PolarPro Cinema Series filters

[zeroed]

There are a bunch of great posts on here that really go into detail on the theory of using ND filters. The general concept is to get your shutter speed at double your frame rate. If you are shooting 4K30 you want the shutter to be at 1/60th. The only way to get these fixed aperture cameras there is to use an ND filter. Below is a general overview of when to use each filter. This is a very general overview so always check your camera settings before each flight to make sure you are locked in with the right filter.

So Phantom camera doesn't have aperture size, but it does have shutter speed. We want to have a shutter speed of 1/60th when we shoot 30fps (or 1/50 for 24fps). I'm not sure exactly how to check it before the flight. The conditions might be different up in the air. Still, I think I got the overall idea.

Thanks for the explanation!

 

[PolarPro]

So Phantom camera doesn't have aperture size, but it does have shutter speed. We want to have a shutter speed of 1/60th when we shoot 30fps (or 1/50 for 24fps). I'm not sure exactly how to check it before the flight. The conditions might be different up in the air. Still, I think I got the overall idea.

Thanks for the explanation!

I always check what the camera is natively shooting on the ground and choose the ND filter based on that metering. You are absolutely correct, lighting could very well change in the air. If the lighting is different in the air, and I am just flying for fun I usually just leave it as is. If I am filming one of our product videos, I would bring it down and change it. If I were shooting a 250K commercial I would meter the scene from the air, bring it down, lock the shutter speed at 1/50th to match the other cameras on the shoot, and just grade any under exposure or over exposure in post. The amount of effort you put into filming is very subjective to your personal preferences and how you want the end results to look.
Hopefully that helps out a bit!
Jeff

 

[zeroed]

Thanks Jeff and Matt, it is much more clear now! Great explanation.

In the video ISO is set to 100. I understand at night you'll have another value for it. Well, and you won't use filters. But what about a sunset? Should I also strive to use ISO 100? Is it always a best choice?

I would appreciate for the similar brilliant explanation on polarizing filters. I'm still trying to understand which set(s) I need.

 

[robdigphot]

I have the excellent PolarPro cinema pack for my P4 but I also have a P3p. Will the P4 cinema pack filters fit and work on my P3p because I see there is a separate set of the same filters dedicated to the P3?

 

[PolarPro]

I have the excellent PolarPro cinema pack for my P4 but I also have a P3p. Will the P4 cinema pack filters fit and work on my P3p because I see there is a separate set of the same filters dedicated to the P3?

Hey Rob!
The P4 filters are a little bit longer than the P3 filters. That said the P4 filters will thread right onto the P3P, just make sure it doesn't vignette before shooting.
Thanks for purchasing our filters! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Jeff

 

[robdigphot]

Thanks Jeff

 

[Matt122;]

Thanks Jeff and Matt, it is much more clear now! Great explanation.

In the video ISO is set to 100. I understand at night you'll have another value for it. Well, and you won't use filters. But what about a sunset? Should I also strive to use ISO 100? Is it always a best choice?

I would appreciate for the similar brilliant explanation on polarizing filters. I'm still trying to understand which set(s) I need.

Sorry for the later reply. I'm in school so I've been busy. Usually if I film a sunset it's for a timelapse. I will usually go anywhere from 100-300 but never go over. Just depends on how many clouds there are. Below is a great bundle of lenses that can be used for both P3 and P4. It's a great starter set.

DJI Phantom 4 / Phantom 3 Professional Filter 6-Pack

 

[Kaitlyn]

Question - why are people using polarizer or the ND polarizer filters? With circular polarizers, you need to turn the filter to adjust the "strength" of polarization. But you obviously cannot do this when the drone is flying... so how come they are ND + polarizer?

 

[PolarPro]

Question - why are people using polarizer or the ND polarizer filters? With circular polarizers, you need to turn the filter to adjust the "strength" of polarization. But you obviously cannot do this when the drone is flying... so how come they are ND + polarizer?

Hi Kaitlyn! Great question!
It is all personal preference to whether you use a polarizer or not, some people prefer them, some prefer just ND's. I personally like the effects of a polarizer (reduced glare, increased color saturation), so I shoot the ND8/PL or ND16/PL a majority of the time. Depending on the production quality you are shooting for, using polarizers can require more effort than just screwing them on and flying. If I am just flying for fun, I will set the polarizer filter before takeoff and use that setting for the remainder of the flight. If I were shooting for one of our product videos, or doing commercial work, I would set the polarizer for each scene, which would require landing the bird. So it all comes down to what level of production quality you are going for. It can be some effort, but myself and lot of the other cinematographers at PolarPro think the effects of a polarizer is well worth it.
Hopefully that helps! Feel free to fire off any other questions!
Jeff

 

[khanbull]

Hi Kaitlyn! Great question!
It is all personal preference to whether you use a polarizer or not, some people prefer them, some prefer just ND's. I personally like the effects of a polarizer (reduced glare, increased color saturation), so I shoot the ND8/PL or ND16/PL a majority of the time. Depending on the production quality you are shooting for, using polarizers can require more effort than just screwing them on and flying. If I am just flying for fun, I will set the polarizer filter before takeoff and use that setting for the remainder of the flight. If I were shooting for one of our product videos, or doing commercial work, I would set the polarizer for each scene, which would require landing the bird. So it all comes down to what level of production quality you are going for. It can be some effort, but myself and lot of the other cinematographers at PolarPro think the effects of a polarizer is well worth it.
Hopefully that helps! Feel free to fire off any other questions!
Jeff

