ND filter all the time?

[h1pst3r88]

I just got a set of PolarPro ND filters -- I am wondering if most pilots use them all the time or do you even go back to the standard Hasselblad labeled lens cover?

-Chris

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

They are a light modifier (reduction), nothing more. You reduce light by putting them on, so you need to choose the density of the filter based on the amount of light.

Sometimes there's not enough light to require a filter, so you use the original lens filter.

Then there's the fact that there is almost never a need for ND filters when doing still photography (with a drone--there are more cases with tripod mounted DSLRs, of course). They are primarily for video — leaving them on could lead to some soft / blurry photography.

So no, they should never be left on all the time unless a) you only do video and b) you always shoot in light bright enough that gives you too fast a shutter speed for what your desired frame rate.

Chris

 

[Meta4]

I just got a set of PolarPro ND filters -- I am wondering if most pilots use them all the time?

What do you want to do with your drone?
What are you using the ND filters for?
There can be a use for them in video (although it's not as important as many believe).
But if you are shooting stills, there is no need to use ND filters on a drone, unless you have a particular reason to want to force a slower shutter speed than otherwise possible.

 

[THE CYBORG]

ND filters are used to ge the shutter speed you want.
Personally I have never flown with the standard lens cover.
I have Freewell variable ND filters and simply turn to the desired density, the Freewell set came with two variable filters one for bright sunny days & one for when it’s not so sunny, offhand I can’t remember the range of the two but so far I haven't had to change the one I put on the first day I got them.

 

[h1pst3r88]

Thanks, guys! I do mostly photography but bought the ND filters for the times I do video in very bright sunlight to keep the shutter speed down.

-Chris

 

[Dakarenduro]

I leave them on all the time. I have found no problems with still pics while they are on and most of my flights there are combinations of pics and video taken.

For nighttime I put a 'clear night' filter on.

 

[Meta4]

I leave them on all the time. I have found no problems with still pics while they are on and most of my flights there are combinations of pics and video taken.

The potential problem is there whether you notice it or not.
An ND16 filter only allows 6% of the available light get through to the sensor.
For a bright daylight scene that you would shoot at 1/1000th sec without the filter, with the filter, you've forced the camera to shoot at 1/60th.
That might be acceptable if you are shooting a static landscape shot but might be unacceptable for moving subjects.
If you shoot in lower light situations, the problem is worse.

 

[Dakarenduro]

Agreed. Always adjust your filter for the situation.

 

[hiflyer201]

I tried to video the fireworks the other night and for the life of me couldn't set an exposure that showed anything but complete darkness....then It finally came to me that I had a 16 ND filter installed.