Best ND Filters for Sony a7R VI
The Sony a7R VI is a 66.8 MP fully stacked R body with no internal ND. Movie ISO starts at 100. Dual Gain Shooting caps movie ISO at 400 — it is not an ND. 8K/30 is 8.2K-oversampled with a narrower angle of view; 4K/60 and 4K/120 are full-frame. A two-second waterfall still, or 180° at f/2.8, still needs glass. Sony does not sell an a7R VI ND. The 2026 filter that matches this body is the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Signature Edition II 82 mm 6–9 stop. It is not the a7 V’s 2–5 hybrid default, and it is not a no-hard-stop 1–10 ring.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Updated September 2026 · a7R VI · ILCE-7RM6 · 66.8 MP · no internal ND · 8K30 · 4K120 FF · Dual Gain ≤4K30 · XAVC S-I 600 Mbps · 82 mm first
82-6/9-VND-ED2. Hard-stop 6–9. PolarPro: LOG / long exposure. Zero vignette to 16 mm.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82. True Color on 66.8 MP. 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 a7R VI | Thread / note | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolarPro PM II 6–9 | 6–9 (ND64–ND512) | Default long stills / LOG / 8K noon | 82 mm · hard stops · to 16 mm | ~$250 | Check |
| NiSi True Color 1–5 | 1–5 (+ Swift ND16 = 5–9) | True Color on 66.8 MP; 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) | S-Cinetone / ISO 100 — 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 on 66.8 MP — 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. A 1–2 s still at ISO 100 / f/8 is about eight to nine stops over sunny-16 — that is 6–9, not 2–5. Dual Gain On is ISO 100–400 for movies (Sony Help) and shutter 1/4000–1 s; it does not subtract stops. Electronic stills stop at 1/8000 on this body — not the a7 V’s 1/16000. Sony does not sell a circular ND. Buy 82 mm first. XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p is 600 Mbps; XAVC HS 8K 4:2:2 tops out at 520 Mbps — both slots take CFexpress Type A. Do not stack two variable NDs.
How We Picked These Filters
- What Sony published for this body: ILCE-7RM6 spec sheet: E-mount. 35.9 × 24.0 mm fully stacked Exmor RS CMOS. Approx. 72.6 MP total; 66.8 MP effective stills (9984 × 6656); 55.8 MP effective movies. BIONZ XR2. Stills ISO 100–32000, expandable 50–102400. Movies ISO 100–32000 equivalent. Dual Gain Shooting On (Sony Help): movie ISO 100–400 equivalent; movie shutter 1/4000–1 s. Dual Gain is 4K at 30p or lower (CineD / DPReview); Sony: slower readout, suited to landscapes or little motion — not a Cinema Line dual-base ISO. Shutter: electronic and mechanical stills 1/8000–30 s, Bulb; movies 1/8000–1 s. 8K 30p XAVC HS, 8.2K oversampling; Sony footnote: 8K 30p narrows the angle of view (~1.2×). 4K 60p and 4K 120p without cropping (Sony). XAVC HS 8K 29.97p 400/200 Mbps 4:2:0 10-bit or 520/260 Mbps 4:2:2 10-bit. XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p 600 Mbps / 50p 500 / 29.97p 300 / 23.98p 240. XAVC HS 4K 119.88p up to 280 Mbps 4:2:2. HDMI RAW: 4576 × 2576, 16-bit, plus 8K HDMI. S-Log3, S-Gamut3 / S-Gamut3.Cine, S-Cinetone, user LUTs. Pixel Shift Multi Shooting 4 / 16 shots. Dual slots, both CFexpress Type A / SD. IBIS 8.5 stops center / 7.0 periphery (CIPA 2024, FE 50 mm F1.2 GM). EVF 9.44 M dots; 3.2-type 2.1 M-dot 4-axis LCD. Weight approx. 713 g with NP-SA100 and card, 622 g body. 132.7 × 96.9 × 82.9 mm. 30 fps electronic stills. 8K heat claim: up to 120 min (XAVC HS 8K 30p 200M, Temp. High, 25 °C). Sony does not sell an a7R VI ND set. There is no built-in ND.
- Why 66.8 MP still needs 6–9, and why Dual Gain is not glass: This is an R body. Two-to-thirty-second water and clouds at ISO 100 are the reason the series exists. PolarPro prints 6–9 for LOG and long exposure. Movie shutter still tops out at 1 s (1/4000 with Dual Gain On). 180° at 24p is ~1/48. Sunny-16 at ISO 100 / f/2.8 / 1/48 is ~6 stops; S-Log3 or Dual Gain’s ISO 400 ceiling does not remove those stops — Dual Gain On lowers the ISO you are allowed to use. 8K/30 and HDMI 16-bit RAW still have no iris inside the body. Pixel Shift 4 / 16 is a composite, not an ND. 1/8000 stills can freeze a portrait; they cannot make a two-second shutter. A no-hard-stop 1–10 VND draws an X that 66.8 MP will print.
