For photographers, speeding up common tasks can add up to huge time savings. For editing and processing images, a lot of these repetitive actions take the form of keystrokes for image browsing and rating or dragging sliders, respectively. Enter the TourBox Neo.

The TourBox Neo is a input device for your computer that features over a dozen controls that can be customized. What's more, with the TourBox app, you can customize each of these buttons with essentially infinite variations, with custom functions for any given application.

This all sounds good in theory, but how does this custom input controller work in practice? Here's my overview of the TourBox Neo for Photographers, with a specific look at using this device for Photo Mechanic and Adobe Lightroom Classic.

Why Use an Input Controller like TourBox?

OK, so why does the TourBox exist? There are two main benefits:

First, the promise is essentially that you can customize this device and its controls to very quickly access your most used functions. Second, you can use multiple controllers to more quickly and easily make adjustments. The options for a scroll wheel, a jog dial, and a central knob are all big draws to the TourBox. Most other input devices catering to photo workflows don't offer close to this level of choice.

While using keybinding software and customizing peripherals can offer some of the TourBox's functionality. However, I'd argue that the third reason for the TourBox is a more ergonomic input and an array of control choices as well. More on this in the design section.

The Design of the TourBox

The design of the TourBox is reminiscent of gaming controllers, with subtle curves and a soft, rubberized exterior. The TourBox can be comfortably held in one hand or used on a desk surface.

The TourBox is a pleasantly weighty device without being difficult to hold or pick up. It has just enough weight to feel solid and sturdy — not cheap.

While there's a central knob, the overall layout feels somewhat generic. I don't mean this as a negative. On the contrary, the seemingly arbitrary layout of the controls invites one to use the device however you feel most comfortable.

The TourBox is an ambidextrous design in the sense that it doesn't force you to use one single grip or position. I feel this is a huge boon.

This design decision does come at the expense of some controls being more comfortable to use with one hand over another. For example, if you're using the TourBox with your right hand, the scroll wheel and jog dial are easily accessed by your index finger and may emphasize their use. Using your left hand, these two controls are still easily accessible. However, if you want your index finger to hover over them it means that your hand is off to the side of the device, rather than over the center of it. Ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference and these details are inherently neither good nor bad.

TourBox Neo Controls

The TourBox Neo includes 11 buttons and 3 rotary controls. The buttons themselves are well spaced and grouped in the layout, without forcing any one single kind of use. This kind of “generic” approach offers an easy kind of flexibility.

Key to this layout is the rotary knob in the center of the controller and the D-pad just below it. Their central placement are easily accessible regardless of which hand you use for the Neo.

While the layout itself feels relatively like a blank slate, there is hierarchy in the design. Button placement relative to the center, scale, shape, and so forth all inform you'll customize this controller. And that's a good thing.

USB-C Connectivity

The TourBox Neo features USB-C connectivity. There is the new TourBox Elite that features Bluetooth wireless. This is a great option if you want to cut down on cable clutter on your desk. Bluetooth is also a good option if you want to frequently move the TourBox.

Aside from the wire vs Bluetooth operation, the TourBox Neo and TourBox Elite appear nearly identical in their function, with a few exceptions. So if you're considering the Elite, most all of this review should apply.

The Software: TourBox Console

Key to the TourBox Neo is the TourBox Console software. This app is very easy to setup, but also offers a huge amount of customization. From this home screen, you can see that you can customize the controls globally and also by specific application.

Here's how I have my Lightroom preset setup so far. (This is very close to the default, but with just a few tweaks as I use the TourBox more.)

In addition offering customization of all of the dozen input controls, you can also customize combinations of buttons. This is a super smart feature and the TourBox software makes this very easy.

It's easy to see that the TourBox is essentially infinitely customizable. Between the ability to customize the 11 inputs and also combinations of buttons, there are endless possibilities.

Creative Software Integration

Diving into the software a little more, the TourBox offers custom options for a number of apps. Integration with Adobe Lightroom is baked into the console software at a deep level. This is one of the super interesting aspects of this device and advantages of TourBox. This level of function mapping isn't quite so easily replicable on a standard macropad or input device. Here, TourBox is clearly catering to creative professionals.

In this screenshot below, you can see how essentially every single panel option of Lightroom can be set as a shortcut.

In addition, this above screenshot shows that TourBox Console also has essentially every command available as an available shortcut to set. This is hugely helpful as it can saves you time having to reference commands in Lightroom itself, or trying to discover the correct keybindings. I love the attention to detail here. This is again one aspect of TourBox Console that helps set it apart from a generic macropad and many other input controllers.

Customization of Input Methods

I'm a massive fan of jog dials and tactile controls. Rotary controllers are such an intuitive and efficient way to make adjustments. There's a reason we've seen dials like this frequently used on consumer electronics like the original iPod and countless others. They just work.

In addition, the individual knobs, jog dial and scroll wheel can be set to adjust one of several different functions:

• software selected slider
• selection of an HSL color
• slider based on mouse hover

For my use, I'm personally using the “Adjust Slider (Mouse Pointing)” option most at this point. This is closest to my normal input workflow where I'm used to mousing over a panel slider and adjusting the setting using the arrow keys on my keyboard.

Utility & Performance

Personally, this is the best customizable input device I've used in a photography workflow. It's a great companion device. My main input is a Kensington Slimblade Trackball, which I absolutely love. But this is just what I use as a pointing device. Otherwise, I'm mainly using my keyboard.

Where the TourBox comes in is as a replacement to the keyboard. For the most part, I still use my trackball for UI navigation and pointing, but the TourBox has replaced a lot of keyboard use. This includes both shortcuts and direct input.

Photo Mechanic Performance

I've written about the use of the software Photo Mechanic by Camera Bits before. It's a piece of software specifically designed to cull images with extreme efficiency. In my workflow, I edit my selects first in Photo Mechanic first. Then, I import just those selects made in Photo Mechanic to Lightroom for final selects for processing and export.

For use of Photo Mechanic, this includes the arrow keys to scroll through images and to the number keys to assign star ratings. Here's how I have my Neo setup at the writing of this review:

With the TourBox Elite, I'm mainly using the knob and job dial controls to navigate very quickly through images. For star ratings, I have customized the arrow cluster of the TourBox for ratings of 1 through 4. I have them ordered with 1 at the top, then clockwise in ascending order.

Overall for Photo Mechanic, the knob and scroll wheel allow for extremely fast image navigation. Overall it's a much more intuitive process than using arrow keys to navigate, as you'd expect from controls that allow for continuous rotation.

The jog dial in particular is extremely nice to use when you want to scroll through images quickly. This is especially true when you're looking for a specific image or moment, rather than spending time on each image individually.

The one “gotcha” with Photo Mechanic

One thing I haven't quite worked out with the TourBox is a way to use the scroll or dial adjustments to set star ratings. Unlike Lightroom, there's no set command for increasing the rating or decreasing the rating. This makes using the scroll wheel and dials an imperfect fit for the ratings, even with macro functions. My ideal would be to have a scroll wheel up to increase ratings and down to lower it. Still, my arrow cluster solution works OK.

Ultimately, I'd really love a set of keys/buttons in a row that I could directly assign to correspond with 1-5 star ratings. This isn't a deal breaker but it would make the Tourbox a much better fit for my Photo Mechanic workflow.

