Am I crazy to want an Inspire 2?

Loving my Air 2s but what is missing is options. Its great if you want to shoot wide angle but what I want is a field of view half as wide which would allow me be be further away and flatten the perspective on photos. I'm in the US so flying a heavy drone is still an option.

Used Inspire packages are available in the 3-5K range and the batteries are still being produced. No way I would be able to buy afford an Inspire 3, assuming it will even be produced.

The Mavic 3 doesn't interest me at all. I have no need to be more "cinematic", I want more "photographic" instead.

Anyone else out there wanting more camera options?

ken_in_nh wrote:

Considering that the drone cameras have a smart phone camera heritage, I say be patient. My newest smart phone, a Pixel 6 pro, has a 4x "telephoto" 12 mpixel camera. Others have similar.

Can you see trickle down in another year or so?

Mavic 3 has a 12 MP "telefoto" camera.

Sagittarius wrote:

ken_in_nh wrote:

Considering that the drone cameras have a smart phone camera heritage, I say be patient. My newest smart phone, a Pixel 6 pro, has a 4x "telephoto" 12 mpixel camera. Others have similar.

Can you see trickle down in another year or so?

Mavic 3 has a 12 MP "telefoto" camera.

Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to the X5s camera commonly found on used Inspire 2s and I can use one of 7-8 other lens with it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1298596-REG/dji_cp_zm_000496_zenmuse_x5s.html/

ken_in_nh wrote:

Considering that the drone cameras have a smart phone camera heritage, I say be patient. My newest smart phone, a Pixel 6 pro, has a 4x "telephoto" 12 mpixel camera. Others have similar.

Can you see trickle down in another year or so?

That is true, but I also expect the cost to go up with each improvement, just like smartphones. Besides, I'm 60 years old. I want to live my best life... now.

Boomanbb wrote:

Loving my Air 2s but what is missing is options. Its great if you want to shoot wide angle but what I want is a field of view half as wide which would allow me be be further away and flatten the perspective on photos. I'm in the US so flying a heavy drone is still an option.

Used Inspire packages are available in the 3-5K range and the batteries are still being produced. No way I would be able to buy afford an Inspire 3, assuming it will even be produced.

The Mavic 3 doesn't interest me at all. I have no need to be more "cinematic", I want more "photographic" instead.

Anyone else out there wanting more camera options?

Why not a Mavic 2 Zoom? It has 2x optical zoom and is available for about $1000 used

Boomanbb wrote:

Loving my Air 2s but what is missing is options. Its great if you want to shoot wide angle but what I want is a field of view half as wide which would allow me be be further away and flatten the perspective on photos. I'm in the US so flying a heavy drone is still an option.

Used Inspire packages are available in the 3-5K range and the batteries are still being produced. No way I would be able to buy afford an Inspire 3, assuming it will even be produced.

The Mavic 3 doesn't interest me at all. I have no need to be more "cinematic", I want more "photographic" instead.

Anyone else out there wanting more camera options?

I have exactly the same problem as I would often need a different field of view and longer lens (90mm equivalent would be perfect).

But those bigger drones just suck The whole package is huge, batteries expensive and while no one really cares when you fly air 2s the inspire is a huge beast.. you need to be really careful and need a different license. It sucks from so many reasons

I really wish there was something like air 2s - or interchangeable module to fit there a longer lens in 50-100mm equivalent range with 1" sensor. If mavic 3 was a 24-70mm zoom with 1" I would buy it immediately.

At least there could be a digital solution in Air 2s offering digital 3x zoom with binding multiple shots to increase resolution. I guess it may be worth to try it manually - 10 or 20 shots combined and cropped may help a little bit.

blank_ wrote:

I have exactly the same problem as I would often need a different field of view and longer lens (90mm equivalent would be perfect).

But those bigger drones just suck The whole package is huge, batteries expensive and while no one really cares when you fly air 2s the inspire is a huge beast.. you need to be really careful and need a different license. It sucks from so many reasons

What different license?

I really wish there was something like air 2s - or interchangeable module to fit there a longer lens in 50-100mm equivalent range with 1" sensor. If mavic 3 was a 24-70mm zoom with 1" I would buy it immediately.

At least there could be a digital solution in Air 2s offering digital 3x zoom with binding multiple shots to increase resolution. I guess it may be worth to try it manually - 10 or 20 shots combined and cropped may help a little bit.

Sagittarius wrote:

blank_ wrote:

I have exactly the same problem as I would often need a different field of view and longer lens (90mm equivalent would be perfect).

