P4P Official DJI ND Filter Test Video 4K

[heyengel]

Video test of DJI's official ND8 filter for the Phantom 4 Pro with side-by-side comparison without the filters. The ND filter did help create a more cinematic look by allowing a slower shutter speed which added a natural motion blur, while letting me keep the aperture at the sharpest setting (roughly between F4-F5.6).

I only have the ND8 filter (3-stops) since the P4P has an adjustable aperture. Please leave a comment and let me know if this video helped.

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[Ridgetop]

Video test of DJI's official ND8 filter for the Phantom 4 Pro with side-by-side comparison without the filters. The ND filter did help create a more cinematic look by allowing a slower shutter speed which added a natural motion blur, while letting me keep the aperture at the sharpest setting (roughly between F4-F5.6).

I only have the ND8 filter (3-stops) since the P4P has an adjustable aperture. Please leave a comment and let me know if this video helped.

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

Hard to see much difference.

 

[heyengel]

Hard to see much difference.

Isn’t that kind of the point, what changes are you expecting?

If they are optically the same then that’s good. The difference is in shutter speed and motion blur if you look at the close objects.

 

[JarrodF]

Yeah, you really see the difference when you're passing objects more closely (like branches and buildings). Then it is a very big difference. I'm a huge fan of ND used to get the iris down to the lens sweet spot.

 

[Ridgetop]

Isn’t that kind of the point, what changes are you expecting?

If they are optically the same then that’s good. The difference is in shutter speed and motion blur if you look at the close objects.

I expected the filter to provide deeper blues for the sky and more vibrant colors in general. Maybe I misunderstood the function of the filters.

 

[JarrodF]

I expected the filter to provide deeper blues for the sky and more vibrant colors in general. Maybe I misunderstood the function of the filters.

Polariser filters will enhance blues & greens (provided you are are the correct angle from the sun). Plain ND (neutral density) filters just reduce the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor and therefore let you keep the shutter speed at just twice the frame rate and the lens stopped down to the 4.5 ISO area. There are combo Pola + ND filters to choose from as well in case you need to reduce light and enhance blues/greens.

 

[Solly747400]

So if you want to shoot around water, say the beach/sea, it's better to get a polariser than an ND filter? to reduce glare etc??

 

[African wildlife]

We’re using the Polar Pro ND/PL set. They work well for us inland but are even more essential on the coast or wherever there’s water. It takes a few seconds to turn the outer polarising circle before takeoff, just one more of the preflight things to do.

Another advantage that isn’t always mentioned is the way the polariser makes clouds stand out, whilst still maintaining a natural look.

 

[JarrodF]

Yes, you'll absolutely need NDs for shooting video in sunny conditions. That's the only way to shoot with the best iris/shutter speed settings. If you're shooting water and want the look that polarizers give, then go with that ND/PL set. Depending on the look you're going for you will probably want straight NDs as well. Sometimes you won't want that very "saturated color" look that polarizers give. On top of that, sometimes you'll want to shoot the water without seeing through the surface. Some of the best sunset/sunrise footage over water I've see was definitely shot without a PL.

 

[Solly747400]

I'm not very good with cameras and settings. If I leave the camera settings to auto and just want to reduce any glare from the ocean, what is best to use?

 

[JarrodF]

You could do it with auto settings + polarizer but it won't give you the best look. I would recommend using an ND16/PL filter (for a starting point). Set camera to manual settings. Choose your frame rate (I like 24fps but some prefer 30 for a crisper look) and set it to 4K. Set you shutter speed to 1/twice your frame rate or as close as possible (ex. 24 fps would be 1/50th shutter speed). Set white balance to sunny. When you start up your drone on location (and it's still on the ground) you should aim the drone in the direction you'll be mostly posting to and then rotate the polarizer until the sky goes as dark as possible. Then set your f-stop appropriately (the closer to f4.5 the better). Start recording and flying. There are a lot of different ways to adjust your camera for various looks but this should get you going in the right direction. Give it a try and with practice you'll become more comfortable with the process.

 

[Solly747400]

You could do it with auto settings + polarizer but it won't give you the best look. I would recommend using an ND16/PL filter (for a starting point). Set camera to manual settings. Choose your frame rate (I like 24fps but some prefer 30 for a crisper look) and set it to 4K. Set you shutter speed to 1/twice your frame rate or as close as possible (ex. 24 fps would be 1/50th shutter speed). Set white balance to sunny. When you start up your drone on location (and it's still on the ground) you should aim the drone in the direction you'll be mostly posting to and then rotate the polarizer until the sky goes as dark as possible. Then set your f-stop appropriately (the closer to f4.5 the better). Start recording and flying. There are a lot of different ways to adjust your camera for various looks but this should get you going in the right direction. Give it a try and with practice you'll become more comfortable with the process.

Thanks mate I'll try this

 

[andy_k]

It takes a few seconds to turn the outer polarising circle before takeoff, just one more of the preflight things to do.

And as soon as you change the angle of the drone to the sun, the polariser stops working - before you tell me otherwise, remember, we are discussing the laws pf physics here and they don't change because you've stuck a £10 filter on the front of your drone

Polarisers for stills are fine when you, carefully calculate the angle of the reflections and the sun - for anything else, they are little more than snake oil.

 

[JarrodF]

I wouldn't exactly call it snake oil. I use polarizers for video frequently and you're absolutely right about the angle of the sun. The only way for it to work with a drone is if you know what direction you'll be flying before adjusting the pola rotation. If you are going to be aiming in a bunch of different directions during your flight then it would be crazy hard to use. For a well planned shot it could be very effective.

 

[DOC 1500]

What do you guys think of the Polar Pro Cinema series ND without polarization

 

[JarrodF]

I love mine. I use them just about every time I fly. For me it's usually the ND16 but sometimes the ND8 in the early morning or at sunset.