Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter - Review

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Polarizing filters and neutral density filters are a mainstay for vloggers and landscape photographers. Variable neutral density filters offer the convenience of several ND stops in a single package. And the way variable neutral density filters work, they are in and of themselves polarizers - with one big drawback. You cannot rotate the angle of polarization in a typical VND. The Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 filter solves that problem.

This filter packs a circular polarizer and a variable neutral density filter into a single screw-in package. It is very versatile and easy to use. My friends at Haida shared the filter with me so I could put it through its paces.

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What Is The Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter?

The Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter is a circular polarizer (CPL) and a variable neutral density (VND) filter. The VND gives you a range of 3 to 7 stops of ND power. And you can rotate the CPL independently of the VND setting. The critical information:

• Circular polarizer

• Variable ND filter, 3 to 7 stops

• Available in 67mm, 77mm, and 82mm sizes

• Incredibly light, less than 50 grams

• No vignetting > 17mm and no X patterns - the design of the VND prevents over-rotation

Like any screw-in filter, if you have multiple lenses of varying diameters, purchase the size that will fit your largest lens. Then use stop-down rings to adapt it to your smaller lenses.

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Who Is This Filter For?

I think there are two groups of visual creatives the CPL-VND 2 In 1 filter will benefit.

1. Film makers & vloggers: This filter is a clear win for anyone doing vlogging or capturing B-roll for films. A vlogger does not want to fiddle with filters. Vloggers need to get the footage they need and move on. Likewise with B-roll or a secondary camera capturing behind the scenes footage. The versatility this filter offers means a faster field workflow.

2. Budding or casual landscape photographers: If you are a part-time landscape photographer or just starting out with landscape photography, a complete filter system with holders and slide-in glass can be a daunting purchase. This 2-in-1 filter offers a great value (see Pricing below) and covers a large portion of the filter space landscape photographers need.My 4 and 6 stop ND filters are my workhorses.

I make landscape images all the time - it’s what I do. I love my Haida M10 system and the line-up of ND filters I have. I can make any image I need in just about any lighting condition. However, my workhorse filters are my 4 stop and 6 stop NDs, plus a polarizer. The Haida CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter easily covers that space. For a part-time landscape photographer, or are on a budget (who isn’t!), this single package gives you a lot of versatility. I would add a singular polarizer to round out a basic landscape kit, too, though. We don’t always need 3+ stops of ND power for our photos.

I’m using the Haida CPL-VND 2 In 1 for vlogging and behind-the-scenes footage. I can capture video at wider apertures like f/4, keeping my shutter speed at 1/50s for a cinematic feel, and keep the scene well-exposed.

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Build Quality

The construction and build quality of the Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter is excellent. The filter is metal, an aluminum alloy. The glass is K9 optical glass with 16-layer coatings on both sides. It is waterproof, oil proof, and scratch resistant. The small lever that screws into the VND portion of the filter is also very sturdy. I pressed and pulled and tugged on it in a variety of ways and it held fast and true.

Both the CPL and VND rotate smoothly. Haida has struck a great balance of friction and fluidity. The friction is low enough that the filter rotates cleanly with little effort. Yet, once you have it in the position you want, there is enough resistance that the CPL and VND stay in place. Moving or shaking the filter or camera do not change the settings you’ve dialed in. That’s important for handheld video work, where you may be following a subject and moving your camera with some speed.

Another attention to detail is the clear markings on the VND ring. The ND stops are clearly marked - and the design of the filter prevents over-rotation. 3 stops of VND is the minimum, 7 is the maximum, and you cannot rotate the VND beyond those points. Kudos to Haida on this part of the design.

Using The Filter

When you first unbox the filter, you’ll have to screw the small lever into the VND portion of the filter. It’s very simple. Then screw the filter into your lens. Actual adjustment of the filter is very simple. Dial in the number of stops with the VND lever and rotate the polarizer as needed.

I do recommend that you adjust the VND first, then rotate the CPL. Why? Well … two reasons. First, a VND is in and of itself a polarizer. So dial in the ND stops you need first, get that set. Then, adjust the polarizer to cut glare and reflections as needed. Second, when adjusting the VND, you can slightly move the polarizer setting if you bump the lever against the 3 ND or 7 ND position.

For my behind the scenes work, I often prefer to capture at a wider aperture like f/4 or f/2.8 and keep focus on the subject (usually me). The screen captures here show how blown out the scene was without a filter. Adding the CPL-VND at the 3-stop setting helped tremendously, dialing it down to a 6-stop setting reigned the the sky. A final rotation to the polarizer took care of the glare from the wet rocks and ocean.

Image Quality

I tested this filter for video work using a Sony A6400 (crop sensor) with a 20mm prime lens (a ~34mm-ish equivalence). The image results using the filter are great. I did not encounter any obvious color casts, vignetting, or X patterns.

Pricing And Availability

The Haida Pro II CPL-VND 2 In 1 Filter will be available in late July 2022. The retail pricing is US$78 for the 67mm filter, US$92 for the 77mm, and US$109 for the 82mm. That is a very attractive price point for the features and versatility you get from this filter.

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