The invention relates to a beam filter (10) that can particularly be used in spectral CT-applications for producing a desired intensity profile of a radiation beam without changing its spectral composition. In a preferred embodiment, the beam filter (10) comprises a stack of absorbing sheets (111) that are separated by wedge-shaped spaces (112) and focused to a radiation source (1). Furthermore, the absorbing sheets have a varying width in direct ion of the radiation. Different fractions of the radiation source (1) area are therefore masked by the beam filter (10) at different points (A, B) on a detector area (2). The absorbing sheets preferably comprise a material that is highly absorbing for the radiation to be filtered.