Here’s a video that covers everything you need to know about ND filters: ND Filters Explained
There are tons of videos showing how ND filters work. It’s easier to understand when you can see the results. Basically, ND filters help create a more natural motion blur, especially for things like fast action or panning shots. Without them, video can look overly sharp and unnatural.
If you want nice cinematic footage, just double your frame rate for your shutter speed. For example, if you’re shooting at 30fps, set your shutter speed to 1/60. Use an ND filter to help control the light so your footage isn’t overexposed. Otherwise, on a bright day, you’d be stuck shooting at something like 1/500, which would ruin the cinematic look.
If you have to ask about ND filters, they might not be worth it for you. Changing filters every time the lighting changes is a hassle, and sometimes it’s different in the air than on the ground. Plus, the extra glass can add reflections. There’s also a dirty hack where you can just use an ND64 or ND128 all the time and adjust ISO in low light, but that can lead to grainy footage.
@Avery
I don’t agree with using high ISO as a solution. It’s better to change your ND filter and keep the ISO low.
Vail said:
@Avery
I don’t agree with using high ISO as a solution. It’s better to change your ND filter and keep the ISO low.
I get that it’s a hack, but sometimes I’d rather boost ISO than land and switch filters. It depends on the situation. Also, different cameras handle ND filters differently. My Mini 4 Pro needs ND64 on a sunny day, while my DSLR is fine with ND16.
@Avery
Sounds like laziness to me.
Skylar said:
@Avery
Sounds like laziness to me.
Guilty as charged! But being lazy means finding efficient solutions 
Skylar said:
@Avery
Sounds like laziness to me.
Guilty as charged! But being lazy means finding efficient solutions
Efficient? Sounds more like cutting corners. Just change the ND filters when needed.
@Skylar
Sure, but not every situation calls for swapping filters mid-flight. Sometimes it’s easier to make small adjustments.
If you don’t use an ND filter on a bright day, parts of your video could be blown out (too bright). The overexposure warning in the DJI Fly app (those zebra stripes) can help you see where the video is too bright. The goal is to reduce those bright areas without making the image too dark.
@Peyton
Does the overexposure warning help you choose the right ND filter?
Morgan said:
@Peyton
Does the overexposure warning help you choose the right ND filter?
Yes, it helps a lot! Just put on a filter and see how much of the image still has zebra stripes. The fewer stripes, the better, but you don’t want the image to be too dark either. It’s all about finding that balance.
@Peyton
FYI, I never completely eliminate the overexposed areas. There’s always a few on my Air 2S.