Best ND Filters for Sony FX3
The Sony FX3 is a full-frame Exmor R cinema body with no internal ND. Cine EI sits at ISO 800 and ISO 12800. S-Log3 at 24p / 180° and f/2.8 in noon sun is eight or nine stops over — the camera just shortens shutter until motion looks like a slideshow. Sony does not sell an FX3 ND. The 2026 filter that matches this body is the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Signature Edition II 82mm 6–9 stop. It is not the FX6’s electronic ND, and it is not a no-hard-stop 1–10 ring.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Updated September 2026 · FX3 · ILME-FX3 · full-frame · no internal ND · Cine EI 800 / 12800 · 4K120 Super 35 · XAVC S-I 600 Mbps · 82mm first
82-6/9-VND-ED2. Hard-stop 6–9. PolarPro: LOG / ISO over 400. Zero vignette to 16 mm.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82. True Color, hard stops. Swift ND16 expands to 5–9.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓KF01.1805V1. 82 mm, 1–5 stops, no-X claim. Not the ND2–400.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Comparison Table
| Product | Stops | On an FX3 | Thread / note | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolarPro PM II 6–9 | 6–9 (ND64–ND512) | Default daylight S-Log3 | 82 mm · hard stops · to 16 mm | ~$250 | Check |
| NiSi True Color 1–5 | 1–5 (+ Swift ND16 = 5–9) | True Color; expand for noon | 82 mm · 86 mm front | ~$180–$220 | Check |
| K&F Nano-X ND2–32 | 1–5 | Budget hard-stop 1–5 | KF01.1805V1 · 82 mm | ~$70–$90 | Check |
| PolarPro PM II 2–5 | 2–5 (ND4–ND32) | Shade / S-Cinetone — Layer 2 | 82-2/5-VND-ED2 · to 16 mm | ~$250 | Check |
| ND2–400 / 1–10 VND | ~1–8.6, no hard stop | X-pattern — skip | Wide-range two-polarizer junk | ~$30–$50 | Check |
Street prices move. PolarPro’s 82 mm Edition II often sits around $250; NiSi True Color 1–5 around $180–$220; K&F Nano-X ND2–32 around $70–$90. ND4 is 2 stops, ND32 is 5, ND64 is 6, ND512 is 9. 180-degree shutter is ≈ 2× fps: ~1/48 at 24, ~1/50 at 25, ~1/60 at 30, ~1/120 at 60, ~1/240 at 120. Cine EI 800 in hard sun at f/2.8 wants the 6–9 ring, not the 2–5. Sony does not sell a circular ND for this body. Buy 82 mm first (FE 24–70 mm GM II and FE 16–35 mm GM II are 82 mm); step-up rings cover 77 / 72 / 67. XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p is 600 Mbps — that is a CFexpress Type A problem, not an ND problem. Do not stack two variable NDs.
How We Picked These Filters
- What Sony published for this body: ILME-FX3 spec sheet: E-mount. 35.6 × 23.8 mm Exmor R CMOS. Approx. 10.3 MP effective for movies, 12.1 MP for stills, 12.9 MP total. Movie ISO 80–102400 equivalent, expandable to 409600. Latitude 15+ stops in S-Log3. Picture profiles include S-Cinetone, S-Log3, HLG. Cine EI Base ISO (Sony Help Guide): ISO 800 or ISO 12800. Shutter (movie): 1/8000 to 1/4. 10-bit 4:2:2 internal. XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p 600 Mbps / 50p 500 Mbps / 29.97p 300 Mbps / 23.98p 240 Mbps. XAVC S-I DCI 4K (firmware 3.00+) 4096×2160 at the same bitrates. XAVC HS 4K 119.88p/100p up to 280 Mbps 4:2:2 10-bit. 4K/120 is Super 35 / APS-C crop, not full-frame. HDMI RAW: 4264 × 2408, 16-bit, to 59.94p. Dual CFexpress Type A / SD. Weight: approx. 715 g with battery and card, 630 g body only; 1.015 kg with the XLR handle. Body 129.7 × 77.8 × 84.5 mm. 5-axis IBIS. NP-FZ100. No electronic viewfinder. No internal ND. Firmware 7.00 adds MENU → Exposure/Color → Exposure → ND Filter: register optical density − / 0.3 / 0.6 / 0.9 / 1.2 / 1.5 / 1.8 / 2.1 / 2.4 for the home screen and Catalyst metadata — Sony: it is manual and may not match the glass on the lens. Sony does not sell an FX3 ND set.
