the same, in term of colors and render, and it the most important part for me to judge the quality of a filter.

M10 Drop-In 10-Stop ND Filter

• Made of optical glass and with a Nanopro coating that protects the filter extra. The filter has no detrimental color cast (Color Cast) and belongs to the elite of the ND filters

• The Nanopro is the color of the professional photographer or of the amateur photographer who strives for optimal quality in their photography and material

• The filter are packed in a sturdy box

Red-Diamond 100mm 6-Stop ND Square Filter (100x100mm) ND 1.8

• High Quality Optical Glass 6 stop Neutral Density Filter ND 1.8 64X

• Increases control of depth of field

• Eliminates overly bright, washed-out images. Balances exposures

• Equally effective in color or black and white photography

• 100*100 mm (4"*4")

• Approx. 2.0mm thickness

• Includes Light Seal Gasket & Metal Storage Tin / Case

Haida M10 Drop-In Nano-Coating Round CPL Filter 

High quality optical glass for increased optical clarity and color fidelity. Reduces glare in water and reflective surfaces, great for foliage in making leaves less shiny Enhances Colors, Darken Blue Skies turning them into deep rich blues .

Haida 100mm Clear-Night Filter NanoPro MC Light Pollution Reduction for Sky / Star.

• Reduces Light Pollution for Crystal Clear Night Skies

• Nano Multi-Coated

• Optical Glass Filter

• 100mm x 100mm x 2mm Thickness

Red Diamond Filters (Important questions)

Quality? 

For me the first point are the render of colors, and now I can trust my filters at 100%, because I try them in all way, during long exposure, and the colors are totally the same as when I don't put filters.

Is it geared towards somebody like us (landscapes photographers)? 

Totally, after testing some cheap and bad ND filters, and also some big brands, I see the difference, mostly when I compare the result with what the others brands give on the market, we can really trust in our gear, and the quality are the same or better than others.

What you are really looking for ...

Is the product easy to use and usefull? 

Definitely YES, the drop-in system, and how the holder are build, you can put it and remove it quickly, 10seconds are enought.

The only thing to think, when we have good gear, it's : what can we do with now? And.. the team HAIDA give me all the way to work with the filters in all kind to situations, night, day.. water.. cloud, sun, i can put my filters in every shot for all uses.

We are always looking to show up the best RAW File before the post production, and i think the filters are a part really important in our process, we don't need to neglige the quality of them because this will affect the final result of our images. 

It USEFULL to get filters in Landscape Photography, if we want to have freedom to get all elements we want.

Red-Diamond 100mm 6-Stop

Drop-in 10-Stop ND Filter

Bad and Good experience with the product?

Since more than 2 week , i have nothing to tell bad about the filters themself the Red Diamonds Glass are just perfectly made, for first. But, Maybe only bad things about the Holder (which are a good part if we see that with others eyes) is the lightness of the product, it can be a good point, but sometimes we can feel when we clean it, that we need to be really careful. 

The best point are, the easy way to install and remove it, when we go on some spots, sometimes when need to switch from places to places, and it can be really delaying to lost time to remove the filters, the holder.. etc... so... For me, personaly, i think the M10 Holder are the fastest kit to install in the market, not because i'm partner, but, i really test others brands before finish to adopt HAIDA as my companion on all my photo trip. 

With the drop-in filter system you will really win time !

Is the product worth my money?

However, it's definitely one of the better filter systems on the market, and isn't extortionately priced. It offers a number of really creative solutions to common problems, and while there is room for improvement I can honestly say that I’m happy with my purchase.

If you're looking to buy a new 100mm square filter system, you won't go far wrong with

Samples: 

Red-Diamond 100mm 6-Stop + Drop-In 10-Stop ND Filter ND 10 (Nikon D750 + 24-120 f4)

Haida M10 Drop-In Nano-Coating Round CPL Filter

Links:

http://www.haidaphoto.com/en/

Conclusion:

What i say when i talk about the M10 Holder is : "simply pull the ND out of the drop-in slot, plug in the light barrier or CPL and take another picture right away". The change takes a maximum of 3 seconds. The installation of the holder took only 10secondes.

After some test phase I am totally convinced of the idea and the practical application of the holder system. Starting with the adapter ring, which has reasonable dimensions, when installing or uninstalling one does not hurt one's fingers, I especially like the drop-in slot.