Best helicopter quadcopter for EOS-M?

Anybody tried flying this gem on a heli/quadcopter?
How did you mount it?

Any footage?

What's the cheapest heli/quadcopter for this use?

Potemkin_Photo said:

Anybody tried flying this gem on a heli/quadcopter?
How did you mount it?

Any footage?

What's the cheapest heli/quadcopter for this use?

Click to expand...

I have asked several diff forums on DPRevie for multicopter aerial photo users and never got any responses.

But obviously you have to have lifting for both a gimbal/anti Jello & camera + electronics. I believe the M & 22mm are about 400gram or so, 300g cam + 100g lens.

A 2D gimbal I think weigh 200+g so you have about 600g or more, so either a strong quad or hex should be fine.

I like the 3DR Y6 and similar but tall &/or widely spaced landing gear is key:


1. a Y config gives you more space for camera to NOT see the copter legs.

2. a Y6/quad 8 gives you redundant engines for safety if engines fail (versus Y3/quad 4), saw a demo where a guy killed 2 motors inflight and could land it - does depend on flight controller !! There are inefficiencies in co-axial 2 motor copters, bottom motor in dirty air, but a slightly larger prop & the FC will compensate for this.

Both Naza and APM flight controllers offer engine out compensation so be sure whatever FC you choose has that unless you are rich or like destruction!

APM also has a 'fly to point' mode, you choose a spot/pt and then fly around that spot/pt - nice for 360 videoing a feature - house/castle/rock face/etc.

Also it seems maybe both the hdmi & usb on M offer live video output (I do not have my EOS M yet - Monday) so a FPV is possible via EOS M, so no separate camera is needed (I hope).

But I think the key is lifting capability (motors/battery) AND landing legs such that you do not see them (OR can not hit camera landing on rough terrain) even for very wide angle shots or panning up/down - the GoPro Hero 3+ has a 170 degree lens so that is very wide angle, a M w/ 11-22mm would not even have that WA though.

With a 2D gimbal/panner few issues only up/down panning, but if you use a 3D gimbal/panner they can go left/right too.

Personally either no panner or just up/down is good enough for me, but I only speak from looking at others videos NOT my own, yet !!

Good Luck!

I was wrong, good gimbals are 400g+, so a multicopter must be able to carry a payload of about 1kg/2+lbs or more, NOT a $500 DJI phantom!

The better aerial platform copters are US$2k or much more, but if you piece one together yourself, choosing parts wisely, OR even make/fabricate frame parts yourself it could be cheaper or better but NOT both !!

I think it is best to see a great/expensive copter for aerial photo. (AP) and then use it as a template for building & scaling down from say a DSLR copter to one strong enough for a EOS M.

BTW, the Naza-m V2 seems to be the 'safest' FC (return to home, land safe, etc) and has elec. ports for FPV & such, whereas the APM can be used for 100% pre-programmed auto flight, and its safety is getter better but the Naza system as of today is the more STABLE loiter in position FC which means it can more easily hover around a spot for AP and not move so much from wind.

It really is just like cameras, how much can you spend !!

It is a full and complex world multicopters !! No single answer. Just like cameras!

I have mounted and flown the EOS-M with 22mm lens on my dji Phantom without gimbal. The 400g payload is about max. But it does handle it.

Maneuverability is limited, especially vertical. You have to be careful not to come down fast as you can't slow down quickly. This works well for slow flying movie or stills using magic lantern's intervalometer. I tryed hooking up a shutter trigger IR chip to a spare channel on the phantom, but don't have that working yet.

For video, set to hyperfocal in strong light before takeoff since autofocus is rediculous on the M. A gopro black on protune and a brushless gimbal is a much better all around camera for aerial video, but the stills from the M are impressive. I would be interested to try the 11-22mm lens at 11mm.

dr_X said:

I have mounted and flown the EOS-M with 22mm lens on my dji Phantom without gimbal. The 400g payload is about max. But it does handle it.