I've also made a feature request with Camerabits, the maker of Photo Mechanic, for relative keyboard shortcuts to increase and decrease ratings. I've been told this will be incorporated into the next version of Photo Mechanic, which is going to make the utility of the TourBox for this app so much more flexible for me.

Adobe Lightroom Performance

For my use in Lightroom, I'm personally making very fast adjustments. Mainly, my adjustments are limited largely to the Basic RAW adjustments panel. I'll normally adjust these parameters, generally in this order:

• White Balance
• Tint
• Exposure
• Contrast
• Highlights
• Shadows
• Blackpoint
• Tone Curve

The Lightroom default TourBox actually has most of these tied directly to the buttons so they can be accessed with a single press. I can see how this is useful if you're not using a mouse/pointing device.

Here's how I have Lightroom for the Neo setup:

For me, as I'm using a trackball in my lefthand and using the TourBox with my right, I prefer using the dials/scroll wheel to control inputs, and to just hover over the slider I want to affect.

Adjustment of the sliders is very fast. I'd love to see some more granular control over the inputs for the knob, dial and scroll wheel. For example, being able to change exposure by 0.1EV (the default is 0.02EV adjustment, extremely granular) or slider levels by increments of 5 (the default is 1 unit). There is the ability to change the input to a unit of 20, but I find this a little too coarse. Somewhere in between would be a great addition to the TourBox Console software.

Advantages of the TourBox Elite

Aside from the addition off Bluetooth for wireless control, the TourBox Elite (soon to be released) also features haptic feedback. This is a massive and welcome addition. I'd love to try out the TourBox Elite for this feature alone.

With the TourBox Neo, the scroll wheel does include small detents as you'd expect on most scroll wheels you'd find on a mouse. However, the knob and the jog dial spin freely without offering any tactile feedback. The addition of haptic feedback would be extremely nice to have and I hope to try the Elite with this feature.

Review Conclusion of the Tourbox Neo

Overall, I'm really liking the TourBox Neo. It's an incredibly fun controller and input device if you're someone like me who loves trying to optimize their workflow. The TourBox Neo can be customized almost infinitely.

The only limit to the device is really in its software support. For very widely used applications like Adobe Lightroom and other Adobe creative applications, for which TourBox has extensive support, it makes the controller a dream to use.

For software like Photo Mechanic that is arguably more niche (though still widely by professionals, but not necessarily hobbyists or amateurs), the TourBox is still an excellent option.

If you're an Adobe power user, I think you'll love the TourBox. The intelligent software and deep Adobe support makes it a super powerful controller with a lot of utility with apps like Photoshop and Lightroom in particular.

The post TourBox Neo Review for Photographers appeared first on ishootshows.com.

If you're a professional photographer, you should care not only about how your images are made, but how they're processed and edited. Adjustments to white balance, color and contrast in software like Adobe Lightroom require an accurate computer display. The default displays of your average MacBook Pro are beautiful, but they have many issues, from glare to accuracy.

This BenQ SW321C review will look at the features and benefits of this professional photography monitor. We'll look at why an external display like the SW321C dedicated to pro photography offer superior performance that are worth the upgrade over consumer monitors.

BenQ SW321C Specifications

In this BenQ SW321C review, we'll look at a lot of details of this professional photography monitor that aren't just specs, but those can be important, too. Here are the specicifications for the SW321C:

BenQ Packaging

Naturally, the packaging of a product is of lesser importance than the product itself. However, I feel it is worth pointing out that BenQ packages the SW321C in the maximum of recyclable material.

Almost the entire container and packaging of the monitor is cardboard, which may be easily recycled. While there are a few bits of high density foam that pad the monitor, 95% of the packaging is cardboard. I was personally excited to see this approach. Well done, BenQ.

Factory Calibration and Perfect out of the Box

The BenQ SW321C is calibrated at the factory and each monitor comes with its own performance spec sheet.

The factory calibration reports details:

• Color gamut measurements
• Uniformity measurements
• Gamma
• DICOM

One of the most interesting aspects for me in this is the uniformity measurements, as the screen uniformity is one of the aspects that is most apparently in day to day use. My BenQ321C unit shows uniformity of nearly 100% across the screen and where there are deviations, the variation of only 1%. This uniformity is exceptional compared to consumer displays, which I have personally found to show much more variation.

Uniformity variance on small displays is much less of a noticeable issue, but are easily seen on large displays with the larger required viewing angles that exacerbate any differences. This makes uniformity one of the most easily appreciated aspects of the BenQ SW321C for me personally.

Design of the BenQ SW321C

Overall, the design of the SW321C is unassuming and utilitarian, but there's an honest beauty in this approach that means it fits in with nearly any aesthetic. There are no chrome accents or polished, chamfered edges, no translucent plastic that might catch stray light. Even the BenQ logo is simply screen printed on the lower bezel.

The plastic used for the display's hardware is a simple: a subtly textured dark gray, which seems to fit in with any sort of style unobtrusively. Black would have been too severe. Somehow BenQ's choice of this cool gray is perfectly utilitarian and understated, which I love.

At first glance, the aesthetic seems simple, but this is only a superficial read. More to the point, the design choices are extremely intentional and have everything to do with the experience of a performance monitor.

On closer inspection, there's nothing glossy or reflective on the front of the display. There is nothing to take your attention away from the image. This is a small but important decision that indicates BenQ's focus on delivering the highest quality visual experience.

Even the use of wide bezels, at least half an inch at the narrowest, serves to create a visual blocker of the display's image. This separation against any background distractions that might serve to compete is a quiet feature that aids in focus. The bezel is a physical moat around the image itself. Add in the supplied monitor shade and you have even more of an immersive experience.

While this is a review for the SW321C, these design features carry over to the other models in BenQ's professional photography line. This includes 32″ BenQ SW320.

Ergonomics and Height Adjustment

While a monitor isn't something that we generally think of as possessing ergonomics, the BenQ SW312C offers extremely good flexibility in terms of this feature. What I mean here with the ergonomics is the adjustability of height for optimal viewing.

In this regard, the SW321 is excellent, allowing for a very wide range of heights with the default base stand. The display can be set to be as low as about 1″ off the desk to a height of 8″. This range easily accommodates a huge range of preferences.

For me personally, I like to have the top of the monitor roughly at or just slightly above eye level. This allows me to view the center of the screen in a natural, relaxed downward angle that reduces eye strain. The low setting of having the display sit about 2″ over my desk is perfect for this preference. This is more important for the fact that the dimensions of this 32″ monitor are already quite large and the height of the display relatively high.

The height of your desk, the height of your chair and how you sit in it all will inform the proper height of your monitor. BenQ's attention to ergonomics here are excellent and I love the adjustability of the SW321C in this regard.

Often, in consumer monitors, monitors are given a tilt option but not necessarily easy height adjustment. In particular, it's not often to have the ability to set a very low height to allow for my preferred setup without a VESA mount, which can be bulky and requires an additional purchase. I love that that SW321C has such a versatile base with height adjustment by default.

In addition, the stand for the SW321C accommodates both vertical and horizontal use by default. Again, pretty incredible flexibility.

