Best filter for sunrise

[Humming.birdM2P]

Hi
Haven't looked at every comment hear but i would definitely use a 3 stop soft GND filter its dark on the top and
graduates down softly to clear on the bottom 1/2 . This will give you the effect of having properly exposed photo from top to bottom . You must adjust the camera up or down to get the transition line of the filter at or below the horizon of your shot . Add in a HDR exposure and you got it nailed . B&H have them, about 30.00 bucks.

Chuck

 

[glennster]

would a nd16 be overkill for a sunrise and cause un needed grain ? I used a nd16 today thinking it will take out the bright exposure of the sun coming up but my footage seems to be grainy from what I can tell.

 

[Cymru]

If you're talking stills you dont want to use a filter.
That's 4 stops of light.
Yes, that can force the iso up and increase grain and/or cause motion blur.

For video the point is you want that motion blur.

If you're doing video and pointing at the sun you cant get a good exposure with iso100, 1/60th, f/4 as its too bright you need a filter. If you can, you do not.
If its stills there really is no benefit at all and plenty of potential downside depending on light.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

If you're talking stills you dont want to use a filter.

This thread contains all of that info on the first page--in detail--and Glen posted his question anyway, which probably means he didn't read any of it.

Chris

 

[glennster]

This thread contains all of that info on the first page--in detail--and Glen posted his question anyway, which probably means he didn't read any of it.

Chris

I did read it , just trying to work out whats best as you see mixed reviews on filter strengths. So for filming during sunrise im best avoiding anything over stock lense cover and nd4 am I right ? I dont want to come across as ignorant

 

[Cymru]

If you're filming not stills you're going to want whatever filter delivers the shutterspeed you need (assuming 180 rule) at iso100 within an acceptable aperture range (ideally around f/4).

What filter that is will depend on the available light and brightness of the sun.

 

[Skybuyer]

I replied previously, but among other comments, so forgive me for repeating myself, but I want to emphasize the use of GRADIENT (or graduated?) neutral density filters. The OP didn't say which drone he was flying so they may or may not be available. I have some PolarPro gradient ND filters as well as a Skyreat ND set and when I have to use filters I'll now almost always go to the gradients. So much filming while flying includes portions of the sky which will almost always be brighter than what's below. And the enemy of digital images is overexposure. You can almost always overcome mild underexposure but the same amount of overexposure kills detail. Additionally, many images and scenes have vignetting, often done in post, sometimes done with lighting... or filters.

The gradient ND's might be hard to find, but if you can find them I cannot recommend them highly enough. PolarPro seems to have discontinued them and some company would be wise to pick up where they left off.

 

[Droniac]

I am looking to capture a bright sunrise, what is best filter to use ?
Thanks

..my neighbor told me drone flying is like the (new) old mans way of using a magnetic finder lol

I myself am interested in the same. Sunrise off montauk point is awesome. But always seems better with my eyes than the end result. A bit of postproduction does it. On the other hand in a sense it’s perception. ??Sorry for not truly helping. But I feel ya’.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Another option is to shoot HDR, 5 shots (rather than 3) for something like this, which requires post processing, but adds 5 stops of dynamic range to your reach (and more importantly, blends them together).

Chris

 

[FlySkyJumper]

Another reason one might want a slower shutter speed closer to the frame rate: the props can also act as a shutter to ambient light. Under certain lighting conditions, the strobed light coming through the props can cause horizontal banding across the screen when the prop RPM is close to the shutter speed.
It's not as much of a problem with the Mavic as it is with the Phantom though, because of the location of the camera and props.

If you set the strobes to "auto" in the settings of the remote while shooting, it will make it so when you're taking a photo or video so that the strobes turn off, thus having no effect on your photo/video.