I (Michael) have been a photography instructor and Youtuber for 14 years.  I LOVE photography & felt frustrated using camera filters. Not only when I used them, but also when I didn’t have a recommendation I felt good about for my students. I’m thrilled to finally have THE ultimate (Patent Pending) filter recommendation!  

 

I LOVE Photography, but I DO NOT LOVE Extra Steps! 

I credit those early filter frustrations. They led to the development of what I believe is the world’s easiest-to-use filter system, the MAVEN MAGNETIC line!

Let me tell you how we got here:

Many years ago, I was shooting long exposures with ND filters, came home, looked at the images on my computer and asked “Why am I spending $150 on a Neutral Density filter that isn’t color neutral?” 

Poor ND Color Performance – The Result of Shooting with a Tier 2 ND Filter

(Notice the blue-purplish hues where it should be white)

 

I spent up 30-45 minutes after each shoot color-correcting my images to make them look  natural.

A Color Corrected Long Exposure – Why not just use a truly color neutral ND?

Wasting extra time dealing with the white balance became the norm for every shoot with ND filters. Those unnecessary extra steps added up in my workflow. I had enough!

 

 I tested many brands to see which one was best. To my surprise, most were not color neutral. I decided to make my first filter, a square 100x100mm glass filter for landscape shooting. Once we had a prototype, I wanted to see how the new MAVEN filter compared with other brands in a controlled test shooting environment:

Most ND Filters Give A Strong Color Hue When Shot on a White Background

Later, I learned that there was no governing/certification body regarding ND filters. Manufacturers can say whatever they want without backing up any of their claims. Many claimed neutrality on their packaging but were far from it.

I published a video on Youtube that explained the tests & results.

 

I take color performance of an ND filter seriously. The Tier Color System I’ve developed in my video will allow anyone to test their current ND filters with little equipment. Any company that uses the term “Neutral Density” should be Tier 1 color. (Please test them to see for yourself, so you become aware of which brands are good NDs, and which require extra steps needed to white balance).

Always know which MAVEN filter is on your lens!

The ND Tier System has both a numerical score that can be objectively measured, as well as a visual, heuristic one:

Tier 1 Color: No Visible Color Shift

Tier 2 Color: Some Noticeable Color Shift, Some Color Correction Needed

Tier 3 Color: Color Shift is Easily Apparent, Strong Color Shift

Tier 4 Color: Color Shift is Strongly Apparent, Monochromatic Color Shift

Sarnen Church By Louis Chan using MAVEN Magnetic Filters

I know of 3 other (expensive) companies that achieve Tier 1 consistently. There may be more, as I have not tested them all of them. The vast majority of ND filters are not Color Neutral, even if their packaging says so.

 

How To Use MAVEN MAGNETIC Filters

 

         Speed Matters – Imagine how much time is saved with MAVEN Magnetics!

This color testing experience taught me how to build Quality Control Standards with my  teams, ensuring world-class color performance as we scaled up. We test every single MAVEN ND filter for color performance. If we ever make an ND filter that is not Tier 1, it is immediately thrown away, so you know as a customer if it says “MAVEN”, it is truly color neutral. 

Each MAVEN ND Filter has Groove Indicators, where each groove = 1 Stop of Filtration. If you forget which color is which, just count the grooves! (Red has 3 grooves, thus a 3 Stop ND)

The MAVEN square filters solved the color problem, but my students and viewers asked;

“When are you going to make the ringed versions?”

 

There were many other problems I had with ringed filters, so I made a list of all the things about ringed filters that frustrated me:

•  Filters Getting Stuck on my lens (Not Fun!)
•  Filters taking too long to put on or take off of a lens even when they weren’t stuck (Too Slow!) Who hasn’t had the joy of a threaded filter getting stuck??
•  Filter Hunting – Meaning having to search carefully on each lens because it blends with lens barrel (More waste of time!)  Ever play the game of filter hunting? Here is a taste if you own black filters! 

•  Identifying Print can be hard to read Small Text Can Be Hard to Read, Especially as we get older! 
•  Hard to clean (Even more wasted time!)
•  Hard to remember which filter did what (Confusing!)
• High-Quality filters were too expensive!  (No one wants to spend more than they should!)

