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Best filters for Mavic 3

lomposlapos

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What are the best ND and polar filters out there for Mavic 3?

Typical photo and video shootings in deserts, beaches, boating, rain forests, hi elev mountains, from sunrise to sunset.
 
I'm using the ones manufactured by DJI and so far I have nothing to complain about.
 
Your question is too vague, everything depends on the lighting conditions. For example I have the polarpro "vivid collection" for my Mavic 3, as there is a lot of harsh sunlight here in Greece during the summer.
 
I do not yet own a Mavic 3, but I can speak in generalities.
Because you have a Mavic 3 with variable aperture the density variety needed will (at least should) be less than with a fixed aperture lens that other DJI drones have (other than the Mavic 2 Pro). Your target f stop for sharpness should be in the f4-f5.6 range, but you don't really lose a lot above or below those settings. IMO polarizers aren't that useful with a drone because they are dependent on what angle the camera is to the light, and that changes when you turn the drone. Brand may have some bearing so you get the least amount of color shift or distortion. Brands such as PolarPro, Freewell, Skyreat all have good reputations.

For myself, I prefer gradient ND's as opposed to single density ND's. But the gradients are very hard to find and I don't know of any made for the Mavic 3 but there are some in the pipeline for the Classic (see below). I have a set for my M2P and I think I got the last set in the world (from Japan) of some PolarPro gradients which I absolutely love. They keep the sky more in balance with the ground exposure. For the most part I've stopped using standard ND's on my M2P. I have no idea why PolarPro stopped making them. Hopefully Freewell will make gradients for the standard M3's but I suppose with two lenses on the M3 it would be much more difficult and far more costly.

1671128456935.png
 
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What are the best ND and polar filters out there for Mavic 3?

Typical photo and video shootings in deserts, beaches, boating, rain forests, hi elev mountains, from sunrise to sunset.
Because of the 2 different cameras on M3 the best filters to me are the split ND filters from Freewell. They nicely address the different ND filtering needs for both cameras. This allows switching from one camera to another in flight without the need to significantly alter camera settings.
 
I do not yet own a Mavic 3, but I can speak in generalities.
Because you have a Mavic 3 with variable aperture the density variety needed will (at least should) be less than with a fixed aperture lens that other DJI drones have (other than the Mavic 2 Pro). Your target f stop for sharpness should be in the f4-f5.6 range, but you don't really lose a lot above or below those settings. IMO polarizers aren't that useful with a drone because they are dependent on what angle the camera is to the light, and that changes when you turn the drone. Brand may have some bearing so you get the least amount of color shift or distortion. Brands such as PolarPro, Freewell, Skyreat all have good reputations.

For myself, I prefer gradient ND's as opposed to single density ND's. But the gradients are very hard to find and I don't know of any made for the Mavic 3 but there are some in the pipeline for the Classic (see below). I have a set for my M2P and I think I got the last set in the world (from Japan) of some PolarPro gradients which I absolutely love. They keep the sky more in balance with the ground exposure. For the most part I've stopped using standard ND's on my M2P. I have no idea why PolarPro stopped making them. Hopefully Freewell will make gradients for the standard M3's but I suppose with two lenses on the M3 it would be much more difficult and far more costly.

View attachment 158280
I second the usefulness of gradient filters to lower the dynamic range of the scene for video and stills. However, they ruin any spherical panos, so, once I started shooting panos during most flights, along with video, I had to stop using them.
 
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I do not yet own a Mavic 3, but I can speak in generalities.
Because you have a Mavic 3 with variable aperture the density variety needed will (at least should) be less than with a fixed aperture lens that other DJI drones have (other than the Mavic 2 Pro). Your target f stop for sharpness should be in the f4-f5.6 range, but you don't really lose a lot above or below those settings. IMO polarizers aren't that useful with a drone because they are dependent on what angle the camera is to the light, and that changes when you turn the drone. Brand may have some bearing so you get the least amount of color shift or distortion. Brands such as PolarPro, Freewell, Skyreat all have good reputations.

For myself, I prefer gradient ND's as opposed to single density ND's. But the gradients are very hard to find and I don't know of any made for the Mavic 3 but there are some in the pipeline for the Classic (see below). I have a set for my M2P and I think I got the last set in the world (from Japan) of some PolarPro gradients which I absolutely love. They keep the sky more in balance with the ground exposure. For the most part I've stopped using standard ND's on my M2P. I have no idea why PolarPro stopped making them. Hopefully Freewell will make gradients for the standard M3's but I suppose with two lenses on the M3 it would be much more difficult and far more costly.

View attachment 158280
You will all know that I have said this on the forum before, but I think this bears repeating;

In shooting high dynamic range images (sky/foreground), I really depend on my post processing to allow me to expose for the skies and use the Adobe masking tools to process the details in the foreground. Of course, this masking tool is not available in my video software (Premiere) and I do not know how to use After Effects to to mask.

Dale
 
You will all know that I have said this on the forum before, but I think this bears repeating;

In shooting high dynamic range images (sky/foreground), I really depend on my post processing to allow me to expose for the skies and use the Adobe masking tools to process the details in the foreground. Of course, this masking tool is not available in my video software (Premiere) and I do not know how to use After Effects to to mask.

Dale
There is always Davinci Resolve :p
Masking is built into DR. No way I'm letting Adobe pick my pocket each month more than the $10 they take for Photoshop. $21/mo for Premier. Plus $21/mo for After effects???? $504/year???? That's the equivalent of a decent new desktop PC every 3 years.

DR Standard is free. I got DR Studio WITH their speed editor for $300, now $400... but you can still find the combo for $300 if you look hard.

