H3-2d vs H3-3d

K

Khudson7

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I apologize if this has been asked already but I could not find it.

When I bought my phantom 2, back in March, it had the 2d gimbal. Wondering now if it is really worth the cost to upgrade it to the 3d. I remember at the beginning some were complaining that the 3d had several problems, so wondering if they have been worked out. Also I think I remember some were saying the ribbon was too delicate and very easily broken.

I have been pretty happy so for with the 2d although on a couple of videos, I have seen when giving it roll, I can sometimes get a little jello. Would the 3d fix that? Just wondering if the benefits justify the costs.

Thanks
 
also don't forget that due to the extra motor, one of the little round silver motor thingies actually pokes up inside the Phantom body, so that requires a little cavity on the belly of the P2 to accommodate that. I do not believe that the older P2's that came with H3-2D have that cavity so you have to somehow make it yourself if your P2 looks like the "existing" pic below
screen-shot-2014-05-07-at-06.36.08.png
 
Wow, glad I asked. Thanks for the info. On the one hand from that video, It does seem to make a big difference with yaw , but I did not know about the larger hole I would need to make. I will plan accordingly, thanks again.
 
Khudson7 said:
Wow, glad I asked. Thanks for the info. One the one hand from that video, I do want the 3D as it does make a difference, but I did not know about the larger hole I would need to make. I will plan accordingly, thanks again.

I have the older P2 and it wasn't hard to make the hole. All you need is a Dremel tool. Works perfect. For me, the upgrade to the H3-3D was well worth it. No more wiggly videos! :)
 
Great DesertFlyer53, thanks, you convinced me...it is time I buy a dremel now anyway.
 
The only issue is the latest H3-3Ds have the silly USB cable, not the plug in back plate that the 2D and older 3D have.

Not sure why, but it's a real compromise if you ask me. Not sure if we know why officially.
 
noiseboy72 said:
The only issue is the latest H3-3Ds have the silly USB cable, not the plug in back plate that the 2D and older 3D have.

Not sure why, but it's a real compromise if you ask me. Not sure if we know why officially.

this isn't an official answer, but the most commonly accepted reasons around here is that it was either 1 significantly cheaper or 2 those "hero port" 30-pin connectors were low / out of stock when the H3-3D was being designed.

If you're a tinkerer like I am, we have a thread going about replacing the USB cable with the hero port. There's a part linked in the OP that you can buy which has the hero port and a cable. It's super easy to swap in the hero port, and then assuming you already have an FPV system all setup and operational, you just have to snip the connector off that cable and also video feed cable that you probably have coming from the Phantom mainboard, and patch in the cable that comes with the new port... so that means instead of the Zenmuse cables bringing the signal back to the Phantom mainboard and then you take the video signal from there into your iOSD or Video TX - now you just patch directly from the cable coming out the back of the hero port.

The only "downside" if you even consider it one, is that now the gimbal does NOT power the gopro, you're running the gopro off battery. There is indeed a power cable in that hero power/cable, but nobody yet has patched it in to anywhere and confirmed that it will supply power to the gopro. and you can't use the power output from your video transmitter because it doesn't send enough power

here's that thread: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=22798
 
Khudson7 said:
Great DesertFlyer53, thanks, you convinced me...it is time I buy a dremel now anyway.

Cutting your hole bigger isn't the only option...I use this mounting bracket DJI released for the older P2 bodies, which also includes the slightly longer legs you'll need as a result: http://1uas.com/Zenmuse-H3-3D-Mounting- ... or-Phantom

My Phantom (with that kit and those legs) is on the right, another stock P2 on the left:

VtgESKNl.jpg
 
well la dee dah look at me I'm so money I have TWO Phantoms
 
QYV said:
well la dee dah look at me I'm so money I have TWO Phantoms
:lol:

Only one is mine, the other belongs to an owner I was helping get set up this past weekend. The bottle of Jack he left in return is big enough to float a boat :twisted:
 
noiseboy72 said:
The only issue is the latest H3-3Ds have the silly USB cable, not the plug in back plate that the 2D and older 3D have.

Not sure why, but it's a real compromise if you ask me. Not sure if we know why officially.

I just took the GoPro plug off my old H3-2D and put it on my H3-3D. Problem was, I didn't know what I was doing then and I screwed up the plug connector. Now I'm on the hunt for one. I now also know how to do it correctly! It's not that hard to do once you figure it out. Do a search on youtube. there are a few good how-to videos there.
 
