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Introduction

Finally an alternative to the Manfrotto Xume Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor is here, but does it deliver?

 

I have held out for so many years on purchasing the Xume Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor because of its price which I felt was a design that seems so simple to produce, but Now UURig / Ulanzi and other overseas brands have finally jumped the band wagon on this lens or filter accessory at a very competitive price.

 

There are variations to its actual product name when you shop online, and on the box it is titled as the Magnetic ND Adapter Stand, but for the purpose of this Article, I will be referring to it as the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor.

 

The UURig R-82L can be purchased from online stores such as AliExpress and Ebay and come in various filter thread sizes of 67mm, 72mm, 77mm and 82mm. The model names for these Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptors changes between sizes, so the R67L is for the 67mm diameter filter thread size, the R72L is for the 72mm filter thread size, the R77L is for the 77mm filter thread size, and the R82L is for the 82mm filter thread size.

 

The Manfrotto Xume 82mm Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor set can costs in the vicinity of $90.00 AUD in total, whilst the alternate UURig R-82L can cost approximately $28.00 AUD which is a huge price difference to consider. 

 

Please note, that if you do decide to purchase overseas, to check with the seller that they will be shipping to you the correct item, as some sellers do not seem to know exactly what they are selling. There have been sellers that have confused the Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptors with the older RFS Rapid Filter System which uses a hinge, is not magnetic and has similar model names such as R67S.

 

Out of the box, the UURig R-82L comprises of two components that make up the Magnetic Filter Ring Adapter system. There is the Inner Ring that you attach to the lens and the Outer Ring that you attach to the filter.

 

This system will allow you to magnetically attach and detach the filter to your lens without having to unscrew or screw it each time.

The reason I wanted to implement this magnetic filter system was that I needed the ability to switch between various solid ND filters such as my ND16, ND128, Polariser, and UV filters and based on the Manfrotto Xume concept which the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor follows, I felt this cheaper alternative would provide the perfect solution.

 

I was wrong!

 

There are two main issues I have with the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system and they are the following;

Thread issues

The Inner Ring has not been machined to be compatible with all filter threads of the same specifications. They are sticky to screw in, and jams easily when attaching to lenses and lens accessories. On my Canon lenses, various filters, metal filter lens case and almost all of my step-up rings, the Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor Inner Ring will not screw in properly. It even got stuck on my ND filter where I was on the verge of breaking the glass as I tried profusely for 10 minutes trying to separate them.

 

The experience is similar to separating two stuck filters together, which is very difficult as it is hard to get a proper grip and is stressful on the fingers and hands 

 

On the Canon 16-35mm f2.8 Mark II L Lens, I was only able to get approximately half a full rotation and on the Canon 24-70mm f2.8 Mark II L Lens I was only able to get approximately 3/4 of a full rotation and this is screwing them in tightly as far as I can! If I forced the rotations any further, it would have damaged the thread on these expensive lenses.

 

There is a noticeable gap on the Inner Ring and the lenses, as it is not properly screwed in!

 

When attaching the Inner Ring, it should turn sufficiently so that it is secure on the lens and touches or comes very close to the rim of the lens when properly installed. I was only able to screw the R-82L Inner Ring fully on 1 out of 4 Step Up Rings I had which were from different manufacturers, and the UURig RFS Rapid Filter system. Notice how the Inner Ring screwed on the top part of the RFS Rapid Filter System is flush against it as shown in the following image.

 

The Outer Ring was fine and was able to accept various filters that I screwed to it such as ND filters, UV Filters and Circular Polarisers.

 

The Inner Ring issue is of a main concern, as this thread issue occurred on both of the R-82L products that I purchased, which may mean that it is manufactured that way or it is a bad batch.

 

It also renders the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system risky to use, as there is a substantial possibility of damaging the lens thread if it was accidentally knocked or cross threaded when screwing the Inner Ring in!

 

Vignetting

The height of both the Inner Ring and Outer Ring attached is actually very good, but it is still susceptible to vignetting on some wide focal lengths on the lens I tested it on. Using a full frame camera with a 24-70mm lens at 24mm, widest aperture set at f2.8, and with the Inner Ring, Outer Ring and UV Filter attached. In movie mode, recording videos at 1920 x 1080 showed some light vignetting. When taking Photos at 5760 x 3840 resolution, the results produced noticeable corner vignetting.

 

The good news though, is that on the Panasonic GH5 Mirrorless Camera using a Viltrox EF-M2 Focal Reducer, and a Canon 16-35mm f2.8 Mark II L Lens at 16mm, widest aperture set at f2.0, and with the Inner Ring, Outer Ring and UV Filter attached, the setup produced no noticeable vignetting when shooting 1920 x 1080 videos. Even with the RFS Rapid Filter System and Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor attached together, there was no concerning vignetting produced when shooting 1920 x 1080 video stationary or in movement.