Sorry to bust your chops. I know you love Premier. I've just got a bone to pick with Adobe after they screwed me over with the full Photoshop license that I bought and can no longer activate. They took down the activation portals just to trap me into monthly payments. It doesn't matter if I use PS every day, some days or no days. Same monetary extraction, no matter what.
 
There is always Davinci Resolve :p
Masking is built into DR. No way I'm letting Adobe pick my pocket each month more than the $10 they take for Photoshop. $21/mo for Premier. Plus $21/mo for After effects???? $504/year???? That's the equivalent of a decent new desktop PC every 3 years.

DR Standard is free. I got DR Studio WITH their speed editor for $300, now $400... but you can still find the combo for $300 if you look hard.

Sorry to bust your chops. I know you love Premier. I've just got a bone to pick with Adobe after they screwed me over with the full Photoshop license that I bought and can no longer activate. They took down the activation portals just to trap me into monthly payments. It doesn't matter if I use PS every day, some days or no days. Same monetary extraction, no matter what.
I went ahead and picked up Davinci Studio. After the learning curve to transition from Premier, I have come to really enjoy the software. I do use ND filters and rarely need masking but regardless I find I have a lot more latitude in luminance with Davinci. Then of course theirs color grading in general. Nothing like DR.
 
I went ahead and picked up Davinci Studio. After the learning curve to transition from Premier, I have come to really enjoy the software. I do use ND filters and rarely need masking but regardless I find I have a lot more latitude in luminance with Davinci. Then of course theirs color grading in general. Nothing like DR.
I suppose you are all right but at age 84, I just cannot do another learning curve- to Davinci Resolve. It took me forever to learn Premiere. I am not going to get into a pis...ng match about Adobe vs Da Vinci. we have done that too often here on the forum. Suffice it to say, I have been getting a discount yearly down to $26/month for the entire suite (about 36 apps) and find it handy to be able to own Adobe PDF (I can write my own PDF, save e-mails in PDF, etc. and write on other PDF's such as completing PDF forms). I have access to every Adobe app (never need them). Finally, I am fortunate to be able to afford it so it doesn't move the needle for me.

As far as any disputes with Adobe, I have always found them easy to talk to, and I get great tech support for Premiere and Photoshop by super smart techs in India (yes India). This is 24 hours Monday through Friday.

Just my opinion.

Dale
Miami
 
I suppose you are all right but at age 84, I just cannot do another learning curve- to Davinci Resolve. It took me forever to learn Premiere. I am not going to get into a pis...ng match about Adobe vs Da Vinci. we have done that too often here on the forum. Suffice it to say, I have been getting a discount yearly down to $26/month for the entire suite (about 36 apps) and find it handy to be able to own Adobe PDF (I can write my own PDF, save e-mails in PDF, etc. and write on other PDF's such as completing PDF forms). I have access to every Adobe app (never need them). Finally, I am fortunate to be able to afford it so it doesn't move the needle for me.

As far as any disputes with Adobe, I have always found them easy to talk to, and I get great tech support for Premiere and Photoshop by super smart techs in India (yes India). This is 24 hours Monday through Friday.

Just my opinion.

Dale
Miami
First, congradulations on 84!!! I don't plan on having one so I see you as having done well. I don't do pissing matches either. If you like it, for whatever the reason, that's enough for me. I'm not here to promote a product, just share my experience with it. The other piece of the puzzle for me is that I have a number of Black Magic cine cameras that obviously work well with the software. I still keep my subscription to Adobe products to include Premiere and After Effects for the occasion where they will work better for me.
 
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First, congradulations on 84!!! I don't plan on having one so I see you as having done well. I don't do pissing matches either. If you like it, for whatever the reason, that's enough for me. I'm not here to promote a product, just share my experience with it. The other piece of the puzzle for me is that I have a number of Black Magic cine cameras that obviously work well with the software. I still keep my subscription to Adobe products to include Premiere and After Effects for the occasion where they will work better for me.
I don't know the state of your health but please plan on having an 84th birthday! Yes, there is a lot of great life after 65 as long as you can remain healthy, and that is a big IF! I have friends dying all around me, and all of the obituaries are under my age! I am still planning travel, perhaps like whistling past the graveyard.

Yes, moderators, I know this is off the subject. !

Dale
 
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I don't know the state of your health but please plan on having an 84th birthday! Yes, there is a lot of great life after 65 as long as you can remain healthy, and that is a big IF! I have friends dying all around me, and all of the obituaries are under my age! I am still planning travel, perhaps like whistling past the graveyard.

Yes, moderators, I know this is off the subject. !

Dale
Thanks and no worries. The mods can delete away, I've already read it. I've lost a lot of folks as well even as a youngster of 69. I think back to my mother being lonely saying everybodys gone.
 
Thanks and no worries. The mods can delete away, I've already read it. I've lost a lot of folks as well even as a youngster of 69. I think back to my mother being lonely saying everybodys gone.
Moderator is going to be very busy but hey, it was a nice reading. After all we are humans first and drone fliers second even though some of the youngsters here might think otherwise😉
 
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Because of the 2 different cameras on M3 the best filters to me are the split ND filters from Freewell. They nicely address the different ND filtering needs for both cameras. This allows switching from one camera to another in flight without the need to significantly alter camera settings.
I like this suggestion. The filter for the zoom lens is several stops lighter than for the main camera. The zoom has a 4.4 aperture which needs much more light than the main camera. I have the M3 Classic and use the DJI filters but have used Freewell many times before and use them for two other drones currently. Would have used them with the M3 but DJI was available first.
 
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