Filming over trees

[brianb87]

When I film over tress everything blurs together. It's not sharp or crisp. Is it the setting on my phantom? I do have filters 4,8,16 and 32. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lonewolf]

How high were you flying? I know that the cam has an auto focus so movement from the object you're trying to video sometimes will cause blurring. Sometimes mine will blur if I'm too close to an object that's moving. As I ascend or move slightly away it gets crystal clear.

 

[Jeff48920]

Drone Height, speed and camera settings all contribute. Sometimes if you sharpen the details too much you lose a natural look (looks animated or computer graphic like). Other problems can be also be seen (eg Moire) when other details are emphasized.
See pages 25-28 here
http://www.phantompilots.com/attachments/dji-phantom-p3-summary-guide-pdf.30290/
There is also a really good video about this exact subject here:

 

[43k]

... I know that the cam has an auto focus so movement from the object you're trying to video sometimes will cause blurring. ...

The Phantom 3 has fix-focus, not auto focus.

 

[4wd]

There is also a really good video about this exact subject here:

This is helpful but he is suggesting settings assuming you are going to play about with the footage in high-end software.
Going slower seems to suddenly improve the image markedly.
Over trees the amount of fine detail is so vast I guess it just ends up smoothing things more when you are moving.

If you aren't doing much processing the 'None' setting with sharpness, contrast and saturation on default are pretty good.

 

[Lonewolf]

The Phantom 3 has fix-focus, not auto focus.

Really? Now I'm interested. Explain the difference when viewing close then moving away. How is that possible with fix-focus? The human eye can't even do that.

 

[Wibble]

The wider the angle of the lens then the more depth of field it has and the less magnification. With something like a phantom lens then probably everything from say 5' to infinity will be in focus.
This is why I HATE autofocus on cameras. If you are shooting at say an air display even with a telephoto lens everything will be at infinity anyway and yet stupid autofocus cameras just keep hunting around not focusing on anything!
Rant over lol.
But no the P3 does NOT need autofocus at all.

 

[43k]

Really? Now I'm interested. Explain the difference when viewing close then moving away. How is that possible with fix-focus? The human eye can't even do that.

The tiny sensor (1/2,3") in combination with the short focal length (wide angle, FOV 94°) of the P3 lens makes the depth of field cover pretty much everything you can shoot with a drone.

Also, spec says that focus is fixed at ∞.