Best Variable ND Filters for Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
At f/2.8 in sun, a 180-degree shutter is about six stops of ND, not two. On the 82 mm GM II, the variable that covers that range without walking into the X is PolarPro’s Signature Edition II 6–9 stop.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
Reviewed August 2026 · 82 mm thread · hard-stop VNDs only at 24 mm
ND64–ND512, haptic clicks, hard stops. PolarPro rates no vignette to 16 mm. The 2–5 (ND4–ND32) is a different SKU for overcast, not this job.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓Hard stops, 86 mm front, True Color coating. NiSi’s own sheet says 35 mm or longer — fine from the long half of this zoom, not a 24 mm only filter.
Check Price at Amazon Read full review ↓1–5 stops with hard stops. Buy this Nano-X, not the ND2–400 fader. Needs an 86 mm cap. About a third of a PolarPro.
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 | Hard stops | 24 mm on GM II | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolarPro Ed. II 6–9 | ND64–ND512 | Yes + haptic | Rated to 16 mm | ~$250 | Check |
| NiSi True Color 1–5 | ND2–ND32 | Yes | NiSi says 35 mm+ | ~$160 | Check |
| K&F Nano-X ND2–32 | 1–5 | Yes | Slim 7.3 mm; 86 mm cap | ~$90 | Check |
| PolarPro Ed. II 2–5 | ND4–ND32 | Yes + haptic | Rated to 16 mm | ~$250 | Check |
| Freewell 2–5 + 6–9 pair | Both ranges | Yes | Rated 16 mm+ | ~$220 | Check |
| Tiffen 82 mm VND | ~2–8 | No | Easy to over-rotate | — | Skip |
How We Picked These Filters
- The thread is 82 mm, full stop: Sony FE 24–70mm f/2.8 GM II (SEL2470GM2) takes 82 mm fronts. The original GM I was also 82 mm. The ALC-SH168 hood has a filter window for polarizers and VNDs, but PolarPro’s Edition II is 89 mm across, unthreaded, and PolarPro says it does not work with the lens hood or a standard cap. Defender360 is the cap. NiSi’s 1–5 has an 86 mm front thread. K&F Nano-X ND2–32 wants an 86 mm cap.
- Six stops, not “2–5 is enough for video”: Sunny 16 at ISO 100 is f/16 and about 1/100 s. f/2.8 is five stops more light. 1/50 s for 24p 180-degree is one more. That is six stops in full sun before you raise ISO. PolarPro 6–9 is ND64–ND512. PolarPro 2–5 and NiSi 1–5 top out at ND32. The previous version of this page treated 2–5 as the daylight video default. That only holds in open shade or if you stop the GM II down.
- Hard stops at 24 mm, or skip: A VND is two polarizers. Rotate too far and you get the X, worst at wide angle. PolarPro builds the range into the ring (SKU 82-6/9-VND-ED2 and 82-2/5-VND-ED2). NiSi True Color 1–5 (NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82) has hard stops but B&H reprints NiSi’s 35 mm-or-longer note. K&F Nano-X ND2–ND32 (B07FQG83VB) has hard stops; the Nano-X ND2–400 fader does not — do not buy that as a 24 mm filter. Tiffen’s 82 mm variable has a wider outer ring and no hard stops.
Best Variable ND Filters for Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II: Detailed Reviews
PolarPro Signature Edition II 82mm 6–9 stop View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | 82-6/9-VND-ED2 · B08KJHCXWW |
|---|---|
| Thread | 82 mm rear · 89 mm body · front unthreaded |
| Density | 1.8–2.7 / 6–9 stops (ND64–ND512) |
| Vignette claim | Zero down to 16 mm |
| Hood | Will not take ALC-SH168; Defender360 is the cap |
| Street | About $250 |
Why it fits this zoom. The GM II is the lens people buy to stay at f/2.8. In sun that means a dark VND, not a 2–5 “run and gun” ring. Edition II puts numbered stops in the ring with a click you can feel without looking. The range is mechanically limited, which is how PolarPro keeps the X off a 24 mm frame. CinemaSeries glass, 16-layer coat, 8.48 mm thick, 56 g. The sibling 2–5 (B08KJHVP3K, ND4–ND32) is the same mechanism for shade and stills — same money, different density. Do not treat them as one listing; Amazon titles recycle the 2–5 copy onto the 6–9 page.
Skip this if you never shoot video in sun at f/2.8, or you need the Sony hood on. Skip 77 mm PolarPros and step-up rings.
- The stop range that actually matches f/2.8 + 1/50 in sun
- Hard stops + haptic; 16 mm vignette rating
- ~$250; 2–5 is another $250 if you want both
- No hood, no standard 82 mm cap
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
NiSi True Color ND-VARIO 82mm 1–5 stop View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | NIR-TCVND0.3-1.5-82 · B09K57XSZS |
|---|---|
| Thread | 82 mm rear · 86 mm front |
| Density | 0.3–1.5 / 1–5 stops (ND2–ND32) |
| NiSi note | 35 mm full-frame or longer recommended |
| Extra | Removable lever; Swift press-on stack (ND16 kit goes 5–9) |
| Street | About $150–$180 |
Why it is value, with a 24 mm asterisk. True Color is NiSi’s pitch against the yellow/green VND cast. Hard stops at both ends. The 86 mm front is there so you can stack Swift filters without an immediate tunnel. That stack is also why NiSi tells you 35 mm or longer — at 24 mm on the GM II, treat this as a maybe, not a given. From 35–70 mm it is the cheaper 82 mm VND that still has a real part number. Need 5–9 without PolarPro money: NiSi’s Swift kit is the 1–5 plus a press-on ND16, not a second variable ring. Confirm you are buying the 82 mm lens filter (B09K57XSZS), not the iPhone IP-A holder version.
