Captured by DJI Spark 01/18/19 near Borrego Springs, CA
Wicked Badlands Panorama DJI Spark 01/18/19
- Thread starter Mr Geek
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Thanks! I finally got a set of Neutral Density Polarizing (ProPolar Vivid) filters for the Spark, huge difference in realized gradations (detail) and removing glare allows true color of terrain to pop. Same for video. This image was captured just before sundown and we had haze with high clouds so the Golden Hour really came through.
Hi GW, it was a test for streaming quality on YouTube of a portion of a video I am working flown over this same area. I will be posting soon.Looks like such a hospitable environment.
You posted a YT video the other day but it was removed before I got around to watching. Is it reposted?
McCloudSpark
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That is BAD!
Mind explaining a little more about how you used the filters. Been thinking about getting some but totally ignorant about them.
Mind explaining a little more about how you used the filters. Been thinking about getting some but totally ignorant about them.
Two main things become possible using the Spark with Neutral Density Polarizing filters:
One has to do with the Polarizing aspect that lets you eliminate the sun's glare on surfaces letting you see the true color of surfaces such as foliage and landscape terrain, really making things pop in both colors and detail. Polarizing filters also let you see into water, down into and beyond the surface since the sun/sky reflection is virtually removed, letting you see objects/wildlife under the surface.
The second thing is the Neutral Density filters which reduce the amount of light getting to the lens/camera allowing users to manually adjust exposure settings to obtain optimal Shutter Speeds in order to provide smooth video playback. ND filters come in different values (darkness) for more or less darkening for brighter or darker daylight conditions. The reason this is so important for videography is the relationship shutter speeds make to perceived motion when we view video, especially when video is taken from a moving object like our drone. The ideal ratio of Shutter Speed to Frames Per Second is 2:1 and ensuring you get this ratio is only possible by using Manual Settings in your DJI Go app, set before each flight/shoot. For example: Since the Spark shoots 1080p 30fps video you want to manually set your Spark's shutter speed to 60 by adjusting the ISO slider. You do this by installing the proper ND filter and adjusting exposure before taking flight, again using manual settings in the DJI Go 4 app. Here are a couple good articles that I found very helpful:
https://www.tomstechtime.com/nd
https://photography.tutsplus.com/articles/quick-tip-when-and-how-to-use-a-neutral-density-filter--photo-3661
McCloudSpark
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WOW! I've come to the well and had a very big drink. Very succinct. When I look online I see lots of Polar Pro filter sets. Can you provide some recommendations? Maybe a balance between $$ and function/requirement (what do you use?).
There have been some reported issues with filters being too heavy for the gimbal or hanging up on gimbal rotation. Again, any recommendations?
There have been some reported issues with filters being too heavy for the gimbal or hanging up on gimbal rotation. Again, any recommendations?
I did a bit of upfront research before making my decision and ended up getting the PolarPro Vivid set on Amazon for about $80. I saw cheaper filters but also saw some issues like you mentioned where they cause gimbal overload issues or fall off. These seem to be well designed, very lightweight and easy to install/remove and they even include a document telling you to contact them if you lose one and they will take care of you. So far I have been very happy.
McCloudSpark
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Sorry, learning here - what does /PL mean as in ND4/PL?
So you can rotate the polarizer? Why/when would you do that?
So you can rotate the polarizer? Why/when would you do that?
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PL = Polarizer version of the Neutral Density filter. The polarizing component is what blocks sun glare (polarized light) from surfaces. Keep in mind that using polarizing filters takes some getting used to since it changes with the direction the camera is pointing relative to the sun. For example when you spin the filter to set it before flight you will see the sky darken as the reflected sun glare is blocked BUT when flying and you change direction the filtering will drastically change/reduce. You may not like using polarizing on a drone since you will really need to plan each shot relative to the direction you will fly. Here's a good article about this: https://djiphotoacademy.com/polarizer-filter-drone-photography/
Light has direction based on where the sun is located relative to the target area the camera is pointed at and the sunlight being reflected back to you (aka The glare). It is the light bouncing off the surfaces of the land/water or objects back to your location/camera that the polarizer blocks. As you rotate the polarizing element you can see in the image how your scene is affected, you choose the look you want as you adjust/rotate it. Again, remember as you fly and change direction the filtering will change because you are filtering directional light.
Check out that article I linked from djiphotoacademy above, it should explain most of your questions and also help you decide if you want to use a polarizer on your drone.
You may opt to wait on including polarization on your filters. I think an ideal setup would be two sets of ND filters PL and non-PL.
The thing to keep in mind is the Neutral Density filter will let you obtain smoother video footage by manually setting shutter speed of 60 that matches the Spark's 30 fps capture rate and the polarizer will let you remove the sun glare giving your imagery much deeper colors and allow seeing into/under the surface of water. The downside of polarizing is it IS directional.
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McCloudSpark
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OK! Thanks for all of your help on this. Since I am a very casual/newbie photographer (so far) and getting a good shot is more luck than anything else, perhaps the non-PL version (Shutter Collection) is the best place to start. I assume that the polarized version can actually degrade the shop if not set up correctly?
I agree with your thinking. Polarizing filters for hand held cameras/still images are very useful and easy to use when you have the camera with you, where changing the filter setting is easy to do. With drones you set the filter with a shot in mind then take off and fly that shot or relative direction. For many flyers this directional limitation while flying to capture acceptable video is more hassle than they want, which is why I wanted to mention it to you. I think a nice set of ND (non-PL) filters to allow using manual settings to obtain shutter speeds for smooth video would be a great setup!
McCloudSpark
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Can you/do you also use Polar Pro Filters for shooting Spark photos? If so, what are some of the guidelines for camera settings?
You bet. If your exposure (0.0 normally) and shutter (60 for Spark's 30 fps mode) are all set for best video smoothness then your still photos should be in good shape as well, since still photos just need have EV of 0.0 (or some other value that you want them to have). The Spark doesn't have many settings to fiddle with. You have control over ISO and Shutter and the ND filters simply let you reduce the amount of light hitting the lens as needed to allow you to achieve EV of 0.0 with Shutter of 60 in different brightness conditions. Since you want to set/hold Shutter at 60 you then have only ISO to change to achieve EV of 0.0. That where the ND filters come in giving you varying amounts of light blocking/filtering so that using the ISO slider CAN achieve an EV of 0.0 with the Shutter set/held at 60. That's about all you need to worry about really. The reasons people use manual settings is to eliminate the fluctuation in video coloring as the Auto EV system changes settings as you fly around and to also be able to set and hold a Shutter setting of 60 for smooth looking video from the Spark. Otherwise in Auto EV mode the shutter constantly varies, making for unpleasant jerky appearance in some scenes and inconsistent coloring.
That said, there will be situations where Auto Exposure will be a better mode due to drastically changing lighting in areas you must fly through.
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edlarom
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Beautiful photo! I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs of the Spark before diving even further into being creative and utilizing the camera properly.
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