In this BenQ SW321C review, I cannot understate how easy and flexible the adjustments for this display are. I've had to use a VESA mount to get the same level of height adjustment in the past. Those mounts always come with their own caveats where one adjustment to height also adjusts the distance to the mount's clamp. Here, BenQ offers supreme ergonomic adjustments out of the box without compromise.

User Interface and Controls

On the monitor itself, the input of the SW321C are controlled by 4 buttons to the left of the power button. Pressing any of the buttons will bring up a visual display with quick options. These include access color mode, brightness and then the full menu of settings. Only the power button features an LED. Per the design aesthetic, I'm glad to have this as the only possible distraction surrounding the image.

Most importantly, the physical controls and menu are an elegant solution that surfaces the most commonly used controls — color mode and brightness.

I've used other monitors that prioritize input or that bury common features in menus. BenQ's prioritization is a welcome and smart decision. More on the ability to quickly change brightness below.

Hotkey Puck G2 Controller

One of BenQ's innovations is the Hotkey Puck G2. This is a small input device with a jog dial with 5 dedicated keys that is included with the SW321C. This controller is used to change display settings from the basic to the complex, including brightness, color mode switching between sRGB, P3, B&W and AdobeRGB, and more.

By default, rotation of the dial controls monitor brightness and I love this quick access. We know that display brightness is crucial to not only eye comfort and fatigue, but also to making precise image decisions.

I love that with the Puck I can intuitively and easily change the brightness level of the monitor to give me the best possible image based on ambient lighting conditions. In the daytime, I can easily increase brightness when it's needed, and at night I can dial down the brightness to suit my needs and the ambient so easily.

While monitor brightness is a basic function, the fact that it's so easy to change instead of being buried in a menu or only accessible by a fiddly user interface makes this BenQ decision of the Hotkey Puck G2 so brilliant.

In addition to monitor functions, the Puck can be set to control volume or mute. However, this control appears to be for attached devices only, not as an global system control.

Included Monitor Shading Hood

Included with the SW321C is a shading hood. This is a professional monitor feature that acts in a similar to a lens hood, blocking stray light. This protection further reduces glare and is ideal if you need to use the monitor in uncontrolled situations. Think on-location for a digital tech in a very bright room, or other instances where lighting cannot be controlled.

In addition, the shading hood creates a more immersive experience by physically blocking possible distractions.

BenQ includes both vertical and horizontal shading hoods with the SW321C. This is a great item to include and speaks to the professional stature of this model. Everything you need for the best possible experience is included right in the box.

Personally, I haven't used the shading hoods. For one, my desktop setup is in a fairly controlled environment where there aren't light sources that create glare. In addition, I have peripherals set up around my monitor (including the beautiful BenQ Screenbar Plus). With my Nikon Z 50 on a boom just to the side of my display and a Samson Q2U microphone on a book to the right, my current setup both doesn't require the shade or accommodate it.

All that said, it's a great value that BenQ includes the options for horizontal and vertical shades by default. If your desktop setup is in a situation near windows or where lighting can be either unpredictable or uncontrollable, the shades are huge asset that make for the ideal viewing experience.

Connectivity

The BenQ SW321C offers very good connectivity options, including a built-in SD card reader, USB-C port with 60W power delivery, and two USB 3.1 ports.

Between the inclusion of USB-C, DisplayPort and HDMI connectivity, all the standard options are available.

For a lot of photographers, connecting the BenQ SW321C to your MacBook Pro may replace the need for an extra hub if your needs aren't too heavy.

Use as an Primary External Display

I'm using the SW321C connected to a Mac Pro. I'm a fan of systems like the Mac Pro, Mac Mini and now the Mac Station over a combination system such as the iMac for flexibility and modularity.

If you're a Mac user, I'd always advocate for using an external display for your desktop set. This is true even if you use a MacBook Pro as your main machine, which I know is very common among professional photographers. This setup can be ideal. You have portable solution for work on location and on the road, and then you can use an external display like the SW321C for the ultimate desktop viewing experience.

In addition, what you get with this setup is not only more real estate, but flexibility and ultimately better quality. With the M-line of Apple Silicon, we're seeing incredible performance with their MacBook line. There's very little reason not to get the best of both world's with a portable setup that can also have a world class display in the SW321C for critical work.

Overall Display Performance

The overall visual performance of the BenQ SW321 is, in a word, excellent. From the first minute of using the display, I admit that it was love at first sight. The display is a gorgeous 32″ inches at the diagonal, but the real estate is just one part of the experience.

Out of the box, the monitor is calibrated from the factory to precise standards for “out of the box accuracy.” This is a monitor that literally requires nothing to look great and gives you the confidence that you have exceptional accuracy from day one.

Colors pop off the screen vividly. The 4K resolution renders beautiful crisp details. The 10-bit color depth showcases gradations with smoothness and subtlety.

The specs of the SW321C are impressive, as you would expect a monitor of this calibre and cost should be. 100% sRGB display, 99% AdobeRGB display and 95% P3.

A Superior Matte, Anti-Glare Screen

One of the main reasons to go with a professional photography display like the BenQ SW321C is for the superior anti-glare treatment of the screen. Glossy screens look amazing under the right circumstances and are convenient for casual viewing and non-critical work.

However, for demanding viewing, glare can be an issue that can prevent the accurate viewing of detail, obscure parts of the image or at the very least cause distraction to the task at hand.

To this end, all professional displays are universally anti-glare and this is precisely the approach that BenQ has taken with all of their displays. The SW321C's matte screen showcases beautiful color and contrast.

While glossy screens are truly beautiful to consume content with as a viewer, I'd argue that the inky blacks of glossy displays can hide perceived shadow detail and distort the apparent visual range. These considerations are not a factor for the consumption of media in a non-critical context; a glossy screen has its place to be sure.. However, as content creators and artist, an anti-glare screen is essential for detail work, whether it is photography retouching, image editing or processing RAW files.

Edge to Edge Display Evenness

One remarkable feature of the SW321C is that the monitor features incredibly even brightness and uniformity across the 32″ display. This is no small feat. Display uniformity among small displays isn't often an issue because the distance from the center to the corner is relatively small, and thus the viewing angle is proportionally small.

With a large display like the BenQ 32″ SW321C, the viewing angles from the center to the corners is much greater. This larger difference means greater viewing angles need to be accommodated along with uniformity for color, contrast and brightness.

Here, the BenQ shines, implementing what they call “BenQ Uniformity Technology” to offer an even experience from the center to the edge. I've used ultra-wide monitors in the past that have suffered from visible unevenness from the center to the edge, but I am happy to say that the SW321C has zero trace of these issues. From the aforementioned calibration report, the difference in unformity is less than 1% on any given part of the screen, with most parts being 100% identical.

Compare this to an extreme case of IPS glow in a consumer monitor like my previous monitor, the LG 34UM95 34″, which I returned.

Aside from IPS glow, lesser displays would show low contrast, increased apparent brightness or weird color shifts toward the edges of the screen, due to poor viewing angle consistency.

Even with a huge 32″ screen, the SW321C is incredibly even and BenQ's tuning of their displays is readily apparent. While most non-expert eyes aren't trained for color accuracy, even unevenness of a display is readily apparent to untrained eyes. The uniformity of the BenQ is a standout feature and one that any user will see day to day.

