NiSi
NiSi is a privately held Chinese manufacturer of professional optical filters, camera lenses, and cinema lenses sold direct-to-consumer globally to photographers, cinematographers, drone operators, and mobile shooters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersZhuhai, China
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NiSi does
NiSi is a privately held Chinese optical equipment manufacturer founded in Zhuhai that designs, produces, and sells precision glass filters, camera lenses, and cinema lenses for professional and enthusiast photographers and cinematographers worldwide. The company began as a specialist in 100mm-square filter holder systems and has since expanded into a comprehensive product portfolio covering circular screw-in filters (JetMag Pro magnetic, Swift quick-swap, True Color CPL/ND, Black Mist, UV), 75mm/100mm/150mm/180mm square filter holders (V5, V6, V7, S5, S6, M75, Q, Switch), full-frame mirrorless camera lenses (15mm F4, 9mm F2.8, 250mm F5.6 Reflex), full-frame cinema lenses (ATHENA, AUREUS), drone filters for DJI platforms, smartphone filter kits, and supporting accessories (macro rails, L-plates, cleaning tools, filter cases).
The company's underlying technology centers on proprietary optical coatings (Nano waterproof coating, True Color polarization with no color-temperature shift, IR ND for infrared pollution control) and precision optical glass formulations (aspherical and extra-low-dispersion elements in its lenses, 10-blade aperture designs producing sunstars at wide apertures). NiSi sells almost exclusively through direct-to-consumer e-commerce from its own international storefront with global shipping, supplemented by exhibition presence at NAB Show (Las Vegas), The Photography Show (UK), Salon De La Photo (Paris), and BIRTV (Beijing). All four disclosed revenue streams are hardware sales, with the customer base spanning landscape, seascape, nature, and architectural photographers, professional cinematographers and film production companies, drone operators using DJI platforms, and users of compact cameras and smartphones seeking pro-grade filter effects.
NiSi firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NiSi
- Legal name
- NiSi
- Website
- https://en.nisioptics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- NiSi is a privately held Chinese manufacturer of professional optical filters, camera lenses, and cinema lenses sold direct-to-consumer globally to photographers, cinematographers, drone operators, and mobile shooters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NiSi industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Photography and Cinematography Optical Filters & Lenses
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Camera & Lens Retail (Photo Cameras, Lenses & Optical Accessories) (CRACAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Lenses & Optical Accessories (Lenses, Filters, Adapters, Teleconverters) (CRACAPAF)
Keywords
Where NiSi is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zhuhai
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
NiSi business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Optical Filters: Sale of camera filters including ND (Neutral Density), GND (Graduated ND), CPL (Circular Polarizers), UV protectors, Black Mist, and specialty filters for photography and cinema
- Camera and Cinema Lenses: Sale of proprietary camera lenses including the 15mm F4 wide-angle lens, 9mm F2.8, and cinema lenses (ATHENA, AUREUS)
- Filter Holder Systems: Sale of filter holder systems (V7, V6, V5, M75, S5, S6) and accessories including adapter rings, lens caps, and carrying cases
- Accessories: Macro focusing rails, L-plates, adapter rings, cleaning kits, filter cases and pouches
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
NiSi product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NiSi designs, manufactures, and sells precision optical filters (including ND, GND, CPL, UV, Black Mist, IR ND, and specialty effects), proprietary camera and cinema lenses (15mm F4, 9mm F2.8, 250mm F5.6 Reflex, ATHENA, AUREUS), modular filter holder systems in multiple sizes (75mm, 100mm, 150mm, 180mm, plus cinema matte boxes), and photography accessories. Products are sold globally through the NiSi online store and at major photography/cinema trade shows.
