I also like using graduated ones, especially if I plan to capture sky with ground or close to horizon. Give good results with dark subject like a dark forest and bright blue sky.
the line on the filter indicates the direction of the polarizing lines. Polarizing is done by a series of very small lines in the filter that run parallel to each other. Changing the filter from the line in the 12 oclock to 6 oclock will not change anything (because the lines are parallel and run the entire length of the lens.) The polarizing doesn't work horizontally because the phase of reflected light is perpendicular to the surface. Most of the light is vertical and gets reflected horizontally and is why the up and down lines will cancel it out.
For drone footage, only during mid day. Any other time, it's a hassle especially if you are shooting multiple locations with different exposures. A filter maybe perfect for awesome sunsets but once you turn around it maybe too dark.
Definitely location and weather dependent, but I agree. Sometimes in the morning in ohio if it's overcast, I don't need to use a filter at all. Sometimes I have to use an ND8 at sunrise because it's so bring. Thanks for watching, Chris!
Don't know how I JUST discovered you and your channel...so glad I did! Clear, structured, delivery of info. Objective tests and studies. I appreciate your work👌
Glad you found the channel, lee! Appreciate your kind words and feedback! I try to be as structured as possible but it’s tough sometimes! Haha. Thanks for watching
Glad it was helpful! It can be a tricky topic to understand but they are a great addition to your kit for filming cinematic video in bright environments. Thanks for the kind words and watching, Zilver.
If you want to eliminate glare off a horizontal surface, (like water), align the filter vertically, (12 o'clock or 6 o'clock)- If you want to eliminate glare off a vertical surface, (like a glass building), align the filter horizontally, (3 o'clock or 9 o'clock)- 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock are physically IDENTICAL. Ditto 3 and 9
From my experience in Photography using circular polarizing filter, it is a biased filter! I mean no matter with position you adjust it to, it'll cut off some glare in the scene. For example you can make the sky that is 90 degrees from the sun's position looks super blue and dark or make it look slightly brighter compared to the surrounding scene. It's a tricky filter but very enjoyable to use. I highly recommend it if you're shooting a bald guy with shinny head! You can cut the glare for your portraits quite a bit! It's also great for shooting through glass or clear water in nature.
It's a tough filter to use, and it changes with how you point your camera at the object. There is a fair bit of changing angles in the air while using one with a drone. It can be done, but it's definitely not a "set it an forget it" type of filter! Thanks for watching
Well explained. Kinda wonder, why DJI decided to put in a f2.8, fixed aperture lens on this drone.They probably saved 2 dollars, but made us to deal with ND filters, lots of guessing, and high probability of ending up with overexposed footage. I would rather pay $100.00 more to have few more f-stops. Don't think that was a good design decision.
Hey there El Mono, some of the DJI drones (like the Mavic 2 Pro) has a variable aperture, but still needs ND filters to properly expose your footage. A non-fixed aperture definitely helps in those times where you need to swap ND filters to a stronger filter, adjusting the aperture can definitely save you there but ND filters are a pretty common tool to have for shooting natural-looking motion blur with your footage during the day. Totally see where you're coming from though. When flying the Mavic Air or mini series, I definitely find myself wishing there was a variable aperture.
@Keith Knittel i dont understand what the advantage of a normal ND Filter is. ?? Why not just use ND-PL all the time. if there is water reflections great, if not it would just work like a normal ndfilter. But obvs, i must be wrong .
There are some advantages to normal ND filters, one is cost. A set of ND/PL filters will cost more on average than single ND filters. Another, more common reason is ND filters are less complicated than ND/PL. They arent that complicated but many beginners don't take the time to figure out which is the proper polarization that they need, so they arent happy with the results when using a polarizer on a drone and don't get great results. I love ND/PL filters, and use them anytime I'm around reflections, although there have been a set of VND+Mist filters I've been using lately. Next I'm hoping for an ND+Mist+PL! Haha. Great question and thanks for asking, Matt!
@@keith-knittel yeah i had a choice of a set of ND or a set of ND-PL they dont have the wheel that allows you to change anything . but i went with the ND-PL seems like can probably get away with just using those
"if you don't like the video, share it to some one you don't like" ahah I love it. Thanks for this video ! It is very interesting with details, I was looking for some informations about ND/PL filters and you gave me the answer I was looking for. Many thanks !
For choosing an ND, I can actually recommend to point your camera roughtly in the direction showing the situation you want to be shooting in, set ISO to auto, choose the shutter speed you want and then try out different ND filters. Choose one that gives you exposure that looks right just from the image, an look for the ISO to not be at the total minimum but also not at the total maximum. If the minimum is 100, you want to choose a filter that allows you to be close to that but not straight on. You will want some buffer in case the area suddenly gets brighter mid flight. At least, that is for drones, which have fixed aperture. If you have variable aperture with a minimum of lets say f1.4, set the aperture to f4, ISO to the native ISO (lets assume its 800) and then attatch an ND-filter that gives you proper exposure. If the lighting conditions change, you optimally want to change the ND filter - that shouldnt be possible mid flight, so you will have to change the aperture instead. There is a clear right and wrong in this. The right ND filter is the one that gives you proper exposure.
Hello, thanks for your interesting video and thanks to share it. I need to ask a question please. I only make documentaries in 4K 50p on sunny days. Since it doesn't make much sense to use an ND filter with high framerate and Automatic Exposure, I was thinking to buy a CPL filter and always leave it on, without removing it. I like an image that is a little more contrasted, crispier and with more colour. I use D-Log M, do you think I'll get what I want with CPL filter? Thanks
I would look into using manual exposure if you're using filters of any kind - adding filters will typically darken the image and your camera may try to boost ISO or jump around. Locking your shutter to 1/100th shooting at 50p, you'll probably need an ND filter on sunny days to bring your exposure down. If you like the saturated and contrasty look, you'll probably want to use single ND filters (ND4, ND8 ND16, etc) and a CPL to get the best exposure and remove glare/increase colors. Unless you can find an ND+PL for your camera, what are you shooting on?
