GoPro ND filters

[Meifesto]

As i keep having troubles with overexposure, even after changing practically every setting possible...
I am thinking off going the road of GoPro ND Filters.

Ofcourse it is important to understand which ND Filter needs to be used at which moment, but that isn't the most difficult part.
Does anyone here uses ND Filters on their GoPro's?
Of have used?

At this moment I'm looking at this ND filter set .
But i'm open to suggestions.

Anything to help improve the quality, so that when it actually works, I can also use the footage

 

[HippoDrone]

I've used ND filters briefly in the past, but mainly to try and hide my speedo from the camera (which sort of worked). They do make some things look great like water, but you also get a bit of colour distortion in the corners. I've not tried the set you linked to though.

 

[Theodor]

As they are meant for gopro, you probably will not ruin the overall quality of the image, just make it darker.
Some ND filters have polarization, and that does not work well with wide angles, as it will cause vignetting.

 

[Meifesto]

Yeah, i did understand the superwide view might be suffering a bit of vignetting.
So you might end up going 1 down the scale, which is still quite wide to be honest.

But to fix overexposure, going darker is a good thing

 

[Dewey316]

If your over exposure is because of how the camera is metering the scene, and not hitting the shutter speed limit, a ND won't help, the camera will just open the shutter longer to compensate to get the scene exposed the same.

When you say over exposure, what do you mean? The full frame over exposed or blown out bright spots?

I think the ev comp is really the only setting that will effect this, and I really doubt you are at a point the GP can't physically make the shutter speed any shorter.

 

[Skipshift]

I use Skyreat ND filters on the Hero 10 and haven't noticed any vignette to speak of. Normally an ND8 filter if it's a super bright day.
If the image is blown out too bright I'd maybe adjust the EV comp or ISO though. I run EV at -0.5 with ISO min 100 / Max 800 and it keeps everything pretty clean on video with or without ND filters.

 

[Meifesto]

If your over exposure is because of how the camera is metering the scene, and not hitting the shutter speed limit, a ND won't help, the camera will just open the shutter longer to compensate to get the scene exposed the same.

When you say over exposure, what do you mean? The full frame over exposed or blown out bright spots?

I think the ev comp is really the only setting that will effect this, and I really doubt you are at a point the GP can't physically make the shutter speed any shorter.

Everything is overblown. The sky is white, the distance is white etc etc.
Upping the shutterspeed from 120 to max did improve it quite a bit, but still some overexposure from the sky etc.

If the image is blown out too bright I'd maybe adjust the EV comp or ISO though. I run EV at -0.5 with ISO min 100 / Max 800 and it keeps everything pretty clean on video with or without ND filters.

Iso is in the exact same setting.
EV I think aswell, but i will have to check that out.

 

[HippoDrone]

@Meifesto I'd try turning everything on your camera back to auto/factory reset, if that fixes it, then it is your settings that are the issue, if it doesn't, then the camera has a fault. If it fixes it, then you can try just adjusting one setting only in manual until you get the look you want from the setting, then change another, until it is as you want it. Personally, I find, (especially with the Hero 10) that it is far far better at working out the settings than I am, so I'm an auto all the way kind of guy!

With the Hero 10, it crops the footage so much to enable the stabilisation room to work, I imagine that any vignetting would be mostly cropped out.

 

[Guest]

Meifesto I left you a comment on your video that you're talking about yesterday since i never noticed this thread, I'll repeat it here:

I just keep my settings on auto.

Also, since I don't know if Meify's allowed to post his own link or screen shot for illustration, I will

From his last video:

 

[Skipshift]

Another thing I'd be interested in is what your white balance is set at Meifesto. The sky and sidewalk, basically everything the sun is reflecting on is super blown out. Nd filters may help that some, but I think it's a little extreme to get a lot of correction from them.

