While you purchase a set of ND filters on your motion digicam or FPV digicam, you’ll usually discover it comes with extra UV and CPL filters. For those who’re questioning what these filters do, and whether or not you actually need them, you’ve come to the fitting place. On this put up, we’ll break down what every kind of filter is for, when to make use of them, and the way they might help you get better-looking FPV footage.
UV Filter
UV (Ultraviolet) filters have been initially utilized in movie images to dam ultraviolet mild that might trigger haze and cut back picture readability. Within the digital age, digicam sensors aren’t as delicate to UV mild, so UV filters not serve a powerful optical objective.
For FPV cameras and motion digicam, UV filters largely simply act as a protector on your digicam lens, particularly when flying particles or crashes are widespread. It’s additionally simpler to interchange or clear a UV filter than your precise lens. They appear clear and doesn’t influence video high quality a lot. If you end up not utilizing an ND filter, you may simply go away the UV filter on as safety.
CPL Filter
CPL (Round Polarizing Filter) helps cut back reflections and glare from any shiny surfaces like water, glass, snow, or automotive our bodies. It additionally enhances colour distinction, making skies look bluer and foliage richer. They’re nice for outside capturing on sunny days while you wish to get rid of glare from surfaces or punch up the colours in your scene.
CPL filters use polarization to selectively block sure mild waves. Some costlier filters even means that you can rotate and discover the angle the place reflections are decreased probably the most.
Nevertheless, CPL filters will not be generally used for FPV flying since FPV cameras solely enable one filter to be put in, and ND filter is normally extra essential. However once more, like UV filters, chances are you’ll use CPL filter as lens protector if an ND filter isn’t wanted.
ND Filters
ND (Impartial Density) filters are like sun shades on your digicam. They cut back the quantity of sunshine coming into the lens with out altering colour steadiness. ND filters are essential for movement blur and controlling publicity in vivid situations. In vivid daylight, your digicam might default to a quick shutter velocity, leading to footage that appears too sharp or jittery. ND filters decelerate the shutter velocity, creating pure movement blur—important for easy, cinematic footage.
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Closing Ideas
Whereas all three filter sorts have their makes use of, ND filters are probably the most important for FPV and motion digicam filming. UV filters are nice for lens safety, and CPLs can work wonders in particular cinematic eventualities however are finest fitted to static or slow-moving pictures.
When shopping for a filter set on your DJI O3/O4 or motion cam, getting a equipment that features ND4 to ND32, a UV, and a CPL provides you the flexibleness to deal with nearly any lighting situation.
