Compare complete kits

The Run-and-Gun Filmmaker's Guide to Variable NDs (2026)

In photography, if you step outside into the bright sun, you simply raise your shutter speed (to 1/4000th of a second) to darken the image. In video, you cannot do this. Because video is a sequence of moving images, your shutter speed dictates the 'motion blur' of the footage. To achieve a cinematic look, your shutter speed must be exactly double your frame rate (the 180-degree shutter rule). If you shoot at 24fps, your shutter speed MUST be locked at 1/50th of a second. But if you lock your shutter at 1/50th on a sunny day, your video will be completely blown out and pure white. To solve this, you need a Variable Neutral Density (VND) filter, like the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Edition. A VND is essentially a pair of adjustable sunglasses for your lens. By rotating the filter, you instantly darken the image, allowing you to shoot at the perfect 1/50th shutter speed in any lighting condition. This guide explains the physics of motion blur and how to deploy VNDs in the field.