ND Filters

Like many of you, when I was first getting into the drone scene I would frequently see “ND filters” used in conversation. It didn't take long for me to notice a trend and it was clear that I needed to educate myself on these filters. So, what are they? Neutral density (ND) filters are used in a variety of settings, but they essentially limit the amount of light that passes through the lens. Here are some common uses of ND filters in photography and videography:

• On bright sunny days
• Add motion blur to objects (such as a waterfall)
• Achieve long-exposure shots
• When using a wider aperture
• Getting more cinematic footage

It's important to note that unlike polarized filters, the colors are not changed with ND filters. It's going to take some experimenting with shutter speeds, aperture, and ISO values to get your desired effect. I bought a set of PolarPro ND filters for my Phantom 4 Advanced and love the quality of their products. I am by no means a professional photographer and am still learning, but I have been able to get some great stills and footage with my ND filters. Here are my recommended top picks for each DJI drone.

Phantom 4 Pro V2.0/Pro/Advanced

• PolarPro Shutter Collection – Cinema Series Filter 3-Pack (ND8, ND16, ND32) (click to check current Amazon price)

Mavic Pro/Pro Platinum

• PolarPro Shutter Collection Filter 3-Pack (ND8, ND16, ND32) (click to check current Amazon price)

Mavic Air

• PolarPro Shutter Collection Filter 3-Pack (ND4, ND8, ND16) (click to check current Amazon price)

Spark

• PolarPro Shutter Collection 3-pack (ND4, ND8, ND16) (click to check current Amazon price)

Inspire 1

• PolarPro Filter 3-Pack (CP, ND8, ND16) (click to check current Amazon price)

Inspire 2

• PolarPro Filter 6-Pack (click to check current Amazon price)

Phantom 4/3 Pro/3 Advanced/4k

• PolarPro DJI Phantom 4 / Phantom 3 Filter 3-Pack (click to check current Amazon price)

Long Exposure Waterfall