Phantom 2 + Dronexpert RX100 kit + DJI iOSD-mini

Peter Evans said:
Shrimpfarmer said:
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.

Shrimpfarmer said:
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:


No the gimbal has a plug which slots into the back of the gopro. Wires to your video Tx on the quad then come out of the gimbal harness. :)
 
But tell me, Obi-Wan, when you say, "slots into the back of the GoPro", into where does it slot?

And if I choose to ignore that slot and instead (hopefully via the GoPros's micro-HDMI output) send a signal to the Dronexpert platform, so that I get FPV with iOSD, do I risk the wrath of Vader?

Maybe I should check with Mr. Stevens?

Note:
Anyone who has no idea what I'm on about should see this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv5iEK-IEzw
:lol:
 
pault said:
I am confused as to what your goal is. Is it just that you want gimballed video footage and to get it requires a gopro ? (Sorry to be so thick but my brain is nearly full up with all things drone !)

You're not as confused as you think!

My goals are to be able to use the Phantom 2 for the following purposes:

1. Capturing professional quality still images - by which I mean photographs that will be printable to A3 and be suitable for books and magazines

2. Capturing HD video as smoothly and as close to professional standards as possible - by which I mean suitable for viewing high quality video on a computer monitor or TV (rather than on a cinema screen)

I have found that (1) is simply not possible with a GoPro or P2V, and I doubt very much whether a P2V+ will be any better. However it is certainly possible with the Sony RX100 and the Dronexpert mount.

I have found that (2) is extremely difficult with the RX100 using the Dronexpert mount because, despite the Sony's excellent image stabilisation, shake and jello is sometimes apparent and, like the P2V, shots made whilst rolling or yawing are not pleasing to the eye. Therefore you're reduced to compiling a video from shots which involve no change of direction or attitude and which are shake free. This is not impossible but it is certainly a very tedious and frustrating task.

The obvious solution is to use two P2s, one with the RX100 and the Dronexpert mount and one with a Zenmuse 3D gimbal and a GoPro. But, I thought, why go the additional expense of a second Phantom AND a second set of video and telemetry transmission gear when all I would really need to do is swap the cameras and their mounts and use the DE mount to transmit the video and telemetry when using the Zenmuse + GoPro? Surely that can't be more than a ten minute job? So, not a big deal; I often take longer than that to get my lighting stands sorted and fill flash levels properly adjusted :D
 
Right, I understand now :)

May I ask you what your opinion is of the Gopro - is it really capable of footage good enough to watch on a TV (I do not mean broadcast quality) ?

I ask because I have been busy slagging it off over on the P2V+ forum :eek:. Have based my comments on something a respected freelance TV cameraman told me. He does often shoot from his hip but he does know his stuff.

I have read quite a lot about it on dpreview and it appears to divide opinions. It can shoot at 4k but the frame rates would be too slow for us.

Shrimpy mentioned that the '4' is due for release this summer so that could be good.
 
Ok maybe these non award winning photos with my Iphone help.

This is the mystery slot on the Zenmuse.



This is its mate on the Gopro.
 

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So I thought you could place a sheet of clingfilm over the zenmuse base. Press the gopro into it. You will not get any picture via the normal route but you would take it from the HDMI port and through your dronexpert system.
 
Shrimpfarmer said:
Oh dear we are missing something important. It will not work because the second you plug a cable into the gopro it will prevent the zenmuse working !!!!!!! :roll:

:eek: But why? If the GoPro-Zenmuse link is not made, how does the Zenmuse know that there is anything connected to the GoPro? :?

Is it because of the weight and stiffness of the cable you're using? (By the way, for God's sake don't risk buggering up your kit doing experiments for me!)

PS
Thanks very much for the trouble you're going to! :)
 
pault said:
Right, I understand now :)

May I ask you what your opinion is of the Gopro - is it really capable of footage good enough to watch on a TV (I do not mean broadcast quality) ?

I ask because I have been busy slagging it off over on the P2V+ forum :eek:. Have based my comments on something a respected freelance TV cameraman told me. He does often shoot from his hip but he does know his stuff.

I have read quite a lot about it on dpreview and it appears to divide opinions. It can shoot at 4k but the frame rates would be too slow for us.

Shrimpy mentioned that the '4' is due for release this summer so that could be good.

I've never used a GoPro. I bought one for my son's birthday last month but I had it shipped directly to him. I'm waiting for him to send me some footage from it!

I have seen some impressive footage from elsewhere though. This is pretty good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3PDXmYoF5U I'm going to download it and check it out on the TV tonight

I'm not really interested in 4K to be honest.
 
Peter Evans said:
I've never used a Gopro I bought one for my son's birthday last month but I had it shipped directly to him. I'm waiting for him to send me some footage from it!

