Mavic Pro ND Polorizing Filter?

[WenatcheeMavicFlights]

Hey guys and gals!

So I have been thinking a lot about buying some polorizing ND filters for my Mavic Pro but I’m confused about them and have a question.

When you pick the right filter, how do you adjust the filter for optimal polarization? Meaning I see videos of people showing when you turn the filter you can see the change in polorization, but you can’t turn it or adjust it while its on the camera lense and the drone is on.
So how do you adjust the filter to get the polorization desired?

Or if I know I want to use an ND16pl, do I just put it on and it’s all good to go, with no adjustment needed?

Help??

 

[terradriller]

Hey guys and gals!

So I have been thinking a lot about buying some polorizing ND filters for my Mavic Pro but I’m confused about them and have a question.

When you pick the right filter, how do you adjust the filter for optimal polarization? Meaning I see videos of people showing when you turn the filter you can see the change in polorization, but you can’t turn it or adjust it while its on the camera lense and the drone is on.
So how do you adjust the filter to get the polorization desired?

Or if I know I want to use an ND16pl, do I just put it on and it’s all good to go, with no adjustment needed?

Help??

I'm not sure how other folks do it but I put the filter up to my eye and rotate it to find the sweet spot. I then make note of the rotation of the filter and then install it on the Mavic.
Hope this helps.

Happy flying

 

[WenatcheeMavicFlights]

I'm not sure how other folks do it but I put the filter up to my eye and rotate it to find the sweet spot. I then make note of the rotation of the filter and then install it on the Mavic.
Hope this helps.

Happy flying

Thank you! So when you make note, when you install the filter is the place you marked on the top of the lense or bottom? Sorry I’m a noob to this and just want to get it right

 

[zocalo]

Thank you! So when you make note, when you install the filter is the place you marked on the top of the lense or bottom? Sorry I’m a noob to this and just want to get it right

I use the same approach as Terradriller. Most filters will have a mark on the filter ring to help with this - you'll get the same polarization with the element rotated 180deg as well - e.g. you'd get the same results with the dot at 90deg. as you would at 270deg.
Basically, it's a guesstimate based on what angle your drone will be at in relation to your subject, and the further you turn the drone away from that, the stronger/weaker the polarization effect is going to be.

To elaborate on the approach, I stand at the approximate angle to the sun that the drone will be in when I'm shooting, hold the filter as if it were mounted on the drone, then rotate until I get the effect I want. Look at the position of the dot in case I nudge it, mount the filter to the drone, then adjust if required. As with a CP on a conventional camera, the "sweet spot" is entirely subjective - sometimes you'll want a strong effect, other times a gentle touch may be enough - same techniques apply; experimentation and experience until you get the result you want.

 

[terradriller]

Thank you! So when you make note, when you install the filter is the place you marked on the top of the lense or bottom? Sorry I’m a noob to this and just want to get it right

The mark could be anywhere. On my filter lenses it happens to be on the bottom. So I place the filter on the drone to correspond with the position to my eye.
Hope that makes sense

 

[WenatcheeMavicFlights]

I use the same approach as Terradriller. Most filters will have a mark on the filter ring to help with this - you'll get the same polarization with the element rotated 180deg as well - e.g. you'd get the same results with the dot at 90deg. as you would at 270deg.
Basically, it's a guesstimate based on what angle your drone will be at in relation to your subject, and the further you turn the drone away from that, the stronger/weaker the polarization effect is going to be.

To elaborate on the approach, I stand at the approximate angle to the sun that the drone will be in when I'm shooting, hold the filter as if it were mounted on the drone, then rotate until I get the effect I want. Look at the position of the dot in case I nudge it, mount the filter to the drone, then adjust if required. As with a CP on a conventional camera, the "sweet spot" is entirely subjective - sometimes you'll want a strong effect, other times a gentle touch may be enough - same techniques apply; experimentation and experience until you get the result you want.

Thank you! Excellent explanation and very helpful! Thank you

 

[Meta4]

but you can’t turn it or adjust it while its on the camera lense and the drone is on.
So how do you adjust the filter to get the polorization desired?

Or if I know I want to use an ND16pl, do I just put it on and it’s all good to go, with no adjustment needed?

You can't adjust the alignment in flight.
So you are stuck with a drone that's set for photographing only when it's pointed in the direction that the filter was aligned for.
Point it somewhere else and you will get messy skies.
A polarising filter might be great for special shots on a drone but it's not something you want to use all the time.