4K Resolution Monitors for Photography

Previously, I've used an LG 34″ Ultrawide with 3440 x 1440 resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. The 3340 x 1440 resolution is considered 2K. The SW321C's 4K resolution is 3840 x 2160 pixels.

Realistically, how much of a difference is going from 2K to 4K? It's not night and day. I was happy with the 2K resolution as a viewing experience and 4K in a smaller horizontal scale does give higher PPI. 4K gives plenty of detail at normal viewing distances with very crisp details.

16:9 vs 21:9 Ultra-Wide

More important than the precise resolution, I would say that I much prefer the 16:9 aspect ratio of the SW321C to the 21:9 aspect ratio I was using in the past. The 16:9 ratio means that the elements on the sides or extremes of the display are simply closer to the center screen than they are in a 21:9 display.

There's less eye or head movement to see everything you need to see. It's a subtle difference but one that's immediately noticeable and I find it more comfortable overall. In addition, the 16:9 screen gives more height to the real estate of the screen (all things being equal) and again, this gives you more usable real estate in the center of the screen, where it's most comfortable to look without eye movement or head movement.

Color Accuracy and Display Performance

The color accuracy and rendition of the BenQ 32″ SW321C is essentially flawless — as you'd expect at this price point. The specs tell the story best here:

• 100% coverage of sRGB
• 99% coverage of AdobeRGB
• 95% coverage of P3

In other words, what these numbers translate into are industry leading specs on par with the best of premium competitors. More to the point, BenQ's price point is dramatically lower. The very comparably spec'd EIZO ColorEdge CG319X retails for $5,739 vs the $1,999 price point of this SW321C, for example.

The real world take away from the BenQ 32″ SW321C offers the best image quality in a monitor that I have seen and the one that offers the highest quality experience I've used.

As a photographer, sRGB and AdobeRGB are my main concerns for display. AdobeRGB is important for client delivery and sRGB is important as the most common color gamut for real world applications on screen.

That said, for it it's all the other details about the BenQ SW321C that come through as most exceptional and which make this monitor more than the sum of its parts. Ease of use, the thoughtful details, ease of adjustability and use for stunning performance out of the box make this BenQ professional photography monitor a true winner for me.

Furthermore, the anti-glare screen and accuracy of colors, the adjustability of brightness to suit any condition and more all add up to an experience that is a pleasure to use. From global edits for RAW processing in Adobe Lightroom to retouching or other detail work, the accuracy and precision of the SW321C make these tasks a joy to use. My photos look amazing, the details pop, and I'm able to work with the minimum of fatigue even with all-day editing sessions.

BenQ SW321C vs Apple Studio Display

With the 2022 introduction of the 27″ Apple Studio Display, I feel it's worth making a minor update to address some points of comparison.

The stock Apple Studio Display starts at $1,499. Add on the Nano textured glass and height adjustable stand, and the cost is $2,299. Compared to the BenQ SW321C, Apple charges a premium for what I'd argue are essential features for professional work — anti-glare screens and complete ergonomic adjustment.

In addition, the Apple Studio Display offers less real estate and arguably very few advantages for professional photographers.

For a more direct comparison, the 27″ BenQ SW271C is $1,599 for the same screen size and the value of BenQ's line is more apparent with these built-in features. In all the most essential ways, I feel like BenQ is the winner here.

BenQ SW321C Review Summary

I hope that this BenQ SW321C review has been helpful if you're considering a professional photography monitor. This is a perfect display for photographers who want the best possible viewing experience for their work.

The setup of the BenQ SW321C is dead simple and what you get is a monitor that gives you professional performance at a fraction of the price of some alternatives. Out of the box, the 32″ SW321C offers incredible ease of use.

This display is full of subtle details that speak to BenQ's intent on providing a superior product and flawless experience. The truth is that all professional monitors will hit nearly identical specs. For me, the intuitive user interface, the emphasis on the most common functions (brightness, input, color mode) and more tell the true story.

BenQ has created a beautiful flagship display that takes the worry out of your monitor solution. Gone are the worries about color accuracy. The worries about missing detail due to screen glare. The worries about uniformity or viewing angles. The SW321C just delivers. It might not be flashy, but it works to perfection. The ideal of a tool that works as transparently as possible to deliver the goods without getting in between you and your digital images.

The post BenQ SW321C Review: The Best Monitor for Pro Photographers? appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Here's a my review of the JH Audio JH16 Pro custom in-ear monitors, what may well be the finest in-ear monitors money can buy. Personally, recorded music has never sounded so good.

Jerry Harvey's JH16 Pro IEMs retail for $1,149 – because life is too short to listen to those white Apple earbuds.

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If you find this review helpful, please consider buying your next photo gear purchase from B&H,Amazon.com, or any of my other my affiliate links.

To learn how you can help support www.ishootshows.com, visit the page Buy Yourself Something Nice. Now with that out of the way, let’s get to the review.

In-Ear Monitors

First, a little bit about “in-ear monitors,” or IEMs, which were created for the needs of performing musicians which have also been beloved by audiophiles for their quality of sound and their ability to be custom-fit.

Before the invention of IEMs, concert musicians used loudspeakers placed on stage that played back their instrumental or vocal performance and mix with the rest of the band. While these monitors are still widely used today, they possess a the inherent disadvantages of having a fixed position (limiting performer movement) and creating competing sound between band members (diminishing their effectiveness and clarity).

The solution? Miniaturized monitors that fit in the ear canal of the user, housed in a custom shell that simultaneously blocks external noise and allows for extreme musical fidelity. Awesome for stage musicians, audio engineers and audiophiles alike.

Jerry Harvey & JH Audio

One of the pioneers and innovators of in-ear monitor technology? Jerry Harvey, the founder of JH Audio.

As the apocryphal story goes, Jerry Harvey designed his first pair of IEMs in 1995 for none other than Van Halen's Alex Van Halen while working as the band's primary audio engineer.

When none of the existing in-ear monitors on the market could meet Van Halen's requirements, Harvey began sourcing his own components and build what would be the first two-way, custom-fit in-ear monitor. Within the year, Harvey co-founded Ultimate Ears and went on to design all of the company's professional in-ears monitors for the next decade.

Since then, Harvey's pioneering designs have been in the ears of pretty much everyone, from Aerosmith to ZZ Top and everyone in between. Not only did he invent the modern custom in-ear monitor, Harvey has over three decades of experience as a sound engineer and has toured with some of the biggest names in music.

So, in short, Jerry Harvey is pretty much the guy to trust with your ears, whether you're a touring musician or just dyed in the wool audiophile who wants the best possible quality.

With JH Audio, Harvey set out to raise the bar on the field he helped pioneer with the very best in-ear monitors available. Enter the JH16 Pro.

The JH16 Pro In-Ear Monitors

The 16's boast an impressive (and mind-boggling) eight drivers for each custom earpiece. Yes, eight: four low-end drivers and two each for the mids and highs.

Just a slight improvement from Jerry's first design with one high and one low driver.