 

For smaller lenses, such as m43 lenses, I usually oversize the filters to prevent vignetting from occurring, and use a rubber lens hood when I need to provide some form of lens shade. The rubber lens hood has a bigger flexible opening which allows me to attach it to the lens with an oversized filter.

 

Please refer to video for the tests I performed based on vignetting using the following lenses and filter combinations, and test procedures.

 

Equipment Used

• Panasonic GH5 Mirrorless Camera – m43
• Canon 5D Mark III DSLR Camera – full frame
• Viltrox EF-M2 Focal Reducer
• Canon 16-35mm f2.8 Mark II L Lens
• Canon 24-70mm f2.8 Mark II L Lens
• UURig R-82L Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor System
• UURig RFS Rapid Filter System
• Hoya UV Filters

 

Procedures

• Stationary video
• Movement video
• Stationary photo

 

Attaching the Inner and Outer Ring together

Attaching the Inner Ring and Outer Ring together is easy, once you have gotten used to doing it, but I noticed that on one of my sets, did not seat properly together and can be jiggled by hand. This could be a quality assurance issue?

 

How Secure is the attachment?

Based on my tests, the magnetic system is strong enough to hold the filter in place when in use. Even when rotating the Outer Ring when attached, there is noticeable magnetic resistance.

 

When transporting or storing your camera with this Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system, I would suggest not to place your camera somewhere where the Outer Ring with the filter attached could be snagged. If you are concerned about the Outer Ring with the filter detaching from the lens, you could place a lens pouch or lens hood over it for possible security.

 

Lens Cap

There are no filter caps available that I know off for this Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system, but you can make one by attaching the top side of a metal filter case to the Outer Ring, and use that as a lens cap.

 

Integration with the RFS Rapid Filter System

You could integrate this with the RFS Rapid Filter System, so that you have the option to change filters quickly that is attached on the RFS and also, swing a filter on or off from the lens without having to remove the filter and store it somewhere.

 

An example of this, is when you are out shooting and you alternate between using a Polariser or not with your lens by using the RFS system, and later decide that you want to use a Variable ND filter. You can simply switch it over to the ND filter using the Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system that is attached to the RFS.

 

Best Uses

I found the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor system most useful when alternating between different filters or when I only want the option to shoot with a single ND filter or without on my lens.

 

Conclusion

This product has potential but UURig has failed in their implementation of the Inner Ring, as this should be compatible with all standard filter threads.

 

There is a strong possibility that you could damage your lens, filter thread or filters if the Inner Ring is not screwed in properly. For example, the Inner Ring may detach easily as it is only held onto the lens by half a turn, or the lens thread may be damaged because the Inner Ring has been bumped.

 

Unless UURig have fixed these issues, I would not recommend purchasing this item! The safety of your lens and filters should take priority over a cheap Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor and this Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor should be compatible with all standard filter threads!

 

I use this Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor with the RFS Rapid Filter System, as this is the only useful option I have, to securely attach the Inner Ring. This setup makes my camera bulky and heavier, making it cumbersome for everyday use!

 

Pros

• The R82-L is slimmer(6.1mm) than the RFS Rapid Filter System(8mm).
• Allows for quicker attachment and removal of a filter or lens accessory.
• Cheaper than the Manfrotto Xume Filter Ring System.
• Metal construction.
• Lightweight
• Simple to use.
• Comes in various sizes of 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, 82mm.
• Lens hood can be attached to your lens whilst the Magnetic filter is attached.
• Help minimise wear on your filter threads from constant use, if the Inner Ring fits properly on your lens or lens accessories?

 

Cons

• Filter thread on the Inner Ring has not been properly implemented and is not compatible with the Canon lenses that have 82mm filter threads, Step Up Rings, Metal Filter Cases and Filters that I have tested it on.
• The system does not have a dedicated lens cap.
• You cannot attach a cap on the Inner Ring but you can custom make your own magnetic lens cap which is additional costs.
• You cannot buy the Inner or Outer ring separately.
• The Outer Ring adds thickness to your filters, which can bulk up your filter case or pouch when storing it.
• Adds protrusion to your lens which results in vignetting – depending on the lens design and focal length.
• Costs can start to accumulate if you want to integrate this system into your filter collection.
• There is still the inconvenience of having to remove and store the filters when changing filters, unlike the RFS Rapid Filter System where you can just swing open or close the front, to have the filter on or off on your lens.

 

NOTE: If you are considering purchasing this item, and you have concerns of whether the UURig Magnetic Filter Ring Adaptor Inner Ring will fit your filter thread, then I would suggest to make sure the Seller or any comments you have read provide clear evidence that it does fit properly. Check for actual clear videos or photos of the Inner Ring seating properly on the-same lens you are considering to use this on, for example.

 

At this current situation of the economy and shipping delays, purchasing products with issues, may not be worth your money or your time to have it rectified!