PolarPro filter 6-pack for the DJI Osmo Pocket
$ 80 | polarprofilters.com
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| Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, taken early in the morning using an ND16 filter. |
DJI introduced the Osmo Pocket, a three-axis stabilized handheld camera, late last year. The portable device is an ideal tool for content creators and casual consumers. It’s designed for creating decent video clips and photos on the fly. Since I couldn’t bring a drone onboard a recent cruise, I opted to purchase this device to document my journey.
Neutral density (ND) filters are a must-have for anyone aiming to capture smooth, cinematic footage. Selecting the proper one can be tricky, but PolarPro prints out a simple guide on which filter is most appropriate based on weather conditions, including how cloudy or sunny it is outside.
Neutral density (ND) filters are a must-have for anyone aiming to capture smooth, cinematic footage.
More advanced users can access manual settings by connecting their smartphone, accessing the DJI Mimo app and selecting a shutter speed that doubles the frame rate. For example, when applying the 180-degree rule, if I wanted to take advantage of 4K/60fps, I would select a shutter speed of 1/125. One thing to keep in mind is that the Osmo Pocket has a tiny 1/2.3-inch sensor and a fixed F2.0 lens, so you can’t control aperture as an exposure variable.
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| Captured with the PolarPro ND4 filter. |
Since I was going to be in the sun, surrounded by water, most of the time on this cruise, I invested in the Standard Filter Six-pack from PolarPro consisting of PL (fixed polarizer), ND4, ND8, ND16, ND32, and ND64 filters. In addition to the polarizer, the ND filters allow 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, and 1/64 of incoming light to stream into the sensor, respectively. Think of them as sunglasses for your camera.
Selecting the right ND filter slows the shutter for video on the Osmo pocket, and can also add some motion blur to a timelapse for a more dramatic effect. The polarizer enhances colors and reduces reflection and glare on surfaces including water, glass, ice, and snow.
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| PolarPro’s ND filters snap into place easily. |
A compact case houses two rows of three filters, arranged by stop. Each filter was a bit challenging to remove, and the case design could be ergonomically improved. Once out of the bearings, though, the clever magnetic design made it easy to snap the filters on and remove them from the Osmo Pocket’s camera.
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| Though they come in a sleek compact case, the ND filters can be a bit challenging to remove at times. |
I found PolarPro’s filters to be effective at cutting down the glare on water and enhancing hues (polarizer) while also letting me dial in my desired shutter speed for video (NDs). They’re a recommended investment for capturing the highest quality footage possible with the Osmo Pocket and minimizing any post-production efforts.
Below are example photos I shot with different filters from the set, along with the story behind each one, which provide some real world examples of where each is useful.
PolarPro PL (polarizer) ND filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: Walking the colorful streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a highlight of the trip. The sun was completely obscured from this scene, so I opted for the fixed polarizing filter to retain the vivid hues of the buildings. |
PolarPro ND4 filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: ND4 filters are recommended for use at dawn or dusk. While sailing along the Atlantic, back toward Florida, this combination of sun setting behind a group of clouds, illuminating an unknown island, and nearby rainstorm caught my attention from the 12th floor deck of the ship. |
PolarPro ND8 filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: It was overcast when we visited the only tropical rainforest in the US. The ND8 filter worked great in this situation. (Yokahu Tower in the background.) |
PolarPro ND16 filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: When pulling into Puerto Rico, everyone pulled out their cameras to capture Castillo San Felipe del Morro – one of the most impressive historical attractions in the Caribbean. As it was 10:00 am, local time, an ND16 filter was enough for a mostly sunny scene. |
PolarPro ND32 filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: A partially-cloudy day, on a tropical resort island in the Bahamas, still calls for the second most powerful filter in the kit. |
PolarPro ND64 filter for the Osmo Pocket
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| About the photo: There were few clouds in the sky at Trunk Cay, a small resort beach located in the Virgin Islands. Since the noon sunlight was bearing down, I used the ND64 to eliminate glare and capture the contrasting dark blue and turquoise patterns in the bay. |
Wrap-up
The DJI Osmo Pocket is a fantastic camera that’s great for capturing photos and videos while you travel, but PolarPro’s standard 6-pack of filters is a valuable addition. As one would expect, the fixed polarizer can make your photos pop thanks to improved contrast, increased saturation, and reduced glare, and unlike screw-in filters it fits perfectly on the Osmo Pocket.
Additionally, the selection of ND filters make it possible to capture more natural looking video when used to dial in the appropriate shutter speed on the camera – something that’s particularly useful given that the Osmo Pocket’s aperture is locked at F2.0, eliminating the option to use aperture to adjust exposure.
Overall, I found the PolarPro filters to be a great addition to my Osmo Pocket. This 6-pack of filters should definitely be on your list if you want to get the most out of DJI’s pint-sized camera.
What we liked
- Useful range of filters
- Magnetic design makes it easy to attach and remove filters
- Good optical quality
What we’d like to see improved
- Filters can be a bit difficult to remove from case
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)