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A NiSi True Color ND-VARIO variable ND filter held in one hand, with the knurled silver control ring and the TRUE COLOR marking facing the camera

True Color VND

One filter.
1 to 5 stops.

Turn the front ring and the exposure comes down, 1 stop to 5, with a tactile hard stop at each end. True Color glass leaves the color where you found it.

  • 15 sizes
  • 1 to 5 stops
  • 0.3 to 1.5 density
  • No X effect
Shop the range

Before you choose

Find your size

Fifteen threads, one filter.

Pick the size that matches your lens filter thread. Every size is the same glass, the same coating and the same 1 to 5 stop range.

What comes with a NiSi True Color ND-VARIO filter: a grey filter pouch, a push-on front cap, the filter itself, the silver rotation handle and the retail box40.5mm to 105mm

In the box

  • True Color ND-VARIO filter
  • Push-on front lens cap
  • Filter pouch
  • Silver rotation handle

Your thread size is printed on the front of the lens or inside the lens cap, next to the diameter symbol.

40.5mmTrue Color VND 43mmTrue Color VND 46mmTrue Color VND 49mmTrue Color VND 52mmTrue Color VND 55mmTrue Color VND 58mmTrue Color VND 62mmTrue Color VND 67mmTrue Color VND 72mmTrue Color VND 77mmTrue Color VND 82mmTrue Color VND 86mmTrue Color VND 95mmTrue Color VND 105mmTrue Color VND

On the smaller sizes the front thread is a step larger than the lens thread, which keeps the filter out of the picture on wider lenses: the 49mm filter, for example, has a 52mm front thread. The 86mm, 95mm and 105mm are the same size front and back. We recommend focal lengths of 35mm and longer, because below that a variable ND can show cross polarization.

The 49mm to 95mm sizes are the SWIFT versions, which also work as the base of the NiSi SWIFT system: a 4 stop ND, a Black Mist or a CPL pushes onto the front. Spare push-on caps and rotation handles are in this category too.

Why True Color VND

Built for light that keeps moving.

A variable ND earns its place when the light will not sit still. This one is quick to set, easy to repeat, and neutral at every setting.

01 / 06

One ring, 1 to 5 stops

A density of 0.3 to 1.5 in a single filter, so you can drag the shutter or open the aperture without swapping glass. Turn the ring to either end and you feel a tactile hard stop, at 1 stop and again at 5, so the front element cannot go past the range it was built for.

Close-up of the 1-5 Stops 0.3-1.5 engraving on the frame of a NiSi True Color ND-VARIO filter

02 / 06

True Color, nothing to correct

Designed to hold true-to-life color with no noticeable color shift or cast, so white balance and color temperature come back neutral and there is less to fix afterwards.

A NiSi True Color ND-VARIO filter on a white background, showing the TRUE COLOR and MIN 1 markings on the knurled frame

03 / 06

A handle you can take off

The stainless steel control handle screws into the frame for quick, smooth density changes while filming, and keeps your fingers out of the shot. Take it off when you would rather turn the ring by hand.

A NiSi True Color ND-VARIO filter on a white background with the silver rotation handle fitted to the front ring

04 / 06

Knurled, easy to grip

A light, machined aluminum frame with knurled side edges. It grips in the cold and with gloves on, and threads on and off a lens without a fight.

Close-up of the deep knurling on the silver back ring of a NiSi True Color variable ND filter, with the black front ring above it

05 / 06

A larger front thread

On most sizes the front thread is a step wider than the thread that meets your lens. Together with the thin frame that is what keeps the filter out of the picture on wider lenses.

A NiSi True Color ND-VARIO variable ND filter fitted to a wide-angle lens on a Nikon Z mirrorless camera

06 / 06

Nano coated, wipes clean

High-definition optical glass with the NiSi Nano coating: waterproof, oil-proof and anti-reflective, so spray and fingerprints lift off and ghosting stays down.

Water beading on the nano coated surface of a NiSi True Color ND-VARIO variable ND filter

Filter on and off

What five stops actually looks like.

Our own comparison frames: the same scene with and without the filter, a color chart at 1 and 5 stops, and the cross pattern test at full strength.

