Bottom line (IMO), the P4 price tag I'd just too high

[Jussaguy]

There is no question that the jump from the P2 to the P3 was huge and this doesn't look to touch that but for the people that don't want to buy the new one are just upset that it's too close to the P3 to spend their money on the P4. Otherwise, if it were free, you would be stoked to have the new functionality.

You can't look at the price point of the P3 now, but what it was 2 weeks ago at $1100 or $1200 for whatever it was. You're telling me obstacle avoidance alone isn't worth that? I think the tracking alone is worth that. Tracking without a device. If it works even half as good as perfect, it will be a big time game changer. Unfortunately pointless to talk about it. ****, I hope I get mine in that first wave.

 

[Mako79]

You folks in the USA got it good.
Us poor Aussies get it for $2400 without any goodies or support. An extra battery creeps in at almost $300

If you own a P2 - this is worth the jump. If you own a P3A/P, then its not worth it.
If you have never flown a drone, still buy a cheapie to practice on. The automation will dumb you down as a pilot.

 

[fly_it]

You folks in the USA got it good.
Us poor Aussies get it for $2400 without any goodies or support. An extra battery creeps in at almost $400

If you own a P2 - this is worth the jump. If you own a P3A/P, then its not worth it.
If you have never flown a drone, still buy a cheapie to practice on. The automation will dumb you down as a pilot.

Wow, that sucks. You guys have super high import taxes on this stuff or what?

 

[Donw35]

I like the P4 and if I was in the market I would consider it but I find it to be more of another option, you can chose the P3, P4 or the inspire based on what you would like to do. as a P3P owner I don't see any real upgrade but rather added capabilities that all three have. The P3P fits my fun factor and the good from this P4 for me and other like me is cheaper batteries.

 

[mirrorimage]

The price is definitely not too high. New larger battery, 4 camera sensors, new higher quality camera lens assembly, new motherboard with daughterboard for image processing. This is quite a bit of increased cost, probably $200 more in parts and manufacturing.

I paid $1250 for my P3P, $100 more is not too high for great new feature, 5x more stability when hovering, higher quality optics, new blade connectors, faster top speed, etc

 

[Karanba]

I see pattern of 2016 P3A/P buyers who shoot number of posts telling how P4 is not so good and that P3P is as good. Well P3P is great but P4 is in almost every aspect better, on some way better. Face it guys, P3P was like 1300$ when it was out and now P4 is 1400$ and it IS better than P3P in almost every aspect. Sorry but you should have waited if you paid full retail for P3P this year and you knew when P4 will be out. Now 999$ vs 1400$ is little too much but it is early adopters price. P4 doesnt seem to be physicaly much better than P3P but it has some sick software options.

It has better camera, collision avoidance, better battery, better speed, BIG POINT is Visual Tracking, GOOD POINT is Fly with Tap etc. It will surely have more options in future months with all those sensors. Only if they make it bulletproof for flyaways and sudden crashes and it is perfect.

I dont mind if the drivers crash it but they should really make sure that it can hoover and fly in open field with full batteries for like 500+ hours and not get battery failure or whatever and crash.

 

[Bill Golson]

Hey fly_it -- sounds like you need a friend in the states. I bought into DJI via the anniversary sale -- P3S for $500 -- a major upgrade from toy grade quads. Anyway, somewhere down the road I'd be looking to upgrade to either a cheaper P3P or (who knows) a cheaper P4. I like the way DJI makes and sells their product line -- I like that the tiered approach (P3s P3a P3p) has been dropped. By the way -- does Apple own DJI? The look and feel of the ads reminds me of Apple.

 

[Arcticm39]

$1400 seems like a lot...but compared to some of other hobbies, it is way cheap. Heck...paid that much for a single lens back when I was into SLR cameras. I think I spent that much on a pair of Bose speakers way back when I was in college, or my first VHS camcorder....or the suspension upgrade on my dirt bike....or the GPS upgrade in my airplane., etc., etc., etc. Compared to what this thing allows you to do, $1,400 is really an incredible value. Assuming I can get an HDMI upgrade and LITCHI support in the very near future, I am all over it.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

So very true... I hate to think how much money I spent (mid-life crisis), keeping tropical aquariums about ten years ago. My wife was greatly relieved when I finally ceased acquiring new, must-have additions and gradually sold the money pit. This flying camera hobby, in comparison, is cheaper.

 

[Cale262]

I was more than ready to buy at $1700 so $1399 is a pleasant surprise....