Maneuverability is limited, especially vertical. You have to be careful not to come down fast as you can't slow down quickly. This works well for slow flying movie or stills using magic lantern's intervalometer. I tryed hooking up a shutter trigger IR chip to a spare channel on the phantom, but don't have that working yet.

For video, set to hyperfocal in strong light before takeoff since autofocus is rediculous on the M. A gopro black on protune and a brushless gimbal is a much better all around camera for aerial video, but the stills from the M are impressive. I would be interested to try the 11-22mm lens at 11mm.

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Thx, your results are what I expected, bigger/double motors/props may solve it though, assuming chassis can take stress. I have seen an augmented phantom with carbon arms I believe, but why not just a whole new frame and re-use the parts?

If the US/world gets the M3 (if one), and/or new lens come out, I would love an 8-10mm or so EOSM pancake lens, the 22mm is so good, I want more but SMALL !!

The gopro is fine but I dislike the fisheye effect, but I guess crop modes where the FOV is more normal, are better.

I believe at least a 2D gimbal/anti-jelly isolation is necessary for HQ video, especially if longer lens are used, I believe it would show the jitter/shudder more although wide angle is so very nice for landscape just not the warping look!

I know a guy who uses a NEX5R, and the copter he has is huge, a heavy lifter, lots of money, short flight times.

Happy flying!!

Hi JJ,

My Canon EOS M will arrive next week, and i hope to use it as fpv camera too, in my new hexa. Please tell me about your experience with your Canon.

Thank you, very much

josesalvador said:

Hi JJ,

My Canon EOS M will arrive next week, and i hope to use it as fpv camera too, in my new hexa. Please tell me about your experience with your Canon.

Thank you, very much

Click to expand...

1st thing, you will need to convert the HDMI (mini) output for FPV, there is a cheap small light converter for a NEX that will work but some seem to think it only works for PAL, so look for one.

For video use w/ the 22mm (smallest/lightest lens), I would NOT use sevo AF ever, do a focus before beginning of flight to infinity or the distance you need, use f4-f8 for greater DOF, and then you must choose auto movie or Manual mode.

I think conditions will dictate that decision but I ONLY use manual, lets you set the shutter, ISO & aperture yourself. You can set upper limits of ISO in menu for stills ONLY though.

For other lens, maybe the same setup?

I personally use Magic Lantern (Tragic Lantern actually) which gives you the ability w/ a fast SD card, much higher bit rates for H.264 2kHD video if you desire - I have gotten about 140mbs capture - seems the limit of the internal H.264 encoder chip as this is NOT the limit of my Sandisk Extreme Plus card (raw video will push that! - the SD writer in M is limited to 40MBs = 320mbs).

ML/TL also has 'crop mode' (center of sensor) which gives you the best (essentially zero artifacts) video, it crops/magnifies about 3x so a 22mm~=35mm turns into about 100mm or so equiv, too narrow for some video.

Good Luck, the M will be a decent small video cam, take your PC so you can test the results and try auto vs man video in similar conditions.

Hope this helps some.

I have thought about using mine this way too. Would love to hear about your success or distress in making this a reality.

Care to share how you mounted your EOS-M?

I've only seen 1 video on the web with the M mounted.

I've also read accounts of the M being too heavy and putting the phantom into a spin during heavy winds. What's been your experience?

Anyone care to share how they have mounted their EOS-M to the DJI Phantom version 1?

I would think the M is too heavy for stock Phantom (bigger motors/props and battery maybe not), but since you need a bracket with isolators for jello, a 'L' or sidewise 'U' bracket would work with jello mount, but I would want it hinged to change angle or if self made you could bend it.

I believe even with 22mm, a gyro is needed for smooth video + jello isolation, and that and M are certainly too heavy for std phantom.

A HDPro is best bet for stock Phantom.

A phantom with 8 motors and large battery could certainly work though ?

Good Luck!!

