-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Been contemplating a good camera drone...
- Thread starter tomrandall86
- Start date
PaulR
Leading Member
rurikw
Senior Member
Those look amazing! Particularly like the "abstract" vertical shots (don't always understand what I'm seeing but don't need to). That's the kind of stuff that's made me dream of a drone for years. I prefer a longer focal length so would get the Mavic Pro over the Air or the Autel Evo. Now with those out, maybe the price of the Pro will come down a bit further
?
?PaulR
Leading Member
When I got the Mavic Pro I thought the 28mm focal length would be too wide but it turns out that normally isn't the case. I've found myself tempted to go above the 400' limit to get the shots I want. I'm looking forward to seeing how the 24mm focal length on the Phantom 4 Advanced compares. Of course, if you were primarily using the drone to shoot pics of people or things like cars from a different vantage point wider is probably worse.Those look amazing! Particularly like the "abstract" vertical shots (don't always understand what I'm seeing but don't need to). That's the kind of stuff that's made me dream of a drone for years. I prefer a longer focal length so would get the Mavic Pro over the Air or the Autel Evo. Now with those out, maybe the price of the Pro will come down a bit further
falconeyes
Senior Member
Wrt existing products:
the Mavic (Air and Pro) have a 12 MP still camera which however is very good. It is straightforward to further increase image quality using bursts (dynamic range) and panorama stitching (resolution). Despite lacking raw support, even the Spark is capable of stunning, gallery-quality panorama photography. Some of my best photos are from a Spark simply because I had no other camera with me
For image quality alone, I wouldn't go to the P4P; except you need to shoot in low light.
Wrt forthcoming drones:
The Mavic Pro II is rumored to launch end of March, featuring a 1" sensor camera.
The P5P is rumored to launch later, featuring a lens mount.
IMHO, the real jump in photographic possibilities comes with an option for tele lenses. For daylight and wide angle use, I'd go with the Mavic Air. For photographic opportunities going beyond, I'd wait for the P5P.
wco81
Leading Member
One inch sensor would be great.
a 4 to 1 zoom would be useful too.
Yeah I'm more interested in pianos than straight stills from drone cameras.
Unfortunately, more and more places are outlawing drones.
Was at a park the other day which has cliffs overlooking the Pacifiv to the east and the Sydney skyline to the West.
Explicit signs prohibiting drones at that park.
a 4 to 1 zoom would be useful too.
Yeah I'm more interested in pianos than straight stills from drone cameras.
Unfortunately, more and more places are outlawing drones.
Was at a park the other day which has cliffs overlooking the Pacifiv to the east and the Sydney skyline to the West.
Explicit signs prohibiting drones at that park.
LesDMess
Senior Member
With a Mavic Pro or Phantom 4, you can take off more than a mile away - ormore, from the restricted area. Does the restriction still apply in that case or are there other restrictions in your area about distance/line of sight, etc?
Last edited:
wco81
Leading Member
There was language about not launching or landing drones.
Sure you could launch and fly over the park but then some parks are huge so you'd have to fly long ways to get where you want.
Of course drones have been banned from national parks in the US and elsewhere, as well as banned from big cities.
Maybe over highways and farm land, assuming these aren't in the flight path for aircraft?
LesDMess
Senior Member
I understand the requirements here in the US but you said Sydney and I assumed downunder which I know nothing about their drone laws.
wco81
Leading Member
A lot of their big attractions are part of national parks, such as the Twelve Apostles in the Port Campbell Park, which stretches for tens of kilometers along prime coastal areas.
So they just prohibit drones in national parks or else the skies would be filled with them.
So they just prohibit drones in national parks or else the skies would be filled with them.
G Dickson
Senior Member
Like you I have been on the lookout for a "good" camera drone. I have played a lot with a phantom 2 Vision (until it self destructed) and then was lusting after a Mavic pro. The spark was also on the list but then the lack of raw capability was a real negative. The Mavic air then started to look like it ticked all the boxes. The problem for me though is the cost... And after my experiences with my loaned P2 Vision I am really unwilling to spend a thousand Euros (Mavic Air fly more combo) on something that can be a total loss in a couple of seconds.
I really don't need much video capability, I don't need huge range as my use is more about sending the drone straight up to capture landscapes from a higher perspective.
With this in mind I got a used Phantom 3 Std with two batteries off eBay for less than the spark with no controller.
