Phantom 2 users... upgrade to Phantom 4?

For a P2 owner, which upgrade would you make?

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    6
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Josh Curtiss

Josh Curtiss

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I know this has been touched on in other threads but I want to focus a discussion on just considering the P4 upgrade for P2 owners.

In my case I have a P2V+ and I'm upgrading to SOMETHING this month. The question is whether it will be a P3P or a P4.

I have a nice GPC case and 3 batteries with my otherwise vanilla P2V+ setup.

I know I'd have to buy new batteries regardless of P3P or P4, but P3P batteries are cheaper but P4 batteries last longer. I see myself with 2 batteries eventually if I go P4, whereas I'll want 3 with a P3.

I'm no pro but I'm comfortable with flyin my P2V+ so the obstacle avoidance and subject tracking are neat and I'd use them but they're not critical to my primary upgrade goal of increasing the photo/video quality of my subjects, whether as a hobbyist or if I start dabbling with freelance commercial work (pending all the AIRR act stuff).

So it ultimately comes down to whether some of those niceties are worth the $400 difference between P3P and P4.

P3P accessories and parts will probably drop in price with the release of P4, which is a plus for a P3P purchase.

One final consideration that I haven't heard much talk of: I really like the thought of the gimbal being mounted more securely in the P4. It just feels so naked and vulnerable in the P2/P3 series.

Anyway... thoughts?

josh

p.s. Help me out and vote your opinion on top of responding to the thread :-D
 
Josh Curtiss said:
I know this has been touched on in other threads but I want to focus a discussion on just considering the P4 upgrade for P2 owners.

In my case I have a P2V+ and I'm upgrading to SOMETHING this month. The question is whether it will be a P3P or a P4.

I have a nice GPC case and 3 batteries with my otherwise vanilla P2V+ setup.

I know I'd have to buy new batteries regardless of P3P or P4, but P3P batteries are cheaper but P4 batteries last longer. I see myself with 2 batteries eventually if I go P4, whereas I'll want 3 with a P3.

I'm no pro but I'm comfortable with flyin my P2V+ so the obstacle avoidance and subject tracking are neat and I'd use them but they're not critical to my primary upgrade goal of increasing the photo/video quality of my subjects, whether as a hobbyist or if I start dabbling with freelance commercial work (pending all the AIRR act stuff).

So it ultimately comes down to whether some of those niceties are worth the $400 difference between P3P and P4.

P3P accessories and parts will probably drop in price with the release of P4, which is a plus for a P3P purchase.

One final consideration that I haven't heard much talk of: I really like the thought of the gimbal being mounted more securely in the P4. It just feels so naked and vulnerable in the P2/P3 series.

Anyway... thoughts?

josh

p.s. Help me out and vote your opinion on top of responding to the thread :-D
Click to expand...
Let me sum it up in 8 words for you.

Spend the couple hundred, buy the Phantom 4.
 
If you're content with your P2V then a simple and less expensive upgrade to the P3P will definitely satisfy you for a year or more.
 
Definitely not content with my P2V+, but my two biggest complaints about it are (1) camera quality, and (2) transmission range/quality. Considering that those complaints were both addressed with the P3P with a 4K camera and Lightbridge, and hardly touched on with the P4, that's where the P3P and saving some money sounds appealing.

P4's 120 FPS does sound nice but honestly the P3P's 60 FPS would be adequate for most scenarios where I'd want to slow down some footage a bit.

Maybe there aren't many P2 owners out there having this dilemma?
 
I see a P3P in your future (that BB deal with 2 batteries for $999 is hard to beat)
 
CCDD said:
I see a P3P in your future (that BB deal with 2 batteries for $999 is hard to beat)
Click to expand...

Where is P3P with 2 batteries for $999?? Link? That might put me over the edge. I thought the $999 was with just the one battery.
 
I too own a P2V+. My current issues are distance and a crappy camera. I was hoping to skip the P3 and go straight to the P4. But since almost all my flying is done between 300 and 400 ft., I have no need for obstacle avoidance or even a 4K camera. I think I will go with the P3A.
 
