Capturing the perfect shot while on the go with an action camera can be tricky, especially when dealing with bright sunlight or glare. I remember countless times struggling with overexposed skies or washed-out colours during my outdoor adventures, wishing there was a simple solution to gain better control over the image quality. Not having the right tools meant losing details in highlights or missing out on vibrant scenes, which would significantly impact the final look of videos and photos.
Action cameras are fantastic for capturing dynamic moments, from shredding down a mountain trail to cruising on the water. They excel in bright, sunny conditions, but sometimes the light is simply too intense for the camera’s sensor to handle effectively on its own. This often leads to blown-out skies, harsh contrasts, and difficulty achieving a cinematic look with motion blur. Someone who frequently shoots outdoors in varying bright conditions – think surfers, skiers, mountain bikers, or travel vloggers – is the ideal candidate for action camera lens accessories like these. If you only ever shoot indoors or in low-light conditions, or if you’re not concerned about perfecting exposure and colour vibrancy in bright sun, you might not need a filter set like this. For casual indoor shooting, built-in camera settings are usually sufficient. Before making a purchase, consider the types of environments you film in, how much control you want over your exposure and colour, and if you’re willing to take the extra step of adding filters to your setup. Compatibility with your specific camera model is also paramount, as filter sizes vary.
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Introducing the NEEWER Filter Kit
The NEEWER ND Filter Set Compatible with DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO/Action 4 is a dedicated filter kit designed to combat challenging lighting conditions when using DJI’s latest action cameras. The promise is simple: provide tools to manage light and reflections for sharper, more vibrant outdoor footage. This set includes four specific filters: ND8, ND16, ND32, and a CPL (Circular Polarizer) filter. They are constructed with multi-coated HD optical glass and feature an ultra-slim aluminum frame designed for easy installation. While DJI offers its own filters, NEEWER provides a cost-effective alternative with a comprehensive range of essential filters in one package. This specific kit is tailored for the DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO and Action 4, unlike previous NEEWER sets that might have been designed for older models like the Action 3, making this a crucial distinction for owners of the latest cameras. It’s ideal for anyone looking to elevate their action camera cinematography beyond standard point-and-shoot in bright light. It might not be the best fit if you are looking for variable ND filters or filters for a different camera system altogether.
Pros:
* Provides essential ND and CPL filters for bright outdoor shooting.
* Uses multi-coated HD optical glass for clarity and durability.
* Lightweight and ultra-slim aluminum frames.
* Comes with a protective filter case.
* Specifically designed for DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO and Action 4 compatibility (screws directly onto the lens mount after removing the original lens).
Cons:
* Requires removing the original lens cover before use.
* CPL effect can be tricky to optimize across the entire wide-angle frame.
* The positioning indicator on the filter frame is quite small.
* Not suitable for underwater use with the camera itself, despite the filter’s water-resistant coating.
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Deep Dive into the Features and What They Offer
This NEEWER filter kit isn’t just a collection of glass circles; each filter serves a distinct purpose, working together to give you more control over your action camera footage in bright conditions. Let’s break down the individual components and the impact they have.
The Importance of Neutral Density Filters (ND Filters)
Neutral Density, or ND filters, are like sunglasses for your camera. They reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor without affecting the colour balance. Why is this important, especially with action cameras? In bright sunlight, action cameras often struggle to expose correctly, leading to overexposed areas (like the sky) where details are lost. More importantly for video, bright light forces the camera to use a very fast shutter speed. While this freezes motion perfectly, it results in that “jittery” or “stuttering” look that many action camera videos have, especially during fast movement. To achieve a smoother, more cinematic feel with natural-looking motion blur, you ideally want your shutter speed to be roughly double your frame rate (e.g., 1/60th of a second for 30fps video). In bright sun, achieving such a slow shutter speed without overexposing the image is impossible without an ND filter.
The NEEWER ND Filter Set Compatible with DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO/Action 4 includes three different strengths of ND filters: ND8, ND16, and ND32.
* ND8: This filter reduces light by 3 stops. It’s useful for moderately bright conditions, like cloudy-bright days or open shade, helping to slightly slow down your shutter speed for a bit of motion blur while preventing minor overexposure.
* ND16: Stepping up, the ND16 filter cuts light by 4 stops. This is your go-to for brighter sunny days, allowing for a significant reduction in light, which enables slower shutter speeds (closer to the ideal for motion blur) and better control over overall exposure, preventing highlights from clipping.
* ND32: The strongest in the set, the ND32 filter blocks 5 stops of light. This is necessary for extremely bright conditions, like intense midday sun, especially over reflective surfaces like snow, sand, or water. It provides the greatest capability to slow down the shutter speed for smooth motion blur even in dazzling light.
Using these Neutral Density filters allows you to maintain a consistent, desirable shutter speed across varying bright conditions, ensuring your video footage has that smooth, professional look rather than the choppy, overly sharp appearance often seen in direct sunlight without filtration.
