Ming-Tzu
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 p.1 #20 · Anyone into action cameras here? | |
ISO1600 wrote:
For most photographers who want to do some travel videos with creative aspects and occaisional still images, the DJI Pocket 3 is REALLY hard to beat. A frame grab from full-quality 4K even in poor light can give you a good image even. The built-in motion/timelapse stuff it can do is a LOT of fun to play with, and can give you really incredible results with minimal effort.
In almost every aspect, the DJI Action cameras (4+) destroy the competition. GoPro is dead. Insta360 have some cool features, but overally the DJI producst are just amazing.
I've had the DJI Action 1, 2, 3, 4, and now 5. The 4 and the 5 are essentially the same, but the 4 can output higher bitrate video and is cheaper. The 5 traded this for a more efficient and faster processor, giving class-leading battery life. I don't even have any spare batteries for mine. Action 5 also has depth/altitude sensor, amazingly high quality OLED displays front/rear (bright and beautiful). Also, the 5 can give you 48mp stills whereas the 4 is limited to 10 or 12mp, I can't remember.
The electronic stabilization on these cameras is great, but when using them in low light, you have to crank the ISO and manually set a fast-enough shutter speed so that it doesn't get jittery. This will give you stable but noisy footage. The Osmo Pocket 3 doesn't have this limitation, since it has the mechanical gimbal.
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I purchased the A6 but regretting it now without even opening the box lol. Wondering if should I just return the A6 and rethink what I am wanting to do more, vs keeping it until it's needed and deciding it's not what I want. If an action camera is suitable for my needs, it sounds like the A5P is the one to get? I'm not a social media influencer or anything. Higher bitrate of A4 sounds nice but seems like too many tradeoffs in usability and the low MP of the stills. Pocket 3 sounds super cool too so need to research that more and what that offers vs the A5P.
I don't do "action" sports other than hiking so not sure an action camera is even warranted. I think my #1 use case right now is to record scenic road trips by mounting the device on my car dashboard and taking hyperlapse videos. My #2 use case would probably be general travel videos, selfie videos, occasional stills when I don't want to take out the ML/DSLR, etc. Time lapses would be cool too. I can do with with my regular cameras but maybe the action cameras have good enough battery life where I don't need to worry about that? Also, I have to check out how durable the Pocket 3 for things like rain/mist, stashing away in the bag, etc. I was considering the DJI 360 at one point but the exposed lenses made me super worried so not doing that.
The biggest reasons why I chose the A6 over the A5P:
- Latest firmware added 8k but unsure how great the video looks
- Horizon Balancing mode up to 4k, whereas this feature only available up to 2.7k. Seems like a very useful feature.
- Removing filters seems easier now. A5 has a rubber ring that needs to be removed, whereas A6 is just popping it on and off. Although maybe this is just an extra second and not too big a deal.
- Variable aperture means better low light capabilities
The biggest drawback I am hearing about the A6 is that variable aperture might be making videos look soft and there are a lot of instances of generally OOF videos.
The price difference between the A5P and A6 is about $100 so not much, but I don't want to pay $100 more AND have OOF and/or inferior video.
As for drones, yeah they are fun but very frustrating to travel with. Each country having their own laws and restrictions makes it a giant headache. Pulling out a drone to get a cool shot can wind up being a big mess at worst, or a minor annoyance for your travel partners at best. Even the quickest drone deployment is more time-consuming than normal photography stuff.
The DJI Mini 3 is far and away the best value today in a photography drone. Great sensor, can give gorgeous stills and video, just doesn't have the obstacle sensors of the more expensive models.
The DJI Neo is a fun toy, but the image quality is abysmal. Don't even bother. The Neo 2 improved slightly on imaging and a lot on every other area, for video use this is a serious contender for a good starter drone....Show more →
For the drone, I was looking at the Hoverair Pro Max since it has 8k. Costco has a combo deal with $200 off. However, due to the limited battery life, I would need to get some more batteries and a few other accessories. Before I knew it, the total cost would be like $900. Not cheap at all. At that price point, I would just get the DJI Mini 5. But then I have to think about the weight limits. And you're right about all the countries having different rules, permits, etc. So I figure a drone is not worth it at all.
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