Accessories

Stepping up your travel photos with camera filters

No, definitely not your in-app filters

Published

September 28, 2019

With access to an array of available travel cameras, consumers have been getting more and more engrossed on documenting their trips. Action cameras are available left and right and more consumer drones have popped out of nowhere featuring the latest technologies.

Although while these cameras boast high-quality images, one can still go for better output and achieve more creative shots by using extra accessories. Such is the case for this feature’s spotlight. Freewell has sent a couple of travel necessities if you want to step up your travel photos.

The gear we received from the HongKong-based company consists of the following sets:

4-pack Standard Day Filters for GoPro Hero 5 Black and onwards
- ND4 filter
- ND8 filter
- ND16 filter
- ND32 filter
6-pack All Day Filters for DJI Mavic Pro and Mavic Pro Platinum
- ND8 filter
- ND16 filter
- ND32 filter
- ND8/PL filter
- ND16/PL filter
Pro M3 Carbon Action Camera Monopod
- Snap-fit remote holder
- Smartphone clamp
- Aluminum thumbscrew
- Aluminum thumbscrew wrench

Apart from the monopod and its included mounts, the sets consist of neutral density (ND) and polarizing (PL) filters which we’ll get to know better in just a bit. They range from ND4 to ND32 but on top of those, Freewell also threw in single ND1000 filters for both the GoPro Hero and DJI Mavic.

What are ND filters and what do the numbers represent?

For the unfamiliar, ND filters lessen the light coming into the camera’s sensor. You can think of them as sunglasses for your lens. Whether it’s a DSLR, mirrorless camera, action camera, or a drone, you can use ND filters to have more control over light coming in.

The number that usually follows indicates the ‘stop’ or basically by how much it darkens the image. Filters usually start from ND4, then ND8, ND16, ND32, and so on as it gets darker and darker.

Applying filters

You might ask, “what instances could I use ND filters for?” Basically, a good rule of thumb is to use an ND filter whenever there’s an abundance of light in your scene. This way, you still get an image with the right exposure when the camera’s shutter speed doesn’t go as fast as you need it to be.

Another good use of ND filters is when you want to achieve time lapse during the day. By now, a lot of people know the principle behind shooting time-lapse photos at night: By lowering the shutter speed, the camera’s sensor allows more light to come in and capture more movement that can produce unique images.

Shot at 5 seconds shutter with Freewell ND1000 filter for GoPro HERO

Although did you know that you could also pull this same effect during the day? You still need to lower your shutter speed but with the help of an ND filter. Without it, what you’ll get is just a washed-out photo due to overexposure.

Having the appropriate filter, you can lower your shutter speed to show motion while at the same time, limit the light going into your camera.

Shot at 2-sec shutter speed with Freewell ND1000 filter for DJI Mavic Pro

The above photo may look like an ordinary aerial shot I took with my Mavic Pro but look closely and you’ll notice that I was able to capture a short time-lapse through the movement of vehicles passing by. You can pick up this technique and apply it to different scenarios and achieve creative shots.

While these filters will mostly be used when the sun is bright, you can also use them even at night when you want to capture certain effects.

Check out the sample photo above taken at Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing. Me and my wife remained focused while groups of people around us appeared as ghosts and the lights behind us illuminate the shot.

The ND16 filter I used was able to dial down the lights while the shutter was set to a low speed, capturing the flow of people while me and my wife just had to stand there and not move for a few seconds.

Slow shutter speed with no ND filter

Although it was night time, I still used Freewell’s ND16 filter since I had to lower the shutter speed to show the motion of people crossing. As I’ve mentioned earlier, if I do that without any filters on, the above photo is what you’ll get.

Akihabara without ND filter

Additionally, you can also use ND filters to show more details in both the ground and sky. What happens usually when shooting a landscape is that the subject has the right exposure but the sky gets overblown. By using this kind of filter, you can retain the details of the sky and make clouds appear while keeping your subject’s exposure.

Shot with ND8/PL filter

We’ve covered getting the right exposure in tricky situations but one final example is about removing glares using polarizing (PL) filters. Just like the two example shots above, we see a huge improvement in the photo when I used a neutral density filter with a polarizer. The unwanted glare was minimized and more details on the clouds could be seen.

In conclusion, there are still different kinds of accessories one can use to further improve the quality of photos for different scenarios, but being ready with a couple of sets of ND filters for your cameras are some of the considerably inexpensive things you can buy to achieve a more professional and creative output.

Related Topics:featured Freewell ND filters

Accessories

Jackery expands Explorer Series portable power stations

For life uninterrupted

Published

August 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

Jackery has expanded its Explorer Series, introducing three new models: the Explorer 300D, Explorer 500 V2, and Explorer 2000 V2.

These new portable power station models join the earlier Explorer 100 Plus, 300 Plus, and 1000 V2 releases earlier in the year.

Each is built for different needs, from brief power interruptions to outdoor adventures and prolonged outages.

The Jackery Explorer 300D is a grab-and-go variant for unexpected power cuts. It is a compact power station weighing just about 2.5 kilograms and is 64% smaller than standard 300Wh units.

