Essential accessories for P4P?

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Ordering a P4P from Amazon to use primarily for still photos including a schooner trip in Iceland in August. I'll need to check the drone with my checked bags so assume I need a hard case, which I will put into a second outer spinner suitcase. This is my first drone (very experienced DSLR photographer) so I am curious what other accessories I should buy initially while keeping the budget right about 2k. Thanks for any suggestions.
 
I would want extra batteries and perhaps a trackimo device. In case you get lost, and the drone battery dies, the Trackimo battery will last for days.
 
Need a gimbal protecter very helpful because the gimbal is very low to the ground and may hit a rock. Plus it is very cheap
 
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Need a gimbal protecter very helpful because the gimbal is very low to the ground and may hit a rock. Plus it is very cheap
Careful, some gimbal protectors will interfere with the VPS sensors and do screwy things with navigation. Also, Trackimo may not work in Iceland, possible lack of compatible cellular towers where you might be flying. You may want to consider a Marco Polo tracker which doesn't need cellular. Definitely get a Windsurfer to extend the range when needed. If you're flying airlines to get somewhere, figure out how you're going to carry the batteries onboard the plane. You can't check batteries in your hard case, and hard cases generally won't fit in the overhead carry on storage area. TSA will confiscate them if you check them. I suggest to use the Think Tank Helipak V2 backpack for Phantoms, then carry the drone on the plane. It's a lot easier to tote the craft around once you get there.
 
Like John said I would not mess with a gimble protector at all. It's just one more thing to mess with tbo! Just take off on your hard case or bring a small piece of wood or foamboard if the grass is too high. And learn to hand catch your bird asap! So much easier and the motors and gimble don't get any dust blowing in them at all. I also use a Pro Kraft backpack to carry on the planes as well. I saw a friend that had the Thinktank backpack and it is great too! I would also get a set of ND filters pretty quick too. Polar Pro is hard to beat! Vivid Collection is really good. ND helps you dial in your shutter speed at around 60th of a second or double whatever frame rate your shooting at. Makes your footage looks more fluid and cinematic. These lenses are usually the best around F4.5- 5.6 1/2 btw.
 
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Thanks John/KevMo. Problem with taking the drone on the plane is that I already have a full backpack with my DSLR gear and can't get both on at once. So I need a good hard shell case (like the Pelican I use for my long lenses) for the drone and I'll put that into a spinner so it looks like plain luggage. Or maybe a good backpack that I could also put into the spinner for security and safety.. and easy to carry on the other side as you mention. I know about batteries from my camera experience... good point.
Also, what do you recommend for a range extender? Is a windsurfer a product or just a generic name for an extender?
Polarizers (recommended elsewhere) from my camera experience are super dependent on the sun angle so not sure they would be real effective from the air with a moving camera.. But an ND makes a lot of sense (planning to do still shots almost exclusively - that could change)
Thanks again for the help - waiting for a custom quote from B&H and probably going to push the button today.
Dennis

Careful, some gimbal protectors will interfere with the VPS sensors and do screwy things with navigation. Also, Trackimo may not work in Iceland, possible lack of compatible cellular towers where you might be flying. You may want to consider a Marco Polo tracker which doesn't need cellular. Definitely get a Windsurfer to extend the range when needed. If you're flying airlines to get somewhere, figure out how you're going to carry the batteries onboard the plane. You can't check batteries in your hard case, and hard cases generally won't fit in the overhead carry on storage area. TSA will confiscate them if you check them. I suggest to use the Think Tank Helipak V2 backpack for Phantoms, then carry the drone on the plane. It's a lot easier to tote the craft around once you get there.
 
Rather then a gimbal protector, get some extension legs. I use them all the time. Makes sure they point outward though so they don't affect the VPS. Also, I would agree I would get some ND filters if you are going to shoot video. Helps you keep a cinematic shutter speed of twice the frame rate.
 
Just to clarify, I am 100% focused on stills at this point so shutter speed is gonna be as high as I can get away with. Any other thoughts on essentials would be appreciated but looks like I have enough to get going,.
 
Extra batteries is #1 on the list. A car charger is also very helpful.
 
Thanks - looking at two spares with the parallel charger (waiting for quote from B&H).
 
Extra batteries is #1 on the list. A car charger is also very helpful.
We have had problems with the car charger, it will shut off when the battery voltage is low, like when the car is idling. I have gone to using a 4 port ac charger with an inverter in the car. Will charge 4 cool batteries in about an hour. If you don't want to wait for the batteries to cool and recharge I would suggest about 8 batteries. This will allow for the batteries to cool down before you put them in the charger. I not sure I will by any more p4p batteries until the price goes down. The extra cost for 2 or 3 min. is pretty high. Just like I can't justify the price difference between p4 and p4p for my work.
 
I have not noticed this behavior on the car charger, and have used the three port dock as well. That being said, I've only used it on highway drives. I have used it though with booster packs, so not sure why you are seeing this.
 
Does anyone feel the filters are essential for still photos? And can someone tell me if a windsurfer is a generic name for a range extender or a specific product? And if generic, what is considered the best extender for the P4P?
 
Does anyone feel the filters are essential for still photos?
They might be essential if you often shoot photos over water (or other reflective surfaces). PL filters will cut/eliminate the reflection.

can someone tell me if a windsurfer is a generic name for a range extender or a specific product?
A "windsurfer" is the name for this style of antenna booster.
 
Thanks for the info. Is there one brand of windsurfer that is established as the best of the class?
And I usually need to adjust my polarizer in real time on my DSLR depending on the sun angle - wonder how that would work o the Phantom while flying (guess I'll try it).

They might be essential if you often shoot photos over water (or other reflective surfaces). PL filters will cut/eliminate the reflection.


A "windsurfer" is the name for this style of antenna booster.
 
Great - last question. Heard mixed reports about DI Care - is it correct that if you crash your drone they will fix it or replace it free? Seems like a good deal if so but maybe turnaround times are not good.
 

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