Photography Filter Guides & Field Notes
Practical filter guides and field notes from XT Filters founder Leo Liang, written for working photographers choosing CPL, Black Mist and protection filters in the field.
Recent articles
Leica 39mm vs 46mm vs Q3 49mm: Three Threads, Three Filters
M and Voigtlander often 39mm, some lenses 46mm, Q3 43 is 49mm. Three threads, three filters. Ask before you buy 43mm.
How I Clean Coated Filters Without Scratching Them
No paper towels. Blow, drop of fluid if needed, nano cloth on the coating. Add a cloth to the filter order. Free shipping over $99.
Fuji Filter Size: XF 27mm Is 39mm, X100 Is 49mm
Do not mix them up. XF 27mm-class lenses are 39mm. The X100 needs an adapter, then 49mm. Wrong size will not thread on.
You Don't Need a Flagship CPL for Deeper Blue Skies
Skies and water do not require a $190 polarizer. Start with XT003; step up to XT001 PRO when coatings matter more.
Black Mist Isn't for Every Photo. Here's When I Take It Off
Fog, architecture, product detail, already-soft lenses: mist makes them worse. Trust means saying when to unscrew it.
What Lightroom Still Can't Fake: Polarizers and Black Mist
Dehaze will not pull glare off water. Bloom from black mist is not an LR slider. Protection can wait; these two cannot be faked later.
Black Frame or Silver Frame on a Leica?
Silver bodies like a silver ring. Black paint Q likes black. Frame color is a Leica buying decision, not a spec sheet line. XT925.
Fuji X100 Has No Filter Thread. After the Adapter, It's 49mm
X100/V/VI has no native thread. After an adapter it's 49mm, not 39mm. 39mm is for other Fuji lenses such as the 27mm.
How to Read the Filter Size Printed on Your Lens
The ø on the front ring is the filter size, not the focal length. Can't find it? Email Leo the lens model and we'll match the mm.