How to aim for the ideal shutterspeed (ND filters)

Mavician · Mar 28, 2017

Hi.

I'm using a set of Polar Pro ND filters for my Mavic. I have the 4-8-16 filters. On a bright and sunny day it seems I will need the ND32 or my shutterspeed is to fast according to the cinematic 1/60 when filming at 30fr/sec.

Since the Mavic has a fixed lens opening or F/stop, one can not alter the F/stop to obtain the 1/60 shutterspeed keeping the iso 100 in mind for lowest image noise. On my P4Pro I can do that from f/2.8 up to f/11 but with the ND filter in place I can use F/3.3 up to f/5.6 or so in most cases when light conditions change a bit.

So how do you Mavic owners using ND filters try to keep the shutter speed to the best value ?

Tnx.

Robert Mitchell · Mar 28, 2017

You are correct, the only equivalent to aperature on the Mavic is the ND filter, and yes, in extreme bright lighting conditions the ND 32 is sometimes needed to get your shutter speed down around the 1/60 point.

Avean · Apr 23, 2017

Sorry for hijacking an old thread, but was about to make a new thread about this. Is 1/60 the most optimal shutter speed at 30fps or can you get some more detail in going at even faster shutter speeds? Ive seen some youtubers shooting at 30fps but having a shutter speed at 1/120 saying it gives more detail.

MavicMoira · Apr 23, 2017

Avean said:
Sorry for hijacking an old thread, but was about to make a new thread about this. Is 1/60 the most optimal shutter speed at 30fps or can you get some more detail in going at even faster shutter speeds? Ive seen some youtubers shooting at 30fps but having a shutter speed at 1/120 saying it gives more detail.

The generally accepted "best" shutter speed is 2 times the frame rate. So if you are shooting at 30fps then the ideal is 1/60th. If, like me you shoot at 24 or 25fps then 1/50th is appropriate. The reason for these shutter speeds is to give a cinematic representation of movement. Speeding up the shutter speed makes it look less like what we are used to in the cinema - but this is all down to personal preference in the end - how you want your footage to look.

Robert Mitchell · Apr 23, 2017

Avean said:
Sorry for hijacking an old thread, but was about to make a new thread about this. Is 1/60 the most optimal shutter speed at 30fps or can you get some more detail in going at even faster shutter speeds? Ive seen some youtubers shooting at 30fps but having a shutter speed at 1/120 saying it gives more detail.

Correct as Moira said. As you increase your shutter speed, each individual frame becomes sharper, when motion is involved, so the "smoothing" appearance is less at higher shutter speed. Also like MM said, there is nothing wrong with going a little higher (or even lower) than the recommended 2X. I sometimes shoot at 1/30 (30 fps) when little motion is involved and the light is lower (to keep my ISO low as possible), and like you said, 1/120 does give more detail in the individual frames.

That 's the great thing about this. With the Mavic, you have a lot of options to get the look YOU want.