GoPro Karma Release

[pierce]

karma = portability
Nothing else to compare with phantom
When i searched for a drone, i was not looking for portability!
Also, I'm sure DJI will deal with the portability thing very soon.
Good luck Karma you are most welcome!

 

[regdawg]

We'll get an idea of how popular it is when N-number registrations start showing up in the FAA database.

Lets just hope many of these guys register and take the time to know the guidelines/laws. We already have some rogue pilots outthere, the Karma might just introduce more.

 

[jaseman007]

Well I've never owned a gopro but have owned 3 alternative action cameras and do indeed do things such as hiking and biking the mountains of Borneo, so an "action drone" would appeal to me.

However it does seem somewhat underwhelming, at more than twice the price of my P3 Standard, and still requires a backpack, rather than sliding into my regular backpack.

Hey there Biggle,

I reckon the Karma will slide into just about any backpack. Has a pretty low profile and I like that the clam shell style controller can just be closed and put in a pack without the sticks or aerials getting damaged.

Jason

 

[Biggle]

Yeah, I'm starting to like it... but I also find myself leaning towards first-person-view (FPV) perhaps with a fixed wing such as the Parrot Disco - it was dreams of that kind of thing that got me interested in RC/Phantoms etc in the first place.

Aside from cost and bulk, my main gripe is the short flight time of a quad. The Karma (20 mins) is even less than the 25 mins of my Standard.

What I want is something the size of the Parrot Beebop2, the abilities of the P4 and the range and flight time of the Disco. Otherwise, is it worth the weight, bulk and risk of bringing it on adventures?

The DJI Mavic is meant to be launching within the hour, so I'm very interested in what that can do - but I sadly suspect the flight time will be as equally pathetic as the Karma

 

[Biggle]

ADVENTURE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

 

[royster]

See the Karma review over at SAUS news, At one point the reviewer says- One big fault I see is if you don't get full GPS connection on take off, low to the ground, the Karma really wanders, especially backwards right at you, for the inexpierenced flyer, this could be an issue.
Another small issue- Unlike almost every other drone on the market, including DJI's machines, Karma requires a 10.4" prop, You have to order Karma props through GoPro!

 

[Biggle]

Holy pants! The Mavic is incredible, BETTER than the P4, and cheaper!

Obstacle avoidance and visual sensors, 27 minutes flying time, 4 mile range, gesture control, a tiny remote, full FPV goggles available...

I'm in love... *swoon

 

[bighi]

Forget the Karma. Dji has just turned that thing into a toy by comparison to the Mavic. Unless one just needs to be a hero.

 

[Butterpuff 6]

I think that if GP's rank and file customers (MX, BMX, snowboarders, rafters etc) were to do a follow me function just about everyone would lose their drones on the first flight to obstacles. Also too big to be a true follow me drone. IMHO

Well, DJI just made the follow-me drone for those customers with the Mavic. Also, the Mavic seems to do pretty much everything a Phantom 4 does and more. I think I'll get one

 

[swtc]

The demographic thing again: if I wanted to be a skateboard / surfing / whatever videographer in a box, Karma is a detachable, waterproof camera, drone, and Osmo-like handheld gimbal all in one buy.

Mavic is the better drone, but does 1/3 of what the GoPro SYSTEM offers.

I was thinking about getting an action cam for snorkeling and am in the market for an aerial cam. Karma does this for me, but I can't help seeing the Mav is cooler feature wise as a drone.

Hmm.

 

[Biggle]

If you want an action cam, why spend $500 and risk it, when you can get something like the Git2 with stabilization for under $150?

 

[thongbong]

If you want an action cam, why spend $500 and risk it, when you can get something like the Git2 with stabilization for under $150?

The GP5 is actually 400 and the GP4 is extremely durable. On the technical side, Gopros have better dynamic range then other knockoffs, the only other action cam with dynamic range to match are Sonys and maybe the new Xiaomi action cams. But if I would, I'd get the Mavic for air and a GoPro 5 for land and sea shots.

 

[Biggle]

From what I've seen in direct comparisons between Xiaomi, SJ and the Git, the Git models are better. I've been very impressed with the image quality using one as a dashcam in Iceland, where my Lumix GF1 couldn't cope with Iceland's low sun, the Git1 on my windscreen had no issues at all.

