Drone photography?
- Thread starter mtnbike28
- Start date
Darksoul
New member
So probably the easiest and fastest (and best price for features) is the DJI , this place has very fair prices-
http://www.davesmotors.com/Products/DJI-Phantom-Quadcopter-Drone-Multirotor/
There are some other very interesting ones like the Lily drone
https://www.lily.camera
I have owned the whole gamut of drones from small "acrobatic", to high hex and octo quads with large payloads, and the DJI is IMO the best bang for the buck. I have preordered a Lily, and am really looking forward to getting that, and just keeping that in the truck for its ease of use.
http://www.davesmotors.com/Products/DJI-Phantom-Quadcopter-Drone-Multirotor/
There are some other very interesting ones like the Lily drone
https://www.lily.camera
I have owned the whole gamut of drones from small "acrobatic", to high hex and octo quads with large payloads, and the DJI is IMO the best bang for the buck. I have preordered a Lily, and am really looking forward to getting that, and just keeping that in the truck for its ease of use.
moabian
Active member
I flew collective-pitch RC helis for quite a few years and switched to quads when the first DJI Phantoms came out. The ground-breaking (no pun intended) Phantom is, by far, the most popular. I've owned every version of the DJI Phantom. The Phantom 3 Pro is head and shoulders above previous versions. It's very stable, easy to fly, and has a vastly improved camera. It's also ready to fly and photograph out of the box so you don't have to mess around with extra equipment to mount or get FPV out of a different camera like a GoPro.
But even though the Phantom is very easy to fly, I urge new pilots to spend LOTS of time on a simulator such as RealFlight 7.5. There are several quads in the simulator with one that is identical to the Phantom. I also recommend buying a small, non-stabilized, and cheap quad like a Blade MQX (under $100) or something similar as a practice toy to become familiar with the controls. If you can fly one of the squirrely little ones, you will be able to fly the more expensive Phantoms.
DJI has some good instructional videos on their website...or did the last time I looked anyway. RotorDrone Magazine is also a good place to get info.
As for prices, most places sell for about the same amounts. I've purchased Phantoms from B&H and from Amazon, but my new go-to place for all DJI equipment is Advexure. Their customer service is great and they are one of DJI's preferred dealers so they get all the new stuff before anyone else. I was able to get one of the first Phantom 3 Pros in the country through them, at least a month before other dealers got them. They also put a DJI Ronin-M gimbal stabilizer in my hands when all the other major online dealers were still just taking pre-orders. EBay has some good deals, but mainly on older versions of the Phantom...and MANY that have crash damage. After flying the new Phantom 3 Pro, I sold all of my previous versions of the Phantom. It's that much better.
But even though the Phantom is very easy to fly, I urge new pilots to spend LOTS of time on a simulator such as RealFlight 7.5. There are several quads in the simulator with one that is identical to the Phantom. I also recommend buying a small, non-stabilized, and cheap quad like a Blade MQX (under $100) or something similar as a practice toy to become familiar with the controls. If you can fly one of the squirrely little ones, you will be able to fly the more expensive Phantoms.
DJI has some good instructional videos on their website...or did the last time I looked anyway. RotorDrone Magazine is also a good place to get info.
As for prices, most places sell for about the same amounts. I've purchased Phantoms from B&H and from Amazon, but my new go-to place for all DJI equipment is Advexure. Their customer service is great and they are one of DJI's preferred dealers so they get all the new stuff before anyone else. I was able to get one of the first Phantom 3 Pros in the country through them, at least a month before other dealers got them. They also put a DJI Ronin-M gimbal stabilizer in my hands when all the other major online dealers were still just taking pre-orders. EBay has some good deals, but mainly on older versions of the Phantom...and MANY that have crash damage. After flying the new Phantom 3 Pro, I sold all of my previous versions of the Phantom. It's that much better.
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MicroOverland
Observer
Drones are cool. You can get GREAT shots with them. Just please be considerate about when and where you fly them....
brianjwilson
Some sort of lost...
This. Use common sense. Please look into joining a group focusing on safe and legal practices. Spend some time learning the U.S. Airspace system, and learn how to check for temporary flight restrictions by the FAA. Don't fly over or near people, over property where you are likely to cause damage during a crash/malfunction etc. There are enough idiots giving these a bad name already.
workerdrone
Part time fulltimer
The masses of idiots flying them with no consideration for the law or general public will probably inspire masses of idiots who are so angered by them that shooting at drones will probably become much more prevalent;
Both groups causing increasing numbers of property damage, injury, or death.
Technology moves faster than the law, can't see any way around it unless you want to live in a dictatorship that can enact and enforce new laws instantly
Both groups causing increasing numbers of property damage, injury, or death.
Technology moves faster than the law, can't see any way around it unless you want to live in a dictatorship that can enact and enforce new laws instantly
OCD Overland
Explorer
It's really hard not to be an *** when flying a drone. Anyone within earshot will hate you.
NCLRbear
Adventurer
I don't own one yet but I have been doing some research on them. The DJI phantom 3 pro is a nice quad out of the box. It's got a nice camera and Gimbal that come with it. I have my eyes on the 3dr solo. It uses a GoPro camera instead. It's a great camera but it seems to need some post production or pre-programing to get the more vibrant shots but once you do they seem to better that the phantom. The solo also has pre programed shots such as following you or orbiting you and cable cam with more to come. It seems like it's similar to a smart phone because you can download updates to it so it wont become old tech too fast. Plus I feel like when GoPro makes new cameras you can get the most up to date technology and still keep the same drone. the solo can be quite a bit more its about $1,000 for the drone plus 3-400 for gimbal and 300-500 for GoPro if you don't own one and a tablet or smartphone vs. DJI P3 is like $1,300 for everything. GoPro just announced too that they are going to come out with one. Although no one knows what its going to look like or what it's capable of but it will be released early 2016.
