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ND filters you ACTUALLY use?

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Milwaukee, WI, Ft Walton Beach, FL
I missed the fact that the kit I picked up didn't include a ND. I thought it did as other kits did. So I know off the bat from my P3 experience I do need one.

Under accessories, the polar pro kit (5 ND and a CP) shows up. Includes ND8,16,32, CP and 8+cp and 16+cp. $199. Cripes. Thats darn expensive. Works out to $33 each. I don't think I would use most of them.

I have a set of filters for my P3 birds. ND2,4 8 and a CP that came as a kit. I laser cut a ND16 from some Rosco sheet stock. To be honest, I think I only ever used ND4 on any regular basis. And sometimes stacked the CP with it or sometimes alone when shooting near windows or water where I wanted to reduce or eliminate reflections. But due to the remote nature of a drone, adjusting the angle of the CP became an issue and as such, something very rare as it was a PITA to get right. ND2 made so little difference I rarely used it. ND8 seemed too much in most cases, at least for the P3.

I was thinking of picking up a Hoya or two instead of the PolarPro kit since it contains NDs I would rarely use.

So, which NDs do you actually use on your Inspire?

And would it be worth the investment to get the higher end IRND filters which integrate IR reduction with ND or does the X5R contain a sufficient IR filter to eliminate IR saturation when using an ND?
 
I do mostly videos and I ALWAYS use either my ND16, or polarized ND16 when the sun is out. That keeps exposure within limits at 1/60 shutter speed.

Every now and then I have to use the ND8 if it is overcast and sometime the 4 if cloudy. I use the polar pros and they seem to work well. I've also learned that, just like with lenses, you get what you pay for. $33 per filter is not really too bad. I think it's a good value for what you're getting, but if you want REALLY good one's that don't add any hue or temperature variance, they cost a lot more than that. :(

It did bug me that the Polar Pro kit comes with all those filters and I couldn't seem to find a way to buy just the 16 and 8, but in the scheme of things, it was really worth it, and I have wound up using almost all of them at least once.

If you're doing just (or mostly) pictures, then it may NOT be worth it. But if you're doing a lot of video, it is worth it.
 
I missed the fact that the kit I picked up didn't include a ND. I thought it did as other kits did. So I know off the bat from my P3 experience I do need one.

Under accessories, the polar pro kit (5 ND and a CP) shows up. Includes ND8,16,32, CP and 8+cp and 16+cp. $199. Cripes. Thats darn expensive. Works out to $33 each. I don't think I would use most of them.

I have a set of filters for my P3 birds. ND2,4 8 and a CP that came as a kit. I laser cut a ND16 from some Rosco sheet stock. To be honest, I think I only ever used ND4 on any regular basis. And sometimes stacked the CP with it or sometimes alone when shooting near windows or water where I wanted to reduce or eliminate reflections. But due to the remote nature of a drone, adjusting the angle of the CP became an issue and as such, something very rare as it was a PITA to get right. ND2 made so little difference I rarely used it. ND8 seemed too much in most cases, at least for the P3.

I was thinking of picking up a Hoya or two instead of the PolarPro kit since it contains NDs I would rarely use.

So, which NDs do you actually use on your Inspire?

And would it be worth the investment to get the higher end IRND filters which integrate IR reduction with ND or does the X5R contain a sufficient IR filter to eliminate IR saturation when using an ND?

I can relate to your comment about adjusting the angle of the CP filters so we really do not use them a lot. While we do stock DJI branded ND filters we usually recommend and use higher end ND filters. Our go to ND filter is a B+W 46 mm, 103, 0.9 MRC for most of our video. It works well in our sunny and reflective area here in South West Florida.

We can use this one filter on all four (12,17,25,45) of the Olympus prime lenses, on the 45mm we use a step up ring. These can be bought individually keeping the cost down without buying filters that will rarely be used.
 
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I do mostly videos and I ALWAYS use either my ND16, or polarized ND16 when the sun is out. That keeps exposure within limits at 1/60 shutter speed.

