Spark for discretion?

[inkytog]

I have a Phantom 4 Pro. I'm considering the spark just for its portability. I know the Mavic is close etc but hear me out...

I like to make 'behind the scenes' films for my YouTube channnel when I do shoots. Mainly I used a GoPro/Osmo, and perhaps some iPhone footage.

The quality of the spark is of course nothing like the Phantom but I'm thinking I could pop the spark up in the air. Grab some shots and get it down super fast and just to give me some 'different' types of shots and add more general interest to my BTS shoots.

So the question is more about the versatility of the Spark. The P4P is a bit big to take everywhere. The Spark and of course the Mavic are very portable BUT for me it would be the idea that the Spark attracts less attention and so I'd be able to shoot stuff more subtly.

I assume it's noisy- not as noisy as the P4P/ Mavic but it is less noisy to be discrete enough?

Does it fly ok indoors? Better than the other DJIi range? It's small size is more agile and ok inside or is there still the usual risks of it suddenly picking up GPS and flying into the roof?

If I pulled the spark out would it draw attention? Flying it not very high and letting it follow me. I'm thinking that it looks like a toy drone and less likely to result in issues. I'd take the quality hit for the portability and without the whole kit bag the P4P brings.

I'm trying to decide if the footprint of the Spark will enable me to get shooting in places even the Mavic will look 'too big', and draws attention.

What do you all think?

 

[stones]

I think your looking for " how can I justify adding another ship to the fleet?" kind of thing".

 

[inkytog]

I think your looking for " how can I justify adding another ship to the fleet?" kind of thing".

Not really. I'll just buy one if I wanted one. I'm travelling to the USA in August and will save £150 if I buy the fly more there. The costs isn't the issue.

It's more that I want to do something different with it and don't want to invest in something which won't bring anything new to the party. I'm just interested in if I could 'get away' with getting shots from the Spark that the Mavic or P4P would be impractical or too 'obvious' to use.

 

[stones]

Not really. I'll just buy one if I wanted one. I'm travelling to the USA in August and will save £150 if I buy the fly more there. The costs isn't the issue.

It's more that I want to do something different with it and don't want to invest in something which won't bring anything new to the party. I'm just interested in if I could 'get away' with getting shots from the Spark that the Mavic or P4P would be impractical or too 'obvious' to use.

I guess it would depend on how close your going to fly to what you want to be 'inconspicuous' from. You can fly a nano copter past some individuals who will still cry foul that your invading their privacy. Your call. Best of luck.

 

[inkytog]

I guess it would depend on how close your going to fly to what you want to be 'inconspicuous' from. You can fly a nano copter past some individuals who will still cry foul that your invading their privacy. Your call. Best of luck.

Of course- but if I'm at an event or something shooting as a pro photographer I'd like to get a couple of drone shots for my own use and promo. Taking the P4P always attracts attention and it's not discrete at all.

 

[stones]

Of course- but if I'm at an event or something shooting as a pro photographer I'd like to get a couple of drone shots for my own use and promo. Taking the P4P always attracts attention and it's not discrete at all.

Then you've answered your own question, as far as needing/wanting a different platform. The Spark would be the obvious choice over the Mavic. Cost and size wise. Camera quality, again, your call.

 

[inkytog]

Then you've answered your own question, as far as needing/wanting a different platform. The Spark would be the obvious choice over the Mavic. Cost and size wise. Camera quality, again, your call.

The eternal dilemma. Camera quality over size is what pushed me to the P4P over the Mavic when it was launched. With my pro kit for photo and video I believe in buying once and buying well but I'm happy to take a quality hit to offer something genuinely different.

 

[Mako79]

Brings back that question. Whats the best camera? The best camera is the one that you have with you. And its the one that you are not afraid to use.

I have a mavic. It goes with me practically everywhere. Mavic was good for stealth launches. You could hide in the bush with your tiny controller and hand launch and get serious altitude quikly and no one would notice. This is great if you want scenic shots without getting disturbed. Issue was that the mavic was that it looked and sounded menacing up close. Hence i was always afriad to use it. This has changed with the spark

I have considered my spark as the "meh" drone. People are just gonna think its a cheapo quad and wont feel threatened.

Had my first flight today and no one cared. I think they could hear it but couldnt see it.

Inspire = DSLR
P4Pro = Point and shoot camera
Mavic = High end S7 or iphone7
Spark = High resolution hidden camera for upskirting anywhere.

 

[inkytog]

I'd have a specific use. Keep it in my camera bag and launch it to do a quick shot or video of what I'm doing.

I am a pro photographer/ videographer and would use this for my personal PR rather than client videos.

 

[mrtibbs]

I would say look at the Mavic ...It's much quieter and will produce 4k content ..if you just care about discretion and not quality then I say go with the Spark.

 

[inkytog]

I would say look at the Mavic ...It's much quieter and will produce 4k content ..if you just care about discretion and not quality then I say go with the Spark.

How does the noise of the magic compare to the P4P?

 

[mrtibbs]

How does the noise of the magic compare to the P4P?

Much Much quieter. I do some outdoor weddings ..and if I have to do some overhead shots while the ceremony is going I 99.9% use the Mavic. I've done the same for graduations.

 

[inkytog]

Much Much quieter. I do some outdoor weddings ..and if I have to do some overhead shots while the ceremony is going I 99.9% use the Mavic. I've done the same for graduations.

