Mavic pro ND filters

[DouglasDavies]

does anyone know what the best nd filter would be for a mavic pro in the uk?

 

[Thomas B]

On my M2P:
Best.... I use PolarPro NDs and NDPL after trying many.... they are expensive.
Day to day convenience use... I use Freewell Variable ND filters due to simple rotation of the outer lens.... $55 USD covered ND 3-1000.
Amazon UK should have them.

 

[julius13]

Polar pro on all my drones. I rarely use the polarizing ones for obvious reasons. The ND filters are exceptional. I generally use ND 16 for most shooting situations.

 

[bob8755]

Polar pro on all my drones. I rarely use the polarizing ones for obvious reasons. The ND filters are exceptional. I generally use ND 16 for most shooting situations.

I hate being a doofus. But what are the obvious reasons?

 

[julius13]

I hate being a doofus. But what are the obvious reasons?

Because to get the polarizing effect desired, you have to rotate the filter to set the polarizer at the right angle to the sun. This is especially tricky when shooting video since you are usually changing direction and flight path often which will affect the polarizing. When shooting photos, you can set the filter and do some test shots. If you are unhappy with the setting, you land and readjust. Just my personal preference because I find it time consuming to keep having to land, adjust, and try again. If you have polarizing filter(s), try them outside in the blaring sun with your drone setting on a table. Rotate the polarizer ring on the filter and notice the difference. The slightest rotation really changes the overall look.

 

[The RAPier]

Because to get the polarizing effect desired, you have to rotate the filter to set the polarizer at the right angle to the sun. This is especially tricky when shooting video since you are usually changing direction and flight path often which will affect the polarizing. When shooting photos, you can set the filter and do some test shots. If you are unhappy with the setting, you land and readjust. Just my personal preference because I find it time consuming to keep having to land, adjust, and try again. If you have polarizing filter(s), try them outside in the blaring sun with your drone setting on a table. Rotate the polarizer ring on the filter and notice the difference. The slightest rotation really changes the overall look.

Thanks Julius13 for the reminder about polarization filters. I love them on an SLR , but won’t waste time on drone use.

 

[Andy Mac 230]

Just received my PolarPro set of 6 filters. Bruddy brilliant the difference is unbelievable.
Yes expensive but RCGeeks doing a set of 6 cinema for £80 saving £70 on the normal rrp. Don’t whatever you do be tempted by the cheap Far Eastern brands..you get what you pay for

 

[Peregrine]

I just bought a set of the Freewell Variable ND Filters for the MP2 Zoom. Truly excellent. I am very, very pleased with them. And the real beauty is that there are just 2 filters that cover the full range, ND2 right through to ND512. So chances are, unless conditions change massively, just one filter will get you through a filming session. As conditions change, just a small rotation of the lens, and you are good to go. Also, you can dial in the value to exactly what you need, and not be caught "in-between" lenses. Currently £49.99 on Amazon UK. Also available for the Pro.

 

[pelagic_one]

I just bought a set of the Freewell Variable ND Filters for the MP2 Zoom. Truly excellent. I am very, very pleased with them. And the real beauty is that there are just 2 filters that cover the full range, ND2 right through to ND512.

Thank you for your description of the Freewell variable ND filters. Don’t know how I missed this concept earlier of turning a dial for degrees of darkness, as I thought the description meant rotating polarizing filters in the past.

 

[Thomas B]

Anyone order the new PolarPro variable ND?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Anyone order the new PolarPro variable ND?

Are they available for the M1P ?
That's what the OP has.

In the past I had an idea these aren't being made for the M1P by Freewell, but they may have been brought out since.

 

[Thomas B]

Are they available for the M1P ?
That's what the OP has.

In the past I had an idea these aren't being made for the M1P by Freewell, but they may have been brought out since.

Honestly don’t know... PP just released them today.
Correction it’s just the M2P at present:

VND Filter - Cinema Series | Mavic 2

We took our most popular filters and precisely engineered it for the Mavic 2 Pro. Choose from 2-5 stops, ideal for afternoon or golden hour flights, or 6-9 stops, perfect for mid-day or bright scenarios. Precisely reduce shutter speed by utilizing the laser-etched stop indicators without having...

www.polarprofilters.com

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Thanks Thomas.

So to recap for the OP, Polar Pro are probably the leaders / most popular ND or ND/PL filter supplier for drones including the M1P.
I'd agree with this, since my NISI set supplier now no longer makes them for the M1P

There are certainly other brands of filter manufacturers that are good, and make filters using multi coated optically coated glass . . . just watch weight, the M1P gimbal likes 1.0g to 1.2g, any more and you might get gimbal start up calibration issues and / or gimbal overload.
It's really important with the M1P gimbal to make sure filters are pushed right on down to the ring on the camera barrel.
This needs to be done with drone powered down, and preferably with the gimbal clamp on.

OP should keep in mind, benefits for video are mostly from the ND side of the coatings, these helps bring shutter speed to roughly double frame rate for nice motion blur to the eye.

PL can help with reflections (water, ice etc), and getting some colour 'pop', blue sky etc, but then so too can NC-UV filters.
Using PL side for reflections is understandably problematic for use on drones, where you need to rotate the PL to suit light and direction of light to reduce reflection on water etc, but . . .

If you set up to do a special run, then flying different directions won't interfere with recording, just that you won't get the full PL benefit unless rotating to suit the new direction.