The Moment Variable ND Filter Review: Easiest Way To Get That Cinematic Look

What I’ve Noticed (& Really Like)

I’ve been using the Moment VND for a bit now and here’s my take. First off, it just looks sick. The red inner ring and that magenta sheen on the glass give it this super premium vibe. Doesn’t really change how it works, but it’s fun when your gear looks this good.

The filter itself is great. Easy to screw on, smooth to turn, and the little flared edge makes it so much easier to see your ND stops when you're behind the camera. No more awkward head tilts trying to figure out what stop you’re at. It’s the kind of detail you don’t think about until you use it, and then you’re like, oh yeah, this makes total sense.

Now, the case it comes in is… honestly pretty cool. It’s this cool black-on-black metal thing, which looks clean and keeps it protected. It almost looks like a blush container, where you flip it open for easier access so you don't have to twist it open like the other filters I've used. Huge props to Moment for keeping the packaging minimal and not overdoing it with foam and plastic in the box.

Note: The Moment variable ND filters were initially released in 67mm, 77mm and 82mm diameters. But now, they're available in more sizes including 58mm, 62mm, and 72mm. Lots more options for camera lenses, yay.

Took the Moment VND out for a few shoots and, honestly, it holds up really well, especially considering it's way more affordable than a lot of the high-end options out there. There's a slight warm color cast, but nothing that can't be corrected in post (or even just embraced, depending on your vibe, I'm here in California sports ti's fitting). There's no weird green tint or funky shifts, more like a subtle warmth that most people won’t even notice.

The REAL win is the no X-pattern. If you’ve used cheaper VNDs before, you know the pain. That weird cross-shaped interference that ruins your shot in direct light. There's no heavy vignetting either, which is impressive given the polarization you'd see na pair of sunglasses.

I only use VND's for video over photography; you can keep your shutter speed where it should be (like 1/60 when shooting 30fps) even in full sun. The 2–5 stop version covers most everyday scenarios, but there’s a 6–9 stop if you’re working in really bright spots in midday or want those extra-long exposures. Just twist the ring to control how much light you're letting in.

It’s coated to hold up in the wild, and has a few different hard stops on both ends so you’re not spinning past the range, and it still works with your regular lens caps and step-up rings.

One & Done

Even when I push it to the highest ND setting, I haven’t seen any of the nasty cross-patterns or vignetting that I’ve run into with other filters — especially on wider lenses. That was the dealbreaker with my old Tiffen VND, which I ended up returning. This one just works, even when I’m shooting fully wide.

I’ve used it on wedding gigs, on hikes, in bright mid-day sun, and it hasn’t let me down yet. Definitely one of those pieces of gear that just works, and makes me want to keep it on my lens all the time.

QuickLock VND Filters for iPhone

Come on — Moment's a mobile company, of course we wanted to bring the VND magic to the phone! There's 2 ways to go about it....

• Grab a 67mm VND filter with a 67mm Filter Adapter for your phone (especially useful if you have a phone older than the iPhone 15 series)
• Use a QuickLock VND Filter (only possible for the iPhone 15/16 series and newer; sorry, folks!), which is my personal favorite method.

The QuickLock VND filter is the freaking best. I kayaked 6 miles down the Salt River in Eastern Arizona and didn't want to risk getting my big camera wet (which, thank goodness, I didn't, as I totally capsized and fell less than a mile in). Along the way, I captured breathtaking portraits of the Sonoran Desert. I used it alongside my CineBloom 20% QuickLock filter because the blooming density is much less noticeable on the iPhone than on my camera lens, so I opted for the higher stylized look. The VND perfectly skewed the light during the hard midday sun so I could capture motion blur of the river water and the wild horses bathing.

Moment's line of QuickLock filters are significantly slimmer and less intrusive than the 67mm filter and its tandem mount, and even easier to use than our mobile lenses. You click the button to lock and secure it in place, and voila. I could slip the phone in and out of the pocket really easily if I needed it in a pinch, though I wouldn't recommend that to voice scratching the filter, just in case.

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Brionne OlsenJun 2, 2025