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When it comes to photography and filmmaking, there are numerous filters to choose from. However, when it comes to choosing the right filters for the job, NiSi made that choice much easier with their latest design.
Picture this: you’re driving down a beautiful coastal road in the South of France. Wind rushing through your hair as the sun sets on the horizon, when suddenly the gearbox on your newly bought dream car explodes. The whole driving experience goes down a cliff, and the car ends up gathering dust in your garage for the rest of your life. Likewise, as photographers, we place an awful amount of trust in our gear. Therefore, we need gear that is well-designed, reliable, and effective. If you invest a lot of money into a set of filters but they end up crossthreading, have lackluster optical quality, and a color cast that would make even the Hulk envious, it ruins the whole experience of going out and shooting. With so many factors involved in a shoot, at the end of the day, all we want as photographers is to enjoy the experience, whether you’re shooting commercials or landscapes.
Using a CPL enhances contrast, polarizes the sky, and makes the foliage pop. Shot on the Canon R5 C using the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM with the NiSi JetMag TrueColor CPL.
Shot on the Canon R5c using the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 II L USM with the NiSi JetMag TrueColor CPL
Why Filters Matter
For most photographers, a CPL, or circular polarizer, is often required to cut out reflections, add natural-looking contrast, and make the overall image pop. Furthermore, ND filters are frequently used to block light, allowing you to use slow shutter speeds to capture waterfalls with a silky smooth appearance. These two types of filters are the fundamental pillars that any photographer relies on. If they’re not up to the challenge, the whole photograph could fall apart. Filters like the ones I mentioned above provide the photographer with more creative freedom and enhanced visual results without the use of Photoshop. It is therefore of paramount importance that these accessories work properly without hassle.
Bridge at Talybont on Usk, Wales. Photographed using the Canon R5 C, Canon EF 135mm f/2L with NiSi TrueColor CPL and NiSi JetMag Pro 6-Stop ND.
Filters have been something I swear by since I started shooting landscapes well over a decade ago. I’ve used many different brands and was never really satisfied with them due to issues with cost, ergonomics, or color cast. It wasn’t until 2020 that I invested in NiSi’s Long Exposure Landscape Filter Kit. The kit included a 6-stop circular polarizer, 3-stop ND, 10-stop ND, and 15-stop ND and came in a soft, padded case. None of the filters showed any color cast, thus allowing me to shoot without worry and reduce post-production time. They even worked beautifully on the Canon 5D Mark II for stills and the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K I used for video work at that time. The only downside to the filters was the time it took to screw them on and off my lenses, especially when swapping. Otherwise, they stayed fixed, and I never left home without them.
Using NiSi’s older Long Exposure Landscape Kit, I managed to slow my shutter speed down using the 6-stop CPL.
NiSi’s Filter Revolution
It wasn’t until late 2024 that I started seeing the new product launches from NiSi that got me excited like a kid in a candy shop. NiSi’s JetMag Pro product line was released, and everyone seemed very happy to get their hands on it, including me. However, I was cautious because magnetic filters have always been about as trustworthy as a politician’s campaign promise. You wouldn’t dare leave them attached to your camera while walking or stowed away in your backpack. Most of them had color casts, and the quality of the glass wasn’t outstanding. When NiSi kindly sent me the landscape photography ND kit to check out, my worries subsided. NiSi went and built something robust, effective, and frankly, a little bit genius.
What’s In The Box?
The JetMag Pro Landscape Filter Kit is a system designed with ease of use, speed, and accuracy in mind. NiSi has developed the magnetized filter system to include magnetized adapter rings that screw onto your lens’ filter thread. The magnetized filter then clips onto the adapter ring with a satisfying click and stays in place. Each filter is also color-coded, making it easy to distinguish between them when you’re on the go, so you’re not fumbling like a drunk in a dark shed.
