Phantom 3 4k picture detail issue

[Adversary]

Hi, this is my first post here.

I bought a used P3 4k a few months back and have mainly been using it for landscape photography. That's for two reasons: I like doing it, but also because I don't think that close-up pictures of a certain subject look very good on my P3 4k.
Today I came here to ask if the detail quality in my photos is normal, or is there a problem with my camera?
Here are some sample pictures. They have been shot in 4000x3000 (native res) DNG and went through Lightroom.
Note the lack of detail/sharpness/focus on the person and the overall car picture.


Is this normal quality or is there a problem? Or am I just bad at taking pictures?


However, here's a taste of the landscape pictures I have taken which are ok.

 

[Meta4]

Note the lack of detail/sharpness/focus on the person and the overall car picture.
Is this normal quality or is there a problem? Or am I just bad at taking pictures?

However, here's a taste of the landscape pictures I have taken which are ok.

You are right that there's a problem.
Looking at those images at 100%. none are clean and sharp.
The lens on your camera is fixed-focus so there's not much you can do to make things better.
I'm not sure if it's just a bad individual camera on yours or if that model is all of similar quality.
I suspect the limitation is with the hardware.

Looking back at my older images shot with a P3 Advanced (also a fixed-focus camera), they are better, but still not great.
However the shots taken with the P4 pro are of much better quality.
Here are two images for comparison.
1. P3 Adv - look at the detail of the sides of the shipping containers at full size:

Shipping 2015-6 - Above & Beyond Photography

DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0596.JPG

abovephotos.smugmug.com

2. P4 pro

Shipping 2019 - Above & Beyond Photography

Wide Charlie - 255 metres

abovephotos.smugmug.com

 

[dirkclod]

Hi, this is my first post here.

Welcome to the forum Adversary . ? ?

 

[Adversary]

Welcome to the forum Adversary . ? ?

Thanks.

The lens on your camera is fixed-focus so there's not much you can do to make things better.

I'm aware that there's no focus or aperture settings to be changed. But I have read that the P3 has had some camera sensor board positioning issues that cause a focus problem. Could this be a similar situation, to be fixed with tinkering of the sensor board?

 

[Meta4]

But I have read that the P3 has had some camera sensor board positioning issues that cause a focus problem. Could this be a similar situation, to be fixed with tinkering of the sensor board?

Maybe?

 

[Dmohring]

I have a Phantom 3 4K and am getting what I think is are pretty good shots. Here are a couple of shots. I am just a hobbyist and still learning.

 

[Andy9]

What was the f value (aperture) at your shots. Higher value more sharpness but longer exp time so you must balance between.
The P3 4K cam has some role here too comparing to P4P camera which is one of the best available in serial drones.
But comparing to the last tree photos (Dmohring) done with the same type drone yours are really less sharp.

 

[Adversary]

What was the f value (aperture) at your shots. Higher value more sharpness but longer exp time so you must balance between.
The P3 4K cam has some role here too comparing to P4P camera which is one of the best available in serial drones.
But comparing to the last tree photos (Dmohring) done with the same type drone yours are really less sharp.

The aperture cannot be changed on ohantom drones. It's always f/2.8

 

[Andy9]

Then you have a problem.
I didn't know that. As I remember parameters can be adjusted at P3A.

 

[Meta4]

Then you have a problem.
I didn't know that. As I remember parameters can be adjusted at P3A.

The P4 pro was the first (and only) Phantom to have an adjustable aperture.
The Mavic 2 pro is the only other DJI consumer drone with the\is feature.
All others had fixed aperture,

 

[Adversary]

Got the issue fixed. Will be posting a tutorial thread on how to fix the **** camera focus, seems to be an issue with many Phantom 3:s but there's no good tutorial out how to fix it