Are ND filters really needed for the M2P?
IF so, I'd love to see before and after pictures

ND filters aren't very useful most of the time for still photography unless you are specifically trying to capture motion blur.  Most of the time this would be for blurring moving water.  

However, for videography, most would say they are important in order to get the smoothest (most cinematic video).  Google the term "rule of 180 video" and you'll find lots of details on the topic.  

The basic gist is that for the human eye and brain to interpret the series of individual pictures that are strung together to create a video and perceive them as smooth movement, there needs to be a certain amount of motion blur in each frame.  Otherwise the brain can interpret the video as having a staccato or strobing effecting.

For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed).
For videography it is a different story.
The theory is that you get the 'best' footage when you have a shutterspeed that is double the framerate (30fps = 1/60s for example)
But, that is the theory.
In practice I only use them on important projects.
Because it will slow you down in your process and you have to fly back to get the best filter for the light settings per shot if they change.
I would first try to move slow (that is in general a good idea) and see if you have problems with stuttery frames.

Let me answer your question with another question.
"Is a extra battery a must have?"
Yes, and no. If you want to fly longer, you MUST have a extra battery.
If you want to have more options for photography, (and in some way, video), then yes, Filters is a MUST have.

Although the MP2 have lots of variable settings, I still more often than not, use filters for my photography. It gives me creative flexibility.
Yes, the MP2 can capture long exposures without filters, BUT, you are not fully in control of how much motion etc you want, as you would be limited to what f stop, shutter speed etc you get with only the vanilla drone.
With filters, you could either push your ss up, or down (different filters) and use the sharpest fstop available on the drone.
But honestly, If you only want to take images, some good, some not, and you don,t care about the shutter speed, the sharpness, the creative side of being completely in control of what you take, what you want your image to be, then NO, you do not need them. Some snapshots is good shots too.

Filters is for people that know how to use them, what they do, and how they can use them properly. For the rest, they are just a extra thing to prevent you from getting up in the air fast.

Montfrooij Posted at 4-8 00:32
For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed).
For videography it is a different story.
The theory is that you get the 'best' footage when you have a shutterspeed that is double the framerate (30fps = 1/60s for example)

Have to dis agree a bit with the photography and fast shutter speed statement.
In photography, I ONLY want a fast shutter speed when I want to freeze motion, for instance, a fast moving train etc.
But, to freeze motion also sometimes make it too sharp, and in some ways, it would just look like a still standing train in the shot. Some motion blur, especially in photography, could make a world of difference.
Again, it goes to the creative flexibility side of it.

Long exposure photography - yes
More control over the aperture and shutter speed when recording motion in video in bright conditions - yes
Definitely more of a convenience than an essential though.

May I suggest the simple answer in your case, because you wouldn't ask the question if you understood their purpose. That isn't a criticism, just a fact.
Forget them until you understand how to operate the drone well enough to fly to the scene, find the best angle, be creative as Charissa suggests and be practical as Montfrooij explained.
Fitting the filters will not improve the photo or video unless you actually understand photography and already take stunning shots.
Buy an extra battery if you have money to spend.

AlansDronePics Posted at 4-8 01:37
May I suggest the simple answer in your case, because you wouldn't ask the question if you understood their purpose. That isn't a criticism, just a fact.
Forget them until you understand how to operate the drone well enough to fly to the scene, find the best angle, be creative as Charissa suggests and be practical as Montfrooij explained.
Fitting the filters will not improve the photo or video unless you actually understand photography and already take stunning shots.

Great advice!

AlansDronePics Posted at 4-8 01:37
May I suggest the simple answer in your case, because you wouldn't ask the question if you understood their purpose. That isn't a criticism, just a fact.
Forget them until you understand how to operate the drone well enough to fly to the scene, find the best angle, be creative as Charissa suggests and be practical as Montfrooij explained.
Fitting the filters will not improve the photo or video unless you actually understand photography and already take stunning shots.

Well said. Have to second this.

That's lots of good advice above, even considering the various opinions.  And that's just it, whether you want filters or not (and what filters you require) will depend on what you plan to do with your drone.

On the whole I'd say having filters is better than not as you get to experiment and see how they influence the shot and can alter the camera settings for improved footage.  This is especially useful if you're planning on capturing live video.  However, as mentioned above, filters also have a number of uses for still photography too.  It's a complex and broad topic, and there's lots to learn.  There's plenty of youtube videos and forum articles on the subject.