It shoots raw, has a decent flight time to play around with framing and make panoramas. As I don't really do much video with drones the lack of advanced/autonomous flight modes is no big deal. I figure that if it lasts it will allow me to get what I want to get until in a couple of years a more portable solution with a 1" sensor is an option. At the end of the day I don't see massive differences in any of the tiny sensor drones in terms of image quality (at least for stills) so for me it is probably the most cost effective option. The size is a pain, but I suppose that is the tradeoff... However most of my use with the drone will be generally with a vehicle or boat or short walks so I can live with it. Airline travel though is going to be a mission...
I was fairly happy with some of the output from the P2 Vision:
I am really looking forward to playing around with the new-to-me P3 over the next few days with a trip to the Austrian alps. Just my thoughts on other possible routes to explore in terms of drone purchase and hop it can be of some help.
I really don't need much video capability, I don't need huge range as my use is more about sending the drone straight up to capture landscapes from a higher perspective.
With this in mind I got a used Phantom 3 Std with two batteries off eBay for less than the spark with no controller.
It shoots raw, has a decent flight time to play around with framing and make panoramas. As I don't really do much video with drones the lack of advanced/autonomous flight modes is no big deal. I figure that if it lasts it will allow me to get what I want to get until in a couple of years a more portable solution with a 1" sensor is an option. At the end of the day I don't see massive differences in any of the tiny sensor drones in terms of image quality (at least for stills) so for me it is probably the most cost effective option. The size is a pain, but I suppose that is the tradeoff... However most of my use with the drone will be generally with a vehicle or boat or short walks so I can live with it. Airline travel though is going to be a mission...
I was fairly happy with some of the output from the P2 Vision:
I am really looking forward to playing around with the new-to-me P3 over the next few days with a trip to the Austrian alps. Just my thoughts on other possible routes to explore in terms of drone purchase and hop it can be of some help.
J
junk1
Guest
I read somewhere that trhe P3 can lift even more than the P4 (can't recall if the review removed the cameras and gimbal - I assume not). anyhow, maybe you could lift a GM1 and 14mm lens or kit lens (either with or w/o the drone's camera and gimbal). I've wondered how hard it would be to remove the camera on the P3 or standard version of the P4.
Then hang a "real camera" (m43) and shoot blindly in time-lapse mode (if you removed the P3's camera to save weight).
The huge Yunec Q500 ($400 refurbished on newegg) has a removable camera, pretty sure...
Then hang a "real camera" (m43) and shoot blindly in time-lapse mode (if you removed the P3's camera to save weight).
The huge Yunec Q500 ($400 refurbished on newegg) has a removable camera, pretty sure...
tomrandall86
Leading Member
Like you I have been on the lookout for a "good" camera drone. I have played a lot with a phantom 2 Vision (until it self destructed) and then was lusting after a Mavic pro. The spark was also on the list but then the lack of raw capability was a real negative. The Mavic air then started to look like it ticked all the boxes. The problem for me though is the cost... And after my experiences with my loaned P2 Vision I am really unwilling to spend a thousand Euros (Mavic Air fly more combo) on something that can be a total loss in a couple of seconds.
I really don't need much video capability, I don't need huge range as my use is more about sending the drone straight up to capture landscapes from a higher perspective.
With this in mind I got a used Phantom 3 Std with two batteries off eBay for less than the spark with no controller.
It shoots raw, has a decent flight time to play around with framing and make panoramas. As I don't really do much video with drones the lack of advanced/autonomous flight modes is no big deal. I figure that if it lasts it will allow me to get what I want to get until in a couple of years a more portable solution with a 1" sensor is an option. At the end of the day I don't see massive differences in any of the tiny sensor drones in terms of image quality (at least for stills) so for me it is probably the most cost effective option. The size is a pain, but I suppose that is the tradeoff... However most of my use with the drone will be generally with a vehicle or boat or short walks so I can live with it. Airline travel though is going to be a mission...
I was fairly happy with some of the output from the P2 Vision:
I am really looking forward to playing around with the new-to-me P3 over the next few days with a trip to the Austrian alps. Just my thoughts on other possible routes to explore in terms of drone purchase and hop it can be of some help.
Really nice work here!
I'm still going to hold out. I'm hopefully taking a trip up to Scotland at the end of March and it would have been great to send a drone off around some of the areas along mountain trails that you can't get to by foot. But alas, I don't want to rush buying one and I'd like something portable with a high quality sensor for stills!
--
Tom
Olympus OM-D E-M5mkII
M.Zuiko 14-150mmII
M.Zuiko 12-40mm PRO
M.Zuiko 75-300mmII
Samyang 12mm F2.0
SignumX
Member
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 2
I don't have that much experience with drones, but I had the opportunity to get a loaner Mavic Pro last summer. I was really impressed to say the least. The portability, quality and sheer value in the Fly More Combo is just amazing.