Product overview
NiSi is a manufacturer of professional optical filters and lenses for photography and cinema. The product portfolio spans camera lenses (including ultra-wide primes like 15mm F4 and 9mm F2.8, plus cinema lenses ATHENA and AUREUS), comprehensive filter systems across multiple sizes (75mm, 100mm, 150mm, 180mm square holders; circular screw-in filters), cinema-grade filters (ND, GND, polarizers, optical effects), mobile photography accessories for smartphones, and camera support accessories (L plates, macro focusing rails, cleaning tools). The core system is built around modular filter holders (V7, V6, S5, S6 series) that accept square/rectangular filters in various sizes, supplemented by circular screw-in filters in the JetMag Pro and Swift System magnetic platforms, and the PRO Nano Enhance ND-VARIO variable ND system. These filter holders and various lens-specific adapters form the foundation, with specialized systems for compact cameras (Sony RX100, Ricoh GR III, Fujifilm X100), drones (DJI Mavic series), and mobile phones (iPhone, P1 system) extending the ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NiSi 15mm F4 Wide Angle Lens Manual focus ultra-wide angle lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras with 112° field of view, 10 straight blades enabling sunstar effects from F4 to F22, minimum focus distance of 0.2m, supporting 72mm circular filters and 100mm filter holder system. Available in Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Fujifilm X, and Leica L mounts.
- NiSi 9mm F2.8 Lens Ultra-wide prime lens for mirrorless cameras.
- NiSi 250mm F5.6 Reflex Lens Reflex telephoto lens designed for mirrorless cameras.
- ATHENA Cinema Lens Full-frame cinema lens designed for professional filmmaking applications.
- AUREUS Cinema Lens Full-frame cinema lens for professional cinematography.
- 100mm Square Neutral Density Filters 100mm square neutral density filters for photography, designed for color neutrality to reduce post-processing workload.
- 100mm Square Graduated Neutral Density Filters 100mm square graduated ND filters in soft, hard, and reverse variants for landscape photography.
- HD Polarizer (Square) High-definition polarizer for square filter holders.
- Cinema Neutral Density Filters Full-spectrum ND filters in 4x5.65 cinema format for cinema production, including FS ND and Nano IRND variants.
- Cinema Variable ND 0.3-1.5 Variable neutral density filter in 4x5.65 inch cinema format providing 1-5 stops of light control.
- Enhance ND-VARIO (Cinema) Enhanced variable ND filter for cinema use with color enhancement technology.
- Cinema Graduated ND Filters Soft and hard graduated ND filters for cinema cameras.
- Cinema Polarizer Filters Cinema polarizer filters including linear, 138mm, and rotating versions.
- Cinema Protector Filters Pure Clear and Waterproof Pure Clear lens protectors for cinema lenses.
- Explosion-Proof Filters Specialized explosion-proof filters for safety in hazardous filming environments.
- Allure Mist Black/White Filters Mist/diffusion filters for cinema creating a soft, cinematic look.
- Allure Streak Filter Anamorphic flare filter creating dramatic cinematic streak effects.
- C5 Matte Box Professional cinema matte box for 5-inch cinema filters.
- C4 Cinema Filter Holder Compact cinema filter holder for 4-inch cinema filters.
- JetMag Pro Magnetic Circular Filter System Magnetic circular filter system enabling quick attachment and swapping of filters.
- Swift System Quick-Swap Filter Quick-swap circular filter system.
- TRUE COLOR PRO Nano CPL True color circular polarizer maximizing color accuracy without affecting color temperature.
- True Color ND-VARIO 1-5 Stops Variable ND filter maintaining true color across 1-5 stops of light reduction.
- Black Mist Filter Diffusion filter softening highlights and creating a cinematic look for photography.
- Drone Filters (DJI Series) Lightweight optical filters for DJI drone models including Mavic 3, Mavic Pro, Mavic Air, and Phantom 4 PRO/Advanced.
- PRO Nano Enhance ND-VARIO Variable ND filter available in 1.5-5 stops and 5-9 stops variants, with enhanced color technology and waterproof nano coating.
- V7 100mm Filter Holder System Premium 100mm square filter holder system for professional use, designed to avoid vignetting with ultra-wide lenses.
- S6 150mm Filter Holder 150mm square filter holder designed for ultra-wide-angle lenses such as Sony 12-24mm F4 G and Sony FE 12-24mm F2.8 GM.
- S5 150mm Filter Holder 150mm filter holder system for ultra-wide-angle lenses with integrated rotating PRO CPL and 2-slot design, compatible with Nikon 14-24mm, Tamron 15-30mm, Sony FE 12-24mm F4 G, and Sigma 14-24mm.
- iPhone Filter Kit Mobile phone filter system designed for iPhone photography.
- Universal Adjustable L Plate Universal adjustable L plate with Arca-Swiss compatibility, available in four models (NPL-C, NPL-S, NPL-C(G), NPL-S(G)) fitting most cameras.
