Some buying advice please

[lcseds]

Yes, I'm one of those........a noob.

I caught this bug to try some aerial photography and video. I will retire in the next year or two and the wife insists I find a hobby. I don't wish to play with a "starter" drone because I'm a believer that if it's cheap and doesn't do a good job, it spoils the interest. I'm no nutball so I think I will do fine with the P4 in hand holding mode.

I'm hoping manufacturing has matured by now on the P4 so I wanted some opinions on where to purchase. I am in NC, USA. The best deal I can get is through DJI. They offer 10% off with educational discount making the P4 with an extra battery $1322 and no tax or shipping. I have not seen any deal close to this. Is DJI that hard to deal with in case of return/RMA that should drive me to pay much more? I can get these at my local Best Buy as well as local Apple store but that means $270 or so more. Is buying direct somehow "risky"?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[msinger]

Is buying direct somehow "risky"?

I've purchased many Phantoms directly from DJI and never had a problem with them or the purchasing process itself. If you decide to buy elsewhere, make sure you buy from an authorized DJI dealer. DJI recently changed their warranty terms and is no longer honoring their warranty for Phantoms purchased elsewhere (in the US).

 

[GMack]

I'm been pleased with Best Buy having taken two bad ones back on same-day exchange. Very easy on their exchange process too. Third one seems okay so far, although the lens might be a little soft in the corners, but not as bad as the second where it was blurry on the left side and sharp as a pin closeup on the right. I can tolerate the aspects of the third lens against the blur shift across the field of the second which was just a poor assembly.

So my first one had an impossible to unscrew lens filter so back it went same day for another. Knackered up filter thread would keep me from screwing on ND filters.

Second had a bad focus where left side was blurry and right side was pin sharp close up. It also seemed to have a bad radio as it dropped out a lot with a "Lost Signal."

Third seems very good, albeit I also changed from Android to Apple iPad Tab 2 + Cellular which is a 100% improvement over the Androids which broke up a lot on their display. I suspect it more an Android fault too in either the slower mini-USB over the Apple Lightning cable as well as Apple's better streaming since they used that cable and maybe hardware for output.

Before I took the second back to Best Buy I opened an RMA with DJI. They asked for the blurry photos, and in a couple of days issued a RMA. Then they also sent a pre-paid FedEx label for the return a day later. Prior to getting the pre-paid label (Which is good for 30 days.) from DJI, I was preparing to ship it myself and found the Pack and Ship place would be close to $40 to send it with insurance. However, Best Buy got more stock in and I made my third exchange there instead of waiting 2-3 weeks for the shipping to and from DJI and the service. I canceled the RMA with DJI.

I suspect if you look long enough at anything you might discover some issue someplace with these things. How long you are willing to deal with a bad unit is your decision, plus the shipping and dealing with the RMA process and emails from DJI.

Good luck though on getting a good unit.

Mack

 

[SCGENE]

Cost me $43.00 last Monday and got Pre Label the next day, and 4 days after getting instruction with RMA number to send back for Camera repair. Took 1 week from South Carolina so maybe it will make it back by next weekend. Picture was very dark in AUTO MODE even on bright sunny day.
Still have my P3A but just to dang hot here for a lot of outdoor fun unless on the lake.

 

[voi9viper]

I Would read a lot here then decide. If you have lots of money, thought, why not