There aren’t enough companies working to make photography less sterile. While camera and lens manufacturers try to make photography products more and more sterile, they do the opposite for the cinema world. In truth, it should be flipped around. And that’s why I’m a huge fan of the Spektrem Effects motion filter. This filter helps create a unique look in-camera by helping you experiment and try new things. No photographer needs to sit and do all the things the industry has told us we need to do to make a better photo. Instead, you can just do it right in-camera.
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The Big Picture
The Spektrem Effects motion filter is an overall incredibly fun filter to use. Portrait photographers, street photographers, and passionate photographers will enjoy using it. It creates an effect you’d otherwise need to do in post-production. But in our minds, why not just do it in-camera and not have to edit later on?
Combined with cameras that have unique image quality, the Spektrem Effects motion filter can truly shine. It will do well with Leica, Canon, and Fujifilm camera users. Leica photographers will enjoy their system’s beautiful colors along with this gorgeous rendering. Canon photographers are bound to want to combine the Spektrem Effects motion filter with their less clinical lenses. And Fujifilm, well, come on! Combine this with a film simulation and you’ll be in heaven.
My only concern, however, is the long-term build quality. The glass tends to become a bit loose after some time, and that’s quite irritating.
We’re giving the Spektrem Effects motion filter four out of five stars. Want one? Check them out on their website, or Rigu.
Pros
- Super unique image quality
- Very fun to use
- It gives new life to clinically sterile lenses like those from Sigma.
Cons
- Concerning build quality, it reminds me of early PrismFX filters
Gear Used
Editor in Chief purchased the Spektrem Effects motion filter with his own money. It was tested with:
- Leica SL2s (purchased back in 2021)
- Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 Art (purchased back in 2021)
Innovations
I personally haven’t seen much like the Spektrem Effects motion filter even from the folks at PrismFX that seemingly do everything. No filter lets you create the illusion of motion blur on one part of the scene while keeping the rest totally clear. There are indeed filters that blur things out, but not with the look that motion blur delivers. This is unique in many ways.
Ergonomics
Here’s a look at the Spektrem Effects motion filter. It’s essentially just special glass on one side of a filter with the rest of it being loose. You and twist it around the same way that you can with a circular polarizer.
Here’s a look at what the Spektrem Effects motion filter looks like when it’s attached to the lens. It looks kind of invisible, but its effects will surely be present!
Build Quality
Unfortunately, the Spektrem Effects motion filter takes a sharp nosedive when it comes to build quality. Out of the box, it’s well built, but as soon as you attach it to a lens and start trying to screw, unscrew, and twist it, the glass will become looser and looser. I tried several ways to prevent that, but ultimately I gave up. It’s still usable, but I don’t like the idea of glass being so loose on any filter I own.
Perhaps a way to improve the overall build quality would’ve been to not have glass on just one side of the filter. A completely round filter with hazed or normal UV glass would’ve instead kept the optic better in place.
Ease of Use
The Spektrem Effects motion filter is simple to use. Screw it onto a lens, twist it around to get the effect, and take a photo. But where it becomes fascinating is in all the ways it can be applied. In one scene, I made it look like people were coming out of a different universe. In another scene, I used reflections to single out my buddy in a scene. And in yet another scene, I used the filter to make a building stand out more with careful composition. But more than that, my buddy took a photo of my favorite Korean Fried Chicken spot and made the lighting look so lit (pun intended).
With that said, I think various photographers will love this look. Cityscape photographers might enjoy using it with a waterway being blurred out. Portrait photographers can use it in a myriad of ways. Overall, I think any photographer who just wants something unique will have loads of fun with it.
Who Should Buy It?
Photographers tired of all the clinically sterile images that so many lenses deliver should reach for the Spektrem Effects motion filter. Here’s a hard fact: no one can tell one 50mm f1.2 lens apart from the others. And as it is, very few lenses besides Leica Apochromatic lenses stand out from the rest. But the Spektrem Effects motion filter gives a signature look you’ll easily be able to spot. Anyone who wants a signature look and wants to embrace creativity outside of post-production should grab these.
Tech Specs
These specs were taken from the website listing:
“Our biggest seller! Attain that beautifully-blurry look of motion blur with this new creative filter.
Check out this amazing shot by @juliannaphotography while using our Motion Filter – Click the photo to see her work!”
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