- Why ISO 800 still needs 6–9 stops: Sunny-16 at ISO 800, f/2.8, and ~1/48 is about eight to nine stops over a clear noon. S-Log3 / Cine EI does not lower base ISO to 80 to “save” you — that is S-Cinetone / Flexible ISO territory. PolarPro prints 6–9 for LOG and for ISO above 400 at f/1.4–f/2.8; 2–5 is their general / non-LOG ring. 4K/120 still wants ~1/240 and still has no iris inside the body. A no-hard-stop 1–10 VND is two polarizers that draw an X at the top of the range. Fixed ND is cleaner for a locked setup; it is slower when the FX3 is walking from shade to sun. IBIS / Active Mode does not replace ND.
- 82 mm, the FX6 trap, and the cheap-VND trap: Standardize on 82 mm: FE 24–70 mm F2.8 GM II and FE 16–35 mm F2.8 GM II are 82 mm. FE 24–105 mm G and FE 70–200 mm GM II are 77 mm — use a step-up ring, not a second 77 mm VND as the default. PolarPro Edition II claims zero vignetting to 16 mm and uses hard stops; the front is unthreaded. NiSi True Color 1–5 uses an 86 mm front thread and a Swift ND16 press-on for 5–9. K&F’s hard-stop 1–5 is KF01.1805V1; KF01.1393V1 / Nano-Klear ND2–400 is the wide-range skip. The FX6’s built-in electronic ND (1/4 to 1/128) is not on this camera. FX30 is APS-C. ILME-FX3A keeps the same E-mount hole and the same missing internal ND — this page is still the FX3 thread size, not a new mount.
Best ND Filters for Sony FX3: Detailed Reviews
PolarPro Peter McKinnon Signature Edition II 82mm 6–9 Stop View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU | MFR 82-6/9-VND-ED2 · PolarPro SG-EDll-82-6/9 · UPC 817465026038. 82 mm rear thread. Density 1.8–2.7 (ND64–ND512). CinemaSeries / fused quartz. Haptic clicks. Defender360 case. Street ~$250. |
|---|---|
| On FX3 | PolarPro: 6–9 for LOG and for ISO exceeding 400 at f/1.4–f/2.8. Printed zero vignetting to 16 mm — that is the 16–35 GM II wide end. Front is unthreaded; do not plan to stack a second screw-in. |
| Sony ND menu | Firmware 7.00: register 1.8 / 2.1 / 2.4 (6 / 7 / 8 stops). Menu tops out at 2.4 — 9 stops (2.7) has no slot. Sony: the value is typed in, not read off the glass. |
| SKU trap | Edition II 2–5 (same $250, wrong range for noon S-Log3). Helix MagLock 6–9 (different system). 77 mm when the kit zoom is 82 mm. Peter McKinnon Edition I. |
Why it fits the FX3. This body has no iris ND. Cine EI 800 in sun at a cinematic shutter is a 6–9-stop problem, and PolarPro built this ring for that sentence. Hard stops are why it is Overall and a $40 ND2–400 is not. Buy 82 mm once; step-up the 77 mm and 67 mm primes. Buy NiSi first if the week is S-Cinetone and you want a True Color 1–5 you can Swift-expand. 600 Mbps XAVC S-I is a card choice, not a reason to skip ND.
Skip this if the week is interiors and S-Cinetone at ISO 80–400 — PolarPro 2–5 or NiSi 1–5. Skip a 77 mm copy when the 24–70 GM II is 82 mm.
