I bought a set of filters for my Mavic Air, but am having trouble removing the "clear" filter.  I held the camera with two fingers of one hand, and tried to unscrew it, but it wouldn't budge. Tried using a rubber band to get a better grip, but no luck.  I'm afraid of damaging the camera/gimbal.  Obviously, the power on the drone is off.

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about the issue that you are experiencing. May I know that which filter do you use and where it purchased from? Please take care and not to damage the gimbal camera, thanks!

Hi MApilot, had the same issue last day. The more pressure your put on the little ring the harder its gets loose. So rotate it without to much squezing...It worked for me
Cheers JJB

JJBspark said it... DON'T squeeze to much. It should come of fairly easy.

DJI Diana Posted at 2018-4-6 19:20
Hi, I'm sorry to hear about the issue that you are experiencing. May I know that which filter do you use and where it purchased from? Please take care and not to damage the gimbal camera, thanks!

I have a Freewell set from amazon.com.

How should I unscrew factory installed clear filter?
How do I hold the camera gimbal to change the filters without damaging anything?

Sometimes we see this with newly manufactured gear, I thing if you give it a spray with WD40 or similar leave for an hour this should do the trick.

For me it worked with a rubber band after several tries, it was screwed on very tight. You need to hold the gimbal carefully and keep on trying.

Same trouble with filters on my 35mm  lenses. I agree with FlyDK, best tip is and only way I have found to get filters off is to ‘not’ squeeze too tightly as this seems to ever so slightly bend the filter  surround onto the lens where it grips tightly.
I use three fingers for this. With big fat fingers like mine it is hard to do this, just as it is hard to remove the SD card. I would keep CRC or any oil well clear of the gimbal.

Very gentle in the finger tips and twist - same with all ND's

MAPilot Posted at 2018-4-7 06:19
I have a Freewell set from amazon.com.

How should I unscrew factory installed clear filter?

The OEM Bezel has no lens in it, it is simply a threaded ring, as said above very light pressure, if that fails you can use a hair dryer to warm up/expand the bezel, just briefly you don't want to heat up the male threads to much, don't worry it won't hurt the camera. This is how I got mine off. Once warmed up it came right off.

That's the reason why I don't fly with any sort of filters on my Mavic Pro or Spark. If DJI meant for filters to be used, surely they would be selling them directly, which they don't. Like the old saying, USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.

DJI Diana Posted at 2018-4-6 19:20
Hi, I'm sorry to hear about the issue that you are experiencing. May I know that which filter do you use and where it purchased from? Please take care and not to damage the gimbal camera, thanks!

I love these posts from DJI.

How is the make of filter to be used in any way relevant  to unscrewing the ring off the front of the Mavic camera?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-7 12:18
That's the reason why I don't fly with any sort of filters on my Mavic Pro or Spark. If DJI meant for filters to be used, surely they would be selling them directly, which they don't. Like the old saying, USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.

They actually do sell DJI filters for the pro at least.  https://store.dji.com/guides/drone-nd-filters-work-and-use/

Filters actually do really help to keep the shutter down which helps with image/video quality I have noticed.

fans1b839f0c Posted at 2018-4-7 12:02
Same trouble with filters on my 35mm  lenses. I agree with FlyDK, best tip is and only way I have found to get filters off is to ‘not’ squeeze too tightly as this seems to ever so slightly bend the filter  surround onto the lens where it grips tightly.
I use three fingers for this. With big fat fingers like mine it is hard to do this, just as it is hard to remove the SD card. I would keep CRC or any oil well clear of the gimbal.

I finally got it off, holding the camera/gimbal with fingers of one hand, and holding the ring with a disposable (nitrile) glove.  I got it to unscrew while not holding the ring too tightly.  Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to spraying any liquid in that area

Has anybody just left a filter (UV) on the camera between flights?  

I found that the Freewell filters add about 1-2mm (eyeballed) to the length of the lens barrel, compared to the bezel ring the MA comes with.

I leave my filter on all the time, even in the case.

I am sure the comment of spraying liquid oil around the gimbal was meant as a joke. As mentioned the factory piece that comes off is a ring with a hole. You are not going to get oil off your lenses. Please don't use a hairdryer either.

Kevjones1959 Posted at 2018-4-7 21:39
I am sure the comment of spraying liquid oil around the gimbal was meant as a joke. As mentioned the factory piece that comes off is a ring with a hole. You are not going to get oil off your lenses. Please don't use a hairdryer either.

Joke in very poor taste...I'm a retired engineer and have been around optics since my teens, so I know better, but if even one person actually takes that advice, the joke would not be very funny at all.

SparksBird Posted at 2018-4-7 17:22
They actually do sell DJI filters for the pro at least.  https://store.dji.com/guides/drone-nd-filters-work-and-use/

Filters actually do really help to keep the shutter down which helps with image/video quality I have noticed.

