The mystery of the DJI Mavic 4 Pro's electronic ND filter
[10:50 Fri,16.May 2025 by Thomas Richter]
DJI has caused some confusion about the electronic ND filter of the Mavic 4 Pro: it was mentioned early in rumors and would have been the second major innovation of the Mavic 4 Pro, alongside the Infinity 360° gimbal. According to leaks, the removable electronic ND filter (eND) should cover a stepless range from ND4 to ND64, i.e. 2 to 6 f-stops, and - thanks to the leaker Jasper Ellens - it has already been seen in several pictures. Even an installation description had already appeared online. It should not only fit the Creator Combo of the Mavic 4 Pro, but also work with any version of the Mavic 4 Pro. The price has also been leaked: it should cost an extra 220 dollars, but be included in the Creator Combo. The anticipation of many drone filmmakers was great: finally a way to steplessly change the ND value during flight and recording in bright light.
The answer has since been provided by further leaks: According to Jasper Ellens, DJI is said to have postponed the release of the eND filter at short notice due to technical problems. DJI apparently pulled the ripcord at the last second, which is why it was not presented - as originally planned - together with the Mavic 4 Pro, where it should actually be included in the Creator Combo.
The electronic ND filter of the DJI Mavic 4 Pro including box by Ian in London
Some testers had received the electronic ND filter before the stop, but they later received a message from DJI prohibiting them from mentioning the eND. Some of them apparently read this too late, so some pictures and even a clip were accidentally published. For example, the YouTube drone expert Ian in London originally posted his Mavic 4 Pro review including a segment (from 07:20) about the electronic ND filter. In the meantime, he has an updated version online in which the eND is no longer mentioned.
As you can see in his video, the eND is fully integrated into the app and can either be set manually to values between ND4 and ND64 or it is automatically and dynamically adjusted by the camera - depending on the lighting conditions - in auto mode.
The electronic ND filter in the app by Ian in London
Is the eND still coming?
According to further rumors, the eND has not been cancelled, but only postponed: It is now expected to be launched on the market in June/July. Unfortunately, there is no information on whether the problems with the eND filter concern manufacturing, software integration or hardware compatibility. In view of fears that the eND filter could suffer the same fate as the RC Track, which already existed as a prototype and was then abandoned, these fears do not seem to be true.
The electronic ND filter in the app in automatic mode by Ian in London
For now, only ND filter sets
DJI does not currently offer a suitable ND filter set for the launch of the Mavic 4 Pro, but they are available from third-party suppliers. With these traditional ND filters - each ND level a separate filter - the drone has to be landed awkwardly for each filter change, the filter changed, restarted and flown back to the recording location to see its effect on the real image.
The electronic ND filter of the DJI Mavic 4 Pro assembly according to the manual
The advantages of electronic ND filters
In contrast, an electronic ND filter has the decisive advantage that it is possible to switch steplessly between the different filter levels and no filter attachment has to be changed awkwardly. And because it is connected to the control electronics of the Mavic 4 Pro via a special interface, the various ND filter levels can be changed in flight via remote control in order to select the optimum setting for the respective lighting conditions.
DJI Mavic 4 Pro
Why ND filters at all?
An ND filter acts like a neutral tinted pair of sunglasses in front of the lens: It absorbs light without changing color or contrast. This allows the 180-degree shutter rule to be observed in bright ambient light (e.g. 1/50 s at 25 fps) without overexposing the image and the images show smooth motion blur instead of stroboscopic judder. At the same time, an ND filter allows open apertures for shallow depth of field effect and makes it possible to stay close to the base ISO of the sensor, where dynamic range and noise performance are optimal.
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)