Every now and then I have to use the ND8 if it is overcast and sometime the 4 if cloudy. I use the polar pros and they seem to work well. I've also learned that, just like with lenses, you get what you pay for. $33 per filter is not really too bad. I think it's a good value for what you're getting, but if you want REALLY good one's that don't add any hue or temperature variance, they cost a lot more than that. :(

It did bug me that the Polar Pro kit comes with all those filters and I couldn't seem to find a way to buy just the 16 and 8, but in the scheme of things, it was really worth it, and I have wound up using almost all of them at least once.

If you're doing just (or mostly) pictures, then it may NOT be worth it. But if you're doing a lot of video, it is worth it.

No, the $33 isn't a biggie. However Hoya filters are only $18 and have been a very good filter for me over the decades I have used them. However, the point I was making is that its a pack of 6, and even you stated you don't use many of them. So for 1 or two filters you commonly use, you paid $199 or about $100 a piece. You would have been better off getting even a couple high end NDs and still have $100+ in your pocket (nice down payment on an extra battery). And thats my thinking here. Do I need SIX filters? Most likely no. Its like buying 6 $25 gift cards when you only need 2 for the foreseeable future. In the mean time you have tied up money in 4 things you won't likely ever need or use. If I were likely to use all 6, or heck, 4, then maybe the pack would be worth it.

I don't like stacking filters when possible, so the 8+CP and 16+CP would be nice. But, again, I have used a CP on the drone very very rarely (like maybe 3 flights in the past 2 years). So, again, money sunk into something I really could get by without. Putting the money into another battery, well, that I would use far more than 4 needless CP/ND filters.

I can relate to your comment about adjusting the angle of the CP filters so we really do not use them a lot. While we do stock DJI branded ND filters we usually recommend and use higher end ND filters. Our go to ND filter is a B+W 46 mm, 103, 0.9 MRC for most of our video. It works well in our sunny and reflective area here in South West Florida.

We can use this one filter on all four (12,17,25,45) of the Olympus prime lenses, on the 45mm we use a step up ring. These can be bought individually keeping the cost down without buying filters that will rarely be used.

I tried a B+W a few years ago. Compared to my Hoyas (have 40, 55 and 77mm NDs from Hoya), it had a slight red shift to it. Something easily corrected in RAW, but its just another thing to try fixing in video I would rather not have to do. I tend to be the "get it right in camera" guy so I don't have to fix it later.

Given I live in Wisconsin (8-9mo of winter and SNOW), the color shift could be noticeable. However, digging into specs, it seems the B+W is slightly lighter than the Hoya. The weight difference is nothing on a DSLR but on a gimbal, that might be something I have to pay attention to.

Have you noticed any color shifts with your B+W's?

Anyway, I am not opposed to spending money on something I would use (or I wouldn't own an Inspire). But I am opposed to spending it needlessly.
 
I can relate to your comment about adjusting the angle of the CP filters so we really do not use them a lot. While we do stock DJI branded ND filters we usually recommend and use higher end ND filters. Our go to ND filter is a B+W 46 mm, 103, 0.9 MRC for most of our video. It works well in our sunny and reflective area here in South West Florida.

We can use this one filter on all four (12,17,25,45) of the Olympus prime lenses, on the 45mm we use a step up ring. These can be bought individually keeping the cost down without buying filters that will rarely be used.

Took your advice. Ordered a 103 today from B&H along with their DotD 2tb WD portable drive. Hopefully be here next week.

Flew a couple times in full daylight and even at f16/iso100 the shutter speeds are still insane. Gotta get that under control. Hopefully the ND8 will be enough.
 
Took your advice. Ordered a 103 today from B&H along with their DotD 2tb WD portable drive. Hopefully be here next week.

Flew a couple times in full daylight and even at f16/iso100 the shutter speeds are still insane. Gotta get that under control. Hopefully the ND8 will be enough.

Hope it works out for you, at f16 you will most likely see the smallest piece of dust on your lens or sensor. f5.6 to f8 are the sweet spots for these lenses.
 
Hopefully. As I said, I had a red shift in prior B+W but I will attribute that to a lemon in mass production. I went with the B+W because the smaller weight according to specs. Hopefully easier to balance.

