Phantom 2 / GoPro 3+ Questions

[Creek.Jumper]

Hello...

I'm still getting used to flying the phantom, but I finally managed to shoot some video yesterday & today...It's pretty bad :lol:

I shot in 2.7K as I didn't want to see the props in the picture. I downsized in gopro studio to 1080P but still see the props(and sometimes landing gear) in several scenes?

Also noticed alot of "distortion" in the picture. Yesterday it was sunny - I thought that may have something to do with it. Today was cloudy but still noticed it, some kind of vibration perhaps? Its the H3-3D Gimbal.

Also, is anyone else using gopro studio? I seem to have alot of problems with it. When I convert the the videos for editing, If I add more than 1 or 2 at a time, the process seems to stop. Also, when I export sometimes it crashes...and when I finally did export, the exported video did not play...I did it again and it worked...Just wondering if there is something better.

Just hoping someone can share some knowledge and tips.

 

[RobertMfromLI]

Hello...

I'm still getting used to flying the phantom, but I finally managed to shoot some video yesterday & today...It's pretty bad :lol:

I shot in 2.7K as I didn't want to see the props in the picture. I downsized in gopro studio to 1080P but still see the props(and sometimes landing gear) in several scenes?

You can buy wider landing gear which mostly alleviates the issue with the landing gear. You can also buy a gimbal extender which moves it further forward - that helps alleviate both the landing gear and the blades in frame.

Please note the use of the word "alleviate" (not solve) - in very high winds, or during drastic maneuvers, you'll still get a leg (most likely the left one, due to where the lens is in relationship to the centerline of the P2) or the blades in frame.

You can also set the gimbal pitch to less (at the top end), which will also alleviate the blades in frame issue.

Theoretically, moving the gimbal even farther forward than the one extender I found does, would eliminate those issues - but it would also probably eat your battery life (trying to keep the unbalanced copter level) and make landing a bit more difficult.

Also noticed alot of "distortion" in the picture. Yesterday it was sunny - I thought that may have something to do with it. Today was cloudy but still noticed it, some kind of vibration perhaps? Its the H3-3D Gimbal.

What type of distortion? You will see a lot of wide angle distortion in the wide angle and ultra-wide modes. Switching to "medium" (angle) will get rid of that, or post processing with more capable software (which will take a bigger learning curve). If that's not the distortion you are talking about, make sure your anti-interference board is wired correctly, and check these forums for other suggestions.

Also, is anyone else using gopro studio? I seem to have alot of problems with it. When I convert the the videos for editing, If I add more than 1 or 2 at a time, the process seems to stop. Also, when I export sometimes it crashes...and when I finally did export, the exported video did not play...I did it again and it worked...Just wondering if there is something better.

Just hoping someone can share some knowledge and tips.

Haven't tried it, but will soon. Which platform? PC or Mac?

Best,
Rob

 

[Creek.Jumper]

Thanks Rob.

I'll look into the wider legs and Gimbal extender. More money ohhh boy.

The distortion almost looks like shadows from the props? I'll see if I can pop up and example on youtube.

Its windows platform, on an i7 with 12GB of Ram.

Also anyone use protune?

 

[Creek.Jumper]

Hi All,

I uploaded a small clip that shows the "distortion". It looks to be perhaps the shadow from the props? Is this why a filter is needed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fXApbvS0hI

 

[RobertMfromLI]

Hi All,

I uploaded a small clip that shows the "distortion". It looks to be perhaps the shadow from the props? Is this why a filter is needed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fXApbvS0hI

Video private...

 

[Creek.Jumper]

Sorry...could you try again?

 

[RobertMfromLI]

Sorry...could you try again?

Looks more like a light amount jello effect. More pronounced on the bottom left edge.

 

[tvleaker]

Consider shooting 1080 at 60 or 30 fps

I shoot on medium and never of wide, I don't like fish eye effect.

If you shoot in the sun, you will get propeller shadows that look like interference, I created a sun shade out of a plastic cup, then tested to see if if was in view

flying forward creates a pitch that brings props into view, I always fly away from what I am shooting and then reverse it in edit. flying backwards pitches Quad so props disappear.

Good luck

 

[Creek.Jumper]

Yes, thats the one. Is there a way to get rid of it? Will a filter help?

 

[tvleaker]

filters are good idea, but the bracket holding the GoPro in is too close to lens to get a filter on

 

[RobertMfromLI]

filters are good idea, but the bracket holding the GoPro in is too close to lens to get a filter on

Not too sure about that... not since I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BT0 ... UTF8&psc=1

 

[tvleaker]

that is a good idea, will it fit when the go pro is bracketed in to the Zenmuse Gimbal?

 

[RobertMfromLI]

that is a good idea, will it fit when the go pro is bracketed in to the Zenmuse Gimbal?

It should... I will let you know. But, from the pictures, (and looking at my setup), it looks like there's plenty of clearance.

 

[HarryT]

If you fly into the sun you'll get prop shadow in the picture, which does look like distortion, but isn't. Try to avoid flying with the sun in front of the quad.

Using Medium FOV on the GoPro will eliminate the problem of props or landing gear appearing in frame unless you make violent manoeuvres, which you really shouldn't be doing anyway. Medium also eliminates must of the fisheye distortion and - to my mind - gives a more natural-looking image. Personally I use 1080/Medium/30.

 

[RobertMfromLI]

If you fly into the sun you'll get prop shadow in the picture, which does look like distortion, but isn't. Try to avoid flying with the sun in front of the quad.

Using Medium FOV on the GoPro will eliminate the problem of props or landing gear appearing in frame unless you make violent manoeuvres, which you really shouldn't be doing anyway. Medium also eliminates must of the fisheye distortion and - to my mind - gives a more natural-looking image. Personally I use 1080/Medium/30.

/\--------- THIS ---------/\

And wider landing struts and a gimbal extension, plus an ND filter for daytime use (especially on mostly sunny with clouds days) can give you stellar picture results.

 

[DDMSteve]

http://youtu.be/_tnQLPO-8TY This video (and YouTube channel) is the best for figuring out the different settings on the GoPro camera. The video linked is specific to flying the Phantom. I think that without a more full featured editor for the GoPro video you are going to be better off filming 1080P instead of 1440/2.7K. With a more full feature editor you can crop to exactly which portion of the video you want, not just "zoom to the center"

 

[damoncooper]

There is a sticky in this forum on eliminating video issues.

Worth a read: viewtopic.php?t=22524

 

[RobertMfromLI]

that is a good idea, will it fit when the go pro is bracketed in to the Zenmuse Gimbal?

Yay!!! Even the bigger one fits. The smaller one as well. The outer lip (the ring around the lens polarizer or filter) clears forward of the bracket, while the mounting ring sits between it and the lens.