Best video settings and what filters?

[Randall8686]

Hi All

I know there is no “rule” to what setting to use as it depends on the scene. However I am a little confused about why I would choose a lower frame rate when shooting in 4K? Surely 30fps is what I want? Does anyone know of a good YouTube video on how to get the best from the MP2? I am new to all this tbh as previous drones just had go pro’s On and I got the footage I was given. I am getting very choppy footage at the moment when moving at speed. 4K 30fps. Especially when rotating the drone.

I have worked out ND filters will help with this from videos. What filters should I buy? I plan on going to Hawaii in a couple of months so grabbed the drone now to practice with. I will want to obviously film in some fairly bright light. Hoping to have a crash course in learning this drones camera.

Are the DJI filters the best ones?

I have looked at some YouTube videos but one person says one thing another says another so any reputable videos/advice would be welcome on this.

Thanks all

 

[Fibonacci]

I’m reasonably inexperienced but here is what I’ve gleaned so far:
- slower frame are used to create a different look, and give a more ‘cinematic’ feel to the video. If you shoot at 30 or 60 FPS, it will look more ‘real’ . It’s to do with how much information our eyes and brains can handle as individual images before our brains just blur them together and ‘skip’ frames

- ND filters are used for a related purpose, they allow you to shoot at slower shutter speeds to create motion blur, this is essential in creating a cinematic feel.

So, if you are shooting fast sports scenes, shoot in 60fps.
Normal flying I would shoot in 30fps
If you want a cinematic look, stick an ND filter on so you are exposed correctly with shutter speed of double your frame rate - so if 24fps, then shoot at 1/50 shutter.

Hope this makes sense!

 

[msinger]

Does anyone know of a good YouTube video on how to get the best from the MP2?

I have a lot of good videos linked here and here.

What filters should I buy?

Brand-wise, the brands listed here would be a good buy.

 

[paulatkin73]

Hi All

I know there is no “rule” to what setting to use as it depends on the scene. However I am a little confused about why I would choose a lower frame rate when shooting in 4K? Surely 30fps is what I want? Does anyone know of a good YouTube video on how to get the best from the MP2? I am new to all this tbh as previous drones just had go pro’s On and I got the footage I was given. I am getting very choppy footage at the moment when moving at speed. 4K 30fps. Especially when rotating the drone.

I have worked out ND filters will help with this from videos. What filters should I buy? I plan on going to Hawaii in a couple of months so grabbed the drone now to practice with. I will want to obviously film in some fairly bright light. Hoping to have a crash course in learning this drones camera.

Are the DJI filters the best ones?

I have looked at some YouTube videos but one person says one thing another says another so any reputable videos/advice would be welcome on this.

Thanks all

there are no strict 'rules'. it is more of a guidelines recommendation. when you set your format to a specific speed - say, 4K 30fps - we use 30fps in states to reduce flickering effect from the 120v source. in europe they use 24fps for the same reason.
so, when you set a certain speed of the video frames - it works best if shutter speed is set to either same or double speed - so, it means the 'ideal' setting would be the 1/60 shutter for the 30fps. is it critical? absolutely not. i bet you will never be able to say, visually, in a blind test, a difference from the 1/60 to 1/90 shutter in such videos.

why to use ND filters - there are videos on that topic, but, in the practical reality, it helps in 2 ways - first, it prevents you from overexposure if you rotate drone toward the sun. second - it brings shutter speed closer to where you want it to be. without ND filter , at very high shutter speed you sometimes get flickering recorded from the shadows from your props, and, video at the 1/2000 or so shutter has a certain look to it, that is, in the opinion of most, is not quite cinematic.

so, if you set, say, an ND8 filter on - and set aperture to 2.8 and set video to A mode - on most days you will end up with shutter speed fluctuating from 1/60 to 1/120 or so and it will look natural enough without drastic jumps in the exposure level. do not use S mode to lock onto shutter speed - as if you do - drone will start moving aperture and this will look bad on the video as this whole stop jump in the lighting level is very visible.
pros always work in M mode - but - with those mavics i find it not really practical to control flying and video modes setting at same time. with 2 controllers and 2 people - may be, when you do it all it is easier, at least for me - to set it to A mode, make sure an appropriate ND filter is on for current conditions, make 'exp' correction of -0.5 or -0.3 to get darker image to avoid overexposure and shoot what i want. later in the davinci resolve i can correct exposure level with gain wheel during color correction.

 

[Randall8686]

Thank you all for your input. I am watching videos like crazy and feel comfortable trying out Manual mode now and other bits and bobs. The only thing i am really stuck on now is filters. Should i go PL? assuming these are mainly for flying over water/high reflection surfaces?