If you know how to shoot the stuff you can get is just unbelievable for the size and cost. Pixel peepers will say it's not pro quality, but to be honest for most people it's more than enough. Most people wouldn't see any difference with a well edited shot from a 1000 € Mavic and a 4000 € Inspire 2.
Low light is naturally a problem for the Mavic, but hey, you can't get everything...
I had a couple of scares when the Android app died on me/disconnected from the drone mid-flight that made me rethink owning one, but I've understood that the iOS app is quite more stable.
Have been eying the Mavic ever since I picked up a new iPad. The possibility of a new Mavic II has been perhaps the biggest factor why I haven't pulled the trigger yet (along with the fact that it's winter right now)...
If you know how to shoot the stuff you can get is just unbelievable for the size and cost. Pixel peepers will say it's not pro quality, but to be honest for most people it's more than enough. Most people wouldn't see any difference with a well edited shot from a 1000 € Mavic and a 4000 € Inspire 2.
Low light is naturally a problem for the Mavic, but hey, you can't get everything...
I had a couple of scares when the Android app died on me/disconnected from the drone mid-flight that made me rethink owning one, but I've understood that the iOS app is quite more stable.
Have been eying the Mavic ever since I picked up a new iPad. The possibility of a new Mavic II has been perhaps the biggest factor why I haven't pulled the trigger yet (along with the fact that it's winter right now)...
rurikw
Senior Member
Rats, I bought a Samsung S6 to use with the Mavic...
Same here except I'd love to shoot some winter landscapes.
J
junk1
Guest
That's worrisome. If flying w/in line of sight, do you really need DJI Go app, on the Mavic pro especially? You have the built in display for battery levels and whatever else and I assume there is a return to home (RTH) button on the controller to get it close, then you can take over and land manually if preferred?
....
I read this phone works well with the DJI Go App (google the phone's name and "DJI Go"). They are the same phone ("snapdragon 435 processor...8 cores).
Huawei Ascend XT2 (Walmart $90)
Cricket Wireless - Huawei Elate (Best Buy $65)
....
I read this phone works well with the DJI Go App (google the phone's name and "DJI Go"). They are the same phone ("snapdragon 435 processor...8 cores).
Huawei Ascend XT2 (Walmart $90)
Cricket Wireless - Huawei Elate (Best Buy $65)
J
junk1
Guest
S6 is listed as having some good reports but not endorsed by DJi (I think that's what the color coding means to the left of the phone).
www.phantomhelp.com
Best Tablets and Phones for DJI GO & DJI Fly (Updated Daily) | Phantom Help
Phantom Help is a site for help with DJI Phantom drones. Find the latest fixes, how-tos, guides, accessories, modifications, and more.
www.phantomhelp.com
rurikw
Senior Member
It says the green dots are recommended by Phantom help and the yellow ones supported by DJI. Hard to tell whether one is "stronger" than the other. Usually being supported by in IT speak means compatible with so I guess I can reasonably expect them to work together. Anyway, I'll certainly get the replacement policy whatever its name was.
wco81
Leading Member
Isn't the regular controller better than using an app?
J
junk1
Guest
By "support" I surmise he means it works, not literally that DJI is endorsing it, but I'm not 100% sure. Some have a green and yellow dot, some just one or the other...so poorly done.
Best bet is to search/google for info on your device, or as I did, find a cheap device that works by searching around.
My phone is very old, and my next "general usage" phone (LG Fiesta 2 tracfone) might not be good enough either (only found one reference to LG Fiesta 2 and DJI Go but the site would not load - some endian video site).
LG Fiesta 2 Tracfone seems to be the best Tracfone on hsn.com (which always has the best deals) and is $90 with a year of service (worth $125) when on sale ($120 now). It uses the snapdragon 425 processor whereas the 2 phones (which are the same phone actually) I listed earlier have the 435 (8 cores vs. 4 cores, but both are only 1.4ghz).
Best bet is to search/google for info on your device, or as I did, find a cheap device that works by searching around.
My phone is very old, and my next "general usage" phone (LG Fiesta 2 tracfone) might not be good enough either (only found one reference to LG Fiesta 2 and DJI Go but the site would not load - some endian video site).
LG Fiesta 2 Tracfone seems to be the best Tracfone on hsn.com (which always has the best deals) and is $90 with a year of service (worth $125) when on sale ($120 now). It uses the snapdragon 425 processor whereas the 2 phones (which are the same phone actually) I listed earlier have the 435 (8 cores vs. 4 cores, but both are only 1.4ghz).
Last edited:
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum