DJI Unveiled A New Zenmuse X7 Camera & Carbon Fiber Built Lenses

I think that the term Super 35mm sensor is misleading.
A Full Frame / 35mm sensor is 36x24 mm. This "Super 35mm sensor" is a 23.5 x 15.7 mm 24 MP CMOS sensor with 3.91 um pixels.
This makes it a APS-C sensor as used in the Sony A6300 or Canon 80D/M5. Maybe it is the sony Exmor IMX284?
sensor size.JPG

I agree it is an much larger sensor than the X5 (3.2 x), but a full frame sensor is almost 2.5 times larger.

Besides that it looks an magnificent camera. How much would it cost to buy a total Zenmuse X7 set with an Inspire 2?
 
I think that the term Super 35mm sensor is misleading.
A Full Frame / 35mm sensor is 36x24 mm. This "Super 35mm sensor" is a 23.5 x 15.7 mm 24 MP CMOS sensor with 3.91 um pixels.
This makes it a APS-C sensor as used in the Sony A6300 or Canon 80D/M5. Maybe it is the sony Exmor IMX284?
View attachment 89485
I agree it is an much larger sensor than the X5 (3.2 x), but a full frame sensor is almost 2.5 times larger.

Besides that it looks an magnificent camera. How much would it cost to buy a total Zenmuse X7 set with an Inspire 2?
I get your point however I find the 1” sensor designation (the physical diameter of the now obsolete 1” vacuum tube imaging device) throws more people off. Super 35 is a recognised pro film gate size, it covers the full frame width of 35mm film stock.

The only downside I see is the custom mount, would be nice if it was a more common mount so we had more choice of glass to use. I guess the short sensor to flange distance will make any chance of adaptors being available third part slim.
 
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I get your point however I find the 1” sensor designation (the physical diameter of the now obsolete 1” vacuum tube imaging device) throws more people off. Super 35 is a recognised pro film gate size, it covers the full frame width of 35mm film stock.

The only downside I see is the custom mount, would be nice if it was a more common mount so we had more choice of glass to use. I guess the short sensor to flange distance will make any chance of adaptors being available third part slim.
Since this is a APS-C sensor, they could have used the Canon EF-M mount. There are not so many EF-M lenses yet, but with the adapter you can (in theory) use all EOS lenses.
 
The Inspire 2 without camera cost around $2,500 American dollars. With the gimbal plus the zenmuse x7... probably around $6500 to $8500 American dollars.
6.5K USD will get you the I2 with X7 and a lens. That’s a bargain if you look at how much you would spend for a similar performing rig from current competitor offerings. It’s well within reach of serious hobbyists, look at what it costs for a higher end DSLR and a lens or two. My first full frame DSLR was $10K for the body only, the prices will come down over time.
 
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6.5K USD will get you the I2 with X7 and a lens. That’s a bargain if you look at how much you would spend for a similar performing rig from current competitor offerings. It’s well within reach of serious hobbyists, look at what it costs for a higher end DSLR and a lens or two. My first full frame DSLR was $10K for the body only, the prices will come down over time.

That’s true, however I don’t consider the inspire 2 a hobbyist drone. It is more for serious filming or cinematography people. Could be also for people who have a lot of money and don’t care to spend that amount for just flying around in an inspire 2.
 
Still it comes down to DJI bad support, if you spend this kind of money you would expect better support then DJI NO CARE Chineese style support.

Also I have Inspire 1 and I am reluctant to buy an Inspire 2 (Inspire 2 is old technology and is time for an Inspire 3).

So if they would come out with a Inspire 3 package with the X7 combo and a support that does care about customers - then I would consider.
 
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Still it comes down to DJI bad support, if you spend this kind of money you would expect better support then DJI NO CARE Chineese style support.

Also I have Inspire 1 and I am reluctant to buy an Inspire 2 (Inspire 2 is old technology and is time for an Inspire 3).

So if they would come out with a Inspire 3 package with the X7 combo and a support that does care about customers - then I would consider.
Out of interest what tech do you see as currently available that is lacking in the I2?
 
Out of interest what tech do you see as currently available that is lacking in the I2?

I am sure there are lots of new things coming on the next I3. Don't you think?

Perhaps better 6 way avoidance
Perhaps a dedicated FPV for the drone operator in order to use googles (so the came camera operator can own X7)
Perhaps better engines to keep flight time with the extra X7 weight
Perhaps i button to change from transportation to flight mode.
Perhaps improved transmission.
Perhaps smaller size and lighter body with lighter and improved batteries?

Yeah, I think the list can go on.
I am sure you have a few things on your wish list...
 
I am sure there are lots of new things coming on the next I3. Don't you think?

Perhaps better 6 way avoidance
Perhaps a dedicated FPV for the drone operator in order to use googles (so the came camera operator can own X7)
Perhaps better engines to keep flight time with the extra X7 weight
Perhaps i button to change from transportation to flight mode.
Perhaps improved transmission.
Perhaps smaller size and lighter body with lighter and improved batteries?

Yeah, I think the list can go on.
I am sure you have a few things on your wish list...
I’m not sure what you mean exactly with respect to goggles functionality, if your saying it would be nice for a camera operator to have head tracking control of the recording camera that could be cool.

The inspire 2 already has the single button press (on the AC) to enter transport mode now.

You are unlikely to see the other features you desire in an inspire 3. You might get improved obstacle avoidance, subject to the development schedules of Intel/movidous or other third party tech suppliers to DJI. You won’t get a more efficient propulsion system, electric tech has advanced well to the limits of what is realisable here. Similarly for battery tech LiPO offers the best energy density to weight compromise available amongst current technology having regard to cost, convenience and reliability. If you look at how this AC is designed finding weight reductions probably won’t happen without adding significant cost.
 
There are some advantages to going larger, for example the battery and CPU power to process flight control and image processing remains fairly similar no matter the size of the drone so as you go larger the percentage of power needed for that decreases. OTH, going larger requires everything to be bigger including the expensive batteries. A drone. or plane. or pretty much anything that doubles in size tend to result in an increase in weight of a factor of 8 (2^3) and for something in the Inspire class the batteries get to be a huge part of the budget and with the I2 you need two per flight.

This is why the Inspire sits at an interesting point in the range of drones: the Phantom series comes close in some respects to the capabilities and getting much more than the Inspire can provide is, in reality, more than 4X the cost when the drone and camera are taken into account. For big time Hollywood movies you're going to what a larger and much more expensive drone and the ability to carry something like one of the Red cameras. A fully kitted out drone with a cinema quality Red is going to set you back, when additional batteries and other items are figured in at ballpark $100K. The Inspire series make sense as that step between the Phantom, which is useful for commercials and Indie stuff, and full on Michael Bay stuff -- for a goodly percentage of requirements the Inspire with a camera like the X7 is good enough and for that role the price is actually pretty good.


Brian
 
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I’m not sure what you mean exactly with respect to goggles functionality, if your saying it would be nice for a camera operator to have head tracking control of the recording camera that could be cool.

The inspire 2 already has the single button press (on the AC) to enter transport mode now.

You are unlikely to see the other features you desire in an inspire 3. You might get improved obstacle avoidance, subject to the development schedules of Intel/movidous or other third party tech suppliers to DJI. You won’t get a more efficient propulsion system, electric tech has advanced well to the limits of what is realisable here. Similarly for battery tech LiPO offers the best energy density to weight compromise available amongst current technology having regard to cost, convenience and reliability. If you look at how this AC is designed finding weight reductions probably won’t happen without adding significant cost.
I’m not sure what you mean exactly with respect to goggles functionality, if your saying it would be nice for a camera operator to have head tracking control of the recording camera that could be cool.

The inspire 2 already has the single button press (on the AC) to enter transport mode now.

You are unlikely to see the other features you desire in an inspire 3. You might get improved obstacle avoidance, subject to the development schedules of Intel/movidous or other third party tech suppliers to DJI. You won’t get a more efficient propulsion system, electric tech has advanced well to the limits of what is realisable here. Similarly for battery tech LiPO offers the best energy density to weight compromise available amongst current technology having regard to cost, convenience and reliability. If you look at how this AC is designed finding weight reductions probably won’t happen without adding significant cost.

With on FPV camera you would be able to have one guy controlling the drone thru googles as the FPV camera is always forward - as you where sitting in the drone. Then the camera operator with slave RC and googles can control the camera in what ever direction, for example facing down. Not to hard to implement.

Regarding efficiency you know that the Mavic that came after Inspire 2 already has upgraded motors that allows longer flight time with same battery.
But I can agree that it is harder to squeeze more then 10% more out of same battery as of today. That will however make bigger leaps in the future for sure.

There will be an Inspire 3 , but we don't know when. Then you will see there will be some great enhancement, believe it or not.
 
With on FPV camera you would be able to have one guy controlling the drone thru googles as the FPV camera is always forward - as you where sitting in the drone. Then the camera operator with slave RC and googles can control the camera in what ever direction, for example facing down. Not to hard to implement.

