P4 vs P3 still photo comaparison

Dave Pitman · Mar 19, 2016

sar104 said:
Now that is a serious compact camera. I have the RX100 IV, and it continually amazes me. My Nikon 7100 sees much less service as a result.

Indeed it is a very nice pocketable camera !

Dave Pitman · Mar 19, 2016

ringolong said:
Negative on the compare, but that sounds really nice. I bet you have some really nice photos!

How do you take stills with it in the air?

Originally, I was using the m1 version, and I simply wrapped a velcro tie around the shutter release just before lift off. It takes stills continuously until landing.

I now have a m3 version and the shutter can be controlled with the RC via this: Seagull #REC - Seagull UAV

I have it mounted on a gimbal that I can tilt with a lever on the RC. It is not dampened and not good for video.

ringolong · Mar 19, 2016

Dave Pitman said:
Originally, I was using the m1 version, and I simply wrapped a velcro tie around the shutter release just before lift off. It takes stills continuously until landing.

I now have a m3 version and the shutter can be controlled with the RC via this: Seagull #REC - Seagull UAV

I have it mounted on a gimbal that I can tilt with a lever on the RC. It is not dampened and not good for video.

hmmmm.... I am thinking that this would be good to mount on my inspire for stills. I could use a d4rii to control the little camera controller from my taranis.

How does this one do in low light?

manazuma · Mar 19, 2016

Is there a definitive way to test the camera on a p4p to tell if it working as well as possible? Possibly a certain setting to use and type of scene to shoot to test its performance? Anyone willing to look at a photo and see if they look OK? What is the warranty for the camera anyway?

ringolong · Mar 19, 2016

manazuma said:
Is there a definitive way to test the camera on a p4p to tell if it working as well as possible? Possibly a certain setting to use and type of scene to shoot to test its performance? Anyone willing to look at a photo and see if they look OK? What is the warranty for the camera anyway?

Post it for us to look at

FlyingDoDo · Mar 20, 2016

ringolong said:
The image above is not raw, and came from the p4.

Raw footage from the p4 camera in log.
http://rl.dyndns.info/mysite/dji_0151.mp4
http://rl.dyndns.info/mysite/dji_0149.mp4

Nice photo until 100% close up. It seems the photo is over sharpen, very visible at tree tops. I always shoot in Raw with my P3P, slightly jittery still for my liking but not as much as this photo. For me this jpg is not usable other than screen show. I was expecting better from the P4. It is better to have the photos re not manipulated, with the post-production you can always sharpen etc as you like it.

ringolong · Mar 20, 2016

FlyingDoDo said:
Nice photo until 100% close up. It seems the photo is over sharpen, very visible at tree tops. I always shoot in Raw with my P3P, slightly jittery still for my liking but not as much as this photo. For me this jpg is not usable other than screen show. I was expecting better from the P4. It is better to have the photos re not manipulated, with the post-production you can always sharpen etc as you like it.

Not the best lighting, but here are some dngs.

P4 vs P3 still photo comaparison

rich146 · Mar 20, 2016

Still no

Noodle said:
The first pic is SOOC JPEG, without an ND filter.
The second pic is also SOOC JPEG, with an ND filter.

The first pic is way sharper than your P3P's photos. The second pic is dull (obviously with an ND filter on and more overcast sky), flat and muddy, almost as bad as your P3P, not quite.
There you go

Still not great though .

rich146 · Mar 20, 2016

Sounds to me that people are now worried that their hopes for significant difference in photo quality between P3 and P4 is starting to show . My advice would be wait for others to spend £1230 and feedback the results rather than pre ordering on a whim. I'm not trying to be harsh here but there has been quite a bit of ridiculous P3 slating before the P4 has even been launched !? Just remember anyone buying a phantom on launch is basically a paying beta tester for the next years product. I'll be buying the P4 this time next year at close to half price and by then fw will be more stable and possible hardware in places too.

rich146 · Mar 20, 2016

Kenneth Marsola said:
Exactly, I don't know why so many bash the unrealeased P4 camera, when the P3 camera is known to be sdub-par

Eh? That doesn't quite make sense. Don't you mean you don't know why so many bash the p3 when the p4 hasn't even been released ??

fimfie · Mar 20, 2016

Dave Pitman said:
The p4 is supposed to have a better lens than the p3 and other than that, basically the same.

