Drone videography and photography have grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Whether it's zooming about a metre from the ground, riding bumper-to-bumper alongside drift cars burning rubber like there's no tomorrow, or flying high in the sky to capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments and picturesque scenes that would've been impossible to shoot from the ground. However, it's not without its issues and limitations.

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Mainly, and that's particularly so for shooting videos on your drone, the higher up you fly or the faster you move, you're bound to attract a lot of sunlight. Though cameras do need light to capture great photos and videos, too much overexposure is still something to be concerned about. Drone cameras are especially the ones most impacted by this, as not many drones have variable apertures to manage the shutter speed.

PLEASE NOTE: I WAS SENT THIS ITEM FOR REVIEW BUT NO OTHER PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW

Yet, even those drone cameras that could enable higher shutter speeds; too high of a shutter speed would often make your footage look shaky or have stutters and judders rather than the smooth, seamless videos that you might want out of it. So then, how we fix this? Well, ND filters, such as the Freewell Pro Filters for the DJI Mavic Mini that we have here, can readily help mitigate some of that unwanted overexposure.

Not only would they block out much of that overexposed light from hitting your drone camera's sensors, but they would also help to optimise for a much smoother and natural video footage, adding a bit more of that realistic, smooth motion blur which is more true to life than the shaky drone footage you might sometimes see. As such, let's take a look at why the Freewell Pro Filters for your DJI Mavic Mini 3 are a must-have.

What Do These Freewell ND Filters Actually Do?

As I mentioned earlier, the Freewell Pro Filters are an essential addition for any drone enthusiast (although, specifically for the DJI Mini 3 or the Mini 3 Pro, depending on which specific filter pack you're ordering) and more so if you want to capture high-quality footage from your drone. Neutral Density (ND) filters are made to control and modulate the amount of light that enters a camera's sensors, to prevent overexposure.

Given that Freewell has long developed a good reputation among drone videographers and photographers for their robust and versatile ND filters, they're a go-to choice for many. To really understand what that ND filter can really do, it's ideal for users who want to shoot from their drone in Manual mode (rather than the Auto setting). Manual mode, with these Freewell ND filters, gives you far more control with exposure.

You really do notice the differences when you're filming under really bright daylight or during a cloudy afternoon, or during those occasions when your drone camera catches direct sunlight coming over the horizon. With the Freewell ND filters on hand, you can best optimise and choose the right balance of light for optimal results. However, what really sets apart Freewell's ND filters from the countless other options on the market?

Well, for starters, Freewell offers a wide variety of ND filter levels. The lowest filter they have is ND4, and it could be ideal for duller days when you don't need a strong ND filter. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Freewell also offers ND2000 filters for super-duper, long-exposure shots. Given that Freewell sells these ND filters in specific variety packs, you have the flexibility to get the best out of different lighting conditions.

Time Efficiency, Ease Of Use, And Versatility Come By Default

Besides that, some of Freewell's ND filters even offer a built-in polarizer. Some of the ones that came with my filter pack had a natural polarizing effect, which is a boon to help reduce reflections from those shiny surfaces such as windows, grass, and water. Nonetheless, Freewell also offers non-polarizing ND filters, as they could help cover 2 to 5 stops, or 6 to 9 stops under bright light, providing more variation to users.

Furthermore, Freewell's ND filters are widely known for their quality and durability. This is something that often gets skimped on when you cheap out on drone-specific ND filters. They either fall out easily when it's being flown about, or they lack any solid dustproofing or waterproofing. In almost no time at all, all those cheap ND filters will soon wear out, and there's often mediocre longevity in the lower end of the market.

Freewell, on the other hand, ensures solid waterproofing, dustproofing, scratch-proofing, and oil-proofing with their ND filters. Not only does this mean you can expect them to work reliably all the time, but you won't further get caught out when your video footage looks so bad, due to a non-functioning ND filter. Plus, for the many benefits that Freewell's ND filters offer so far, they're also much easier and less finicky to use.

