Lost my P4. Replace with another P4 or P4 Pro?

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I got a P4 standard over the holidays and loved it. Never thought I would enjoy it so much. On my 10th flight I got complacent and did something real stupid and lost it in the canal. I was flying low to film this old church and rather than watch the drone with my eyes I was watching it through the ipad and I hit a long branch and in it went. My wife was a real champ about it. She said s*** happens, go get another one and be smarter this time.
So I ended up getting another standard a few days ago. Last night it got me thinking, should I return it and get the Pro instead? Would the additional sensors have saved me in the same situation? I have read mixed reviews of the side infra red sensors and would not have mattered. (I hit the branch while going sideways).

Or should I return it all and just wait for the Mavic for portability when it becomes more generally available. Before the crash/lost I thought about the Mavic but never the Pro. Now with the lost I am a a bit gun shy :-(.
I am an amateur photographer and love to do landscape stills. I have read the Pro has a much more superior camera.

As you can see I am real torn.

Thanks
 
I hit the branch while going sideways
The P4P's infrared side sensors are only active in beginner mode and tripod mode. Unless you're going to be flying in those modes often, they will be of no use to you.
 
Hi @msinger do the the P mode functions work in Beginner mode like tap fly and active tracking? Was thinking that the times I would truly need 4 side protection would be flying in lower altitudes where I cannot fly fast and in more crowded areas,
 
How deep are your pockets. That's a lot of extra bucks for the p4p
Precisely. hence me asking the question to see if it justifies it. Would I have been saved from my own stupidity the first time round and not losing it in the canal. Is the camera so much more superior etc. So the way i am looking at it is if I have to spend another $570 (Standard is 929 at Costco). Does the new sensors really work in real world applications that would "help" me prevent another lost drone incident and is the camera so much better that I will be wowed with it. I have a Nikon D750 with 3 basic lens, F4 16-35, F2.8 24-70 and F2.8 70-200. I am ok in spending the additional money, but it needs to make sense. Or else I should put it away for a Mavic when it becomes more available for portability. As you can see I am somewhat lost in what to do.
 
I fly to make images rather than being someone who takes images while flying so speaking purely from a photographers perspective: yes...the upgrade to the camera alone is worth the extra $$$...I shot side by side with a fellow photog the other day who had the P4 while I was flying the P4pro and the difference was readily apparent...resolution, dynamic range and control...
BTW: If you're going to push boundaries while trying to capture/create images then investigate the DJI "Care Refresh" program...I call it my idiot insurance ;-)
 
I fly to make images rather than being someone who takes images while flying so speaking purely from a photographers perspective: yes...the upgrade to the camera alone is worth the extra $$$...I shot side by side with a fellow photog the other day who had the P4 while I was flying the P4pro and the difference was readily apparent...resolution, dynamic range and control...
BTW: If you're going to push boundaries while trying to capture/create images then investigate the DJI "Care Refresh" program...I call it my idiot insurance ;-)

For sure I need the idiot insurance! Unfortunately with the lost in the canal, even if I were able to retrieve (we will when it gets warmer) does not cover water damage :-(. I am old school when it comes to photography, SLR versus Mirrorless. So from that point of view and you seeing the difference perhaps I will go for the Pro. I will need to contact DJI to cancel/transfer my idiot insurance for the standard.
 
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I fly to make images rather than being someone who takes images while flying so speaking purely from a photographers perspective: yes...the upgrade to the camera alone is worth the extra $$$...I shot side by side with a fellow photog the other day who had the P4 while I was flying the P4pro and the difference was readily apparent...resolution, dynamic range and control...
BTW: If you're going to push boundaries while trying to capture/create images then investigate the DJI "Care Refresh" program...I call it my idiot insurance ;-)
I already have 2 extra 5350 batteries, have you tested it with it and do you lose noticeable flight time as a result? Trying not to return everything if I don't have to.
 
Hi @msinger do the the P mode functions work in Beginner mode like tap fly and active tracking?
Yes. However, you will not be able to fly more than 30 meters from the home point when flying in beginner mode.
 
Yes. However, you will not be able to fly more than 30 meters from the home point when flying in beginner mode.
That may not be too much of an issue as in tight quarters the drone would likely be very far away from me to begin with. From @ricphoto comments about the camera and being able to enable it in limited fashion it might be the way to go. Plus where I am 30M up high is higher than any of the trees which is more than sufficient. But is there not a height limit on these sensors even working? Like 10M max?
 