Pathfinder
Adventurer
Eric Cheng's book "Aerial Photography and Videography Using Drones"is a valuable resource.
He covers a lot of ground, and there is a lot of ground to cover when you discuss everything from toy drones to learn to fly with, to large octacopters with full frame DSLRs aboard.
For most of us, a quad copter is the best set of compromises in terms of size, cost, capability, safety, utility.
One point that many folks are unaware of, is that many of the cheaper drones do not offer complete or even any control of their camera from the ground remote control.
If you are truly interested in photography, you need to look at the cameras and their ability to be controlled while in flight carefully before purchase.
The DJI Phantom 3 and the Inspire do offer almost total control of the camera functions from the ground. The Phantom 3 does not allow the camera to gimbal to the right or left, just up and down. The craft has to be yawed right or left to turn the camera.
The Inspire adds a gimbal movement to the right and left and allows a pilot AND a photographer to simultaneously control the aircraft and the camera, as opposed to a single individual performing both functions. This may or may not matter to you, but if it does, it influences your purchase choices.
Many GoPros are not controlled during flight, just turned on and let run, without the ability to alter exposure or framing during flight. Your drone may need to offer some sort of interface to control your GoPro and to extend this control to the ground remote control. Many of the older drones do not offer this feature. You just turned the GoPRo on and then flew. Not the same as a camera with remote controls. If you need manual exposure, not auto exposure, and you frequently do when flying, this can be an issue for some folks.
I am still learning to use my Phantom 3 Pro, but it is easy to fly, and I can shoot video or stills in manual mode, and I can use polarizing or neutral density filters as needed.
As for being an #####hole, most folks never even hear the drone once it is above 50 feet, and I only fly it away from people anyway - my interest is aerial scenery and landscapes, not imposing on other folks privacy.
I think of my drone as a camera with a very tall tripod! It can capture some nice images if used appropriately, but so can most cameras if used with some knowledge and skill.
He covers a lot of ground, and there is a lot of ground to cover when you discuss everything from toy drones to learn to fly with, to large octacopters with full frame DSLRs aboard.
For most of us, a quad copter is the best set of compromises in terms of size, cost, capability, safety, utility.
One point that many folks are unaware of, is that many of the cheaper drones do not offer complete or even any control of their camera from the ground remote control.
If you are truly interested in photography, you need to look at the cameras and their ability to be controlled while in flight carefully before purchase.
The DJI Phantom 3 and the Inspire do offer almost total control of the camera functions from the ground. The Phantom 3 does not allow the camera to gimbal to the right or left, just up and down. The craft has to be yawed right or left to turn the camera.
The Inspire adds a gimbal movement to the right and left and allows a pilot AND a photographer to simultaneously control the aircraft and the camera, as opposed to a single individual performing both functions. This may or may not matter to you, but if it does, it influences your purchase choices.
Many GoPros are not controlled during flight, just turned on and let run, without the ability to alter exposure or framing during flight. Your drone may need to offer some sort of interface to control your GoPro and to extend this control to the ground remote control. Many of the older drones do not offer this feature. You just turned the GoPRo on and then flew. Not the same as a camera with remote controls. If you need manual exposure, not auto exposure, and you frequently do when flying, this can be an issue for some folks.
I am still learning to use my Phantom 3 Pro, but it is easy to fly, and I can shoot video or stills in manual mode, and I can use polarizing or neutral density filters as needed.
As for being an #####hole, most folks never even hear the drone once it is above 50 feet, and I only fly it away from people anyway - my interest is aerial scenery and landscapes, not imposing on other folks privacy.
I think of my drone as a camera with a very tall tripod! It can capture some nice images if used appropriately, but so can most cameras if used with some knowledge and skill.
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the lily looked interesting at first when they announced it. just throw and go, until you realize that you have no control of the drone and it just flys on a pre determined path with no collision avoidance (meaning that all you can basically do is watch it crash into a tree - or crash into another one when you hit the emergency return home feature) second for it to be waterproof, the battery is sealed into the body and is not replaceable. think its a great concept, but not sure about final result.
I like the DJI.
mtnbike28
Expedition Leader
It looks like we have to register drones starting Dec. 21
http://www.cnet.com/news/faa-to-open-drone-registration-on-december-21/
https://www.faa.gov/uas/registration/faqs/
http://www.cnet.com/news/faa-to-open-drone-registration-on-december-21/
https://www.faa.gov/uas/registration/faqs/
freshlikesushi
Free Candy
Heres my issue with the New drones, and why i like my phantom 2
I like the ability to have gopros. I can throw a 4 black into my gimble, and have 4k, blah blah a much better camera and features, and be able to replace it.
When you crash a phantom 2 with the gimble, you pay for a gimble at about 350 bucks
When you crash a phantom 3, you are looking at 600+, the camera and gimble are much more fragile than the gimble on the 2, and you are stuck with a camera that may or may not really be that great, only has one use, and if it goes bad, you have to buy a whole gimble and camera again.
I like the ability to have gopros. I can throw a 4 black into my gimble, and have 4k, blah blah a much better camera and features, and be able to replace it.
When you crash a phantom 2 with the gimble, you pay for a gimble at about 350 bucks
When you crash a phantom 3, you are looking at 600+, the camera and gimble are much more fragile than the gimble on the 2, and you are stuck with a camera that may or may not really be that great, only has one use, and if it goes bad, you have to buy a whole gimble and camera again.
mtnbike28
Expedition Leader
Great points! I have never fallen in love with my GoPro, but I think your thought process!