Why Does My Footage Looks SO Bad?
- Thread starter GavinW
- Start date
Yes, I know, but the light is generally above me shining down, so I'll take my chances that even if the sun is to one side and it's only 25%-50% effective: it's still better than nothing and I can deal with that in post better than no filter at all. Can't exactly do anything about it unless someone invents an auto-sun-tracking and self-adjusting filter, or a motorised one you can adjust from the ground.
So when someone says "Hey do you know polarising filters aren't perfect all the time" I ask: "And what have you got that's better? Nothing? OK, I'll just carry on with this then. Cheers!"
If you're talking degrees of sunlight angle in relationship to your camera angle then I would suggest that the sun is not generally shining "down". You make a good point that a polarizer will help more than nothing at all but sometimes consistency of look is important to your shoot. If you fly around shooting in multiple directions with a polarizer you will find a definite difference about of color saturation in your green and blue items in frame. Post adjustment can't always correct for this. If that doesn't matter for the purpose of your shoot then it's all good.
It is when I shoot, middle of the day: shortest shadows. Oh, it matters, and because I'm flying quite smoothly, I can and do compensate for it in post. All shots are colour-corrected to be uniform across the flight, then colour graded to whatever style is required.
That's great. Then if you can color correct like that you don't need a polarizer. Okay, snarkiness aside. ;-) If you can do that so that you're satisfied with the results then fantastic. I would say that you're shooting at absolutely the worst time of day but, again, if it works for you then great.
For the sake of others reading this, I wouldn't suggest to them that they shoot at noon in the middle of the summer (the only time the sun is even close to straight down) or that they try to duplicate the look of polarized footage with color correction.
For the sake of others reading this, I wouldn't suggest to them that they shoot at noon in the middle of the summer (the only time the sun is even close to straight down) or that they try to duplicate the look of polarized footage with color correction.
Really? It's not that hard. Turn up the green and blue a bit. Brain surgery it ain't. And it reduces reflections in ponds, rivers etc. 
And for property, it's the best time of the day. All sides equally lit.
So, my question still stands to those who point out the 'problems' with using a polarising filter: "What else do you suggest?"
And for property, it's the best time of the day. All sides equally lit.
So, my question still stands to those who point out the 'problems' with using a polarising filter: "What else do you suggest?"
I personally only use standard ND filters to get my shutter where I want it. I don’t have a real need for polarizing effects with my quad shots. For my photo business, on occasion...but I am mostly a contracted sports shooter for agencies...no polarizing needed there.
I'm with you. NDs are crucial but polas on drones for video is only helpful in very specific situations (i.e. the you are just shooting in one direction at a time and can adjust the filter before taking off). I would say that shooting over water where you want to see through the surface would be a good use for them (again for one angle at a time). I've used polarizers on video and film cameras (on the ground) for decades and they work well for a particular look. It that situation you can choose your angle and then just rotate to dial in the polarizer for best effect. On drones, not so easy.
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