Recommendations on filters

gfredrone · Feb 10, 2014

Let's move the discussion here.

I'm in the camp that all you need for the P2V's camera is a CPL. Anything more is a waste due to the quality of the FC200's camera sensor. For super bright scenes you can go negative on the stop and bring the detail back in a photo editing program.

I always thought ND's were for slow shutter and trying to capture motion. Don't see that happening with the FC200's setup.

Any pro photo bugs agree or disagree with any of this?

I have one of these on the way.

http://www.amazon.com/Tiffen-46CP-46mm- ... +mm+filter

FSJ Guy · Feb 10, 2014

A regular (linear) polarizer would probably be fine. Circular polarizers are only needed for autofocus systems that need to see unpolarized light.

The FC 200 has a fixed focus lens. No fancy autofocus happening here.

A ND filter apparently helps reduce/eliminate "jello" in videos by allowing the camera to shoot at (relatively) slower shutter speeds.

You can set your polarizer by simply looking through it and rotating it. Mark it and keep that same orientation after you've installed it on your camera. Set it and forget it. Polarization only changes due to the filter's rotation. Pointing the lens one direction or another will not change anything. Of course, the EFFECT that you see varies with respect to the location of the sun. But that's an entirely different topic. Google is your friend for that.

You could try a 4 or 6 point star filter, but USE IT SPARINGLY!!! Although I've never seen one in 46 or 37mm sizes, I'm sure someone has them.

gfredrone · Feb 10, 2014

Good info. Didn't know about the reduced jello attribute of the ND's. Also didn't know about the autofocus thing with circular vs linear.

ResevorDG · Feb 10, 2014

NDs have also been known to help saturate colors. But in the world of digital I am not sure that is a big deal.

The FC200 camera does not have an internal IR filter. This being the case, it would stand to reason that it also does not have an internal UV filter. If that is the case a UV haze or even a UV/IR Cut filter could be really good.

Since it does not have an IR filter on the chip an Infrared RM72 could be fun to play with. This will block out visible light and let in near field IR to expose the sensor.

If you are shooting and the sun is above and in front of the lens, you will get shadows of the rotor blades on the lens. So a lens hood could also be good.

gfredrone · Feb 11, 2014

Let us know how your IR experiments come out if you grab a filter.

ResevorDG · Feb 11, 2014

gfredrone said:
Let us know how your IR experiments come out if you grab a filter.

The filter is in the mail.
Here is a longer discussion that made me try IR. I didn't think it would work at first but after this thread I decided to give it a go.

http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8004

ResevorDG · Feb 13, 2014

I have this coming the mail. I will let you know if it works to help stop the shadows of the props on the lens when shooting with sun above and in front of you.
http://amzn.com/B005GAB7J2

ResevorDG · Feb 13, 2014

Here are the results of the 720nm IR filter test.
It does work and could be fun, but the quality is very low.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8004&start=20

ResevorDG · Feb 17, 2014

Part 27 Phantom 2 Vision: Lens Filter Mounting Kit

For anyone who is looking, I just got an email from these people---
http://1uas.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1210

They sent me an email and it says they have 28 in stock.

I already got one from someone in the UK.

wat17 · Feb 18, 2014

ResevorDG said:
Part 27 Phantom 2 Vision: Lens Filter Mounting Kit

For anyone who is looking, I just got an email from these people---
http://1uas.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1210

They sent me an email and it says they have 28 in stock.

I already got one from someone in the UK.

$15 but $45 postage to Australia.

sounds a lot for only 0.3lbs.

ResevorDG · Feb 18, 2014

tomwato said:
ResevorDG said:

Part 27 Phantom 2 Vision: Lens Filter Mounting Kit

For anyone who is looking, I just got an email from these people---
http://1uas.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1210

They sent me an email and it says they have 28 in stock.

I already got one from someone in the UK.

Click to expand...

$15 but $45 postage to Australia. sounds a lot for only 0.3lbs.