Haida Rear Lens Soft GND 0.9 for Nikon Z and Leica L

You’re photographing a landscape with a fast ultra-wide-angle lens, and the sky is three f-stops brighter than the foreground. A graduated filter solves this problem, but these particular lenses have a domed front element without a thread. That leaves you with large filter holder systems that barely fit in your bag. This filter takes a different approach and attaches to the back of the lens.

• Soft gray gradient with 3 f-stops, density 0.9
• Mounts behind the lens; no holder in front of the front element
• No vignetting, unlike that caused by front-mounted filters
• The gradient sits securely; you can compose your shot around it
• For ultra-wide-angle lenses with Nikon Z or Leica L mount
• Requires a compatible adapter, not included

The filter sits at the rear, not the front

No holder in front of the front element

Ultra-wide-angle lenses with a curved front element do not accept screw-in filters. The alternative is a filter holder system that attaches to the front and is correspondingly large. Here, the filter sits at the rear of the lens, leaving the bayonet mount free on the outside, and you don’t need any extra space in your bag.

No vignetting

Filters mounted in front of the lens quickly intrude into the image at extreme focal lengths and darken the corners. Because the filter is positioned behind the optics here, this problem doesn’t arise at all—not even at 14 millimeters.

Three f-stops of smooth transition

Density 0.9 corresponds to three f-stops. “Soft” means that the transition from dark to clear is gradual rather than occurring along a sharp edge. For landscapes with trees, mountains, or buildings on the horizon, this is the option that won’t show up as a line in the image.

Here’s what it looks like in everyday use

Sunset over a dark landscape

The sky is blown out, the foreground is underexposed, and you can’t capture both in a single shot. With a three-stop gradient, you can bring the sky back without sacrificing the ground.

Mountains against a bright sky

The soft transition blends over an irregular mountain ridge without revealing where it begins. A hard gradient would create a visible edge cutting across the peaks here.

Architecture from below

When you shoot upward with a wide-angle lens, you almost always end up with a bright sky above a dark facade. The same gradient brings both areas into a range that the sensor can capture.

What You Should Know Before You Order

The gradient cannot be moved

Unlike with a front-mounted filter, the transition here is fixed in one place. You can’t move it to the horizon; instead, you position the horizon where the gradient is. This helps determine your composition. If you want to set the dividing line freely—for example, for a very low or very high horizon—you’ll need an attachment system. For the same reason, changing the filter isn’t a quick, casual task: you’ll need to remove the lens to do so.

The adapter is not included

The filter alone isn’t enough; you’ll also need the right adapter for your lens. You’ll find it right here with the product—order it at the same time. If you’re unsure which one fits your lens, give us a call before you order.

It only fits certain lenses

The filter is designed for fast ultra-wide-angle lenses with Nikon Z or Leica L mounts that feature a rear filter mount provided by the manufacturer. These include, among others, the Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, the Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 DG DN Art, the Leica Super-Vario-Elmarit-SL 14-24 f/2.8, the Sigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, and the Sigma 15mm f/1.4 DG DN Fisheye. This list is not exhaustive. Ask us if your lens isn’t listed here.

Technical Details at a Glance

• Type: Soft GND, soft gray gradient filter
• Density: 0.9
• Effect: 3 f-stops
• Gradient: soft, fixed position
• Position: behind the lens
• Mount: Nikon Z and Leica L
• Adapter: required, not included

Package Contents

• 1 x Soft GND 0.9 filter
• 1 x Protective and carrying case