p.2 #2 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Great thread, great photos and info.
I'm looking at getting a drone myself.
Not too sure what to get at the moment.
Ned to do some more homework.
Here is a shot I took from a recent flight. Not too bad considering the clarity of the window and of course the wing obstructing most of the field of vision!
p.2 #3 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Thanks for that...good to keep the thread going. If you want to PM me, I can pretty much talk your ear off about drones...at least point you in the (probably) right direction.
p.2 #5 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
wsalopek wrote:
Thanks for that...good to keep the thread going. If you want to PM me, I can pretty much talk your ear off about drones...at least point you in the (probably) right direction.
--
Bill
I might do that, thank you.
In saying that, I think I'm looking at getting a DJI Phantom 3 Advanced.
Spec looks good and the price point is right for me at this stage.
p.2 #7 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
BKphotography wrote:
I might do that, thank you. In saying that, I think I'm looking at getting a DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. Spec looks good and the price point is right for me at this stage.
I don't know what your pricing is like in the UK, but check refurbished units on eBay (sold by DJI), and also the DJI store. I've seen the Phantom 3 Pro going for $549 U.S. (more commonly $579).
But yes, the Advanced is a very good choice...just depends on what price difference you find between the two models.
p.2 #8 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
wsalopek wrote:
I don't know what your pricing is like in the UK, but check refurbished units on eBay (sold by DJI), and also the DJI store. I've seen the Phantom 3 Pro going for $549 U.S. (more commonly $579).
But yes, the Advanced is a very good choice...just depends on what price difference you find between the two models.
--
Bill
Thanks for the heads up, Bill.
Had a look at some refurbs already but the ones in the UK seem to come without the remote which isn't ideal.
p.2 #9 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Well, I got a new DJI Mavic Pro and took it for it's inaugural flight yesterday. The images won't beat my sony but then again, I'm not about to launch it in the air either. So I thought I would get this thread going again and see if there's any interest . . .
p.2 #10 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Beautiful images Bob.
We had a Phantom fly-away two years ago, original Phantom. Bad enough to loose the drone but the GoPro and the images within far worse--it was a glorious fall day. It will be a while before I take the drone plunge again
In the mean time I'll enjoy your wonderful captures.
p.2 #12 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
wsalopek wrote:
Howdy fellow FM-ers...
I have been a general aviation pilot for a few decades, and have very much enjoyed the view from up there. But taking pictures thru the usually scratched windows didn't work well.
On commercial aviation flights, I typically have a camera nearby and my nose sometimes pressed up against the window. Yeah, I'm a lost cause.
Anyway...
When "drones" came along a few years ago, I saw a way for my flying and photography passions to merge, without having to hire a helicopter for $1000 an hour. My love of flying and photography could come together beautifully in one fairly small package that can be put in a backpack and taken pretty much anywhere.
So...
I decided to start this "Official Drone Photography" thread. I'll post a couple images here right now, and invite others to do the same.
Rules? Well, let just say it should be a shot that practically speaking, couldn't be taken with anything other than a drone. But let's just have fun with this. Try to give fellow FM-ers who have seen those "buzzy toys" flying around, a taste of what they can do photographically, in the spirit of FM.
The drones I use are a home-made hexacopter (6 blades), as well as a DJI Phantom 3 Professional, as well as a 3DR Solo. The Hexacopter and the Solo use a GoPro, which in my case, is a Hero 4 Silver.
As decent as these small sensors can be sometimes, esp for posting to the web, and while of course subject/lighting/composition are king, I'd like to start flying with a larger sensor at some point...an RX100, GM1/5, or even better, a Ricoh GR2...those cameras chosen for a combination of image quality vs size/weight, so I don't have to build or buy a larger drone, which wouldn't be nearly as easy to travel with as the Phantom and Solo.
p.2 #13 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
I recently bought a DJI Mavic Pro and am still getting used to it. It's difficult to just practice in Shanghai since I live close to one of the airports which is geofenced so even getting off the ground at home is an issue
However I've registered it and there is a dedicated crowd shooting shots of Shanghai - some really awesome shots there are too. So I'll be posting some shots from China soon. I have an idea that didn't wrok out this Jan/Feb to drone shoot the dilapidated areas of the Great Wall in the snow - not enough snow this past Winter from Jan onwards though !
I'll be in Europe for a couple of months this late Summer so if anyone knows anything about the possibilities of shooting, or has experience of shooting in : Scotland (Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Nessie & Skye), Prague, Norway, Turkey and Morocco I'd be very happy to hear of them since 3 of those places plus Iceland and London will likely make it onto the itinerary.
p.2 #14 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
If you're a bit of a tinkerer, you can get a Sony APS-C mirrorless up on a 3DR Solo. I'm looking forward to exploring my area more with a proper camera.
p.2 #15 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
MedicineMan404 wrote:
Beautiful images Bob.
We had a Phantom fly-away two years ago, original Phantom. Bad enough to loose the drone but the GoPro and the images within far worse--it was a glorious fall day. It will be a while before I take the drone plunge again
In the mean time I'll enjoy your wonderful captures.
Oh, that's too bad Robert! I think these things have come along way. It's much harder for these drones to simply fly away. Once they lost signal with the remote controller, they are programmed to return to their take off spot. I can attest to how well that works!
p.2 #16 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Mathieu18 wrote:
If you're a bit of a tinkerer, you can get a Sony APS-C mirrorless up on a 3DR Solo. I'm looking forward to exploring my area more with a proper camera.
Ooh! I still have my 3DR Solo! I was going to sell it (for a mere fraction of what I paid now that 3DR is abandoning consumer drones). Any links to show me how to tinker?
I'm still playing with it but at a basic level, I use a GoPro 1/4-20 mount, flip the camera over (using a NEX-5T currently A5000 & A5100 are same weight though) and plug in the HDMI out. I use Sony Time Lapse to take a photo every 6 seconds, 120-150 total shots in RAW+JPEG. I'd recommend the 16-50. I tried the 16mm pancake, but OSS is very helpful dealing with the craft's movements and vibration. I'm still working on a mount to flip the camera normal way up, but been having vibration issues. The other guy David has some thoughts at the end on 3DR Pilots, but haven't gotten to review yet.
p.2 #19 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
Mathieu18 wrote:
I'm still playing with it but at a basic level, I use a GoPro 1/4-20 mount, flip the camera over (using a NEX-5T currently A5000 & A5100 are same weight though) and plug in the HDMI out. I use Sony Time Lapse to take a photo every 6 seconds, 120-150 total shots in RAW+JPEG. I'd recommend the 16-50.
Matt,
A Ricoh GR is also great choice (also has HDMI-out)...very sharp lens, and lighter than the 5T. (248 vs 392 grams)
Also, as far as mounting, if a given camera has a hot shoe, there are adapter gizmos that let the camera hang right side up, like this:
p.2 #20 · Official drone photography IMAGE thread. (Not primarily for discussion, see post #1)
How to trigger the GR? Also does the lens have stabilization? Took me till 1/800 to get steady shots with the 16mm, but the 16-50!did 1/250 consistently and even a good ratio at 1/60 or so.
As to that gadget, the camera is already hanging too much weight too low. Others are already searching how to keep it as high as possible... wouldn't want to dangle it more than necessary.
Yeah, I'm a lost cause. 