Does anybody mind posting their mounting method?

Google has a few examples

Potemkin_Photo said:

Does anybody mind posting their mounting method?

Click to expand...

The mounting is like every other camera, and it depends on your jello/top mount.

The lightest weight mount would NOT be a wrap-around of complete cam but a solid/light narrow 'L/U' shape that tightens via the tripod mount OR if using a gyro, then it will have a cradle to sit M in, nothing special.

I would use either velcro or rubber strap to secure to the 'L/U' bracket.

M will mount exactly like any NEX if that helps.

Once again, a std phantom is NOT up to lifting the M, go look up the weights of M & 22mm (lightest combo), you will see, & I mean it might lift it but fly like awful maybe hard to control & battery will last 5 mins!

You also need an IR trigger device hooked to a comm port that you can control to do stills, or use Magic Lantern and intervelometer or just turn on on ground for vids.

Lots of pics of cam mounts around, easy-peasy!

Howard S said:

Google has a few examples

Click to expand...

The vid showing mount is in a gimbal, which cradles a cam, only need 1 large enuf for M and velcro it secure, this is typ.

But if mounting to a jello mount 'plate', then a sidewise 'U' bracket is needed, not shown in either vid.

These are really expensive copters though, like the hexa.

Anybody care to post their mount solution for the original DJI phantom.

I can deal with a little shakiness, especially at $400 for the phantom.

Potemkin_Photo said:

These are really expensive copters though, like the hexa.

Anybody care to post their mount solution for the original DJI phantom.

I can deal with a little shakiness, especially at $400 for the phantom.

Click to expand...

Exactly, it takes a nice $$ copter for cams such as M, NEX or larger.

Also, who has used a phantom with M, never seen it, no one claims to do they ?

Once again, have you checked the lifting capability (total takeoff weight is <1000g) of orig phantom vs. the weight of M & lens-- ~450+g ? Phantom is NOT up to it I believe (might could lift for short mins but would fly very very badly), not even the phantom 2.

The GoPro's are VERY lightweight, thus many copters can lift & perform well.

Get a used phantom fc40 or better yet, go build a nice Y copter, 6 engines is best maybe 3 large engines are possible, but the Y gives you wider space for wide angle lens, while NOT having such huge/high landing gear, plus 3/6 is lighter than 4/8.

If you want cheap, FORGET about using M, buy a Parrot or fc40.

Look up a mount for NEX, the M will mount exactly the same.

I suggest a 'L' mount (make it yourself from aluminum or light steel 25mm wide, tall enough for M), strong enough for M weight, using tripod hole but as light as possible.

Bolt/nut at top of 'L' mount on phantom jello mount (has hole for brackets) with M resting on bottom of 'L' with bolt in tripod hole! Can't get more simple.

Good Luck! Buy something else!

Darn! I want to start cheap!

I'm already plagued with a lot of worries, like the police coming at me in the middle of an aerial filming session and seizing my stuff and causing everything to go plunging into a lake.

Of course, police in my city already using their own drones, so go figure.

Like that one dude said, "it's good to be king"

Potemkin_Photo said:

Darn! I want to start cheap!

I'm already plagued with a lot of worries, like the police coming at me in the middle of an aerial filming session and seizing my stuff and causing everything to go plunging into a lake.

Of course, police in my city already using their own drones, so go figure.

Like that one dude said, "it's good to be king"

Click to expand...

I doubt you will get any problems with police if you are NOT peeping into windows of houses, apts or unless you are buzzing ppl on beach or in park or an official gov building or that sort of thing, just being a nuisance.

I would NOT fly much from own yard, but go to a public park or such, ppl do get excited if you fly/hover over their house - I would, you would too.

Get one and have fun!!

I'll probably have to wait a while for some of the bigger copters to get down in price.

Or maybe DJI will put out a budget heavy lifter in the next couple years.

The more quadcoptering comes into its own as a hobby the more the price will drop because of economies of scale.