Hi Jeff, is there a tutorial video on using the polarizer with the ND filters. I'm not exacly sure the quality is affected by adjusting the polarizer or for that matter, where to adjust it to. Thanks

 

[PolarPro]

Hi Jeff, is there a tutorial video on using the polarizer with the ND filters. I'm not exacly sure the quality is affected by adjusting the polarizer or for that matter, where to adjust it to. Thanks

That is a great idea! We actually are currently working on one, in the meantime, there are a lot of great videos on youtube that will show how to adjust a polarizer (for a DSLR), it is the same concept.
Feel free to ask if you had any specific questions on them!
Jeff

 

[normr]

Can you post some pics and videos so we can see the unfiltered and filtered shots?


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[lfaitas]

i used nd8 filter for the first time and shoot 4k video using litchi app. I noticed that there is heavy blur on the sides of the frame which i did not expect.. is this normal?
My problem is mainly because i dont take photos due to the limitation of the camera of not being able to take both video and photos at the same time and fly very long mission with litchi .. like 10km away and then i take screen shots from the video.. so with the filters the pictures are also blured on the sides.
what do you think?

 

[Brandon89]

Im looking to order cinema series- shutter, delivered to Hong Kong, are you guys still doing deals on the gimbal locks?

 

[Matt122;]

i used nd8 filter for the first time and shoot 4k video using litchi app. I noticed that there is heavy blur on the sides of the frame which i did not expect.. is this normal?
My problem is mainly because i dont take photos due to the limitation of the camera of not being able to take both video and photos at the same time and fly very long mission with litchi .. like 10km away and then i take screen shots from the video.. so with the filters the pictures are also blured on the sides.
what do you think?

Have you tried using the regular DJI go app to see if the blur exists in that footage. The standard ND8 filter shouldn't create any type of a blur in footage or pictures. Maybe you can upload an image or video to help us better understand the issue.

 

[PolarPro]

i used nd8 filter for the first time and shoot 4k video using litchi app. I noticed that there is heavy blur on the sides of the frame which i did not expect.. is this normal?
My problem is mainly because i dont take photos due to the limitation of the camera of not being able to take both video and photos at the same time and fly very long mission with litchi .. like 10km away and then i take screen shots from the video.. so with the filters the pictures are also blured on the sides.
what do you think?

I have been reading that a lot of people have been having issues with the new update and this is one of them. A filter would not cause any blurring unless it was possibly dirty or severly distorted. Let me know if you have any other quesitons about the filters!
-Jeff

 

[PolarPro]

Im looking to order cinema series- shutter, delivered to Hong Kong, are you guys still doing deals on the gimbal locks?

We sure are! Just shoot me an email with your order number and I will get the P4 lock and case added to your order!
[email protected]

 

[techmyjustin]

I'm happy with these filters although I don't know too much about them yet.

If I set my camera to "Auto" instead of Manual, does the Phantom adjust for the filter, basically reverting the changes made by the filter? Such as, does the camera sense the lower light and try to adjust the ISO to correct it?

Should I always be shooting in Manual settings mode with the filter?

Thanks, here are some videos I've shot in the last week and a half with these filters, I believe I've only used the ND16 on all of these, I haven't even tried the others yet:

 

[PolarPro]

I'm happy with these filters although I don't know too much about them yet.

If I set my camera to "Auto" instead of Manual, does the Phantom adjust for the filter, basically reverting the changes made by the filter? Such as, does the camera sense the lower light and try to adjust the ISO to correct it?

Should I always be shooting in Manual settings mode with the filter?

Thanks, here are some videos I've shot in the last week and a half with these filters, I believe I've only used the ND16 on all of these, I haven't even tried the others yet:

Great videos!!
To answer your question, yes, usually I set my camera to Auto, and the camera will compensate by slowing down the shutter speed (not the ISO). I generally try to keep the ISO as low as possible, and that stays fixed. The only time I shoot in manual is when I want to fix the shutter speed at a certain rate. For that process I first meter the light with the app on the ground, find out which filter gets me closest to 1/50th shutter, lock the shutter speed at 1/50th, and fly away. Usually I only put this much effort in for high production value shoots. If I am flying for fun, I meter the light, throw the filter on and leave the camera on Auto.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and thanks for purchasing our filters!
-PolarPro

 

[Chopstix Kid]

Great videos!!
To answer your question, yes, usually I set my camera to Auto, and the camera will compensate by slowing down the shutter speed (not the ISO). I generally try to keep the ISO as low as possible, and that stays fixed. The only time I shoot in manual is when I want to fix the shutter speed at a certain rate. For that process I first meter the light with the app on the ground, find out which filter gets me closest to 1/50th shutter, lock the shutter speed at 1/50th, and fly away. Usually I only put this much effort in for high production value shoots. If I am flying for fun, I meter the light, throw the filter on and leave the camera on Auto.

Let me know if you have any other questions, and thanks for purchasing our filters!
-PolarPro

When I shoot in Auto, the lowest ISO I seem to get is 200. I can nail the 60 shutter with either the ND16/PL or the ND32 (thank you!) but I can't seem to get the ISO down to 100. Thoughts?