Hello Pilots! I'm new here, I'm not a phantom pilot yet but soon to be. Coming from AR Drone era, I need your help and feedback with the ideas that i have before i step into your world. So lets get started :-
1. Photography
While GoPro has served well in capturing action shots in daytime for years, some photographers still think that it will be best to get their DSLR up in the sky and get that shot. Due to GoPro's small sensor (1/2.3") similar to Sony Xperia line up, some lowlight footage taken in golden hour or night may suffer noise. Since we couldn't afford to loose a super expensive FullFrame sensor DSLR in a flyaway catastrophe or even draining battery juice to get that heavy camera up in the air, we shall seek for the second biggest, the APSC and one particular model i have in mind is the least expensive Sony QX1 (way cheaper than GoPro Hero4 Black Edition). Having QX1 paired with a light pancake wide angle lens and we are good to fly high day and nite.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-wnDCJ3rgU[/youtube]
This footage could be more amazing with bigger sensor camera
2. Image Stabilization
2nd important thing in photography is, not getting shaky footage. Relying just with the rubber damper like in pv2 is definitely inadequate and finding a super light weight gimbal for QX1 or even any mirrorless cameras is a challenge. Weight is the real issue. Even DJI very own Zenmuse H3-3D gimbal’s weight is already jeopardizing the flight time to at least 5 minutes lesser than without the gimbal.
Detachable Gimbal can be used as handheld stabilizer, Google Glass + Xperia z3 as FPV, RCDH Retractable Landing Skid & Wifi Extender
3. Gimbal
Goodluckbuy has just came up with cheap 3 Axis brushless gimbal for GoPro which I think if they make it a liltle bigger could easily fits QX1. I just wish the gimbal could be easily detach so it could be fitted to a holder as a handheld stabilizer. It's like Inspire 1 modular Camera Gimbal. This definitely will add value to a photographer or videographer without the hassle of transporting and the logistic of dslr stabilizer i.e DJI Ronin
4. Un-obstructed shot
No point of having 3 Axis Gimbal with multiangle 360 view and yet shots of the craft’s landing skid or propellers are frequently inter framed in the video footage. As there are many retractable landing skid out there to prevent this, RCDH is still the best in making one multifunctional in technical and ecstatic value of its skid, IMO. Its only 80g and one thing that people have overlooked is this retractable skid has made a slimmer case for phantom possible. If price is no issue this skid is FTW.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQ6z2_tZNo[/youtube]
5. Portability
The below graphic shows an idea of how much space can be saved and most importantly how small the carrying bag for your phantom could possibly be without looking suspicious like you're carrying dangerous weapon. And yet there are still rooms for more photography equipment such as lens, timelapse slider, controller, led lighting plus a macbook air / iPad and solar panel for that slim battery (10watt up to 19 volt can be used to charge everything, i have this)
By collapsing the skid sideways, phantom can be fitted into a normal camera or laptop bag, a tote bag or even a messenger bag.
6. Flight time
Seeing some crafts with all sorts of FPV mods additional antenna and whatnot i wonder how much flight time left with all that weight increased? Even for this idea of mine already added to a quite hefty total:-
3D Gimbal = 320g (someone should 3D printed this to make it lighter)
Sony QX1 = 158g (The smallest APSC camera Sony Nex A5200 =224g)
Lens SEL162.8 = 67g
RCDH Skid = 80g
Total 625g (GH4 body only = 560g) but compare to Zenmuse 3DH3 =190g + 182g = 372g)
7. FPV Live feed
So how to increase Flight Time without reducing weight? Inspire 1 DJI completely removed wifi functionality to increase flight time and support that heavy humongous body. We could do the same by deactivate power hunger onboard wifi by using FPV from self powered QX1 to Smartphone via its own wifi connection. Since the range is not far (300m) we could enhance it by using battery powered long range wifi repeater / booster / extender on the ground communicating with QX1. This could at least give us 1km or more depending of the brand. Btw QX1 will keep recording the video even if the wifi is disconnected. That said the phantom battery is solely used for the craft and not for any FPV or some sort. (note : Many videos debunked wifi connection interrupt the radio transmitter due to using same frequency 2.4Ghz/5.8Ghz)
8. Weather proof
DSLRPro guys have suggested to use Liquidpel to make your phantom water proof
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSyR-4dhT4[/youtube]
I like their idea.
9. Cost Effective
Cost-wise, with cheap china made gimbal, our very own camera and lens, we should bring the price down even lesser than PV+ or PV and way cheaper than Inspire 1 with incomparable quality not just video but also the lifestyle it brings.
10. 4K Video
Sony being the forefront in the era of modern camera and its sensor being used in most brands camera and smartphones still not that enthusiastic of putting 4K capability in the high end mirrorless camera even with fullframe sensor (A7, A7r, A7s, A7II) eventhough all Xperia line up with 1/2.3" sensor has 4K recording capability. That said if we really want a GoPro 4K quality video for Phantom we can always mount Xperia Z3 on the phantom which is also a waterproof camera phone.
