Versione in Italiano QUI
Introduction
I hate magnetic filters. I’ve always hated them, just like we hate those things in life we encounter under the wrong circumstances. Like Latin in high school for example, or broccoli on the dinner table (damn broccoli).
My first encounter with the magnetic world happened many years ago at Photokina in Cologne, when a brand asked me to try their magnetic system, created in response to the success of the NiSi V3, the first holder with a polarizer mounted on the adapter ring.
Like a child facing a new ice cream flavor, I didn’t hesitate to give it a try (very discreetly), and the result was rather traumatic. Beyond the poor optical quality of the filters, on the very first outing, not only did I struggle to safely adjust the graduated filter, but the first drops of rain were enough to make the magnet unreliable. That’s how I shattered many dreams and a couple of filters.
But just like when we are kids and we stubbornly chase after the girl who ignores us, that experience wasn’t enough to stop me. Several years later (a couple of years ago as I write this), I decided to test another magnetic system, which is still fairly popular today. Once again, the concept was good but the execution was poor: countless adapter rings, filters hard to handle with ease and confidence, magnets detaching in the heat and sticking in the cold.
All this long introduction just to say that when NiSi asked me to test their JetMag Pro magnetic system, I felt the same stomach knot as during a surprise quiz in high school.
But as always, the nerdy instinct wins out, and here I am after several months of testing, ready to share my thoughts on the NiSi JetMag Pro, the magnetic system according to NiSi. Have they managed to change my mind? We’ll find out soon.
The NiSi JetMag Pro Magnetic System
Let’s start from the basics. The NiSi JetMag Pro system is essentially built around two components that work together: an adapter ring and the magnetic filters that attach to it. Nothing new, then… or maybe there is.
The adapter ring is a finely crafted aluminium ring that screws onto the front thread of your lens. It’s basically a step-up ring but magnetic on one side. On one side, it has a thread to attach to the lens; on the other, there is a magnet that allows the filters to snap into place.
Adapter rings differ only in the thread diameter needed to match your lens. There are no endless special rings based on specific lenses. All you need is a ring with the same thread size you would use for a standard screw in filter.
The filter itself consists of an aluminium ring with a magnet on each side and, of course, the filter glass in the middle. On the outer edge of the filter, there are two coloured tabs to make handling easier. On the inner edge, there is a mechanical locking system, which we’ll look at more closely later on. Despite the presence of magnets and tabs, the filter is extremely lightweight and very slim.
The dimensions of the JetMag Pro magnetic filters
One of the first questions (and if we want, problems) to address was simply what size filters to choose.
NiSi has always opted for modular and universal systems, and fortunately, the JetMag Pro system is no exception. The NiSi JetMag Pro magnetic system is available in just two sizes: 95mm and 82mm. That’s it.
By choosing one of these two sizes, we can adapt it to any lens with the same or smaller thread diameter using native diameter adapter rings.
Native diameter means we are not limited to an adapter ring with 82mm threading on both the lens and magnetic sides, but we can also have, for example, a ring with 67mm threading on the lens side and 82mm on the magnetic side. These are direct step rings, so no need for a stack of endless step up rings.
Since my main lens has an 82mm thread, I naturally chose the 82mm native JetMag Pro. But if I also had a lens with an 86mm thread, I would have simply gone for the 95mm JetMag Pro system and used a single adapter ring to step down to 86mm.
At the time of writing, there is no 105mm or 112mm version.
The NiSi JetMag Pro Filters Available
NiSi JetMag Pro filters can be purchased individually or in preassembled kits. I believe the best option is to start with a kit, for the following reasons:
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Lower cost compared to buying all the same filters individually
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Kits can always be expanded by purchasing additional filters separately (and there are plenty to choose from)
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The kit also includes very useful accessories, such as a starter set of adapter rings, magnetic caps (front and rear), and a carrying pouch
I find the inclusion of front and rear magnetic caps particularly clever. They not only provide front protection on the lens but also allow you to carry a full stack of magnetic filters directly in your pocket, safely protected between the two caps.
The kit I tested is the JetMag Pro Landscape, which includes the following filters:
Without a doubt, the perfect kit for any serious landscape photographer.
That said, there are many other kits available, and the NiSi website also allows you to create your own filter bundle, essentially making a fully customized kit.
Mounting and Using the JetMag Pro Filters
Using the NiSi JetMag Pro magnetic filters is genuinely straightforward and well designed.
As mentioned earlier, the first step is to install the magnetic adapter ring by simply screwing it onto the lens. On the front side, we have the magnet ready to receive the first filter.
In my case, the first filter to mount is always the polarizer, so I bring it close and it snaps into place instantly.
The magnetic attachment feels really well executed. Maybe it’s thanks to the dedicated handling tabs, but it definitely gives a sense of solidity and the impression that the filter is securely held and won’t fall off.
The polarizer is adjusted through friction: it’s a single glass element that is rotated by turning the entire filter on the adapter ring (or on the filter beneath it). At first, this approach made me raise an eyebrow, but I have to say it’s actually very practical. Even while rotating, I always feel a sense of security, and the motion is smooth and comfortable, again thanks to the handling tabs. Finally, having a single glass polarizer helps reduce thickness, allowing the use of multiple filters without causing vignetting.
That said, one truly interesting and unique feature that NiSi introduced with the JetMag Pro is the mechanical lock. Whether it’s the polarizer or any other filter, if you align the tab on the filter with the white mark on the adapter ring, the bayonet-style mechanical lock engages. In practice, if it was already unlikely for the filter to detach accidentally, now it becomes absolutely impossible.
As mentioned earlier, if I want to mount additional filters, all I need to do is bring them close to the one already in place. The magnetic feel is excellent, and even with multiple filters stacked, there is never a sense that they might fall off.
