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- Nov 1, 2015
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I have been reading many of the discussions on this forum and looked a several YouTube reviews and videos discussing the Phantom 3.
I get the feeling that not many realize the camera units used on these drones are really the most basic one can ask for, in-fact chances are that the average point and shoot compact camera or several mobiles phones has way more advanced technology.
The gimbal units used on the Phantom series are good and they do what they designed for. The basic camera right at the bottom of the gimbal is the one I like to discuss........
Lets look at the main characteristics of these camera units:-
- They have tiny little sensors with all the typical disadvantages associated with small sensors
- A basic quality fixed lens unit is fixed to the sensor (see my comments further down on this point)
- A fixed aperture of 2.8 is used at a fixed field of view (no zoom action)
The Phantom 2 used a wide angle lens with the same fixed lens configuration and fixed aperture as the P3 series. Difference is at a wide angle with fix aperture the P2 depth of focus is typically better than that on the P3 series. All this means is the P2 will typically have more subjects in focus compared the the P3.
One of the biggest problems I saw with the P3 series is the poor manufacturing quality of these P3 camera units. The lens screw into a holding units that is fixed to the PC board holding the sensor. The assembly person screw in the lens and it seems has a fixed number of turns before the lens is locked into position. The camera is then closed and assembled to the gimbal. The result is the quality one get from these camera units are all over the place. I have seen results that are good, results that has part of the field of view out of focus, some cases the image blur across the image and and and.......
Ideally the assembly line will check if the lens were correctly (glass parallel to the sensor) and secondly "tuned" and tested to be sure the best focus point is locked before the camera is closed and fitted to the gimbal.......
To make this all look good DJI gave the user the ability to adjust the camera settings as required. Problem is one can only adjust the ISO or the shutter speed (electronic shutter) to adjust the exposure. Movie makers like to fix the shutter speed and vary the aperture or use ND filters in combo with ISO and aperture to adjust exposure...... Oops
A Netherland company has a "Gimbal" unit that allows the user to fit the Sony RX100 or the GM1 (Panny) to the P2 V+ (V3) Here you have a chance to have a real camera with real advance functions to do real imaging and real video work in comparison to the P3 mickey mouse camera.........
Is the Go Pro better? It uses the same principles as the P3 or P2 V+.........difference is the Go Pro has excellent manufacturing and quality control.......I guess the lens unit is also way better. Finally the GoPro uses the wider angle concept to improve focus in general.........
How can we fix the poor manufacturing problems on the P3. Adobe CC let the photographer to mask focus for example. With a little patients one can develop a fixed macro for your P3 to control image problems. Problem is one cannot develop one macro for all.......reason is these camera faults are all over the place. Good news is it will be fixed for each camera because these cheap cameras has no moving parts. Once your macro fix your P3 weaknesses it should work on all your P3 images.......
Hope this was of value to you guys.......
Siegfried
I get the feeling that not many realize the camera units used on these drones are really the most basic one can ask for, in-fact chances are that the average point and shoot compact camera or several mobiles phones has way more advanced technology.
The gimbal units used on the Phantom series are good and they do what they designed for. The basic camera right at the bottom of the gimbal is the one I like to discuss........
Lets look at the main characteristics of these camera units:-
- They have tiny little sensors with all the typical disadvantages associated with small sensors
- A basic quality fixed lens unit is fixed to the sensor (see my comments further down on this point)
- A fixed aperture of 2.8 is used at a fixed field of view (no zoom action)
The Phantom 2 used a wide angle lens with the same fixed lens configuration and fixed aperture as the P3 series. Difference is at a wide angle with fix aperture the P2 depth of focus is typically better than that on the P3 series. All this means is the P2 will typically have more subjects in focus compared the the P3.
One of the biggest problems I saw with the P3 series is the poor manufacturing quality of these P3 camera units. The lens screw into a holding units that is fixed to the PC board holding the sensor. The assembly person screw in the lens and it seems has a fixed number of turns before the lens is locked into position. The camera is then closed and assembled to the gimbal. The result is the quality one get from these camera units are all over the place. I have seen results that are good, results that has part of the field of view out of focus, some cases the image blur across the image and and and.......
Ideally the assembly line will check if the lens were correctly (glass parallel to the sensor) and secondly "tuned" and tested to be sure the best focus point is locked before the camera is closed and fitted to the gimbal.......
To make this all look good DJI gave the user the ability to adjust the camera settings as required. Problem is one can only adjust the ISO or the shutter speed (electronic shutter) to adjust the exposure. Movie makers like to fix the shutter speed and vary the aperture or use ND filters in combo with ISO and aperture to adjust exposure...... Oops
A Netherland company has a "Gimbal" unit that allows the user to fit the Sony RX100 or the GM1 (Panny) to the P2 V+ (V3) Here you have a chance to have a real camera with real advance functions to do real imaging and real video work in comparison to the P3 mickey mouse camera.........
Is the Go Pro better? It uses the same principles as the P3 or P2 V+.........difference is the Go Pro has excellent manufacturing and quality control.......I guess the lens unit is also way better. Finally the GoPro uses the wider angle concept to improve focus in general.........
How can we fix the poor manufacturing problems on the P3. Adobe CC let the photographer to mask focus for example. With a little patients one can develop a fixed macro for your P3 to control image problems. Problem is one cannot develop one macro for all.......reason is these camera faults are all over the place. Good news is it will be fixed for each camera because these cheap cameras has no moving parts. Once your macro fix your P3 weaknesses it should work on all your P3 images.......
Hope this was of value to you guys.......
Siegfried