Port Willunga V6
As a NiSi ambassador, I hope you don’t begrudge the fact that I am posting yet another V6 filter holder ‘review’ on launch day. I’ve linked the video (in the comments) to some of the field considerations about the filter holder but these are my initial thoughts about the new holder:
1. The holder is more compact and lighter than the V5. Time will tell if it’s more durable but thus far, not a single NiSi filter holder I’ve tested dating back to 2015 has broken.
2. The filter slots glide much easier and with guide tracts, you are far less likely to encounter the problem (as I have) of having the filter get stuck halfway while inserting due to the alignment of the lower tract (see video). There does not appear to be any vignetting up to 16mm at any angle (as advertised)
3. The bevelled edge and matte black design would seem to allow for less light leak and reflections (light leak has been problematic right up to the V5pro with the V5 galaxy much less affected by this problem). On my one shoot side on to light, I did not experience light leak.
4. The ‘lock’ mechanism is a good thought but unlikely to change my workflow or increase my ‘hit rate’ in the field. I simply haven’t had issues with older holders sliding out of position since most of my shots have the filters in a vertical orientation, not angled.
5. The filter cap is a huge bonus! I’ve always had to dismount the filter holder kit and place a normal lens cap on my setup but now with the filter cap, I can leave the ring and CPL attached to the lens in between shoots. (5b , the bag for the slot is fine, I just wouldn't put it on the tripod as I'm constantly shooting in or around water and have no need to access it while in the field).
6. My main concern (and only one) is that the first slot of the V6 appears a very tight fit for an ND filter with Gasket. I cannot easily remove the filter while another GND is stacked in front of it. While this might not be an issue if you like to shoot long exposures for the whole shoot, I constantly change up between long and short exposures so this affects my specific workflow. I’ll play around with the screw tension to see if I can get a good balance between the tightness of the first slot vs 2nd and 3rd.
Overall, if you already have an earlier iteration of a NiSi filter holder, you’d need to decide how much importance to place on each of the 6 issues I’ve listed in terms of how the V6 would improve your shooting. On its own, it is an excellent product but it may or may not necessitate an upgrade from a previous holder as they are already of high quality!
ps. unfortunately my recent trip to Tasmania occurred the week before I received my V6. I'll be able to do more field testing while again in Tasmania in April!
Port Willunga V6
As a NiSi ambassador, I hope you don’t begrudge the fact that I am posting yet another V6 filter holder ‘review’ on launch day. I’ve linked the video (in the comments) to some of the field considerations about the filter holder but these are my initial thoughts about the new holder:
1. The holder is more compact and lighter than the V5. Time will tell if it’s more durable but thus far, not a single NiSi filter holder I’ve tested dating back to 2015 has broken.
2. The filter slots glide much easier and with guide tracts, you are far less likely to encounter the problem (as I have) of having the filter get stuck halfway while inserting due to the alignment of the lower tract (see video). There does not appear to be any vignetting up to 16mm at any angle (as advertised)
3. The bevelled edge and matte black design would seem to allow for less light leak and reflections (light leak has been problematic right up to the V5pro with the V5 galaxy much less affected by this problem). On my one shoot side on to light, I did not experience light leak.
4. The ‘lock’ mechanism is a good thought but unlikely to change my workflow or increase my ‘hit rate’ in the field. I simply haven’t had issues with older holders sliding out of position since most of my shots have the filters in a vertical orientation, not angled.
5. The filter cap is a huge bonus! I’ve always had to dismount the filter holder kit and place a normal lens cap on my setup but now with the filter cap, I can leave the ring and CPL attached to the lens in between shoots. (5b , the bag for the slot is fine, I just wouldn't put it on the tripod as I'm constantly shooting in or around water and have no need to access it while in the field).
6. My main concern (and only one) is that the first slot of the V6 appears a very tight fit for an ND filter with Gasket. I cannot easily remove the filter while another GND is stacked in front of it. While this might not be an issue if you like to shoot long exposures for the whole shoot, I constantly change up between long and short exposures so this affects my specific workflow. I’ll play around with the screw tension to see if I can get a good balance between the tightness of the first slot vs 2nd and 3rd.
Overall, if you already have an earlier iteration of a NiSi filter holder, you’d need to decide how much importance to place on each of the 6 issues I’ve listed in terms of how the V6 would improve your shooting. On its own, it is an excellent product but it may or may not necessitate an upgrade from a previous holder as they are already of high quality!
ps. unfortunately my recent trip to Tasmania occurred the week before I received my V6. I'll be able to do more field testing while again in Tasmania in April!