So what do you think?
1. Photography
While GoPro has served well in capturing action shots in daytime for years, some photographers still think that it will be best to get their DSLR up in the sky and get that shot. Due to GoPro's small sensor (1/2.3") similar to Sony Xperia line up, some lowlight footage taken in golden hour or night may suffer noise. Since we couldn't afford to loose a super expensive FullFrame sensor DSLR in a flyaway catastrophe or even draining battery juice to get that heavy camera up in the air, we shall seek for the second biggest, the APSC and one particular model i have in mind is the least expensive Sony QX1 (way cheaper than GoPro Hero4 Black Edition). Having QX1 paired with a light pancake wide angle lens and we are good to fly high day and nite.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-wnDCJ3rgU[/youtube]
This footage could be more amazing with bigger sensor camera
2. Image Stabilization
2nd important thing in photography is, not getting shaky footage. Relying just with the rubber damper like in pv2 is definitely inadequate and finding a super light weight gimbal for QX1 or even any mirrorless cameras is a challenge. Weight is the real issue. Even DJI very own Zenmuse H3-3D gimbal’s weight is already jeopardizing the flight time to at least 5 minutes lesser than without the gimbal.
Detachable Gimbal can be used as handheld stabilizer, Google Glass + Xperia z3 as FPV, RCDH Retractable Landing Skid & Wifi Extender
3. Gimbal
Goodluckbuy has just came up with cheap 3 Axis brushless gimbal for GoPro which I think if they make it a liltle bigger could easily fits QX1. I just wish the gimbal could be easily detach so it could be fitted to a holder as a handheld stabilizer. It's like Inspire 1 modular Camera Gimbal. This definitely will add value to a photographer or videographer without the hassle of transporting and the logistic of dslr stabilizer i.e DJI Ronin
4. Un-obstructed shot
No point of having 3 Axis Gimbal with multiangle 360 view and yet shots of the craft’s landing skid or propellers are frequently inter framed in the video footage. As there are many retractable landing skid out there to prevent this, RCDH is still the best in making one multifunctional in technical and ecstatic value of its skid, IMO. Its only 80g and one thing that people have overlooked is this retractable skid has made a slimmer case for phantom possible. If price is no issue this skid is FTW.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnQ6z2_tZNo[/youtube]
5. Portability
The below graphic shows an idea of how much space can be saved and most importantly how small the carrying bag for your phantom could possibly be without looking suspicious like you're carrying dangerous weapon. And yet there are still rooms for more photography equipment such as lens, timelapse slider, controller, led lighting plus a macbook air / iPad and solar panel for that slim battery (10watt up to 19 volt can be used to charge everything, i have this)
By collapsing the skid sideways, phantom can be fitted into a normal camera or laptop bag, a tote bag or even a messenger bag.
6. Flight time
Seeing some crafts with all sorts of FPV mods additional antenna and whatnot i wonder how much flight time left with all that weight increased? Even for this idea of mine already added to a quite hefty total:-
3D Gimbal = 320g (someone should 3D printed this to make it lighter)
Sony QX1 = 158g (The smallest APSC camera Sony Nex A5200 =224g)
Lens SEL162.8 = 67g
RCDH Skid = 80g
Total 625g (GH4 body only = 560g) but compare to Zenmuse 3DH3 =190g + 182g = 372g)
7. FPV Live feed
So how to increase Flight Time without reducing weight? Inspire 1 DJI completely removed wifi functionality to increase flight time and support that heavy humongous body. We could do the same by deactivate power hunger onboard wifi by using FPV from self powered QX1 to Smartphone via its own wifi connection. Since the range is not far (300m) we could enhance it by using battery powered long range wifi repeater / booster / extender on the ground communicating with QX1. This could at least give us 1km or more depending of the brand. Btw QX1 will keep recording the video even if the wifi is disconnected. That said the phantom battery is solely used for the craft and not for any FPV or some sort. (note : Many videos debunked wifi connection interrupt the radio transmitter due to using same frequency 2.4Ghz/5.8Ghz)
8. Weather proof
DSLRPro guys have suggested to use Liquidpel to make your phantom water proof
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSyR-4dhT4[/youtube]
I like their idea.
9. Cost Effective
Cost-wise, with cheap china made gimbal, our very own camera and lens, we should bring the price down even lesser than PV+ or PV and way cheaper than Inspire 1 with incomparable quality not just video but also the lifestyle it brings.
10. 4K Video
Sony being the forefront in the era of modern camera and its sensor being used in most brands camera and smartphones still not that enthusiastic of putting 4K capability in the high end mirrorless camera even with fullframe sensor (A7, A7r, A7s, A7II) eventhough all Xperia line up with 1/2.3" sensor has 4K recording capability. That said if we really want a GoPro 4K quality video for Phantom we can always mount Xperia Z3 on the phantom which is also a waterproof camera phone.
So what do you think?
