Hey everyone, I’ve got a DJI Mini 4 Pro and my buddy asked if I can shoot his DJ event. Only thing is, there will be lasers around. I tried Googling but couldn’t find a clear answer. Would using ND filters help stop laser burns on the camera? Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!
Nope, do not fly around lasers. It’s not worth it.
An ND strong enough to stop laser damage would make the rest of your footage pitch black. So yeah, that’s a no from me.
SkySeeker said:
An ND strong enough to stop laser damage would make the rest of your footage pitch black. So yeah, that’s a no from me.
Yeah, and even if you tried cranking up the ISO, the Mini 4 isn’t great in low light. The footage will end up looking like trash.
You’d need a filter that blocks the exact laser wavelength. ND filters won’t help with that, and I don’t think anyone makes laser-specific filters for drones. If your friend isn’t covering repair costs or the pay isn’t worth the risk, I’d pass on this one.
Are you talking about laser stuff like this?
Or more like this?
@Lyle
You’re probably fine then.
If you’re okay with possibly paying for repairs, go for it. But if that makes you nervous, maybe skip it.
Lasers usually won’t hurt it unless they’re aimed straight at the lens for more than like 1.2 seconds.
Up to you if you wanna risk an $800 drone…
You could try using glass from something like LaserShades that’s actually rated for lasers, but the footage would look weird, and you probably won’t even see the lasers.
The only safe-ish way to do this is if you’re in constant touch with the lighting techs and they promise no lasers during your flight. Or your friend agrees in writing to replace your drone if it gets damaged.
Honestly, the bigger concern here is flying over a crowd. If you’re not 100% sure about the legal and safety side of that, maybe skip this one.