Is this the Heliopan "cross-hatch vignetting"?

moldcad

moldcad

Veteran
Sorry for starting a new thread (and cross-posting), but I panicked a bit when I saw the below picture :(

In the other threads about Heliopan cross-hatch vignetting, I noticed that some users got Heliopan to replace their filters, and the replacements are claimed to be free from this ugly effect - what is a consensus here? Should I complain about mine (only vignettes on wide lenses; the screengrab has been taken from the kit lens at its widest):
 

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moldcad said:
Sorry for starting a new thread (and cross-posting), but I panicked a bit when I saw the below picture :(

In the other threads about Heliopan cross-hatch vignetting, I noticed that some users got Heliopan to replace their filters, and the replacements are claimed to be free from this ugly effect - what is a consensus here? Should I complain about mine (only vignettes on wide lenses; the screengrab has been taken from the kit lens at its widest):
Click to expand...

Every chance it is. I get a similar but not as dramatic version of that with my Genus ND Fader when I go beyond "Max."

Ugly isn't it!
 
I had the LCW fader and it did the same thing, only it did it on every lens, every focal length and it started to appear about 1/3rd of the way through the filters range - so for me that was completely unusable. Every vari-nd will exhibit this to some degree, its an unavoidable consequence of the vari-nd design, some just do it more than others. I will say I'm very happy with the Singh-Ray that replaced the LCW, I get most of the range before the corners start to vignette and the X hits after 7 - 8 stops depending on the focal length.
 
Believe me or not but I have no vigneting on my heliopan ND. The widest I went, it was 24mm and nothing like what I see on the picture. I would suggest you to contact them and see what you can do.
 
This pretty much happens on most wide angle lenses with fader NDs. On the Tokina 11-16, when I start getting towards the 12mm range, it starts to happen. But that's the only lens it happens on. I have a Genus Fader, which sucks by the way. The Heliopan is better for sure, but will probably still get the X regardless.
 
gene_can_sing said:
This pretty much happens on most wide angle lenses with fader NDs. On the Tokina 11-16, when I start getting towards the 12mm range, it starts to happen. But that's the only lens it happens on. I have a Genus Fader, which sucks by the way. The Heliopan is better for sure, but will probably still get the X regardless.
Click to expand...

Out of interest why do you say the Genus Faders suck?

What makes the Heliopan better?

I have asked before but no one answered, what makes a good fader?
 
The Genus starts getting soft around 85mm. At 200mm, the image is very soft when compared to a normal ND filter. I've heard the Helipan doesn't get soft.
 
I see a little bit of it around the edges at full wide on my 17-50. Wondering if a thinner step up ring might help?
 
gene_can_sing said:
The Genus starts getting soft around 85mm. At 200mm, the image is very soft when compared to a normal ND filter. I've heard the Helipan doesn't get soft.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I never go beyond 85mm for the same reason. At 200mm it's not just soft but impossible to focus! :)

Piotr, can you vouch for the Heliopan not getting soft on the long focal lengths?
 
I never noticed unacceptable effects of using the Heliopan at 200mm with the kit lens (of course, as the lens is only F6.3 at max, the Heliopan is not "closed" much)...
 
Nirv said:
Wow, you may just have made me rethink my views on Faders. I thought they all were poor but that Heliopan looks mighty impressive.
Click to expand...

I dont know what brand you have but I guess they are fine for the first few stops (mine are tiffen) its just they fall over once you are trying to cut 4 maybe 6 or 8 stops

I might try mine stacked with a 2 stop ND on the bright days

S
 
morgan_moore said:
I dont know what brand you have but I guess they are fine for the first few stops (mine are tiffen) its just they fall over once you are trying to cut 4 maybe 6 or 8 stops

I might try mine stacked with a 2 stop ND on the bright days

S
Click to expand...

That's how I have been using mine but after 85mm the image goes soft but at 200mm the image looks like someone has smeared Vaseline on the lens.
 
I get this effect on my Heliopan if I push it all the way. I usually put a .6 or .9 on the camera first and then use the Heliopan to fine tune.
 
Just bought a secondhand 67mm Heliopan for the kit lens. Didn't break the bank too much.

The Genus ND softening increases with focal length not the amount of density so I'll keep if for my other lenses.

Thanks for the advice and for posting the examples which made it very obvious how good the filter is.

Edit:

The difference in quality from the Genus Fader are night and day, both build quality and optical quality are superior in the Heliopan.

The Heliopan also reflects less light compared to the Genus. I may just have to buy another one for all my other lenses.
 
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