http://youtu.be/tg7KJAw27YE
EDIT :
Man, Youtube add so much glitches and artifacts on the video... Stupid codec issues... >_< The original file was in PHOTO-JPEG and I forgot Youtube doesn't like it...
My very first post, so first a Greetings to all on the forum and thanks for the help you all silently provided me when I was hesitating, fearing, envying and waiting for my own P2V+
It finally arrived, though the wait hasn't been as long as most of you in the USA since i'm in Shanghai and Shenzhen isn't that far.
I thought I'd post this here to give my own contribution to the forum. This is simply another personal experience and a quick edit of the videos I took during my first flight, as well as a few basic guides and directions for post-production.
I hopefully will get more as soon as the weather clears up a bit, but in Shanghai this is never a sure thing. Luckily enough, i'm heading back home to my island of Tahiti in just a few months, i.e. the drone in my bags before heading out.
I work as an independent motion designer / video maker, mainly interested in music videos and creative nonsense, but I do a lot of corporate shenanigans as well, in order to eat something else than instant noodles. The DJI P2V+ did tickle my interest.
This is my very first flight and attempt to understand the settings of the camera and, mainly, how to fly the drone.
Obviously, this shows just how easy it is. Though i've practiced before with some toy copters and other Hubsan +100Rmb toys, this is even easier than any of those lighter versions, the GPS being a tremendous help. Though, in Shanghai, it's hard to find a place far from building or lines or wifi or any other interferences to lock enough satellites...
The controls react with absolutely no latency, even on such a disgusting windy cloudy post-dirty-rain colorless miasma of a day...
The drone is fast enough to surprise you if you're not careful but from what i've seen, it does what it's supposed to when it's supposed to. Including Return To Home etc...
The gimbal is impressive. Never owned one before, though I use a Glidecam system with my Canon 5DII, but this is stable. Period.
As for the video itself...
The camera is indeed inferior to the higher end GoPro, but it's about the same as my GoPro2 and most likely entry level GoPro 3, so makes no difference to me. I need to sort out the settings and do different tests to see what's the best option for post production.
+ I used :
- 1080p/30fps
- Cloudy White Balance (Shanghai default mode)
- 100 ISO
- 60Hz
These are just for information. In no way the BEST settings so far.
+ It NEEDS to be color corrected and adjusted. After Effects is your friend.
+ I did a lot of basic desaturation using the traditional cocktail of Tint, Curves and Hue/Saturation.
+ I've noticed some of the color shifting some mentioned online, especially there amongst the trees. It seems the light changes, even by simply going into a shadowy area, affect the lens more than we'd like to. But then again, nothing some post production can't play around, or you can simply cut off the switching part during your edit.
+ I used the CC Lens applies to an adjustment layer to correct the fish-eye effect as I was too lazy to export the whole video as a picture sequence, import them in Lightroom to use the Adobe correction preset provided by DJI, export the **** sequence again and reimport it...
I will probably try that later though, for the sake of experimentation.
+ There is NO STABILIZATION used at all. And I had to do a short edit, so didn't leave 2 minutes of fixed angle but this is really impressive. The gimbal works perfectly.
+ I don't mourn the lack of microphone since I would take the sound away anyway for music video purposes. Or throw in a voice over telling a well written story and a bit of sound-design and voila !
Finally, for those who hesitate between the Vision model or a GoPro system... Here is a short version of my decision making :
Well, had I own a fancy GoPro 3 BE++++, I would have most likely used it and experiment my own DIY adventure. But not having that model of GoPro as well as being pretty much a newbie when it comes to RC hobby and drone and copters and all those sort of things, I consider the all-included OTB experience provided by the P2V+ to be a pretty good alternative on my side.
I have built several hackintoshes and can be geeky in more than one trade, but i'm lazy to learn the world of RC, so shut up and take my money ! It's my choice, make yours.
Also, I don't think the difference is that gigantic between the two and only those picky enough to complain about 1080p over 1080i will really care.
Like in the console system world, the argument between 720p or 1080p version depending on Xbox or Playstation... Seriously ?
Most people won't know the difference anyway, unless told. Yet, experienced eyes will see the defaults, but considering most people will watch video on their little screens, sometimes in screener quality, your nice 2k or 4k video will still be down streamed. And if ever you live in China, where internet is leashed, be happy if you can watch a 360p video without spending the day waiting.
Anyway, to sum up, I don't think the creativity is allowed by one camera more than the other. As usual, it's what you do with it.
That said, later on I hope to get a bigger model and attach my Canon 5DII under it - or a BlackMagic, if I managed to sell a kidney by then - and then the quality will be waaaaaay better, with proper lens and all, but that's for another time.
CONCLUSION :
Man... This bird is enjoyable to fly...
Bless !