Interesting video, but I still have a question: why not shoot with maximum clarity / no motion blur and get that in post? I am hesitant to waste permanently frame quality, I might need the non-blurry frames in the future..
I agree! This video is meant to be an introduction to the different kinds of filters, so I thought showing a few examples would help drive the point of PL filters a little more. Just be aware that not all polarized filters are created equal, and some filters may have a cross-polarization effect if you move the polarizing filters too far. This is less of an issue on filters with markings or hard stops but still something to be aware of. Sorry for the late response - thanks for watching and pointing that out
A polarized filter at 12 o'clock vs 6 o'clock is the same thing. Light bouncing off surfaces is polarized parallel to that surface. Filters remove light polarized in a certain plane.
First I saw the not great Jeven Dovey video and then I'm so glad I found this video showing an actual comparison of ND vs no ND. Great work on showing the difference - super helpful to have the subject and lighting conditions the same so we can tell the difference.
Sitting here in north Carolina watching RUclips and your video was recommended to me... And you started off with a shot from lakewood park and Bradstreet landing. Wasn't expecting my hometown! Nice work, subscribed
Glad I could give you a look at your home town! It's a great area and love it (other than the weather right now - you have it a little warmer in NC right now!) They are doing some construction on bradstreet and that's my go-to testing spot, so I've had to look elsewhere for my videos lately! Thanks for watching and hello from NE Ohio!
Wow thanks this is the 3rd video I watched and finally you just flat out explained it and didn't jump around! Thank you so much again it just clicked to me half way through I was like this guy is awesome!
Filters are tough, since they go in front of your lens, cheaper ones can have a color cast or blur the image when you just want it darker. I’ve been really happy with the polar pro filters so far!
Thanks for the kinds words! You can rotate the filters 360 degrees unless it's a "hard stop" filter. I just used the common 12, 6 and 9 as common positions
Yeah, just how polarization works - decided to test it out just to make sure the lines on the filter were correct (and I've known that, but I never actually tested it before now). Thanks for the kind words and watching, JC
Many thanks! I have looked high and low for an explanatory video on ND and NDPL filters and you have just made it so clear and to the point. Couldn't help giving a big Like (am already subscribed!). Just one question. I have an Osmo Pocket 2 and was looking for directions on ND and NDPL filters. All that you touched upon in this video will, I assume, be just as relevant for non-drone (the Pocket 2, in my case) videography too, right?
Hello Thanks for such a informative and easy to understand explanation. I just recently bought dji mini 4 pro i was thinking of buying a set of nd filter but then i saw that there and two choices ndpl and ND …. Which should i buy as i will not buy these again.
Glad to help, ND filters can be tricky at first - but they are awesome for making natural-looking footage. Congrats on your new Mini 2 and thanks for watching.
I'm using gopro 11. I see a lot of videos commenting on motion blur: but I am more interested in reducinh the extreme brightness of the Florida sun and I am going to Puerto Rico in two weeks. I haven't purchased the filters yet. I always wear polarized sunglasses and from my point of view its perfect. I was think to get ND CPL filters. I don't want motion blur, what happens if i leave shutter speed on auto? I like using the hypersmooth feature.
If you don't want motion blur, use less aggressive ND PL filters, so you can keep your shutter higher, but not 1/1000 or something so it's not "jittery". I'd say shooting at 24 fps, keeping the shutter around 1/100 would eliminate most motion blur, but still keep the video from looking too choppy. 1/200 or 1/250 would start to look choppy to me, but do some tests before you go to Puerto Rico and see what kind of footage fits your taste
Very well presented, easy to understand, truly enlightening (since we are talking about filters...). Thank you for this really useful video. I was able to understand filters much better and do away with all ambiguity related to the visual effect of ND and polarizing filters. Thank you so much for this upload! Great job! I will go ahead and buy the PolarPro ND filter set that you recommended (8,16,32).
Glad you enjoyed it! Filters can have some big impacts on your footage - hope you have fun using them! Thanks again for the kind words and watching, Jason!
The question comes into play; is trying to get *some* motion blur worth giving up exposure adjustments with fixed aperture lenses with the only tool, the shutter speed? And with the ND filter the exposure still has to be dead on. So to some extent you're stuck anyway, having to depend on post production to fix minor exposure issues. And motion blur only occurs when you're closer to objects. So, IMO those pilots/filmers who are sensitive to motion blur, a better drone would be one with variable aperture like the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic 3 or Autel Evo II or Evo Lite Plus. With variable aperture, if you think you need motion blur, you can throw on your best guess of ND filter set the shutter speed, and then dial in the correct exposure. And should the light change during the same sortie, just adjust the aperture again.
That does come into play, however cranking up your shutter speed on a sunny day to something high like 1/1000+ will start to introduce some stuttery-looking footage as well. With the filters, I can still adjust lower or higher than the 180 degree shutter rule. Like you mentioned, if you want more motion blur, you can "fake" that by slowing down your shutter to something even slower than you typically would if you're far away from your subject to "simulate" some motion blur. The beauty (and the frustrating part) is that there is no right or wrong answer. The guidelines are a good starting point to use most of the time but there are always situations where you can "break" the rules and get great results. Understanding the rules is the first part of knowing when to break them and you definitely seem like you know the 180 degree shutter rule pretty well. I agree that having aperture control is easier. I should make an update video to this using a mirrorless/DSLR and go deeper into how aperture plays a part in this. Thanks for the great comment and watching
If your lens has markings on it, check out the markings - typically lining up the markings or using it at the top of the lens will give you the best polarization. If not, it will take some experimenting. Thanks for watching
Cranking-up the frame-rate and exposure will not give you the same motion blur. Motion blur occurs while something is moving in the frame while it's exposed. So, no matter ISO settings, 1/120 of the sec (exposure), will never give you same motion blur as 1/50. Unless you twice speed-up the whole world around you :) In other words: Imagine you filming a bird flying from left to right over the whole frame in 1/50 of the sec. Then exposure of 1/50 will show the blurred bird that covers full screen/frame. Crank-up the exposure to 1/120 and you will get an image where blurred bird covers half the screen/frame. (And with changing ISO you will be able to affect brightness and noise, but not the blur of the bird.)
