Took my P3P out for a test with and without my DJI ND8 filter.
What a nice result.

Side by Side with and without ND8 filter

Looks great. I have one on the way.

I need to get one... Just don't know which one!! N4 N8 N?

joecwilson Posted at 2015-8-27 09:22
I need to get one... Just don't know which one!! N4 N8 N?

I had no idea either, that's why I ordered the ND8 I figured a 8 was in the middle range.
I like what I got. My video and stills pop and look 100% better. What an easy little upgrade.

EL SID Posted at 2015-8-27 02:27
I had no idea either, that's why I ordered the ND8 I figured a 8 was in the middle range.
I like w ...

What kind of shutter speed are you getting with the ND8 in bright sunlight? I too am considering which one to get

Oliver Posted at 2015-8-27 09:42
What kind of shutter speed are you getting with the ND8 in bright sunlight? I too am considering w ...

Took my white balance off auto and set to sunny. I did not check to see were my shutter speed was set to. I did adjust it to let more light in via the adjustment wheel on the remote.

EL SID Posted at 2015-8-27 03:02
Took my white balance off auto and set to sunny. Did not touch the shutter speed.

I was just wondering though, did you happen to notice what the shutter speed was automatically set to? Wondering as I am concerned about "jello" in my footage

joecwilson Posted at 2015-8-27 09:22
I need to get one... Just don't know which one!! N4 N8 N?

the general opinion is nd16 and nd8 are the most useful. i purchased a set of the cheap films with a 3d printed ring that snap on the front, to see which ones would be useful. in my case nd16 and nd8 as advised by others worked good.

Oliver Posted at 2015-8-27 10:05
I was just wondering though, did you happen to notice what the shutter speed was automatically set ...

the recommended setting for shutter speed when FILMING not still pictures is double the frame rate you are shooting. example:
if shooting 1080p@60fps then you would choose shutter speed of 120@100ISO and then lock it in.
take up the p3  afew feet in the air (i found out that the readings are different quite a bit when landed) and see what the over exposure readings say, if it says +3 then u would need the according nd filter to drop it by 3stops.

rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-27 03:13
the recommended setting for shutter speed when FILMING not still pictures is double the frame rate ...

Thanks rayrokni, good call on checking out the exposure up in the air as opposed to on the ground.

The link between EV/ND stops never occurred to me. Cheers for the tip

Oliver Posted at 2015-8-27 10:21
Thanks rayrokni, good call on checking out the exposure up in the air as opposed to on the ground. ...

u r welcome
as far as the cheap ones i mentioned, i purely got them for testing purposes. they are not high quality by any means and susceptible to getting creases if not handled delicately.
here in the us on a clear sunny day i have had to use up to 5 stop filter, i used a 3 and a 2 combined,.
i would think with the type of weather in uk (i did live in london for 20 years and didnt see much sun) an ND8 maybe sufficient.

rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-27 10:31
u r welcome
as far as the cheap ones i mentioned, i purely got them for testing purposes. they are ...

This is the video with the filter on.
50 sec video clip with filter

EL SID Posted at 2015-8-27 10:43
This is the video with the filter on.
50 sec video clip with filter

great, thank you

rayrokni Posted at 2015-8-27 03:31
u r welcome
as far as the cheap ones i mentioned, i purely got them for testing purposes. they are ...

Oh the film ones? I had something similar, I agree they're too easy to damage so these official DJI ones are great. I think as you said, ND8 should be OK.

You're spot on about our weather

EL SID Posted at 2015-8-27 03:43
This is the video with the filter on.
50 sec video clip with filter

Thanks very much for this, much appreciated

Oliver Posted at 2015-8-27 10:05
I was just wondering though, did you happen to notice what the shutter speed was automatically set ...

I will have to go back into the app and check for you.

