Half Stretch Creative Filter - 77mm

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Create stunning images with this stretch filter. Half of the image is stretched and warped by the thick curved glass filters, blurring parts of the photo and capturing beautiful streaks of light for truly unique shots that can't be recreated in post-production

• 77mm screw-in filter.
• Get a step up/down ring if you have a different sized front-thread on your lens. See below for advice on using a step up ring with this filter.
• Take the filter off the lens and go handheld with a 77mm filter adapter.
• Rotatable when fitted
• Glass protrudes beyond the front ring of the filter, and it has no front screw thread. It is not possible to stack in front of this filter, but you can stack behind it.

Tips for using the filter

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to a filter like this. The photos you'll capture will be unique, and that's because you'll use it in your own way. That said, personally, I recommend using this at wider apertures (f2.8 and below) and usually with a typical portrait focal length (35mm-70mm), especially when you're starting out so you can get used to working with an unusual filter like this, and then branch out when you're comfortable to more experimental looks with wide-angle lenses and narrow apertures.

If you use this filter at a higher aperture (like f8 and above), depending on the light conditions you may get an obvious line running through the middle of the image, due to the flat edge in the middle of the filter not being polished. This becomes more pronounced the higher the aperture, which is why low apertures are recommended.

Filters like this can occasionally trip up AF systems on some cameras.. If you're using a tripod and your subject is still, it might be best to use manual focus so that you can be sure it's as sharp as possible. Manually setting an AF point slightly off centre can really help (or just wherever you plan for your subject to be in the frame), as a filter like this can easily trip up an AF system.

Using a step ring with the stretch filter

The half stretch filter only comes in a 77mm filter thread, which is great if that's the same as your lens, but a lot of lenses have a different sized thread. A step ring gets over this problem, allowing the filter to be used with almost any lens, but how will this effect the image?

When your lens is smaller than the filter, you will start to lose the edge effect of the filter, and the larger the difference in size, the more you will lose.  Fortunately, the effect from this filter is pretty strong from the centre outward, so you'll get the effect on any step up ring, but it is possible it may not be the same as in the sample photos.

With a step down ring the usual caveats apply. Expect vignetting and to need to crop any images shot when the lens is larger than the filter.

Be sure to tag @riguphoto on Instagram with your kaleidoscopic images!

*Order two items from the prism photography range and instantly save £4 on your order (discount applied automatically to your shopping basket. Order 3 and save £8, 4 and save £12, 5 items will save £16.