Compared to the JH13 Pro, the JH16 Pro includes an extra two low-end drives for increased bottom-end capacity. Jerry Harvey has assured his fans that the JH16 Pro isn't necessarily “better” than the JH13 Pro, but that this extra low-end “leg room” is a solution to the unique needs of live musicians for the broadest frequency range at the low end due to the dramatic dynamic range of live mixes.

In addition to multitude of drivers, the JH16 Pro utilizes a “triple bore” design for undistorted and optimized delivery of each frequency range.

While the JH16 Pro were designed as the ultimate solution for touring musicians, what all this attention to sound quality means for the rest of us is sweet music to our ears.

Specifications

• Proprietary Precision-Balanced Armatures
• Double Dual Lows, Single Dual Mid, Single Dual High
• Integrated 3-way Crossover
• Triple Bore
• Noise Isolation: -26dB
• Input Connector: 1/8″ (3.5mm), Gold-Plated
• Frequency Response: 10Hz to 20kHz
• Input Sensitivity: 118dB at 1mW
• Impedance: 18 Ohms

What's In The Box

JH Audio's packaging dispenses with the frills and concentrates on the essentials – something I can appreciate. There's a paper sleeve wrapping the customized OtterBox and owner's manual, but these two are really the “meat” of the delivered goods. One nice touch? A customized metal plaque on the box personalized with your name.

Inside the box is a small black pouch, which contains the JH16 Pro and a small cleaning tool. The tool features a small brush on one end and a very fine wire loop on the other.

The OtterBox itself is just a nice touch, since it's waterproof (to 100 feet!) and crushproof. And it will float – you know, in case you're kayaking with your IEMs.

Owner's Manual & Instructions

The owner's manual for the JH16 Pro features all the standard stuff you'd expect, but it's actually hilariously written, too. For example, the final step for inserting the earpieces includes, “Touch your ear and shout, ‘blue team go' in your best Jack Bauer voice. Trust us, it's awesome.”

And you know what? They're right.

Design

Every pair of JH16 Pro will look a little different – they're custom-fit, after all. That said, the overall design of these monitors is a thing of beauty (the weird parts that mold to your ears aside – that's your fault).

I opted for clear shells with the JH16 Pro because I like being able to clearly see the drivers inside, but all of JH Audio's IEMs are available in clear and 52 other colors of acrylic, as well as options of solid color or translucent.

The serial number of each set is printed on the side of the shells that rest against your ear, as well as the initials of the user. Nice touch. Blue and red lettering distinguishes the right and left earpieces, respectively.

Build Quality

The build quality on the JH16 Pros is nothing short of excellent – and for a product that's built for the rigors of the road, you'd expect nothing less. After all, When was the last time you saw a rock star “baby” anything? Between a tough acrylic shell housing the drivers to kevlar-coated cabling, these things are tough.

The acrylic shells themselves are flawlessly molded with no bubbles, cloudiness or other imperfections.

Cable

The cable of the JH 16 Pro is thin and very flexible, with the main cord composed of three individual insulated cables twisted together. The cables, while not truly braided, are twisted in such a way with the natural “grain” of the wire that they stay perfectly tight and wrapped together.

At the end connecting to the earpiece shells, the cables feature a length of PVC tubing and memory wire, which allow the cable to be molded around the ear for a custom fit. This memory wire keeps the cable leads well out of the way and tucked behind one's ear.

As mentioned, the wiring is coated with kevlar (you know, the stuff bulletproof vests are made from?) and just slick enough to shrug off tangles. However, due to the relative flexibility and thinness of the cables, proper storage is necessary – you can't just ball the cable up into a rat's nest in the Otterbox and expect the cord to escape free and clear.

Opposite the earpieces, the cable terminates with a gold-plated, right-angle 3.5mm jack.

With all canalphones, there's an issue of microphonics due to the cable rubbing against clothing or other objects and telegraphing these vibrations into the ear. Thanks to the cable coating and braiding, which are designed to dampen vibrations, microphonics are practically non-existant.

Just like all of JH Audio's offerings, the JH16 Pro feature detachable cables using a two-pin connection. So, in the event that Kevlar isn't enough to save your cables from destruction, they're user replaceable at a $32 a pop. In addition, the modular design allows the use of aftermarket cables if you're into interconnects made out of rare-earth elements and stuff mined from asteroids and the like.

Comfort & Fit

Aside from audio quality, comfort and perfect fit is one of the biggest reasons to switch to custom IEMs. Even the most accurate or sonically-pleasing pair of earphones is worthless unless they're comfortable to use.

To this end, custom earpieces offer the promise of extreme comfort and the freedom to wear these monitors for hours without fatigue.

One thing to note with in-ear monitors is that there is a break-in period for custom earpieces as your ears become accustomed to the molded shells. At first, I found the reality of having pieces of hard acrylic intimately put into the contours of my ears not entirely pleasant. At the very least, it's unnatural.

However, the process of becoming accustomed to the earpieces is similar to that of wearing contacts, in which use is gradually extended for longer and longer periods of time until they can be worn effortlessly.

Having never used custom IEMs before, only universal models, my own break-in period was about 3-4 days of regular use. After becoming used to wearing my pair of JH16 Pro, I can say that these are not only the best sounding earphones I've used, but also easily the most comfortable as well.

With the custom JH16 Pro earpieces, I can comfortably just them for hours on end. Unlike headphones or even most canalphones, the earpieces don't exert any pressure on the head or ears. At best, they simply rest in the natural shape of the ear itself, which allows for comfort to the point that they almost disappear.

JH Audio also gives 30-day warranty for fit, which is a nice safety against the possibility of poor impressions.

Isolation

Thanks to the custom-molding, the JH16 Pro, like most custom in-ears, offer around -26dB of noise isolation. There's a lump of acrylic and miniature, balanced armatures in your ear, after all. This isolation offers a few key benefits.

For one, the massive reduction of external noise means that it's possible to use lower volumes – great for your hearing when you're piping sound directly into your ear canal.

In addition, blocking external noise means that all the gorgeous detail the 16 drivers of this JH16 Pro are pumping out is perserved with reduced competition.

I've used the JH16 Pro walking around New York City's Union Square with people and traffic all around. The only sound that actually interrupted the music was a motorcycle revving up through traffic.

Moreover, the JH16 Pro are the first earphones that have let me listen at normal volumes while on a plane, effectively lowering engine noise to such a degree that I don't have to blast my eardrums just to compensate.

Garbage In, Garbage Out

One of the first things that's readily apparent with the JH16 Pro is that they demand quality source material, both in terms of the source mastering/mix and the quality of the format.

Poor quality recordings and files can file small and thin, as if they fail to fill the stage the JH16 sets. Overall, it's enough to make one consider listening exclusively to lossless FLAC or ALAC.

Source:

For my listening, I'm using a Ray Samuels Predator DAC/amp connected to my Mac Pro. The Predator offers beautiful conversion for the JH16s with an extremely dark listening “background.” For my ears, normal listening levels are at 9 o'clock on the volume knob and below. The Predator is completely silent below 12 o'clock on the low gain setting, such to the point where there's no discernable difference between the JH16 Pro being plugged in or disconnected in terms of noise, hiss, or silence.

