Posted by: Evin Grant(DP) IR+ND Testing Results reduser.com

"Conclusion...

Finally, after a month of pleading and begging all the filter Co. to provide samples,

and three days of testing, what have we learned?

First off the failures...

I truly believe that, although the Schneider True-Cut IR lives up to it's name, especially under tungsten light, the off axis color shifting issues make it useless on any lens shorter than 32mm. For me that rules it out.

Also the Tiffen NDIR filters do not seem to me to add much to the equation. Although they seem to attenuate a little farther into the red spectrum than the standard filters they are not capable of competing with either the Panchros or a Hot Mirror + ND together.

Not a loser but...

The Tiffen Hot Mirror/IRND 1.2 combo filter does the job but not any better than separate filters and arguably with more color shift. It also is the most expensive single filter with a list price of $600 ($450 street). This make it a specialty Item in my mind, really only suited to those who have to use clip on matteboxes and are very limited in filter trays. Although the Panchro 1.2 ND accomplishes everything this filter does for a little over 1/2 the price.

The Winners...

I'm going to address these solutions by price range because they all get the job done adequately but have varying degrees of cost and connivence associated with them.

Beer budget: Rosco TruColor

The Rosco has arguably the best formula for cutting IR. There is no doubt it works but the single exposed, un-hardened coating makes it a fragile butterfly in the wilds of production. Be careful and it may serve you well, and at as low as $130 there's little to argue about price.

Wine budget: Tiffen Hot Mirror

The Tiffen is more expensive than the Rosco because it's a sandwiched, highly durable design. It also has the best off axis color performance of all the Hot Mirrors while still getting the job done. If you already own a complete ND set (Regardless of brand) this will work great for you provided you have enough filter trays to accommodate two filters and preferably a 4.5" or 138mm Polarizer.

Champagne:Pancro Mirrored IRND set

The Pancros are my top pick for one very important reason...

They maintain the original character of the sensor regardless of density. Because they reflect exactly as much IR as they do visible light you can use them singly or in conjunction with other filters or Polarizers and the image is the same color and character as if you weren't using any ND at all. They also have no discernible color shift. If you have yet to purchase an ND set this is the way to go. They are expensive but not much more than a set of competing regular NDs (About $350 each filter). If you really want to cover your bases pick up a set of Panchro filters for outdoor use and a Tiffen or Rosco Hot Mirror for tungsten shooting."

Reflections on reflections...