Aerial Still Photography With a Pentax Q and Phantom

[iCrop]

So I picked up a Pentax Q last year. It's small and has interchangeable lenses and it seemed perfect for aerial photography. I discovered the Phantom shortly thereafter, but it was expensive. When the Phantom dropped $200 I snapped one up. I've posted a brief tutorial on mounting the Q to the Phantom and posted some photos for anyone interested. Just go to MCHerdering Photography and click on the 'Aerial Photography' link on the upper left.
Here's what it looks like:

Please don't laugh too hard at my landing gear 'shims'. :lol: I have an upgrade to that on the way...

 

[Peter Patricelli]

The weight of the camera is 180 gms....and it is unclear if that weight is with or without a lens....compared to 78 gms for a Hero3. BUT...if shooting stills...since it has image stabilization, a gimbal is probably not necessary. So, overall the weight may be within commonly carried dimensions. Video would require a gimbal.

Can you post some pictures...stills...AND video?

 

[iCrop]

The weight of the camera is 180 gms....and it is unclear if that weight is with or without a lens....compared to 78 gms for a Hero3. BUT...if shooting stills...since it has image stabilization, a gimbal is probably not necessary. So, overall the weight may be within commonly carried dimensions. Video would require a gimbal.

Can you post some pictures...stills...AND video?

Hi Peter -
Actually the camera is 200gm, the lens ~80. Moving toward the limit. I get around 5-7 minutes of flight time.

Have not shot any video yet, I'm a still photographer. Stills are at my web site http://www.mcherderingphotograpy.com and click on the 'Aerial Photography' link in the upper left (a few things there and more to come). But here's a link to a photo of the house I grew up in (shot with the Pentax Q and 01 Prime):

That's me bottom center.
Thanks for looking...

 

[rilot]

How are you triggering the shutter? Does it have a time-lapse function so you just set it going and then fly?

 

[iCrop]

How are you triggering the shutter? Does it have a time-lapse function so you just set it going and then fly?

Yup. the camera has a built in intervalometer.

 

[rilot]

Interesting. I may look in to this camera myself then. Reviews say it's pretty poor when compared to m4/3 cams but in this game, weight is the key.

 

[iCrop]

Interesting. I may look in to this camera myself then. Reviews say it's pretty poor when compared to m4/3 cams but in this game, weight is the key.

A bigger sensor would be nice, but I haven't found a m4/3 camera/lens combo as light as this...