Raising the shutter effects the amount of motion blur, so raising that up too high will make our footage look digital and choppy. Most dji drones don’t have the ability to adjust the aperture, but if you can, that’s a great way to control exposure and keep your iso at 100
Very good explanation - thanks! One question - what are the best settings and filter for eliminating jitteriness from med speed sideways panning motions on a normal sunny day at noon?
It really depends on how bright of an environment you're filming in. I live in Ohio, so my ND filters are typically pretty mild, but when I was in Mexico when the sun was closer to the equator, I had to use some serious ND filters to battle the sun. Thanks for watching, Bojan
I bought used Mini 3 with just a couple of flights and ordered some ND filters from Aliexpress, I just opened the front pocket on the bag and there was a Freewell ND1000 😂
A Polarising filter, by virtue of it's theory of operation, has also an overall filtering effect. On a clear sunny day, a blue sky provides the best example. Turn the filter and see through it , the sky/ cloud contrast change. The orientation of the filter {12 oclock} is invariably towards the sun. The effect extends to any surface that reflects light as would a mirror. ie water. Hence the reduction of the glare from sunlight over water. The effect is dependent on the orientation of the filter toward the sun, Fly fishers use polaroid shades to see their prey. Of course an actual mirror, being a metallized surface, reflects light; while reintegrating and removing the polarization. You will see no reduction in glare off a metallic surface. I don't think a polariser would necessarily be also a neutral density filter. It doesn't matter for B/W photography. But then I think back to the colourblind photographic plates of the past, with nary a cloud to be seen.
Hey man I got a question. I'm a beginner and use Davinci Resolve 17 (free) and calibrated my monitor using downloaded ICC profile from internet. Does Davinci Resolve support it out right or do I have to install 3D lut in Resolve for it to match the calibration ? If yes then how to do that ? Please guide.
That is a great place to start and what I use most often. In the future I’d pick up an nd4 file golden hour if you film at 24fps a lot but that’s a good setup!
Do you have a problem with purple tint on the DJI ND filters? I feel like the ND32 in the fly more package casts a purple hue while somewhat affecting the reds and making them look pink
It seems like every filter has a slight color cast to some degree. I've been making corrective LUTs to apply before editing for each color profile and lens I've been using to help take care of that.
It’s all personal preference. For me, removing the glare adds more detail so the overall shot looks clearer. I also like some subtle motion blur on faster moving objects. Again, you don’t have to use these, but I like the look of using them. Too high of a shutter speed to compensate for the exposure feels like the footage is overly digital and skipping to me
With 30fps you need less motion blur and with 60fps it is even less important for smooth playback. This is why I prefer higher fps, but it requires more pc power.
Very impressed with this my friend. Off on a trip to Wales, UK on Sunday to get some footage. Just bought the polar pro shutter collection filters. Hopefully do a good job 😁
Very informative tut. Not too technical at all. Actually explained everything to a T. Love the mathematics involved and love the trickery with bumping the shutter speed and frame rate. Liked and subscribed for sure. 👍
Glad it was helpful! I'm far from the first person to use this concept, but have been using it for years. You can also break this too! If you're shooting something fast like a car, and don't want as much motion blur, you can slightly bump up the shutter for less blur. Removing the motion blur might not be a good idea - but experiment around with your settings! It sounds nerdy, but it can separate your footage from everyone elses! Sorry for the rant and glad you enjoyed the video enough to like and sub.
Me with a newly bought Mavic Air 2: keep watching those amazing footages! I can totally do this! Me after unboxing: how do you assemble this thing? Let alone how filters and frame rates and exposure work hahaha. But thank you so much for this video! I will need to come back to this after I’ve learned how to fly it.
Haha totally understand what you mean. There is a learning curve, but if gets easier the more you do it. Most all cameras (and DJI) drones are pretty similar, so if you know how to use one - you'll be able to pick another one up pretty quickly. Just the initial learning curve is tough - and I still learn new things all the time! Congrats on your new drone and thanks for watching
Thank you! I think I FINALLY understand the benefits and reasons behind using these filters. Great job. Well done. I have a Mini 2. I realize it’s limitations but I’d like to get a polarizing filter for it. I don’t find an offering from Polar Pro Filters. Do you have a recommendation?
Filters are tricky at first but they can give you some great results! Freewell has some polarized Nd filters. There is a link in the description to them on my “mini 2 accessories” video. I’d link you here but I’m on my phone. Thanks for watching and glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this great video ! I've the DJI mini 2, I use ND-PL filters (8 16 32 64 pack) Freeweel, so, I can adjust the PL. But I admit not always adjusting the PL, and if it's adjusted, for exemple, when you film on a 360° view, I assume the effect of the PL will change. But, is it really bad / matter ? I always record videos on 4k 25 fps, and so try to stay on 1/50 shutter to get the "most cinematic" rendering. On my filters, there are as well the mark, but how this must be placed ? Depending of the hours, or of the sun position from the drone ? Not easy. But on small camera sensor like on the mini2, the PL seems to bring as well a little more contrast / dinamic on the global colors as well. That's why I choosen filters ND-PL instead of single ND.
ND PL filters are a little more tricky to use than the ND filters, but knowing you need to adjust them I'd do some quick tests to find the areas of polarization on the lens and use the marks on the lens to know which position is the best. Thats how I do it, and love the glare that the polarization cuts out of my shots. Especially since I film by the lake a lot. They are more time consuming, but worth it if you need them! Thanks for watching
It's similar to wearing polarized sunglasses. They work great, but if you pivot your head in either direction, you'll let in more glare that the sunglasses were blocking.
