DIY Your Own White Diffusion Filter & Black Mist Filter

You may have seen this scene on Tik Tok or somewhere else - a photographer smears bananas or vaseline or something else on the UV filter, and then puts the UV filter on the lens to get an effect similar to the White Diffusion filter.

There are many DIY filters like this. I will introduce the two simplest DIY filters in this article.

White Diffusion Filter

If we want to DIY a White Diffusion filter, we must first understand how it works. Why can the White Diffusion filter bring dreamy visual effects?

Theory

The White Diffusion filter contains a surface embedded with microscopic particles or a specific textured pattern. These elements are crucial in scattering the light that passes through the filter.

When light rays hit these particles, they are diffused in multiple directions, causing the light to spread out rather than travel in a straight line.

how to diy a White Diffusion Filter？

After understanding the theory, we know that as long as microscopic particles or a specific textured pattern are added to a transparent surface, we can get the effect of White Diffusion Filter.

Therefore, applying Vaseline, banana, or even oil on your nose to your UV filter or camera lens (if you are willing) can achieve the effect of White Diffusion Filter.

However, in order to ensure the quality of the picture and the subsequent use of your lens, we still recommend purchasing a real White Diffusion Filter. A good quality White Diffusion Filter is actually not expensive, such as kfconcept’s Nano-K White Diffusion.

Black Mist Filter

A Black Mist filter is a type of diffusion filter used in photography and cinematography to create a specific visual effect. This filter is designed to soften image contrast and highlights while maintaining overall sharpness, adding a subtle "mist" or glow to bright areas without affecting the shadow details as much as traditional diffusion filters.

Theory

The Black Mist filter contains microscopic black particles or a special coating that scatters light in a controlled manner. These particles help diffuse the light, particularly in the highlights, creating a blooming effect.

how to diy a Black Mist filter？

Microscopic black particles sound complicated, but you can actually get a similar effect by just putting black stockings or fishnet stockings over your lens.

If you can't get stockings, you can also try spraying a very small amount of black spray paint onto the UV filter. However, the amount of spray paint is difficult to control. If possible, we still recommend that you purchase a real Black Mist filter, such as kfconcept’s Nano-X Series Black Diffusion filter to protect the quality of your photos.