There will always be many who will find a reason not to buy regardless, I don't know why they even come to the P4 forum since they aren't going to buy anyway.

 

[Mako79]

I see pattern of 2016 P3A/P buyers who shoot number of posts telling how P4 is not so good and that P3P is as good. Well P3P is great but P4 is in almost every aspect better, on some way better. Face it guys, P3P was like 1300$ when it was out and now P4 is 1400$ and it IS better than P3P in almost every aspect. Sorry but you should have waited if you paid full retail for P3P this year and you knew when P4 will be out. Now 999$ vs 1400$ is little too much but it is early adopters price. P4 doesnt seem to be physicaly much better than P3P but it has some sick software options.

It has better camera, collision avoidance, better battery, better speed, BIG POINT is Visual Tracking, GOOD POINT is Fly with Tap etc. It will surely have more options in future months with all those sensors. Only if they make it bulletproof for flyaways and sudden crashes and it is perfect.

I dont mind if the drivers crash it but they should really make sure that it can hoover and fly in open field with full batteries for like 500+ hours and not get battery failure or whatever and crash.

I think I wouldn't notice the difference between the P3 and P4 if I was flying. I'm always on the sticks and prefer NOT be in a scenario where collision system has to kick in.
As for object tracking meh... Been using on Vertical studio and I think it suffers from the same issues.

Like the OP said, the P3 was a massive jump from the P2. The LB system, camera optics, glonass and GO app made the Phantom 3 feel well polished series value for money. Whereas the P4, though revolutionary, have introduced a few features that I rarely or may not use.

P4 is better but is it worth the $2400AUD worth the extra for flight times?? extra speed?? half ***-collision avoidance?? tracking?? tap to fly??

I think the P3 users are going to be happy and wait it out for the next iteration - bigger camera sensors, full 360x180 sensory, LB2 1080p, retractable legs, better battery alternatives.

And I do think there is going to be a lot more crashes with the P4 as beginners/users will be over confident with the avoidance system. DJI didn't mention the limitations on their promo clips - wires, tree branches above cannot be detected.

 

[Deanster]

I have no issue with the P4 at $1400, just as I had no issue with the P3 at $1300 when I bought it summer 2015.

P4 will be a great choice for people who want/need the current full-featured option.

The big difference will be that with the P3P/A at $1K and $800 respectively, there's a GREAT option for those just looking to give things a try. When I looked at the P3 vs P2V+, it was a very easy choice to pay the P3 upgrade cost, even just based on Lightbridge alone.

I don't think it'll be as easy for your 'average Joe' to decide to pay for the P4, though it'll be popular with enthusiasts.

FWIW, I'd argue that what we saw with the P3 represents DJI's product plan going forward. Flagship at $1400 at launch, declining to $1K as it becomes last year's flagship, and then a family of less-capable/older options stacked between $500 and the $1K year-old-flagship.

Customers will naturally sort themselves into the 'right' places in the product portfolio.

Presumably, we'll see add'l P4 models this year, and this time next year, the top-end P4 will be selling for $1K, with the P5 at $1400.

 

[Jussaguy]

The need to keep the phantom line hovering around $1k. They've made a mistake pricing it at $1400. They probably wanted to increase their margins (another page from the Apple playbook), but it will sadly turn out to be a mistake. Sales will not compare to the P3 line. The new enhancements don't justify a $400-500 increase considering the camera is the same.

The P4 sales will not be as strong. DJI will reduce its price within 6 months and will probably release a second model as well.

So you are saying that adding less than $200 to the original price of the P3P is too much considering all the things it can do. Each individual thing it can do one it is worth that forget about all of them.

 

[Sinisalo]

I think I wouldn't notice the difference between the P3 and P4 if I was flying. I'm always on the sticks and prefer NOT be in a scenario where collision system has to kick in.
As for object tracking meh... Been using on Vertical studio and I think it suffers from the same issues.

Like the OP said, the P3 was a massive jump from the P2. The LB system, camera optics, glonass and GO app made the Phantom 3 feel well polished series value for money. Whereas the P4, though revolutionary, have introduced a few features that I rarely or may not use.

P4 is better but is it worth the $2400AUD worth the extra for flight times?? extra speed?? half ***-collision avoidance?? tracking?? tap to fly??

I think the P3 users are going to be happy and wait it out for the next iteration - bigger camera sensors, full 360x180 sensory, LB2 1080p, retractable legs, better battery alternatives.

And I do think there is going to be a lot more crashes with the P4 as beginners/users will be over confident with the avoidance system. DJI didn't mention the limitations on their promo clips - wires, tree branches above cannot be detected.

