Tried filters included with ma2 fly more .. no difference?

[Marc Hufnagel]

Being a bright sunny cloudless day today I thought I’d try out the 16 filter that came in the fly more kit.

put it on, put the camera in full auto so it would make all the changes needed and saw no difference. The glare from the low sun in my ocean videos is just as present as without the filter. Am I expecting something that I should not be? I thought the idea of these filters was to do exactly what I need— reduce glare.

 

[Repaid1]

Being a bright sunny cloudless day today I thought I’d try out the 16 filter that came in the fly more kit.

put it on, put the camera in full auto so it would make all the changes needed and saw no difference. The glare from the low sun in my ocean videos is just as present as without the filter. Am I expecting something that I should not be? I thought the idea of these filters was to do exactly what I need— reduce glare.

I suggest you look up exactly what a ND filter does and how to properly use them. Hint...they don't work in Auto mode, nor are they made to reduce glare. Google is your friend

 

[Thomas B]

Being a bright sunny cloudless day today I thought I’d try out the 16 filter that came in the fly more kit.

put it on, put the camera in full auto so it would make all the changes needed and saw no difference. The glare from the low sun in my ocean videos is just as present as without the filter. Am I expecting something that I should not be? I thought the idea of these filters was to do exactly what I need— reduce glare.

If you leave the drone camera settings on auto, then what you got is the expected result... ie, no change of substance. Go to manual settings and learn what the ND filers can do.

To eliminate glare from water an be able to see into it you will need a properly installed polarizing filter...(aka NDPL) ... note that all shooting should be done in the same direction relative to the sun for full effect... if you turn the drone away from the direction where you set up the filter then the effect is gradually lost.

 

[boblui]

I thought the idea of these filters was to do exactly what I need— reduce glare.

As a matter of fact the use of these filters can only increase glare, not reducing it.

 

[DanMan32]

Auto should be fine, particularly if you don't have control of the aperture. The point to ND is to reduce the shutter speed so it is closer to 2x frame rate so motion is not so harsh.

 

[volition]

Can I add. A polarising filter would be something that reduces glare. Handy for the kit.

ND filters in photography (applies to this drone to) increase the time the photo is being taken (exposure time/Shutter speed).
So let's say you have a waterfall. Without ND filter the water tipping over looks crisp. a 1/20s shutter speed We can use the ND filter to give a water blur/softening effect. 1/2s shutter speed As the exposure time is now longer the water travels further (10x times further in this example) etc when the shot is taken. Same goes with say car headlight trails at dusk. We can increase the Trails put on a ND filter and the shutter is open longer to get proper exposure. Car travels further.

In Video Simplifying it . It's the same thing. But we have a shutter sweet spot an amount of blur that looks most natural. So by putting on ND filters we make the shutter stay open longer for each frame introducing a little blur. it's called the 180degree shutter rule. BTW not everyone agrees or likes it. The ND filters though gives us the tools to play with it though.

As I said in the first paragraph. A good filter for glare and say water reflectivity, reducing haze is a polarising filter which are available through third party companies. I wish DJI made one though. I would love one that also allowed a ND on top of that so you can stack filters. Are you listening DJI?

If you are interested as above plenty of info around if you google.

 

[Meta4]

put it on, put the camera in full auto so it would make all the changes needed and saw no difference. ... Am I expecting something that I should not be? I thought the idea of these filters was to do exactly what I need— reduce glare.

There's a lot of confusion in this thread.
You were confused about what the filter does and how to use it.
And the folks responding haven't asked what you were using it for and some have given confusing advice.

What are you wanting to use an ND filter for?
Stills or video?

An ND filter doesn't cut glare, it cuts the amount of light getting to the lens.
Your ND16 filter cuts out 94% of the light, allowing only 6% to get through.
It cuts the light uniformly and without affecting colour. (hence the name ND = neutral density).
You saw no change because your camera's meter compensated for the reduced light by leaving the shutter open longer so that the image was still properly exposed.

If you were shooting stills there is no point using ND filters on the drone (unless you have a particular reason to want to force a slower shutter speed).

If you were shooting video, ND filters can be used to force a slower shutter speed to create a slight blurring that some users favour.
It's not essential, and if you don't have motion relatively close to the camera it doesn't make much difference anyway.

 

[Dave Maine]

Nd filters are useless unless you are a obsessed with getting a slow shutter speed for shooting video with motion blur to match a real cinematic camera.