As the JH16 Pro are extraordinarily sensitive IEMs, they're devastatingly revealing of the slighting connectivity issues. I'm beyond pleased to say that the JH Audio JH16 Pro sound beautiful with the RSA Predator.

Disclaimer

To be quite honest, I don't consider myself an audiophile, only a music lover. To this end, I'm not going to get hot and sweaty doing a sonic, track by track analysis of the JH16 Pro.

I also don't profess to have golden ears nor super-human hearing. I'm a music photographer, after all, with what in all likelihood amounts to a mild degree of hearing loss. I shoot, on average, over 100 concerts and festivals every single year. That said, I do love music. I'm a music photographer, after all.

What I will offer are my thoughts on the experience of using the JH16 Pro as a whole and, more importantly, their real benefit.

Sound Quality

With the JH16 Pro, there's a visceral quality in the presentation feels more like a live performance than the playback of a recording. There's an immediacy to the sound that makes the instrumentation and vocals seem alive.

In terms of presentation, the JH16 sound effortless. They're not strikingly forward, or relaxed – they hard to even say they're balanced. They just sound right. While they don't have the seemingly infinite air of superb open headphones line the Grado GS1000i, the sound is wholly intimate and engrossing. Throughout, the JH16 Pro present details with a precise lushness.

Compared to even other excellent universal in-ear monitors like the Shure E500/E530/SE535, the JH16 produce a more full-bodied sound, with extension in both the top and the bottom registers. It's a cohesive, wholly addicting sound quality through the entire range.

In terms of the JH16 Pro's bass reproduction, one does get a real sense of the extra extension provided by the quadruple low-end drivers. There's a body to the JH16's low-end that grounds the presentation. Moreover, there's a speed to the attack and release those four low drivers deliver; it's like they're a boxer with the punch of a heavyweight and the dancing shoes of a featherweight.

However, all the revelation of details, sublime smoothness, grounding bass – these are just the details. The big-picture effect is wholly more interesting.

The biggest testament to the sound quality of Jerry Harvey's JH16 monitors? The JH16 Pro make me fall in love with my favorite music all over again. They make listening to music exciting with the promise of details and depth never before heard in even my favorite, well-worn tracks and albums. And that's the game-changer.

Summary

It's safe to say that the JH16 Pro are the most sophisticated set of in-ear monitors that Jerry Harvey has designed yet, which is saying a lot for a man credited with inventing the first two-way custom in-ear monitors, the foundation for modern IEMs.

With a staggering total of sixteen balanced armatures and three-way crossovers and a retail price of $1,149, the JH16 Pro should well sound like the best thing you've ever put into your ears. They do.

The JH16 Pro present a cohesiveness, detail and depth that belies their diminutive form. Combine this sound quality with a comfortable, custom fit that allows for isolated listening for hours on end, and you have what may be the perfect delivery for sonic bliss.

However, the real importance and value of the JH16 is that they simply make you want to listen to music. There's a true thrill in listening to old favorites with such depth and brilliance that it's as if it's the first time. The 16's make everything new again.

What Jerry Harvey and JH Audio offer in the JH16 Pro is a revelation to make you fall in love with your favorite artists and albums all over again. Nevermind the sticker shock – that's priceless.

Where To Buy

You can purchase the JH16 Pro directly from JH Audio:

JH Audio JH16 Pro at www.jhaudio.com

The post Review: JH Audio JH16 Pro Custom In-Ear Monitors appeared first on ishootshows.com.

For a portable location lighting solution, speedlights have long been a staple due to their small size. However, speedlights often leave photographers wanting in power, especially when shooting in bright sunlight. The solution of battery-powered strobes have traditionally been much larger and tremendously more heavy than speedlights.

Enter the Elinchrom Quadra Ranger series.

The Quadra system is one of the first ventures by a major lighting manufacturer that starts to bring real power in a groundbreaking small package. With flash heads smaller than Nikon SB-900 and a power pack light enough to carry with a shoulder strap, the Quadras are a kit that are the perfect fit for frequent flyers and any photographer who want to keep their location kit as light as powerful without sacrificing sun-combating power.

Heir To The Thrown

The Elinchrom Quadra Ranger RX are the baby brothers to the Elinchrom Ranger RX series, and essentially take a similar form factor, but at about 1/3 the weight, half the size, and overall much more portable.

Design

The design of the Quadra Rangers is easily the most compelling feature of this kit. Simply, everything is incredibly compact. This is a truly go-anywhere lighting setup. One of the features that helps accomplish this, aside from the small sizes of all the components themselves, is the fact that pretty much everything is modular. The cables detach from the flash heads, the power back separates into the electronic brains and the battery, etc.

The flash heads feature built-in umbrella holders and a stand attachment/tilt mechanism. The cables for the kit are fully detachable, which goes a long way in minimizing bulk when packing and transporting the Quadra kit. Each end of the cable has a locking threaded collar for secure use.

The battery pack features two ports for an asymmetric power distribution when two flash heads are used. In this two-light setup, 2/3 power goes to the A socket and 1/3 power goes to the B socket.

The controls on the power pack are straight forward, with a digital display and soft-touch buttons for the interface. The power of the unit is controllable in 1/10-stop, 1/2-stop, or full-stop increments, which is great for fine-tuned exposure.

Size & Weight

The entire Elinchrom Quadra Ranger kit is downright tiny – as it should be, for this basically its entire raison d'être. The flash heads themselves are essentially almost half the size of a speedlight like the Nikon SB-900. The battery pack is a little larger than the size of a really thick hardcover book.

Even with the sealed lead acid batteries, the kit is light enough to throw into a backpack or carry using the supplied shoulder strap.

Build Quality

There's always a catch. With the Elinchrom Quadra Rangers, the catch is in the build quality of the flash heads. Without pulling any punches, the heads are pretty much all plastic, from the mount to the tilt head and all the body components. What all this adds up to is that the heads feel a bit cheap.

The flash heads feature an umbrella mount that is just a tube for an umbrella shaft. There's no lock on the mount – the shaft is held in place by tension alone. In testing, this tension was enough to securely hold a Photek Softliter II without issue, though you do have to crank down the tension well.

The bigger concern with the flash heads is the ability of the heads' tilt mechanism to lock with the weight of very large modifiers. To this end, Elinchrom offers the RQ-EL Reflector Adapter, which accepts the standard Elinchrom mount and features a stronger dedicated stand mount and tilt mechanism.

The build quality of the rest of the kit is great – the battery pack locks securely and feels solid once assembled.

Ease of Use On Location

Overall, I found the Quadras incredibly easy to use. Even without reading any of the manuals, the entire system has an easy, plug ‘n play simplicity, from assembling the kit to shooting with the Elinchrom Skyport to control power levels. A big part of the ease of use is the simplicity of the system, but the size and weight of the Quadras can't be stressed enough – the compact portability and light weight of these units alone makes for a much easier location kit.

Aside from quibbles about the Quadra accessories mount on the flash head, the system as a whole functions just beautifully in the field. ‘Nuff said.

Oh, but one caveat – below.

Asymmetrical Power

The one catch I have about using the Quadras in the field is that when using two flash heads on one battery pack, the power, as advertised, is asymmetrical. 2/3 goes to the A head and 1/3 power goes to the B head, automatically and statically ratioed based on whatever the global power setting is.