Even my wife, who is far from technical, while looking at the dashcam footage, said "That's a really good camera, I'm glad now you kept charging the batteries" (at the time she teased me for unplugging her phone and plugging in the charger for the Git)

I haven't seen any Git2 versus GP5 head to head but unless you're going to drag your friends round to your house and sit them in front of your 100 inch 4K TV I doubt they'll notice much difference.

 

[swtc]

If you want an action cam, why spend $500 and risk it, when you can get something like the Git2 with stabilization for under $150?

I can't deny that the value is there with the Git and the Xi, and for the majority of people just taking videos of the cat, kids BMXing, or whatever, it's money well spent/saved over the GoPro. However, every single head to head independent video I've seen on Youtube trying to say Brand X is "just as good as" GP, vindicates to me that GP has the lead on clarity and video quality. And, yeah, like thomgbong mentioned they aren't $500. I can always get them at a discount as well, so I prefer the GoPro - I like to stay with a good brand too, they've done me well in the past.

I'm actually rethinking my original "Mavic doesn't do all the things Karma does (most $$$ value: pull out an Osmo-ish stabilizer), but heck - the Mav is so small, there's no reason why you couldn't hold onto it and use the folded up bird as a walking around gimbal. It is clumsy to do so, but far less stupid looking than carrying around a P3 as a makeshift steadicam, which I've seen a few aspiring videographers do in a pinch!

 

[Biggle]

I was wondering if the Mavic is capable of being on and recording, with the gimbal working, while folded up? As I agree, it's small enough to use as a hand-held gimbal.

I imagine DJI wouldn't want to tout that as a benefit, as it removes the need to buy the $300 Osmo thingy, but if it doesn't now, and we moan enough, I see no reason it couldn't be done as a firmware update?

 

[regdawg]

The demographic thing again: if I wanted to be a skateboard / surfing / whatever videographer in a box, Karma is a detachable, waterproof camera, drone, and Osmo-like handheld gimbal all in one buy.

Mavic is the better drone, but does 1/3 of what the GoPro SYSTEM offers.

I was thinking about getting an action cam for snorkeling and am in the market for an aerial cam. Karma does this for me, but I can't help seeing the Mav is cooler feature wise as a drone.

Hmm.

I guess you'll need to look at it as....can the Karma do more for you than the Mav. Most would say yes. Although the Mav may have the bells and whistles in the air....it has no argument for the ground/water/etc. Both shoot 4k. After thinking about it the past couple of days.....it would be nice to be able to shoot some air footage on the beach, then immediately take the camera off and throw it on a stick and go take a swim out into the ocean. You'll get all sorts of footage on one sd card alone.

If I do get a Karma, I'm waiting for the next gen.

 

[younggun84]

The Karma does far less than the Mav. It's just an accessory.

You need to ask yourself if you want an action cam with accessories, or a highly portable, top of the line, aerial photography platform.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sandman259]

One thing I like about Karma, along with the hand held gimbal, built in screen, and being able to use the camera for other things is it's an American product. Don't get me wrong I love my phantom and dji mavic is sweet and I want one of those too but I'm a bit tired of all this China dominance in the drone world and like the idea of supporting an American product like GoPro. It's not perfect and it's there first drone but some of the features are useful and different the dji...


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[dct3416]

One thing I like about Karma, along with the hand held gimbal, built in screen, and being able to use the camera for other things is it's an American product. Don't get me wrong I love my phantom and dji mavic is sweet and I want one of those too but I'm a bit tired of all this China dominance in the drone world and like the idea of supporting an American product like GoPro. It's not perfect and it's there first drone but some of the features are useful and different the dji...


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

That's my thought too. I'd rather give my money to an American company that employees more people here is the U.S. than overseas. I'm certain that GoPro will provide better support too.

 

[sandman259]

To me the mavic is just a smaller p4. Not that it's a bad thing. The p4 is awesome and the mavic is too just nothing really different other then size. The karma has a different take on it. Removable camera to use for other things, hand held gimbal, and built in screen.


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