Thanks for providing the link. I didn't know DJI sells ND filters and when I click it tells me the product is not offered in the United States?

When I spoke with someone from DJI, they told me a lot of the camera problems they receive for repair results from the filters providing too much stress on the gimbal motors?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 10:29
Thanks for providing the link. I didn't know DJI sells ND filters and when I click it tells me the product is not offered in the United States?

When I spoke with someone from DJI, they told me a lot of the camera problems they receive for repair results from the filters providing too much stress on the gimbal motors?

Not sure about the issues that others may of had.  Could be from poorly designed cheap ones possibly.  I have neewer ones and they for me are really good, and I get no gimbal issues at all.  I know some of the cheap ones they do not go on easy and some get gimbal calibration issues.  Just look at how many of the pro photographers here use them and that should give you an idea.

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 10:29
Thanks for providing the link. I didn't know DJI sells ND filters and when I click it tells me the product is not offered in the United States?

When I spoke with someone from DJI, they told me a lot of the camera problems they receive for repair results from the filters providing too much stress on the gimbal motors?

I use SunnyLife ND's with no problem at all.

SparksBird Posted at 2018-4-8 10:47
Not sure about the issues that others may of had.  Could be from poorly designed cheap ones possibly.  I have neewer ones and they for me are really good, and I get no gimbal issues at all.  I know some of the cheap ones they do not go on easy and some get gimbal calibration issues.  Just look at how many of the pro photographers here use them and that should give you an idea.

I think the improvements are at best negligible. The marginal improvement benefits of straining the motor do not outweigh the great shots of simply just leaving your camera alone.

Talk to all of DJI and they will, when asked about polarized filters, err on side of caution that it's not supported on any of their drones with installing and using filters.

The professional photographers don't value $1,000 the same way as hobbyist recreational drone users do, they view the Mavic as a piece of equipment, which can be expendable if it means making $$.

If you are a professional using filters because that's what the client wants, then that's one thing, but to sacrifice your drone for reasons of possibly obtaining just slightly better shots isn't prudent.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-4-8 10:53
I use SunnyLife ND's with no problem at all.

Never heard of them. I see most people using Freewell or Polar Pro...

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 14:05
Never heard of them. I see most people using Freewell or Polar Pro...

Most of them are all made in China, distributed to resellers that mark them up, brand them and sell them like they made them. I use Bowers on my Phantoms, SunnyLife's on my Mavics.

I to tried everything and still wouldn't come off.
So i got some pliers and put masking tape on the pliers and with light pressure it came right off.
Not the best method but it worked for me.

sky6105 Posted at 2018-4-8 15:05
I to tried everything and still wouldn't come off.
So i got some pliers and put masking tape on the pliers and with light pressure it came right off.
Not the best method but it worked for me.

My case in point.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-4-8 15:01
Most of them are all made in China, distributed to resellers that mark them up, brand them and sell them like they made them. I use Bowers on my Phantoms, SunnyLife's on my Mavics.

I've seen most filters not fit the Mavic Pro except for Polar Pro. Which drone is your favorite?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 15:13
I've seen most filters not fit the Mavic Pro except for Polar Pro. Which drone is your favorite?

Mavic Air is the one I was having problems with.

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 15:13
I've seen most filters not fit the Mavic Pro except for Polar Pro. Which drone is your favorite?

All of them, P3P is my work horse, extremely dependable ( now that DJI has stopped messing with the FW ) plenty good for everyday photo/video, P4P for the incredible versatility for photo/video ( but very loud IMO ), Mavic Pro for range and silence          ( especially with the Low Noise Props ) and the MA for portability, Quick Shots, always have the MA everywhere I go.
The SunnyLife filters fit fine.
I had to add some weight to them because the Mavic Pro would always get Jello effect, funny all the updates, calibration(s) and crap trying to solve the Jello on my Mavic, it is probably a lot that had gimbal balance issues, a simple strip of Gorilla tape cured it permenantley, put a strip on each of my filters and no more Jello !!

QuadKid Posted at 2018-4-8 15:51
All of them, P3P is my work horse, extremely dependable ( now that DJI has stopped messing with the FW ) plenty good for everyday photo/video, P4P for the incredible versatility for photo/video ( but very loud IMO ), Mavic Pro for range and silence          ( especially with the Low Noise Props ) and the MA for portability, Quick Shots, always have the MA everywhere I go.

Well that all sums it up. If you had to choose only have 1 drone, which won would you it be? Sounds like if you had to it would be the Mavic Pro?

I have never ever had a problem with my neewer filters going right on and coming right off.  They fit snug and helps keep the light the intensity exactly how I want.  Really helps with the quality of the image/video as I have compared before and after.  Also never have an issue with the gimbal at all so for me I will always use them when needed which is 99% of the time.  The Mavic by default just lets all of the light in which most of the time is not good for picture quality and causes a ton of overexposure.  I feel that they should come with the Mavic but since they do not I feel they are one of the most important purchases.  

