Phantom 2 + Dronexpert RX100 kit + DJI iOSD-mini

[stereojet]

The discussion here is about Dronexpert's mount for the Sony RX100. It has no stabilisation other than manual tilt.

They do produce gimbals for the Vision and Gopro though which are stabilised.

 

[Bigbells]

The discussion here is about Dronexpert's mount for the Sony RX100. It has no stabilisation other than manual tilt.

They do produce gimbals for the Vision and Gopro though which are stabilised.

The Dronexpert mount that the OP got for his RX100 does have motorized stabilization of the roll and tilt, doesn't it? If not, I've been misunderstanding this from the get-go.

Edit: I apologize for my repeated incorrect assertion that Peter's DE mount auto-stabilizes the RX100 camera in flight. Thanks for using the 2 X 4 long enough for me to grasp the facts!

 

[pault]

Peter, have you see all the discussion on the P2V+ over on the Vision forum ? Just another spanner in the works ! There is definitely an upgraded camera but it could easily just be gopro type quality. Now you have seen the RX100 in action I suppose it would be hard to take a step backwards ......

 

[Mosleyh]

I was initially looking at the DE system too, but could never get past the price. I'm glad now that I didn't pull the trigger. I've been thinking about how I'd use the system and I think I have an idea. I'd really just be using it as a really tall tripod for stills. So what I was thinking is this: I have an RX-100 II, which has wifi control and viewing thru a phone app. The P2V (unlike the P2) uses 5.8ghz and not 2.4ghz wifi for flight control. So I thought I might pull the camera off of my P2V, make a mount and try flying my RX100II with it. I wouldn't be flying very long distances, so the wifi connection might hold up for camera control. Any thoughts?

 

[Peter Evans]

Peter, have you see all the discussion on the P2V+ over on the Vision forum ? Just another spanner in the works ! There is definitely an upgraded camera but it could easily just be gopro type quality. Now you have seen the RX100 in action I suppose it would be hard to take a step backwards ......

Yes, Paul, the new 'Plus' will surely be an improvement on the P2V but I still wouldn't have very high hopes for the image quality (not for my purposes anyway). Therefore I'll definitely stay where I am.

 

[Peter Evans]

I was initially looking at the DE system too, but could never get past the price. I'm glad now that I didn't pull the trigger. I've been thinking about how I'd use the system and I think I have an idea. I'd really just be using it as a really tall tripod for stills. So what I was thinking is this: I have an RX-100 II, which has wifi control and viewing thru a phone app. The P2V (unlike the P2) uses 5.8ghz and not 2.4ghz wifi for flight control. So I thought I might pull the camera off of my P2V, make a mount and try flying my RX100II with it. I wouldn't be flying very long distances, so the wifi connection might hold up for camera control. Any thoughts?

If it were me; I'd simply switch the camera on, fire up the app on my smartphone, walk 150 metres away and see if I could fire the shutter. However, even if it worked, you'd have no way to tilt the camera (not that I can think of anyway). I honestly don't see how I'd manage with framing if I couldn't tilt up or down.

 

[pault]

I was initially looking at the DE system too, but could never get past the price. I'm glad now that I didn't pull the trigger. I've been thinking about how I'd use the system and I think I have an idea. I'd really just be using it as a really tall tripod for stills. So what I was thinking is this: I have an RX-100 II, which has wifi control and viewing thru a phone app. The P2V (unlike the P2) uses 5.8ghz and not 2.4ghz wifi for flight control. So I thought I might pull the camera off of my P2V, make a mount and try flying my RX100II with it. I wouldn't be flying very long distances, so the wifi connection might hold up for camera control. Any thoughts?

If it were me; I'd simply switch the camera on, fire up the app on my smartphone, walk 150 metres away and see if I could fire the shutter. However, even if it worked, you'd have no way to tilt the camera (not that I can think of anyway). I honestly don't see how I'd manage with framing if I couldn't tilt up or down.

Yes, i agree, without tilt it would be near impossible to compose a shot - I suppose you could achieve it by varying altitude/distance but it would be a pain. Already Peter is getting reduced flight times and it probably takes two batteries per shot/s so if you could not control tilt it could take 3 or 4 flights to get the desired result. In addition you would lose telemetry which is the one thing that DE seems to have got right. Am not too fussed on height/distance info but sats in use and battery %age are near essential (imo).

 

[Peter Evans]

In addition you would lose telemetry which is the one thing that DE seems to have got right. Am not too fussed on height/distance info but sats in use and battery %age are near essential (imo).

I agree absolutely, Paul. However, that's another thing Dronexpert cocked up on, THEY don't provide telemetry; I only have it because I paid Studiosport to wire in a DJI iOSD-mini. Now if Dronexpert had the sense to include the iOSD in their package, as well as sticking with the carbon-fibre construction and devising a better method of fixing, they'd go a lot further along the road to persuading people that this is a professional piece of kit.

 

[pault]

Right, I see what you mean. So actually all DE did was to produce the tilting mount and a way to trigger the RX (and supply an off the shelf lo-res monitor/DVD). It is surprising that no one else has come up with an alternative.

 

[Peter Evans]

So actually all DE did was to produce the tilting mount and a way to trigger the RX (and supply an off the shelf lo-res monitor/DVD)

Correct. And as the iOSD-mini only costs 59 euros, you'd think the inclusion of that would be a given, wouldn't you?

 

[Mosleyh]

Fair points - thanks. I still may try it just for grins when I de-gimbal my P2V prior to installing the rotorpixel gimbal. One thing that I forgot to mention is that my primary application would be stitched panoramas, which would make composition *slightly* less critical. I'd hang the camera vertically and incorporate a gopro style mount, possibly using the P2 gopro mount as the mounting point. Then, theoretically at least, it would be a short up and down flight to decide zoom and tilt, and off I'd go. We shall see.

