NiSi True Color CPL Pro Nano 82 mm – Circular Polarizing Filter without Colour Cast

NiSi True Color CPL Pro Nano 82 mm is a circular polarizing filter for camera lenses with a 82 mm filter thread. It removes reflections and glare from water, glass and wet leaves, deepens blue skies and boosts colour saturation, without the warm colour cast typical of many polarizers. The Pro Nano coating on both sides repels water and oil and resists scratches, the Cine Sealed edge protects against condensation, and the 4.9 mm slim aluminium frame reduces vignetting and takes a lens cap.

Looking for a polarizing filter that cuts reflections and makes skies and landscapes pop, but keeps colours natural? The NiSi True Color CPL Pro Nano 82 mm is a circular polarizer (CPL) for lenses with a 82 mm filter thread. It removes glare from water, glass and non-metallic surfaces, lets you see below the water surface, reduces haze and increases saturation of skies and foliage. Unlike many polarizers it adds no warm or yellow cast, so white balance stays accurate and post-production is faster. NiSi Pro Nano coating on both sides makes the glass water- and oil-repellent and easy to clean, the Cine Sealed edge resists condensation, and the ultra-slim two-tone aluminium frame reduces vignetting on wide-angle lenses and still accepts a lens cap.

KEY FEATURES

• True Color polarizer: no warm or yellow cast, colours and white balance stay natural.
• Cuts glare and reflections: from water, glass, wet leaves and other non-metallic surfaces.
• Deeper skies, richer colours: more saturation and contrast in skies and foliage, less haze.
• Pro Nano coating: multi-layer on both sides – water- and oil-repellent, scratch resistant, easy to clean.
• Cine Sealed edge: blackened and sealed glass edge against condensation and temperature changes.
• Ultra-slim 4.9 mm frame: less vignetting on wide-angle lenses, front thread takes a lens cap.
• Two-tone aluminium frame: silver back ring, black rotating front ring with knurled grip.
• Many sizes: available from 40.5 to 105 mm (40.5, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 62, 67, 72, 77, 82, 86, 95, 105 mm).

WHERE AND WHEN TO USE A POLARIZING FILTER

A CPL is the one filter most photographers keep on the lens outdoors. Use it whenever reflections or a pale sky spoil the picture.

• Landscapes and travel: deep blue skies, white clouds that stand out, greener grass and trees, less haze over distant hills.
• Water, rivers, lakes and the sea: see stones and fish below the surface, remove the glare that hides the water colour.
• Waterfalls and forests after rain: removes the shine from wet leaves and rocks, so colours look rich instead of grey.
• Architecture and real estate: reduces reflections in windows and shop fronts, darker skies behind buildings.
• Cars and products: controls reflections on paint, glass and varnished surfaces (not on bare metal).
• Video outdoors: the same effect for video; combine with an ND filter when you need slower shutter speeds.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Left: no filter – the sky reflects in the glass facade. Right: with the True Color CPL – reflections are gone and the sky is deeper blue.

Skies and foliage gain saturation and depth, while colours stay neutral.

ADVANTAGES OVER A STANDARD POLARIZING FILTER

• No colour cast: many polarizers add a warm or green tint; True Color stays neutral, so you correct less in post.
• Easier cleaning: Pro Nano coating repels water and fingerprints, raindrops and sea spray wipe off easily.
• Slim but practical: 4.9 mm frame without vignetting, yet with a front thread for a lens cap or another filter.
• Built for outdoor work: Cine Sealed edge and aluminium frame for cold, humid and changing conditions.

WHICH FILTER DO I NEED?

HOW TO USE A POLARIZING FILTER – STEP BY STEP

Light reflected from water, glass, leaves or a blue sky is partly polarized. A circular polarizer (CPL) blocks this polarized light, so reflections disappear and colours become deeper. The effect is visible in the viewfinder or on the screen, so you always see the result before you shoot.

1. Screw the filter on gently – finger-tight is enough, do not force the thread.
2. Compose the shot first, then slowly rotate the front ring and watch the reflections and the sky change.
3. Stop where it looks best – maximum effect is not always the best; backing off slightly often looks more natural.
4. Use it at about 90° from the sun – with the sun to your side the sky darkens most; with the sun behind you or in front of you the effect on the sky is small.
5. Re-adjust after changing orientation – when you turn the camera from horizontal to vertical, rotate the filter again.
6. Check the exposure – the polarizer takes some light; in automatic modes the camera compensates, in manual mode open up or use a longer shutter speed.

