Exposure Calculator App

[frcaloy]

Whenever I manually set frame rates and shutter speeds to 30fps and 1/60, I have to use ND filters here in sunny Philippines. Instead of guessing how many stops are necessary for that particular exposure, I can bring along a camera where I can determine correct shutter speeds based on the histogram.

Now, I can convert shutter speed to ND stops to arrive at say 1/60. No more guessing. I don't have to bring back the drone just to change ND filters. I can get it right first time out. The App is the Exposure Calculator.

 

[Carlos56]

I find during most of my flights that due to the drone changing directions, setting fixed manual values means getting portions of the image or sections of the video significantly under or over exposed. I am rarely shooting anything close with motion (usually flying over landscapes), and avoid rapid yaw motions as much as possible, so I don't think shutter speed is critical for me in getting good results.

I choose an ND filter that will give me about 1/60 shutter speed in the darkest directions, and use Auto shutter setting. I don't see any degradation in my footage even if the shutter speed goes up to say 1/500 in the brightest. The shutter adjustments seem to be subtle enough in changing light that there are no sudden shifts in the lighting (unlike if you fix shutter and use Auto ISO which leads to really noticeable step changes in the lighting).

Maybe my standards are lower/different than others, but I am OK with the gradual shift in lighting as the drone orientation changes and shutter speed adapts - not unlike how our eyes adjust when we move our gaze? Am I missing something? Is shutter speed at 2x frame rate really that important for most of the things we film with a drone?

 

[frcaloy]

I just like the blurring effect.

 

[OMC]

Thanks for the app recommendation. It’s exactly what I was looking for!
Happy flying