PolarPro’s New Shift System
- The Magazine For Photographers
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
PolarPro has introduced a new three-piece diopter system called Shift. It is designed to give photographers and filmmakers quick access to closer focusing distances without having to swap lenses. The set includes +2, +4, and +8 strengths, each reducing a lens’s minimum focusing distance to 50 cm, 25 cm, and 12.5 cm (19.7, 9.8, and 4.9 inches). The diopters don’t change focal length, they simply bring the focal plane forward so lenses can focus on subjects that would otherwise fall outside their native close-focus range.
The system is available in two mounting formats, PolarPro’s Helix MagLock for fast attachment and removal, and traditional threaded versions from 49 mm to 95 mm. Each diopter uses multi-coated cinema-grade glass in aluminium housings, with the MagLock variant weighing around 140 grams and the threaded ones about 98 grams. The MagLock version can also be paired with a variable ND filter as long as the VND is placed behind the diopter. Threaded versions, however, are generally limited to straight NDs because most threaded VNDs are too thick to stack reliably.
Shift differs from split-diopters used in cinema, as it doesn’t attempt to keep two focal planes simultaneously sharp. Instead, it functions more like a modern, higher-quality close-up filter, aimed at extending the usefulness of existing lenses for detail-oriented subjects. The set, +2, +4, +8 diopters and a the specially designed case, is available in both MagLock and threaded options, with prices ranging from $149.99 to $399.99.
You can see full details on PolarPro’s website here
