To understand my review I must confess I old. My photography and video started by when film was the only option and post editing was done in a dark room and that was mostly just dodging and burning. Back then filters were the best way to add creative effects and remove unwanted ones caused by UV light.

Those days are long over. Most filters are less relevant now than ever before. Almost any effect you can think of can be created in post with software with no permanent alteration to the original file, as a filter does. The only “must have” filters than software can’t duplicate are CPLs and NDs. And that brings me to the subject of this review – the black diffusion filter. Broadly, this is one of those filters that is in-between the “tech has made it obsolete” and “tech can’t duplicate it’s effect.”

Before I discuss this filter specifically, I want to discuss this filter is for. You might have figured out I’m not a huge fan of filters. I’m in the camp that believes filters, other than CPL and NDs, when used correctly, damage the original file in that the filter’s effect is permanently etched into the image, something proper software doesn’t do. So why use them. However, the black diffusion filter can be useful if you care more about the time savings of instant results over having maximum post editing flexibility. If that’s you then read on.

K & F Concepts has been around for a while and recently has endeavored to make more upscale products than it traditionally has made. This black diffusion filter is one of these upmarket products. The build quality is up with the best filter makers with its brass rim. That is the prefer metal for filters because, unlike aluminum, it’s easy to remove without a filter wrench. Only premium filters have brass rings, but not all premium filters have them. K & F didn’t stop there though. It designed hearty finger grips into the rim so regardless of whether you are wearing gloves, have sweaty or frozen fingers, getting this filter on or off should be easy.

The glass on the filter is also clean and the coatings to deflect dirt and oils actually work. Almost every filter manufacturer brags about multi-coatings, but often it turns out to be mere marketing talk. The coatings are there but they don’t work well.

Functionally, the filter does what it says too. If you are looking for a soft, dreamy look, this filter provides that IF you use it properly. In normal daylight it does nothing more than make photos and video look unsharp. However, with good ambient soft light it will give you a romantic look. Keep in mind, this necessarily means you will lose detail. That’s a feature not a bug of a black diffusion filter. In that vein, this filter works best when you can control ambient light, either in studio or with portable lighting.

Finally, this filter comes in a fabric wallet rather than a traditional plastic case. It’s a nice touch that I appreciate.

I’ve been filming with this filter for the past week or so and I am genuinely impressed with it. This is definitely a high-quality 1/4 diffusion filter. It even comes with a really nice carrying case. In terms of actual use: it creates a nice diffused glow without creating any weird color cast in the image. As a matter of fact, this is one of the best filters I’ve seen in terms of having neutral color cast. Overall, I’ve been really happy with this and I think I’m going to get a few more of these in other sizes for some of my other lenses. Highly recommended.

The filter is packaged well and it has a professional look and feel to it. It fit perfect and adds a dreamy sense of mist to an image. That being said, I don't think I'll end up using it much. I prefer to shoot things as raw as possible without adding effects that can't be removed later.

There are certain situations where it is better to add the effect during shooting than in post-production though, so I'll use the filter for those times when it really calls for it. But the effect is too strong to just use it to make your shots "look more cinematic." There are other ways to achieve that.

Compared to the 1/4 black mist, I prefer this one. The effect is much more subtle, while still adding to the overall feel of the image. It helps to cut back some of the highlights. The filter came packaged really nicely and professionally. It was sized perfectly for my len's 82mm filter size. The threads are good on it, and didn't notice an issue taking it on and off.

I'm not a professional photographer by any means. But this does soften images a bit (not even sure if that's a correct term). It's a subtle difference and you could probably recreate the affect in some photo apps such as photoshop or lightroom. I use this for real estate photos for capturing unique features and for the casual headshots for my team. They come out great, I'm just not sure if it's priced right. This fits my Canon camera fine, it actually also fits my iphone well with a magnetic lens adapter. I feel this works better for video on my iphone as the effect is noticeable but subtle.