Ray pretty much summed up the science behind the use of the correct filter.    To expand on it:
1) Take your phantom without a filter and raise it to a moderate height and hover
2) In your app, turn on the MANUAL exposure control buttons from the right hand video/snapshot menu
3) Place your ISO at 100
4) Place your shutter speed at 2x your frame rate (as Ray stated):
      4k @ 30fps   = shutter of 60
      1080P @ 60fps = shutter of 120
5) Take a look at the EV rating at the bottom in the same window as your ISO and shutter speed settings...this will tell you approx. how many
    stops you need:
            For example = if your EV says +1.7.........you need a 2-stop filter
                                  if your EV says +2.1........ you need a 2-stop filter
                                  if your EV says +3.2......... you need a 3-stop filter
                                 if your EV says +3.9.......  you need a 4-stop filter
                                 ....etc

Science behind filter number and stops:
The science uses a base of 2 and you multiply the number of stops to get the filter number....i.e.:
            ND2 = 1-stop
            ND4 = 2-stops  [i.e. 2*2 =4]
            ND8 = 3-stops  [i.e. 2*2*2 = 8)
            ND16 = 4 stops  [i.e. 2*2*2*2 = 16]
            ...etc

Neutral Density filter simple reduces the light hitting the tiny little sensor in the camera, nothing else.  (well if you have a poor quality filter it will add a color cast) Claiming the a ND filter in it self will cure "jello" is not exactly true, yes it can indirectly help reducing the effect as you need to adjust you'r shutter speed, and by lowering the shutter speed you reduce the risk of getting "jello".

For stills this does exactly nothing that you can't do your self, the shutter speed of the camera go high enough to give you a good exposure at Sunny f/16.

But of course switching from stills and film a ND filter will make it a lot easier for you.

I always use at least ND8. Huge difference. The glass one from DJI of course. Plastic ones I tried are all crap

I use the polar pro ND filters. Decent quality, easy to change. I find myself using the ND16 or the ND8 on most days. Of course this is only when shooting video

For photo's you don't need the ND filter. Your example on the right side is clearly over exposed. You can prevent that by choosing the correct shutter time. For video ND filters are practical however because the camera lacks aperture.

Swedrone Posted at 2015-8-27 21:44
I always use at least ND8. Huge difference. The glass one from DJI of course. Plastic ones I thried  ...

Do you mind telling us which plastic ones you tried? Thanks.

Paniza Posted at 2015-8-27 19:04
Do you mind telling us which plastic ones you tried? Thanks.

No I rather not, but i can tell you it was those thin plastic films you slip in behind the screwed on lens. The tend to bulge and make contact with the glass and bend and scratch very easy. Extremely difficult to keep dust free and change in the field, and gives some really strange visual artefacts in your movies/pictures. By real glass ones as you would have done for your DSLR camera!

Swedrone Posted at 2015-8-28 04:56
No I rather not, but i can tell you it was those thin plastic films you slip in behind the screwed ...

l agree with this.
l use the glass polarizer and insert the flimsy plastic ND filters into it.

The phantomfilters l got were ND2, 4, 6, and 16. l use the 8 most of the time. The 2 and 4 came blemished and are unusable.

CapitAn Posted at 2015-8-28 11:39
l agree with this.
l use the glass polarizer and insert the flimsy plastic ND filters into it.

Yeah my plastic ND8 had a sharp bend in it. I trashed them anyway.

Swedrone Posted at 2015-8-28 04:56
No I rather not, but i can tell you it was those thin plastic films you slip in behind the screwed ...

Thanks for the details and that is what I wanted to confirm.

I do my own ND filters from sheet and what you described is pretty much what happens to me as well.

The biggest pain for me is to change in the field.

I have now created a way to change fast using a tooth pick but, still a pain and very dangerous to get dirty.

On the other hand, glass is super overpriced. After DJI started selling, they became even more over priced.

Paniza Posted at 2015-8-28 15:21
Thanks for the details and that is what I wanted to confirm.

I do my own ND filters from sheet an ...

I come from the world of photography where a good filter is around 150 dollars. Had 7 of thoose. 29 euro is a bargain from DJI and they are exceptionally good too.

ND FILTERS ARE A MUST, BUT SO IS APPERTURE SETTING. AS A MOVIE MAKER YOU ALWAYS SHOOT WITH 24 frames at a constant shutter of twice the frame rate i.e. 48, but 1/50 is ok too..
To my greeat suprise you cannot set apperture in this camera. THAT IS SO ANNOYING AND IMO so STUPID, I DONT HAVE ANOTHER WORD FOR IT.

