Benro are coming out with drop-in e-ND (electronic ND filter kit)

[Andrew - EOSHD]

Finally someone has done it

https://www.benro.com/en/prelaunch/NE1-nd-filter.html

It has a nifty bluetooth controller with auto-AE as well.

Curious to see how nice it is to use, but no word on pricing yet.

[kye]

Interesting product.  I couldn't see from the images how it is powered, but it looks like maybe it has a USB-C port on top, so maybe it's rechargeable that way.  

I always assumed that such a thing would sit between the camera and lens (like those adapters with drop-in filters) and could be powered by the mount, but obviously this couldn't do that.

If we assume its total range is ND3-64 then that makes it ~1.5-6 stops.  Not a bad range - I use a 1-5 stop vND when out and about and find it has enough range for most run-n-gun conditions.

I gather e-ND filters are much better than vNDs with colour accuracy and not messing with the image too much (e.g. with polarisation etc)?

[eatstoomuchjam]

e-ND filters (at least the ones I've seen) are LCD panels with what is effectively a single very large pixel, so yes, it won't have some of the drawbacks of a vND, especially including no X when dialed up.  I've never noticed any polarization with mine which is the inline filter for the EF mount on Z Cam.  They are also effectively infinitely variable (if someone wants to nitpick that, feel free) so they also make it less important to have a clickless aperture, if you're one of the people who needs stepless exposure pulls on a regular basis.

As for color accuracy, that'd depend on the quality of the LCD panel used, I imagine - but at the very least, I would expect it to stay consistent throughout its range.

I'd also be curious in the future if someone will come out with an electronic ND that allows for gradations or split filtering, etc.  Landscape photographers would be all over it.

[MrSMW]

Interesting at the very least and signed up.

[KnightsFan]

Looks cool. I'm still a little confused about how it attaches to the lens, and if it's compatible with other matte boxes and filtration, or whether it integrates into a proprietary matte box system. I'd like to see something similar that fits into a 4x4 or 4x5.65 slot, like the prototype that LC-Tec made a while ago https://www.newsshooter.com/2025/09/14/kippertie-lc-tec-electronic-variable-nd-electronic-diffusion-solutions-at-ibc-2025/ (From the interviews with LC-Tec earlier this year, it sounds like they manufacture the LCDs for many companies, including metabones and kippertie, and I wouldn't be surprised if they also manufacture for this Benro product although I have no source on that)

6 hours ago, kye said:

I gather e-ND filters are much better than vNDs with colour accuracy and not messing with the image too much

No polarization, but not necessarily better color accuracy or anything. Quality can vary.

3 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

I'd also be curious in the future if someone will come out with an electronic ND that allows for gradations or split filtering, etc.  Landscape photographers would be all over it.

Yeah I've thought about the same thing, and with that sort of tool you could have arbitrary shapes instead of a straight split. I imagine the cost goes up considerably when it gets fancy.

[kye]

11 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

e-ND filters (at least the ones I've seen) are LCD panels with what is effectively a single very large pixel, so yes, it won't have some of the drawbacks of a vND, especially including no X when dialed up.  I've never noticed any polarization with mine which is the inline filter for the EF mount on Z Cam.  They are also effectively infinitely variable (if someone wants to nitpick that, feel free) so they also make it less important to have a clickless aperture, if you're one of the people who needs stepless exposure pulls on a regular basis.

As for color accuracy, that'd depend on the quality of the LCD panel used, I imagine - but at the very least, I would expect it to stay consistent throughout its range.

I'd also be curious in the future if someone will come out with an electronic ND that allows for gradations or split filtering, etc.  Landscape photographers would be all over it.

I had the vague impression that LCD panels had some element of polarisation to them, but maybe that's not true.

However, even if it was true, the fact you haven't noticed any probably means the polarisation isn't changing direction as the strength varies.

I do a lot of tests where I match different shots in post, things like latitude tests etc, and if I use a vND to control exposure then I'll end up with two shots where the subject is the same WB/exp but the sky or the level of reflections in water/glass will be completely different, which ends up being the polarisation from the rotating element of the vND being a different angle between the two shots.

[eatstoomuchjam]

10 hours ago, kye said:

I had the vague impression that LCD panels had some element of polarisation to them, but maybe that's not true.

However, even if it was true, the fact you haven't noticed any probably means the polarisation isn't changing direction as the strength varies.

I have the same vague impression, but I'm not sure.  I never really went looking for it.  But as you said, if there's some polarization, it stays consistent as the ND is dialed up or down.

10 hours ago, kye said:

I do a lot of tests where I match different shots in post, things like latitude tests etc, and if I use a vND to control exposure then I'll end up with two shots where the subject is the same WB/exp but the sky or the level of reflections in water/glass will be completely different, which ends up being the polarisation from the rotating element of the vND being a different angle between the two shots.

Definitely, it's one of the dangers of vND.  Also with wide angle lenses during the day, the sky can end up looking funky and not just different.