ND vs ND/PL filters??

[JakeS]

I use polar pro’s shutter collection almost exclusively. I have the vivid collection as well but don’t use it that often since you have to align the polarization effect for it to work. I personally find them more useful for still pics over video. Bottom line is both will give you excellent results when used .

 

[Csaldana7]

I use polar pro’s shutter collection almost exclusively. I have the vivid collection as well but don’t use it that often since you have to align the polarization effect for it to work. I personally find them more useful for still pics over video. Bottom line is both will give you excellent results when used .

Awesome!! Makes me feel better, I think when it comes down to it just have to learn to shoot with the correct settings for correct light and time of day!

 

[JakeS]

Polar pro has an app for iOS (not sure about android) that will help you select the correct filters for lighting conditions. Check it out!

 

[dronerdave]

Singles, 3-Packs, 4-Packs, 6-Packs, we have them all

By any chance do you have clear protection filters or UV filters?

Seems if I calibrate the gimbal with a ND filter on, the lens weight should be the same without one on. I don't use ND filters in dusk like conditions however I would like to have the protection of a clear filter over the lens and at the same time keep the gimbals weight load the same. Thanks

 

[Csaldana7]

Polar pro has an app for iOS (not sure about android) that will help you select the correct filters for lighting conditions. Check it out!

Awesome!! I will test it out! Thanks dude!

 

[daisy-girl]

Man, unfortunately don’t have the receipt. Have all original packaging but not receipts. Guess I should have done more research

I shoot out in Orange County! Definitely love polar pro though. Their products and customer service are next to none.

You may not need the receipts. With Polar Pro, it's ask and you may receive.

 

[tictag]

I got the filters today in the mail and gave them a test run. With the ND16PL, at 1/60 the footage is over exposed by 1 stop. Should I bother getting a regular ND32 or will shooting at 1/100-1/125 not be an issue for good footage? (4k at 30fps)

As has already been mentioned, the rule of thumb (actually called the '180 degree shutter rule') recommends [one over] shutter speed be twice that of your frame rate but remember, this is only there to introduce the kind of motion blur in video that we are used to seeing from TV and Cinema. If you're taking photos, you don't need ND filters. Period. And if there is little to no motion in your footage, you just won't notice the difference between say 1/60s or 1/200s. And of course, the higher you are, the less relative motion there will be in your shot - you would honestly struggle to tell the difference between a 400' high, slow panning shot taken with and without filters.

The most noticeable effect of motion blur i.e. where ND filters really do make a difference, is where you're panning quickly or you have relatively lots of close up motion - think parallel shot of a skate boarder in a half-pipe - or where there are foreground objects, like trees, moving against a relatively slow moving background.

What I'm trying to say is that the '180 degree shutter rule' is just a guideline when it comes to drone videography - 30fps at 1/100s - 1/125s with an ND16 would very likely be fine.*


p.s. I'm only talking about ND filters here, to lower your video shutter speed. PL filters do effect the captured image, photo or video, at any shutter speed.

Edit: Added note: * assuming this resulted in a good exposure, you mentioned "1-stop over-exposed" so 1/200s would likely be fine (given the advice above).

 

[jazzpur]

im trying to decide between PL and non-PL as well.
I use a CPL on my DSLR practically full time for landscape photography.

when it comes to video however, does the PL filter compromise the flat effect of shooting in D-CINELIKE?
i like to edit everything in post so a flat profile is nice to have

HOWEVER i would like to be able to shoot coral reefs along the Caribbean coast likely needing to break the glare on water surface, do you guys notice a big difference filming with a PL when water is the subject??

 

[Mossiback]

You will need to mark your polarizing filters to show the horizontal orientation of the filter. This is needed so you can mount it at the correct angle for your shot. The easy way to do this is look through your filter while wearing polarizing sunglasses. Rotate the filter until it looks the darkest and mark the rim at the 3 or 9 o'clock position. Then when you use the filter, mount it with the mark pointed in the direction of the sun with the Mavic at the expected angle. For general flying I mount with the mark straight down.

I was surprised that my Polar Pro filters had no mark on them showing the horizontal orientation of the filter since this is needed to properly mount the filter. Perhaps they do now but didn't when I bought mine a year ago.

 

[jazzpur]

thanks for the tip
so my guess by your response is that it would def be beneficial to shoot water with the PL version?

 

[Mossiback]

thanks for the tip
so my guess by your response is that it would def be beneficial to shoot water with the PL version?

They work just like polarized sunglasses. I use them for all recordings. If set correctly, they will improve color saturation (blue sky, green vegetation, etc) and cut reflections in water.

 

[tictag]

when it comes to video however, does the PL filter compromise the flat effect of shooting in D-CINELIKE?

Wouldn't have any effect. When you grade in post, you'll just end up with greater clarity, less haze, better saturation etc.

do you guys notice a big difference filming with a PL when water is the subject??

The effect is most noticeable over water, in fact, I doubt you'd even see the reefs without a polarising filter.

 

[jazzpur]

thank you guys for the info

 

[Ray Jay]

I’m about to enter the word of polarized filters and found this thread to be very useful, expecially the posts by the man from Polar Pro. There is one bit of information I came across while searching the Google that bothers me a bit and I’m hoping someone here can help.

I noticed that some folks recommend using ND CPL filters, rather than ND PL filters. Something to do with the way the Mavic Pro camera functions. At the same time, I read that the ND CPL filters are not as effective as the NC PL filters.

Any thoughts out there in Mavicpilots Land?

Ray Jay

 

[tictag]

Any thoughts out there in Mavicpilots Land?

All of the ND/PL filters I've come across are circularly polarised i.e. ND/PL = ND/CPL.

 

[Ray Jay]

All of the ND/PL filters I've come across are circularly polarised i.e. ND/PL = ND/CPL.

Thanks, Tictag. I just spoke with Polar Pro and they confirmed that all their PL filters are actually circular (CLP?) filters and include a quarter-wave plate layer, which is what makes ‘em circular, I guess.

Ray Jay

 

[tictag]

For a description of the 1/4 wave plate layer, check out: Polarizer - Wikipedia

 

[Aratheba]

If I am just flying for fun, I set the polarizer once and leave it. It still helps out a lot in this setting, and will not degrade image quality in any way.

Hi Jeff, I'm curious: if I use a PL filter like you wrote, I mean I set it once and then I fly in different directions, do I have the same video quality of a "normal" shutter filter when I'm flying in a direction not optimized for polarization? Thanks in advance

 

[PolarPro]

Hi Jeff, I'm curious: if I use a PL filter like you wrote, I mean I set it once and then I fly in different directions, do I have the same video quality of a "normal" shutter filter when I'm flying in a direction not optimized for polarization? Thanks in advance

The polarizer will always be working, even at a minimum orientation, so you will generally always see at least slightly increased saturation.
The Shutter (ND) filters will always be neutral for easier grading and matching to other cameras (unless you are using polarizers on your other cameras).

Hope that makes sense, if not, just let me know!
-Jeff from PolarPro

 

[Aratheba]

The polarizer will always be working, even at a minimum orientation, so you will generally always see at least slightly increased saturation.
The Shutter (ND) filters will always be neutral for easier grading and matching to other cameras (unless you are using polarizers on your other cameras).

Hope that makes sense, if not, just let me know!
-Jeff from PolarPro

Thanks for your answer first of all.
I'm not using other cameras then I should have at least better saturation than shutter filters which is good to me. Thanks