For a drone, I think it's gimmicky. For photography you can use a tripod and be very still with, they can have their place - but drones I'd stay away from it. It's hard to keep the drone still enough to get a sharp image. They can be a fun challenge, but you wouldn't use them very often. Thanks for watching
The polarizing filter might be nice to remove some of the glare off of the snow, but they are tricky to align for that to be your only filter. If you only had to have one, I’d go with a Nd 16 or 32. Not sure how bright it is, but with a 16 you can shoot in 60fps and adjust your shutter to 1/120th to bring your exposure down but if you want to shoot 24fps and it’s really bright, go with the nd32. Sorry for the vague answer, it’s a tough question! Thanks for watching
That would be AWESOME. Most higher end cameras have built in ND filters. Would love to see build in NDs come to the Mavic 3 Pro! Thanks for watching, Frank
I have an Evo 1 and it’s camera is great...I don’t have any ND filters for it but it did come with real glass optics...and a UV filter. What effect does the UV filter have?
I don't really use UV filters, as they don't provide any additional properties other than keeping dust and dirt away from your lens and protecting it if something were to happen to it. I don't like adding filters if I don't 100% need them but if you want to protect your camera - keep the UV filter. Thanks for watching
Great informative video! Just bought PolarPro Vivid collection and this was truly helpful. Thank you :) You got yourself a new subscriber. Also, kudos for the super crisp mic sound! Keep it up
so many misconceptions on how polarizers work. BTW 6 and 12 o clock are both allowing vertically polarized light. there's no up or down. the results are exactly the same
Hey there Jacopo, this wasn't meant to be an exhaustive resource on how polarizers work. This is more of a visual representation of how different filters work in relation to your camera settings. I totally understand where you're coming from and maybe I can do a video on how polarizers work with your camera in the future. Would love to deep dive into how reflections and light works (not just with cameras, but in real life)
Which filters are you guys using most? ND or ND/PL? I find myself using a mix of both. Thanks for watching!
I also like using graduated ones, especially if I plan to capture sky with ground or close to horizon. Give good results with dark subject like a dark forest and bright blue sky.
My guess is I will be using ND a lot, but I live on a lake and have a boat, so I’ll be needing a polarizing filter also.
Depend situation, i use more ND-PL I think they correct the images better.
Bought a set of 5 ND/PL Skyreat, I can tell how the color is improved by a lot! My advise is the PL are way much better then the ND only.
I like to do over the water low shots, so definitely Polarized. Comes out so much better in post.
the line on the filter indicates the direction of the polarizing lines. Polarizing is done by a series of very small lines in the filter that run parallel to each other. Changing the filter from the line in the 12 oclock to 6 oclock will not change anything (because the lines are parallel and run the entire length of the lens.)
The polarizing doesn't work horizontally because the phase of reflected light is perpendicular to the surface. Most of the light is vertical and gets reflected horizontally and is why the up and down lines will cancel it out.
Very true and sometimes frustrating (especially with a drone) to get the polarization wrong. Thanks for watching
Хоть один умный человек нашелся, который понимает как устроен поляризатор ))) А автор ребенок с игрушками... ))
@@maximgoodvin6519 Спасибо
Best video I've seen explaining NDPL filters. Thanks Keith!
For drone footage, only during mid day. Any other time, it's a hassle especially if you are shooting multiple locations with different exposures. A filter maybe perfect for awesome sunsets but once you turn around it maybe too dark.
Definitely location and weather dependent, but I agree. Sometimes in the morning in ohio if it's overcast, I don't need to use a filter at all. Sometimes I have to use an ND8 at sunrise because it's so bring. Thanks for watching, Chris!
Don't know how I JUST discovered you and your channel...so glad I did! Clear, structured, delivery of info. Objective tests and studies. I appreciate your work👌
Glad you found the channel, lee! Appreciate your kind words and feedback! I try to be as structured as possible but it’s tough sometimes! Haha. Thanks for watching
“If you don’t like, share with the one you don’t like.” Wowww! i like this sentence.😎😎😎
Haha just having fun with the outro!
Okay, this was a really good explanation. As an amateur, I always struggled with ND filters. Going to save this video for future reference. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! It can be a tricky topic to understand but they are a great addition to your kit for filming cinematic video in bright environments. Thanks for the kind words and watching, Zilver.
If you want to eliminate glare off a horizontal surface, (like water), align the filter vertically, (12 o'clock or 6 o'clock)- If you want to eliminate glare off a vertical surface, (like a glass building), align the filter horizontally, (3 o'clock or 9 o'clock)- 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock are physically IDENTICAL. Ditto 3 and 9
exactly .. i dont think he knows how polarization works :D
Thank you very much for this tip
Thank you very much
finally someone that can simply explain some things about how to use filters on people that are not photographers or have experience.
Glad you enjoyed the video! I wanted to break it down but not be boring and too drawn out. Hope it helped and thanks for watching!
From my experience in Photography using circular polarizing filter, it is a biased filter!
I mean no matter with position you adjust it to, it'll cut off some glare in the scene.
For example you can make the sky that is 90 degrees from the sun's position looks super blue and dark or make it look slightly brighter compared to the surrounding scene.
It's a tricky filter but very enjoyable to use. I highly recommend it if you're shooting a bald guy with shinny head! You can cut the glare for your portraits quite a bit! It's also great for shooting through glass or clear water in nature.
It's a tough filter to use, and it changes with how you point your camera at the object. There is a fair bit of changing angles in the air while using one with a drone. It can be done, but it's definitely not a "set it an forget it" type of filter! Thanks for watching
This is probably the best explanation I've come across. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words and glad it was helpful!