In the Q&A it says it can avoid items with a minimum pixel size of 500 pixels so you are probably right about a single small tree branch or a wire. What I don't understand is why nobody is talking about the dual IMU and Compass. To me that alone makes this worth the extra $140 price increase over the P3P price point from a month ago. Also the transmitter has a bit more power and the biggest draw for me is that they said the camera is "dramatically sharper" and they seem to have solved the gimbal tilt problem, and probably the battery issues as well.

 

[nhoover]

For me the P4 is going to be awesome. I have one photography project that is going to be so much easier at 20m/s vs 16m/s for instance. I seriously doubt the price is going to jump up to $1700 though - that's just too much. With a couple of batteries that's over $2000.

 

[Jussaguy]

In the Q&A it says it can avoid items with a minimum pixel size of 500 pixels so you are probably right about a single small tree branch or a wire. What I don't understand is why nobody is talking about the dual IMU and Compass. To me that alone makes this worth the extra $140 price increase over the P3P price point from a month ago. Also the transmitter has a bit more power and the biggest draw for me is that they said the camera is "dramatically sharper" and they seem to have solved the gimbal tilt problem, and probably the battery issues as well.

Oh BELIEVE ME I am thinking BIG TIME about the IMU and the COMPASS (the duals) but I am afraid any time I say those words around here, I will be burned at the stake.

Apparently, DJI not only agrees that they are not only important but important enough to have redundant versions. It's awesome and will eliminate so called "fly aways" or as I call them "bad pilots not doing checklists and calibrations".

 

[Kenneth Marsola]

The need to keep the phantom line hovering around $1k. They've made a mistake pricing it at $1400. They probably wanted to increase their margins (another page from the Apple playbook), but it will sadly turn out to be a mistake. Sales will not compare to the P3 line. The new enhancements don't justify a $400-500 increase considering the camera is the same.

The P4 sales will not be as strong. DJI will reduce its price within 6 months and will probably release a second model as well.

I don't know about $1399 being too high, the P3P is a less capable bird, and they sold millions at $1259

 

[Jussaguy]

I don't know about $1399 being too high, the P3P is a less capable bird, and they sold millions at $1259

Hey, lookie there, someone that doesn't think they know more than people who are paid to think business. People who are at the top of their game in business. The people currently running DJI are about the best of the best. It's the company the whole world is looking at. Definitely one of the top 10 "start-ups". Yes, it's 10 years old but since the P3 it really became a start up and they created a market where, enthusiasts, met artists, and RC hobbyists met photographers. They should be given the benefit of the doubt.

Let's see, Yuneec who has yet to put together anything NEAR as good as the P3 and yet they have one that's better than the Yuneec at less of a price point without a modular basis (or it better not be modular) but at the $1700 that the H will be at, I don't think includes the full on RealSense obstacle avoidance.

And have you seen the supposed images from the P4??? After all, if you're a photographer, that's what we are after at the end of the day. By the way, I am almost sure that the camera in the P3P and P3A is the X3. Frankly, I think it's also in the standard. I think they are all the same cameras only being held back by firmware.

The best camera on a prosumer one is the Yuneec Tornado (might want to call that a professional though) as the CGO4 is EXACTLY a Panasonic GH4 which is a pretty good DSLR and if you can put the Sony A6 in there which is as good or better than the X5. I will soon have the Tornado, P4, and H all so close to each other that I might blow my mind. CANNOT WAIT!!!!

People complaining about the price are people, I think, that are mad, and maybe rightfully so that there is a P4 that is essentially what they have at a couple hundred dollars more without much space. It's one thing to come up with a $6000 alternative but to basically make a $1400 price point was a maneuver to show who is boss. Everyone was talking Yuneec since CES and all the while DJI knew what they had up their sleeve. I trust DJI's obstacle avoidance even more than the 60 mill that Intel has injected into Yuneec. Intel also invested into DJI btw as have many other companies including Sony. The innards of the cameras in the lower level DJI products are all Sony sensors, so are the VPS sensors.

DJI will come out the winner of this battle because they make better products and understand that the customer is only half the battle. If they just sat while Yuneec made the Typhoon H, that would be trouble. They probably figured people would have enough money to buy both, be happy with the P3 (and they should be because it's an amazing aircraft) or that new buyers will buy the better than the Yuneec H (probably) UAS.