Hmm. Tempting but the reason I went to the P4P was the image quality. My thinking is that if I am taking the mavic out then I may as well use the P4P.

It's not just about getting the drone there as much as getting the shots that I can before someone started getting nosey.

I'm intrigued by all the marketing imagery DJI show of the spark being used indoors. People sitting around a table etc.

 

[RedRyderMedia]

I have P3A and a P2V+ before that. Both are just too big for me to travel with. I've done it, but too much work. I bought a Mavic, but then when the Spark was announced I held off opening the Mavic. Spark arrived today. I plan to return the Mavic.
For me, the Spark is the better travel quad. Much easier to transport, easier to get in the air, quieter, less, visible on the ground and in the air, all around better as travel quad.
Too soon to comment much on quality of images/video, but the gesture mode is very suspect. I plan to fly it from my iPad Pro and that means no need for another controller. I can't fly as far away, but I'm fine with that for video and stills when traveling.

 

[inkytog]

I have P3A and a P2V+ before that. Both are just too big for me to travel with. I've done it, but too much work. I bought a Mavic, but then when the Spark was announced I held off opening the Mavic. Spark arrived today. I plan to return the Mavic.
For me, the Spark is the better travel quad. Much easier to transport, easier to get in the air, quieter, less, visible on the ground and in the air, all around better as travel quad.
Too soon to comment much on quality of images/video, but the gesture mode is very suspect. I plan to fly it from my iPad Pro and that means no need for another controller. I can't fly as far away, but I'm fine with that for video and stills when traveling.

Valid points. The more I think about it the more I'm tempted to go for the Mavic. As a backup to my P4P it would fit in well. For commercial work if the P4P decided to throw a wobble then the Mavic could step in. In terms of portability I think the Mavic is easier to transport. The spark is overall smaller of course but the footprint of might be a little awkward to put into a bag.

The spark does appeal for the ease of use and grabbing those shots but I do feel the control system is a bit crippled. Not a fan of the wifi connection to the phone from the controller and I don't think I trust hand gestures.
Perhaps I've been spoilt with the P4P- but although I want the spark to fit a gap I just can't help thinking I'll be disappointed with the image system.

 

[Salvador]

Valid points. The more I think about it the more I'm tempted to go for the Mavic. As a backup to my P4P it would fit in well. For commercial work if the P4P decided to throw a wobble then the Mavic could step in. In terms of portability I think the Mavic is easier to transport. The spark is overall smaller of course but the footprint of might be a little awkward to put into a bag.

The spark does appeal for the ease of use and grabbing those shots but I do feel the control system is a bit crippled. Not a fan of the wifi connection to the phone from the controller and I don't think I trust hand gestures.
Perhaps I've been spoilt with the P4P- but although I want the spark to fit a gap I just can't help thinking I'll be disappointed with the image system.

If you are interested I have a DJI Spark available for sale. It arrived this week and is unopened box

DJI Spark FLY MORE COMBO Drone, SUNRISE YELLOW*ON HAND, READY TO SHIP* | eBay

 

[inkytog]

You're in the USA and the warranty would be a USA warranty. Massive ball ache for me in the uk if I needed repairs etc

 

[Flawless]

The Mavic isn't silent, but it's a little quieter than a Phantom. It still sounds like an angry hornet when in Sport mode, however.

The portability of the Mavic is without a doubt the biggest feature. The fact you can get everything from the Fly More combo (aside from packaging) into the bag it comes with is crazy. I picked up a small Manfrotto backpack (for cameras) that offers a bit more space, just so I can condense everything to one bag for my day-to-day. I take the Mavic with me just about everywhere, just in case.

As for flying indoors - it's perfectly capable, as long as the rooms are well lit and your flooring isn't barren of detail (if it's just a single colour carpet, the downward vision sensors are going to have trouble holding position). Prop guards are cheap and easy to fit, and add confidence flying indoors.

I'd equate the Mavic to a mirrorless micro four-thirds camera. It packs a lot of the features of its larger brethren and it retains the option of advanced accessories that expand its functionality, but does so in a far more compact and portable format.

 

[inkytog]

The Mavic isn't silent, but it's a little quieter than a Phantom. It still sounds like an angry hornet when in Sport mode, however.

The portability of the Mavic is without a doubt the biggest feature. The fact you can get everything from the Fly More combo (aside from packaging) into the bag it comes with is crazy. I picked up a small Manfrotto backpack (for cameras) that offers a bit more space, just so I can condense everything to one bag for my day-to-day. I take the Mavic with me just about everywhere, just in case.

As for flying indoors - it's perfectly capable, as long as the rooms are well lit and your flooring isn't barren of detail (if it's just a single colour carpet, the downward vision sensors are going to have trouble holding position). Prop guards are cheap and easy to fit, and add confidence flying indoors.

I'd equate the Mavic to a mirrorless micro four-thirds camera. It packs a lot of the features of its larger brethren and it retains the option of advanced accessories that expand its functionality, but does so in a far more compact and portable format.

Thank you. I've pretty much set my sights on the mavic as a seconder to my P4P.

The spark looks fun but it's just lacking in things and I'm still not convinced about wifi connectivity and range so I'm going to pass it by and get a mavic.