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What stop ND filter do you use the most?

OurAngryBadger

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If you only had a budget of $30 to spend on filters, what ND stop filter would you buy? ND16 or 32? Other?

The goal for me would be a single filter that can assure the 180 degree video rule of 1/50s for 24 FPS in conditions ranging from partly cloudy to sunny using ISO of 100 to 800 and aperture of f2.8 to f8.0.

Is that even possible?

I know for previous drones I had to buy at least 4 different ND filters but with the M2P and the variable aperture it seems like it would be a bit easier to achieve with a single filter.
 
With an M2P you need significantly fewer filters for video due as you say to the aperture and fact its OK for noise at iso 100-400.

Ive got a 16,32 and 64.
The 64 is only ever going to be used for hyperlapse. The 32 in the brightest direct tropical sunlight.

For 90% of my video use the ND16 gives me the flexibility i need.
 
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With an M2P you need significantly fewer filters for video due as you say to the aperture and fact its OK for noise at iso 100-400.

Ive got a 16,32 and 64.
The 64 is only ever going to be used for hyperlapse. The 32 in the brightest direct tropical sunlight.

For 90% of my video use the ND16 gives me the flexibility i need.

In your opinion would ND32 also work on a cloudy day to achieve 1/50s or is it too strong?

When using the ND16 on a sunny day, what typical apertures and shutter speed are you using?

I don't want to go above f5.6 if I can really help it, at smaller apertures than that, the sharpness really suffers.

I had it already kind of figured out in my mind to get either an ND16 or ND32 and your post has helped cement them as viable options, favoring the ND16.
 
In your opinion would ND32 also work on a cloudy day to achieve 1/50s or is it too strong?

Quite often too strong. I live in the tropics so its *bright* but even so, shade, late day and so on with the ND32 im quite often on f/2.8 and iso at 400 (borderline acceptable only) to get 1/60th shutter.

The other downside is i cant really get the shutter up high enough to take still photos on that flight without introducing unacceptable noise.

Its my middle-of-day sunlight filter.

When using the ND16 on a sunny day, what typical apertures and shutter speed are you using?

I typically aim for f/4, iso100, 1/60th.
However i class acceptable as iso100-400 and aperture f/2.8 to f/5.6.

90%+ of my scenes are in that range with the ND16.

Its a good compromise as it'll still allow me to take stills with a useful shutter speed (1/125 absolute minimum) without having to do 2 separate flights.

I don't know want to go abive f5.6 if I can really help it, at smaller apertures than that, the sharpness really suffers

Yeah diffraction starts to destroy the image at 5.6 or narrower so i dont go there. The good news is, the M2P is pretty much the same sharpness right through from f/2.8 to f/5 so that 2 stop or so range is usable.
 
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Quite often too strong. I live in the tropics so its *bright* but even so, shade, late day and so on with the ND32 im quite often on f/2.8 and iso at 400 (borderline acceptable only) to get 1/60th shutter.

The other downside is i cant really get the shutter up high enough to take still photos on that flight without introducing unacceptable noise.

Its my middle-of-day sunlight filter.



I typically aim for f/4, iso100, 1/60th.
However i class acceptable as iso100-400 and aperture f/2.8 to f/5.6.

90%+ of my scenes are in that range with the ND16.

Its a good compromise as it'll still allow me to take stills with a useful shutter speed (1/125 absolute minimum) without having to do 2 separate flights.



Yeah diffraction starts to destroy the image at 5.6 or narrower so i dont go there. The good news is, the M2P is pretty much the same sharpness right through from f/2.8 to f/5 so that 2 stop or so range is usable.

Awesome, thanks! Very useful information, exactly what I was looking for.
 
If you only had a budget of $30 to spend on filters, what ND stop filter would you buy? ND16 or 32? Other?
If your budget can be bumped up to $49, you could buy the Freewell variable ND filters. It's a 2-pack, but you'd likely be able to use the ND4 to ND32 most of the time.

See more details in this thread:
 
If your budget can be bumped up to $49, you could buy the Freewell variable ND filters. It's a 2-pack, but you'd likely be able to use the ND4 to ND32 most of the time.

See more details in this thread:

I actually did see it and was considering it, but my understanding is it's variable by stacking 2 polarizers, and I'm not sure a polarizer will work good on a wide angle lens in shots that have sky in it (because of the banding in the sky)
 
I actually did see it and was considering it, but my understanding is it's variable by stacking 2 polarizers, and I'm not sure a polarizer will work good on a wide angle lens in shots that have sky in it (because of the banding in the sky)

Exactly that, they can and do achieve the effect by polarising so you will get banding in wider shots/panos (and big differences in exposures in videos if you rotate the drone during the shot).
 
Exactly that, they can and do achieve the effect by polarising so you will get banding in wider shots/panos (and big differences in exposures in videos if you rotate the drone during the shot).
It could definitely be useful, like for example waterfalls where you want a slow shutterspeed AND a polarizer for the water, but here in NY most of our waterfalls are in state parks where flying drone is verboten.
 
ND32 is what I use mostly to keep 4.0 or below and 50 Shutter. ND64 for brightest part of day in LA and ND16 for late afternoon early evening. If I could only have one it would be ND32
 
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