I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: the filter system you’ll actually use beats the “best” filter system you leave at home. That’s not a hot take, it’s just physics. If screwing on a filter feels like a chore, it stays in the bag. So when Mark Denney dropped an unboxing of what might be the most-requested piece of gear Nisi has ever made, I paid attention. In this Mark Denney tutorial, he opens up the brand-new Nisi Jet Mag Pro magnetic filter system for the first time on camera, straight off his doorstep after returning from an editing retreat in Sedona.

Watch the full tutorial on YouTube

I’ve been around the filter block a few times. I ran a six-month comparison of every sub-$60 variable ND I could find before recommending one to my readers. So when I say the friction-based push-on systems have always been a sticking point for me, I mean that literally. Alignment issues, filters that feel slightly off-axis, the mental tax of second-guessing whether it’s seated correctly before a long exposure. The promise of a magnetic lock system that’s also stable enough for serious fieldwork is something worth digging into.

Step 1: Identify What You’re Actually Looking At

Mark holding the Nisi Jet Mag Pro box for the first time Mark holding the Nisi Jet Mag Pro box for the first time Before you can evaluate any new filter system, you need to understand where it fits in the product lineup. The Jet Mag Pro is Nisi’s first true magnetic filter system. That’s significant because Nisi has been in the filter game for years and built their reputation on quality glass without ever going magnetic. Their previous answer to quick filter swapping was the Swift system, a friction-based design that pushes directly onto the lens barrel. It works, and Mark says he’s used it without issue, but the margin for error with push-on systems is real. The Jet Mag Pro is Nisi’s bet that magnetic attachment is the cleaner solution.

Step 2: Note the Case and Build Quality Before You Touch the Filters

Unboxing the dark matte case of the Jet Mag Pro system Unboxing the dark matte case of the Jet Mag Pro system Mark points out the packaging shift right away, and it’s actually relevant information. The Jet Mag Pro ships in a darker, more matte case compared to the tweed-style case on the Swift system. This isn’t just aesthetics. Case design tells you something about how a company is positioning a product and how it expects you to transport it. A more structured, dark case typically signals better internal organization and protection. When you’re evaluating a new filter kit, run your hands over the case before anything else. If the packaging feels cheap or the filters rattle around inside, that’s a preview of how much care went into the system overall.

Step 3: Sort the Step-Up Rings First

Step-up adapter rings laid out on the table Step-up adapter rings laid out on the table The Jet Mag Pro system includes step-up rings so you can use one set of filters across multiple lenses with different thread sizes. Mark pulls out a 77mm ring and works through identifying it. This is the right move. Before you do anything else with a new filter system, match your step-up rings to your lenses and set aside the ones you don’t need. A disorganized kit in the field costs you shots. The rings on the Jet Mag Pro have a two-tone black and gray finish that makes them visually distinct from older Nisi hardware, which is a small but practical detail when you’re digging through a bag in low light.

Step 4: Understand the Stacking System

The filter stack with labeled slots for each filter The filter stack with labeled slots for each filter This is where the Jet Mag Pro gets genuinely interesting. The filters ship in a stacked configuration that’s labeled directly on the housing. Mark reads off the order: front cap, three-stop ND, six-stop ND, ten-stop ND, circular polarizer, back cap. That labeling is not a small thing. With conventional filter systems, you’re constantly pulling filters out to check which stop you grabbed. A clearly labeled stack that maintains a consistent order means faster decisions in the field, which matters when light is changing fast.

Step 5: Handle the Individual Filters and Test the Magnetic Attachment

Mark removing the circular polarizer from the stack Mark removing the circular polarizer from the stack Mark works through pulling the circular polarizer from the stack to get a feel for how the magnetic connection operates. The metal construction of the filter frames is worth noting here. Plastic-framed filters are lighter but they flex, and flex introduces alignment problems. Metal frames stay true. When you’re testing a magnetic system for the first time, the thing to pay attention to is whether the magnet seats with a positive, repeatable click or whether it just sort of sticks wherever it lands. A strong, guided magnetic connection is the difference between a system that speeds up your workflow and one that introduces a new category of misalignment anxiety.

Step 6: Confirm Filter Quality Against Your Known Benchmarks

Close-up of filter glass surface in studio lighting Close-up of filter glass surface in studio lighting Mark makes a smart call here. He doesn’t pretend to evaluate optical quality from inside his studio under artificial light. Instead, he references his own history with Nisi glass, nearly ten years of field use, and lets that track record do the talking. This is actually a useful framework for any gear evaluation. If you already have a baseline with a brand’s quality on one product line, that context is legitimate data. It doesn’t replace real-world field testing, but it’s not nothing either. If you’re new to Nisi entirely, look for side-by-side color cast comparisons. That’s where filter brands differentiate most visibly.

What I’d Add From My Own Experience

The friction-based push-on systems have always felt like a compromise to me. I get it, no threading, fast swaps, simple design. But I’ve watched other photographers in the field spend ninety seconds confirming a filter was level when they could have been shooting. The magnetic approach solves that specific problem if the magnet is strong enough and the alignment is guided rather than freeform. My one standing concern with any magnetic filter system is wind. A strong gust hitting a filter on a wide lens with a weak magnetic hold is a bad day. I’d want to run the Jet Mag Pro through some exposed ridge shooting before calling it field-ready for serious long-exposure landscape work. That’s the test that matters, not the studio unbox.

The single biggest thing I took from Mark’s breakdown is the point he makes almost as an aside: ease of use directly determines how often you reach for a tool. Every filter system I’ve ever shelved got shelved because something about it was slightly annoying. Nisi clearly designed the Jet Mag Pro with that friction cost in mind, from the labeled stack to the metal frames to the magnetic lock. Whether it fully delivers on that promise is something only field time will confirm.

Watch the full tutorial on YouTube and see Mark work through the system himself. He’s been shooting with Nisi for the better part of a decade, and his instincts on filter usability are worth your time.