- Hard-stop 6–9 matches Cine EI 800 daylight
- PolarPro prints zero vignette to 16 mm
- Haptic stops; Defender360
- Front unthreaded — no screw-in stack
- 2–5 is a second $250 if you also live in shade
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
NiSi True Color ND-VARIO Pro Nano 1–5 Stop 82mm View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU | NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82 · EAN 6972949372941. 1–5 stops (0.3–1.5). Nano coat. Removable lever. 86 mm front thread. Street ~$180–$220. Swift 1–9 kit is NIR-TCVNDSWIFT-KIT0.3-2.7-82 (~$309–$339) if you want the ND16 in the same box. |
|---|---|
| On FX3 | Hard stops, True Color claim, useful from interiors to open shade. Five stops is short for Cine EI 800 / f/2.8 / 1/48 in hard sun — that is the Swift ND16 (4 stops) press-on, which NiSi says turns this ring into 5–9 without an X. |
| Wide glass | NiSi / B&H language on this 1–5 is conservative on ultra-wide. PolarPro is the ring that prints 16 mm. On a 16–35 GM II at 16 mm, treat PolarPro 6–9 as the safer wide claim. |
| SKU trap | Older NiSi ND-VARIO 5–9 Enhanced (NIR-VND1.5-2.7-82) — not True Color, and NiSi recommended 35 mm+. Swift add-on kits that are Black Mist only. 77 mm when the zoom is 82 mm. |
Why it is Value, not Overall. It is the cheaper True Color hard-stop VND, and the Swift ND16 is a real 5–9 path. It is not the one-ring daylight S-Log3 default PolarPro already cut as 6–9. Buy this if S-Cinetone / mixed interiors are the week and noon is the exception you expand for. Buy PolarPro if the job starts in sun at ISO 800 and the 16–35 stays at 16 mm.
Skip this if every setup is noon S-Log3 and you do not want a second piece of glass — PolarPro 6–9.
- True Color + hard stops under PolarPro money
- Swift ND16 expands to 5–9
- 86 mm front thread if you must stack a fixed
- 1–5 alone is short for Cine EI 800 noon
- 16 mm claim is PolarPro’s, not this page’s
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
K&F Concept Nano-X ND2–32 Variable ND 82mm View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU | K&F CONCEPT Nano-X / Nano-Xcel ND2–32 82 mm KF01.1805V1. 1–5 stops (0.3–1.5). Japanese AGC glass, 28-layer coat, ~7.3 mm ring. K&F: no X-cross in this range. Street ~$70–$90. Use an 86 mm cap. |
|---|---|
| On FX3 | Same 1–5 math as NiSi without the True Color / Swift sentence. Fine for S-Cinetone and overcast. Cine EI 800 / f/2.8 / 1/48 in sun still needs more — stop down, raise frame rate, or add a fixed ND64, do not buy ND2–400 to “get nine stops.” |
| SKU trap | KF01.1393V1 / SKU.0887V1 ND2–400 (1–9-ish, no hard stop). KF01.1466 1–9 Nano-X. ND2–32 + Black Mist / CPL 2-in-1 as the first FX3 ND. 77 mm on an 82 mm zoom. |
Why it is Budget. Hard-stop 1–5, 82 mm, one cheap invoice, a printed SKU. You give up CinemaSeries, True Color branding, and the 6–9 daylight range. The only way this pick fails is Amazon merging it with ND2–400. If the week is S-Log3 parking-lot noon, spend the extra on PolarPro 6–9.
Skip this if the listing says ND2–400, 1–9, or 1–10 with no hard stops.
- Named 1–5 SKU under $90
- K&F no-X claim in the ND2–32 range
- Not enough for noon Cine EI 800 at f/2.8
- Amazon will also show ND2–400
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
If You Need Something Else
These two are not cheaper versions of the Top 3. One is PolarPro’s other hard-stop range. One is the wide-range VND Amazon will try to sell next to the Nano-X.
PolarPro Peter McKinnon Signature Edition II 82mm 2–5 Stop View on Amazon View on B&H
| What it is | MFR 82-2/5-VND-ED2 · SG-EDll-82-2/5 · UPC 817465026007. 2–5 stops (ND4–ND32, 0.6–1.5). Same CinemaSeries, haptic, Defender360, 16 mm claim, unthreaded front, ~56 g, ~$250 as the 6–9. |
|---|---|
| When it wins | PolarPro: 2–5 is the general photo / video ring. S-Cinetone, windowed interiors, overcast 24p. Pair with the 6–9 if the FX3 does both parking lots and offices. Not the first buy if the job is S-Log3 in sun. |
| Helix sibling | PolarPro Helix MagLock 6–9 stays off the Top 3 — different base rings, more money. Freewell FW-82-MAGVND (~$400) is a 2–5 + 6–9 magnetic kit, not this page’s Value row. |
Buy this after 6–9 is already in the pouch, or when ISO 80–400 S-Cinetone is the look. Do not buy it as a substitute for nine stops of noon.