With a speaker-like form factor, 288Wh capacity, and 300W total DC output, it is the ideal power station for content creators, remote workers, and outdoor enthusiasts who live life on the move.

It can juice up a fast-charging Type-C laptop three to four times, smartphones up to 22 times, and drone batteries four to five times.

The Explorer 300D comes with unique DC-only design to eliminate idle power loss. It also has a 2-in-1 shoulder strap that unclips to double as a heavy-duty 140W USB-C charging cable.

Meanwhile, the Jackery Explorer 500 V2 packs a 512Wh capacity and 500W max output into a sleek frame.

It has an Uninterruptible Power Supply switchover time of under 10 milliseconds, ensuring devices such as Wi-Fi routers or laptops will not drop connection. It can also power up a desk fan for about 8.5 hours.

For easy storage, it has a fold-down handle. This makes the power station also portable to carry with you wherever you need it.

Lastly, the heavy-duty Jackery Explorer 2000 V2 features a massive 2,042Wh capacity and 2,200W inverter.

Weighing just 17.9 kilograms, it is about 41% lighter and 34% smaller than standard generators in the 2kWh category.

It can power a standard inverter refrigerator for up to 14 hours, run a 1.0 HP air conditioner for up to 3.5 hours, or power multiple electric fans for up to 28 hours.

It can also power kitchen essentials like rice cookers, small water heaters or coffee makers, and microwaves, in case hunger strikes amidst a power interruption.

The Explorer 2000 V2 also features an EV-grade LiFePO4 battery engineered for over 10 years of daily use.

The entire Jackery lineup is available on Lazada, Shopee, the Jackery kiosk at SM Fairview, and other partner stores.

Accessories

Pulse Elevate wireless speakers come to Southeast Asia this November

Pre-orders open September 2

Published

August 19, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

PlayStation is expanding its audio lineup with the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, its first wireless speakers developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The speakers will launch in Southeast Asia starting November 12, 2026, with pre-orders opening September 2.

The Pulse Elevate speakers are designed for desktop gaming on PS5, PC, and Mac, while also supporting portable use with the PlayStation Portal remote player and smartphones. They combine planar magnetic drivers, built-in woofers, and PlayStation Link wireless connectivity for low-latency, lossless audio.

Each speaker uses a studio-inspired planar magnetic driver to deliver sound across the audible spectrum. Built-in woofers add richer bass, while the speakers can enhance positional audio in PS5 games that support Tempest 3D AudioTech.

The right speaker also has a built-in microphone with AI-enhanced noise rejection. This allows users to handle voice chat without wearing a headset while helping filter out unwanted background noise.

Designed for gaming and beyond

Pulse Elevate uses PlayStation Link for ultra-low-latency wireless audio with compatible devices, including the PS5, PC, Mac, and PlayStation Portal. The speakers also support Bluetooth, allowing users to listen to audio from a Bluetooth device while using PlayStation Link for another connected device.

A PlayStation Link USB adapter is included and works with USB-C ports. The speakers also feature built-in rechargeable batteries, letting users take them on the go. Charging docks are included for returning to a desktop setup.

Users can adjust the speakers’ volume directly and position them horizontally or vertically. PS5 and PC users can also customize EQ, sidetone, volume, and microphone mute settings through system menus.

Pulse Elevate will be available in Midnight Black and White.

Price and availability

Pulse Elevate wireless speakers will launch starting November 12, 2026. Pre-orders begin September 2 at local retailers. Availability may vary by market and retailer.

The recommended retail prices are:

Singapore: SGD 319
Malaysia: MYR 1,099
Thailand: THB 8,499
Philippines: PHP 14,709
Vietnam: VND 6,999,000

The Pulse Elevate marks Sony Interactive Entertainment’s first entry into wireless speakers, extending the PlayStation audio ecosystem beyond the Pulse Elite headset and Pulse Explore earbuds.

Accessories

Apple is working on AirPods with built-in cameras

References to the wearable were spotted inside a new macOS beta.

Published

August 18, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The launch of operating system betas is a cause of celebration for those digging into what’s next for a brand. No other company does that better than Apple. Today, Apple released a new release candidate for macOS Tahoe 26.7. As expected, the release has a treasure trove of references to unreleased devices, including a new type of AirPods with built-in cameras.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. The references include a slew of unreleased iPads, Macs, and HomePods. Since these devices are already expected to come out, they’re hardly worth nothing. This includes the iPhone 18 series. If anything, the references confirm the iPhone Ultra, the rumored entry into the foldable market, but that’s it.

Now, the more interesting inclusion is a pair of AirPods with cameras. Despite the controversies surrounding cameras on smart glasses, Apple is reportedly building audio-based wearables with cameras themselves.

In a short demo video (also obtained from the macOS beta via MacRumors), the AirPods can apparently “save” things that it sees, including a book you might want to search for later. In that way, the built-in camera acts more like a voice assistant, rather than a recording device.

Though the references don’t confirm a launch date, it’s likely that the camera-based AirPods will come out sometime soon. After all, why would a blatant reference be inside a publicly available beta?