Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Holder Magnetic Kit
£175/$189 Combines the convenience of magnetism for a polariser with the flexibility of slots for square filters www. format t- hi tech. com
K-based Formatt Hitech is not the most widely known filter manufacturer, but it’s a respected brand by those in the know. The Firecrest 100mm Magnetic Holder is an update to the Firecrest 100mm Holder MKII, and introduces a magnetic attachment for the polariser, which on the old system was hard to unscrew in the cold.
UKey features
Like other filter holders, the Formatt Hitech Firecrest 100mm Magnetic Holder mounts onto a lens via a magnetic adapter. The supplied circular polariser is mounted via magnetic attraction, while the holder for square and rectangular filters is attached mechanically. Formatt Hitech supplies two magnetic adapters in the kit: one for lenses with an 86mm filter thread, and another for lenses with an 82mm filter thread. There are also two step rings in the kit to allow the 86mm adapter to be mounted on lenses with 77mm or 72mm filter threads.
The holder body is made from aircraftgrade aluminium, while the filter guides are made from plastic. Slots enable up to two square/rectangular filters to be mounted in the holder, but Formatt Hitech provides an extra pair of guides, plus longer screws, to enable up to three filters to be mounted.
To prevent light from hitting filters from behind while they’re mounted in the holder, there are two sets of covers that can be slotted onto the top and bottom of the holder. One set is ‘closed’ for use with square filters, while the second set is ‘vented’ to enable rectangular graduated filters to be moved up and down in the holder.
The holder, polarising filter and the rings or another filter, plus a magnetic lens cap, can be stored in the supplied pouch, which can be used to cover the polariser whether the holder is or isn’t mounted, provided that there are no filters in the holder slots.
Build and handling
The Firecrest 100mm Holder is made from lightweight aluminium, so it feels solid without being heavy. It is mounted on a lens adapter by hooking its two fixed tabs onto one side of the adapter ring, pushing it back onto the ring and then screwing closed the third (blue) tab on the opposite side of the first two.
Unlike some filter holders, there’s no spring in the Firecrest 100mm Holder’s mounting mechanism. This means there’s no satisfying snap as the holder clips into place; instead you just have to ensure that the tab is wound down tight. It makes for a secure grip, but on a couple of occasions when I first used the holder, I didn’t have it in quite the right place.
Square or rectangular filters can be slid into the filter guides without a polariser in place on the magnetic adapter ring, but if you want to mount or remove the polariser, you have to remove the holder. A fuzzy light seal around the inside edge of the holder butts up against the first square or rectangular filter mounted in the holder, and the provided covers also slot on snugly to ensure no light gets in.
The ‘vented’ covers, which have a rectangular aperture to allow rectangular filters to pass through, are such a snug fit that they need to be mounted after the filters. It’s possible to adjust the position of a graduated filter while the vented covers are in place, but I couldn’t get a filter to thread into the slots when they were in position.
Performance
Specifications
Filter size: 100mm type filters Mount: Via magnetic adapter rings Construction: Metal with plastic filter guides Kit option: Yes
Once the magnetic adapter ring is on a lens, the circular polariser snaps neatly into place. Then, with the holder fixed
FOR
Easy polariser attachment and use High-quality construction Compatible with a wide range of filters
AGAINST
As the polariser is included, the kit is expensive Holder must be removed before the polariser can be removed
Care needed to ensure the holder is mounted