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 15:55
Well that all sums it up. If you had to choose only have 1 drone, which won would you it be? Sounds like if you had to it would be the Mavic Pro?

Actually it would be the MA, I'm not a big distance traveler, very rarely out more than 1000 meters / 3300 ft. and the Air handles that just fine. The MP is a great drone but the gimbal is very fragile. If and when the MP 2 arrives I might consider it if the gimbal is much more robust and it is a 1 inch CMOS with all the features of the P4P and MA. I will not be one of the BETA Testers upon it's arrival, will wait 6 months or so after release to see the reviews and real time user input.

As I have said in the past each one has it's pro's and con's.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-4-8 16:06
Actually it would be the MA, I'm not a big distance traveler, very rarely out more than 1000 meters / 3300 ft. and the Air handles that just fine. The MP is a great drone but the gimbal is very fragile. If and when the MP 2 arrives I might consider it if the gimbal is much more robust and it is a 1 inch CMOS with all the features of the P4P and MA. I will not be one of the BETA Testers upon it's arrival, will wait 6 months or so after release to see the reviews and real time user input.

As I have said in the past each one has it's pro's and con's.

So you do not use Filters at all with your MP?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 14:00
I think the improvements are at best negligible. The marginal improvement benefits of straining the motor do not outweigh the great shots of simply just leaving your camera alone.

Talk to all of DJI and they will, when asked about polarized filters, err on side of caution that it's not supported on any of their drones with installing and using filters.

If DJI didn’t intend for you to use filters on the  MA why did they thread the lens bezel?

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 14:05
Never heard of them. I see most people using Freewell or Polar Pro...

And PGYTech. I use their filters exclusively on both my P4P and my Air.  High quality product made from lightweight aluminium like the Polar Pro, but for almost half the price. Just downloaded some video taken yesterday on a bright day using a PGYTech ND16 - good results.

And the lens on my Air was straight-forward to remove. As others have suggested, good grip on the camera/gimbal, and softly unscrew it anti-clockwise. Do it back up firmly but not hard.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-4-8 16:06
Actually it would be the MA, I'm not a big distance traveler, very rarely out more than 1000 meters / 3300 ft. and the Air handles that just fine. The MP is a great drone but the gimbal is very fragile. If and when the MP 2 arrives I might consider it if the gimbal is much more robust and it is a 1 inch CMOS with all the features of the P4P and MA. I will not be one of the BETA Testers upon it's arrival, will wait 6 months or so after release to see the reviews and real time user input.

As I have said in the past each one has it's pro's and con's.

Do you think we'll see a Mavic Pro II anytime soon?

Mavic Ace Posted at 2018-4-8 16:27
If DJI didn’t intend for you to use filters on the  MA why did they thread the lens bezel?

It's called alluding to the product rather than actually selling the product.

Punchbuggy Posted at 2018-4-8 16:32
And PGYTech. I use their filters exclusively on both my P4P and my Air.  High quality product made from lightweight aluminium like the Polar Pro, but for almost half the price. Just downloaded some video taken yesterday on a bright day using a PGYTech ND16 - good results.

And the lens on my Air was straight-forward to remove. As others have suggested, good grip on the camera/gimbal, and softly unscrew it anti-clockwise. Do it back up firmly but not hard.

PGYTech is the company DJI showcases on its website. Again, if DJI doesn't list the product on its website such as ND filters, then by all means they are stating they do not support the product. If you ask them point blank they will caveat use may void the warranty. ND filters are very simple within DJI: use at your own risk product.

davidmartingraf Posted at 2018-4-8 16:41
It's called alluding to the product rather than actually selling the product.

Because they know it is needed as the default light coming in is too intense without them.  can someone take footage with them in intense light sure.  But will it be better when using the correct filter it sure will.  There is a ton of footage out there to show this is the case.  

SparksBird Posted at 2018-4-8 16:45
Because they know it is needed as the default light coming in is too intense without them.  can someone take footage with them in intense light sure.  But will it be better when using the correct filter it sure will.  There is a ton of footage out there to show this is the case.

I don't see why someone can't just correct lighting in post if they're really stingy about picture quality. We can see the benefits of adding filters, but there is enough wear and tear on the gimbal motor without them, be sure to understand adding them will just reduce the life of your motor.

If you want to reduce the life of your motor by adding filters to gain marginal improvement that you can simply correct in post production, then buy and use the filters. Otherwise, it's obviously an easy decision to steer away from them so not to limit the lifespan of your drone's capabilities.

With filters, one need's to understand by using ND filters, the lifespan of your motors will be reduced. Initially, one has to accept the consequence of gaining picture quality but reducing the overal gimbal motor lifespan, BEFORE making the purchasing decision to buy the filters. If one can get over the fact of reduced hardware lifespan, then one is truly ready and willing to use the filters. If one cannot accept there is a reduction of motor lifespan by using the filters, then one SHOULD NOT buy and use them.