A phone on a tripod in front of a graffiti wall, shown with no filter on the left and with the NiSi True Color variable ND at 5 stops on the right
Same scene, side by sideNo filter vs 5 stops
A color checker chart photographed three times: with no filter, with the NiSi True Color variable ND at 1 stop and at 5 stops, with the colors matching across all three
Color chartNo filter, 1 stop, 5 stops

Specifications

The numbers.

Exposure reduction1 to 5 stops
Density0.3 to 1.5, variable
ControlRotating front ring, numbered, with a tactile hard stop at 1 stop and at 5 stops
HandleRemovable stainless steel rotation handle, included
GlassHigh-definition optical glass
CoatingNiSi Nano: waterproof, oil-proof and anti-reflective
FrameMachined aluminum with knurled side edges
Front threadA step larger than the lens thread on most sizes, to keep the filter out of frame on wider lenses
Recommended focal length35mm and longer, to avoid cross polarization on wider angles of view
Cross patternNo X effect at the strong end of the range
Sizes40.5mm, 43mm, 46mm, 49mm, 52mm, 55mm, 58mm, 62mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, 82mm, 86mm, 95mm, 105mm
SWIFT compatible49mm to 95mm, which take SWIFT push-on filters on the front
In the boxFilter, push-on front cap, pouch, silver rotation handle
WarrantyNiSi USA warranty, serviced locally

Questions

Before you buy.

What does a variable ND filter do?

It cuts the amount of light reaching the sensor, and because it is variable you set how much by turning the front ring. That lets you drag the shutter for a long exposure, or open the aperture wide in daylight, without changing filters.

How many stops does it give?

1 to 5 stops, a density of 0.3 to 1.5. The transition across the range is smooth, and the front ring is marked with the stop values so you can set the same exposure again.

Will I see an X across the frame at full strength?

No. This filter is designed with no X effect, and the hard stops at 1 and 5 stops keep the front element inside the range it was built for, so it cannot be turned into the region where a cross pattern would appear.

Does it change the color of my photos?

That is what True Color means here: it is designed to produce true-to-life color with no noticeable color shift or cast, so white balance and color temperature come back neutral. The color chart under Filter on and off is the same scene at no filter, 1 stop and 5 stops.

Which size should I buy?

Match the filter to your lens filter thread, which is printed on the front of the lens or inside the lens cap next to the diameter symbol. There are 15 sizes, from 40.5mm to 105mm. If your lenses use different threads, buy for the largest and add a step up ring for the others.

Will it vignette on a wide lens?

It does not hard vignette on wide or telephoto lenses. On the smaller sizes the front thread is a step larger than the thread that meets the lens, which together with the thin frame keeps the filter out of frame. The 35mm recommendation is about something else: below roughly 35mm a variable ND can show cross polarization, the uneven darkening across the frame that comes from two polarizers working over a wide angle of view. That is why we recommend focal lengths of 35mm and longer, not because the frame intrudes.

Can I get more than 5 stops?

Yes, on the 49mm to 95mm sizes. Those are the SWIFT versions, and a SWIFT 4 stop ND pushes onto the front to take the range to 5 to 9 stops. The add-on kits and the ready-made 1 to 9 stop sets are in the Variable ND range.

Does it work as a polarizer as well?

This filter is sold as a variable ND, not as a polarizer. If you want both in one piece of glass, we make the True Color VND/PL, a 1 to 5 stop variable ND and polarizer.

Do I have to use the handle?

No. The silver rotation handle is there for quick, smooth changes while filming and to keep your fingers out of the shot, and it unscrews when you would rather turn the ring by hand. Spare handles are sold separately.

What comes in the box?

The filter, a push-on front lens cap, a filter pouch and the silver rotation handle. Spare push-on caps and spare rotation handles are sold separately, in this same category.

How should I clean it?

Blow the dust off first, then wipe with a clean microfiber cloth and an alcohol-free lens cleaning fluid. Never put anything containing alcohol on the coating. The NiSi Nano optical cleaning kit has the right fluid and cloths.

Should I buy a fixed ND or a variable ND?

A fixed ND suits landscape work where you set up once and the strength does not change. A variable ND suits video, travel and run-and-gun shooting, where the light shifts and you want one filter instead of several. If you are not sure, ask our team.

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