Formatt Hitech Firecrest Ultra Ken Kaminesky Signature Edition 100mm Master Filter Kit + Firecrest 100mm Magnetic Holder Kit

- Firecrest Ultra Ken Kaminesky Signature Edition 100mm Master Filter Kit -
The revised master filter kit is the complete neutral density, grad and polariser kit. This kit contains a complete selection of filters used for landscape, travel, fine-art, long exposure, and architectural photography.

Ken Kaminesky
Ken Kaminesky's iconic photography has featured in major publications including the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and twice on the front cover of National Geographic magazine. As a commercial travel photographer and visual storyteller, he circles the globe in search of the world's most thrilling sights and stunning locations.

Master Filter Kit, Ken Kaminesky Signature Edition
Ken has reimagined the Master Kit, removing the 1, 2 & 3 stop ND filters and replacing them with the 3, 6 & 10 stop NDs that are essential to digital photographers. Add to this the 0.6 and 0.9 soft edge ND grads, circular polarizer, plus a booklet and filter pouches/clamshells and you've got the ultimate master filter kit for travel, landscape, fine art and architectural photography.

Firecrest Filters
Firecrest is a multicoating applied to glass and is far-and-away the most technologically advanced filter manufacturing process on the market. Firecrest filters remove dyed resin from the manufacturing process. The Firecrest multicoating is a rare earth metal coating applied to the glass through an electrolytic process. Most importantly, Firecrest technology gives our chief scientist unprecedented control over modifying specific frequencies of the light spectrum. The result is hyper-neutral NDs, with tailored reductions of ultraviolet, visible spectrum light, near-infrared and infrared.

3, 6 and 10 stops ND in Firecrest Glass
Neutral Density (or ND) filters produce a gray neutral effect and are used to reduce light in photography, enabling control over exposure time and depth of field without affecting color or contrast. The three ND filters in this kit were chosen because they provide a wide variety of creative options for the photographer. The 3 and 6 stop NDs provide a moderate long exposure effect. But, combined with the 10 stop ND you can create true long-exposure images up to 8 minutes. The 3-6-10 combination is extremely popular for its versatility.

2 and 3 Stops Soft Edge Grad in Firecrest Glass
Soft Edge graduated filters transition gradually in density from the top of the filter toward the center, and although there is a horizon line, it is subtle. This allows for horizon transitions to be more easily hidden in a scene, especially with an undulating horizon line such as mountains, buildings or trees. Typically graduated filters are used to enhance the sky by balancing the luminosity of the sky to the luminosity of the terrain. The 2 and 3 stop soft edge ND filters included in this kit are our most popular and most versatile ND grad filters.

Firecrest Polariser
The effect that polarisers have on photography is almost magical. Bright glaring reflections on water magically disappear. Foliage becomes deep and rich. Haze evaporates from the sky leaving clouds silhouetted against dramatic blue skies. Formatt-Hitech's polarisers are of the finest available. The circular polarisation pattern means that they work seamlessly with any digital sensor (linear polarisers from any manufacturer should be avoided when using CMOS sensors).

Firecrest Polarisers have the added benefit of a reflection reducing coating. This is especially important when using polarisers as often the polariser is employed to remove reflections that are bearing down directly on the barrel of the lens. For this reason, Formatt-Hitech offers our revolutionary Firecrest anti-reflective coating for our polarising filters. Firecrest coating protects against UV contamination, plus it reduces reflections, increases scratch resistance, and increases contrast and acuity.

- Firecrest 100mm Magnetic Holder Kit -

Firecrest 100mm Magnetic Holder System
The new Firecrest Magnetic holder system builds on the strengths of the tried and tested Firecrest system with additional enhancement in the introduction of the magnetic CPL attachment. The weakness of the old holder was the removal of the CPL. Although secure and functional, the feedback was it could be awkward to unscrew in the field if the weather was cold. So the system was redesigned to allow this to be done magnetically. At the same time, we designed a magnetic metal lens cap so that the rotating ring could remain attached to the lens speeding up use. The lens cap can also be used when transporting the holder on the camera, giving more peace of mind when using the system.

Cold Weather
The Firecrest range has proved itself in some of the toughest environments. For the development of the Firecrest Magnetic system, it was sent to Iceland for Field testing before the design was finalized. It was essential to see how it held up in the extreme wind and snow of an Icelandic winter to know it would match the needs of our most adventurous photographers and cinematographers.

The introduction of a magnetic CPL makes the use of the holder system easier in harsh conditions as well as faster to use. We have also included a lens cap that can either be placed over the holder, the CPL or onto the lens. This gives you the option to leave the rotating ring screwed into the lens, making the system much faster to use in the field without risking your lens optics.

A bigger polarizer giving you a wider view
With recent developments in optical design, it has become more common for lenses to have larger threads. To accommodate these advancements we have expanded our CPL (circular polarizing filter) to 86mm. This means wider compatibility and better performance on a range of new wide-angle lenses. It also makes it compatible with a range of cinema lenses such as the Tokina 11-20MM T2.9 and Tokina 25-75mm.

The polarizer can be fitted into either included rotating ring adapter, and becomes an integral part of the holder. The polarizer is operated with an easy to use thumbscrew. This allows you to set your grads and then dial in the exact polarizing effect you want. Due to its free movement, this means you can leave the polarizing filter (CPL) attached at all times and simply turn off the effect if not wanted. The construction of the filter also means you can use the CPL filter as an independent filter without the need of the holder.

The Holder Frame
We have made many subtle changes to improve the ergonomics of the holder, making it easy to hold and use even when wearing gloves in cold weather. The frame itself is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and includes scratch-resistant ABS slots and an integrated light leak gasket. The addition of a gasket on the frame removes the need to add gaskets.

Included Accessories
The holder now comes with two sets of covers, one vented for use with grad filters and a completely closed one for improved performance on long and extremely long exposure photography. The light guards add an extra level of utility for photographers who work in changeable environments. The holder also functions like any other holder without the guards when light leak or reflection is of lower importance.

In the spirit of flexibility, all holders ship with extra slots that can be used as spares or with the included longer screws to make it a three-slot holder, making room for an incredible four filters with the included 86mm rear mount circular polarizer attached.

A Hybrid System
The Firecrest Magnetic system has been designed to work as well with photographic and cinematic use with a range of Hollywood quality filters such as Firecrest Ultra and the new Ultralite diffusion range. The holder is ideal for rigged and lightweight set-up but also as a go-to solution for filmmakers who need to travel light. The holder system has been tested with a wide range of lenses and works well to 16mm on most full-frame systems.