Common mistakes:

• Uneven sky with ultra-wide lenses – on very wide angles part of the sky becomes darker than the rest; use less effect or a longer focal length.
• Removing reflections you want – mirror reflections of mountains in a calm lake also disappear; rotate the filter until you keep them.
• Rainbows disappear – a rainbow is polarized light; at the wrong angle the CPL removes it, at the right angle it makes it stronger.
• Leaving it on in low light – indoors, at dusk and at night the CPL only costs light; take it off.
• Stacking on a UV filter – two filters on a wide-angle lens can cause dark corners (vignetting); remove the UV filter first.

HOW TO FIND YOUR FILTER SIZE

The filter thread is printed on the front of the lens barrel or inside the lens cap, marked with the ø symbol (for example ø82). The filter size must be exactly the same – this filter is 82 mm. The table below shows typical sizes, but always check your own lens.

Tip – one filter for several lenses: buy the filter for your largest filter thread and use step-up rings for lenses with smaller threads, for example a K&F Concept step-up / step-down ring set. A step-up ring goes from a smaller lens thread to a larger filter (e.g. 67 → 77 mm) and does not cause vignetting; a step-down ring (larger lens, smaller filter) usually does. The only drawback: the standard lens hood and lens cap may not fit with the ring attached.

PRO NANO COATING

NiSi Pro Nano coating covers both sides of the glass. It reduces unwanted reflections inside the filter and makes the surface water-, oil- and dust-repellent, so raindrops, sea spray and fingerprints are easy to wipe off.

ULTRA-SLIM FRAME AND CINE SEALED EDGE

The two-tone aluminium frame is only 4.9 mm thin, which minimises vignetting on wide-angle lenses. The knurled edge gives a secure grip when screwing the filter on and off and when rotating it. Cine Sealed technology blackens and seals the edge of the glass for better resistance to condensation and temperature changes.

OPTICAL CLARITY

High-quality optical glass with double-sided parallelism processing keeps light transmission high and distortion minimal, so the filter does not reduce the sharpness and detail of your lens.

COMBINING FILTERS

• CPL + ND: for long exposures of water with the reflections removed. Put the ND filter on the lens first and the CPL in front, so you can still rotate it.
• Two filters at most: every extra layer of glass adds risk of flare, reflections and loss of sharpness; more than two filters on a wide-angle lens almost always cause vignetting.
• Slim frames for wide angles: on lenses wider than about 24 mm (full frame) use slim filters and check the corners at the widest focal length.
• One filter instead of two: combined filters such as ND + CPL in one frame avoid stacking altogether.
• Systems for faster work: filter systems with an adapter ring (magnetic or press-fit, e.g. NiSi Swift) let you add or swap filters without unscrewing them each time.

USE IT WITH

• Step-up rings: K&F Concept step-up / step-down ring set 37–82 mm – use one filter on lenses with smaller threads.
• Cleaning: Lenspen optics cleaning pen and K&F Concept microfibre cleaning cloths.
• Filter storage: Moment soft filter case or Lowepro GearUp Filter Pouch 100.
• Lens protection: NiSi UV filters (Pro Nano AIR UV, Armor FX UV) for everyday protection when the polarizer is not needed.

WHICH NiSi POLARIZER TO CHOOSE?

NiSi makes several circular polarizers. They differ in frame, colour rendering and how they attach to the lens.

TRUE COLOR CPL VS A STANDARD POLARIZER

• Colour cast: many polarizers add a warm or green tint; True Color stays neutral, so white balance is right straight out of the camera.
• True Color CPL vs K&F Concept A Series CPL: True Color keeps colours neutral without a warm cast and adds the Cine Sealed edge.

CARE AND CLEANING

1. Blow off dust first – a blower or a soft brush removes sand and grit that could scratch the glass.
2. Clean fingerprints and drops with a Lenspen cleaning pen or a dry K&F Concept microfibre cloths; wipe from the centre outwards.
3. Do not breathe on the glass and do not use household cleaners – they can damage the coating.
4. Store filters in a case, such as the Moment filter case or Lowepro GearUp Filter Pouch 100, not loose in a bag.
5. Do not over-tighten – if a filter gets stuck, a rubber filter wrench or a rubber glove helps; never use tools that bend the frame.
6. Cold to warm – after coming in from the cold, let the filter warm up in a closed bag before cleaning to avoid condensation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which size do I need?

The size of your lens filter thread (marked ø on the lens). This product is 82 mm.

Does the filter cause a colour cast?

No. True Color polarizing film is designed to avoid the warm cast of many polarizers.

How much light does a polarizer take?

NiSi does not state an exact value; circular polarizers typically reduce light by about 1–1.5 stops depending on rotation.

Can I put a lens cap on the filter?

Yes, the front thread takes a standard lens cap or another filter.

Does it fit my lens hood?

Not with all lens hoods – with some hoods the front ring is hard to rotate.

Can I use it for video?

Yes, the effect is the same; for slower shutter speeds in daylight combine it with an ND filter.