Filter issue - wash out

[conway400]

Please help me understand what setting I missed or mis-understood. I am not a professional photographer and don't need fine tuning advice yet - just playing with the high-level things I have learned so far to get better video. So, taking several bits of advice from here and youtube - I did this:

set to manual
ISO to 100
video to 2K and 24fps
shutter set to 50
white balance set to auto

Issue: I put on an ND4 filter (because I thought my camera readings said +2 stops and it was mid-day, light overcast). But my recorded video and phone video where completed washed out - most white. Could make out trees, but river and sky white. What happened? Took filter off and set back to Auto and it was good again.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Richard R]

Probably too little filter. Try this, with no filter and the camera in auto, set the ev to 0 and record the shutter speed. then figure out how much filtering you need to bring the shutter down to your target value (such as 1/50). So, if the shutter is at, say 250, then an ND4 (2 stops) would bring the shutter down to around 1/60 (each stop gives you 1/2 the exposure). If the shutter is around 1/1000, you would need an ND16 filter to get the shutter speed down to your target. I have an old handheld meter that my wife gave me almost 50 years ago that i use to gauge the scene and then pick a filter. Keep a record in my log book too of meter settings, filters used and how i like the results.

 

[conway400]

Thank you. That makes sense. I did not think to try a stronger filter. I was assuming since it was so washed out, that I had messed up another setting. Also, if currently I only have up to an ND8, what other value I have above might I adjust to use it in this situation?

 

[G-CCAS]

Thank you. That makes sense. I did not think to try a stronger filter. I was assuming since it was so washed out, that I had messed up another setting. Also, if currently I only have up to an ND8, what other value I have above might I adjust to use it in this situation?

You can stack the filters, so using a ND4 and a ND8 would give you an ND32 (you just times the numbers together), which will reduce light by 5 stops, which is usually enough for brightish daylight.

 

[mahseve]

You can stack the filters, so using a ND4 and a ND8 would give you an ND32 (you just times the numbers together), which will reduce light by 5 stops, which is usually enough for brightish daylight.

I'm using Newee filters at the moment (on a Standard), however, I wouldn't like to use more than the holder and one filter at a time, not sure the gimbal motors would like it.

 

[G-CCAS]

I've got the same filter kit and I've done it. It was fine. I wouldn't personally want to do more than 2 though

 

[mahseve]

The other aspect to consider, when stacking, is unless the filters are of high quality, picture quality will be degraded in several ways.

 

[Dazzauk]

How do,you stack the newer filters? Presuming there the same as mine?

The slide on holder which then allows the lens filters to screw on.

 

[G-CCAS]

How do,you stack the newer filters? Presuming there the same as mine?

The slide on holder which then allows the lens filters to screw on.

Each filter has a screw daz so you can screw filters on top of filters

 

[Dazzauk]

Each filter has a screw daz so you can screw filters on top of filters

Oh didn't know that. Thanks

 

[conway400]

Mine just slip on - don;t think I can stack the kind I got.

Since this washed out so bad for ND4, am I to assume that it would only be a good filter when very little sunlight? I was surprised since I did have clouds. I will try again with a higher filter and with a faster shutter speed.

 

[mahseve]

Mine just slip on - don;t think I can stack the kind I got.

Since this washed out so bad for ND4, am I to assume that it would only be a good filter when very little sunlight? I was surprised since I did have clouds. I will try again with a higher filter and with a faster shutter speed.

What make filters are you using?

 

[conway400]

Amazon.com: 3 Piece Filter Kit (PL-ND4-ND8) for DJI Phantom 3 4K, DJI Phantom 3 Standard, DJI Phantom 3 Advanced, DJI Phantom 3 Pro, Phantom 4 Quad-copters: Camera & Photo

 

[mahseve]

Sorry Conway but these are in known to me. The fact that there is no makers name would concern me slightly. It's possible these particular filters may not stack, which in the photographc world is somewhat unusual.
I think RichardR has given good advise above. Don't be afraid to experiment, other than pointing and firing the camera directly at the sun you can't hurt it.
Don't make the common error of mistaking the light intensity, on a bright cloudy day, to be always less than on some clear days. It may not be so.

Having a less fixed at 2.8 is always problematic.

 

[conway400]

Thank you! I look forward to trying more. Being new to this and only having one battery, I don't get many tries before out of juice. And waiting on warmer and less windy days.

 

[mahseve]

" ...waiting on warmer and less windy days."
I think we all are my friend.
However, you don't have to be flying to experiment with the camera. You can carry it outside, without props etc; and play with just the camera at ground level.

 

[conway400]

Good idea. Have you found that ground level setting translate well to settings above the trees?

 

[mahseve]

Not always directly, but it would be pretty close, give you a good idea of things.
If you wish to be more exact, go up a building or something tall and photo from there.