I have a background in molecular biology. I learned from studying proteins that everything gets more efficient when the form is related to function.

In other words, biology teaches us that appearance should tell us what something is. 

The confusing thing about filters, in general, was that they all looked the same. Mostly all black and or a different look, but they were homogenous across all of their models. My conclusion: Each model of filter should look different!

Therefore; I wanted to incorporate the appearance & physical shape characteristics of the filter into the solutions they were solving. 

 I also asked myself: What other qualities would a great filter solution have in regards to solving filter pain points? 

•  Convenience – They need to minimize any extra steps of the shooting & process. 
•  Speed – Users should be able to apply and remove them quickly.   
•  Identity – Each filter should be immediately identifiable by its unique appearance, not microscopic print.
•  World Class Optical Performance – The ND filters needed to have among the best in the world for color and sharpness. Optical Glass would be required. 
•  Transparency– I wanted the best information available about filters in general. No misleading new customers to buy something they do not need, nor misleading them on what the product can or cannot do. As an educator, I also wanted to produce great how-to videos to help them set up and get the most of their filters.

•  Have an unmatched, lifetime warranty. Problems may happen. My customers are part of the MAVEN family & and we will do whatever we can to make their filter shooting experience easier & more enjoyable. The MAVEN warranty covers everything from magnet strength, to color performance or any defects of manufacturing. It’ll even cover victims of theft! 
•  Affordability – Great value for the price of the filter.

Each ring should be uniquely colored, & that color would give a clue about it’s use: 

•  Blue is the color of the sky & water. Polarizers allow us to make the sky pop vibrant blue, & eliminate reflections, including on water, so it would make sense to have a Circular Polarizer also be blue.

Rotating A Circular Polarizer (or CPL) Can Make the Sky Pop Vibrant Blue, as well as remove reflections from water. Every landscape photographer should have one!

• The video record button is Red. Many do not know they should be using an ND filter when shooting video outside to maintain the 180 degree shutter rule. Red made the most sense for the 3 Stop ND Filter.

At this point I sketched them and this is what I came up with:

One of the First sketches of the MAVEN Color Rings

•  Purple is the color of the sky near the end of the day, so if I need long exposures at that time, I go with my 6 Stop filter.
• The sun is Gold, and if I am doing extra long exposures in the daytime, I would use a 10-stop filter.

The Matterhorn By Louis Chan using MAVEN Magnetic Filters

• Many photographers want a clear protector for their front lens elements, commonly referred to as a UV filter. Because there is virtually no light filtration, Silver is the color of the Splash Guard. (I am not a fan of the misinformation surrounding UV filters, but this is another story. I prefer to call them “splash guards”. NOTE: If you need to weather seal your lens, use a traditional threaded filter!

MAVEN filters are compatible and play nice with most lens hoods, unlike some of our competitors.

These five types of filters are the most common, therefore I wanted to focus on them, before moving into advanced specialty filters. 

What are some Examples of How MAVEN Filters can be used?

I also wanted to take the color & sharpness from the previous square filters and use these features with the ringed versions. There should be no visible color difference between the ND filter before and after it is put on the lens and adjusting for exposure.  It would reduce the extra steps involved in set up as well as in post. This time savings over many years would add up as great value for my customers and improve their shooting experience enjoyment. 

MAVEN ND Filters Feature Elite Color Performance

I also wanted at least 16 layers of MRC, or Multi Resistant Coating which would help limit reflections, and include hydrophobic nano-coating to be water repellent, and fingerprint resistant. 

MAVEN Filters Use a hydrophobic NANO Particle coating, Making them Super Easy to Clean

The Iteration Journey – Chasing A Game Changing Design

I want to share with you how much work goes into just 1 ring design. (Keep in mind that we are doing similar type of tests and redesigns for 5 different models in 12 different sizes . (If we include the cap and adapter, that is 84 different SKUs!)

My Favorite way to use the Splash Guard Filter – At the Beach To Keep Salt Water off my lens element!

I had no idea what I was getting into, but knew what I wanted the rings to look like. (Ive also learned that much of this is about just being willing to take the next step!)

