The General Drone-Related Thread

Thinking of getting the polar pro 3 filter set.Is this the best option or are there cheaper alternatives just as good?..Also is the uv filter as hard to get off as I have read about?
 
StuartH said:
Thinking of getting the polar pro 3 filter set.Is this the best option or are there cheaper alternatives just as good?..Also is the uv filter as hard to get off as I have read about?
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I've just bought a pretty cheap set of neewer filters and will be testing them out this weekend around the Jurassic coast so i'll let you know. And as for the uv filter I found the trick was the slightest grip was better than a firm grip as you just squash the ring.
 
Ben6 said:
I've just bought a pretty cheap set of neewer filters and will be testing them out this weekend around the Jurassic coast so i'll let you know. And as for the uv filter I found the trick was the slightest grip was better than a firm grip as you just squash the ring.
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Thanks for the reply mate..Funny enough just looking at the neewer set on amazon so be interested to see how you get on.Is it the set with the variable nd filter?
 
StuartH said:
Thanks for the reply mate..Funny enough just looking at the neewer set on amazon so be interested to see how you get on.Is it the set with the variable nd filter?
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It's a set of 3 a polarising filter, a nd4 and nd8. Quality of them looks fine and in a nice storage case so just optical quality to test now. Very wet morning here this morning but hopefully clear up this afternoon.
 
Great stuff look forward to hearing what you think.I just tried to unscrew the uv one that comes on the phantom and wont come off!lol
Edit to say its off! Found an old marigold rubber glove under the sink put that on and it un does a treat..Got a funny look off the mrs when I went trotting off to the bedroom with one rubber glove on :D
 
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I'm considering adding a drone to my collection of shiny things.
I'd be using it to photograph buildings for an architect friend (to add to the ground level stuff I occasionally do now), so stills and flybys as well as the usual zooming about the place. If this does continue and I start earning money from it I'd go through the qualification and possibly upgrade as I can do both through my company (I work in offshore inspection, drones are starting to be more common).

Looking at the drones the Phantom 3 advanced seems to be a pretty good start. I was looking at spending more on a Phantom 4 or Yuneec but as it's my first it may have a relatively short lifespan and I don't know if I can make money from it yet.

Would this be a good start and allow me to take reasonable pics/video?

Anything else I should consider at around the £750 mark?
 
P3A is probably the best value for money, though for close range work up to 1000 feet you would be OK with the (wifi) Standard which would be under budget even with an extra battery and case.
P4 has worthwhile additional features e.g. obstacle avoidance but doesn't avoid things you reverse into, and can't see phone lines or fine twigs very well.
 
Ordered the neewer filter kit today figured I cant go to wrong for £16.99. Seen some nice results from them on youtube etc.Also got a sunshade coming for my iphone 6 plus on Tuesday.
 
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I'm not entirely convinced filters are needed for the most part.
It depends what your subject is.
A complication is you often want to pause the video and take still(s) and slower shutter speed is not wanted for that at all as a rule.

I have an ND4 is usually on if it's bright, and an ND8 bought separately - but I don't like that it always seems to make things slightly pink.
Any colour cast is definitely more tricky to correct in video.
 
I agree but for the price I think its worth having them in your rather than wishing you had them when you are out and could use one to good effect.
 
Hey Guys,

Here in the US the market for small platform aerial work has gone to the dogs...

I'm a licensed pilot and have been building RC equipment for well over 35 years (well there was a 15 year break where I was busy doing other things). Aboout 6 years ago or so you could get up to $8,000 a day to fly a rig with a camera on it (still cheaper than a full scale) but today, everyone and their uncles brother are buying drones and you can't get that much $$ to make the liability worth it.

Not to mention that all these untrained pilots are hurting people... but that's another story.

How is the market in your neck of the woods?

Thanks... Anthony
 
Managed to get out for quick fly today..was pretty windy where I went but phantom didnt seem to bothered.Spent more time playing with settings etc and getting used to layout etc.Overall really impressed.Didnt go stupidly high or far just feeling my feet.Downloaded a trial of adobe elements premier 14 and really like the simplicity of it.Anyway quick couple of snaps of the location.

untitled-0006-3 by Stuart Howe, on Flickr

untitled-0008-2 by Stuart Howe, on Flickr
 
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I think a sensible maximum wind is about 20mph, especially bearing in mind it can easily be considerably higher gusts even 100 feet up.

On Sunday I'd been asked by a neighbour to record his combine working so felt almost obliged, but it was really struggling to hold position - a lot of wobbly moments cut out.
I think it was gusting about 25mph near the ground.
The first bit is gopro with audio and gives an idea of what you probably don't want to fly in.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hMDVEonTyc
 
Nice video mate yeah was quite blowy here this afternoon so stayed quite low.
 