I have seen some impressive footage from elsewhere though. This is pretty good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3PDXmYoF5U I'm going to download it and check it out on the TV tonight

I'm not really interested in 4K to be honest.
Just watched that video on a calibrated monitor and it is very impressive, lovely saturated colours. If only it could shoot stills in raw ......

Shrimpfarmer, do you have the black edition ? If so, have you got a still photo you could post please ?
(such is my ignorance I do not know if it can take stills or you have to use a frame grab ! )
 
I will post some photos for you in a second.

Peter

If your using the gopro for video then the zenmuse must be working and totally free to move. If not it will play dead until you reboot it. I am 100% certain having the cable plugged into it will cause it to play dead. If it meets the slightest resistance its designed to give up so that the motors are not damaged. I had completely overlooked that.

Ok onto photos.

The camera does not take RAW photos but it does record using a setting called Protune. Its their version of RAW I suppose as its designed to just pass on the uncompressed video/still to the SD card.

What type of subject would provide the best test for you ? A lot of people take stills from 4K video. That can be shot in Protune which leaves you to colour balance, add sharpening etc.
 
pault said:
Anything you like that you think shows off the camera well. Still not clear, does it actually take stills or are they grabs from the video ?

It does both. I will put some in dropbox and then start a new post with the link so as to not hijack this thread.
 
Shrimpfarmer said:
pault said:
Anything you like that you think shows off the camera well. Still not clear, does it actually take stills or are they grabs from the video ?

It does both. I will put some in dropbox and then start a new post with the link so as to not hijack this thread.
Thank you :)
 
Shrimpfarmer said:
If your using the gopro for video then the zenmuse must be working and totally free to move. If not it will play dead until you reboot it. I am 100% certain having the cable plugged into it will cause it to play dead. If it meets the slightest resistance its designed to give up so that the motors are not damaged. I had completely overlooked that.

Hmmm. I see. although the ribbon cable from the dronexpert platform to the camera is as light as air.

OK, maybe there would be some way to pick up a video feed from the Zenmuse. So, next question....

The GoPro plugs into the Zenmuse brackety thing and then the video feed from it disappears up inside the Zenmuse, right? What happens to it when it exits the Zenmuse? In other words how do you get FPV on your kit?

You see I'm thinking that, if I can't plug in the HDMI cable directly into the GoPro, Studiosport could make something that would pick up the video feed after it leaves the Zenmuse and transfer it via a cable to a socket into which I could plug the dronexpert HDMI plug.

EDITED to say thanks for the pictures, I'm just going to go take a look!

Having said that, I'm hoping we wouldn't need to get into the horrors of some sort of 'composite video to HDMI' converter :cry:
 
Well there is no way of knowing if it would stall the gimbal or not Peter without trying it. My money would be that it would. As for how its all wired together, its pretty simple stuff. Have a look at this guys video on how its done. He is fitting the video and a Mini IOSD. It could be that all that would need to be done would be to twist some wires together?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL8pqtEDuos
 
Peter Evans said:
The GoPro plugs into the Zenmuse brackety thing and then the video feed from it disappears up inside the Zenmuse, right? What happens to it when it exits the Zenmuse? In other words how do you get FPV on your kit?

You see I'm thinking that, if I can't plug in the HDMI cable directly into the GoPro, Studiosport could make something that would pick up the video feed after it leaves the Zenmuse and transfer it via a cable to a socket into which I could plug the dronexpert HDMI plug.

EDITED to say thanks for the pictures, I'm just going to go take a look!

Having said that, I'm hoping we wouldn't need to get into the horrors of some sort of 'composite video to HDMI' converter :cry:

The Zenmuse cable ends up connecting to the Phantom's mainboard inside. From that, there is a 2nd port which will then output the video to whatever you want to connect it to (FPV transmitter, OSD, etc). However, I'm pretty sure the vid is in SD coming out of the GoPro, so while an SD-HD converter might get the input to your dronexpert gear, I don't think you can get HD with that setup.
 
OI Photography said:
The Zenmuse cable ends up connecting to the Phantom's mainboard inside. From that, there is a 2nd port which will then output the video to whatever you want to connect it to (FPV transmitter, OSD, etc). However, I'm pretty sure the vid is in SD coming out of the GoPro, so while an SD-HD converter might get the input to your dronexpert gear, I don't think you can get HD with that setup.

OK, I was with you all the way up until you said, "I don't think you can get HD with that setup". I don't want HD at that point, I just want a video transmission down to my dronexpert monitor (which is definitely not HD!).

You see where I'm confused is that the RX100 outputs its video through that micro-HDMI port so, by definition, the dronexpert mount must be receiving an HD signal. But it can't be transmitting one surely? :? So, maybe there is an HD to composite converter inside the dronexpert mount. And if so, it must be possible to get a feed from the Zenmuse video out which then taps in to the dronexpert mount at the point where the composite video signal is being transmitted to the remote monitor.
 

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