P3P photos blur in the middle – a bug or a feature?

Tuomo Björksten · Oct 14, 2015

I just bought my first UAV and started from P3P. Unfortunately it seems that the camera onboard takes photos that are blurry (out of focus) in the middle and sharp on the edges. Here are a couple of samples. Is this something that can be repaired or is it just a feature of P3P?

I always shoot as DNG.

(Please open the photos to a new tab or window to see them in full scale.)

bbfpv · Oct 14, 2015

I can't really see what you're referring to. Even zoomed the quality looks pretty uniform. Can you either mark the photos where you see the effect, or maybe post ones where it is more obvious?

Tuomo Björksten · Oct 14, 2015

Here are the same photos with some pinpoints.

bbfpv · Oct 14, 2015

Did you take the clear plastic off the lens?

EPT160 · Oct 14, 2015

Tuomo Björksten said:
I just bought my first UAV and started from P3P. Unfortunately it seems that the camera onboard takes photos that are blurry (out of focus) in the middle and sharp on the edges. Here are a couple of samples. Is this something that can be repaired or is it just a feature of P3P?

I always shoot as DNG.

(Please open the photos to a new tab or window to see them in full scale.)

View attachment 33472 View attachment 33473

Just apply some 'Sharpening' in post.

J.James · Oct 14, 2015

na thats just dji censoring what you can see on your camera so they can be the big brother they desire to be.

na J/k

Tho out of curiosity have you tried takeing the uv filter off and looking threw it or letting light reflect off it and see if you can see any noticeable imperfections in the glass? Or even any smudges or dirt on the lens at all????

TonG · Oct 14, 2015

bbfpv said:
Did you take the clear plastic off the lens?

And did you clean the lens?

ELHEAPO · Oct 14, 2015

My eyesight must be crap because i cant see any real difference, im off down to specsavers!!

Jeff48920 · Oct 14, 2015

Since you have issues at different coordinates in the two photos, a couple of things come to mind.
1. The UV filter (Removable by unscrewing) has a defect (either dirty or a manufacturing flaw in the glass) and is rotating as a result of vibration in flight.
Or
2. A issue with sunlight hitting the UV filter at particular angles.

If 1. Then remove the UV filter, clean it thoroughly inside and out and replace making sure it is very tight on the threads.

If 2. Try a CPL filter and see if that resolved the problem.

4wd · Oct 14, 2015

It does it in the video too, if you are cruising slowly along and watch e.g. a tree it gets sharper once away from the centre.
Until you start pixel peeping it's not that obvious.
It has to be an effect caused by doing away with the usual fish-eye from the wide angle lens.
I know which I prefer.

Tuomo Björksten · Oct 14, 2015

Thank you all for your comments. I checked the lens. There shouldn't be any plastic. The lens seems to be very clear. However, there may be some problem with the UV filter. Because I'm a noobie, can you clarify how I can check the filter? I haven't installed any filter by myself. Do I just use pure force to open the lens?

Jeff48920 · Oct 14, 2015

The UV filter unscrews from the camera. While holding the camera firmly, lightly hold the front section and slowly twist the front section anti clockwise. Some people wrap a rubber band around the filter section then turn it. The harder you press on the lightweight aluminum filter section, the harder it grips to the threads

43k · Oct 14, 2015

Do you see any kind of vibration in videos shot with it?
Please post a video clip.

Also, can you take a picture of an evenly lighted surface, like a wall, and post it here?

Tuomo Björksten · Oct 15, 2015

I cleaned the UV filter and noticed that the plastic/glass inside the filter actually moves! I may replace it some day with a better filter. Anyway, test shots inside seemed better than ever before. I didn't have a chance to test outside yesterday but seems like we've killed the bug.

Thank you very much for your inputs.

43k · Oct 15, 2015

Good find.

If the glass in the filter holder can move the slightest, it might very well be the cause of this.
The construction with just a thin rubber rim to hold the glass in place seems a bit cheap, but I guess they tried to keep the weight down on the camera.

You could do a test flight without the filter attached, and see if you can find any difference in video or image quality.
There has been some discussion on this forum on how much the filter impairs the quality, vs what the risks are to fly without it.

I never fly with the filter attached since I found that the image quality was better without the filter.

Tuomo Björksten · Nov 8, 2015

Allright folks, unfortunately I have to admit that the problem still exists. I can't see it in every shot but most of the pictures I take with P3P are blurry in the middle. It's not the UV filter's fault, it's the camera.

I contacted DJI Europe support. They took a look at some sample shots and told me quickly that blurry picture are just a feature of the camera, not a bug.

So, when you purchase P3P, keep in mind, it's not a DSLR! Instead it's a cheap camera that even many point and shoot cameras can beat when it comes to image quality.

DJI Europe support recommended to purchase Inspire 1 and Zenmuse X5. Maybe I will in some day.

Static8 · Nov 24, 2015

Tuomo Björksten said:
Allright folks, unfortunately I have to admit that the problem still exists. I can't see it in every shot but most of the pictures I take with P3P are blurry in the middle. It's not the UV filter's fault, it's the camera.

I contacted DJI Europe support. They took a look at some sample shots and told me quickly that blurry picture are just a feature of the camera, not a bug.

So, when you purchase P3P, keep in mind, it's not a DSLR! Instead it's a cheap camera that even many point and shoot cameras can beat when it comes to image quality.

DJI Europe support recommended to purchase Inspire 1 and Zenmuse X5. Maybe I will in some day.

I have the exact same problem. first 4 flights were fine now I see blurred center in pics and video...I've done just about everything and it's still there...

Tuomo Björksten · Nov 25, 2015

I got a message from a Finnish collegue who had the exact same problem. He got the gimbal replaced at DJI Germany. Suddenly the photos changed totally – now there's no blurness at all, all the pictures are sharp. So DJI can fix the problem if they will.

Static8 · Nov 25, 2015

Tuomo Björksten said:
I got a message from a Finnish collegue who had the exact same problem. He got the gimbal replaced at DJI Germany. Suddenly the photos changed totally – now there's no blurness at all, all the pictures are sharp. So DJI can fix the problem if they will.

Interesting, **** I just purchased mine 3 weeks ago..So its a hardware issue then?..Curious how bad your colleagues photos were, mine is not bad but its there..

Mikak · Nov 25, 2015

That colleague would be me

Here are a pair of shots, before and after. Both are 100% crops from center area in original images.

Slightly different angle and viewpoint..winter came during the service trip etc. There could be also different settings in use but the settings were not the root cause.

Clearly there was something wrong with the gimbal, camera and/or with the fixed focus adjustment.

Video was however ok before, haven't tested yet how it is now.

Br,
Mika