Reference the flickering from the voltage source thats interesting. at what point is this flicker introduced? actual play back of the video? 24fps seems really low to me (i live in the UK)

 

[Randall8686]

I have a lot of good videos linked here and here.


Brand-wise, the brands listed here would be a good buy.

Ha i have been watching your video's a lot ! thank you for taking the time on your video's given a sub and will continue to watch them. nice to see a great community here! been out the drone game for a while my last was a TBS Discovery with 3D printed gimble etc. so impressed with the Mp2 camera just need to get my head around it all.

 

[Thomas B]

As far as filters, I prefer PolarPro. For trip to Hawaii I be sure to have polarized filters (NDPL) to cut surface reflection and see into the water... fish, reefs, etc. I would take 4, 8, 16, and 32 in both plan and polarized. You could eliminate the 4 to save a few bucks and get a case plus removal tool. Scroll down the page for all options.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Filters - Custom Sets - Build your own

PolarPro's custom shop allows you to pick your own DJI Mavic 2 Pro Filters depending on your personal filming styles. Each DJI Mavic 2 Pro Filter is custom built with Cinema Series glass which fully resolves the DJI Mavic 2 Pro Sensor. We stand behind our Mavic 2 Pro Filters with an aircraft /...

www.polarprofilters.com

 

[paulatkin73]

Thank you all for your input. I am watching videos like crazy and feel comfortable trying out Manual mode now and other bits and bobs. The only thing i am really stuck on now is filters. Should i go PL? assuming these are mainly for flying over water/high reflection surfaces?

Reference the flickering from the voltage source thats interesting. at what point is this flicker introduced? actual play back of the video? 24fps seems really low to me (i live in the UK)

issue with PL filters is - they are good for a generic photography where you set at the specific angle, then you rotate your polarizer to achieve a required level of the effect. it is not quite nice to have it at the 100% - it produces too pronounced deep blue to the sky, etc. usually, as you noted, it helps with reflections from the water or buildings.

now, on the drone, it is not that easy to rotate that filter in front, even if design allows. what makes it worse - every time you yaw - the amount of the PL effect differs, and it is visible on the video. so, i personally do not like it. but, if you have some specific shoot over water and you maintain your video angle toward the sun - why not. try it and decide for yourself.

also, read this:

54 Mavic 2 Filters from Polar Pro, Tiffen, and the rest. Which filters are best?

I tested 54 Mavic 2 filters from 5 companies and judged them based on 15 metrics. None of these filters is perfect, the results will surprise you.

dronedj.com

 

[Randall8686]

dumb question but why would you not use Polarized all the time? i know that it gives a big advantage on water as when i have been sailing we always wear polarized sunglasses for obvious reasons but why would you not use them on land?

 

[Randall8686]

issue with PL filters is - they are good for a generic photography where you set at the specific angle, then you rotate your polarizer to achieve a required level of the effect. it is not quite nice to have it at the 100% - it produces too pronounced deep blue to the sky, etc. usually, as you noted, it helps with reflections from the water or buildings.

now, on the drone, it is not that easy to rotate that filter in front, even if design allows. what makes it worse - every time you yaw - the amount of the PL effect differs, and it is visible on the video. so, i personally do not like it. but, if you have some specific shoot over water and you maintain your video angle toward the sun - why not. try it and decide for yourself.

also, read this:

54 Mavic 2 Filters from Polar Pro, Tiffen, and the rest. Which filters are best?

I tested 54 Mavic 2 filters from 5 companies and judged them based on 15 metrics. None of these filters is perfect, the results will surprise you.

dronedj.com

you answered my question whilst i was typing it lol

 

[Randall8686]

so i am thinking of buying this
Custom 4-Pack - Cinema Series | Mavic 2 Pro -Choose 4 Filters: ND8 ,ND16 ,ND32 ,ND32/PL

the 32PL for some nice stills and video when flying over brightly lit water in Hawaii (lets hope its sunny)

 

[paulatkin73]

you answered my question whilst i was typing it lol

well, it is only what i think - what works for you is only for you to decide. there is no right or wrongs here, except of landing into the water. that is just plain wrong.

 

[paulatkin73]

so i am thinking of buying this
Custom 4-Pack - Cinema Series | Mavic 2 Pro -Choose 4 Filters: ND8 ,ND16 ,ND32 ,ND32/PL

the 32PL for some nice stills and video when flying over brightly lit water in Hawaii (lets hope its sunny)

ND8/16 combo works well for HQ video mode - cropped one. if you intend to use full sensor mode - then ND4 will work better on the cloudy days.
i got this and i like it quite well.