The Magic of the CPL Filter
The CPL filter, or Circular Polarizer, is another indispensable tool in this set, especially for action cameras used outdoors. This filter works by blocking polarized light, which is essentially reflected light. Think about glare off water, windows, wet surfaces, or even the haze in a distant landscape. The CPL filter dramatically reduces these reflections.
Beyond just removing glare, a Polarizer filter has a couple of other significant benefits. By reducing reflections and cutting through haze, it can make colours appear much more saturated and vibrant. Blue skies become deeper, green foliage becomes richer, and overall contrast is enhanced. This is fantastic for travel vlogs or landscape-focused action shots where you want the scene to pop. The CPL filter has a rotating ring, allowing you to adjust the angle of polarization and control the degree of reflection reduction.
While highly effective, using a CPL on a wide-angle lens like those found on action cameras can present a slight challenge. The effect of polarization varies depending on the angle of the light, and with a super wide field of view, you might find that the polarization is stronger in one part of the frame (e.g., the center of the sky) than another (the edges). This can sometimes result in an uneven look, particularly noticeable in wide shots of the sky. However, for reducing glare off water or glass, the effect is typically more consistent across the relevant reflective surface.
Optical Quality and Coatings
The performance of any filter hinges on the quality of its glass and coatings. The NEEWER ND Filter Set Compatible with DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO/Action 4 utilizes HD optical glass, which is crucial for maintaining sharpness and image quality, especially when shooting high-resolution video or photos. Poor quality glass can introduce softness or distortion.
Just as important are the coatings. NEEWER states these filters feature 30 layers of multi-functional NANO coatings on both sides. These coatings provide several practical benefits essential for action camera use:
* Water Repellent: This helps water bead up and roll off the filter surface, making it easier to clean and preventing water spots from ruining your shots, particularly important when filming near water or in wet conditions.
* Scratch Resistant: Given the adventurous scenarios action cameras are used in, scratch resistance is vital to protect the filter surface from minor abrasions.
* Oil Proof: This coating helps repel fingerprints and oils, keeping the filter clean and reducing the need for frequent cleaning.
These coatings significantly contribute to the durability and ease of use of the action camera filters, ensuring they perform reliably in demanding outdoor environments.
Design and Installation
The physical design of the filters is also a key feature. Crafted with CNC craftsmanship, the filters have an ultra-slim aluminum frame, weighing just 0.15oz/4.3g each. This lightweight design is important for action cameras, where added weight can sometimes affect gimbal performance or feel cumbersome.
Installation involves unscrewing the original lens protection cover from the DJI Osmo Action camera and then screwing the action camera lens accessories filter directly onto the camera’s lens mount. While the process is straightforward, the requirement to remove the original lens cover is a notable point, as it means you’re replacing a layer of protection with the filter. NEEWER mentions they offer snap-on filters for other models if you prefer not to remove the original lens, but for this specific set compatible with the Action 4/5 Pro, removal is necessary. The slim frame is designed to fit seamlessly, ensuring it doesn’t interfere with the camera’s field of view (no vignetting) and that it remains stable even during vigorous movements.
The kit includes a small, magnetic case to store the four filters. This is incredibly convenient for keeping them organized and protected when not in use, a practical addition for anyone taking these filters into the field.
Hearing from Other Users
After using these filters for a while, I also looked online to see what others were experiencing. It seems many users appreciate the noticeable improvement in video quality, especially in bright light. Several reviewers highlighted how the filters helped prevent overexposure and allowed for smoother footage with better motion blur, making a real difference in the look of their action videos. The CPL filter was often praised for its ability to reduce glare and make colours pop, although a few noted the difficulty in getting a perfectly even polarizing effect across the camera’s wide field of view, which is a common trait of using polarizers on such wide lenses. The build quality and included case were generally well-received. One user mentioned receiving filters for the wrong camera model, which sounds like a potential listing or shipping error rather than a product design flaw, while another noted that the fit on the Action 5 Pro, while working, had a slight movement, although they found it didn’t impact stability during shooting when using a stabilizer. Overall, the sentiment leaned positive, with many finding the filters to be effective tools for improving their action camera footage in bright conditions.
Final Thoughts on Capturing Amazing Shots
If you’re tired of battling harsh sunlight and overexposed footage with your DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO or Action 4, a set of quality filters is essential. The problems of washed-out colours, lost highlight detail, and the choppy look of video shot with fast shutter speeds can really detract from your captured memories. The NEEWER ND Filter Set Compatible with DJI Osmo Action 5 PRO/Action 4 offers a practical and effective solution. With the included ND8, ND16, ND32, and CPL filters, you gain crucial control over exposure and reflections. The multi-coated HD glass ensures image clarity, and the lightweight, durable design is perfect for action camera use. It’s a great fit because it specifically addresses the challenges of bright outdoor shooting, provides a range of densities for different conditions, and enhances colour and contrast with the CPL. To see how these filters can transform your action camera footage, Click here to check out the product page.
Last update on 2025-07-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API