- 82 mm, the a7 V trap, and the a7R V trap: Standardize on 82 mm: FE 24–70 mm F2.8 GM II and FE 16–35 mm F2.8 GM II. Step-up 77 mm and 67 mm. PolarPro Edition II claims zero vignetting to 16 mm; front is unthreaded. NiSi True Color 1–5 uses an 86 mm front and a Swift ND16 for 5–9. K&F hard-stop 1–5 is KF01.1805V1; ND2–400 is the skip. a7 V is 33 MP, 1/16000 electronic stills, 4K/120 Super 35, no 8K, no HDMI RAW, Overall 2–5 — do not copy that cart here. a7R V was 61 MP, 4K/60 cropped, 8K/24; this body is 66.8 MP stacked, 4K/120 full-frame, 8K/30. Same E-mount thread. Different job.
Best ND Filters for Sony a7R VI: 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. Haptic clicks. Defender360. Street ~$250. |
|---|---|
| On a7R VI | PolarPro: 6–9 for LOG and for ISO over 400 at f/1.4–f/2.8, and for long exposure. Matches 1–30 s water at ISO 100 and S-Log3 / Dual Gain daylight. Front unthreaded. Printed zero vignetting to 16 mm. |
| Dual Gain / HDMI RAW | Dual Gain On does not add density. HDMI 16-bit 4576 × 2576 still wants 180°. Pixel Shift 4 / 16 still wants the same shutter per frame. |
| SKU trap | Edition II 2–5 (same $250, a7 V default — Layer 2 here). Helix MagLock. 77 mm on an 82 mm zoom. Edition I. |
Why it fits the a7R VI. This is a 66.8 MP R body, not a 33 MP hybrid. PolarPro already split the catalog: 6–9 for LOG and long exposure. That is the R job. Buy 82 mm once; step-up the 77 mm and 67 mm primes. Buy NiSi first if True Color on a 9984-pixel-wide still matters more than haptic clicks and you will Swift-expand for noon. 1/8000 stills do not retire this filter. 600 Mbps / 520 Mbps 8K is a CFexpress Type A choice — both slots take one.
Skip this if the week is ISO 100 S-Cinetone and no long stills — PolarPro 2–5. Skip a 77 mm copy when the 24–70 GM II is 82 mm.
- Hard-stop 6–9 matches long stills and LOG noon
- Zero vignette claim to 16 mm
- Haptic stops; Defender360
- Front unthreaded — no screw-in stack
- Too dark for shade / ISO 100 S-Cinetone
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. Street ~$180–$220. Swift 1–9 kit: NIR-TCVNDSWIFT-KIT0.3-2.7-82 (~$309–$339) if the ND16 should land in the same box. |
|---|---|
| On a7R VI | True Color is the reason it is Value on 9984 × 6656 and on 16-shot Pixel Shift. 1–5 alone is short for a two-second still or Dual Gain ISO 400 / 1/48 in sun — that is the Swift ND16 (4 stops), 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, PolarPro is the safer wide claim. |
| SKU trap | Older NiSi ND-VARIO 5–9 Enhanced (NIR-VND1.5-2.7-82) — not True Color; NiSi recommended 35 mm+. 77 mm on an 82 mm zoom. |
Why it is Value, not Overall. Cheaper True Color hard-stop VND, and the Swift ND16 is a real 5–9 path. PolarPro 6–9 still wins the R default because one ring covers 2–30 s stills without a press-on. Buy this if color on a 66.8 MP still is the week and noon is the exception you expand for.
Skip this if every setup is a two-second river or 8K S-Log3 parking-lot sun — PolarPro 6–9.
- True Color + hard stops under PolarPro money
- Swift ND16 expands to 5–9
- 86 mm front thread
- 1–5 alone is short for R-series long stills
- 16 mm claim is PolarPro’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. 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 a7R VI | Same 1–5 math as NiSi without True Color / Swift. Fine for S-Cinetone and ISO 100 clips. A two-second still or Dual Gain / S-Log3 noon still wants 6–9 — stop down or add a fixed ND, do not “upgrade” to ND2–400. 66.8 MP and 16-shot Pixel Shift will show a cheap cast. |
| SKU trap | KF01.1393V1 / SKU.0887V1 ND2–400. KF01.1466 1–9 Nano-X. ND2–32 + Black Mist / CPL 2-in-1 as the first a7R VI ND. 77 mm on an 82 mm zoom. |
Why it is Budget. Hard-stop 1–5, 82 mm, one cheap invoice. You give up CinemaSeries and True Color. The only way this pick fails is Amazon merging it with ND2–400. If the week is paid 8K S-Log3 or Pixel Shift water, spend the extra.