Amazon.com: Tiffen Filters for Compact DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone Including Neutral Density/Polarizer Kit, (MAV2PRO6KIT) 6 Filters, Black: Gateway

Buy Tiffen Filters for Compact DJI Mavic 2 Pro Drone Including Neutral Density/Polarizer Kit, (MAV2PRO6KIT) 6 Filters, Black: Quadcopters & Multirotors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

for other sizes i complemented with that:

Amazon.com : Lens Filters for DJI Mavic 2 Pro Camera Lens Set, Multi Coated Filters Pack Accessories (3 Pack) ND32, ND64, ND128, Updated: Works with Gimbal Cover : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Lens Filters for DJI Mavic 2 Pro Camera Lens Set, Multi Coated Filters Pack Accessories (3 Pack) ND32, ND64, ND128, Updated: Works with Gimbal Cover : Camera & Photo

www.amazon.com

and this:

Amazon.com : ND1000 Long Exposure Lens Filters for DJI Mavic 2 Pro Camera Lens, Multi Coated Filters Pack Accessories : Electronics

Amazon.com : ND1000 Long Exposure Lens Filters for DJI Mavic 2 Pro Camera Lens, Multi Coated Filters Pack Accessories : Electronics

www.amazon.com

many ppl like polarpro, so, nothing wrong with it. read the 54 filters review i sent a link for before you buy.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

You can still over-expose with an ND filter on. It doesn't prevent over-exposure when you turn your AC toward the sun -- you still need to have the proper exposure settings to avoid that. Before shooting, point the AC toward the sun (if you think that's going to happen during the shoot) and adjust exposure (including exposure compensation) looking at your histogram, then start shooting.

Polarization is just a tool and like any tool, you don't need to use it all of the time. As mentioned above, it can be overdone (I have some images taken in Europe that I wish I could reshoot because the water of the Mediterranean Sea is just black and the sky is too dark).

Also, you don't always want to cut reflections -- they can be useful (like a mountain reflecting in a lake).

Finally, it only works in direct sunlight -- if you use it on a cloudy day, you are just unnecessarily reducing your exposure by a couple of stops (ND reduces stops, but so does the polarization as well (an ND3+PL reduces stops more than a ND3 without PL).

Chris

 

[Randall8686]

i do like the ideal of the ND 1000 etc for long exposure water falls etc. However can you actually see anything whilst flying with this filter? or is it LOS and a rough image to point in the right direction?

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

You don't need such a heavy ND filter for waterfalls / that kind of moving water. For one thing, the water is moving already, so a couple of stops is all you need.

If you put on a heavy ND filter, the screen should compensate. If you can't see an image on your controller, then you can't record anything either. The screen isn't like a DSLR (optical viewfinder) -- it is showing you what your camera sensor sees.

Chris

 

[paulatkin73]

i do like the ideal of the ND 1000 etc for long exposure water falls etc. However can you actually see anything whilst flying with this filter? or is it LOS and a rough image to point in the right direction?

waterfall - ok, here are couple of links on shutter speeds:

Ultimate Shutter Speed Photography Guide [2024]

Using this shutter speed chart and guide, you'll learn to improve your photos for: Long exposures Action shots Outdoor photography Night sky photography Take complete creative control over your images, with the step by step techniques provided below. Scroll down & get started

www.davemorrowphotography.com

SIGMA America Blog

Lens and camera information, photography education, news, tips, how-tos, inspiration, and much more from SIGMA America.

blog.sigmaphoto.com

waterfall during sunny day - ND32 and ND16. the restriction we have with pro 2 drone - you have acceptable sharpness only in apertures 2.8-5.6, some say even 5.6 deteriorates the sharpness, so, you decide.

ND1000 is used to get an empty highway on the sunny day. a tricky thing to do, as drone needs to be quite stable and exposure will be very long - more than a second long. it gets to pure luck territory to get a sharp shot in such exposures. but, if it works out - it looks very interesting, sometimes.

 

[Randall8686]

cheers for the advice guys! still dont know what brand of filters to go for but will continue doing home work and figure it out. think im going to start with a 8,16 and 32 and see how that works out.

 

[brettbrandon]

(ND reduces stops, but so does the polarization as well (an ND3+PL reduces stops more than a ND3 without PL).

My NDs and ND/PLs have the same stop reduction for the same value (at least according to PolarPro). They must adjust the ND value on the PL version. I haven't actually tested it.
Cinematographers Collection - Cinema Series | Mavic 2

 

[charlas]

Just a quick one, the 'judder' is probably because you have no motion blur being generated. You can either try using the 180degree rule as a start, or put it in during post (although post wont give you per object, just scene). The judder is because your brain can 'see' missing information, and that is the motion blur.

Using the right settings (shutter speed) will sort that for you, and ND's will make it easier to keep the the required shutter.

We discussed it all a bit here 24, 25, or 30 FPS