Ok so… I went through this exact spiral last year after grabbing the 24-70 GM II. I slapped on a “decent” VND and was like why do my files look… *mushy* in backlight?? Turns out coatings + stacking were the real villains, not the lens.

You might find this useful: check out the filter tests on LensRentals blog + Roger Cicala’s writeups on flare/ghosting. Also, Gerald Undone has pretty practical VND vids (esp. about X-pattern + polarization weirdness).

**Option A: value-but-still-clean (my pick for travel)**
- Hoya HD nano Mk II Circular Polarizer 82mm: good coatings for the money, less “milky” flare than cheaper CPLs.
- Hoya PROND ND8 82mm (3-stop) + Hoya PROND ND64 82mm (6-stop): pretty neutral, affordable vs the boutique stuff.

**Option B: higher-end, super consistent**
- NiSi True Color Pro Nano Circular Polarizer 82mm: IMO very low color shift, nice for landscapes.
- NiSi ND 3 Stop (0.9) Pro Nano 82mm / NiSi ND 6 Stop (1.8) Pro Nano 82mm: consistent color across the set.

**Option C: VND for video (use carefully)**
- PolarPro Peter McKinnon Variable ND Filter II 2-5 Stop 82mm: convenient, but any VND can bite you with wide angles + skies.

Practical tip: buy 82mm and use step-up rings, and try not to stack CPL+ND unless you really need it. Saves money long-term and keeps vignetting down. If you tell us if you’re 77mm vs 82mm on both lenses, I can suggest a cheap step-up setup too

Ok so… been there. I’ve shot GM glass for years and the biggest “IQ killer” was cheap coatings. TL;DR: go high-end, avoid stacking. CPL: B+W XS-Pro HTC Kaesemann Circular Polarizer MRC Nano or Hoya HD3 Circular Polarizer (both super clean, less flare). Fixed ND: Breakthrough Photography X4 Neutral Density 3-Stop + Breakthrough Photography X4 Neutral Density 6-Stop (neutral, minimal cast). VND: PolarPro Peter McKinnon Variable ND 2-5 Stop but be careful past mid-range (X-pattern/vignetting). Cheers

Honestly, those GM Mark II lenses are so crisp that you really see the difference when you use cheap glass in front of them. Ive been using NiSi filters for several years now across a bunch of different Sony bodies and they just work. The color neutrality is pretty much spot on and I havent noticed any major loss in sharpness even when I zoom in to 100 percent. Just get their regular circular polarizer and a couple of their NDs if you want to do landscapes properly. Going with a reputable brand like that is basically the only way to ensure you arent wasting the potential of those expensive lenses. It might cost a bit more upfront but youll save yourself the headache of fixing weird green or purple tints in post later on. Just stick to their pro glass lines and you wont have any regrets.

Honestly, I've lived with these GM lenses for a couple years now and the glass is so good it realy shows every flaw in your filters. Before I dive in tho, are you planning on using step-up rings or buying separate sizes for the 24-70 (82mm) and 70-200 (77mm)? Also, are you shooting in dusty or salt-spray environments often? It definately changes what coatings you should look for. My long-term take: ditch the traditional screw-ins. I spent years fumbling with them in the cold and ended up hating the process. I eventually switched to the Kase Wolverine Magnetic Circular Polarizer and their magnetic NDs. Since they're tempered glass, they're incredibly tough for travel, and I haven't noticed any sharpness loss even on the A7R series sensors. The color is super neutral, which is what you want for those GM colors to pop. **TL;DR:** Magnetic systems are a game changer for GM users. Look into the Kase Wolverine Magnetic ND Kit or even the Haida M10-II Filter Holder if you want to use square grads later. It keeps the workflow fast so you dont miss the light while screwing on a filter tho.

- Warning: stacking CPL+ND is where GM sharpness gets “mysteriously” softer + flare/ghosting shows up, esp. backlit travel stuff.
- Quick question: are you shooting 77mm/82mm and do you need step-up rings, or want separate filters per lens?
- Also… mostly stills or video-heavy? VNDs can do X-pattern/polarization weirdness with ultrawides, so setup depends.

Exactly what I was thinking

Commenting to find later