Regarding efficiency you know that the Mavic that came after Inspire 2 already has upgraded motors that allows longer flight time with same battery.
But I can agree that it is harder to squeeze more then 10% more out of same battery as of today. That will however make bigger leaps in the future for sure.

There will be an Inspire 3 , but we don't know when. Then you will see there will be some great enhancement, believe it or not.
I wasn’t aware there had been a motor upgrade on the Mavic, the inspire 2 was released later though so we would expect any tech providing for the improved efficiencies (if any) would already be in the inspire.

Independent camera control for salve remote operator is already available on the inspire 2 with the pilot having FPV. Head tracking as you say isn’t available and would be a nice feature for some I am sure.
 
I wasn’t aware there had been a motor upgrade on the Mavic, the inspire 2 was released later though so we would expect any tech providing for the improved efficiencies (if any) would already be in the inspire.

Independent camera control for salve remote operator is already available on the inspire 2 with the pilot having FPV. Head tracking as you say isn’t available and would be a nice feature for some I am sure.

Ok I think I start to agree with you, it was more wishful thinking and perhaps we need to wait until autumn 2018 before Inspire 3. And honestly I have not personal experiences of the usability from using the FPV on inspire 2.

It is just that when I bought my Inspire 1, it was not so many month after DJI released Inspire 3 So I decided to skip Inspire 2 and wait for Inspire 3.

And where I live it is to many restricted areas to fly in so I am also waiting for more reasonable rules, like that it would be possible to call airport authorities to get permission to fly 40 meter up in order to film a sailing competition that is in the city.

But for sure I think I would love the X7 (look forward to read reviews) and I also need to feel sure DJI steps up their lousy support for example when they send me DOA products I need for a project.
 
I think they missed the pricing point to sell many. A Sony a6000 with the APS-C sensor at 24MP can be had for $610 on Amazon with lens. Their X7 at $2,700 is way overpriced for that size format. The X5S body is around $1,300 and the X7 body with only 4MP increase could fit it around $1,600. The prime lenses in the vicinity of $500-$800, but not $1,700 as they are probably not that good, but just repackaged from someone else.

DJI is not RED or Arri nor even Nikon or Canon, but they think owning half of a poor video named Hassleblad they are worth it. They don't have the quality control to put out a functioning product and their Inspire 2 has enough issues with rattling props, video with lines, wayward pointing cameras, poor telemetry and radio disconnects, and their lousy support even with the Refresh package. Now they have proprietary carbon fiber lenses too which no one will make a lens for along with a year warranty where some others offer 2-5 years on lenses.

If they thought they were worth it, they need to stand behind their products better (like 6 month battery warranties that often show up DOA.).

As to an Inspire 3, they could even dump the X7 camera and go with something different. They did it with the Inspire 1 that won't take the Inspire 2 cameras, and will likely do it again. They could release an Inspire 2 Version 2 though next year that addresses the issues of the current one, much like the Inspire 1 Version 2 did and still keep the over-priced X7 around for a bit to unload it. They don't seem to want to build a system, but make something totally different and move on.
 
I think they missed the pricing point to sell many. A Sony a6000 with the APS-C sensor at 24MP can be had for $610 on Amazon with lens. Their X7 at $2,700 is way overpriced for that size format. The X5S body is around $1,300 and the X7 body with only 4MP increase could fit it around $1,600. The prime lenses in the vicinity of $500-$800, but not $1,700 as they are probably not that good, but just repackaged from someone else.

DJI is not RED or Arri nor even Nikon or Canon, but they think owning half of a poor video named Hassleblad they are worth it. They don't have the quality control to put out a functioning product and their Inspire 2 has enough issues with rattling props, video with lines, wayward pointing cameras, poor telemetry and radio disconnects, and their lousy support even with the Refresh package. Now they have proprietary carbon fiber lenses too which no one will make a lens for along with a year warranty where some others offer 2-5 years on lenses.

If they thought they were worth it, they need to stand behind their products better (like 6 month battery warranties that often show up DOA.).

As to an Inspire 3, they could even dump the X7 camera and go with something different. They did it with the Inspire 1 that won't take the Inspire 2 cameras, and will likely do it again. They could release an Inspire 2 Version 2 though next year that addresses the issues of the current one, much like the Inspire 1 Version 2 did and still keep the over-priced X7 around for a bit to unload it. They don't seem to want to build a system, but make something totally different and move on.
Can’t blame them for the pricing strategy, its a simple formula. If people want or need something and they can’t get the same or similar product from another supplier that is a great opportunity for the seller. In reality they may not be as hungry on the pricing as it might first seem. The cameras and lenses are almost certainly bought in so DJI would be paying a premium for R&D cost recovery and relatively small production volumes.
 

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