Anyone know of any side by side comparisons posted ?

Does anyone in this thread have the P3P lens profile for Lightroom.???

ringolong · Mar 20, 2016

...

rich146 said:
Sounds to me that people are now worried that their hopes for significant difference in photo quality between P3 and P4 is starting to show . My advice would be wait for others to spend £1230 and feedback the results rather than pre ordering on a whim. I'm not trying to be harsh here but there has been quite a bit of ridiculous P3 slating before the P4 has even been launched !? Just remember anyone buying a phantom on launch is basically a paying beta tester for the next years product. I'll be buying the P4 this time next year at close to half price and by then fw will be more stable and possible hardware in places too.

meh

This is better than the video quality from my p3p. I wish mine would hurry up and get here :/

rich146 · Mar 20, 2016

ringolong said:
...

meh

This destroys the video quality from my p3p. I wish mine would hurry up and get here :/

I don't see any difference myself. Look fwd to seeing yours and more footage of the P4 . I'm intrigued

[emoji106]

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app

Noodle · Mar 20, 2016

rich146 said:
Still no

Still not great though .

Of course not, not like a proper DSLR quality, but it is way better than ringolong's comparison photos.

FredzMaxxUAV · Mar 21, 2016

Did more testing yesterday. There really isn't any difference between P3P and P4; not in video and not in stills. Also the stability of the camera on the P4 is not better.
If you see a difference, it's because you got lucky with a good sensor or lens - the quality control at DJI sucks for these cameras.
My oldest P3 (W323) has a better camera than my P4, but my P4 is better than my newest P3 (W323B)...
If you want better, get the Inspire.

GadgetGuy · Mar 21, 2016

CaptainDrone798 said:
I wish the same but I don't believe we'll ever see a good photography camera in the Phantom series due to the price point. However, if DJI ever comes out with a Phantom Drone that has a quick release removable camera then 3rd party camera makers will offer different cameras for the average user, professional photographer, search and rescue, police, etc.

Right now the P3 and P4 cameras are pretty much as you described... general use good quality cell phone quality cameras.

Perhaps this is why DJI and Hasselblad have recently teamed up...

GadgetGuy · Mar 21, 2016

mark99 said:
Its a mobile phone type sensor and that is all it is going to produce.
They need to partner up with a camera maker and get a real camera on the thing that works.

Like Hasselblad? Already in the works!

ringolong · Mar 21, 2016

Fredz said:
Did more testing yesterday. There really isn't any difference between P3P and P4; not in video and not in stills. Also the stability of the camera on the P4 is not better.
If you see a difference, it's because you got lucky with a good sensor or lens - the quality control at DJI sucks for these cameras.
My oldest P3 (W323) has a better camera than my P4, but my P4 is better than my newest P3 (W323B)...
If you want better, get the Inspire.

We need proof to backup your statements please. Post the matching images and video.

I have seen proof where the quality is better than the x3 from the inspire.
Phantom 4 or Inspire?

btorphoto · Mar 21, 2016

I posted earlier that I was concerned about quality of the still images from the P4 camera,
after shooting with it for a couple of days, I can say that I am satisfied with the results.
(with a little help from Lightroom and CS6)
Over the past 30 years going from 8x10,4x5,Hasselblad etc.etc, the quality is as good as you
could expect from a mini camera and sensor. We will not get 35mm or Sony quality unless we
shoot with 35mm, Sony etc. All said, this is a great fun P4.
I upgraded from a P2 with a gopro 3+

Jeiel Shamblee · Mar 23, 2016

Keep in mind that the average person looking at your images isn't a pixel counter. They're not going to notice all the little things that a photographer may see. People just look at an image and decide if the like it or not. They don't look for noise or barrel distortion or care what settings and equipment you used.
When I submit an image to a stock website for review I think of those things. I can't even count the number of images rejected for nonsense reasons. Oddly, images taken with my P3P camera get rejected far less than ones taken with "better " cameras.