ND16 filter not enough for sunny day?

[RickMC]

So I finally decided to invest in some ND filters and I got a three pack from Polar Pro. It says that the ND16 filter should be used on bright/sunny days, however, I just went to test that out and even with the ND16 filter, everything is extremely overexposed when I try to put the shutter speed number to twice the frame rate. I guess for really bright sunny days an ND16 isn't enough? Do I need a 32 and a 64? Also, even if I can't get the shutter speed to be 1/60, will I still get better quality video with the ND filter?

 

[Mike Oz]

So I finally decided to invest in some ND filters and I got a three pack from Polar Pro. It says that the ND16 filter should be used on bright/sunny days, however, I just went to test that out and even with the ND16 filter, everything is extremely overexposed when I try to put the shutter speed number to twice the frame rate. I guess for really bright sunny days an ND16 isn't enough? Do I need a 32 and a 64? Also, even if I can't get the shutter speed to be 1/60, will I still get better quality video with the ND filter?

Hi, I fly in South Florida "the sunshine State" I picked up the polar pro cinema series shutter collection, which is nd 8,16,& 32. I usually use the 32 on a daily basis. The only time I might need a 64 is if I'm flying mid day/afternoon over water and the glare becomes a problem. Thus far, I have been fine with the 32.

 

[jaysrmc]

So I finally decided to invest in some ND filters and I got a three pack from Polar Pro. It says that the ND16 filter should be used on bright/sunny days, however, I just went to test that out and even with the ND16 filter, everything is extremely overexposed when I try to put the shutter speed number to twice the frame rate. I guess for really bright sunny days an ND16 isn't enough? Do I need a 32 and a 64? Also, even if I can't get the shutter speed to be 1/60, will I still get better quality video with the ND filter?

Im in Arizona mostly but I usually use nd64 in AZ and in Cuba.

 

[bushie]

I am on sunny Perth WA. I find that i use a ND32 on most days. It is normally bright sun or wet and windy

 

[Pingman68]

Hi, I fly in South Florida "the sunshine State" I picked up the polar pro cinema series shutter collection, which is nd 8,16,& 32. I usually use the 32 on a daily basis. The only time I might need a 64 is if I'm flying mid day/afternoon over water and the glare becomes a problem. Thus far, I have been fine with the 32.

Same here. I find I’m constantly using the 32. I plan on getting the 64 as there have a few times flying at the beach when the 32 just doesn’t cut it.

 

[andydownunder]

I also live in Western Australia. I fly a Mavic Pro. I just ordered an ND64 as I found on our typically sunny days (especially beach footage) that the 32 is still not quite ideal.

 

[supergimp]

I find that often ND16 isn't enough. I'm waiting anxiously for DJI to offer their kit for the M2P as they offer 4 filters (4/8/16/32) for the same price as Polar Pro offers 3 (4/8/16) and you must buy another multiple filter kit to get ND32. I use ND32 too much to not have one.

 

[UAVNV]

using the ND32 @ 1\50 iso 100 in the brightest desert conditions gives me an exposure of +0.3 +0.7 with overexposed areas beginning with the halo of the sun. I've used an ND64 and I find them more useful for long exposure night shots, it tends to crush the blacks when color correcting, best to over expose a bit than under expose.

heres an example of a polarpro ND 32 on a 100 degree day with zero cloud cover with color correction only, no grade

 

[BerndM]

I have to ask, but why do people spend money on ND filters when they are expensive, you have to land to swap them for varying conditions, and a pain to install, when you can get instantaneous adjustable effects while flying by simply adjusting your ev values.
Am I missing something here??

 

[supergimp]

Exposure is a balance of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. Changing EV is just adjusting one of those values (depending on mode). Yesterday I was flying ISO 100 (lowest ISO), f/11 (smallest aperture) and I need shutter at 1/60 (at 30fps). I was still seeing zebra stripes (overexposed highlights).

There’s nowhere to go. The only thing you can do is reduce the amount of light coming in and the only way to that is with a ND filter.