Dust will settle and things will come out slower when the winner is declared or it might be a split of Yuneec and DJI like PC and Apple. I'm happy to say that DJI will be the Apple of the two which means, easier to use, looks better, works better, integrates better, has an ecosystem and does not bend for everyone but makes multiple items for multiple users. Want a small phone? Fine? Want a large one? Fine. Want a tiny iPad? Yup. Want a light one? Yes. Want a giant one that is ridiculous? Got you covered.

3DR, well, no.

 

[Justgregg]

I really like the big battery in the 4, the redundant imu and gps is big with me, but thinking about it, I have many flights on my p3p with no gps or imu issues, and as far as batteries go, im sure the 3 batts will drop in price so i can just buy more batts. Crash avoidance and autonomus flight i wud never use. I fly the **** thing! And im good! And if it gets windy, I pull out the inspire to bring home the bacon.

 

[Phantom751874]

Hey, lookie there, someone that doesn't think they know more than people who are paid to think business. People who are at the top of their game in business. The people currently running DJI are about the best of the best. It's the company the whole world is looking at. Definitely one of the top 10 "start-ups". Yes, it's 10 years old but since the P3 it really became a start up and they created a market where, enthusiasts, met artists, and RC hobbyists met photographers. They should be given the benefit of the doubt.

Let's see, Yuneec who has yet to put together anything NEAR as good as the P3 and yet they have one that's better than the Yuneec at less of a price point without a modular basis (or it better not be modular) but at the $1700 that the H will be at, I don't think includes the full on RealSense obstacle avoidance.

And have you seen the supposed images from the P4??? After all, if you're a photographer, that's what we are after at the end of the day. By the way, I am almost sure that the camera in the P3P and P3A is the X3. Frankly, I think it's also in the standard. I think they are all the same cameras only being held back by firmware.

The best camera on a prosumer one is the Yuneec Tornado (might want to call that a professional though) as the CGO4 is EXACTLY a Panasonic GH4 which is a pretty good DSLR and if you can put the Sony A6 in there which is as good or better than the X5. I will soon have the Tornado, P4, and H all so close to each other that I might blow my mind. CANNOT WAIT!!!!

People complaining about the price are people, I think, that are mad, and maybe rightfully so that there is a P4 that is essentially what they have at a couple hundred dollars more without much space. It's one thing to come up with a $6000 alternative but to basically make a $1400 price point was a maneuver to show who is boss. Everyone was talking Yuneec since CES and all the while DJI knew what they had up their sleeve. I trust DJI's obstacle avoidance even more than the 60 mill that Intel has injected into Yuneec. Intel also invested into DJI btw as have many other companies including Sony. The innards of the cameras in the lower level DJI products are all Sony sensors, so are the VPS sensors.

DJI will come out the winner of this battle because they make better products and understand that the customer is only half the battle. If they just sat while Yuneec made the Typhoon H, that would be trouble. They probably figured people would have enough money to buy both, be happy with the P3 (and they should be because it's an amazing aircraft) or that new buyers will buy the better than the Yuneec H (probably) UAS.

Dust will settle and things will come out slower when the winner is declared or it might be a split of Yuneec and DJI like PC and Apple. I'm happy to say that DJI will be the Apple of the two which means, easier to use, looks better, works better, integrates better, has an ecosystem and does not bend for everyone but makes multiple items for multiple users. Want a small phone? Fine? Want a large one? Fine. Want a tiny iPad? Yup. Want a light one? Yes. Want a giant one that is ridiculous? Got you covered.

3DR, well, no.

The P3 was priced to kill the 3DR Solo, it did that. Albeit not on pricing alone there were other factors at play but I would argue pricing was the major reason it was successful killing the Solo. The P3 release was before the Solo release. I guarantee you when 3DR saw the P3 pricing all the 3DR executives pooped a brick.

The P3 also decimated everyone else. All of them collectively aggressively reduced pricing after the P3 was released (Yuneec, Horizon Hobby, etc.).

The P4 is now priced to kill the Yuneec H. Hard to say if it will accomplish that. I believe the Typhoon H will release with a lower price now. I would not be surprised if it has the same price as the P4 at $1,399 when it's released, maybe $100 more to account for the 6 motors and some level of redundancy that comes with that. I think if the Typhoon H is more than $1,499 it'll go the way of the Solo bird.

DJi has shown they are very aggressive on price. At the moment with their lineup they are only competing with themselves (P3A vs P3P vs P4).

 

[Prylar Bek]

I placed a order. it's bitchen...stop whining about when you bought your P3....blah...blah...sell it and buy the P4 and give the P3 to a boy scout