Using polarizing filters

[Rob Burke]

i have a set of polarizing ND filters for my Mavic Air. When using polarizing filters I see the polarization maximum when aimed at the sky and rotated to a certain angle. Aiming it at some nearby leaves, the maximum effect is at a different filter rotation angle. How can I know what angle to rotate the polarizing filter to before flying? On a stationary camera you can set the filter rotation to suit the subject, but how can you manage this with a drone?

 

[gnirtS]

Look through it and adjust on land with your eye, then fit it to the drone at the same angle.

Then provided you keep the same drone/sun angle in flight it'll work.

But it will only work if that angle is maintained so you need to plan your shot before flying.

 

[THE CYBORG]

You answer your own question Rob Burke“On a stationary camera you can set the filter rotation to suit the subject “A Stationary camera is the key to polarising.

In most cases a polarising filter on a moving camera platform like a drone is next to useless due to if you alter direction you effectively change the polarising effect you originally set.
They could work if you fly in a straight line in one direction to capture one clip but that's all.

 

[gnirtS]

They could work if you fly in a straight line in one direction to capture one clip but that's all.

Far more useful for still images if you plan your shot ahead of time.

 

[Gilbertlopez1]

Look through it and adjust on land with your eye, then fit it to the drone at the same angle.

Then provided you keep the same drone/sun angle in flight it'll work.

But it will only work if that angle is maintained so you need to plan your shot before flying.

Exactly...Nuff Said...

 

[Dave Maine]

Depending on the terrain type, you can often find an angle that helps most of the time. Flying over broad leaved trees, you can reduce the glare from the leaves in most directions by orienting the polarizer perpendicular to the leaf surface.

 

[Ralph thompson]

I use ND polarizer filters all the time for exterior video. You should adjust with the dot to the top which will filter out horizontal reflections. Since the drone spends most of the time close to horizontal, this will nicely remove a substantial amount of the bright reflections of the water, any horizontal surfaces like icy or wet road, but it will also darken the sky (which makes a deeper blue on a sunny day). To test, go out on the street, hold the filter up to yr eye with the dot at the top. Look at a reflective body like a car roof. Then rotate it left & right. You see the bright reflection disappear when it’s horizontal. Of course, you should set all the camera settings to manual, setup on the ground and tweak the settings before you start video capture when you’ve positioned the drone at the start point. Polarizers effectively increase the dynamic range & make for sharper sunny day videos.

 

[Capt KO]

And they’re great for spotting fish underwater. Best angle will depend on the the sun‘s location. Enjoy