I already have 2 extra 5350 batteries, have you tested it with it and do you lose noticeable flight time as a result? Trying not to return everything if I don't have to.
I kept my 4 batteries from my P4 and they're fine with the P4pro...with the start/stop type of flying I do I honestly don't notice that much of a difference...some but not double the $$$ worth...I kept the extra props, hood, cables, cases etc...only things that didn't transfer were my PolarPro filter sets ;-(
BTW: water damage IS included in Care Refresh according to DJI's announcement a week or so ago...
 
I am a hobbyist who upgraded from a P4 to P4P and I would not hesitate to do it again. Here are my reasons... Goes 30mph in P mode with OA on. Useful for active tracking snowmobiles and stuff. Has all around sensing, very useful in tight spaces. Got some really cool shots of an old building that would have been scarier without the tripod mode side sensors and the rear sensors.

And the camera is... well, can't say enough about the camera. The dynamic range is huge. And being able to adjust fstop is big too. Mechanical shutter for shots where objects are moving fast. Better images and video in low light. And the h265 recording gives a noticeable improvement for video with motion in it like rivers, fast pans, etc.
 
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And the camera is... well, can't say enough about the camera. The dynamic range is huge. And being able to adjust fstop is big too. Mechanical shutter for shots where objects are moving fast. Better images and video in low light. And the h265 recording gives a noticeable improvement for video with motion in it like rivers, fast pans, etc.

Here's a good example of the dynamic range of the camera and the birds ability to shoot stable for longer exposures...iso 100 - f9 - 1/6 sec...the ice drips on the log are really sharp in the original...love that the granularity of the snow is evident while the texture and detail of the darker / wet rocks and logs is held...I'm confident it'll let me go longer for a more "silky" water when we get some ND's...
20170101_drone_example_rainier.jpg
 
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I kept my 4 batteries from my P4 and they're fine with the P4pro...with the start/stop type of flying I do I honestly don't notice that much of a difference...some but not double the $$$ worth...I kept the extra props, hood, cables, cases etc...only things that didn't transfer were my PolarPro filter sets ;-(
BTW: water damage IS included in Care Refresh according to DJI's announcement a week or so ago...

Nice.. the the protection for P4 standard does not include water. You are making the sell a whole lot easier
 
Here's a good example of the dynamic range of the camera and the birds ability to shoot stable for longer exposures...iso 100 - f9 - 1/6 sec...the ice drips on the log are really sharp in the original...love that the granularity of the snow is evident while the texture and detail of the darker / wet rocks and logs is held...I'm confident it'll let me go longer for a more "silky" water when we get some ND's...View attachment 72353
That looks awesome!!!

I just ordered it. Will be here tomorrow. Paid the 9.83 shipping to get it here tomorrow!!!
 
Since you say you are an amateur photographer, and because you crashed where it is possible side CA may have helped, oh and because your wife is OK with it, go with the P4P.

The P4 camera is good enough for my use, and I'm safe flying so a cheaper P4 or Mavic Pro would be my replacement.
 
just buy the p4p and be done with it.
that is what I did.
now I have a p4 and a p4p loving both of them.
 
Here's a good example of the dynamic range of the camera and the birds ability to shoot stable for longer exposures...iso 100 - f9 - 1/6 sec...the ice drips on the log are really sharp in the original...love that the granularity of the snow is evident while the texture and detail of the darker / wet rocks and logs is held...I'm confident it'll let me go longer for a more "silky" water when we get some ND's...View attachment 72353

I love that fluid/silky motion in the waters. You could only do this with an ND filter and tripod with a DSLR. The fact that you are doing this with a drone and no filter is amazeballs.

I have a mavic and I am getting pen.is envy with the P4 camera.
 
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I love that fluid/silky motion in the waters. You could only do this with an ND filter and tripod with a DSLR. The fact that you are doing this with a drone and no filter is amazeballs.

I have a mavic and I am getting pen.is envy with the P4 camera.

Thanks...Yeah it had me smiling as I was setting up the shot then again as I was reviewing the files...felt like I was on the edge with f9 as far as IQ goes and i did see some CA in the files in LR...f11 is just not acceptable to me so it was a compromise at f9-1/6...anxiously awaiting the ND's so I can get back into the f5.6-8 sweet spot for that lens...and slower than 1/2 sec ;-)

getting my head wrapped around this camera/lens and feeling pretty good about it...so much so I have a brand new Mavic that's still sealed in it's box on my office floor collecting dust ;-)
 
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