H&Y Revoring Variable ND+CPL Review

The H&Y Revoring Variable ND+CPL is a variable neutral density filter and a polarising filter with a novel type of mount. It’s essentially the H&Y Revoring with a couple of filters built-in.

H&Y has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund both the Revoring and the Revoring Variable ND+CPL. Their anticipated delivery date is November 2020, but we’ve been able to test an early sample.

The smart thing about the Revoring Variable ND+CPL is that instead of screwing onto a lens filter thread, it grips it with a variable-sized mount. That means it can fit a range of lenses.

H&Y makes the Revoring Variable ND+CPL in three sizes:

37-49mm
46-62mm
67-82mm

If your lens has a filter thread of 72mm, you need the 67-82mm H&Y Revoring Variable ND+CPL.

Just like the H&Y Revoring, the Revoring Variable ND+CPL has two knurled rings which rotate in opposite directions to reduce the central aperture and retract the locking mechanism. When this is done, you just need to hold the Revoring to the end of the lens and release so that the mechanism snaps back out, latching onto the lens’ filter thread.

The filter is made from German Schott B270 glass and has both anti-fingerprint and waterproof nano-coatings to help keep it clean and droplet-free. There are also front and rear anti-reflective coatings to minimise flare and reflections.

The neutral density (ND) filter strength can be varied between 1 and 10stops, making it useful for both photography and video.

The filter mount is constructed from black anodised aluminium, which gives it a solid, high-quality feel.

The mounting mechanism is fairly stiff, but to a reassuring rather than excessive degree. It’s also much quicker and easier to mount the filters on a lens than screwing on a regular circular filter or step-up ring.

H&Y is still developing the filter mechanism itself, so this isn’t a final review. However, both the ND filter and the polarising filter will have guide pins to make them easier to use.

Our samples have just one pin that rotates the polariser.

In addition, H&Y will add a ‘hard stop’ at the marked maximum of the ND filter to prevent it being rotated beyond that point.

It seems likely that there will also be some indication of the filtration strength added the graduated markings.

As the samples I have aren’t final, it’s a bit too early to talk about the H&Y Revoring Variable ND+CPL’s performance yet. Nevertheless, the colours looked neutral when I shot at the strongest ND setting with the camera set to Auto white balance.

However, it’s easy to push the filters too far and wind up with a dark cross over your image. Hopefully, H&Y will resolve this when it introduces the hard stops on the ND filter.

H&Y has developed the concept of the Revoring and created the Revoring Variable ND+CPL as a filter that’s quick and easy to use.

The Revoring Variable ND+CPL looks to be useful to photographers looking to shoot long exposures or use wide apertures, and videographers who need to restrict their shutter speed.