ND filters with polarizing?

[SHRED]

I've notice that some ND filters are also polarized.
As a general rule should I get those as opposed to the straight ND filters?

 

[PTBperegrine]

I've notice that some ND filters are also polarized.
As a general rule should I get those as opposed to the straight ND filters?

I use polarising filters for a nicer blue in the sky but particularly to look down through water. This is good if the water is clear but useless if it's a muddy river. It is particularly good looking down at dolphins, large fish etc.

 

[kilomikebravo]

OP: What is your goal? Stills only? Video Only? or Both?

 

[SHRED]

OP: What is your goal? Stills only? Video Only? or Both?

Both video and stills.
I like being around the water.

 

[Meta4]

Both video and stills.
I like being around the water.

A polariser has to be aligned properly with respect to the direction of the sun.
That's no problem with an SLR on the ground but it's a real nuisance up in the air.
To use it properly, you'd have to work out what direction you will be flying, align the filter and stay on that course.
If you turn the drone left or right, the filter isn't going to work properly and can give some pretty unattractive sky patterns.

If you are shooting stills, ND filters are no use and will only force a slower shutter speed.

 

[brettbrandon]

I use the polarizer in a way everyone tells me it dosen't work. Thats even for video while turning the drone.
A polarizer is great for reducing reflections on non metallic surfaces, water, glass, ect. It is also very good at making saturation and colors pop, especially fall colors. I have the PolarPro filter set and the polarizers have a mark on the ring to show position. Set the mark at 12 o'clock and that is how I used it in the following vid...

 

[Ian in London]

I've notice that some ND filters are also polarized.
As a general rule should I get those as opposed to the straight ND filters?

As said, polarizers will cut down reflections; easiest to see when flying over water, but you do have to turn them so the polarizing effect is aligned with the water surface reflections.

This video shows the effects and how to align them.
Cheers, Ian

 

[Meta4]

I use the polarizer in a way everyone tells me it dosen't work.

And see the reflections in the windows of the house?
That's because the polariser isn't doing its thing.

 

[Ian in London]

And see the reflections in the windows of the house?
That's because the polariser isn't doing its thing.

Very fair point, but in fairness, polarizers will only work on reflections orientated in a particular direction. So whilst the vertical glass reflections aren't cut out on his picture, other reflections including the scattered reflections from the leaves and the sky may well be reduced.
2:32 on the previous video post shows the big difference on water when properly aligned...

 

[Bruce D]

I use the polarizer in a way everyone tells me it dosen't work. Thats even for video while turning the drone.
A polarizer is great for reducing reflections on non metallic surfaces, water, glass, ect. It is also very good at making saturation and colors pop, especially fall colors. I have the PolarPro filter set and the polarizers have a mark on the ring to show position. Set the mark at 12 o'clock and that is how I used it in the following vid...

What strength of ND were you using?

 

[brettbrandon]

And see the reflections in the windows of the house?
That's because the polariser isn't doing its thing.

Thats because I wasn't using it for that. I was using it to bolster the dull winter colors and keep the sky a nice even blue. That is my first video and it seems to have worked just fine for that. As I stated, everyone tells me I don't know what I'm doing. I live my life outside the box and am used to it....

 

[brettbrandon]

I was using a ND16/PL. It was shot in manual at 100 ISO, I think about 4.5 aperture, shutter 50, frame rate 24.
Forgot to mention this was H265, Normal mode. I'm not a video person and am looking for the best look without post processing.

 

[ff22]

Very fair point, but in fairness, polarizers will only work on reflections orientated in a particular direction. So whilst the vertical glass reflections aren't cut out on his picture, other reflections including the scattered reflections from the leaves and the sky may well be reduced.
2:32 on the previous video post shows the big difference on water when properly aligned...

Obviously, case dependent but in those two sequences after 2:23, the polarized shots look lifeless without those vivid cloud reflections - IN MY OPINION! But it is a great demonstration of how the filters work.

And THANK YOU for your video tutorials - used the one to smooth out yaw and gimbal movements.

 

[offtheback]

I've notice that some ND filters are also polarized.
As a general rule should I get those as opposed to the straight ND filters?

One thing to watch out for with a polarizer.With the Mavic 1 26mm +M2P 28 mm lenses being wide angle the polarizer will not effect the entire field of view.Most noticeable if there's a wide patch of blue sky in your photo.With more variety in the photo the uneven effect may not be as noticeable.On the M2 Zoom once you get beyond 35mm it's less noticeable.

 

[Jaspar]

If you wear polarised sunglasses it will help your knowledge of where they work best. Dont need them on sydney harbour as we are not allowed to fly there

 

[Ian in London]

Obviously, case dependent but in those two sequences after 2:23, the polarized shots look lifeless without those vivid cloud reflections - IN MY OPINION! But it is a great demonstration of how the filters work.

