Hi everyone,

I’d like to hear some of your opinion and experiences on using ND filters on the Mavic 2.

Is the footage really that much better with less light and slower shutter speeds on the mavic?

It seems counterintuitive to want to allow less light to hit the sensor of the camera.

Please let me know your thoughts!

It's a complex issue ... See, the main idea is to introduce a motion blur to your footage, creating more film like, smooth movement of the ground below. This unwanted, jittery feel of high shutter speed is typical for GoPro style action cameras, where each and every frame will be razor sharp indeed. ND filtering is less relevant in high attitude landscape filming, where the ground is moving slow. Low flight, high paced scenes will benefit from ND filtering, trying to maintain the rule of double frame rate shutter speed (i.e. 30 f/s = 1/60 sec shutter). Naturally for given ISO and filter density you'll have to adjust aperture accordingly.

That said, every ND filter will introduce some sort of coloration to image, which may or may not be desired. Other words, there's no such thing like neutral Neutral Density filter. Confused? I was confused as well until I discovered this truth. This introduced, usually subtle false coloration is correctable during post production in any decent video editor software, but only to a degree since you're dealing with H.264 compression video format, not RAW.

Bottom line, use ND filters of good quality for video to achieve this enigmatic motion smoothness. Polar Pro brand is reputable enough. For still photography you'll gain nothing.

To control motion blur while recording video in bright sunlight and for taking long exposure photography ND filters will provide you with more options. If your drone is flying at 400' AGL at 20MPH over a farmers field then one needs to question the relevance of controlling motion blur when there basically is no motion to control in that type of footage. However, bring the drone down from altitude, record moving subjects and you will see a noticeable difference with the shutter speed brought down in line with the 180 rule.

Matthew Dobrski Posted at 8-13 20:52
It's a complex issue ... See, the main idea is to introduce a motion blur to your footage, creating more film like, smooth movement of the ground below. This unwanted, jittery feel of high shutter speed is typical for GoPro style action cameras, where each and every frame will be razor sharp indeed. ND filtering is less relevant in high attitude landscape filming, where the ground is moving slow. Low flight, high paced scenes will benefit from ND filtering, trying to maintain the rule of double frame rate shutter speed (i.e. 30 f/s = 1/60 sec shutter). Naturally for given ISO and filter density you'll have to adjust aperture accordingly.

That said, every ND filter will introduce some sort of coloration to image, which may or may not be desired. Other words, there's no such thing like neutral Neutral Density filter. Confused? I was confused as well until I discovered this truth. This introduced, usually subtle false coloration is correctable during post production in any decent video editor software, but only to a degree since you're dealing with H.264 compression video format, not RAW.

+1 for Polar Pro filters,  the quality is very good.

Hi, thank you for bringing this query for us. Hope that you could get the best recommendation from our valued DJI co-pilots here in Forum. Please don't hesitate to reach us if you have any inquiries or concern. Thank you!

I'm beginning to recon the school of thought with ND Filters being worthwhile now that I acquired a Mavic 2 Zoom. This drone has an excellent camera as do both the Mavic 2s but I think this particular iteration that DJI introduced was intended to be used with ND Filters (I'm coming from a Mavic Pro). The Mavic Pro has several video modes to shoot in so it's not fixed to just Normal or D-Cinelike whee both modes it appears to me after reviewing the video that the Zoom could only benefit from a filter to introduce motion blur and other enhancements to the image?

use ND 8,16,32 and a star filter

Zubayer.Khan Posted at 8-15 08:25
use ND 8,16,32 and a star filter

What do you use a star filter for?

DAFlys Posted at 8-16 05:52
What do you use a star filter for?

you can choice a brand like polar pro ....... the filter name itself " star filter" its batter for night flying.