Deciding on Phantom 2 Vision+ (Plus), got questions!

[soamz]

Hi, I have no experience with flying drones or filming with it, so this would be my first purchase.

First question, is the new version anytime due, then I can surely ?
Or this release of Phantom 2 Vision+ (Plus) looks stable and enough to satisfy our needs ?


MY biggest concern, how does it film in low light and is the inbuilt camera better or at par with GoPro Hero 3 + Black ?

Let me know, so I can ask more questions next.

 

[cahutch]

It's a good camera for what it is, but it's honestly terrible in low light.
IMO it is not on par with the Go Pro.
But...
It's primary advantage is that you can control the camera while it is in the air. Something you cannot do with the GoPro.

 

[Catalina36]

It is easy to fly. Read the manual and take your time and you will do just fine. As mentioned before, camera does a good job but it really isn't designed for low light conditions. You can mess with the settings some but it isn't like taking your DSLR and cranking up the ISO to improve low light capabilities. If you pony up the $$$ and get an S1000 with the 5DMkIII, you will have great low light capabilities.

 

[soamz]

I could get a s1000 and 5Dk3 gimbal, but since Im very new to drone flying, I dont want to risk it all in first instance.

May be, better to learn it by getting the Phantom and get the expertise at it, then go to s1000+5d3 gimbal.

Okay, forget the low light, how about the sunny days , rainy days, I mean the morning.

Is it at par with goPro in day light ?

Any video, where I can see the difference ?

 

[EyesofCanadaGoose]

IMHO, it's comparable with GoPro 2 and not better than GoPro 3. I've seen videos from all 3 and it also depends on your light conditions. If it's too bright you'll get jello effect (might be fixable with ND filter). If the sun is up and you get props shadows on your lens, you'll get weird white banding (fixable with lens hood). Saturation is usually pretty low in bright sunlight.

Photos wise, it's comparable with a camera of a 2 years old smart phone. Again, all is IMHO...

But... You get FPV right out of the box. You get camera pitch control right out of the box. You get decent gimbal and shake reduction.

 

[Mako79]

I don't own one, but I was researching to get a backup phantom 2 non vision with the GO PRO 3 black edition. The black is more "professional" and can handle low light.
You will however need the additional following (price is Aussie dollars, just a tad short of the US):
Phantom 2 + HD3D ($1100 - $1300)
AVL58 for FPV (about $200-250)
GoPro 3 Black Edition is $400. This shouldn't be included in the price as you can resell and use for other purposes.
IOSD for telemetry (not required if you are flying close and about $100-150).
FPV screen + external battery (any screen will do).
Soldiering skills (subject to dexterity).

Negs
Like stated by others, you lack the camera controls so you cant manually take stills or change settings mid flight.
The biggest down fall is when you forget to press record and take off.
Also the HD3D similar to the vision + has a flimsy AV ribbon cable. I heard down grading just this cable to the H3-2D is a better option.
You can't fly out of the box.

Pros
The quality and that its a separate component and all replaceable. The Vision + sucks balls right now because the gimbal and camera is finicky after a bump or crash. $600- 700 replacement.
The Channel 7 tilt control. The vision + tilt control is gimped by the app and is unusable.
Records sound.
Separate power supply, so if it crashes, you can see what the F* happened.
Go pro camera is also durable.

 

[soamz]

OH bad!!

Now Im really confused.

 

[Soulnet]

Hi, I have no experience with flying drones or filming with it, so this would be my first purchase.

Try something really small like a Hubsan X4 first. Find out if you like flying and if you can handle it first before making such a large purchase. For all you know you may hate it completely and get bored of it in 10 minutes, but you also learn to manage a quad in basically manual mode. From memory there are 3 versions of the X4. Basic, one with a camera and one with FPV. I started with the middle one.

 

[Werz]

Hi, I have no experience with flying drones or filming with it, so this would be my first purchase.

Try something really small like a Hubsan X4 first. Find out if you like flying and if you can handle it first before making such a large purchase. For all you know you may hate it completely and get bored of it in 10 minutes, but you also learn to manage a quad in basically manual mode. From memory there are 3 versions of the X4. Basic, one with a camera and one with FPV. I started with the middle one.

+1 The Hubsan X4 with a basic camera is good for providing basic flight skills and giving you a taste of aerial video. It also creates an instant desire for a more stable UAV and a half-decent camera on a stabilizing gimbal.

 

[soamz]

Do you mean this http://www.amazon.com/Hubsan-H107-L_M2- ... B00CP5NSGG ?