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I'm having waaaay too much fun with my P2V. And there is still a lot of things I haven't had a chance to do with it yet. I can't justify a new aircraft until I either crash this one or become completely bored with it, neither of which I see happening anytime soon. If I crash this tomorrow, what would I buy? I don't know. I know it would be either a P3A, a P3P, or a P4. I'd have to think about it. If the P4 was a hundred dollars less, I'd go with the P4. But right now, the P3A is almost half the price of a P4 and it's a really nice aircraft so that makes it complicated...
 
If I only had a Vision+ was buying a new Phantom today, & money was no issue, I would buy the P4. Why not get the newest model? While prices of the P3 series aircraft have been reduced I would not expect accessory prices to come down. P2 batteries are still selling for $129 two generations removed.

Josh Curtiss said:
I know this has been touched on in other threads but I want to focus a discussion on just considering the P4 upgrade for P2 owners.

In my case I have a P2V+ and I'm upgrading to SOMETHING this month. The question is whether it will be a P3P or a P4.

I have a nice GPC case and 3 batteries with my otherwise vanilla P2V+ setup.

I know I'd have to buy new batteries regardless of P3P or P4, but P3P batteries are cheaper but P4 batteries last longer. I see myself with 2 batteries eventually if I go P4, whereas I'll want 3 with a P3.

I'm no pro but I'm comfortable with flyin my P2V+ so the obstacle avoidance and subject tracking are neat and I'd use them but they're not critical to my primary upgrade goal of increasing the photo/video quality of my subjects, whether as a hobbyist or if I start dabbling with freelance commercial work (pending all the AIRR act stuff).

So it ultimately comes down to whether some of those niceties are worth the $400 difference between P3P and P4.

P3P accessories and parts will probably drop in price with the release of P4, which is a plus for a P3P purchase.

One final consideration that I haven't heard much talk of: I really like the thought of the gimbal being mounted more securely in the P4. It just feels so naked and vulnerable in the P2/P3 series.

Anyway... thoughts?

josh

p.s. Help me out and vote your opinion on top of responding to the thread :-D
Click to expand...
 
If I were in your shoes it would be a coin toss. Both are going to be a major upgrade in camera quality and range. Both have the Go App and it is far better than the Vision App. I just sold my P2V+ prior to the P4 launch as I knew it would be even harder to sell now.

I would set a budget and then make a list in a grid comparing both units. Include, case, batteries and then add the fuzzy stuff, the P3P or P3A are more mature and so many of the bugs are known and resolved. The P4 is just beginning its life cycle so it has a longer frontline support window in addition to newer features. You will get a lot more accessories for a P3 at the same budget.

In the end had I not bought a P3 late last year, I would probably come down on a P4 as it has the longer support window. DJI is going to support their products but the latest models will get top priority.
 
Formstone said:
I would set a budget and then make a list in a grid comparing both units.
Click to expand...
Yeah good advice. Although I know the P3P will win especially given I already have a spare case that it'll probably fit into, it's so much cheaper esp with the Best Buy bundle right now, etc. But if I write down everything in two columns, both "stuff" and "features", and can physically look at them side by side, may help me make a final decision here.

Dirty Bird said:
I would buy the P4. Why not get the newest model? While prices of the P3 series aircraft have been reduced I would not expect accessory prices to come down.
Click to expand...
That's a great point. Glad this stuff holds its value better than I was imagining.

On a side point, I love your quad names. :D I named my two birds after BSG characters so they were Starbuck and Apollo. :cool: Then I sold Apollo and just have Starbuck, and when people see it, they're like "Wow you really like coffee eh?" Aye yi yi. :rolleyes:

josh
 
Josh Curtiss said:
Ohhhhh you're killing me. Making this decision so hard. I want to get the latest but that bundle makes it soooo cheap.

Josh


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app
Click to expand...
If you fly using common sense you don't really need the additional safety features. In my opinion 120fps on the camera isn't enough of a camera upgrade to make it worth it for me. I have a P3P and I love it. Get the P3P Best Buy bundle. You won't be disappointed.
 
I have a P1.5 and yes I just bought a P4. Mainly because I want the benefits of using the DJI GO APP!
 

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