Always struggled with that harsh digital look that makes everything appear too clinical and sterile, so when I heard about black diffusion filters I decided to try this K&F Concept one. The difference it makes is honestly incredible and has become an essential part of my setup.

The 1/4 strength creates this beautiful soft glow around lights that immediately makes footage look more cinematic and professional. I tested it during a recent shoot at a local restaurant with dim lighting and the results were amazing, all those point light sources got this dreamy halo effect that would have taken hours to recreate in post-production. The filter also does wonders for close-up shots of people by naturally smoothing skin tones without making everything look artificially soft.

What surprised me most is how well the anti-reflective coating works, I expected some issues with flare or ghosting but even shooting directly into bright windows didn't cause problems. The build quality feels really solid too with smooth threading that doesn't stick or cross-thread when mounting. For anyone doing portrait or narrative video work, this filter adds so much character that you'll wonder how you managed without it.

K&F Concepts XPRO Black Mist filter is, indeed, exceptionally well made. It feels great in the hand, with nice grips and a sense that its threads will hold up over time and use. The sharpness is excellent and there's almost no loss of light. The exposure you'd use without a filter is the exact same as with the XPRO. The blooming effect is very subtle, which is what you'd expect at 1/8th. There's also no shift in hue or tint-- though you have to be careful not to have the camera on Auto White Balance because it will interpret any blooming or diffraction of different colored light as affecting the entire image, causing it to shift color temperature in Auto. My one niggle is that I hate the case. It's too big for a 77mm filter so it bangs around inside, and the soft center doesn't feel protective. I wish they'd gone with a hard shell.

Excellent quality filter as always from K&F. Creates a subtle but beautiful hazy effect emanating from light sources, which is very reminiscent of film. The effect isn't quite as intense as I had expected but it's subtle enough not to cause any other distortions in the image or mess up textures like skin. If you look closely you can see how intricate the layering of the glass is with little black specks all through the filter. Threads in smoothly and was clearly machined with precision.

In terms of quality it's top notch, and even comes with a hard felt case for carrying in your equipment bag. Does that really make it worth the price tag? That I'm not sure of. There are similar filters for much less, but you do always get what you pay for with equipment. The subtlety and precision of the effect produces by this lens while not distorting the rest of this image must be thanks to the quality. I feel comfortable shooting for clients with this filter knowing I'm not losing any quality. Love this filter, and love K&F!

Probé este filtro Black-Mist 1/4 en varias sesiones tanto en interior como en exterior, y el cambio fue evidente desde el primer disparo. La imagen gana un aspecto más cinematográfico, con luces difusas y transiciones suaves que le dan un toque profesional. En retratos, ayuda a suavizar la piel de forma natural sin perder detalle en los ojos o en zonas clave.

El montaje fue sencillo gracias al marco de latón, que se enrosca sin holguras ni roces extraños. Lo he usado en grabaciones nocturnas y en tomas con iluminación fuerte, y logra un equilibrio interesante entre suavizar reflejos y mantener el contraste general. Además, el recubrimiento realmente evita que se acumulen huellas o gotas de agua, algo muy útil si trabajas en exteriores.

Probé este filtro Black-Mist 1/4 en varias sesiones tanto en interior como en exterior, y el cambio fue evidente desde el primer disparo. La imagen gana un aspecto más cinematográfico, con luces difusas y transiciones suaves que le dan un toque profesional. En retratos, ayuda a suavizar la piel de forma natural sin perder detalle en los ojos o en zonas clave.

El montaje fue sencillo gracias al marco de latón, que se enrosca sin holguras ni roces extraños. Lo he usado en grabaciones nocturnas y en tomas con iluminación fuerte, y logra un equilibrio interesante entre suavizar reflejos y mantener el contraste general. Además, el recubrimiento realmente evita que se acumulen huellas o gotas de agua, algo muy útil si trabajas en exteriores.