It doesnt come with any camera, I see

 

[ToThePoint]

I could get a s1000 and 5Dk3 gimbal, but since Im very new to drone flying, I dont want to risk it all in first instance.

May be, better to learn it by getting the Phantom and get the expertise at it, then go to s1000+5d3 gimbal.

Okay, forget the low light, how about the sunny days , rainy days, I mean the morning.

Is it at par with goPro in day light ?

Any video, where I can see the difference ?

On youtube are some video's showing the difference.
My personal experience.
Video recording good way after sunset.
You have to play with the settings though, ask Dirty Bird, he films even fireworks with a V+.
I find the colors more vivid and perfect, way better than a gopro.
I love the V+ camera, its Cristal clear.

 

[ToThePoint]

I don't own one.

The quality and that its a separate component and all replaceable. The Vision + sucks balls right now because the gimbal and camera is finicky after a bump or crash. $600- 700 replacement.
The Channel 7 tilt control. The vision + tilt control is gimped by the app and is unusable.
Records sound.
Separate power supply, so if it crashes, you can see what the F* happened.

Indeed you don't own one so what are you saying ?

The broken gimbals are not the cause of just a bump, its due to some that can't fly yet and/or pilot error. It gets broken due to serious crashes.
And DJI is catching up on customers service and some that have taken the effort to send it back to DJI for repair received it back free off charge !
The 7th channel can be over righted with hardware and software <= have to be done on every startup !
Who needs sound anyway ? Sound of what ? the props ? really annoying after a wile.
It continues to record even after a crash, when that crash is so severe that the battery get out it will also be the case with any other system.
But as you state you don't own one.

 

[soamz]

What ?

Phantom crashes too ?
I thought, it has all features for a safe flight.

 

[HarryT]

What ?

Phantom crashes too ?
I thought, it has all features for a safe flight.

It does, but it won't stop you from doing something stupid, such as flying into trees, brick walls, etc, or from flying so far away that you don't have the experience to be able to safely bring it back, especially if you get confused about the orientation.

If you do get a Phantom, take my advice and download the "Pilot Training Guide" from the DJI site. This guides you through a series of training exercises that will teach you how to fly it. Spend several weeks (yes, weeks) doing this before you get "adventurous".

Personally, I looked at the options and, on the advice of a main Phantom dealer here in the UK, went for the Phantom 2 with H3-3D and GoPro, rather than the Vision+. The dealer (Heliguy) strongly recommended against buying the Vision+, saying that they'd found them to be extremely unreliable.

 

[soamz]

Like in India, we have trees trees and trees only.

Should we only fly in open fields ?

 

[HarryT]

Should we only fly in open fields ?

When you're learning to fly it, definitely, yes! It's an expensive piece of kit to crash. One issue with the Vision+ is that the gimbal and camera are a single integrated unit. If you crash, you stand a good chance of breaking it, and it costs about £500 (US$700) to replace. With the basic Phantom 2, you can learn to fly it without the gimbal and camera, and add them when you're confident about your flying skills.

 

[Meta4]

Sounds like you need to do more research. You'll only get confused by P2 owners saying their machine is best and P2+ owners saying their machines are. Both are good.
And the Phantom is easy to fly. No need to learn on a lesser machine.
Just take your time, read the manual and don't do anything stupid.

 

[evonbart2]

Hi, I have no experience with flying drones or filming with it, so this would be my first purchase.

First question, is the new version anytime due, then I can surely ?
Or this release of Phantom 2 Vision+ (Plus) looks stable and enough to satisfy our needs ?


MY biggest concern, how does it film in low light and is the inbuilt camera better or at par with GoPro Hero 3 + Black ?

Let me know, so I can ask more questions next.

Actually the camera is an F2.8, which is pretty good. You have the ability to bump up the exposure settings in flight. It's not tack sharp like you would see with a DSLR and a great lens, but that's a rig you'd pay $10,000 plus for.

I have a P2 with GoPro Hero 3+ and even that has low light issues, so neither one is perfect.

If you want to see some nightime shooting - check this out and see if it's something you can work with.
Shot entirely on a Phantom 2V+
http://vimeo.com/102319206

 

[HarryT]

Sounds like you need to do more research. You'll only get confused by P2 owners saying their machine is best and P2+ owners saying their machines are. Both are good.
And the Phantom is easy to fly. No need to learn on a lesser machine.
Just take your time, read the manual and don't do anything stupid.

All this is true, but I think that the advice to learn to fly in a nice big empty field with nothing to crash into is valid regardless of what he buys .

 

[soamz]

Okay, so better to buy from Amazon or DJI website itself ?

I guess, there is some offer somewhere with free 2 batteries ?