ND Filters for video - Don't Waste Money on Bundled Packages

[prometeo]

The only use for an ND32/64 i can think of really is for those doing daylight hyperlapse shots. Even then its debatable.

I've decided i need a 4 stop ND and a CPL only. For me, f/2.8 to 5.6 i class as acceptable for video. The CPL is because 90% of flights i only take stills and i fly a lot over water and jungle.

Google Maps

Come around March and you will understand we have children with Rayban as name.

 

[prometeo]

[QUOTE="PetitFrereArmada, post: 573986, member: 74668"How can that be when I have shot many pictures without filters and when it is very sunny outside, I get overexposed images. That now that I think of it a ND filter would have helped with those. Well, I am speaking from a novice's point of view.
.

NDs have absolutely nothing to do with sorting out over exposure. Nothing at all. They serve 1 purpose and that is to allow a slower shutter speed for smoother video (in certain circumstances only).
Without an ND the camera will use a higher ISO and/or shutter speed. It wont cause over exposure.
A lot of people incorrectly assume that NDs alter saturation, highlights, prevent over exposure and reduce glare. They do none of that despite polar pros (potentially deliberate) misleading "info" sheet.[/QUOTE]

Almost accurate, the shade will take some part and toll in contrast in the logarithmic nature of the sensor input. But yes, it is just a matter of “time” to almost compensate. But any beam of light deterred is lost forever, specially in photography.

 

[gnirtS]

Google Maps

Come around March and you will understand we have children with Rayban as name.

10 degrees north then. Exactly the same as me the other side of the pacific. Same sun.

I need a CPL for stills (i do 90% stills) and a 4 stop ND for video. That'll do me. Maybe if i do much hyperlapse i'll get a ND32 or ND64 but until them i dont need it.

 

[abridge]

I was just in Italy for 2 weeks and used my drone a few times (only on sunny days). I only brought my ND 16 filter. I kept the ISO at 100 the entire time and 1/60 shutter for video. I simply had to move between F 2.8 and F4 to fix any EV issues. I think for sunny days that ND 16 is the essential filter that is needed since we are now able to change aperture.

 

[Garritynet]

Filters are cheap, for drones at least, and time is expensive. If over the course of the next two years you have only one day where you use a certain filter and it allows you to take only one, good, picture that you would have missed without it then it's easily worth the $18 or whatever it cost. With something as cheap and easily carried as these filters I have a hard time being frugal.

 

[John Lammey]

That is a lot of filters. A long list like that with 7 filters makes me ask if you will truly be swapping and using all those filters.

Are all your filters from PolarPro? I am intrigued you got the CPL. I would never choose CPL until PP explained some things to me. Now i have it. But, I need to really try these filters put to know if I am keeping them all or trying to exchange 1 or 2. I kind of wish I had a ND4 or ND8.

I am very surprised you do not have 32 in there. Since I have learned from here that 64 is for extremely bringht situations like where there is snow. But I know you know what you are doing, so that is all that matters.

I think very soon we all on here need to start trading filters. The ones someone is not using a lot. They put it up for trade. And if someone has what the other is looking for and they are a match, they do a barter trade.

Just wondering. Do you consider yourself a novice at shooting stills or a pro? I am a novice and wanting to learn to improve my picture quality.

All are from Polarpro.

Are you concerned with shooting videos or stills? or possibly panoramic shots?

I am a professional photographer. I currently shoot commercial photography including 360 panoramic shots. My first professional gig was as a naval photographer in 1972 and 1973. I am new to videography but I understand light, light meters, neutral density filters and how to adjust settings based on a given requirement.

As for 7 filters, I want to have everything I might need in my kit for different conditions I might encounter. The ND/PL filters which I listed as optional may or may not be useful, but I want them just in case. I am frugal, that is why I am skipping every other ND filter.

The following only applies to shooting video where you are trying to set the shutter speed at 2 times the frame rate. ND filters for stills get you nothing unless you are trying to intentionally blur moving water, etc. Other than blurring water an ND filter would be a negative for stills.

Video adjustments: as for the ND64 (6 stop reduction), my math shows that even on a bright day (not snow or beach) at EV15 settings at ISO 100 of f22 @ 1/60. This would take a 5 stop reduction using a ND32 to drop to f4.0 or a 6 stop reduction using a ND64 to get to f2.8. I do want to shoot snow scenes on very bright days so I wanted the ND64. If I was not concerned about the snow scenes I would only purchase a ND8 and a ND32.

Keep in mind that as you change your angle relative to the sun the light will drop off. The light would drop to 1 stop at 45 degrees from the sun and almost 2 stops at 90 degrees. So if you never shoot with the sun directly behind you, an ND32 would even work in very bright scenes.

John

 

[John Lammey]

Filters are cheap, for drones at least, and time is expensive. If over the course of the next two years you have only one day where you use a certain filter and it allows you to take only one, good, picture that you would have missed without it then it's easily worth the $18 or whatever it cost. With something as cheap and easily carried as these filters I have a hard time being frugal.

Agree. But good filters are not cheap. More like 30 to 40 each (polarpro). I spent 160 so far and from the real world testing I have been doing I expect to spend another 160. I have been finding the filters I need the most are a nd16 and a nd32. Not being able to skip adjacent filters because I found I want to cover the range due to the current lighting conditions without changing filters.

 

[Neo]

So my understanding is that for videos you basically only need nd8 &16 to keep the aperture at 2.8-4.

What is your take on Grad Filters? Since I at the moment mainly take still.

Thank you

 

[kilomikebravo]

For my area in sunny south Texas, I find that I'm always using either an ND16 or ND32. To date, I have not used the ND8 or ND64 but this summer, the latter will probably get used. Gradients and polarizers have their purposes but you won't use them nearly as much as the fixed ND's. Obviously, this info is for video recording and, as others have mentioned, no need for ND filters when shooting stills but Gradients and Polarizers can be helpful.

 

[Neo]

For my area in sunny south Texas, I find that I'm always using either an ND16 or ND32. To date, I have not used the ND8 or ND64 but this summer, the latter will probably get used. Gradients and polarizers have their purposes but you won't use them nearly as much as the fixed ND's. Obviously, this info is for video recording and, as others have mentioned, no need for ND filters when shooting stills but Gradients and Polarizers can be helpful.

I want to give my images that little extra. So I will probably initially invest in gradients and or polarizers. Ultimately I'll probably end up getting regular NDs as well. This hobby is an never ending expensive story [emoji4]

 

[tomek]

For my area in sunny south Texas, I find that I'm always using either an ND16 or ND32. To date, I have not used the ND8 or ND64 but this summer, the latter will probably get used. Gradients and polarizers have their purposes but you won't use them nearly as much as the fixed ND's. Obviously, this info is for video recording and, as others have mentioned, no need for ND filters when shooting stills but Gradients and Polarizers can be helpful.

Same here. ND16 more often.
Too bad PolarPro sells them in separate bundles. I end up buying single ND16 and ND32. It’s cheaper this way compared to the bundle.