I appreciate the spirited responses, and this is what I was looking for, mostly
Here are MY pros and cons to both systems. Lets see if we can get a debate going on these points. and these are ONLY MY OPINION. My mind can be changed.
Pros for 3DR solo
- Modes of filming - Cable cam, orbit, selfie, follow etc. I think this is a really nice thing. I am not a professional photographer, and I wont have a 2nd controller to handle the pan/tilt etc on the phantom 3 pro
- Open source - i really dont think this can be understated. I have open source 3d printers and the things people do, are amazing. If the solo sells well and the community gets behind it, the power of hundreds or thousands of people free to make mods, etc is an amazing possibility.
- Run time - This is a pro because its expected to be a real 20 minutes (not hard flying of course). Factor in that I wont run a pack to 0, maybe i get 15-17 minutes. On the phantom i got 10-12 before I needed to bring it in. Just being cautious at the same battery levels.
- Go pro/modular gimbal etc. - To me, the camera matters and we can debate that all day long, but I like the fact that I can remove the gimbal, change it out, break it, replace it etc. When the next go pro comes out I can pop that one in there.
- Controller mounted camera controls - i like the option to have trigger buttons to control some aspects of the camera, from the time it takes to pan a shot, etc.
- I REALLY like the auto download to camera roll function. Not only is it a quick share methodology, but its a way to preview the shot on your phone in the field before you leave. Only to find out you missed the shot and have to return to the site. I realize you can carry a laptop etc, but this just seems easier.
- Accessory bay - goes along with open source. The ability for anyone (think mad katz haha) to create a parachute, or whatever add on they want, and it will plug right in to the accessory bay. Guess what, with an open source community, someone will modify that parachute to do something different, make it work better, etc. WITHOUT voiding the warranty.
- Swappable motor pods. a few screws and its done. No soldering etc. Thats nice.
- Automatic troubleshooting and data gathering. data is uploaded directly to 3dr in a fly away, and you are reimbursed for the entire drone, gimbal and go pro. This cant be understated. DJI has still not figured out customer service.
Pros for Phantom
- Long history of making quality birds, that do what they say they are going to do. There is a lot of power behind this point. I have a p2v+ and its been great. I had to foil mod, etc, but no big deal (although how hard is it to do it at the factory).
- Huge phantom users community - as indicated here.. The pilots are passionate about DJI, and there is something to be said for that. People here are very helpful, and always quick to offer advice etc.
- Cost - certainly vs the 3dr solo the cost of the 3 pro or advanced will win out. IF you already have a go pro, i dont buy the argument that you can factor that in to the cost, because thats already an asset you own. Thats like saying I can buy a car for 10k with a stereo, or 10k without one, but if i already have one laying in the garage to install then they are both still 10k. However, the gimbal makes it $1399, so it is more money. Just not as bad as people make it out to be. If you DONT have a go pro, then there is a much different cost structure in place and the P3 is a much more attractive option.
- Availability of parts etc - Most folks have someplace local that sells props, etc. Now when the solo launches, perhaps the best buys will carry parts etc, which will be very nice, but right now i KNOW i can hit up my local photo store and get what I need from knowledgeable people that know what they are doing. Thats a plus.
- Mod options - Today this pro has to go to DJI, because of the ability to mod the receiver to extend the range, etc. Right now, having no Gen 1 launch bird, the solo cant claim this. Thats a nice thing to have, to know I can change a couple of antennas and increase my range 2-3x.
I look at it like this. I sell enterprise storage for a living (not self storage). I work for a relatively new startup (shipping 5 years) and we are BY FAR the leader in this category of start ups. Blowing past everyone else combined. Then there are the old guard players like EMC, Netapp, HP, Dell, IBM etc.
Perhaps its my job, my risk/reward centered brain, but I look at the Phantom as the old guard. Its a safe bet, it will largely work for what you need it to do, but it may not WOW you with cool new features etc. Whereas the solo is the new guard which is taking a risk deploying a brand new platform which has more features, is open source and has the ability to take over the market over time. Is DJI that worried? probably not. Were EMC, Netapp, HP, Dell, IBM etc worried about my company 4 years ago? NOPE. Guess what? They now ALL have marketing campaigns and beat sheets on how to combat just how disruptive we have been. Analysts everywhere in quarterly earnings calls blame my company for a part of the sluggish growth of their own company.
The parallels are certainly there.
I may add on to this with a con list soon, but right now i wanted to get out my current thoughts. I am more of a risk taker. If the solo has a horrible track record and i sell it for 900$. ive lost $500, but to me, its not the end of the world.
Id like to get your thoughts on the above list.
Im sure i will get criticized for seeming too pro solo and anti dji. That isnt the case at all, im trying to be pretty objective. I see the DJI strengths heavily rooted in longevity, community and health of the overall DJI phantom customer base. I see the strengths of the solo differently, much more in line with the up start that HAS to make waves to upset the apple cart. If they didnt pack more features, more flexibility, more support etc they would have NO shot.
thanks
