My top 5 reasons why I won't upgrade to the P4..... yet :P
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1. LOYALTY: I still very much enjoy my Phantom 3 Professional.
2. TRUST: The P3P was my first quadcopter and as easy as it is to fly I was still quite nervous in the beginning and had no confidence but I learned to balance the flight controls as well as the camera and I learned to trust it. That said, the P4 does seem to make it easier but the learning curve is not there anymore, at-least if you're a P3 owner.
3. I'M NOT A ROOKIE ANYMORE: That said, the P4 is as excellent of a quadcopter for first timers as was the P3. I'm sure a lot of P3 pilots lost their birds after flying into trees or having insufficient RTH settings; The new obstacle avoidance system is awesome but I feel I'm a little more seasoned and I've learned to manage to avoid such risks and still get some awesome shots and video footage.
3. RELIABILITY: The P3P is a reliable bird and it was born out of the lessons learned from earlier Phantoms. I'm sure the P4 has learned a few of it's own lessons but for it's price tag I don't see myself benefiting any more than what the P3 offers.
4. SAME CAMERA: I don't see much of a camera upgrade to warrant the price. After all, this is first and foremost a flying camera. I would LOVE to see a bigger camera sensor and perhaps an improved depth of field on the next Phantom. Perhaps a little bit of zoom for all the privacy people out there too.
5. COST VS VALUE: If you own a P3P then you realize that there is still great value there. The 'real' upgrades that I wish I had from the P4 upgrade are the faster sport flying mode, dual IMU's and compasses for extended reliability and perhaps 'maybe' the longer battery life. Other than those features I can't warrant upgrading until maybe the Phantom 5. I'm thinking a better upgrade for most P3P users would probably be a better computer that can edit 4K like it was nothing!
Again..this is only my opinions folks!
'Depth of field' ??? On a Phantom?!! lol - DOF becomes virtually irrelevant. The drone will nearly always be at some distance to its subject, so unless you have a good optical zoom system, you will want everything to be in focus - even then, you ever tried keeping something in focus on a 'shallow' DOF when moving? Especially with a drone this becomes infinitely harder.
The only advantage (which is significant of course) with a larger sensor is that you get cleaner images (less noise) and with that a brighter image.
Unless the Phantom gets a significantly advanced optical zoom system and a 'proper' accurate remote focus system.. You can ignore the DOF issue.
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I see your point about dof. A bigger sensor would be nice though and perhaps a higher bitrate for the 4K.
Only one reason: my wife won't allow me to spend $$ on another drone.
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I totally understand everyone who owns a P3 of any sort, even standard not wanting to upgrade... However what would you buy if you had no drone or as in my case, a Phantom 2 that you got for a steal and you could probably sell for more than you bought it for...
I'm getting either a P3P or a P4, is the extra money worth it? I just really hate the case, wish it was a backpack instead...
I'm getting either a P3P or a P4, is the extra money worth it? I just really hate the case, wish it was a backpack instead...
They had to keep the camera specs down on the P4 otherwise they would lose sales on the Inspire X5. It's about market placement. We won't see a 4/3 sensor on a Phantom until we first see a full frame sensor on an Inspire. Canon and other camera brands have done this for years, holding back on certain features to make you go for the upmarket version. e.g. the Canon 5DMk2 had slow crippled autofocus for years before the 5DMk3 came out. To get the best autofocus at the time you had to go for 1D which was a couple grand more.
Top 5 reasons you won't get a P4
1. You just bought a P3P last month for $1259, before they went on sale.
2. You don't like to be on the cutting edge of tech, you like older technology, like you Iphone 4
3. How can they possibly improve the P3 series, it's perfect ---Read the 14,000 posts in this forum.
4. Collision avoidance, I don't need that , --I never crash.
5. Your wife won't let you.
1. You just bought a P3P last month for $1259, before they went on sale.
2. You don't like to be on the cutting edge of tech, you like older technology, like you Iphone 4
3. How can they possibly improve the P3 series, it's perfect ---Read the 14,000 posts in this forum.
4. Collision avoidance, I don't need that , --I never crash.
5. Your wife won't let you.
1. My wife would kill me.
2. My wife would kill me.
3. My wife would kill me.
4. My wife would kill me.
5. My wife would kill me.
On the other hand, she hasn't looked more at the P3A to know the difference if I just swapped them
2. My wife would kill me.
3. My wife would kill me.
4. My wife would kill me.
5. My wife would kill me.
On the other hand, she hasn't looked more at the P3A to know the difference if I just swapped them
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These are good points. I really like this thread, because I also wondered whether I might miss something.