Well explained. Kinda wonder, why DJI decided to put in a f2.8, fixed aperture lens on this drone.They probably saved 2 dollars, but made us to deal with ND filters, lots of guessing, and high probability of ending up with overexposed footage. I would rather pay $100.00 more to have few more f-stops. Don't think that was a good design decision.
Hey there El Mono, some of the DJI drones (like the Mavic 2 Pro) has a variable aperture, but still needs ND filters to properly expose your footage. A non-fixed aperture definitely helps in those times where you need to swap ND filters to a stronger filter, adjusting the aperture can definitely save you there but ND filters are a pretty common tool to have for shooting natural-looking motion blur with your footage during the day. Totally see where you're coming from though. When flying the Mavic Air or mini series, I definitely find myself wishing there was a variable aperture.
i watched a lot of chanel talking of ND Filter but you are the BEST! Short - Clear - Simple. Thank you so much. Now i know what i need
@Keith Knittel i dont understand what the advantage of a normal ND Filter is. ??
Why not just use ND-PL all the time. if there is water reflections great, if not it would just work like a normal ndfilter.
But obvs, i must be wrong .
There are some advantages to normal ND filters, one is cost. A set of ND/PL filters will cost more on average than single ND filters. Another, more common reason is ND filters are less complicated than ND/PL. They arent that complicated but many beginners don't take the time to figure out which is the proper polarization that they need, so they arent happy with the results when using a polarizer on a drone and don't get great results. I love ND/PL filters, and use them anytime I'm around reflections, although there have been a set of VND+Mist filters I've been using lately. Next I'm hoping for an ND+Mist+PL! Haha. Great question and thanks for asking, Matt!
@@keith-knittel yeah i had a choice of a set of ND or a set of ND-PL
they dont have the wheel that allows you to change anything .
but i went with the ND-PL seems like can probably get away with just using those
"if you don't like the video, share it to some one you don't like" ahah I love it. Thanks for this video ! It is very interesting with details, I was looking for some informations about ND/PL filters and you gave me the answer I was looking for. Many thanks !
Glad you found the video helpful and thanks for the kind words!
For choosing an ND, I can actually recommend to point your camera roughtly in the direction showing the situation you want to be shooting in, set ISO to auto, choose the shutter speed you want and then try out different ND filters. Choose one that gives you exposure that looks right just from the image, an look for the ISO to not be at the total minimum but also not at the total maximum. If the minimum is 100, you want to choose a filter that allows you to be close to that but not straight on. You will want some buffer in case the area suddenly gets brighter mid flight.
At least, that is for drones, which have fixed aperture. If you have variable aperture with a minimum of lets say f1.4, set the aperture to f4, ISO to the native ISO (lets assume its 800) and then attatch an ND-filter that gives you proper exposure. If the lighting conditions change, you optimally want to change the ND filter - that shouldnt be possible mid flight, so you will have to change the aperture instead.
There is a clear right and wrong in this. The right ND filter is the one that gives you proper exposure.
Hello, thanks for your interesting video and thanks to share it. I need to ask a question please. I only make documentaries in 4K 50p on sunny days. Since it doesn't make much sense to use an ND filter with high framerate and Automatic Exposure, I was thinking to buy a CPL filter and always leave it on, without removing it. I like an image that is a little more contrasted, crispier and with more colour. I use D-Log M, do you think I'll get what I want with CPL filter? Thanks
I would look into using manual exposure if you're using filters of any kind - adding filters will typically darken the image and your camera may try to boost ISO or jump around. Locking your shutter to 1/100th shooting at 50p, you'll probably need an ND filter on sunny days to bring your exposure down. If you like the saturated and contrasty look, you'll probably want to use single ND filters (ND4, ND8 ND16, etc) and a CPL to get the best exposure and remove glare/increase colors. Unless you can find an ND+PL for your camera, what are you shooting on?
Interesting video, but I still have a question: why not shoot with maximum clarity / no motion blur and get that in post? I am hesitant to waste permanently frame quality, I might need the non-blurry frames in the future..
A pol filter is the same at 12 o'clock an 6 o'clock (or 3/9, 1/7, etc).
I agree! This video is meant to be an introduction to the different kinds of filters, so I thought showing a few examples would help drive the point of PL filters a little more. Just be aware that not all polarized filters are created equal, and some filters may have a cross-polarization effect if you move the polarizing filters too far. This is less of an issue on filters with markings or hard stops but still something to be aware of. Sorry for the late response - thanks for watching and pointing that out
Thanks, I felt this was a well explained subject. I'm just starting with filters so I'm look for reference material and this helped.
Glad it was helpful! Have fun filming and thanks for watching
A polarized filter at 12 o'clock vs 6 o'clock is the same thing. Light bouncing off surfaces is polarized parallel to that surface. Filters remove light polarized in a certain plane.
First I saw the not great Jeven Dovey video and then I'm so glad I found this video showing an actual comparison of ND vs no ND. Great work on showing the difference - super helpful to have the subject and lighting conditions the same so we can tell the difference.
Thank you for the kind words, glad it was helpful!
Sitting here in north Carolina watching RUclips and your video was recommended to me... And you started off with a shot from lakewood park and Bradstreet landing. Wasn't expecting my hometown! Nice work, subscribed
Glad I could give you a look at your home town! It's a great area and love it (other than the weather right now - you have it a little warmer in NC right now!) They are doing some construction on bradstreet and that's my go-to testing spot, so I've had to look elsewhere for my videos lately! Thanks for watching and hello from NE Ohio!
Thankyou. Was out and tried to fit. Not the same as Mini 2
Wow thanks this is the 3rd video I watched and finally you just flat out explained it and didn't jump around! Thank you so much again it just clicked to me half way through I was like this guy is awesome!
Can’t you auto set the iso and then lock it in by turning it off right after and have the same if not nearly the same effect?
Sold me on the polar pro filters. Was going to get a cheaper set but I love the quality of the polar pro’s.