Cleaning the sensor isn't a problem. I do my own cleaning on my Nikons. Will have to see if the swabs are small enough because I bought them for APS-C sensors, otherwise I will get smaller ones for the MFT. But, since I don't have any other lens for the X5 (yet), I won't be taking the lens off and unlikely to get any dust in there anyway. But still, good to have the tools on hand. Doubt this thing has a dust mask image like the Nikon :)
 
I bought these filters in 46mm size: X4 Neutral Density
Mainly for their sharpness, and being neutral as I have experience the blues of the Lees and reds of the B+W's in my DSLR. Why neither company produces a neutral gray is beyond me, but they keep producing the same color shifts for decades now and blame it on IR or UV and the need for a supplemental filter to kill whichever.

Maybe at some point I'll add this swab kit to the X5S camera: Alpha 20mm Sensor Cleaning Swabs (12pk) (Blue) w/Beta

Then might get their contact cleaning kit for the gimbal-to-camera mount too: Stabilant 22, 5ml Kit Makes 30ml of 22A
 
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Pretty sure mine is VisibleDust wet (uses liquid and are green) for APS-C sensors. At work so not 100%. Most likely see what size they are and if too big, just order the swabs that way I only have to keep one liquid around from one maker. Doubt I would have issues using different liquids, but not willing to gamble $2000 sensor repair to find out. Better to stick with one manufacturer on a cleaner system.

And of course, got a rocket for the loose stuff.

I shot a lot of sports so swapping lenses frequently. Gyms, soccer fields and baseball fields aren't very dust free so I was usually cleaning the sensor more frequently than casual shooters. I know, advantages of multiple bodies. I don't have em so I lens swap.

I am guessing the same thing is gonna happen with the I1. Dont have the bank to run multiple birds or multiple gimbals so I will lens swap. Right now, one lens, one gimbal, so its not a problem. Sensor will remain pristine for quite a while yet. But, like sports, odds are flight areas aren't gonna be exactly a clean room.
 
I am not sure if we're using the same designations here but in broad bright sunlight, I use ND64?

I would say I use ND8, 16, 32, and 64 all equally depending on the weather and the time of day but I also mostly shoot video during my travels, which means I don't plan the shoots ahead and just go with whatever the weather happens to be at whatever time I happen to get there, so the flexibility of having all is key.

I purchased my filters from someone on this forum, he's also on the DJI forum. I got them from "Renaat", he is based in China and I believe he and his wife run a photography business of some kind. Anyway, I got the entire set for < $100 shipped. See review link: Inspire 1 ND filters Part 2 – Renaat filters | Paul Joy – Freelance Filmmaker

I just sent him an email at [email protected] and then paypal'd him and got it all sorted.
 
I am using the same designations that have been used for decades. ND2 (0.3) is one stop, ND4 (0.6) is two stops and ND8 (0.9) is three stops, etc.

If you look at those images on the page you linked to, you can see a distinct red shift, especially on the last one. Now, whether that was due to environment change, or due to the filter, IDK. He should have run his tests under controlled conditions (man made and controllable light).
 
I am using the same designations that have been used for decades. ND2 (0.3) is one stop, ND4 (0.6) is two stops and ND8 (0.9) is three stops, etc.

If you look at those images on the page you linked to, you can see a distinct red shift, especially on the last one. Now, whether that was due to environment change, or due to the filter, IDK. He should have run his tests under controlled conditions (man made and controllable light).

Yes, the linked photos do have a shift to the warmer side (i.e. Sky goes to a 'burple' color.). I found out my X5S 15mm stock lens has a magenta color to it when I set it manually and the tint in sundry editors always applies some green to the image. Sort of annoying as my X4S doesn't shift like the X5S. I can't find a ND that shifts towards the green to cancel it out, just blue or red shifts with ND's.

I need to check my 45mm Oly. when it comes back from repair too and see if it is maybe the X5S sensor. Wish DJI had an Auto White balance lock where one could lock the WB down when checking the color off a white or gray card as does the Nikon with their PRE WB lockable setting and it pulls all three colors into alignment. Their Daylight, Cloudy, etc. are too far off, imho.
 
Yes, the linked photos do have a shift to the warmer side (i.e. Sky goes to a 'burple' color.). I found out my X5S 15mm stock lens has a magenta color to it when I set it manually and the tint in sundry editors always applies some green to the image. Sort of annoying as my X4S doesn't shift like the X5S. I can't find a ND that shifts towards the green to cancel it out, just blue or red shifts with ND's.

