Drones for videography and stills

[nickburt]

Ok, so quite a lot of us have various cameras and associated lenses and kit etc...

Who uses a drone? What make/model and why did you choose that one.

And.......... importantly, how do you rate the quality of the video and stills it produces?

 

[TheWitchAndTheWoodsman]

I've got a DJI Mavic Pro. For me, it's a great balance of portability, easy flight, and great image/video quality. The whole thing packs down into a bag about the size of a brown paper lunch sack, including the controller, three batteries, spare propellers, and a set of ND filters. The camera itself has a bit of a learning curve (it has a bit of trouble with lower light as you can see in the grainy, high iso image at the bottom), but it's incredibly stable in flight and the tiny size makes up for it.

Here's a few images and a link to a video:

California countryside video

 

[Voodoo 1]

Great pics, thanks for the info. and sharing

 

[nickburt]

Thanks for the reply and info @TheWitchAndTheWoodsman , even the low light image is pretty good for the size of camera.
I think I've more or less decided on the DJI Mavic Pro, for very much the same reasons of size and portability.
Having watched many drone comparison videos and reviews, I'm not sure it's worth spending the extra on a Phantom for the kind of shots I'm after.

 

[Steve]

Here's a previous discussion on drones, and what members are using: Drones

 

[TheWitchAndTheWoodsman]

You might want to wait a day or two before pickup up a drone. DJI has been teasing a new drone model for a while now and has scheduled a big release broadcast for tomorrow afternoon. From what I've read, it'll sit somewhere between the Mavic Pro and the Spark in terms of size, portability, and capability.

 

[nickburt]

You might want to wait a day or two before pickup up a drone. DJI has been teasing a new drone model for a while now and has scheduled a big release broadcast for tomorrow afternoon. From what I've read, it'll sit somewhere between the Mavic Pro and the Spark in terms of size, portability, and capability.

That's the sort of thing that worries me .......

 

[Sgt12XU]

Phantom 3 Pro model here. It was the best you could buy when I got mine. That was a few years ago. Still works perfectly. 4k at 30fps is overkill, so I normally shoot 1080p at 60fps.

I haven't flown it in a bit. Made a few vids with it. Here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwDOT-HjM6d80R-kimd8suK8vLvAZCzO2

Will use it a lot this summer on overland/trail/camp trips.

 

[ArmyofMike]

This just emailed to me: Meet the Mavic Air....
https://www.dji.com/mavic-air?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=edm&utm_campaign=mavic-air&utm_content=release&sc_src=email_1702389&sc_eh=035d9776f5966e861&sc_llid=643268&sc_lid=69871266&sc_uid=t3sSO2OHdg

 

[OffroadTreks]

This just emailed to me: Meet the Mavic Air....
https://www.dji.com/mavic-air?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=edm&utm_campaign=mavic-air&utm_content=release&sc_src=email_1702389&sc_eh=035d9776f5966e861&sc_llid=643268&sc_lid=69871266&sc_uid=t3sSO2OHdg

Ohhhh..... I suspect a Mavic Pro update might be on the horizon based on the camera specs on that thing. That is tempting.

I've really been into my Mavic Pro since we bought it.

We traveled full-time for two years, and I avoided buying a drone, thinking it was gimicky and that I wouldn't use it that often. And now I severely regret that decision. Luckily when we get back on the road to travel again full-time this summer I'll have my Mavic Pro.

But it also got me back into videography and photography. And I've really been enjoying the hobby. Worthwhile investment IMO.

 

[ArmyofMike]

I'm still flying a DJI Phantom 1.1.1 and enjoy every minute of it. I just installed a better Gimbal for my Gopro and fell in love with the thing over again. In fact, I am going to fly it when I get home from work today! haha

 

[nickburt]

Yup, Mavic Air launched - now might have to wait for the next iteration of the Pro

 

[nickburt]

Really stuck now - what to get, or do I wait to see if the Pro does get a new camera ......

 

[Craig M]

A review on the Mavic Air with comparisons to a couple other DJI offerings..

 

[Craig M]

Casey Neistat has a video comparing all the DJI models...

Haha, you just beat me to it..

 

[nickburt]

Casey Neistat has a video comparing all the DJI models and there’s another woman on YouTube who has been comparing all the models including the Air. Guys, I think I’m going to go with the air - from what it looks like the air doesn’t lose any video quality, in fact it’s slightly better in regards to bits. I like how much more compact it is, the controller is better equipped to take up less space, and I dig the hand gestures that you can use with the air. Additionally, the price point for the Air is less than the mavic pro. That’s my two cents on the subject. I’ve been really looking forward to capturing my adventures aerially.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

You're on much the same wavelength as me. But I do wonder if the next generation Pro will have the better camera.

 

[nickburt]

Hmmm..... wifi control may have some range issues.

 

[dougie117]

Hmmm..... wifi control may have some range issues.

Right it's definitely limited when in Wi-Fi mode vs RC. It's like browsing on your phone using wifi or you data plan - one is going to work in more places than your home wifi connection.

But I don't know what more can be said on the Mavic. It's super compact compared to the Phantoms but big enough to not get buffered in the wind unlike the smaller Spark. I've had my Mavic for over a year and really enjoy flying it. Quality in terms of pictures, video, and controlling is all great. Plus it got me into some intro video editing which has been fun to learn. People/friends always like it when I bring it out. I heard the 2nd gen Mavic is coming out in June but may be July. I know the original Mavic got pushed out for a while as well. DJI is probably the best brand to go with.

Here is a link to one of my videos - Freeman Park at Carolina Beach, NC
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPTY48zjQ2I" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[rlhydn]

Recently picked up a Mavic Air, still learning but REALLY happy with its video quality - stills are AMAZING.

 

[Ontario Overland]

im using a yuneece q500. Havn't used it yet this summer, i unfortunatly i left both my batteries in my truck overnight when camping in -30deg weather...their toast.