PGYTECH Mavic 3 Filters - Much Cheaper than DJI

[adcimagery]

It's not really a surprise, but DJI's stock filters are really expensive. If you're like me and didn't get the Mavic 3 as part of a kit with filters, but still need some, I'd suggest checking out PGYTECH's. There's a lot of brands out there, but I recently had the opportunity to test out their model, and I was pretty happy with them. There's more details in my full review here, but they're a good value, with no image quality issues. The included case is a nice bonus, and the UV model is perfect to have as a backup in case you scratch or lose your stock DJI clear filter. I've not tested out freewell's yet, and Polarpro's special FX filters don't really appeal to me as I'm primarily shooting photos, but I did have the chance to run PGYs against some DJI filters a friend had, and there's not a significant difference between them.

More broadly, I just don't know if I love the experience of using filters on drones - I get that NDs are important for preserving the shutter rule on video, but for stills, I've not found that I "need" a filter. Between having to mess with DJI's weird mounting mechanism and having to land just to swap them out, I'd really try and just make the edit in post. Do you have an essential use for filters beyond ND's?

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I've owned filters for all previous drones, but I don't use them much. I use NDs for videos only when I feel I want to slow down the shutter speed. I've carried a CP filter for stills, but have only rarely mounted it.

I use filters on my land-based cameras more often.

I don't really think it's a land-and-change/adjust thing, it's just that I don't need them as much.

Chris

 

[GadgetGuy]

It's not really a surprise, but DJI's stock filters are really expensive. If you're like me and didn't get the Mavic 3 as part of a kit with filters, but still need some, I'd suggest checking out PGYTECH's. There's a lot of brands out there, but I recently had the opportunity to test out their model, and I was pretty happy with them. There's more details in my full review here, but they're a good value, with no image quality issues. The included case is a nice bonus, and the UV model is perfect to have as a backup in case you scratch or lose your stock DJI clear filter. I've not tested out freewell's yet, and Polarpro's special FX filters don't really appeal to me as I'm primarily shooting photos, but I did have the chance to run PGYs against some DJI filters a friend had, and there's not a significant difference between them.

More broadly, I just don't know if I love the experience of using filters on drones - I get that NDs are important for preserving the shutter rule on video, but for stills, I've not found that I "need" a filter. Between having to mess with DJI's weird mounting mechanism and having to land just to swap them out, I'd really try and just make the edit in post. Do you have an essential use for filters beyond ND's?

There is absolutely no need for any ND filters for stills shot from drones, unless you are deliberately seeking motion blur in your images, and motion blur can easily be created in post from a sharp image. The only filter that I have used in the past is a Graduated Neutral Density filter for video, to lower the dynamic range of the scene, darkening the highlights in the sky, while preserving the shadows on the ground. However, even it has its problems. It ruins any automated spherical panos, and it is useless and detrimental when the flight ends after dark. Some have used PL filters for reducing glare and reflections on water, but their directionality on a camera that is constantly changing direction is also problematic.

 

[adcimagery]

There is absolutely no need for any ND filters for stills shot from drones, unless you are deliberately seeking motion blur in your images, and motion blur can easily be created in post from a sharp image. The only filter that I have used in the past is a Graduated Neutral Density filter for video, to lower the dynamic range of the scene, darkening the highlights in the sky, while preserving the shadows on the ground. However, even it has its problems. It ruins any automated spherical panos, and it is useless and detrimental when the flight ends after dark. Some have used PL filters for reducing glare and reflections on water, but their directionality on a camera that is constantly changing direction is also problematic.

I don't really even use grads on my ground based cameras. Dynamic range is at the point where I can just bracket and luminance mask if necessary, with the added benefit of more control over the transition point.

 

[SkywalkerFeng]

I always keep a piece of polarizing filter in the same bag with the drone. It is extremely useful when shooting scenes involving river/lake/ocean/snowy mountains, to remove light reflection/refraction on water and snow, and bring out the true color of the subject.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I don't really even use grads on my ground based cameras. Dynamic range is at the point where I can just bracket and luminance mask if necessary, with the added benefit of more control over the transition point.

I wouldn't use them on a ground based camera either, but on a tiny drone camera, reducing the dynamic range in video is very beneficial. That's the only time I have ever used any drone filters, but not when I also intend to shoot spherical panos, as it really screws them up!

 

[adcimagery]

I always keep a piece of polarizing filter in the same bag with the drone. It is extremely useful when shooting scenes involving river/lake/ocean/snowy mountains, to remove light reflection/refraction on water and snow, and bring out the true color of the subject.

View attachment 145156

Cool shot!