Skip this if the week is Cine EI 800 daylight — PolarPro 6–9.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
ND2–400 / “1–10 stop” variable NDs View on Amazon View on B&H
| Why it shows up | Amazon titles say “82mm Variable ND” next to the Nano-X. K&F Nano-Klear / Nano-Basic ND2–400 is KF01.1393V1 / SKU.0887V1, about $30–$50. One ring claims ~1–9 stops. There are no hard stops at 5 or 6. That is where the X-pattern lives — worst on a 16–35 at 16 mm, which is exactly the FX3 run-and-gun wide end. |
|---|---|
| On FX3 | S-Log3 will show the color cast and the X. Buy KF01.1805V1 (1–5) or PolarPro 6–9. Same skip: generic 1–10 VNDs, stacking two variables, a 67 mm filter as the only size on a 24–70 GM II kit, and any listing that implies the FX3 has built-in ND like the FX6. |
A $40 1–10 is not a 6–9 with haptic clicks. If the camera in the cage is an FX3, the cart says 82-6/9-VND-ED2, NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82, or KF01.1805V1.
Skip this if the body is an FX3 and the lens is wider than 35 mm. Buy PolarPro 6–9, NiSi True Color 1–5, or K&F ND2–32.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Frequently Asked Questions
What ND strength the FX3 needs
There is no internal ND. Cine EI base ISO is 800 or 12800. 180-degree shutter is ≈ 2× fps: about 1/48 at 24p, 1/50 at 25p, 1/60 at 30p, 1/120 at 60p, 1/240 at 4K/120. Sunny-16 at ISO 800, f/2.8, and 1/48 is roughly eight to nine stops over. That is PolarPro 6–9 (or NiSi 1–5 plus Swift ND16). S-Cinetone at ISO 80–400 in shade is 2–5. f/1.4 in the same sun wants more than nine stops — stop down, do not stack two VNDs. Sony’s ND Filter menu (firmware 7.00) only registers density; it does not add glass.
Variable ND vs a fixed ND on this body
A hard-stop VND is the FX3 first buy because the body is run-and-gun and the lens thread changes. PolarPro 6–9 and NiSi 1–5 use limited ranges so the X-pattern stays off the frame. A fixed ND64 / ND128 (Breakthrough X4, B+W, or a 4×5.65 in a matte box) is cleaner for a locked cinema setup and for cine primes with no front thread. It is slower when the camera walks from garage to street. Do not start on a 1–10 VND.
82 mm vs buying one filter per lens
Buy 82 mm first. FE 24–70 mm F2.8 GM II and FE 16–35 mm F2.8 GM II are 82 mm. Step-up rings take 77 mm (24–105 G, 70–200 GM II) and 67 mm (35 / 50 GM) up to that one VND. A 67 mm filter will not mount on the 24–70. PolarPro Edition II’s front is unthreaded; NiSi True Color 1–5 has an 86 mm front if a cap or a second filter matters.
FX3 vs the FX6’s built-in ND
FX6 has electronic variable ND from 1/4 to 1/128. FX3 does not. That is a reason people step up bodies, not a firmware unlock. Filters on this page are screw-in 82 mm glass for ILME-FX3 (and the same E-mount hole on ILME-FX3A). FX30 is APS-C. Do not buy FX6-only accessories and expect them to put ND inside an FX3.
The 600 Mbps codec and ND
XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p is 600 Mbps; 23.98p is 240 Mbps. Dual slots take CFexpress Type A or SD. That does not change f/2.8 or ISO 800. 4K/120 (XAVC HS up to 280 Mbps, Super 35 crop) still needs ~1/240. ND is for shutter. The card is for the bitrate. Register ND density in the v7 menu if the edit is going through Catalyst — it is a label, not a filter.
Final Verdict
For most Sony FX3 kits, buy PolarPro 82-6/9-VND-ED2, shoot 82 mm with step-up rings, and keep 180° shutter at Cine EI 800 without raising ISO. There is no internal ND. S-Log3 in noon sun is a 6–9-stop job, not a 2–5. S-Cinetone or shade? NiSi True Color 1–5 (Swift ND16 when it gets hot). Same 1–5 cheaper, hard-stop only? K&F KF01.1805V1. Skip ND2–400, skip stacking two VNDs, skip the FX6 electronic-ND assumption. 600 Mbps is a card. This page is the FX3, not the FX6 or the FX30.