Owning a 3D printer, I figured I could make a ring prototype in white plastic, and then paint it. This was the first CPL ring I designed in a children’s modeling program:

The First 3D Model of a MAVEN Filter Ring

I then printed and painted it in the color vibrant blue I wanted. I also added some white details on the “S”, which was the symbol I chose for polarized light, which might make it easier to remember. This is the result:

This is the very first MAVEN filter ring prototype. 

I sent my drawing and picture of the 3D printed ring to my new manufacturing partners overseas. This is what they sent back several weeks later! 

The First working MAVEN Circular Polarizer (CPL) Filter Prototype

Once I had it in my hands, I knew I could do better. I felt like it needed more nubs to make it easier to turn. I worked with the engineers to develop a more advanced CAD file:

CAD Drawing of Next Iteration MAVEN CPL Prototype

After a few weeks, I received the next physical CPL prototype:

Advanced Threaded MAVEN CPL Prototype

Feedback on the initial threaded designs were good, but we wanted to take it further. 

“What about a magnetic design? What would that look like?”

First MAVEN MAGNETIC RING CAD Design

We realized the features were different for magnetics, and we needed an easy way to grip the filter for removal, but still needed a different grip orientation for rotation. 

First we tried simple knurling:

The 1st MAVEN MAGNETIC CPL Prototype, with a basic knurled rim

But it wasn’t easy to rotate, so we went back to the notch design:

2nd MAVEN MAGNETIC CPL Prototype

This design was easier to rotate, but it was harder to remove from the lens, so it quickly evolved into:

3rd MAVEN MAGNETIC CPL Prototype

With feedback from test users, we decided to make the grooves deeper. Seemed there was a problem rotating them while under a lens hood. Deeper grooves it is! 

CAD Drawing of Deep Groove Feature for MAVEN MAGNETIC CPLs

Which finally led us to our final DFM (Design for Manufacturing) CPL :

Final MAVEN Magnetic CPL DFM (Design for Manufacturing) Product – Aug 2022

              MAVEN CPLs are designed to be used with Lens Hood windows

We have iterated for each of these 5 filter products and accessories in this way! 

Early 3D Printed MAVEN Ring Concepts – 2019

Early Working MAVEN Filter Prototypes – 2020

Once I had the new ring designs and color performance figured out, I wanted to see how much further we could take it in terms of making these the best looking filters on the planet! 

Detail Shot of our MAVEN 6 Stop ND Filter

Oh…and one more thing, this filter project has taught me how to design and develop my own CAD files!

CAD Design Cross Section – Take this image, Rotate it around an Axis, you and have a Magnetic Ring Design! 

 Other Considerations:

Top Quality Material Selection:

I chose AGC Japanese Optical Glass because of their thinness and optical quality.  It can be very thin in stock and reduces size, weight and expense to the manufacturing process. It is the perfect glass for Magnetic filters. 

 

I chose 6063 Grade Aluminum for the Magenetic mount because it is very lightweight and holds color brilliantly. 

Detail Shot of our Final Prototype Splash Guard (AKA UV Filter)

Adding as much Value to MAVEN Customers as possible

While the Color Identification System should add lots of conveniences, we wanted to tick off all the other boxes:

Thoughts on Accessibility- 

I wanted all users to have the same access to identifying the filters quickly and easily. Not everyone can see colors easily and there are times in dark shooting situations its not so apparent which color filter we have on our lens. 

 

Therefore, each filter has a unique groove design which allows users to see and feel, which filter they have. Notches represent 1 stop. So the 3 stop filter has 3 grooves, the 6 stop filter has 6 and the 10 stop filter has 10 grooves. The CPL has 1 groove or notch all they way around the filter. 

Detail Shot of our DFM 10 Stop ND Magnetic Filter

Thoughts on Perk Offerings-

Something I learned quickly in our testing, was that different photographers preferred different filter solutions. 

 

Strobists, for example, wanted just 1 type of filter, others, like landscape photographers wanted all of them. So, for the initial launch, we wanted to keep it simple, for our early birds; 2 choices.

1. A Single Filter – With Adapter

2. 2 filters of the same Size, with an Adapter

3. A Complete 5 filter Kit, With Adapter, Cap and Carry Case

My thought here is, as these early birds fill up, we can unlock more of that type, with specific sizes in mind. 

