Why ND filters?

ND filters, neutral density filters, are a necessary tool in the world of photography. They are the answer to your blown-out, over-exposed videos and photos. The filters help with the amount of light entering your lens which thereby reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor. They allow for the capture of shallow depth-of-field objects without your image getting over-exposed.

It’s a bright, beautiful sunny day on a rural and picturesque landscape with very few clouds in the sky, a perfect time to capture some aerial shots with an OTB drone, right?

Reduction of light to sensor at ideal settings

Wrong. Unless of course you’re prepared to sacrifice video image quality by boosting your ISO several thousand stops to capture that regal-looking cow atop a grassy hill, which isn’t recommended, the right way would be to apply an ND filter. Think of ND filters as a tint for the camera’s lens or sunglasses.

ND filters are relatively easy to acquire, simple to install and probably won’t break the bank, depending on who the manufacturer is and how many are added to the gear bag.

Polar Pro offers a wide selection of ND filters that are available for various manufacturers and models but tend to be on the pricey side. For the more budget-conscious buyer finding some decent quality filters through Amazon is entirely acceptable, just take a few minutes to read some of the product’s reviews instead of purchasing the first set found.

Just like how sunglasses for humans can be bought with polarization, sunglasses can be bought for UAVs, unmanned aerial vehicles. Polarization produces richer colored landscapes and allows for depth when shooting water, thanks to a reduction of glare.

 

The effects of polarization

A polarizing filter isn’t always necessary, but if the plan is to get some footage of dolphins playing in the ocean or to fly through the city on a sunny day surrounded by mirror-windowed skyscrapers, shooting through a polarized lens will make a world of difference.

On top of nearly eliminating reflections, when polarization is combined with the appropriate level of tint by selecting the right strength of ND filter for any given weather condition. The right amount of motion blur can be achieved between video frames when dialing in the shutter speed and aperture, which is something that can’t be achieved cleanly without a filter.

The takeaway from this article is hopefully one that inspires shooting better video and bold-colored photos by utilizing the right tools available.

Photo credits: Thomas Husen; Reddit user: Reacher_Said_Nothing