By Everse Insights About ND Filter
Let’s be honest—if you’ve ever tried filming with a drone, you’ve probably ended up with footage that looks either way too bright or strangely choppy. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the latest drone model or spend hours practicing smooth flying techniques. Without the right tools, it’s tough to get that cinematic, professional look. That’s where ND filters come in, and honestly, they’re a total lifesaver.
What Is an ND Filter?
Think of ND (Neutral Density) filters as sunglasses for your drone’s camera. Instead of changing the color or sharpness, they simply reduce the amount of light that enters the lens. That way, your camera doesn’t go into “overdrive” trying to avoid overexposure when the sun’s blasting.
Why You Actually Need One
Here’s a quick behind-the-scenes trick from the filmmaking world: To get that smooth motion blur in videos, your shutter speed should be about double your frame rate. So, if you’re filming at 24 frames per second, you want a shutter speed around 1/50th of a second.
But without an ND filter, your drone’s camera will crank the shutter speed up way higher in bright conditions—like 1/4000th of a second. The result? Video that looks jerky, unnatural, and frankly amateurish.
An ND filter fixes this by blocking some light, so your shutter slows down. Suddenly, your footage looks smooth, flowing, and just… way better.
The Real-Life Perks You’ll Actually Notice
Cinematic Motion Without the Hassle
Instead of stiff, robotic movements, your footage gets that beautiful, natural blur that makes videos look like they belong in a movie.
No More Guessing Exposure Settings
ND filters help you avoid underexposed or overexposed messes. Everything stays balanced, even when the lighting’s unpredictable.
Richer Colors, Less Blown-Out Sky
Say goodbye to washed-out colors or white skies that kill the vibe. ND filters help your shots pop, keeping colors vibrant and contrast sharp.
Adapt to Any Lighting Situation
Got an overcast morning? A bright afternoon? Sunset golden hour? Having a range of ND filters (like ND4, ND8, ND16) means you’re prepared for whatever lighting throws at you.
Which ND Filter Should we Use for drone
Here is the no-nonsense guide for ND filter to use
ND4 Best for cloudy or low light conditions where light is concentrated from cloud
ND8 Great when the sun is out but not blinding.
ND16 – Ideal for super bright, sunny days when you really need to block light.
Pro tip: Don’t cheap out. Good ND filters won’t mess with your image quality or color tones.
Thoughts
If you want your drone videos to go from normal to wow investing in ND filters is one of the smartest moves you can make. They’re small, affordable, and once you start using them, you’ll wonder how you ever flew without them.
At Everse Insights, we’re all about helping creators like you get the most out of your gear without the complicated jargon. So next time you head out for a flight, slap on an ND filter and watch your footage transform.
Happy flying, and even happier filming.
