When I went looking for a variable ND filter for my 67mm Sigma lens, finding one in Pakistan turned out to be harder than expected. Local stores just didn’t stock a good variable option, so I ended up ordering one from UK Amazon instead — a Gobe NDX 67mm 2-400 variable ND filter.
One thing worth knowing if you’re shopping for one now: Gobe has rebranded to Urth. Same company, same product line, new name — so if you’re searching and only finding “Urth” listings, that’s not a different product, just the current branding.
What a variable ND filter actually does
If you’re not familiar, a variable ND (neutral density) filter lets you dial down the amount of light hitting your sensor without changing color or adding a tint — useful for shooting wide open in bright daylight, or getting motion blur on moving water/clouds without blowing out your exposure. The “2-400” range on this one means it adjusts from 1 stop up to about 8-9 stops of light reduction, just by rotating the front ring.
Testing it out at Trail 5, Islamabad
I took the filter out to Ficus Spring on Trail 5 — a popular hiking spot with a natural water spring that’s a favorite stop for hikers to refill on fresh water. Early morning light there gave me a good real-world test: enough brightness to actually need the ND, and moving water to get some nice long-exposure/B-roll style footage.
How it performed
The filter twists smoothly through its range, and I didn’t notice the strong color cast or X-pattern vignetting that cheaper variable NDs are known for at the extreme end of their range — Gobe/Urth sits in the mid-tier price range, and it showed here. For the price, it’s a solid option if you want one filter to cover a wide range of light conditions instead of carrying multiple fixed NDs.
Worth it?
If you shoot outdoors often and want the flexibility of one filter instead of a set, yes. Just double check current listings under the Urth name when buying, and make sure you’re getting the correct 67mm thread size for your lens.