Neewer ND Filters

[automan25]

I recently purchased a set of Neewer ND filters for my Mavic Pro. While testing them out over the last week I noticed that I haven't been getting the reduction in light I was expecting. Obviously I'm trying to get my shutter speed down to 1/60 or double my frame rate. From what I have read on the Mavic forums my expectation was that I would use an ND8 on cloudy days, the ND16 on most sunny days, and the ND32 on clear days at noon time or at lower latitudes (I'm in Seattle). I'm finding that the ND32 is insufficient in most conditions.

Just today I did a comparison to see the difference. Full sun at 3pm. The ISO was fixed at 100. I adjusted the shutter speed to get a good neutral histogram. Here are my results:

with the ND32
1/80 - 1/100 at ground level surrounded by tall pine trees.
1/400 - 1/500 above the trees

without ND filter
1/500 at ground level
1/2500 above the trees

Obviously there is a substantial difference, but I'm still unable to get the motion blur I need. It's almost as if I'm really using an ND16 and it's just mislabeled. Has anyone else had similar issues with Neewer brand filters?

 

[bushie]

I live in Perth where it is modtly very bright sun. Clear blue skies. I initially bought the Neewer 4, 8 and 16 NDand NDPL filter set but found the 16 not dark enough so bought a 33ND. and that gave the results i was after

The latest clip in the video section above is using this filter

 

[Chirp]

I recently purchased a set of Neewer ND filters for my Mavic Pro. While testing them out over the last week I noticed that I haven't been getting the reduction in light I was expecting. Obviously I'm trying to get my shutter speed down to 1/60 or double my frame rate. From what I have read on the Mavic forums my expectation was that I would use an ND8 on cloudy days, the ND16 on most sunny days, and the ND32 on clear days at noon time or at lower latitudes (I'm in Seattle). I'm finding that the ND32 is insufficient in most conditions.

Just today I did a comparison to see the difference. Full sun at 3pm. The ISO was fixed at 100. I adjusted the shutter speed to get a good neutral histogram. Here are my results:

with the ND32
1/80 - 1/100 at ground level surrounded by tall pine trees.
1/400 - 1/500 above the trees

without ND filter
1/500 at ground level
1/2500 above the trees

Obviously there is a substantial difference, but I'm still unable to get the motion blur I need. It's almost as if I'm really using an ND16 and it's just mislabeled. Has anyone else had similar issues with Neewer brand filters?

Something is not adding up. Using your comparison values you are only losing approximately 2.5 stops of light with a filter that should attenuate the light by 5 stops. (see my work below).

Are you on auto? Auto will automatically compensate for an ND filter by changing internal settings. Remembering my standard photography experience from photographing umpteen weddings you need to have a shutter speed of around 1/15 second to get usual motion blur. Such as making water in a flowing stream look silky. Of course this varies with the subject.
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If I am understanding you correctly, for your motion blur example, I would suggest you find out what the correct exposure is, then set the camera to manual, with the shutter speed at 1/15th or slower (1/8, 1/4 etc.) Then adjust the film speed (ISO) to get that correct exposure. If you are in such bright sunlight that you can't get the correct exposure by varying the ISO while the shutter is set to 1/15 then maybe try stacking the ND filters. NOTE: All this will only work if the camera is set to manual exposure.
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Note: As usual I probably gave TMI.
As Abe Lincoln said in his movie "... Sometimes I get writing so fast I'm too lazy to stop..."

Good Luck!

My work:
Doubling or dividing the ISO rating, shutter speed, ND rating etc. will change your exposure by 1 stop.

for example:

ISO
from 100 to 200 = 1 stop
200 to 400 equals 1 stop
400 to 800 = 1 stop
So: 100 ISO to 800 ISO = 3 stops

SHUTTER SPEED:
1/125 seconds to 1/250 seconds = 1 stop
1/250 to 1/500 = 1 stop
1/500 to 1/1000 = 1 stop
So: 1/125 to 1/1000 =3 stops

ND FILTERS
ND4 to ND8 = 1 stop
ND8 to ND 16 = 1 stop
ND16 to ND 32 = 1 stops
So: ND4 to ND 32 = 3 stops

 

[Claudcw]

With the Neewer ND filter has your gimbal gotten stuck when you start the drone if you left the filters on? I have been having that problem..

 

[Robert Hingston]

With the Neewer ND filter has your gimbal gotten stuck when you start the drone if you left the filters on? I have been having that problem..

I had that problem with these filters, I used a scalpel to cut about 1cm of the felt liner inside the filter and they fit much better and pass the gimbal calibration every time.

 

[bushie]

With the Neewer ND filter has your gimbal gotten stuck when you start the drone if you left the filters on? I have been having that problem..

Never had this problem with Neewer. Did with another brand and so replaced it.

 

[Claudcw]

I had that problem with these filters, I used a scalpel to cut about 1cm of the felt liner inside the filter and they fit much better and pass the gimbal calibration every time.

ill try that

 

[KiloGolf7]

You never mentioned what your ISO was set at, you may have it on auto and its compensating or accidentally set it at a hi ISO