Probably leaving out apperture setting made the camera a 100 bucks cheaper! I gues. Another reason I cannot find. Will it ever be possible to set apperture? If the camera doesnt have an apperture, than we can forget it. So STUPID, FORGIVE ME ,

good little video that helps you how to select settings, ignore his sales pitch but handy to see how
i use a ND4 and a ND8

me@kevinnicolso Posted at 2015-8-28 14:53
https://youtu.be/0TbDhJvIUvA

good little video that helps you how to select settings, ignore his sa ...

That is what similar with I do myself.

Not the greatest to keep it clean and to change in the field.

jkgoos@sr.net Posted at 2015-8-28 14:47
ND FILTERS ARE A MUST, BUT SO IS APPERTURE SETTING. AS A MOVIE MAKER YOU ALWAYS SHOOT WITH 24 frames ...

Hi jkgoos,

The issue here is not the necessity but the type... plastic or glass.


Thanks.

jkgoos@sr.net Posted at 2015-8-28 20:47
ND FILTERS ARE A MUST, BUT SO IS APPERTURE SETTING. AS A MOVIE MAKER YOU ALWAYS SHOOT WITH 24 frames ...

A camera with variable aperture will be much heavier and more expensive. That is also true for zoom. I guess that is why the camera is what it is, to also be able to shoot In low light and at night.

me@kevinnicolso Posted at 2015-8-28 11:53
https://youtu.be/0TbDhJvIUvA

good little video that helps you how to select settings, ignore his sa ...

I noticed that he is getting his fingers all over the filters.  Are fingerprints an issue?  Would it be better to wear cotton gloves (like the ones for handling coins)?

i dont have the filters in the video, i have the official screw on metal/glass ones  ND4 ND8
i just posted the video from you tube as its handy to help others how to tell what filter to put on

jkgoos@sr.net Posted at 2015-8-28 20:47
ND FILTERS ARE A MUST, BUT SO IS APPERTURE SETTING. AS A MOVIE MAKER YOU ALWAYS SHOOT WITH 24 frames ...

How could it be a surprise to you ? Didn't you read the spec's ? If you'r a moviemaker the camera would be  the main concern when getting  the P3 would it not ?

How many other cameras of this size  (with tiny lenses and sensors) have variable aperture ?

Using a ND filter is by no means foreign to a filmmaker or photographer, its a simple and most used way to reduce output of light or light hitting the sensor.

So in my opinon it's not at all stupid, they made a fairly fast fixed lens that is by no means less then competition in terms of spec and performance.

Adding variable aperture just for the sake of exposure (as creative reasons is of course a moot point with that focal length and sensor size) would add A LOT bulk and cost and I'm quite sure most user would not be willing to pay for it.  

me@kevinnicolso Posted at 2015-8-28 11:53
https://youtu.be/0TbDhJvIUvA

good little video that helps you how to select settings, ignore his sa ...

Thanks for the video explaining.

joecwilson Posted at 2015-8-26 21:22
I need to get one... Just don't know which one!! N4 N8 N?

Make sure you can unscrew the UV filter that comes with the Phantom 3 first.
Mine can't be unscrewed.

Bat

capbat Posted at 2015-8-30 14:29
Make sure you can unscrew the UV filter that comes with the Phantom 3 first.
Mine can't be unscre ...

I unscrewed mine with a vise grip and plan on replacing it as the glass will shatter.  

Willie Wonka Posted at 2015-8-30 15:01
I unscrewed mine with a vise grip and plan on replacing it as the glass will shatter....

@Willie Wonka
Did the glass of the filter cracked? Did you succeed in getting off with the vise grip?
My situation is that I tried with some pliers and it did cracked the filter at the edge, now I am afraid of trying to force it more. I don't mind paying for a replacement but I am not sure how to get it off. I would susrely like to have those polarpro filter on the cam.
Any suggestion.

Thanks.