Filters are tough, since they go in front of your lens, cheaper ones can have a color cast or blur the image when you just want it darker. I’ve been really happy with the polar pro filters so far!
Great video!! Thank you very much Keith!!
What about a ND/UV Combo Filter for beach or ocean shots?
This is the nd filter video I have been looking for for four days now! Thanks for creating this my man
Glad I could help! ND filters can be confusing - they were for me at first!
Can I use a ND8/PL filter but leave the setting AUTO for the drone?
Adding an nd filter and leaving your camera on auto will likely introduce more noise with a higher iso. Wouldnt recommend using auto settings
Great explanation, one of the best I've seen on RUclips so far. Thanks for putting this together!
Thanks for the kind words, Ryan! Enjoyed making it - thanks for watching and your support!
Great explanation of this rule. Just a question about the rotating pl filter. Is it only to be moved to 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions?
Thanks for the kinds words! You can rotate the filters 360 degrees unless it's a "hard stop" filter. I just used the common 12, 6 and 9 as common positions
Hi Keith. Basically I’d say the best practise for Polar Pro filter is to set the line to 12 o’clock to get the maximum polarise effect. Correct?
Polarization works better when it’s at a 90 degree. Great video thanks for posting
Yeah, just how polarization works - decided to test it out just to make sure the lines on the filter were correct (and I've known that, but I never actually tested it before now). Thanks for the kind words and watching, JC
Many thanks! I have looked high and low for an explanatory video on ND and NDPL filters and you have just made it so clear and to the point. Couldn't help giving a big Like (am already subscribed!).
Just one question. I have an Osmo Pocket 2 and was looking for directions on ND and NDPL filters. All that you touched upon in this video will, I assume, be just as relevant for non-drone (the Pocket 2, in my case) videography too, right?
Hello
Thanks for such a informative and easy to understand explanation.
I just recently bought dji mini 4 pro i was thinking of buying a set of nd filter but then i saw that there and two choices ndpl and ND ….
Which should i buy as i will not buy these again.
Thank you for this clear explanation. I’m just getting into nd filters for my mini 2 and your video was extremely helpful.
Glad to help, ND filters can be tricky at first - but they are awesome for making natural-looking footage. Congrats on your new Mini 2 and thanks for watching.
Are there any self adjusting variable ND filters that uses a clip or something similar to attach to Go size cameras?
Thanks for the video bro Ive watched a few videos on ND filters but yours was the best
Thanks for the kind words, Denis ! Glad it was helpful
I'm using gopro 11. I see a lot of videos commenting on motion blur: but I am more interested in reducinh the extreme brightness of the Florida sun and I am going to Puerto Rico in two weeks. I haven't purchased the filters yet. I always wear polarized sunglasses and from my point of view its perfect. I was think to get ND CPL filters. I don't want motion blur, what happens if i leave shutter speed on auto? I like using the hypersmooth feature.
If you don't want motion blur, use less aggressive ND PL filters, so you can keep your shutter higher, but not 1/1000 or something so it's not "jittery". I'd say shooting at 24 fps, keeping the shutter around 1/100 would eliminate most motion blur, but still keep the video from looking too choppy. 1/200 or 1/250 would start to look choppy to me, but do some tests before you go to Puerto Rico and see what kind of footage fits your taste
Love the comparison between the filters. Great work as always!
Thanks for the kind words and support, Cody! 👍
Many thanks for sharing.I'm relatively new to the topic and I found this video very informative and digestible.
Very well presented, easy to understand, truly enlightening (since we are talking about filters...). Thank you for this really useful video. I was able to understand filters much better and do away with all ambiguity related to the visual effect of ND and polarizing filters. Thank you so much for this upload! Great job!
I will go ahead and buy the PolarPro ND filter set that you recommended (8,16,32).
Glad you enjoyed it! Filters can have some big impacts on your footage - hope you have fun using them! Thanks again for the kind words and watching, Jason!
The question comes into play; is trying to get *some* motion blur worth giving up exposure adjustments with fixed aperture lenses with the only tool, the shutter speed? And with the ND filter the exposure still has to be dead on. So to some extent you're stuck anyway, having to depend on post production to fix minor exposure issues. And motion blur only occurs when you're closer to objects. So, IMO those pilots/filmers who are sensitive to motion blur, a better drone would be one with variable aperture like the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic 3 or Autel Evo II or Evo Lite Plus. With variable aperture, if you think you need motion blur, you can throw on your best guess of ND filter set the shutter speed, and then dial in the correct exposure. And should the light change during the same sortie, just adjust the aperture again.
That does come into play, however cranking up your shutter speed on a sunny day to something high like 1/1000+ will start to introduce some stuttery-looking footage as well. With the filters, I can still adjust lower or higher than the 180 degree shutter rule. Like you mentioned, if you want more motion blur, you can "fake" that by slowing down your shutter to something even slower than you typically would if you're far away from your subject to "simulate" some motion blur. The beauty (and the frustrating part) is that there is no right or wrong answer. The guidelines are a good starting point to use most of the time but there are always situations where you can "break" the rules and get great results. Understanding the rules is the first part of knowing when to break them and you definitely seem like you know the 180 degree shutter rule pretty well. I agree that having aperture control is easier. I should make an update video to this using a mirrorless/DSLR and go deeper into how aperture plays a part in this. Thanks for the great comment and watching
Why we need filters if we can do color grading,brightness,contrast etc etc
I bought the dji filter the nd16 seems dark compared to other nd 16 filters i have. Had to up the iso in sunlight to get the right exposure.
How do we get the right alignment with ND/PL to achieve no relection?
If your lens has markings on it, check out the markings - typically lining up the markings or using it at the top of the lens will give you the best polarization. If not, it will take some experimenting. Thanks for watching
What if you use an ND filter in AUTO mode? Will it bring better quality over AUTO mode without ND? Is there a point in using ND filter in AUTO mode?
Great comparison, thanks. Also, loved you in Ferris Bueller's Day Off!
