Mavic 3 Filter Use

[TX Steve]

I have never used ND filters before and my question here for the attached picture will ND filters help?

I have the ND4, 8, 16, 32 what would be a good starting point for this type of picture.

 

[Meta4]

I have never used ND filters before and my question here for the attached picture will ND filters help?

Not even a little bit.

I have the ND4, 8, 16, 32 what would be a good starting point for this type of picture.

ND filters are of no use at all in drone still photography unless you want to force a slower shutter speed.
But cutting the light uniformly across the image and forcing a slower shutter speed won't make the image appear any different.

What would make a difference would be to bring up some of the shadow detail in your image editing software.

 

[TX Steve]

Not even a little bit.

ND filters are of no use at all in drone still photography unless you want to force a slower shutter speed.
But cutting the light uniformly across the image and forcing a slower shutter speed won't make the image appear any different.

OK, thanks I normally dont shoot into the sun like that but I had one and thought I would ask.

 

[Meta4]

OK, thanks I normally dont shoot into the sun like that but I had one and thought I would ask.

If you upload the original image to Dropbox or similar and post a link, I can do a little tweaking in Photoshop to see what's possible.

 

[TX Steve]

If you upload the original image to Dropbox or similar and post a link, I can do a little tweaking in Photoshop to see what's possible.

Thanks but that is not a keeper, I just took it to try if filters would help anything, it was the first pic I took with my Mavic 3.

 

[SmilingOgre]

Only if you want motion blur like a speeding car or a waterfall. Having said that, conditions have to be really good to prevent camera shake from wind/drone movement.

 

[jephoto]

If you like taking photos like this, and I can see what attracted you to it , was the backlight and shadows, then what you need to do here is, if you shot in RAW, you can obviously pull the highlights down a little, raise your exposure-a little , back up, a touch, and booster Shadows a great deal.

What you show here is perfect exposure for the highlight areas. Where the sun is hitting the grass.
Another thing you could do is HDR.

Do a range of exposures with this exposure as you’re a shortest shutter speed and do 3-4 more frames going slower ( brighter) until you get a frame with good detail in the shadows,
Then use the Lightroom, Photoshop, or better, yet a dedicated program specifically for HDR that will combine those exposures and give you a much bigger latitude, and control that contrast.

 

[DiscoverSpain]

I have never used ND filters before and my question here for the attached picture will ND filters help?

I have the ND4, 8, 16, 32 what would be a good starting point for this type of picture.


View attachment 174122

In a still photograph like this, an ND filter won't help you at all; it's like putting sunglasses on the camera: you decrease the light level, but you do it equally across both highlights and shadows.
If you want to try to decrease the dynamic range (difference between highlights and shadows) of the scene using a filter, the options you have are:

1. A graduated ND filter, meaning that the ND value is much stronger in one part of the filter and gradually decreases in other parts of the filter. If you place the part with the highest ND value towards the sky, you'll reduce the scene's dynamic range.
2. A Mist filter, which will reduce the overall contrast of the scene and soften the highlights.

 

[TwoSticks]

You want to bracket this shot so you expose for the highlights and shadows in one final shot. With the Mavic 3 variable aperture, you can almost get away with never using ND filters but they can be handy when you want to be more artistic.

 

[GFields]

I never use ND filters for stills. As mentioned above, you can see why

 

[MS Coast]

I have never used ND filters before and my question here for the attached picture will ND filters help?

I have the ND4, 8, 16, 32 what would be a good starting point for this type of picture.


View attachment 174122

I agree that ND filters have no value in photographing that scene.

The image is generally a bit underexposed. You might try shooting again with the exposure increased a stop or more. The bright part of the sky will be more blown out, but there's nothing on interest there anyway.

 

[sarahb]

I'm learning so this is good information. Thanks