Included in the kit:
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Hard case
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Circular polarizer
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3-stop ND
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6-stop ND
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10-stop ND
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Several adapter rings of different sizes, from 67mm to 82mm (on the 82mm kit) or 86mm to 95mm (on the 95mm kit)
As a result, you can attach adapter rings to several lenses and easily detach and swap filters on lenses. All this for a retail price of about £359 ($480 US, converted without shipping fees). In my case, I’m using a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II with an 82mm filter thread and a Canon 135mm f/2L with a 77mm filter thread. My NiSi 82mm and 77mm adapter rings are permanently fixed to my two lenses, so when I swap between the two in the field, it takes seconds instead of minutes. Therefore, I’m assured I’ll never miss a shot.
Furthermore, the filter kit comes with aluminum front and rear caps. When you’re done shooting, you can either attach the front cap to your filters and pack away your camera, or you can detach your filters, add the rear cap, and safely stow them in the NiSi hard case or even in your pocket.
Canon R5 C, Canon EF 135mm f/2L with the NiSi JetMag Pro TrueColor CPL and 6-Stop ND.
Why NiSi’s JetMag Pro Filters Are Worth It
The ease of use and speed are a big win. But what about the reliability of the magnets? Well, here’s where the kit shines. NiSi introduced a patented locking system. The locking system allows you to safely lock the filters, even when stacking multiple filters, by aligning them to a white line. This locking system ensures the filters will never come off. Trust me, I tried.
The biggest concern now would be when using the circular polarizer, as you’ll need to twist it out of its locking position to polarize the scene and remove reflections or darken the sky. But even so, the magnet was powerful enough that no shaking or bumping affected the unlocked filter. Faith in magnetized filters restored. Working with these filters for a few months has given me peace of mind and sped up my workflow so much that I can’t picture shooting without them.
A closer look at NiSi’s patented locking system on the JetMag Pro filters.
The JetMag Pro Ecosystem
Aside from the Landscape Kit NiSi sent me, there are several other kits to choose from, depending on your shooting style. NiSi has made a JetMag Pro Cinema Kit available, including a 2-stop, 3-stop, 4-stop, and 6-stop ND, as well as a Black Mist 1/8 and TrueColor CPL polarizer—a perfect toolkit for filmmakers. Alternatively, you can create your custom bundle on their website to fit your own needs.
More recently, NiSi has also released its first JetMag Pro variable ND: a 1–5 stop variable ND filter boasting accurate color representation and its impressive nanocoating technology. To top it all off, you can also add the new 100mm square filter holder into the mix. NiSi has hit the mark with their JetMag Pro system. The filters are slim and well-designed to the point where I can stack at least three different filters on my 16-35mm and not see any visible signs of vignetting.
Furthermore, the whole ecosystem works well together without fault. Both the build and optical quality are outstanding and knock the competition out of the park. With the JetMag Pro system still being new on the market, I look forward to seeing what else NiSi brings to the table down the line. It would be fantastic to see them release magnetic infrared filters of different strengths for use in landscape photography.
Canon R5 C, Canon EF 135mm f/2L with the NiSi JetMag Pro TrueColor CPL and 6-Stop ND.
What I Liked About The NiSi JetMag Pro Landscape Photography ND Kit
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Powerful magnetized system
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Ease of use
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Speed of swapping between lenses and filters
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Unmatched optical quality
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Slim filter design
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The nanocoating works incredibly well
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The patented magnetic lock system is robust
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Stackable filters and the ability to lock them all
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The ecosystem allows for more creative freedom
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A generous number of adapters is included in the kit
What I Didn’t Like About The NiSi JetMag Pro Landscape Photography ND Kit
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I miss the addition of the 15-stop ND filter I had in my previous NiSi Long Exposure Landscape Kit. However, I can stack the filters I have to get an equally long exposure time.
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No IR-cut is included in the CPL or ND filters, unlike in the past. You can, however, purchase a separate IR-cut filter and stack it with your other filters, so this is more nitpicking than anything.
Conclusion
NiSi’s JetMag Pro isn’t just a filter system. It’s a workflow revolution. It’s the coastal road, the dream car, and the perfect sunset without the blown gearbox. Of course, it’s not perfect. I miss the 15-stop ND from my old kit, and there’s no IR-cut built in. But honestly, that’s like moaning your dream car doesn’t have heated cupholders. You’ll live. Now, the only problem I have is deciding which JetMag filter I’m adding to my collection next.