 

[wat17]

I'm thinking something similar. Using the P2V with Sony app for FPV view (no telementry). Any ideas for a way to somehow get remote tilt?

 

[Peter Evans]

A few posts back I said, "The new 'Plus' will surely be an improvement on the P2V but I still wouldn't have very high hopes for the image quality (not for my purposes anyway). Therefore I'll definitely stay where I am."

And now the first review is out http://gizmodo.com/dji-phantom-2-vision-review-buttery-smooth-quadcopter-1559567158

And it seems I was right. Quote : "Compared to the GoPro Hero 3+ Black edition video quality doesn't quite measure up. It's a little hard to see, because while both were set at their widest settings, the Vision+ maxes out at 140 degrees, where the Hero 3+ goes to 170, so things look a bit smaller. In reality, detail is much sharper in the GoPro. The Vision+ suffers from a lot of compression noise. Little things look blocky, and moiré is a constant problem in thins with patterns, like rooftops, brick walls, and even grass. There's also a fair amount of lens distortion, colors skew too warm, and there is just a ton of ISO noise in low-light."

However, just from a curiosity point of view, I'll be very keen to see the first proper stills from it.

 

[pault]

......

However, just from a curiosity point of view, I'll be very keen to see the first proper stills from it.

Me too. It uses the same sensor as the FC200 (& the Gopro) and I am hoping that Gizmodo was reviewing a jpeg rather than a DNG. The new platform raises the possibility of someone making a conversion for the RX100 but maybe the gimbal motor is not strong enough for the increased weight.

 

[wat17]

Hi peter, what are the size of the raw images from your RX100? Trying to work out what size SD card to get. Guessing one that does 30mb/s will suffice for burst shots and video.

 

[pault]

Some encouraging signs that the camera on the + does look much better than the FC200 on the Gizmododo video review
(http://gizmodo.com/dji-phantom-2-vision ... 1559567158)

To my eyes it looks a lot better than the Gopro black they compared it with apart from in low light where the gopro was much better. I do not have access to a decent monitor at the moment (using a tablet) so I would be grateful if Peter (and others) would have a look at the video comparison and report their opinions.

Not in the same league as the RX100 obviously but maybe a half way house for some until DE gets their act together.

(Peter, I hope you do not mind me taking this thread off topic but I would really value your opinion on these first video shots)

 

[Peter Evans]

Hi peter, what are the size of the raw images from your RX100? Trying to work out what size SD card to get. Guessing one that does 30mb/s will suffice for burst shots and video.

The RAW images are 5496 x 3672 and the file size is 20.3 Mb

 

[Peter Evans]

Some encouraging signs that the camera on the + does look much better than the FC200 on the Gizmododo video review (http://gizmodo.com/dji-phantom-2-vision ... 1559567158)

To my eyes it looks a lot better than the Gopro black they compared it with apart from in low light where the gopro was much better. I do not have access to a decent monitor at the moment (using a tablet) so I would be grateful if Peter (and others) would have a look at the video comparison and report their opinions.

Not in the same league as the RX100 obviously but maybe a half way house for some until DE gets their act together.

(Peter, I hope you do not mind me taking this thread off topic but I would really value your opinion on these first video shots)

I viewed it at 1080p and, on my calibrated monitor, there is little to choose between the two. However the difference in FOV makes it difficult to come to a proper decision. The P2V+ looks to have slightly worse sharpening artefacts than the GoPro and the GoGoPro is better in really poor light (but still not great).

I love the perfectly smooth video produced by that 3D gimbal though and now I have a new idea!

I checked and I can see that the GoPro Hero 3 has a micro HDMI output, the same as the Sony. So now, I'm trying to see a way that I could use a Zenmuse 3D gimbal plus a GoPro 3 for video. Then, demount it and fit the RX100 for stills (Surely I could find some machine screws with a knurled top that would allow me to mount and demount the Zenmuse without a screwdriver?).

The significance of the HDMI output from the GoPro is that I can plug the Dronexpert RX100 mount into it and get FPV and telemetry. All I would need to do is find a way of fixing the DE mount to the P2's legs so that the GoPro/Zenmuse wasn't blocked/impeded.

What do you think guys?

 

[Shrimpfarmer]

The significance of the HDMI output from the GoPro is that I can plug the Dronexpert RX100 mount into it and get FPV and telemetry. All I would need to do is find a way of fixing the DE mount to the P2's legs so that the GoPro/Zenmuse wasn't blocked/impeded.

What do you think guys?

Well I am struggling to picture what you have in mind. You are thinking off adding a zenmuse with gopro to the P2, then suspending the DE mount underneath it minus camera. Connecting HDMI out of the side of the Gopro into the HDMI port of the DE which in turn transmits the picture to your FPV ?

The gopro uses its data port on the rear to slot into a data plug in the zenmuse. It uses that link to send the images via Tx to your FPV. Never tried plugging in an HDMI at the same time. I wonder if one would cancel out the other ?

 

[Peter Evans]

Well I am struggling to picture what you have in mind. You are thinking off adding a zenmuse with gopro to the P2, then suspending the DE mount underneath it minus camera. Connecting HDMI out of the side of the Gopro into the HDMI port of the DE which in turn transmits the picture to your FPV ?

Yes, although I wasn't thinking of suspending the Dronexpert platform beneath the GoPro/Zenmuse rig because it would get in the way. I was thinking of fastening it in the vertical plane between the legs at the back.

The gopro uses its data port on the rear to slot into a data plug in the zenmuse. It uses that link to send the images via Tx to your FPV. Never tried plugging in an HDMI at the same time. I wonder if one would cancel out the other ?

Now you have me well and truly confused! The Zenmuse has a transmitter in it?! :shock: