Massive camera upgrade bringing 4 x the resolution, 60 fps 4k, H265 and 20 mp stills.
Whilst we are proud as punch of our 4K Aerial Camerawork to date with the original Phantom 4, we always were a bit nervous when the Sun started to set and contrast was at its most challenging. We occasionally would risk 800 iso to bring up the shadows but always regretted it later in post due to noise issues. With the sun setting you could lose a stop of light in 2 minutes.
Happily, the humongous 12-stop sensor on the new Phantom 4 Pro is nearly the same as the micro four-thirds chips that are a staple in the hexacopter and octocopter world. For you camera geeks out there the main advantages to these larger sensors are the ability to crush the depth of field and single out subjects. But in our opinion unless you are chasing James Bond on a motorbike or other high-end theatrical productions, there is little call from the audience for this granularity. Pulling focus requires a second operator as well which will increase the cost of the hire. The Phantom 4 Pro’s 1-inch sensor will still crush that depth of field but without the need of a second operator thanks to some nifty new software from DJI. Add in a mechanical shutter and a maximum bit rate of 100mbps and we’re on the edge of perfection.
Phantom 4 Pro – The best and most affordable tool for almost any job.
Often clients get caught up in the chatter over the latest camera gear. They watch Planet Earth II and its mind-blowing aerial shoots and declare ‘That’s what I want! That’s what I need!’ But remember these big budget specialist productions have the resources and crew to put a £40,000 Alexi Mini and £5K worth of glass on a dual-operator octocopter. And well they should considering the stakes. But bringing a RED on a hexicopter to an online promo is about as practical as shooting your kid’s Nativity Play on 35mm film. Can it be done? Sure! Is it gonna look great? You betcha! Am I going to have to remortgage my house? Definitely!
We here at www.drone-op.com and www.magshoots.com believe that bringing the best tools for your budget is far more important than parading around with Hollywood Style gear just so we look cool on our twitter feed. A twitter feed which you should check out by the way!
The other reason we’re sticking with the Phantom 4 Pro vs an Inspire 2 is portability. Often we are sent on jobs as both ground based Director of Photography / Shooting Director and Aerial Cameraman / Drone Operator. This mean hauling all of our FS7 4k gear, lights and support along with the drone, chargers, batteries, PPE etc. If we’re shooting in the UK, it’s usually not a problem (we’ve got a nice truck!), BUT this summer we travelled… and travelled a lot. Greece, Cyprus, Malta, The Netherlands. In and out of trains, planes and automobiles, we were thankful that the Phantom 4 has half the footprint of the Inspire 2. We were twice as thankful when hiking to remote locations with it strapped to our back.
Find out how Aerial Cinematography can help your business or production.
So in short we are super excited to be upgrading to a Phantom 4 Pro. Take a look at our work to date. Like what you see, right? Well it’s about to get even more spectacular!
If you have a query or question about booking www.drone-op.com or www.magshoots.com please feel free to drop us a line. Advice is free. As well as coffee. So give us a ring. No job too big (we can always book in the Alexi Mini!) or too small (better flying than crying were in the office!).
Contact us for a no obligation quote today. pilot@drone-op.com
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