Clear up some confusion on fiter advantages please!

[Justin36]

I bought the 5 piece Taco ND filters set and I've been flying the Mavic in manual photo mode, always adjusting the ev + or -. What's the big advantage here? Can I just use the ND filter and set to WB to sunny or cloudy and leave the camera in auto? Would that still get just as nice video?

 

[videolester]

I bought the 5 piece Taco ND filters set and I've been flying the Mavic in manual photo mode, always adjusting the ev + or -. What's the big advantage here? Can I just use the ND filter and set to WB to sunny or cloudy and leave the camera in auto? Would that still get just as nice video?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The advantage with ND filters is that you "trick" the camera into thinking it's darker outside. Like putting sunglasses on the Mavic. The end result is that it forces the camera to use slower (longer) shutter speeds. You will not appreciate the differences shooting stills, but when shooting video, the slower shutter speeds help to reduce the shutter "strobing" effect when shooting in bright light conditions. The end result of THAT will be smoother looking video shots. As I mentioned earlier tho ... you will not see too much difference in your stills. The only exception to that would be if you use a polarizer filter, which will affect colour quality of both your stills AND video shots. Hope this helps!

 

[Kate]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The advantage with ND filters is that you "trick" the camera into thinking it's darker outside. Like putting sunglasses on the Mavic. The end result is that it forces the camera to use slower (longer) shutter speeds. You will not appreciate the differences shooting stills, but when shooting video, the slower shutter speeds help to reduce the shutter "strobing" effect when shooting in bright light conditions. The end result of THAT will be smoother looking video shots. As I mentioned earlier tho ... you will not see too much difference in your stills. The only exception to that would be if you use a polarizer filter, which will affect colour quality of both your stills AND video shots. Hope this helps!

Is a polarizer filter the UV one videolester?
I fly in lower light if anything, so have no need for the others
I was considering a Taco UV one as a lens protector if nothing else.

Are UV blocking lens any darker whatsoever?
thanks

 

[videolester]

Is a polarizer filter the UV one videolester?
I fly in lower light if anything, so have no need for the others
I was considering a Taco UV one as a lens protector if nothing else.

Are UV blocking lens any darker whatsoever?
thanks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The UV filter is not darker in any way. The protective filter already in place on the Mavic basically IS a UV filter. The only real advantage to adding another UV on top is that, should you scratch or damage the front of the camera, it's easier & CHEAPER to replace YOUR UV filter than to get the Mavic's filter replaced. Hope this helps.

 

[Kate]

it does, ta

 

[Justin36]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The advantage with ND filters is that you "trick" the camera into thinking it's darker outside. Like putting sunglasses on the Mavic. The end result is that it forces the camera to use slower (longer) shutter speeds. You will not appreciate the differences shooting stills, but when shooting video, the slower shutter speeds help to reduce the shutter "strobing" effect when shooting in bright light conditions. The end result of THAT will be smoother looking video shots. As I mentioned earlier tho ... you will not see too much difference in your stills. The only exception to that would be if you use a polarizer filter, which will affect colour quality of both your stills AND video shots. Hope this helps!

Thanks. Now the second issue is wheather or not it makes a difference in video quality if I'm in auto or manual camera mode? Say I set the wb myself and don't mess with the manual shutter speed. Am I still getting a smoother video because of the filter? I'm guessing yes, but just not sure.

 

[CyberdyneSystems]

I’ve never seen anyone explain specifically why a ND filter makes videos look smoother so here goes…Your eye is used to seeing motion blur in real life and ND filters allow the shutter speed to be slow enough so motion in each individual frame is blurred. When played back the motion looks natural. Without it the camera electronics just ramp up the shutter speed to get the correct exposure and on a bright day this results in frames with very little to no motion blur from one frame to the next. Video looks too sharp when played back and thus unnatural. Apparently the rule of thumb is a shutter speed something less than double/half the frame rate/period. So 30fps will look good with shutter speeds of 1/60 of a sec or greater.

 

[CyberdyneSystems]

In both manual or auto you will have to pick settings or have them picked for you that give acceptable exposure. To long of an exposure in trying to meet the shutter speed rule of thumb and your overexposing (blowing out) the image. ND filter (sunglasses) allows you to meet the shutter speed rule without over exposing the image. Plus everybody including the Mavic look cooler in shades!

 

[Mako79]

24 FPS Cinematic. This is why ND Filters are used. Its to make the video less amateurish by creating motion blur. This is done by doubling the shutter speeds of the framerate (24FPS =1/50th shutter speed). Since the mavic's camera has a fixed f-stop aperture of 2.2, the ND filters tricks the camera by allowing less light in and as result motion blur is created. If you have never heard of this 24FPS cinematic feel, then I'd suggest not to use ND filters as you may compromise your video.

General rule is:
Heaps of clouds: ND8
A few clouds: ND16
Sunny: ND32
Sunny and on Snow: ND64

And yes, ND filters are used in still photography. Its used to create movement in photos. I wouldn't know if the Mavic can achieve this as the Mavic needs to be more rock solid than a tripod. Key is to keep the Mavic still as possible.

Google up waterfalls and ND filters.