Moment CineBloom vs. Tiffen Black Pro-Mist | Diffusion Filter Shootout

Jay Ybarra @photo.jay

September 16, 2024

Comparing two popular diffusion filters from two leading brands: Moment and Tiffen. Which one do you prefer?

Filter Shootout

My diffusion journey started a few years ago, with Tiffen's Black Pro Mist filter being the more popular suggestion among photographers. That is — until CineBloom came into the picture. What's different between the two filters? What sort of characteristics is worth noting in each? Moment wanted to send me their famous CineBloom filters in 5%, 10%, and 20% densities compared to BPM, which is equivalent to ⅛, ¼, ½, and 1. I was told to be honest with my opinions and testing, so let's dive in and see which filter is right for you.

CineBloom Diffusion Filters - 10% / 67mm

Moment

Our CineBloom Diffusion Filters are the secret sauce for capturing dreamy, film-like footage. Escape the clinical, ultra-sharp look of digital with this specialty glass. Available in densities of 5%, ...

Add for $70

When To Use Diffusion Filters?

Using stylized diffusion filters helps soften skin, lift the shadows, and make your photos look ultra-dreamy. If you're shooting a film, they're perfect for achieving the look of a flashback, daydream, or to help bloom light sources behind the subject. Though, they certainly aren't for everyone — let alone for every shot. Some creators use them to remove that harsh clinical edge you often obtain from mirrorless cameras. And it's undoubtedly worth noting that they won't instantly make your imagery look more cinematic if your scenes don't look cinematic.

Moment CineBloom: Diffusion Filter for Cinematic, Dreamy Photos & Videos (Sample Images!)

Take the edge off. Moment's Cinebloom diffusion filter is the perfect testament to film-like photos without breaking the bank on film stock.

Natalie CarrascoSep 16, 2024

Black Pro-Mist 1/8

CineBloom 10%

To Know:

These two diffusion filters help your photos become hazier and soften skin blemishes. Additionally, pointing your camera lens at a light will curate a bloomed halation, making the lights glow! Hence the CineBloom name. ;) It's a wonderfully unique technique if you're looking to remove any unwarranted digital edge and give your image a more profound mood. If you want to tell the difference between the two brands, Moment's CineBloom Filters offer a thicker build than Tiffen and have an excellent grip when swapping filters. The CineBloom also sports that classic red ringed color that people will notice at an initial glance. Consequently, Black Pro-Mist is black and will blend with your lenses if that's what you want.

What I Noticed:

I love that these filters make all the reflections and bright highlights hazy, dreamy, and soft. I typically would use BPM ⅛ or CB 5% for most of my photos, as these filter strengths won't change the images much but will offer the special glow effect you can't live without. Additionally, Moment filters have friendly, large text, which makes it easier to find what filter I'm looking for quickly and efficiently. As mentioned before, the CineBloom also has a lovely shade of red that adds a nice pop of color to my all-black camera; I love how that looks.

The Details:

I have both CineBloom filters from Moment and Black Pro-Mist from Tiffen. Depending on your thread size and filter strength, these will vary in price, but Cinebloom comes in at a relatively more reasonable price ranging from $30 to $90, whereas Black Pro-Mist starts at around $30 and goes up to over $100.

What Are Key Differences?

The main standout is the level of optical contrast between the two filters. Black Pro-Mist contains minimal tiny black specs to preserve some of the difference, while the CineBloom doesn't. This results in dark, more rich blacks in the shadows of the BPM.

Thus, if you prefer softer and more muted shades, Moment's CineBloom will be right up your alley. Perhaps it's because I'm still new to CineBloom, but I feel I'm getting more of a chrome effect in skin tones while editing. My model's skin seems shinier and a little warmer than what's noticeable with the Black Pro. While editing, I'm pulling back on the warmth in the skin tones, as it can create a more orange-like effect in specific lighting scenarios. This could be due to the less-contrasty naturally provided in the filter itself, but this is something to be aware of.

My Consensus

There's definitely added contrast to Tiffen's filter lineup; thus, CineBloom offers a more stylized vibe. However, CineBloom can offer an almost matte look, especially at higher densities, giving you less color separation.

Nonetheless, I believe both filter brands are fantastic to have in your bag; depending on what you're going for, they both offer very different effects regarding glow and color. After using BPM for so long, I might recommend starting with the CineBloom with the minor price point and see if it's something you might want to use in the first place. Just be aware of the slight chrome look and somewhat different editing curve that comes with it. The strengths of each filter seem to match up 5%=⅛, 10%=¼, and 20%=½. Black Pro-Mist 1 stands on its own without a CineBloom filter to compare it to, though if you're just looking for a ton of halation and not trying to have an utterly hazy-looking image, the 20% will be perfect.

Additional Notes

There are also filters from Tiffen called "Pro-Mist" that don't try to retain the contrast like the "Black Pro-Mist" does. Aside from the one time I ordered one, I haven't had much experience with one, not realizing there was a difference. The Pro-Mist had much more of a white-milky haze that, even at ⅛, was really noticeable. I would even say it's closer to CineBloom than the Black Pro is, though without actually comparing the two, I couldn't confirm. When buying BPM, be aware of that difference.