So as has been mentioned above you could fly without filters until you've got to grips with your drone and have learnt how to capture scenes and images with some success.  But if you're serious about trying to get decent footage from your Mavic then I'd recommend purchasing some cheaper but decent filters (perhaps check online auction sites etc. for Upgraded SKYREAT filters which are fairly inexpensive and great quality) so that you can shoot with and without filters and quickly learn how ND (and ND Polarised) filters can improve your footage.

There's no substitute for hands on learning and it shouldn't take you long to get to grips with the basics of drone control and similtaneous image capture.  Buy some filters straight away and theoretically you can learn and progress more quickly.  If you're unsure what to buy, a set of ND4, ND8, ND16 would be a good start. ND32 can be useful for very bright days.  Polarised filters help remove glare and reflections (sunlight glare from bodies of water and glass etc), but they do require some experience to get the best from them.

Hello and good day FlyingV. Thank you for reaching out and for the inquiry. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro ND Filters are high-quality, light reducing ND filters reduce the amount of light coming into the sensor, giving you more control of the camera's aperture, exposure time, and sensor sensitivity settings. These filters offer you more freedom in controlling aperture and shutter, giving you more exposure choices for your photography. In addition I will be posting a link where in you can check the overview and the specifications of the said ND Filters. Thank you.

https://store.dji.com/product/ma ... t-v2&position=1

Montfrooij Posted at 4-8 00:32
For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed).
For videography it is a different story.
The theory is that you get the 'best' footage when you have a shutterspeed that is double the framerate (30fps = 1/60s for example)

"For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed)".

Sorry but I am going to have to disagree. Sometimes you want a fast shutter speed, sometimes you want a slow shutter speed...

El Diabolico Posted at 4-8 22:21
"For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed)".

Sorry but I am going to have to disagree. Sometimes you want a fast shutter speed, sometimes you want a slow shutter speed...

No problem. It is always good to have more opinions to a subject ,
Of course I use ND filters on my DSLR.
To get these nice smooth water surfaces.
I recently invested in a good grad ND, so I can work with 1 filter for more situations.


BUT for a drone, I seldom use ND filters for photography, since it is very hard to get sharp compositions with a longer shuttertime.
Unless there is little wind, I only get about 1 to 5 keepers that are 'just sharp enough'.

1st post and hi to all the good folks of the DJI forums, and now on to my question.
I really don't want to purchase a "whole" set of ND filters if I will only use one or two, so what are the most used or necsessary filters that I will need/use?

Thanks in advance,
Ray

Raybo Posted at 4-12 17:29
1st post and hi to all the good folks of the DJI forums, and now on to my question.
I really don't want to purchase a "whole" set of ND filters if I will only use one or two, so what are the most used or necsessary filters that I will need/use?

Unfortunately there's no answer to that... what time of the day are you going to be flying more often? Light changes through the day and so will change your ND filter needs.

If you are mainly flying during sunrise or sunset, you can get away with ND8 to ND16. If you wish to flight in normal daylight (specially in Spring / Summer) ND32 & ND64. In any case, get the CPL versions as they are more flexible.

Montfrooij Posted at 4-8 00:32
For photography they are usually counter productive (since you want a fast shutterspeed).
For videography it is a different story.
The theory is that you get the 'best' footage when you have a shutterspeed that is double the framerate (30fps = 1/60s for example)

I have to say I agree with you, and there necessity for still photography is limited or for specialized shooting, yes CP are important in photography, but having used them with drones they are an amazing pain for very little gain, you spend all your time looking for which direction the sun is coming from that you entirely miss your subject.

I believe circular polarizes for drones as useful for drones as pre peeled bananas in plastic wrappers are for humans .

hallmark007 Posted at 4-15 09:12
I have to say I agree with you, and there necessity for still photography is limited or for specialized shooting, yes CP are important in photography, but having used them with drones they are an amazing pain for very little gain, you spend all your time looking for which direction the sun is coming from that you entirely miss your subject.

I believe circular polarizes for drones as useful for drones as pre peeled bananas in plastic wrappers are for humans .

I could not agree with you more
The (b)analogy is perfect