DNG vs JPEG comparison

[Peter Evans]

OK, two things....

Sorry I didn't word that last post very well so I apologise for the confusion.

Once it's in the air, the only control I will have over the camera is its angle of tilt and the shutter-press. When I said 'manual control', I meant that I can set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO to what I want before take off - i.e. if it's a well lit day and ETTR determines I should be at 1/1000 @ f5.6 @ 100 ISO at the take off point, then that's what I'll set the camera to, because it's going to be 1/1000 @ f5.6 @ 100 ISO 200 metres away too ;-)

As to the video, with the RX100's IS system and with careful flight and post processing, I should get some excellent video. I've seen some stunning (non-gimbal) video shot from the air with that camera. And of course you can take 17 mp 16:9 stills at the same time as you're actually shooting the video - which is nice.

I don't see myself sending it rocketing up into the stratosphere or trying to break any speed and distance records. If I want to photograph or film something more than a couple of hundred metres away, I'll zoom with my feet - just like I do when I'm shooting on the ground.

 

[Peter Evans]

I would guess if you want to shoot video, then just start the camera on the ground and take off. I think there is a 29 minute limit but that's long enough.

That's right, and of course while it's shooting it's using the camera's battery, not the Phantom's so it doesn't matter.

I too think that the mount is very expensive but, AFAIA, it's the only piece of kit out there that will do the job I want.

Like I said, everything in photography is a compromise.

 

[pault]

Peter, when you have been talking with drone expert did they mention how easy it was to demount the RX100 ? (so it could be used at other times). I do not know how they get the picture out of the camera for the FPV and wonder if there is any surgery at all.

 

[Peter Evans]

Here you go, Paul : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSwxQrkDITU

He de-mounts it towards the end of the video (at around 10:35)

I'm going to try turning it on and off with a Q-tip ;-)

 

[AnselA]

I do not know how they get the picture out of the camera for the FPV and wonder if there is any surgery at all.

Sony RX100 has HDMI out.

 

[Peter Evans]

Yep, you'll see all that in the video I listed above. Once you get the connection from the Phantom done (one time process); mounting and un-mounting the camera is a doddle - couple of minutes max.

 

[Mactab]

I'm looking at the system but 825 euro plus taxes and shipping it does seem a lot. I'm presuming it's because each one is hand made.
It does look like an interesting solution though. I just want to go up, take the pictures and then come down again.
It weighs probably another 200g more then the vision camera. I may try strapping a 200g weight dead centre onto my vision to see how it handles. May need upgraded T motors?

 

[Peter Evans]

I just want to go up, take the pictures and then come down again... I'm presuming it's because each one is hand made... It weighs probably another 200g more then the vision camera.... May need upgraded T motors?

Me too, I'm a photographer not a dedicated r/c hobbyist so the quadcopter is a means to an end for me and, with its relative ease of flying and the fact that I don't need a ton of technical knowledge and a workshop to assemble and fly it, the Phantom2 (non-vision) seems to suit my needs perfectly.

Yes each one is hand-made.

As to the weight, the RX100 is 240 gm including battery; I have no idea what the FC200 camera on the Vision weighs. Rob, at DroExpert told me that the all-in weight of the Phantom 2, battery, camera, mount, wire, and electronics is 1320g which is just a bit beyond DJI's recommended limit of 1,300g for the Phantom 2 (but probably not worth fretting about?)

I checked the weight of one DJI propeller on my wife's new electronic kitchen scales two days ago and that came in at 12g* so with four c/f props at 6 gms each I think one could get the weight back down to the 1,300g recommended limit, so no need to change any motors.

DronExpert haven't done any flight time tests with a Phantom 2 yet but they estimate about 18 minutes with their kit and an RX100 instead of the claimed 25 for the Vision.

*Can anyone with engineering scales or more technical knowledge of the Phantom than mine, confirm that 12g per prop figure?

 

[Pull_Up]

FC200, inc servo and mounting plates is 130g...

 

[Peter Evans]

OK then. so let's say that the setup I'm looking at is, say, around 250g more than the P2V.

I think I saw somewhere on the interweb that 1g of additional weight decreases P2 flying time by 1.1 seconds so, as 250 X 1.1 = 4.5 minutes, I think that Rob's estimate of 18 minutes looks about right, wouldn't you say?

 

[pault]

So if you take off 25‰ as a safety measure then you get say 14 minutes. That would be around 3 mins to get to target, 3 mins back so around 8 minutes to compose & shoot which should be fine.

 

[iResq]

Well this thread has certainly jumped the shark. Peter, you might get a better response if you started a thread particular to your needs vs trying for build info on a thread about picture promulgation.