ND Filters from DJI

[Torque]

I'm not a photographer, so can all of you explain the ND filters please? Mine will arrive next week.
Since there are two cameras, do the top and bottom filters match density (both ND 8 for example) or should there be a difference in density between the upper and lower camera?

 

[slup]

I'm not a photographer, so can all of you explain the ND filters please?...

Here below you have some regarding ND's from another post I've made in the subject... what they are, what they do to the picture (or actually do to the exposure) and when to use them & not.

A proper quality ND filter shall not/will not enhance the overall quality of the film when it comes to color, hue or sharpness or anything else... if such differences is seen it's generally a sign of a bad quality ND filter.

As a ND only serves the purpose to be sunshades for the lens ... meaning it will let less light in to the sensor, it will only modify one exposure setting, which is the shutter speed, if you have set the camera to manual exposure. If left at auto it actually risk degrading the clip as the auto setting might keep the fast shutter speed but instead rise the ISO to get the correct exposure ... & by that introduce more noise.

A ND to lower the shutter speed can be necessary sometimes to get the correct amount of motion blur so the film doesn't look too sticky or behaves jittery during playback. It can also be used in very bright conditions like sunlit snowy shots or in deserts with nearly white sand ... this as the fastest shutter speed possible by the camera perhaps isn't fast enough so the shot gets overexposed ... this is really rare as most cameras can make 1/8000sec which should be enough for most filming or photography.

This with introducing motion blur is the most common reason for using a ND filter ... if trying to follow the so called 180 degree rule for a "Cinematic" look (shutter speed 2 times the set frame rate --> set at 30FPS means a shutter on 1/60sec) ... you usually needs to slow down the shutter very much compared to the ordinary auto exposure which can be as fast as 1/500-1/1000sec in sunny daylight... & if you don't have a aperture setting on the camera you can't bring down the light entering the lens by any other means than putting a sun shade on the lens ... a ND filter. If you only go with the auto exposure the fast shutter will "freeze" all movements in every single frame in the clip which looks unreal for the human eye.

Motion blur also come into play from other thing's than only from moving objects in the film ... it also needs to be considered when it comes to drone/camera movements like yawing, panning camera up/down or flying low over objects.

It's usually less need to consider motion blur higher up in the air ... from approx 30m height over ground/objects the motion blur isn't so visible anymore, meaning that the ND can be left off if that's easier.

For taking stills it's again in general no need to use a ND ... if the camera can get a proper exposure without it, that's enough ... no good will come to the picture just because you put another glass in front of the lens ... rather the opposite. If you have a particular artistic need for a slower shutter when taking stills ... like creating buttery smooth streaming water then you can use a ND ... but besides purposes like that a ND isn't needed for still shots.

Since there are two cameras, do the top and bottom filters match density...

With the above in mind regarding ND's, each lens will require it's own density if they let in different amount of light to the sensor during the same exposure conditions... if you switch between the lenses & they give different shutter speeds in auto... the one with the longest shutter speed is less light sensitive (maybe have a bigger fixed aperture value) & therefore needs a ND of less density than the other.

This with different density requirements per lens will become an issue if planning to change between the lenses on the same take-off ... not so much if only using one at a time & you in between lens changes can land & change filter density.

 

[Torque]

These are the ND filters being sold by DJI for the Air 3. The top and bottom lens are the same density. Why?

 

[Droning on and on...]

These are the ND filters being sold by DJI for the Air 3. The top and bottom lens are the same density. Why?

Cheaper.

Not an issue if the right density is chosen such that both cameras are close enough to the middle of the linear portion of the sensor.

 

[slup]

These are the ND filters being sold by DJI for the Air 3. The top and bottom lens are the same density. Why?...

Probably due to that they don't want to complicate it as the wide lens have aperture 1.7 & the tele 2.8... and by that need slightly different densities.

Don't worry about it... first learn how to handle the exposure settings in a proper way & then learn which needs you will have that can be supported by ND filters.

 

[Torque]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't worried, I trust DJI for the most part, but there is a lot of negative chatter about these filters on social media. I knew I would get accurate information here.