While this works for most quick ‘n dirty location shooting, the lack of fine-tuning between the two sockets's power distribution is ultimately a handicap for the system. I'd love the ability to split power between the two power channels – even the ability to switch the ratio to 50/50 power between the two would be a great option to have.

Elinchrom Skyport System

Like a lot of companies, Elinchrom has developed their own wireless flash triggering system – the Elinchrom Skyport series. The Quadra Ranger power pack has a built-in Skyport receiver – naturally, the Quadras and Skyport transmitter work perfectly together.

The clear benefit to the digital controls comes in with the use of the included Elinchrom wireless trigger transmitter. While the Skyport transmitter feels like a cheap plastic toy on a good day, the ability to dial the power pack's levels up or down in precise, 1/10-stop increments is beautiful. If that sounds too slow, 1/2-stop and full-stop adjustments are also possible.

In terms of the interface, I do wish that the Skyport transmitter had the ability to display the current power level of the power pack.

While the built quality of the Skyport transmitter leaves lot to be desired, particularly the flimsy exterior antenna, the sheer ease of use in remotely controlling the power of your remote lights trumps any negatives.

Quality of Light

Long story short, the quality of the light that the tiny little Quadras put out looks great. No color tints that you can find on some lower-end strobes – just clean, consistent white light from the Quadras heads.

Quadra Power

Now here's the big question – a system, no matter how convenient, still has to have the power to be useful. After all, speedlights still win out for sheer portability, but their relative lack of power is the reason small, portable systems like the Elinchrom Quadras exist.

So, do the Quadras cut the mustard?

My test for this was to shoot late afternoon in South Beach Miami with the sun in the frame. Limited by the 1/250 sync speed of the Nikon D3 and the base ISO 200, I shot at f/11 and used the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter and dialed in 6-stops of beautiful neutral-density.

The Quadras were more than up to the task. Quite simply, they spanked the blazing sun into submission, even with 6-stops of ND over the 24-70mm f/2.8 I was using.

Quadras VS Speedlights

Alright, first-hand accounts of use in the field will probably satisfy most readers out there, but I know some of you are still hungry for more meat. To this end, I did a little real world test to show how these the Elinchrom Quadras stack up against a small, battery powered flash like the Nikon SB-900 speedlight.

The Test Setup:

While I'd seen other tests comparing the Elinchrom Quadras to small speedlights, all of these tests were shot with bare flash and only metering the center. This kind of testing reveals that the difference between the lights is roughly only 1.5-stops. After shooting with the Quadras, I knew the difference was much greater.

The key piece missing with these other tests is that they don't replicate actual use, since a light modifier is almost always used.

To test the real-world use of these lights, I decided to go with a Photek Softliter II as the test modifier – a nice, relatively big light modifier that should show off the differences between the Quadras and Nikon SB-900. The Softliter was was positioned with its center at a height of 72-inches, and with the center 66-inches from the test scene. For both tests, each light was fired at full power at different aperture levels.

The Elinchrom Quadra was shot bare with no reflector or diffuser. The Nikon SB-900 was set at 24mm with no diffuser.

The Results:

Power Equivalency:

Studying the above examples, one can see that the difference between the Elinchrom Quadra and the SB-900's power doesn't break down into full stops. To this end, and to get as close as possible, I shot at 1/3-stop intervals to get as close as possible to see at what aperture the two lights reached equivalency.

2 and 2/3-stops. That's the difference between the Quadras and the SB-900. More specifically, the Elinchrom Quadras give you 2 and 2/3-stops more power than a Nikon SB-900 when using a modifier like the Photek Softliter II.

Quadra Flash Heads

The Quadra Ranger system encompasses several different flash units:

S Head

The S head is the standard flash head for the Quadras. For the majority of users, this is the set you'll want to go with unless you're shooting action sequences or sports.

A Head

The A head is Elinchrom's “speed” head, which are optimized for very short duration flashes to freeze motion. When used with the lower power B socket on the Quadra power packs, the A heads can achieve flash duration as short as 1/6000 second. Aside from the difference in the flash components, the A heads look identical to the S heads.

RQ Ringflash PRO

The Elinchrom RQ Ringflash PRO is a dedicated ringflash for the Quadra series. Aside from the traditional bracket mount for a ringflash, this ringflash also features a handle on the bottom of the  unit, which is handy for using the flash “freehand” without the bracket. The downside to the handle is that the package is slightly bulky to pack, since the 2-meter cable is non-removable.

Elinchrom's Ringflash ECO does away with this handle and adds a detachable cable design, with the loss of a little speed in the duration of the flashes.

Lighting Modifiers

Ranger Quadra Portalite 40 x 40 cm

This softbox is small but mighty. At 15″ square, this softbox is extremely compact, but a great choice for the edgier single-person portraits I shot with it.

Aside from the nice quality of light from this tiny softbox, the best thing about it is the design – it breaks down to nothing more than few fabric panels, small plastic speedring, and four short metal rods. In other words, it's the kind of modifier than you can fit into a bag that's already full.

Other benefits of the modifier are that it's light and manageable enough for an assistant to hold without fatigue, and that it's small enough that it doesn't catch any wind.

RQ Reflector Grid:

Another dedicated Quadra modifier, the 18cm reflector also accepts 12º, 20º, and 30º grids. The grids snap in with a piece of spring metal for a tight piece of kit. This reflector grid worked great for adding just a touch of highlight shooting with the B socket of the Quadra's pack.

Extending the Quadra System

While I used the Quadra system with one power pack, I think a more complete system would be two total power packs and 2-3 flash heads between them, simply for the best combination of flexibility and dedicated power.

In addition, at least one of the extended, 10-meter cords is a good option for the most flexibility, as the 2.5-meter cords do limit flash positioning, especially if you're using the units on tall lightstands or with a boom.

Who Should Buy the Quadra System

So, who should be interested in buying the Quadra kit? Anyone interested in a go-anywhere portable lighting kit.

Summary

If you're looking for the smallest pro lighting kit out there with minimal weight, the Elinchrom Quadras are a beautiful piece of kit. Even with some cheap points in the build quality, the overall package is just so fast, convenient, and flexible that this system has to demand a lot of consideration.

The post Review: Elinchrom Quadra Ranger System appeared first on ishootshows.com.

Neutral-density filters are a mainstay of landscape  and travel photographers desiring long exposure for specific effects like the motion blur of water. However, outside their utility with outdoor photographers, the ND filter has immediate uses for anyone shooting portraits and working with flash photography.

The Singh-Ray Vari-ND is a unique kind of neutral density filter. Unlike most ND filters, the Singh-Ray Vari-ND achieves a 2 to 8-stop range of ND through two different filters sandwiched together, resulting in extreme flexibility from a single unit. As Singh-Ray advertises, their Vari-ND filter is “The only solid ND filter you'll need.”

The Flash Sync Problem

When shooting with flash in bright daylight, there are a couple of problems that become apparent . For one, one has to shoot at or below the x-sync of one's camera, which is generally between 1/200 and 1/250. Even though some speedlights offer a high-speed sync option, the reduction in power that these flashes employ to achieve a HSS is so drastic that it often defeats the entire purpose of trying to ambient light.