Skip this if 24 mm is the reason you own the GM II. That is the PolarPro row.
- Hard stops, True Color, less than PolarPro
- Swift path to 5–9 without a second VND ring
- NiSi’s own 35 mm minimum
- 1–5 stops only until you stack
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
K&F Concept Nano-X 82mm ND2–ND32 View on Amazon View on B&H
| ASIN | B07FQG83VB (82 mm ND2–ND32 Nano-X) |
|---|---|
| Stops | 1–5 (ND2–ND32) |
| Frame | 7.3 mm slim · 28-layer · 86 mm cap |
| Not this | Nano-X ND2–400 / ND3–1000 faders |
| Street | About $90 |
Why this K&F and not the other K&F. Nano-X ND2–ND32 uses a self-lock ring so you cannot rotate into the X. That is the only reason it is on a 24–70 mm page. The ND2–400 “400” in the name is the red flag: no hard stops, X at 24 mm. Same store, wrong tool. Japanese AGC glass, 28 coats, aviation aluminum. Expect a small cool shift versus NiSi True Color; correct it. It will not get you six stops in sun. Pair it with stopping down, or accept it as an overcast/stills filter.
Skip this if the listing says ND2–400, ND2–1000, or 77 mm. Skip it if you need 6–9 stops — that is PolarPro or the Freewell pair, not a $90 1–5.
- Hard stops at 82 mm for about $90
- Slim frame; 86 mm cap is a known extra
- 1–5 stops only; easy to grab the wrong K&F SKU
- Not PolarPro glass
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
If You Need Something Else
These are not cheaper 6–9 PolarPros. One is the 2–5 sibling. One is both ranges in a Freewell pair. One is the Tiffen you should not put at 24 mm.
PolarPro Signature Edition II 82mm 2–5 stop View on Amazon View on B&H
| SKU / ASIN | 82-2/5-VND-ED2 · B08KJHVP3K |
|---|---|
| Density | ND4–ND32 / 2–5 stops |
| Same as 6–9 | Haptic, hard stops, Defender360, 16 mm claim, no hood |
PolarPro calls 2–5 the general photo/video filter and 6–9 the log / long-exposure / bright filter. On this GM II, 2–5 is shade, cloudy, or stills where you are not holding 1/50 s at f/2.8 in sun. Same $250. Do not buy it thinking it is a dimmer 6–9.
Skip this if your brief is daylight 180-degree at f/2.8.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Freewell 82mm 2–5 + 6–9 threaded pair View on Amazon View on B&H
| ASIN | B07Z4NW9VN |
|---|---|
| Stops | 2–5 (ND4–ND32) and 6–9 (ND64–ND512) |
| Claim | Hard stops, 16 mm+ vignette, 18-layer |
| Street | About $220 for the pair |
Two threaded hard-stop VNDs for less than one PolarPro. Same 2–5 / 6–9 split. No haptic clicks, no Defender360. Confirm 82 mm. Magnetic Freewell kits are a different SKU — this row is the screw-on pair.
Skip this if you want one filter and the clicky ring.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Tiffen 82mm Variable ND View on Amazon View on B&H
| Design | Wider outer ring, Hollywood screw-on, no hard stops |
|---|---|
| 24 mm problem | You can rotate into the X with no mechanical limit |
Tiffen’s 82 mm variable is a real filter. It is not a 24 mm GM II filter unless you like riding the edge by eye. The old page called it Also Great. The wide front ring helps vignette; it does not replace hard stops.
Skip this if you shoot the GM II at 24 mm. That is the point of this row.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
K&F Nano-X ND2–400 View on Amazon View on B&H
| Range | ND2–400, no hard stops |
|---|---|
| At 24 mm | X-pattern is the feature people return these for |
Amazon will show this next to the ND2–32. The 400 is not more better. Buy B07FQG83VB or leave K&F.
Check Price on Amazon US, UK, CA, DE → Check Price on B&H
Frequently Asked Questions
What size VND does the 24-70 GM II take?
82 mm. Same as the original GM 24–70. A 77 mm filter needs a step-up ring and will fight the hood and the 24 mm corners. Read ø82 on the front ring before you click buy.
Will the Sony hood still fit?
ALC-SH168 has a rotating-filter window, so a slim 82 mm VND can work. PolarPro Edition II is 89 mm, unthreaded, and PolarPro says no hood and no stock cap. NiSi’s 86 mm front and K&F’s 86 mm cap are the same story more often than not. Try the hood before a paid shoot if the hood is non-negotiable.
2–5 or 6–9 for video at f/2.8?
Full sun, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/50 s is about six stops. That is the 6–9. 2–5 (or NiSi 1–5) is shade, cloud, or a faster shutter. PolarPro sells both as separate 82 mm SKUs.
Do I need a VND or a fixed ND?
A fixed ND is one density and usually cleaner. A VND is two polarizers you rotate. On a 24–70 used for run-and-gun video, the variable is the point — if it has hard stops. If you only shoot 1/50 at f/2.8 in sun, a fixed ND64 or ND128 is simpler and will not X.
Final Verdict
Buy 82 mm. For sun at f/2.8 and a 180-degree shutter, buy PolarPro’s 6–9 Edition II, not a 2–5. NiSi True Color 1–5 is the cheaper hard-stop ring if you work 35–70 mm. K&F Nano-X ND2–32 is the $90 hard-stop — never the ND2–400. Tiffen without stops is a skip at 24 mm. The Sony hood usually loses to these rings; that is the trade.