I have a phantom 4 pro plus drone and would like to know what adjustments need to be made to the camera for flying at night to brighten and define what I see on FPV at high altitudes???
p4p+ night flight
- Thread starter skyjockeyinc
- Start date
PhantomWetSuits
Approved Vendor
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2017
- Messages
- 1,335
- Reaction score
- 839
- Age
- 59
Best thing you can do is fly in auto mode and get a feel for what that looks like and take notice to the changes in light as your most likely not flying in pitch black areas.
If you need some extra light you can dial in it using the EV 1 step at a time.
I think you will be pleased with the Results as long as you can keep some focus on your targets..
Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly you Phantom in and out of the storm.
Coal
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 1,611
- Reaction score
- 973
Doing shots or film in dark is a tricky buisness.
The sensor senses the light and if there isn0t any you'll get nothing but black.
So you need to choose the terrytory where is enough arteficial light (streets, objects, or whereever the flying is forbidden).
Setting to auto in this case usually results in poor quality because the camera is trying to get at least minimal light so you'll get too long exposition times. And usualy the auto setting tend to overexposed everytrhing in the dark. Maybe better to use manual with some testing in advance.
Or - get the night vision cam but this is probably out of topic.
The sensor senses the light and if there isn0t any you'll get nothing but black.
So you need to choose the terrytory where is enough arteficial light (streets, objects, or whereever the flying is forbidden).
Setting to auto in this case usually results in poor quality because the camera is trying to get at least minimal light so you'll get too long exposition times. And usualy the auto setting tend to overexposed everytrhing in the dark. Maybe better to use manual with some testing in advance.
Or - get the night vision cam but this is probably out of topic.
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2016
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 37
- Age
- 85
Here is a night flight with a Phantom 4 Pro with all settings auto. Full screen to enjoy.
PhantomWetSuits
Approved Vendor
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2017
- Messages
- 1,335
- Reaction score
- 839
- Age
- 59
Yep Auto Setting look good, but you missed the Best shot : That pool with the glowing lights would be a really nice view with on a vertical take off. Something like this below.
Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Phantom in and out of the Storm
Coal
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 1,611
- Reaction score
- 973
You pick just the perfect time when it was not completely dark - the blue light.
But the sharpness is pretty poor due to the automatic settings (full aperture, high ISO and longer exp. times).
I'm interested did you have any problems with the orientation to your home point - by the live view not by the compass.
But the sharpness is pretty poor due to the automatic settings (full aperture, high ISO and longer exp. times).
I'm interested did you have any problems with the orientation to your home point - by the live view not by the compass.
Are you sure he is in the U.S.?
Are these waivers now needed for recreational flights in the U.S.? I lost track of that with the change in regs.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2019
- Messages
- 295
- Reaction score
- 246
- Age
- 107
A waiver to fly at night? This is a joke, right? Does anyone believe planes fly at 50 feet at night?
Legally you can only fly at civil twilight thats 1/2 hour after sunset! Even us Licensed pilots have trouble getting night flights
I believe that wasn’t really law for recreational flights. But that may have changed with the new regs.
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 1,611
- Reaction score
- 973
Agree. At first the simplest way is to go up and do your shots with different exp. compensation - start at 0 and then step down by 0.3 intervals ( or whatever your camera allows) to -2 or even more than that. It is no general setting best for all situation. Each time you take pictures at night the light is slightly different. Do not shoot with max open aperture as you'll get worse sharpness. The best would be with very closed ap. but then you get too long exp. times.
Usually very closed aperture will not yield best sharpness either due to diffraction. Each lens has a sweet spot somewhere near the middle. For example, for the P4P, it’s f/5.6
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 1,611
- Reaction score
- 973
That's true for daylight. At night you have many side reflexes and disturbing sources of light so smaller aperture diminish that. But as I've said closing the aperture prolongs exposition time so this must be balanced. And so maybe your statement is very likely true for night shots as well. Even if you put the drone into the tripod mode it can't be equal to the tripod on the ground.
I also fly a P4P+ and do quite a bit of night flying.
In fact, some flights I have taken have been an hour after sunset.
Here are some tips for you that I have found useful over the years:
1. Normally, I shoot in AUTO mode. Occasionally, I will manually adjust my settings, but 8 times out of 10, I shoot in AUTO mode.
2. At night, I always shoot in RAW(not JPEG).....this allows me to pull as much detail into the image file as possible. This is what you need for night time photography and in post production, the RAW format gives you lots of options.
3. For any still images that I am taking at night, I always use TRIPOD mode when I'm in position and set to go......this mode minimizes the Phantom's movements and helps you get that night time shot you want.
4. Make sure you set your Phantom's software to turn off the front nav lights whenever your camera shutter button is used. This makes sure the red lights(and the glow from them) don't show up in your images.
Hope these all help. Safe flying.
In fact, some flights I have taken have been an hour after sunset.
Here are some tips for you that I have found useful over the years:
1. Normally, I shoot in AUTO mode. Occasionally, I will manually adjust my settings, but 8 times out of 10, I shoot in AUTO mode.
2. At night, I always shoot in RAW(not JPEG).....this allows me to pull as much detail into the image file as possible. This is what you need for night time photography and in post production, the RAW format gives you lots of options.
3. For any still images that I am taking at night, I always use TRIPOD mode when I'm in position and set to go......this mode minimizes the Phantom's movements and helps you get that night time shot you want.
4. Make sure you set your Phantom's software to turn off the front nav lights whenever your camera shutter button is used. This makes sure the red lights(and the glow from them) don't show up in your images.
Hope these all help. Safe flying.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2019
- Messages
- 295
- Reaction score
- 246
- Age
- 107
So, nighttime videos are against the law, huh? It's a brain strain to figure the logic behind that one. I've been flying at 50 to 100 feet to video Christmas lights and fireworks shows for years at night. I never fly over houses or people. How many years in prison will this infraction get me?
Similar threads