Glad you enjoyed it! ............Bueller...........
Hey Keith,
Have you tested and compared DJI and Polarpro filters? Is there any difference?
So what’s the point of buying solely ND filters? If you can basically just turn off the polarization from NDPL filters?
Cranking-up the frame-rate and exposure will not give you the same motion blur. Motion blur occurs while something is moving in the frame while it's exposed. So, no matter ISO settings, 1/120 of the sec (exposure), will never give you same motion blur as 1/50. Unless you twice speed-up the whole world around you :)
In other words:
Imagine you filming a bird flying from left to right over the whole frame in 1/50 of the sec. Then exposure of 1/50 will show the blurred bird that covers full screen/frame.
Crank-up the exposure to 1/120 and you will get an image where blurred bird covers half the screen/frame. (And with changing ISO you will be able to affect brightness and noise, but not the blur of the bird.)
how to decide the allignment of the polarization?
Great video. I've watched a lot of videos about ND filters and this was the best. Straight to the point. Cheers :)
Wow - glad I could help! Thanks for the kind words and watching!
I agrre here after watching countless videos on the topic this one made me understand it all !
Clear and simple great job
@@floriannoel362 Thanks, glad the video was able to help!
I just got and air2s still getting used to it but will like to know if this video sample are normal, D-log or HLG
bro thanks I finally understand the difference of ND filters & ND filters with PL
If we don't need the shallow depth of field we can just raise the shutter, close down the aperture, and drop the iso to 50 or 100?
Raising the shutter effects the amount of motion blur, so raising that up too high will make our footage look digital and choppy. Most dji drones don’t have the ability to adjust the aperture, but if you can, that’s a great way to control exposure and keep your iso at 100
Very good explanation - thanks! One question - what are the best settings and filter for eliminating jitteriness from med speed sideways panning motions on a normal sunny day at noon?
And also if they were already edited post (the ND -VND comparisons)
Strange, never used anything above ND16, while being at ND4 most of the time.
It really depends on how bright of an environment you're filming in. I live in Ohio, so my ND filters are typically pretty mild, but when I was in Mexico when the sun was closer to the equator, I had to use some serious ND filters to battle the sun. Thanks for watching, Bojan
I bought used Mini 3 with just a couple of flights and ordered some ND filters from Aliexpress, I just opened the front pocket on the bag and there was a Freewell ND1000 😂
A Polarising filter, by virtue of it's theory of operation, has also an overall filtering effect. On a clear sunny day, a blue sky provides the best example. Turn the filter and see through it , the sky/ cloud contrast change. The orientation of the filter {12 oclock} is invariably towards the sun. The effect extends to any surface that reflects light as would a mirror. ie water. Hence the reduction of the glare from sunlight over water. The effect is dependent on the orientation of the filter toward the sun, Fly fishers use polaroid shades to see their prey. Of course an actual mirror, being a metallized surface, reflects light; while reintegrating and removing the polarization. You will see no reduction in glare off a metallic surface. I don't think a polariser would necessarily be also a neutral density filter. It doesn't matter for B/W photography. But then I think back to the colourblind photographic plates of the past, with nary a cloud to be seen.
Hey man I got a question. I'm a beginner and use Davinci Resolve 17 (free) and calibrated my monitor using downloaded ICC profile from internet. Does Davinci Resolve support it out right or do I have to install 3D lut in Resolve for it to match the calibration ? If yes then how to do that ? Please guide.
Thanks 🙏 Best Buy : nd8/pl + nd16/pl+nd32/pl it’s correct ? In Europe not in California;)😊
That is a great place to start and what I use most often. In the future I’d pick up an nd4 file golden hour if you film at 24fps a lot but that’s a good setup!
Hey....great video. What if your filming in 30fps?
Do you have a problem with purple tint on the DJI ND filters? I feel like the ND32 in the fly more package casts a purple hue while somewhat affecting the reds and making them look pink
It seems like every filter has a slight color cast to some degree. I've been making corrective LUTs to apply before editing for each color profile and lens I've been using to help take care of that.
Is reflection a bad thing ?
Is motion blur so good ?
It’s all personal preference. For me, removing the glare adds more detail so the overall shot looks clearer. I also like some subtle motion blur on faster moving objects. Again, you don’t have to use these, but I like the look of using them. Too high of a shutter speed to compensate for the exposure feels like the footage is overly digital and skipping to me
Just to understand it correctly, do you adjust the polarisation depending on the scene? Or do you always stick to 12 o'clock for example?
Explained really well. Thank You !!
Glad it was helpful!
Nice tip about the frame rate mate. Not heard that one !!!
With 30fps you need less motion blur and with 60fps it is even less important for smooth playback. This is why I prefer higher fps, but it requires more pc power.
Very impressed with this my friend. Off on a trip to Wales, UK on Sunday to get some footage. Just bought the polar pro shutter collection filters. Hopefully do a good job 😁
Have fun! That sounds like a great (and windy!) spot to film - good luck and thanks for watching
So as I understand nd pl is best for any condition.
If I get filters, can I be lazy and just use the camera's Auto setting? Or do I have to us manual settings?
Thanks Keith for great video! What is still open for me, is following question - would you recommend using nd/pl filter on non-reflecting objects?
Very informative tut. Not too technical at all. Actually explained everything to a T. Love the mathematics involved and love the trickery with bumping the shutter speed and frame rate. Liked and subscribed for sure. 👍
Glad it was helpful! I'm far from the first person to use this concept, but have been using it for years. You can also break this too! If you're shooting something fast like a car, and don't want as much motion blur, you can slightly bump up the shutter for less blur. Removing the motion blur might not be a good idea - but experiment around with your settings! It sounds nerdy, but it can separate your footage from everyone elses! Sorry for the rant and glad you enjoyed the video enough to like and sub.
You really helped a bloody beginner to understand when to use which filter. Thanks a lot!
