Sony HKC-VND50 Variable ND Filter Unit

The HKC-VND50 replaces the stepped ND wheel in a compatible Sony system camera with a variable ND filter. The practical difference shows on air: exposure can be walked between lighting conditions with no visible filter change, so a camera moving from a sunlit pitch to a shaded end of a stadium does not step through discrete densities. It also gives the operator a way to hold a wide aperture in bright light for shallow depth of field, which is why Sony points it at sports.

The unit is paired with Virtual IRIS, which puts lens iris, variable ND and master gain under a single joystick so a shader adjusts brightness in one movement rather than juggling three controls. It fits the HDC-3500, HDC-5500, HDC-5000 and HDC-P50. On the HDC-3500V - the factory-fitted version of this configuration - Sony specifies the variable range as 1/3 to 1/256.

Type	Variable ND filter unit
Compatible Cameras	Sony HDC-3500, HDC-5500, HDC-5000, HDC-P50
Installation	Installed on compatible camera models
Filter Action	Seamless ND switching with no visible physical filter change
ND Range	1/3 to 1/256, as specified for the HDC-3500V pre-installed configuration
Exposure Control	Virtual IRIS - a single joystick adjusts lens iris, variable ND and master gain
Depth of Field	Switchable between deep and shallow
Image Quality	Smooth exposure adjustment without affecting image quality