The locking system is cleverly designed because it allows us to secure all the filters in use. All we need to do is align each tab with the white mark on the main ring (and therefore with the previous filter), and all the filters become mechanically locked to the lens.
The JetMag Pro 100mm Magnetic Holder
Everything we’ve seen so far applies to circular filters: whether ND, polarizer, mist, natural night or any other type, these filters are round.
But what if we want to use the NiSi JetMag Pro system with rectangular GND filters?
I had the chance to test in preview NiSi’s answer to this question: the JetMag Pro 100mm Holder.
This accessory is made of two components: a magnetic ring and a filter holder with a single slot for 100mm wide filters. Both parts are made of aluminium, with the same excellent build quality found in NiSi’s non magnetic holders for 100mm and 150mm rectangular filters.
Mounting is simple: once you’ve attached the magnetic filters you need to the main magnetic ring (let’s say the polarizer and an ND filter), all you have to do is place the magnetic ring of the JetMag Pro 100mm Holder onto the last mounted filter.
The ring of the JetMag Pro 100mm Holder has two white markers along its edge. The tab of the circular magnetic filter must be aligned between these two markers.
At this point, you just need to attach the filter holder to the ring as if you were mounting it onto the main adapter ring of your V7.
Easier done than said, so here’s the video with my fingerprints all over it.
If you want, before mounting the filter holder, you can also rotate the ring so that the tab is aligned within the white segment of the magnetic ring. This activates the mechanical lock here as well.
The truth is, it does not really serve any purpose, and we will see why in a moment.
To mount the GND filter, simply slide it in from the top into the slot of the holder you have just attached. I recommend keeping one hand on the holder while inserting the filter, because inserting it requires a fair amount of pressure and could compromise the system’s stability.
Even better, you can insert the GND into the holder before attaching it to the magnetic ring. This way, once it is mounted, all you need to do is adjust the transition. I still suggest keeping a hand on the holder during the adjustment.
Field Experience with the NiSi JetMag Pro
I must admit, arriving on location with a small pouch instead of my usual heavy gear was not a bad start. Quite the opposite.
Mounting the adapter ring and magnetic filters is extremely easy, and I can do it in any weather condition using just one hand. Another example of practicality is that even when wearing gloves, handling everything is not a problem, because filters are always managed through the convenient side tabs.
One detail I really liked about the filters is these very tabs, which are color coded. It’s incredibly easy to identify the filter even in low light conditions. The only small issue I found is that all ND filters have blue tabs, so it takes a little longer to pick the right one. If you usually have breakfast with cappuccino and ND filters, you will be able to tell the density at a glance by just looking through the glass, but in any case, the filter’s density is printed along the edge.
Thankfully, NiSi didn’t hold back on the markings. The filter density is printed using the full triple nomenclature (for example: ND64 1.8 6 stops).
Back to weather conditions, they have actually never been an issue. The magnet is so well calibrated that even if water or sand gets between the magnets, the filter stays in place even without the mechanical lock. Sure, if you bump it hard, it will fall, but in every system I have used in the past (still on the market today), filters detach easily if anything gets in between the magnets.
One thing that pleasantly surprised me is vignetting. NiSi claims the JetMag Pro system does not vignette up to 15mm full frame equivalent with two filters mounted. In reality, I think this is a very conservative estimate, because I had zero vignetting at 20mm on my Fuji GFX, which is just under 16mm full frame equivalent, even with two filters and the 100mm magnetic holder. That means shooting with a polarizer, an ND and a GND at 16mm. What more could I ask for?
The locking system is smart and really works. Once engaged, I can lift the camera by the filters and they do not detach.
However, I want to stress that locking the filters while the camera is on the tripod is absolutely unnecessary. As I mentioned, the magnet is extremely well calibrated, and the only way to detach the filter is to hit it hard.
I see the locking system being useful in only two scenarios:
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When moving from one spot to another and I want to keep the filters mounted while walking
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When doing more “active” photography where it’s easier to bump the gear against something
From the perspective of a landscape photographer (which I am, so this is what you get), the reality is that while I’m shooting, I cannot even use the JetMag Pro’s mechanical locking system. That’s because if I install the polarizer first (which is the right thing to do), I need to rotate it to adjust it, and that means I cannot align it in the locked position. As a result, any filter I add on top and lock (including the 100mm magnetic holder) is effectively unsecured, because the polarizer underneath remains free to detach.
The truth, once again, is that the filter simply does not detach unless there is a strong accidental impact. Not even if water or sand gets between the filters, because the magnet is insanely well calibrated.
As for the 100mm magnetic holder compared to the traditional 100mm holder (currently the V7 at the time of writing), I personally believe it is an excellent choice for those who use GND filters occasionally, leaving the 100mm V7 system to those who rely on GND filters more regularly.
Conclusions
Without a doubt, the NiSi JetMag Pro system made me completely reconsider the world of magnetic filter systems.
The quality is undeniable both in terms of construction and materials, and in terms of optical performance which, as always, is well above anything else available on the market today. NiSi has spoiled us for years in this regard.
The presence of side tabs makes installation extremely easy, and the mechanical lock adds an extra layer of security that might come in handy in the field.
The wide range of available filters makes the NiSi JetMag Pro a product suitable for every type of photographer. And if you are especially passionate about landscape photography and the use of GND filters, you now also have the possibility to mount such filters on the system using the dedicated accessory.
I am confident that the NiSi JetMag Pro marks only the beginning of a strong development toward the magnetic filter segment. Entering the market later than others has likely allowed NiSi to correct all the mistakes made and repeated by other manufacturers, to our advantage.
If you are looking for high quality magnetic filters to unleash your creativity or to expand the potential of your camera, I have no doubt that the NiSi JetMag Pro is the solution you have probably been looking for.