 

                                How to Find Your Lens Filter Thread Size

 

Thoughts on Smaller & Larger Filter Sizes

For our initial launch, we want to focus on the sizes of Medium and Large rings listed in the first perks. 

Medium Sizes: 52, 55, 58, 62mm

Large Sizes: 67, 72, 77, 82mm

Once our main goal is met, we hope to introduce more sizes as bonus perkss, including smaller sizes (43, 46, 49mm) and XL size (95mm).  

Detail Shot of our final production 3 Stop ND MAVEN Magnetic Filter

 

We have a number of great new products ready for announcement as we pass certain goals.

 

 

                                       Step – Up Rings and how they work!

 

MAVEN Magnetic Step Up Adapter – Green Means GO!

A step up ring allows users to use larger filters onto smaller lenses. This way a single filter can be adapted to multiple lenses without needing to carry kits of adapter  rings. 

Green means GO! Therefore green is the color of our magnetic step up rings! 

1st Number is the Lens Thread, 2nd Number is the Size of the Filter:  

Here is an updated Step Up Ring Adapter List:

 

 

MAVEN Magnetic Step Up Detail Shot

Thoughts on a Carry Case:

Photographers are also picky about a case. Some want all of them together, others prefer a single filter in a pocket. We want to give our customers options. 

I sketched several ideas, I know I wanted to explore both a soft, cloth design and a hard plastic design:

Early Sketches of MAVEN Magnetic Carry Cases – Soft & Hard

It looks like the soft case is going to be  ready sooner than the hard case. As badly as we want to promise both, we cannot. The molds to make the hard case are very expensive. So I decided to focus resources on the filters themselves and soft case. If our campaign is successful enough however, we will unlock the hard case as a new perk option before the campaign’s end. I still thought it would be fun to share with you both versions and to see how hard we have worked on them. The first version was way too big, but we got that worked out:

First Prototype Soft Bag, Oversized (on Left) – Final, Smaller Carry Case (on Right)

Its a one size fits all, and includes multiple ways to hang the case so you can have it nearby when shooting:

As for the hard case, we’ve been through dozens of iterations, 3D printing each case prototype….

MAVEN MAGNETIC Hard Case CAD Design File 

…and finally have a great working version which Ive 3D printed and a few testers have: 

We will add the hard case as bonus perk to those who want them if we reach the $50,000 mark!  It will securely hold sizes 67, 72, 77 and 82mm.

Thoughts on Ability to Fulfill Orders: 

I understand there are risks for backers on  projects. 

I am well known in the the Youtube Photography Community and we have made so many iterations of these designs including the final DFM (Designs for Manufacturing), that the production unknowns are solved and we have production quality units in the field being tested as you read this. 

 

If we have any problems, I suspect that they will be in short delays, if any, with fulfillment depending on demand. All of the shipping will have tracking, so if there are an issues, we will know quickly and be able to resolve them. If anything happens to your order, we will make it right. 

Back MAVEN Filters With Confidence!

Detail Shot of our Final DFM Magnetic Cap!

Notes On Shipping Fees, Times & Tariffs:

This is the most challenging part of the campaign. 

Ive have been advised by experts to charge shipping at the time we are finalizing orders & preparing to send. 

This will do a few things:

1. Get the shipping and handling cost closer to the actual cost based on the size & weight of the products, add-ons ordered & their destination. We can’t know the shipping charges until your bundle is packaged and we know the size weight and your delivery address. 

 

2. Allow for faster shipping service, by shipping directly to you (when possible). We estimate this can save 2-3 weeks of shipping time, and I want you to have these fast. The shipping choice we make will depend on where you live, with speed and cost savings in mind.  

 

Once the Campaign ends, you can expect to hear from us in a survey email, confirming your order including models, sizes, and shipping address. Once these items are confirmed, we will bill you the shipping, and ship your order out as soon as we have all of your perks together. In rare cases, we might have to send you 2 packages, but again, we will communicate this.

 

While I cannot be for certain, we anticipate shipping to cost anywhere between $18-$49 depending on where you live and how many items you have, which determines the size and weight.

 

I know it is a bit of a pain to have to pay twice, once for your perk and another time for shipping, but I think this will be faster and more accurate for all involved.