And THANK YOU for your video tutorials - used the one to smooth out yaw and gimbal movements.

Absolutely! I think the clouds look way better; this was purely for demonstration as you say.... Cheers for the good words and glad the Smooth Camera Settings video worked for you. I still watch that each time a firmware update wipes all my presets
Cheers,
Ian

 

[jsinon]

The problem with using a polarizing filter is that they have their maximum effect when 90° to the sun varying to zero effect when shooting directly into or away from the sun. This is independent of the amount of polarization you get by adjusting the filter itself. As such, unless you set your polarizer for which ever level of polarization you're after, and then fly with the drone in a perfectly straight line, without ever changing the orientation of the drone, you're going to get varying amounts of polarization.

The same goes for using a polarizer when capturing wide expanses of blue sky. You're going to end up with uneven polarization across the sky that is a class A pain in the backside to deal with in post. By class A, I mean darn near impossible to fix.

I can see where polarizers can come in very handy, but you need to be aware of their limitations and what problems can be caused when using them.

 

[brettbrandon]

The problem with using a polarizing filter is that they have their maximum effect when 90° to the sun varying to zero effect when shooting directly into or away from the sun. This is independent of the amount of polarization you get by adjusting the filter itself. As such, unless you set your polarizer for which ever level of polarization you're after, and then fly with the drone in a perfectly straight line, without ever changing the orientation of the drone, you're going to get varying amounts of polarization.

The same goes for using a polarizer when capturing wide expanses of blue sky. You're going to end up with uneven polarization across the sky that is a class A pain in the backside to deal with in post. By class A, I mean darn near impossible to fix.

I can see where polarizers can come in very handy, but you need to be aware of their limitations and what problems can be caused when using them.

I'm a photographer and not a video person and I have a clip here using a polarizer that is just short of 360 degrees rotation. The sky gets lighter as it passes under the sun but otherwise, I don't see what you are referring to.

 

[jsinon]

I'm a photographer and not a video person and I have a clip here using a polarizer that is just short of 360 degrees rotation. The sky gets lighter as it passes under the sun but otherwise, I don't see what you are referring to.

I'll admit I'm no expert when it comes to video, so the effect of uneven polarization may be less noticeable. Though I wonder had you included more sky in the video would it have been more noticeable? It will also be less noticeable if you don't dial in the filter for the maximum polarization effect. But I can guarantee you that if you have it dialed in for max effect and shoot a still image you're going to see it. You'll see a noticeable arc of darker blue sky. The placement of the darker blue will depend on the direction you're shooting in relation to the sun. For example if you're shooting at a 90° angle to the sun the darker blue sky will be centered in the image.

One thing I didn't take into consideration is that the focal length of the camera on a drone may not be a wide angle enough for it to be as noticeable. The wider the shot, and the more sky in the shot, the more noticeable the uneven polarization will be due the the change in angle in relation to the sun throughout the image.

 

[brettbrandon]

I'll admit I'm no expert when it comes to video, so the effect of uneven polarization may be less noticeable. Though I wonder had you included more sky in the video would it have been more noticeable? It will also be less noticeable if you don't dial in the filter for the maximum polarization effect. But I can guarantee you that if you have it dialed in for max effect and shoot a still image you're going to see it. You'll see a noticeable arc of darker blue sky. The placement of the darker blue will depend on the direction you're shooting in relation to the sun. For example if you're shooting at a 90° angle to the sun the darker blue sky will be centered in the image.

One thing I didn't take into consideration is that the focal length of the camera on a drone may not be a wide angle enough for it to be as noticeable. The wider the shot, and the more sky in the shot, the more noticeable the uneven polarization will be due the the change in angle in relation to the sun throughout the image.

I'm quite familiar with it on my dslr. One more thing to take into consideration is the filter itself. Holding this one up to my eye I see about a medium to medium heavy polarization. I have only used this one on my M2P. I have tried a few different polarizers on my dslr and different filters have different amount of polarization. With a few of them I could barely see any polarization. I tried one by a company named Breakthrough Photography. I had never heard of them but they were using Schott glass and the coating was neutral and not color tinted (my PolarPros have a color tint to them) so I gave them a try. Holy Cow, this thing has almost too much polarization but is very effective. I use it on indoor real estate shots to reduce the reflections in the glass from pictures on the wall to glass display cabinets. Does a great job on glass showers and the like as well.
OK, now back to drone stuff.

The way I use the polarizer on the M2P is such that it helps with clarity and saturation of the whole scene without changing the sky while turning the drone 360 degrees...