But those bigger drones just suck The whole package is huge, batteries expensive and while no one really cares when you fly air 2s the inspire is a huge beast.. you need to be really careful and need a different license. It sucks from so many reasons

What different license?

in my country - I believe it will be the same in whole EU, everything is quite easy up to 900g drone + you can do all tests etc online. Then it gets complicated in 900-4Kg range and even more so in 4-25Kg. More limitations about where to fly and not so easy tests (I believe not just online) I believe you may have to pay for the license and insurance too (but I'm not sure here)

I really wish there was something like air 2s - or interchangeable module to fit there a longer lens in 50-100mm equivalent range with 1" sensor. If mavic 3 was a 24-70mm zoom with 1" I would buy it immediately.

At least there could be a digital solution in Air 2s offering digital 3x zoom with binding multiple shots to increase resolution. I guess it may be worth to try it manually - 10 or 20 shots combined and cropped may help a little bit.

blank_ wrote:

in my country - I believe it will be the same in whole EU, everything is quite easy up to 900g drone + you can do all tests etc online. Then it gets complicated in 900-4Kg range and even more so in 4-25Kg. More limitations about where to fly and not so easy tests (I believe not just online) I believe you may have to pay for the license and insurance too (but I'm not sure here)

Then why speculate?

The OP is in the US, easy to find out by clicking his name at the top of the post. Are you completely familiar with the US regulations?

Ken Seals wrote:

blank_ wrote:

in my country - I believe it will be the same in whole EU, everything is quite easy up to 900g drone + you can do all tests etc online. Then it gets complicated in 900-4Kg range and even more so in 4-25Kg. More limitations about where to fly and not so easy tests (I believe not just online) I believe you may have to pay for the license and insurance too (but I'm not sure here)

Then why speculate?

The OP is in the US, easy to find out by clicking his name at the top of the post. Are you completely familiar with the US regulations?

Only special license I would be after is my part 107. I’m really hoping an Inspire 3 gets released, should put more inspire 2 models on the used market.

Boomanbb wrote:

Sagittarius wrote:

ken_in_nh wrote:

Considering that the drone cameras have a smart phone camera heritage, I say be patient. My newest smart phone, a Pixel 6 pro, has a 4x "telephoto" 12 mpixel camera. Others have similar.

Can you see trickle down in another year or so?

Mavic 3 has a 12 MP "telefoto" camera.

Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to the X5s camera commonly found on used Inspire 2s and I can use one of 7-8 other lens with it.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1298596-REG/dji_cp_zm_000496_zenmuse_x5s.html/

The Mavic 3 Pro zoom camera now shoots raw so that along makes a huge difference, maybe you can edit your photos and get good results

Boomanbb wrote:

Ken Seals wrote:

blank_ wrote:

in my country - I believe it will be the same in whole EU, everything is quite easy up to 900g drone + you can do all tests etc online. Then it gets complicated in 900-4Kg range and even more so in 4-25Kg. More limitations about where to fly and not so easy tests (I believe not just online) I believe you may have to pay for the license and insurance too (but I'm not sure here)

Then why speculate?

The OP is in the US, easy to find out by clicking his name at the top of the post. Are you completely familiar with the US regulations?

Only special license I would be after is my part 107. I’m really hoping an Inspire 3 gets released, should put more inspire 2 models on the used market.

I still hope, we will get something from DJI or Autel with longer lens and decent sensor under 900g. As long as you stick with iso 100 (which I do all the time with stills) I dont see much difference between 1" and X5S, and with 1" a 3x zoom lens or even better  interchangeable camera modules should be something, that can be done.

I expect Autel to copy the Mavic 3 with its next drone, so lets hope they use something bigger than 1/2" 12 mpix sensor for the long lens.

If you really want the inspire 2  though, I'd just get it. At this moment it is the only choice (unless you go for some custom build drone to carry a small mirrorless) and X5S with some Olympus primes is not  so expensive. DJI uses the TB50 batteries for another products, so lets hope they will not be discontinued with the inspire 2 (as did inspire 1 batteries). Just tell yourself you are saving that money from inflation :))

I had an Inspire 2, X5S and several lenses.  Took it all over the US and to Iceland.  I've hiked with it strapped to a backpack.  Its an impressive drone with great IQ.  Its not subtle and its not something you can fold up and toss in a bag.  The big deal is not only sensor but the ability to mount 50mm and 90mm lenses for a unique view.  I found that I could get 80% of the IQ using my Autel Evo 2, but I do miss the lenses.  The Mavic 3 is ok, but word is, the quality of the lens involved degrades the Micro 4/3rds advantage.  The XDynamics Evolve 2 looks promising.

Some favorite X5S stills:

Iceland Highlands, DJI 15mm kit lens

Skagit Valley Olympus 45mm lens (90mm)

Mount Baker Dusk Olympus 25mm lens (50mm)

great shots. Also thanks for the tip on Evolve 2, despite I wish they used the 20mpix sensor or the new 25mpix Panasonic one, but I understand the video is their main focus.