 

[Meifesto]

Another thing I'd be interested in is what your white balance is set at Meifesto. The sky and sidewalk, basically everything the sun is reflecting on is super blown out. Nd filters may help that some, but I think it's a little extreme to get a lot of correction from them.

4K, 30fps
Wide
Shutter; was 240 (changed to auto to test).
EV Comp; -0.5 (was 0.0 so changed now to test)
White Balance: Auto
Iso Min: 100
Iso Max: 800
Sharpnes: Medium
Color: GoPro

 

[Theodor]

Have you tried HDR?
The bike seems to be normally exposed, maybe that is throwing the camera off somehow? What kind of metering setting ?

 

[Dewey316]

Shutter set will cause your problem. Test with it on auto. As you have noted in your last post. I think you will see a big change. If you are set on manually setting shutter, you need to set it when you start recording. In bright sun, you could need a very fast shutter. But you can only find the right shutter, shot to shot. I think auto shutter will solve your problem.

 

[Meifesto]

Recorded Saturday with most settings back to auto.
Kept these the same;
EV Comp; -0.5
Iso Min: 100
Iso Max: 800
Sharpnes: Medium

And it seemed a whole lot better.
(Newest video on the channel).

So, with auto shutter en white balance etc he seems to keep it nice and watchable.
If I ever intend to limit the shutterspeed, I will have to invest in ND filters, but i can move that to later this year now.
Helps to spread the financial costs a bit
(still need to fix mirror, windscreen and rear light)

 

[Skipshift]

That looked Much better!
Glad those adjustments are helping and you're getting usable video now

 

[Guest]

A lot better.

The dark colors are now very dark though... but the light colors are much better. Why don't you try going FULL automatic and see?

I've never used anything but GoPro's auto settings when riding. I am noob but if my video looks good I don't mind! Sometimes less is more

 

[Meifesto]

So, the video in this thread;

General - Better weather, so more riding means Audio trails

Not really the main reason for this video... But it did became the start of a longer term project to improve audio, without buying a H2. I might still end up buying it, but want to play around a bit in the start. Video is self-explanatory of why I want to improve the audio, for future content ;)

motovlog.com

is considerable better.
As in low standing sun, directed into the camera, with almost no overexposure.

Yes, it has some area's that are to dark....
But that helps with hiding the speedo apparently

 

[AndyManCam]

So, the video in this thread;

General - Better weather, so more riding means Audio trails

Not really the main reason for this video... But it did became the start of a longer term project to improve audio, without buying a H2. I might still end up buying it, but want to play around a bit in the start. Video is self-explanatory of why I want to improve the audio, for future content ;)

motovlog.com

is considerable better.
As in low standing sun, directed into the camera, with almost no overexposure.

Yes, it has some area's that are to dark....
But that helps with hiding the speedo apparently

I’m a bit late to the discussion here, but I tend to leave pretty much all exposure Settings on Auto except for the ISO max. Which i smash down as low as possible. On a sunny day, 100. On an overcast day 200 and when it’s grotty, maybe 400 if i can get away with it.

Messing with the Shutter speed is a fools errand because as soon as that’s fixed, the camera will monkey about with the ISO to keep your exposure good. Which means lots of noise and loss of sharpness as soon as it gets a tiny bit dark, say in the trees.

When you leave the Shutter on Auto, but get the ISO locked down (and without ND filters, 100 iso is plenty in daylight) then it’s the Shutter speed that gets changed to keep exposure in the zone. And then the worst that can happen is you get a bit of motion blur as your shutter speed begins to approach your framerate. It’s also possible that it might get a bit dark in tunnels etc. but you can push the gain in post, which is essentially all the camera does with high ISO, so you’ve lost nothing there!!

Probably useless, but might help someone!!

 

[HippoDrone]

top tips there Andy

 

[Meifesto]

I tend to like the motion blur on the edges, and it was in an attempt to recreate that.
But, as learned, without nD filters it is best to leave allot of it as is.