What are the best ND filters for the DJI Mini 4 Pro?

Question

honestly im so annoyed right now because i just spent a fortune on this mini 4 pro and the footage looks like absolute garbage. dont get me wrong im super stoked to finally have a drone with side sensors and all that but every time i fly it at the beach near my house in sarasota the sky is just blown out white or the movement looks all jittery and weird because of the shutter speed. i tried these cheapo filters i found on amazon but they keep falling off mid flight and one almost hit a person last weekend so i am totally done with those. my logic was that a filter is just a piece of glass so why spend more but man i was wrong and now i feel like a moron.

so i was thinking about maybe getting the freewell ones because everyone talks about them but then i see dji has their own set too. i need something that actually stays on the lens and doesnt make the gimbal freak out with an error message because that happened too. i have about 80 bucks left in my gear budget for this month and i really want to get some cinematic shots of the coastline before my brothers wedding next saturday. should i go for the nd16/32/64 pack or do i really need those fancy polarizers too? im just worried if i buy another bad set im gonna lose it... what are you guys using that actually works and wont fall off?

ShadowStacker · Accepted Answer

Been flying these for years and tbh, for beach shots, you definitely want polarizers. The glare off the Gulf is no joke. I'd grab the PGYTECH DJI Mini 4 Pro ND-PL Filter Set 4-Pack (ND8 16 32 64). They're super light so the gimbal wont freak and they actually stay on. It's a hybrid set so you get the shutter speed fix and the water glare reduction in one go. Way better value for your 80 bucks.

OmegaSignal · Answer

You might want to consider the precise weight of these filters before buying another set. The DJI Mini 4 Pro gimbal is incredibly sensitive, and anything over about 0.7 grams can cause significant motor stress or calibration errors. I would suggest looking at these two options specifically:

Freewell DJI Mini 4 Pro ND Filter All Day 6-Pack: This set includes ND16 through ND1000. They use high-definition optical glass with 21 layers of coating. The GimbalSafe technology is specifically designed to prevent the issues you had with your cheaper glass.

DJI Mini 4 Pro ND Filters Set ND16/64/256: These are manufactured by the drone maker, so the fitment is guaranteed. Be careful tho, as this set lacks an ND32, which is often the sweet spot for bright beach days in Florida. I would suggest the Freewell set for the wedding. The ND16 and ND32 will give you that 180-degree shutter rule much more effectively than the official DJI kit. Just make sure the filter is clicked fully into place before you power on.

QuantumDrift · Answer

Re: "Been flying these for years and tbh, for..." - ngl i have this exact same problem and its been driving me crazy for like three weeks now. I bought the drone specifically for some coastal stuff but every filter i try seems to weigh just enough to make the gimbal motors struggle during the startup self-check. Its honestly stressing me out because:

I dont want to burn out the tiny gimbal motors long-term

The jittery footage is ruining all my golden hour clips

I keep getting that motor interference message on the screen I have been trying to find a reliable set that actually locks on tight but every time i think i found the one, i see a review saying they fall off. Its super annoying when you just want to fly and get decent shots without worrying if your glass is gonna fall into the ocean... i really hope we can figure this out because im totally stuck too.