I need to check my 45mm Oly. when it comes back from repair too and see if it is maybe the X5S sensor. Wish DJI had an Auto White balance lock where one could lock the WB down when checking the color off a white or gray card as does the Nikon with their PRE WB lockable setting and it pulls all three colors into alignment. Their Daylight, Cloudy, etc. are too far off, imho.

They do. Its called manual. I set all my birds to shoot at 5000k. Manual. No auto nothing for WB. Noon daylight is typically 5500k. I rarely shoot precisely at noon. Commonly mid morning or mid afternoon. The color temp then is typically warmer. Somewhere between 5000k and 4500k. So locked at 5000k its always shooting the same temp and not wondering around trying to make sense of sky or snow or green trees.

I found with my P3A (first bird) that when it was in AWB, it would color shift when I tilted the camera down from mostly sky to mostly ground or vice versa. I would see the colors shift slowly after the tilt as it compensated from overly blue to overly green scene. It was hell in post to chase that crap. I was constantly having to re-slice the clips and re-color balance them. PITA.

So, I set the P3A and later the P3P and now the I1 to manual WB locked at 5000k and I don't change it no matter what I am shooting. I know where it was shot at so now I can set up presets in PP that get me close. One for winter, one for sunny, one for cloudy, one for late afternoon, etc. I can simply add them to the whole clip when I import. Then its close right then and across the whole clip because the clip wasn't changing, its constant. Then minor tweaking to it for that actual clip shot at that actual time and light conditions and I am done. Slice and dice and re-arrange it focusing on composition rather than color processing tiny sections.

And for DNG raw stills, WB doesn't matter. But I still locked it at 5000k in all the birds. I like consistency.

Because everything my birds shoot was shot with 5000k WB, I have a non-changing, constant and consistent base to work from.

I learned my lesson years ago about AWB while shooting sports in what I call "the Gym from hell". Thank God I shoot Raw. I was shooting girls volleyball. One gym my GD played at was a freaking nightmare. On one side it had southern facing tall windows with milk glass. It had mercury vapor lights in the ceiling. One end was a stage area (for plays) and its lighting was halogen floods. The walls were angled above the bleachers and they mounted cool white florescent fixtures there lighting the bleacher area. I think the only kind of lighting they missed was incan. My God, I thought my camera was gonna puke trying to figure out what color to shoot at. Some of the previews were green, some red, some orange, some blue because I lock and follow. So where I locked frequently had one color temp of light and by the time I fired the shutter I was pointing to a different area with different color temp of light. I had to manually balance every shot. It was a nightmare. I wanted to find the electrician who wired that place and take him out back for an "Office Space" beat down.
 
They do. Its called manual. I set all my birds to shoot at 5000k. Manual. No auto nothing for WB. .....

Not quite right. Even if set manually to 5,200K or what my Sekonic color temperature meters says, the RGB shifts to lowering the green channel, hence the annoying 'burple' or magenta tint even if manually set. That's one of those 4-axis color tuning settings that Nikon has in their menu to set the magenta/green up as well as that tint color tint in most editing apps.

Nikon also has that "PRE" thing for Auto WB where you aim it at a white balance card and it pulls all three colors into alignment for white and then it locks the three colors there for the remainder of videos or stills. Sadly, the DJI camera does not have that color-tuning option. Setting the DJI manually, or to one of their own manual WB choices, can cause the green/magenta shift. Their manual setting changes the blue/red with little affect on the green if you watch the color histogram bars or levels in GO. I suspect the X5S stock lens may have a warm or magenta favor to it, but takes more comparisons to find out.

But yeah, best to set it manually if one knows how their sensor behaves and preference.
 
Just use color passport checker and all colors will pop out as they should in controlled environment. Just make one shot of the passport with the ND and later in post you'll have to make a color profile from the photo with the color passport then the ready profile can be applied to all other footage you've got on that particular location. If the lighting suddenly changes you'll have to shot another "sample".
This is working very well for matching the colors from multiple cameras where every camera have her own tint.
 

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