 

We want to get these out to each of our backers as soon as possible, but those who support earlier have the tie-breaking priority. Earlier backing = sooner you get your perk. If there are any delays on our end, we will communicate it.

It is highly probable that the bulk of the orders will go out in November, but being the busy part of the year, we added a month in shipping time, just in case there are problems or delays. 

 

Countries We are shipping to:

We will make every effort to ship to all countries that we are legally able to. That said, there are a very limited number of countries we cannot. If you are from a restricted country, it will be better to email us and ask before backing. Previous campaigns indicate that the USA, Canada, Australia and the European Union Countries are common.  I also know I have friends in many other parts of the world (too many to list) and we want to support getting these to you! If in doubt, just ask!

 

 

Import Tariffs / VAT & Other Taxes

Regarding import tariffs, this is something outside of my control and it will depend on the country you live in, the cost paid for the perk(another reason to back early), and the specific import rules of your country. Backers assume this import tariff/VAT responsibility if any, when the package is recieved. Returned packages from the port authority can incur additional fees which will complicate getting your filters to you, so it is best to know when it is coming. 

If there is a unique problem and you are unable to receive your perk(s), contact us directly so we can find a solution together. We’ve learned over the years most problems can be solved with great communication. 

 

How does the Lifetime Manufacturers Warranty Work?

The warranty covers all manufacturing defects, meaning if we messed something up in the manufacturing process, from the glass, coatings, color performance, to the Aluminum & machining, at any point of your ownership those defects make themselves known, we will repair or replace it at least one time at any point after you have received it. (Note: The Lifetime manufacturers warranty does not cover loss, accidental or impact damage or general wear & tear. However, please talk to us if/when there is a problem and we will do all we can to make it right at a discounted rate if it falls outside of the warranty.) 

 

How does Theft Protection Work?

If your MAVEN filters are stolen, provide us with proof of purchase & an official police report indicating which filters were stolen. We will be happy to replace your filters if this  happens to you.

YOU WILL LOVE THESE FILTERS!

I have tested & owned dozens of different brands of filters. I only bring MAVENs now because they are the easiest, fastest & most enjoyable filters to use. I no longer color correct in post or adjust my white balance between filter changes. The extra steps are GONE!

You know who I am, and if you have read this far, you now know my attention to detail & quality. I am confident in the product, the manufacturing process & our fullfillment team around it. We are looking forward to knocking this out of the park for YOU! 

Thank you so much for your support!

Michael Andrew, CEO

Michael The MAVEN, LLC

The MAVEN Magnetic Team:

Risks and challenges

I have already seen many setbacks working on this project! For example, I traveled to China to meet with my first manufacturer for this project in Sept 2019….before COVID hit! I didn’t want to bring them out during the pandemic, so instead focused my efforts on the humanitarian side, traveling to Indonesia and Africa to help with the COVID response. I am proud to have been part of bringing cold chain supplies and training to some of the most disadvantaged parts of the world. I stayed in touch with my suppliers, tested and developed our quality controls, and continued our designs until this launch. We still run into little problems here and there, but we work our way through them. I’ve learned that good communication is THE key to a strong relationship. While we have several partners, our main partner is a DREAM. We have excellent communication and a willingness to work through issues. We speak nearly every business day now. Finding them was the last step of confidence I needed to finally launch. My hope is that when you know I have been working on this specific project for about 3 years, you see my commitment and know I am going to follow through. I have learned how to navigate the supply pipeline and have tested so many prototypes as well as existing filters. I am confident the MAVEN Magnetic color coded line is the best filter line I have used among all brands. In my opinion, these are the best, easiest-to-use, high-quality, all-around photography filters worldwide. The biggest risk we face moving forward is if there is some major unexpected problem when we go to mass production or there is an unexpected delay in shipping. The design and quality control are dialed in. I have inspected many production run samples, and they are spectacular. Test users have reported the same. We have a special product. Still, something could always go wrong in manufacturing, packaging, and shipping, but I am willing to meet these challenges as they arise and communicate directly with you if something happens. I expect we will have some surprises, but I want to establish the MAVEN brand as one of the most trustable in the industry and want you to be part of the MAVEN family. Any product I sell comes with a 100% money-back guarantee in the first 60 days. If it’s not the best filter you have ever used, send it in, and I will replace it or refund you!