Center spot camera filter Hoya SPARKLE 6X, 52 mm, black

The Hoya SPARKLE 6X center spot camera filter in 52 mm thread creates a six-pointed star effect from point light sources while leaving surrounding areas largely unaffected. Designed as a single-piece black-finish filter for lenses with 52 mm filter threads, this creative filter produces moderately sized light beams that enhance highlights without overwhelming the image. The SPARKLE 6X also offers a subtle softening effect when strong point lights are absent, making it suitable for portrait, flower and landscape work as well as night-sky and astrophotography where bright stars are converted into distinct six-pointed highlights.

Advantages

The filter produces a balanced six-cross sparkle pattern that enhances point light sources while avoiding excessively long or cluttered light streaks. A rotatable front frame allows adjustment of the pattern angle for precise creative control. Multi-coated glass keeps surface reflections minimal and a thin frame design reduces the risk of vignetting on wide-angle lenses. The black-rimmed glass and knurled edge simplify handling and help prevent internal reflections, while the compact single-piece design is convenient to mount on lenses with a 52 mm thread.

Suitable for

• Night sky and astrophotography to convert bright stars into six-pointed highlights
• Portrait photography to add subtle sparkle and soft atmosphere to highlights
• Flower and close-up shots where gentle enhancement of specular highlights is desired
• Cityscapes and illuminated scenes with point light sources
• Creative and artistic photography to produce fairytale-like light beams

Key specifications

• Filter type: center spot / sparkle effect (6-point)
• Filter thread diameter: 52 mm
• Finish: black
• Material: multi-coated optical glass
• Surface reflection ratio: up to 0.5% (digital multi-coating)
• Frame: thin, rotatable front frame with knurling for grip
• Design: single-piece filter to minimize internal reflections (black-rimmed glass)

How to use

Screw the Hoya SPARKLE 6X onto a lens with a 52 mm filter thread and rotate the front frame to set the desired angle of the six-point pattern. Compose and focus so that point light sources appear in the frame; the effect is strongest when focusing on the light source itself. Adjust aperture, focal length and exposure to control the prominence and shape of the sparkle: wider apertures and longer focal lengths generally yield a softer overall image while small apertures increase the distinctness of the rays. For night and astrophotography, expose for the sky and experiment with exposure compensation to balance brightness and sparkle visibility.

Usage recommendations

Use the filter with single point light sources for the clearest six-point effect; cylinder-shaped or very large light sources may not produce a visible sparkle. If the cross effect appears weak, try moving farther from the light or changing aperture and focal length. Be aware that very wide-angle settings can distort light rays and that very small apertures (around f/22) may cause the rays to appear dotted. In backlit or very strong light conditions a mesh-shaped flare can occur; adjust position or exposure to reduce unwanted artifacts.