- Brass Adapter Ring Durable brass adapter ring with CNC milling for easy grip and removal, with anti-reflective felt treatment.
Companies that use NiSi
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
NiSi technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
NiSi partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- 500pxminorSeveral NiSi ambassadors are also 500px Brand Ambassadors, creating cross-promotional opportunities including Daniel K. Cheong and Beno Saradzic.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NiSi competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Haida: Chinese filter manufacturer with strong e-commerce presence, offering square and circular filters, holders, and adapter kits. Haida is NiSi's closest geographic and product-mix competitor, often priced below NiSi.
- Breakthrough Photography: Premium circular and square filter brand targeting enthusiast and professional photographers with X4 and Dark CPL polarizer lines. Overlaps directly with NiSi's True Color CPL and circular ND products on the same end-customer.
- Tiffen: US-based manufacturer of photographic and cinema filters, including the popular Variable ND and Tiffen Black Pro-Mist diffusion lines. Tiffen is a direct competitor in NiSi's cinema filter portfolio and a long-standing incumbent in pro video.
- Formatt-Hitech (Firecrest): UK-based specialty filter maker known for Firecrest ND filters used in landscape and cinema. Directly comparable to NiSi's True Color ND-VARIO and square ND systems targeting the same professional cohort.
- Lee Filters: UK-based specialist in professional photographic and cinematic filters with the foundational 100mm square filter holder system. Lee is the closest direct competitor to NiSi's core square-filter and holder ecosystem, serving the same landscape and professional photographer base.
- PolarPro: US-based filter brand focused on drone, action camera, and cinema filters, with deep DJI partnership. Directly comparable to NiSi's MAVIC3 drone filter line and other DJI-system accessory products.
Broad incumbents
- Hoya: Japanese manufacturer of camera filters (UV, CPL, ND) sold through a vast global retail distribution. Hoya is a broader incumbent whose mass-market circular filters compete on price against NiSi's screw-in lines.
- B+W (Schneider Optical): German premium circular filter brand owned by Schneider, sold through major photo retailers globally. B+W is a broad incumbent in the same circular filter / UV / CPL category where NiSi competes with Armor FX UV and True Color CPL.
- Kenko Tokina: Japanese maker of filters and Tokina lenses, with broad distribution in Asia and global retail channels. Kenko is a broader incumbent overlapping with NiSi on circular filters and accessories.
Emerging players
- Freewell Gear: Emerging direct-to-consumer drone and action camera filter brand with rapid product cycles. Competes with NiSi's drone filter business in the DJI ecosystem and represents a fast-moving emerging challenger.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NiSi social profiles
Digital presenceNiSi financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NiSi leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
NiSi funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NiSi M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NiSi
What does NiSi do?
NiSi designs, manufactures, and sells precision optical filters (including ND, GND, CPL, UV, Black Mist, IR ND, and specialty effects), proprietary camera and cinema lenses (15mm F4, 9mm F2.8, 250mm F5.6 Reflex, ATHENA, AUREUS), modular filter holder systems in multiple sizes (75mm, 100mm, 150mm, 180mm, plus cinema matte boxes), and photography accessories. Products are sold globally through the NiSi online store and at major photography/cinema trade shows.
Is NiSi a public or private company?
NiSi is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was NiSi founded?
NiSi was founded in 2012.
Where is NiSi based?
NiSi is headquartered in Zhuhai, China, in the Asia region.
How does NiSi make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Optical Filters are the primary driver. The others are camera and Cinema Lenses, filter Holder Systems and accessories.
Who are NiSi's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Haida, Breakthrough Photography, Tiffen, Formatt-Hitech (Firecrest), Lee Filters and PolarPro. Broad incumbents are Hoya, B+W (Schneider Optical) and Kenko Tokina. Freewell Gear is listed as an emerging player.
Does NiSi have an API?
No public API is recorded for NiSi.
What industry is NiSi in?
NiSi's product category is Photography and Cinematography Optical Filters & Lenses. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAHAA, Camera & Lens Retail (Photo Cameras, Lenses & Optical Accessories), with a secondary code of CRACAPAF, Lenses & Optical Accessories (Lenses, Filters, Adapters, Teleconverters). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 3861.