They've been engineered and designed for rapid and easy swapping from one ND filter to another. I've found that I could change filters in a matter of seconds. Not only does this save me precious battery life on the drone, from not having to fiddle about incessantly, but this also means that when that perfect moment comes to take a shot, I'd be less liable to miss out. This is another common sacrifice on cheaper filters.

What Are The Pros & Benefits Of Freewell's ND Filters?

To quickly summarise, then, what have these Freewell ND filters done well? Here's a quick look at the pros and upsides that you'll experience with these filters:

Improved Video Quality - By being able to control the amount of light that enters the drone camera sensors, these ND filters ensure better video quality. And, that's even under challenging lighting conditions, such as bright sunlight.
Versatility & Flexibility - With a huge range of densities available (from ND4 all the way to ND2000), you can very easily adapt to various lighting scenarios. They're especially useful on bright and sunny days, but with a bit more work, you could adapt these for a diverse array of weather conditions.
Built-In Polarizer - For further tweaks, enhancements, and optimisations that you could do to extract more improved video footage from your drone, Freewell's ND filters have built-in polarizers. This enables you to get more colour saturation and aid in reducing unwanted reflections, leading to footage that looks more vibrant and clear.
Ease Of Use - Compared to a lot of ND filters out there, Freewell's designs are a massive time-saver and a huge battery-saver, as they can be adjusted and swapped out in a pinch. Anytime lighting conditions shift one way or the other, changing these filters is a breeze.
Affordability - Despite the high-quality engineering and design, Freewell's ND filters come at a reasonable price, offering great value for the money. The pack that I had came with 13 different ND filters at varying densities, at a cost of £129.99.

However, What Are The Downsides To Consider?

With that being said, for all its many benefits, the Freewell ND filter pack for your DJI Mavic Mini 3 (and the Mini 3 Pro, depending on which filter pack you opt for) do have its fair share of cons:

Filter Pack Selection - While Freewell's ND filter packs offer a wide variety of densities available, some of these packs are oddly bundled together. You might find that some packs lack higher or lower densities to suit your needs. For instance, one of the other Freewell packs that I bought lacks lower ND2, ND4, and ND8 filters.
Non-Polarizing Filters Options - The non-polarizing ND filters might be available for the DJI Mavic Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro, these options are not optionable for other DJI drones, like the Mavic Air 2. So, that might limit your options somewhat.

Final Conclusion... Are Freewell's ND Filters Worth It?

All in all, Freewell's ND filters are priced competitively, and they offer a fantastic balance between the cost that you pay, as well as the quality and performance that you get out of it. It's worth bearing in mind that Freewell's ND filters come in various packs, such as an all-you-can-shoot 16-pack option, or you could try out the smaller 4 and 6-pack options, too. So, make sure you choose wisely based on your needs.

However, find the right set of ND filters for you (for the DJI Mavic Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro), and these filters are some of the best that you can get on the market. Freewell's selection here is also a huge upgrade over the more basic set of ND filters that you can get directly from DJI or other brands. And hey, Freewell even throws in a neat little magnetic case to protect your ND filters. For any drone enthusiast, these filters are a must-have.

Freewell's ND filters ought to be a sought-after bit of kit for drone photographers and videographers, and for those just getting started with this ever-popular hobby, they should be highly considered from the get-go, full stop. With its diverse range of densities, built-in polarizer, and ease of use, in addition to all that added versatility and robust engineering, Freewell has something truly special on its hands here.

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Still, you should be wary of how Freewell bundles these filters together. Shopping around, you may find a pack where ND filters that you don't want are bundled with those that you do need. Lower densities, such as ND2, ND4, and ND8 filters are much more useful for drone shots. Nevertheless, whether you're a pro or just a casual enthusiast, Freewell's ND filters are going to be a valuable addition to your next shoot.

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About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.

REVIEW: Freewell Mavic Mini 3 Pro Filters