Rob88 Posted at 2015-8-16 11:56
Just wondering . . . did you finally manage to remove the UV filter?

No luck yet, but I have managed a little damage to the lens. I covered the lens with tape and put a hose clamp around it. I held the camera with a bar clamp and tried to unscrew the lens with channel locks on the hose clamp. No movement at all until the hose clamp started slipping. I did however manage to chip at the edge of the lens itself this time. I don't think it is in the field of view. I still haven't taken it to Multicopter Warehouse for their help. I'm sure they carry the official DJI ND filter that would replace my stuck lens. If they say "forget-abou-dit", I'll probably order a slip-on ND lens cap. You guys are the lucky ones.

Quadifier Posted at 2015-8-16 13:01
I must have been lucky.   Mine came off with just the grip of my fingers.  It was a little snug...bu ...

I get your point about distorting the aluminum and I have tried to be mindful of that. I only escalated to tools after having no luck twisting by hand using a non skid cloth. I will next take it to the dealer before ordering a slip on ND filter. Thanks for your input.
Does anyone know how hard it is to remove the camera so I can put in a vice and do what's necessary?

Rob88 Posted at 2015-8-16 11:56
Just wondering . . . did you finally manage to remove the UV filter?

Well everyone, I finally have a conclusion to my story. Today I went to Multicopter Warehouse with my P3A and asked for their help. After listening to my story the tech said let's see your drone. he fiddled with it while we talked (using no tools - just his fingers). When I saw him unscrewing it I told him to stop messing with me, but he was actually doing it. He said the guy (Quadifier) was right that warned about squeezing and making the threads get even tighter. He found that trying to turn it from different spots on the lens seems to help. It worked.
So Why didn't it work for me. It was stuck pretty good and my squeezing only made it worse, and once I escalated to channel locks, the pressure required to keep the pliers from slipping on the metal was enough to seize the threads together.
One last thing. While I thank Phantom Filters for their help and overall advice in using ND filters, I found that the DJI ND lens filter is really the best option. The DJI ND filter is made like the original UV filter, thicker plastic preinstalled in a new OE cap. There is a big difference in price point, however. But to me it was clear I needed to buy one at the store after they fixed my problem. I did compare the installed aftermarket filter to the DJI and where the DJI was perfectly flat, the aftermarket did not lay completely flat behind the UV lens. That probably would not lead to a distortion, but flat is flat.
Thanks all for your help, and remember,
don't squeeze!

Rnfaust Posted at 2015-8-20 05:36
Well everyone, I finally have a conclusion to my story. Today I went to Multicopter Warehouse with ...

There are countless threads on this site about how to remove a stuck lens . . . All with varying views about how to apply more leverage.  Yours is a very useful discovery that should be shared with others.  I hope DJI takes note and mentions something in the instructions that go along with all the filters they are now selling (ND4/8/16).