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 R-series long stills or LOG noon
- 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 hybrid / non-LOG ring — the a7 V default. 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, ~$250 as the 6–9. |
|---|---|
| When it wins | PolarPro: 2–5 is the general photo / video ring. S-Cinetone, Creative Look, windowed interiors. Pair with 6–9 if the a7R VI does both recce stills and graded 8K. Not the first buy if the job is a two-second river or Dual Gain / S-Log3 noon. |
| Not the a7 V default on this URL | a7 V Overall is 2–5 because that body is a 33 MP hybrid with 1/16000 electronic stills and no 8K. This page is ILCE-7RM6. |
Buy this after 6–9 is in the pouch, or when ISO 100 S-Cinetone is the look. Do not buy it as the only filter if the week is Pixel Shift water.
Skip this if the week is 8K S-Log3 or 2–30 s stills — 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. No hard stops at 5 or 6. That is where the X-pattern lives — worst on a 16–35 at 16 mm, and louder on a 66.8 MP still or a 16-shot Pixel Shift composite than on any 33 MP hybrid. |
|---|---|
| On a7R VI | S-Log3, 8K, and 9984-pixel-wide RAW will show the 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, and any listing that implies Dual Gain replaces ND. |
A $40 1–10 is not a 6–9 with haptic clicks. If the camera in the bag is an a7R VI, the cart says 82-6/9-VND-ED2, NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82, or KF01.1805V1.
Skip this if the body is an a7R VI and the lens is wider than 35 mm. Buy PolarPro 6–9, NiSi True Color 1–5, or K&F ND2–32.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What ND strength the a7R VI needs
There is no internal ND. Movie ISO starts at 100. Dual Gain On locks movie ISO to 100–400 equivalent and movie shutter to 1/4000–1 s (Sony Help). 180-degree shutter is ≈ 2× fps: about 1/48 at 24p, 1/60 at 30p, 1/120 at 4K/60, 1/240 at 4K/120. A 1–2 s still at ISO 100 / f/8 is about eight to nine stops over sunny-16 — PolarPro 6–9. S-Cinetone at ISO 100 / f/4 is 2–5. Electronic stills stop at 1/8000, not 1/16000. Pixel Shift 4 / 16 does not add density.
Dual Gain instead of an ND
No. Dual Gain is two amplification circuits for shadow latitude, available in 4K at 30p or lower. Sony: readout slows; it is for landscapes or little motion. On = ISO 100–400 for movies, shutter 1/4000–1 s. That is more reason for 6–9 in sun, not less. It is not FX6 electronic ND (1/4–1/128) and not Cinema Line dual-base ISO 800 / 12800.
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 and 67 mm 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.
a7R VI vs a7 V vs a7R V glass
Same E-mount, same 82 mm recommendation. a7 V is 33 MP, 1/16000 electronic stills, 4K/120 Super 35, no 8K, no HDMI RAW — Overall 2–5. a7R V was 61 MP, cropped 4K/60, 8K/24. a7R VI is 66.8 MP stacked, 4K/120 full-frame, 8K/30 with a narrower 8K angle of view, HDMI 16-bit 4576 × 2576, Dual Gain, NP-SA100. Overall here is 6–9. Sony does not put electronic ND in any of these.
8K, 600 Mbps, HDMI RAW, and ND
XAVC HS 8K 4:2:2 tops out at 520 Mbps; XAVC S-I 4K 59.94p is 600 Mbps. Both card slots take CFexpress Type A. HDMI RAW is 4576 × 2576, 16-bit. None of that changes f/2.8 or 1/48. 8K/30 narrows the angle of view; 4K/120 does not (Sony). Dynamic active Mode is stabilization. ND is for 180° video and for long stills. Dual Gain is not an ND.
Final Verdict
For most Sony a7R VI kits, buy PolarPro 82-6/9-VND-ED2, shoot 82 mm with step-up rings, and keep 2–30 s stills and 180° S-Log3 / 8K without raising ISO. There is no internal ND. Dual Gain is ISO 100–400, not glass. 1/8000 stills are not a two-second shutter. S-Cinetone at ISO 100? PolarPro 2–5 or NiSi True Color 1–5 (Swift ND16 when it gets hot). Same 1–5 cheaper? K&F KF01.1805V1. Skip ND2–400, skip stacking two VNDs, skip the a7 V 2–5 cart unless the week is actually hybrid ISO 100. 600 Mbps / 520 Mbps 8K is a card. This page is the a7R VI, not the a7 V or the a7R V.