Released in July 2021, Kenko's Twinkle Star or PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) to give its full name, features a cross-star pattern allowing bright highlights in low light scenes to take on a strong glimmer and create "moderately sized light streaks".
Kenko claims the PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) filter can shape the light captured in your pictures into twinkling stars, saying "From illuminations to fireworks and stars, this filter is effective on different light sources, including light reflections on water surfaces or sunlight filtering through trees."
The company also claims that traditional star filters produce light rays that can turn out excessively long, while Kenko's Twinkle Star filter reigns this in for shorter trails for more neatly shaped "cartoon-like" twinkling star patterns.
In this review, I got hold of the 82mm version and fitted it to my Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens then headed to our local fairground after sunset where there was no shortage of bright twinkling lights to test it out on. Here's how I got on...
Specifications
Build & Handling
Kenko's Twinkle Star filter is a screw-in star filter designed to make bright highlights take on a starry flare quality and is especially impactful in night scenes featuring street lamps, neon signs, LEDs, or string lights.
Like many of Kenko's other filters, it's made from optical glass and boasts an Anti-Reflection (AR) coating and Kenko's DCM (Digital Multi-Coat). Many of Kenko's top-end filters like the Black Mist No.1 are manufactured in Japan and this Twinkle Star filter is in the same club, though unlike the Black Mist No.1, it doesn't boast a water-repellent coating, which is a little disappointing considering its high price point.
The frame is constructed from Aluminum and comes in common filter thread options ranging from 49mm all the way up to 82mm, we got hold of the 82mm version for our tests.
Many of Kenko's screw-in filters, such as the Black / White Mist series are 6mm in depth, though the Twinkle Star is a little taller at 7mm. This is most likely because the Twinkle Star features an adjustable front frame that can be turned to change the direction of your stars from a + to an x symbol and this is a lovely extra touch you won't find on cheaper star filters.
The front ring also has a knurled texture to it so it's nice and grippy, it's also slightly recessed from the main filter ring which makes it easier to find and operate when looking through the viewfinder. The adjustable ring is quite stiff so once it's been set in the position it's not likely to unintentionally move out of position. Like many of Kenko's other filters, the frame is constructed from Aluminum.
Performance
Kenko says the Twinkle Star filter boasts an ultra-thin frame despite being 1mm taller than many of Kenko's other filters with a depth of 7mm, though this extra space is needed for the adjustable front frame to change the direction of the stars and is a welcome feature. That said, Kenko says its ultra-thin frame is designed for wide-angle lenses. In our testing even at 16mm on a full-frame body, we found little signs of vignetteing.
It's not all about low-light photography though, under daylight conditions Kenko says the Kenko PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) can produce a delicate softening effect for portraits, nature, and landscapes. The softening effect will be amplified when using a telephoto lens too.
The Kenko PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) is a 4x star filter so highlights take on the appearance of a cross with four points, though the company also makes a Twinkle Star PRO1D R-Twinkle Star 6x (W) which produces stars with six points, or the Kenko PRO1D R-Twinkle Star 8X (W) for eight points.
The filter has a cross-shaped pattern which gives your light sources a chance to bounce off and create a star-shaped flare. Having this pattern on the glass will inevitably soften the details of everything else in your photos too.
Verdict
With prices very reasonable for the smallest 49mm version and going up to the 82mm version we used, the Kenko PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) 4x filter is a good value proposition for adding a bit of extra flare to your images without breaking the bank. We think it's actually pretty good value considering the filter is high quality having been manufactured in Japan and could just give your low-light shots the edge if shooting landscapes or cities after dark is your thing.
As with all screw-in filters we always recommend buying the largest iteration to fit your biggest lens and then using step-up rings so that you can use it with other lenses if needed as this works out much more affordable than buying individual filters to suit all of your different lenses and various filter threads.
Premium Japanese quality aside, what stood out about the Kenko PRO1D R-Twinkle Star (W) was its adjustable front ring that allows you to rotate the orientation of the star flare patterns in your shots, though if you'd rather have stars with six or eight points Kenko also make 6x and 8x point options.