Even shooting at the base ISO of one's camera means that a very bright scene will necessitate stopping down to f/11 or even smaller to achieve a proper exposure for the ambient light. When you compound this with the desire to underexpose ambient light and create a hierarchy with an off camera flash like the Nikon SB-900 or a portable lighting system like the Elinchrom Quadra Ranger or Profoto AcuteB 600, the limitations of a 1/250 sync speed become daunting.

Instead of stopping down to f/22, the beauty of an ND filter is the ability to cut multiple stops of light from factoring into the exposure. This not only means that one can avoid stopping down into the zone of diffraction, but it opens up creative opportunities that can help create compelling photos as well.

Whether you want to create a “dark daylight” of dark blue sky or shoot at f/1.4 at high noon, a good neutral density filter is the answer to many a photographers' flash sync woes.

The Only ND Filter You'll Need

Singh-Ray states that their Vari-ND is “The only solid ND filter you'll need,” and they're not far off. Aside from photographers who need less than 2-stops of ND, the 2 to 8 stop range offers enough flexibility to satisfy all but the most demanding and specific uses.

2-stops of ND is the perfect amount for subtle effects, while 8-stops allows you to shoot at f/1.4 at high noon with a sync speed of 1/200 without blowing your exposure white hot.

Moreover, one thing Singh-Ray stands by is the quality of their filters – one reason why the Vari-ND will blow a $300+ hole in your wallet.

Thin vs Regular

Singh-Ray makes two versions of the Vari-ND – the standard-ring version and the thin-ring version. The regular version is 14.2mm thick and the thin is 10.5mm thick. My best recommendation is to skip the standard and go straight to the thin-ring version.

At over a centimeter thick, even the thin-ring is enough cause vignetting below 35mm on a full-frame camera. Besides, if you're already spending $340 on a filter, you might as well spend $390 for the more svelt version.

Design

The design of the Vari-ND filter looks very much like your average polarizer. The Vari-ND features a smoothly rotating front element that lets you dial in different degrees of neutral density, from 2 to 8-stops.

While there are markings on the barrel of the filter, these are not calibrated in any meaningful way. Singh-Ray states that the markings are only so that you can achieve repeatable results and they are not to be used as precise indicators of stops.

Use & Functionality

Using the Vari-ND is a process – for the most part, it's not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of accessory unless you plan on using it at its lowest ND settings only.

Due to the massive amounts of light cut by the Vari-ND filter, the best use of the filter necessitates that you focus at its minimum effect, then reset the filter to shoot. For landscape photographers shooting at hyperfocal settings already, this isn't really an issue at all, but for portrait shoots where composition and shooting distances are rapidly changing, it requires a bit of finesse.

The easiest use of the filter comes without using a lens hood, or using a collapsable lens hood like the Mamiya #2 rubber lens hood.

Since the Vari-ND is only two-stop of light reduction at its minimum, f/2.8 lenses focus just fine without the need to remove this filter. In bright light and with faster lenses, you'll be able to focus with the filter at even higher levels of neutral density.

At 8-stops neutral-density, the frame for all but the brightest scenes is so dark that everything is obscured. Precise framing requires achieving the frame you want before “stopping down” the ND filter. In dimmer ambient situations, a tripod is advisable for the most critical framing.

While the markings on the filter aren't useful for dialing in a specific amount of neutral-density, they are essential for getting even and repeatable results with flash and strobes. Thanks to the markings on the barrel of the Vari-ND, it's easy to set your flash exposure “stopped down” with the filter, open it to 2-stops ND to focus, and then reset the filter to the desired strength.

Examples With The Singh-Ray Variable ND Filter

Killing The Sun

Contrary to its appearance, the above photo wasn't shot in space. Instead, it's a photo of the sun amid a bright blue sky at midday. The exposure was 1/250, f/8, ISO 200 and 8-stops ND with the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter. Needless to say, this ND filter is enough to turn day into night.

Shooting Wide Open

Translating this into something slightly more applicable to photography, here's an example of how this can work to kill daylight with a portrait:

The above photo is a practical example of how the Singh-Ray Vari-ND can tame daylight in a meaningful way.

Here, the filter was cutting over 4-stops of light, which lower light levels entering the lens enough to shoot the Nikon 85mm f/1.4 at the relatively wide aperture of f/1.8 for a very shallow depth of field, all while dramatically darkening the bright afternoon sky. The real key is that this was all shot at 1/250, the sync Nikon D3.

Without the Vari-ND filter, it would have been impossible to shoot with the same combination of a wide aperture, relatively low shutter speed (for the abundant light), and also throttle down the harsh afternoon sunlight into a gentle accent camera left.

While using high speed sync with speedlights would have enabled one to raise the shutter speed, HSS dramatically decreases flash power, which in turn hugely decreases the flexibility of small flashes and all their benefits.

Shooting Into The Sun

Here's another portrait example of how the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter can really tame sunlight – in this instance, shooting directly into the glaring, South Beach sun in Miami.

Here, the Vari-ND is working at around four-stops or so – enough to easily tame the sun without completely killing detail in the clouds, and overall keeping things natural for an exposure that would have been impossible otherwise.

Image Quality

The beauty of the Singh-Ray Vari-ND – and the reason for its high price – is the excellent optical quality of this filter. It's color-neutral, so it won't impart color casts to your images while it works – hence why it's called a neutral-density filter.

Moreover, the filter leaves your images sharp. Two slabs of glass or not, sharpness with this filter is a complete non-issue; the quality with this filter is simple there are doesn't degrade the quality of your lenses. In reality, the quality of the lenses you use, your RAW converter, and your sharpening workflow will make more of a difference on image sharpness than the Vari-ND will.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Pros:

• Wide 2 to 8-stop ND range
• Flexibility eliminates need to remote filter to focus for most lenses
• Excellent optical clarity & neutrality
• Daylight becomes your bitch

Cons:

• Thin-ring mount is $390
• Filter vignettes below 28-35mm on full-frame using Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
• Requires dedicated shooting workflow – not for P&S work

Summary

If you've ever cursed your camera's sync speed, wanted to tame ambient light, or otherwise control your exposures independent of the sun, the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter is the answer to your prayers.

While it's not cheap by the standards of a filter, the fact is that the Vari-ND is a tool that extends your lighting equipment and its flexibility in such a meaningful way that it's more apt to compare this to another piece of lighting equipment.

As David Hobby, the Strobist Himself, says,

My advice – don't skimp on the ND. The cheap ones are pure crap – and I say that from experience.

I highly recommend the ungodly expensive Singh-Ray Vari ND, which I am pretty sure is manufactured in heaven. It oughtta be, for the price. But it is sharp as hell, neutral and lets yo use any aperture you want.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Where to Buy – Recommended Retailers

The Singh-Ray Vari-ND is available from BHPhotoVideo.com, where I buy all my photo gear:

• Singh-Ray Vari-ND – 77mm (Thin Mount)
• Singh-Ray Vari-ND – 77mm (Standard Mount)
• Singh-Ray Vari-ND – 82mm (Standard Mount)

The post Review: Singh-Ray Vari-ND Filter – The Best ND Filter appeared first on ishootshows.com.