Nice pics for a first flight Stuart! Did you have one of the filters on? How've you found them?
I sent mine up out over a very windy lulworth cove this morning and it coped very well with it to be honest I was very impressed. Im also hovering over the buy button for premier elements so let me know if you find it at a good price. I might go for the twin kit with photoshop elements too. I can see de haze being useful with the phantoms.
 
And nice footage too 4wd! I'd quite like the challenge of something like that.
 
Cheers Ben no filters as they hadnt arrived until I got home.They were a little under exposed but think that was due to me playing with settings.Cheapest I have seen elements 14 for was £49 I think mate
 
StuartH said:
Cheers Ben no filters as they hadnt arrived until I got home.They were a little under exposed but think that was due to me playing with settings.Cheapest I have seen elements 14 for was £49 I think mate
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Ah typical. Gives you another excuse to get back out with it soon though. That's the same price I've seen it and it's £69 with photoshop too.
 
Yeah got a couple of days off this week so will try get out with the filters as weather looks nice and bright!
 
Meant to add can't wait to get my screen shade tomorrow really struggled to see the screen on my iPhone!
 
I had the same problem earlier I might have to invest in a screen shade. I'm using a spare nexus tablet that we had to save keep using iPhone or iPad and draining that battery but I might switch to my phone and shade. How do you find it effects battery life on your phone Stuart?
 
Ben6 said:
I had the same problem earlier I might have to invest in a screen shade. I'm using a spare nexus tablet that we had to save keep using iPhone or iPad and draining that battery but I might switch to my phone and shade. How do you find it effects battery life on your phone Stuart?
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Hi Ben I have the 6 plus and battery life on it is superb! Visibility was awful today though but it was in a full protection case.Looking forward to seeing how it does without the case and the new screen shade from amazon.If I could have seen the screen I would have taken it much further away but had to keep it within sight.If the shade isnt much cop I will seriously think about getting some goggles.
 
StuartH said:
Hi Ben I have the 6 plus and battery life on it is superb! Visibility was awful today though but it was in a full protection case.Looking forward to seeing how it does without the case and the new screen shade from amazon.If I could have seen the screen I would have taken it much further away but had to keep it within sight.If the shade isnt much cop I will seriously think about getting some goggles.
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That's good to hear. I find the app really drains life on the little nexus tablet. I thought it would be better with the bigger screen to be honest. But i'll have to try my 6s this weekend and if that's better i might look into a hood.
 
I just sit in the pickup usually.
Mainly for that reason but also can be warm/cool/discrete.
Range is barely affected.
 
Shade arrived today not to bad for the money and certainly helps! Got a Dji lanyard on order as drives me nuts having to put controller down all the time to do anything. Not flown with the filters but put them on and powered up to see how they affected shutter speeds colours etc. From what I could see no colour casts and the nd8 took shutter speed from 1/1200 with original uv down to 1/120 at iso 100 and the cp took it to about 1/320 ish in bright sun. Didn't trythe nd4 filter yet. At first glance looks like £16 well spent.
 
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StuartH said:
Shade arrived today not to bad for the money and certainly helps! Got a Dji lanyard on order as drives me nuts having to put controller down all the time to do anything. Not flown with the filters but put them on and powered up to see how they affected shutter speeds colours etc. From what I could see no colour casts and the nd8 took shutter speed from 1/1200 with original uv down to 1/120 at iso 100 and the cp took it to about 1/320 ish in bright sun. Didn't trythe nd4 filter yet. At first glance looks like £16 well spent.
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That's all interesting to hear! I think il be ordering a shade soon too and start using my iPhone more often as my screen. I think I'll be using the cpl a lot and having it as my 'left on' filter and try the nd's more as time goes on
 
The shade is a must have mate imo! As for the filters I think I will always put the phantom uv one back on at the end of a flight as my lens cap won't go over the filters
 
StuartH said:
The shade is a must have mate imo! As for the filters I think I will always put the phantom uv one back on at the end of a flight as my lens cap won't go over the filters
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Yeah I find that a bad point of the filters too that i can't use the lens cap that I had that locks the gimbal and camera pointing forward too.
 
Well lanyard arrived..what a disappointment,cheap and nasty and thin!So thats going back! I then realised I have a black rapid strap sitting in my bag that gets no use since I sold my 200-500mm thought I would try that..happy days fits well and so comfy.:beer:
 
StuartH said:
Well lanyard arrived..what a disappointment,cheap and nasty and thin!So thats going back! I then realised I have a black rapid strap sitting in my bag that gets no use since I sold my 200-500mm thought I would try that..happy days fits well and so comfy.:beer:
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I keep meaning to try my black rapid on mine that's good to hear that it works well. For once something I don't have to buy!
 
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