A matter of filtering.....

[niteliter]

What filters are the most useful for shooting on a sunny day?
I have issues with sun glare and tree colors not looking as well as I would like.....

 

[RodPad]

Haven't tried any, but I usually see ND a lot.
Here is a quick search.
http://www.phantompilots.com/search/19661005/?q=filters&t=post&o=relevance

Rod

 

[ElGuapo]

My go to filter is a cpl, it ads 2 stops. The amount of light that is blocked by the polarizing filter, will depend on the position (rotation) of the front element of the filter and the amount of polarized reflection in your scene. I have an ND 16, & 32 and rarely use it, for my taste i think they are a bit too dark. I feel I get much better results from my cpl - go to filter, but that's just me.

All of the images attached were taken with my cpl filter, no post processing involved straight out of the aircraft. Images 0005 & 0018 were taken facing the sun, very bright ocean day with glare. I was even wearing sunglasses due to the amount of reflection of the sun against the water.
Images 0003 & 0015 were taking with the same filter facing the opposite direction away from the sun. Basically what I am trying to explain is that it is all relative to the amount of reflection you have in your scene. The filter on the front of the lens brings the ambient exposure down, ND2 = 1 stop of light reduction, ND4 = 2 stops, ND8 = 3 and so on...

 

[ElGuapo]

I shot this video on a very sunny bright day. At times I was having a hard time seeing my screen, so bright. There were times when the sun was in my face and could see where the aircraft was. I was using my cpl filter.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[R0CKS74R]

I own a ND8 and ND16 filter. If you never fly towards the sun you'll nearly never use the ND16.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[ElGuapo]

took me a bit of practice and patience to find the right filter. I also purchased and ND4, I use this filter most often when filming at dusk or dawn, or on cloudy days. The ND8 is perfect for partly cloudy days. The built in polarizer reduces glare and increases color saturation. The ND16 filter, a lot of people like it when it is sunny out.

My suggestion would be to practice with one filter at a time and document your settings in the camera. For example on Saturday went out and flew with ND4, camera settings were the following, etc. Then go home and look at your pics and videos on the computer.

 

[ElGuapo]

my goto filter is a cpl, it is always mounted on the P3 and move it around to the P4. I have tried different combinations of settings and filters and for some reason I get awesome videos and pics with this filter.

 

[niteliter]

I shot this video on a very sunny bright day. At times I was having a hard time seeing my screen, so bright. There were times when the sun was in my face and could see where the aircraft was. I was using my cpl filter.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Cool video,I like the colors,I bought a kit that has a few ND's,and a CPL,Im gonna try them this weekend cause Friday I have to pack up the Controler and send it into DJI for repair,it seems it only lasts long enough for 2 batteries,thats about 35 minutes.............NOT good for a new controller...OK,guys once again the members here have answered my questions,but just like everything else.............practice,NOT ready to sail over water yet,and I will stay within the 125 foot mark,for now that is..............

 

[RodPad]

I own a ND8 and ND16 filter. If you never fly towards the sun you'll nearly never use the ND16.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using PhantomPilots mobile app

I have no idea if your right or wrong?
But,
Welcome to the Forum!
First Post helping others!
This is why I hang around

Rod

 

[Jonah808]

Filters aren't as critical when taking photos. They can certainly help but you can also adjust your shutter speed on sunny days to compensate.

Video is another matter. I've used my P3 Pro to shoot on some TV shows and commercials. In the film industry almost everything is shot at 24 or 30 fps. The rule of thumb for your shutter speed is that it should be roughly double your fps for the most cinematic look. If you don't have an ND filter or one that isn't strong enough then you have to compensate by increasing your shutter speed which can cause some strobey, noise-like effects in your video.

You also have to be careful not to have a polarizer that is too dark as the native ISO on the Phantom line (not sure about P4 Pro yet) is 100-200. If you go much higher than that you will start to see noise in your dark spots.

Without aperture control it can become a bit of a dance at times, switching filters and trying to keep everything within parameters but it's worth it.

I live in Hawaii and unless I am shooting down at the ocean and want to cut through the glare I don't use a polarizer but on a sunny day I use my ND 16 and ND 32 all the time.

A good set of filters are critical to capturing high end footage but you have to know how to use them and what all your other settings should be.

Final note, it's usually (not always) better to be slightly dark than too bright. It's easier to bump up the brightness a tad and still pull colors out of it in post production than it is to recover colors from blown out, over exposed areas.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[msinger]

What filters are the most useful for shooting on a sunny day?

Here is a general guide:

 

[RodPad]

Filters aren't as critical when taking photos. They can certainly help but you can also adjust your shutter speed on sunny days to compensate.

Video is another matter. I've used my P3 Pro to shoot on some TV shows and commercials. In the film industry almost everything is shot at 24 or 30 fps. The rule of thumb for your shutter speed is that it should be roughly double your fps for the most cinematic look. If you don't have an ND filter or one that isn't strong enough then you have to compensate by increasing your shutter speed which can cause some strobey, noise-like effects in your video.

You also have to be careful not to have a polarizer that is too dark as the native ISO on the Phantom line (not sure about P4 Pro yet) is 100-200. If you go much higher than that you will start to see noise in your dark spots.

Without aperture control it can become a bit of a dance at times, switching filters and trying to keep everything within parameters but it's worth it.

I live in Hawaii and unless I am shooting down at the ocean and want to cut through the glare I don't use a polarizer but on a sunny day I use my ND 16 and ND 32 all the time.

A good set of filters are critical to capturing high end footage but you have to know how to use them and what all your other settings should be.

Final note, it's usually (not always) better to be slightly dark than too bright. It's easier to bump up the brightness a tad and still pull colors out of it in post production than it is to recover colors from blown out, over exposed areas.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Welcome to the forum!
Great that your giving tips on your first post!

Way better than, "I crashed my drone"

My only problem is you are cheating, been to the islands twice now.

You can't take a bad picture in Hawaii, even if you leave the lens cap on.

Rod

 

[Jonah808]

Lol. I admit that I'm not short of beautiful scenery here. [emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[niteliter]

Here is a general guide:

View attachment 69302

Thanks,made a screen grab so I can attach a memo tag to my flight bag.
Thanksgiving Dinner at Moms.............

 

[RodPad]

I don't see the turkeys, must be in the oven?

Rod

 

[niteliter]

I don't see the turkeys, must be in the oven?

View attachment 69353


Rod

Wow!!!,thats a HUGE flock.....THAT town must be close to void of most its insect and worm population....the closest I ever came to a flock was a mom and her 4 young ones in The Great Dismal Swamp...And yes,the bird was in the oven and had been eaten by time I had had enough of the noise and chatter and decided it was time to release charges being held captive in two batteries......

 

[RodPad]

Sill got stink bugs,

Yeah, I flew last year also, showing the farther inlaw what these things can do, got him out the house also.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Rod Pad’s Videos on Vimeo

Rod