Generally I like the 3D better.... BUT it (sometimes) makes it difficult to do long panning shots smoothly due to what I call "snap back" which is when the 3D gimbal tries to catch up to your panning motion.

I am hopeful that DJI will allow more control of gains, limits, centering adjustments and such with newer firm/software...
 
DesertFlyer53 said:
Now I'm on the hunt for one.

for what exactly? a Hero port? (30-pin) ? This might help you, there's a link to a hero port + AV cable in the first post in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=22798

I personally have done this mod and it works great. I don't mind that the GoPro isn't powered by the gimbal anymore and run off battery, I might tinker a bit and see if I can deliver power to it somehow
 
QYV said:
I personally have done this mod and it works great. I don't mind that the GoPro isn't powered by the gimbal anymore and run off battery, I might tinker a bit and see if I can deliver power to it somehow

I went ahead and connected the red lead on that cable to the + output on the Immersion's plug, and it does deliver enough current for the camera to show the recharging icon on the screen...but the red light on the front doesn't light up. So I guess it's just charging very slowly. I haven't measured yet to see if that charge rate is faster than the drain rate while recording.
 
QYV said:
well la dee dah look at me I'm so money I have TWO Phantoms

Thx, I just pissed myself...
 
OI Photography said:
I went ahead and connected the red lead on that cable to the + output on the Immersion's plug, and it does deliver enough current for the camera to show the recharging icon on the screen...but the red light on the front doesn't light up. So I guess it's just charging very slowly. I haven't measured yet to see if that charge rate is faster than the drain rate while recording.

interesting. I cut that cable off the A/V cable when I first installed, although I do have a spare I could set up. I'm trying to think of other places I could tap into for power... like I wonder if I could just patch onto one of the power leads on the Phantom mainboard? or do a 3-way patch on the power cable that goes out TO the transmitter... I know I don't want to send TOO MUCH power down the line and fry anything, that's why I hesitate to patch onto the main board power
 
QYV said:
DesertFlyer53 said:
Now I'm on the hunt for one.

for what exactly? a Hero port? (30-pin) ? This might help you, there's a link to a hero port + AV cable in the first post in this thread
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=22798

I personally have done this mod and it works great. I don't mind that the GoPro isn't powered by the gimbal anymore and run off battery, I might tinker a bit and see if I can deliver power to it somehow

I saw that thread but would rather use the plug from an old H3-2D. I'd rather not have that wire flopping around on the gimbal. I'm also not keen on doing all the wiring that would be required.
 
OI Photography said:
QYV said:
I personally have done this mod and it works great. I don't mind that the GoPro isn't powered by the gimbal anymore and run off battery, I might tinker a bit and see if I can deliver power to it somehow

I went ahead and connected the red lead on that cable to the + output on the Immersion's plug, and it does deliver enough current for the camera to show the recharging icon on the screen...but the red light on the front doesn't light up. So I guess it's just charging very slowly. I haven't measured yet to see if that charge rate is faster than the drain rate while recording.

Be careful, I read somewhere that the 5v out on the Immersion 600mw vTx is not enough to properly power the GoPro and can overwork the vTx - possibly fail? The 5v out is meant for the small FPV cams, not video cameras.... might do a bit of searching to be safe.
 
CactusJackSlade said:
OI Photography said:
QYV said:
I personally have done this mod and it works great. I don't mind that the GoPro isn't powered by the gimbal anymore and run off battery, I might tinker a bit and see if I can deliver power to it somehow

I went ahead and connected the red lead on that cable to the + output on the Immersion's plug, and it does deliver enough current for the camera to show the recharging icon on the screen...but the red light on the front doesn't light up. So I guess it's just charging very slowly. I haven't measured yet to see if that charge rate is faster than the drain rate while recording.

Be careful, I read somewhere that the 5v out on the Immersion 600mw vTx is not enough to properly power the GoPro and can overwork the vTx - possibly fail? The 5v out is meant for the small FPV cams, not video cameras.... might do a bit of searching to be safe.

Excellent point, and I did that test with the full knowledge that that might be the consequence. I just wanted to see what would happen and was willing to risk that Tx to do it (I use an older beat up one for stuff like this). Didn't seem to have any ill effects on the camera or Tx (didn't get any hotter than usual), but I didn't run it that way for very long.
 

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