Glad to help!
Thanks for your video. Very useful!
Glad it was helpful!
Me with a newly bought Mavic Air 2: keep watching those amazing footages! I can totally do this!
Me after unboxing: how do you assemble this thing? Let alone how filters and frame rates and exposure work hahaha.
But thank you so much for this video! I will need to come back to this after I’ve learned how to fly it.
Haha totally understand what you mean. There is a learning curve, but if gets easier the more you do it. Most all cameras (and DJI) drones are pretty similar, so if you know how to use one - you'll be able to pick another one up pretty quickly. Just the initial learning curve is tough - and I still learn new things all the time! Congrats on your new drone and thanks for watching
:))) ha-ha-ha
Thank you! I think I FINALLY understand the benefits and reasons behind using these filters. Great job. Well done.
I have a Mini 2. I realize it’s limitations but I’d like to get a polarizing filter for it. I don’t find an offering from Polar Pro Filters. Do you have a recommendation?
Filters are tricky at first but they can give you some great results! Freewell has some polarized Nd filters. There is a link in the description to them on my “mini 2 accessories” video. I’d link you here but I’m on my phone. Thanks for watching and glad it was helpful!
Nice tips! Good information.
Congratulations from Brasil 🇧🇷
Thanks for the kind words! Greetings from the us!
Love your explanation ! Very clear !
Great video! I was super confused about the differences between them also all the numbers lol. You saved my money. Thanks!
Glad to hear you enjoyed the video, Soli! Thanks for watching and glad I could save you some money!
Thanks for this great video !
I've the DJI mini 2, I use ND-PL filters (8 16 32 64 pack) Freeweel, so, I can adjust the PL. But I admit not always adjusting the PL, and if it's adjusted, for exemple, when you film on a 360° view, I assume the effect of the PL will change. But, is it really bad / matter ?
I always record videos on 4k 25 fps, and so try to stay on 1/50 shutter to get the "most cinematic" rendering.
On my filters, there are as well the mark, but how this must be placed ? Depending of the hours, or of the sun position from the drone ?
Not easy. But on small camera sensor like on the mini2, the PL seems to bring as well a little more contrast / dinamic on the global colors as well. That's why I choosen filters ND-PL instead of single ND.
ND PL filters are a little more tricky to use than the ND filters, but knowing you need to adjust them I'd do some quick tests to find the areas of polarization on the lens and use the marks on the lens to know which position is the best. Thats how I do it, and love the glare that the polarization cuts out of my shots. Especially since I film by the lake a lot. They are more time consuming, but worth it if you need them! Thanks for watching
@@keith-knittel Thanks for your answer Keith ;D
It's similar to wearing polarized sunglasses. They work great, but if you pivot your head in either direction, you'll let in more glare that the sunglasses were blocking.
very informative was about to make a purchase of some set of filters and this video just saved me a few bucks. thanks again
Glad to help out!!
I bought the Skyreat ND filters and I’m pretty happy with them. Thanks for taking the time to share your expertise.
You're welcome and hope you found the video useful. Thanks for watching
Hello; what do you think about nd128, 256 and 1000 for photography and video?
For a drone, I think it's gimmicky. For photography you can use a tripod and be very still with, they can have their place - but drones I'd stay away from it. It's hard to keep the drone still enough to get a sharp image. They can be a fun challenge, but you wouldn't use them very often. Thanks for watching
if i have tho chose one filter... should i get a 16nd 32nd/pl 16nd/pl or 32nd filter? btw. i live in the dolomites and in the winter is much snow
The polarizing filter might be nice to remove some of the glare off of the snow, but they are tricky to align for that to be your only filter. If you only had to have one, I’d go with a Nd 16 or 32. Not sure how bright it is, but with a 16 you can shoot in 60fps and adjust your shutter to 1/120th to bring your exposure down but if you want to shoot 24fps and it’s really bright, go with the nd32. Sorry for the vague answer, it’s a tough question! Thanks for watching
Recommendations for DJI mini 2?
I like the free well filters - check out my mini 2 accessories video! Thanks for watching
Thanks for your reply!
Wouldn't it be great to have electronic VND built into the camera and PL built into the lens? Controllable from the remote.
That would be AWESOME. Most higher end cameras have built in ND filters. Would love to see build in NDs come to the Mavic 3 Pro! Thanks for watching, Frank
Excellent explanation! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, here! 👋
This is a great, simple video. Thanks!
Dang dude, this was informative. Thank you for making this video :)
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the kind words!
reeealy nice video quality!
I'm glad you like it! Thanks for the kind words and watching
Super easy to understand and straight to the point. Thank you!
Thanks matt! Hope you found it useful. Thanks for watching
I have an Evo 1 and it’s camera is great...I don’t have any ND filters for it but it did come with real glass optics...and a UV filter.
What effect does the UV filter have?
I don't really use UV filters, as they don't provide any additional properties other than keeping dust and dirt away from your lens and protecting it if something were to happen to it. I don't like adding filters if I don't 100% need them but if you want to protect your camera - keep the UV filter. Thanks for watching
Very nice explanation !
Hey, that was the "money" shot of downtown...😎👍
Thanks! Hope you enjoyed the video!
Great informative video! Just bought PolarPro Vivid collection and this was truly helpful. Thank you :) You got yourself a new subscriber. Also, kudos for the super crisp mic sound! Keep it up
Glad you enjoyed it, Roman! Those are great filters - thanks for the kind words, watching and subscribing!
so many misconceptions on how polarizers work. BTW 6 and 12 o clock are both allowing vertically polarized light. there's no up or down. the results are exactly the same
Hey there Jacopo, this wasn't meant to be an exhaustive resource on how polarizers work. This is more of a visual representation of how different filters work in relation to your camera settings. I totally understand where you're coming from and maybe I can do a video on how polarizers work with your camera in the future. Would love to deep dive into how reflections and light works (not just with cameras, but in real life)