If I buy something new I ask myself what I can do then which I can't do right now without the purchase.
The P4 looks a major improvement of the P3, but basically it is a similar drone.
The anti collision could be an advantage, but does it work 100%? And what about objects that are not in front?
Longer flying would help, but that can be solved much cheaper with some extra batteries.
Bottom line is that everything I would like to do with a drone, I already can do with my current P3A. So I am very happy with it. Especially because it is significant less expensive.
I hope the P5 has a zoom lens.
So I got my P3P 2 weeks ago. I called BestBuy yesterday and they said they would be happy to take it back and give me a store credit so that I can get the P4. I just don't think I can go without for a month, which is when they will get them in (the store Mgr was guessing they would have them 4/1). I think I might keep my P3P and pick up the P4 around the middle of April as a birthday gift for myself 
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I ordered the P4,completely satisfied with the decision. I had a P3P that I sold first of year(and loved it). I can understand why one would not buy a P4 if they already own a P3. I think the point of a new model is to attract additional/new owners. Just like phones,tablets,etc.
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Surely!
The chinees government uses the new P4 to set-up a spy network all over the world
Lol1. My wife would kill me.
2. My wife would kill me.
3. My wife would kill me.
4. My wife would kill me.
5. My wife would kill me.
On the other hand, she hasn't looked more at the P3A to know the difference if I just swapped them
You're absolutely right but I have this sneaky suspicion that the next Phantom will offer a better camera and that would definitely make me want to upgrade.
Possible upgrades that I think would be cool...
1. Bigger camera sensor which would provide even more amazing footage.
2. Detachable camera?
3. Optical zoom lens?
4. What if they introduced night-vision? You know you would want that!
If they don't upgrade the camera another good upgrade I see would be more autonomous features that would blows us away. What if...
1. You can manage the Phantom with just your smartphone? The Phantom can follow you, track you, be sent on a mission to do it's thing and you don't have to lug around the transmitter which would be optional. Call it scout or surveillance mode for all the privacy buffs!
2. I think the introduction of RELIABLE more advanced autonomous features is the direction the company is going. I know this takes the fun out of 'piloting' but I feel it's the future. The future involves more and more sensors and smarter more autonomous robots that we don't have to second guess when it comes to trust.
3. Bottom line is that for the me, the P4 is shiny and new, it looks cool but it's now blowing the P3 out of the water. Consider the P3 as 'traditional' and you're still in control.
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I disagree with the "rookie" comments, that the P4 is geared for the beginner or rookie. I think its geared more towards someone who is interested in capturing the moment, image, video, etc. and flying is secondary.
If I had my way I want AP platform that I don't even have to think about the flying aspect at all. I don't want to deal GPS lock, signal reception, obstacles. I want an AP platform I launch, it dos its biz and lands where I tell it to. I think DJI is heading in that direction which IMO is a good thing.
I'm not against learning to fly. I practice often with my bird in ATTI mode, I fly my QX3 in Stagility mode, and I still fly my little LaTrax Alias. When I pull out my Phantom, its all about the image and video....
If I had my way I want AP platform that I don't even have to think about the flying aspect at all. I don't want to deal GPS lock, signal reception, obstacles. I want an AP platform I launch, it dos its biz and lands where I tell it to. I think DJI is heading in that direction which IMO is a good thing.
I'm not against learning to fly. I practice often with my bird in ATTI mode, I fly my QX3 in Stagility mode, and I still fly my little LaTrax Alias. When I pull out my Phantom, its all about the image and video....
1. My wife would kill me.
2. My wife would kill me.
3. My wife would kill me.
4. My wife would kill me.
5. My wife would kill me.
On the other hand, she hasn't looked more at the P3A to know the difference if I just swapped them
You could swap your wife for the P4?! ;-)
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