2S for photography and with Smart Controller in 2025?

[romik]

Lately I started to take more photos for a 100 years panorama comparison project. I have M2Pro since 2018 and Smart Controller since it came out. This month I bought and returned Air 3S because their 50Mpix mode have serious demossaicing bug (DJI is working on it, their engineers asked for my files and communicate back and forth). M2Pro Hasselblad lens is really bad, really soft in corners in anything less then F10 so not good in anything other than on sunny day. 3S lens was nice and crisp but that 50Mpix bug would leave me with only 12Mpix images. While waiting for M4Pro to come out I thought would it make sense to utilize Smart Controller with Air2S and its 20Mpix sensor? Is the Air2S lens and sensor any good for landscape photography? Is it better than M2Pro? Does it make sense to pick it up used to play with?

 

[a2tomm]

WOW ,If you returned the Air 3s because of one tiny bug ,I really don't think you will be happy with anything ,I personally think the Air 3s is an Amazing drone

 

[Cafguy]

Does it make sense to pick it up used to play with?

Yes !!!!!
I am NO photographer, "Better" is for you and the specs. to decide. I think you will love what you get for the price personally tho.
If you want "cinema" style results tho there's always a Taurus x8 with a RED

 

[SethB]

I am running an Air 2s with the original Smart Controller, it is great! The cam looks like the Hasselblad of the Mavic 2Pro, but does not have variable aperture, and is not labeled Hasselblad.

My primary purpose is video, I have not done a close comparison of stills quality with the Mavic 2P. I do like the flying performance of the 2s better…

 

[Photobobhunt]

I use the air 2s commercially as well as for my personal Photography. The one-inch sensor 20mp is very good and if doing stills, I use Topaz Gigapixel 2x and have made very good 20 x 30 prints.
I also shoot 4k30 but usually render at 1080.
The only drone I would consider upgrading to is one with a MFT or 1 inch with variable aperture.
I assume you have your 107? Flying is likely to get more regulations ,mostly for the recreational flyer.

 

[SethB]

I use the air 2s commercially as well as for my personal Photography. The one-inch sensor 20mp is very good and if doing stills, I use Topaz Gigapixel 2x and have made very good 20 x 30 prints.
I also shoot 4k30 but usually render at 1080.
The only drone I would consider upgrading to is one with a MFT or 1 inch with variable aperture.
I assume you have your 107? Flying is likely to get more regulations ,mostly for the recreational flyer.

The OP is in Prague, I’m unfamiliar with regs there, but certainly not required to have a pt. 107 certificate.

I do have mine…

Is that Topaz sw one of their AI products? I see great reviews for the latest Topaz line!

 

[romik]

I use the air 2s commercially as well as for my personal Photography. The one-inch sensor 20mp is very good and if doing stills, I use Topaz Gigapixel 2x and have made very good 20 x 30 prints.
I also shoot 4k30 but usually render at 1080.
The only drone I would consider upgrading to is one with a MFT or 1 inch with variable aperture.
I assume you have your 107? Flying is likely to get more regulations ,mostly for the recreational flyer.

Yes, I am in Prague so over here we fly by class C0 C1 C2 and by pilot certificate level and observing regs for each class... It may be similar to 107 IDK, like flying C1 C2 we need A1-A3 basic and flying restricted airspace and urban areas with permissions we need more advanced A2

For still pictures I am after crisp lens corner to corner. The Hasselblad branded lens on M2Pro is soft open, I wonder how sharp 2S lens is shooting raw. Dynamic range isn't really a concern for me and 20Mpix is fine. I also use Topaz if needed and also Lightroom super resolution works nicely.

 

[ryguy80]

WOW ,If you returned the Air 3s because of one tiny bug ,I really don't think you will be happy with anything ,I personally think the Air 3s is an Amazing drone

The Air 3S is getting ripped apart in the 3S forum. I had limited time with the 3S before winter rolled around, but I didn't have any initial issues with the images. For the pixel peepers, there's some purple fringing when you zoom in to 400% that Topaz eliminated.

When spring finally gets here, I want to take the Air 2S out and compare it to 12 mp 3S images and see if I can even tell a difference. The Internet has a way of overblowing issues. Other places like Reddit, think the world of the 3S. This forum seems to be the only place negative on it, other than the DJI Forum, but they don't like anything there.

 

[romik]

The Air 3S is getting ripped apart in the 3S forum. I had limited time with the 3S before winter rolled around, but I didn't have any initial issues with the images. For the pixel peepers, there's some purple fringing when you zoom in to 400% that Topaz eliminated.

When spring finally gets here, I want to take the Air 2S out and compare it to 12 mp 3S images and see if I can even tell a difference. The Internet has a way of overblowing issues. Other places like Reddit, think the world of the 3S. This forum seems to be the only place negative on it, other than the DJI Forum, but they don't like anything there.

3S is an amazing drone - for video and all pictures except of the 50Mpix mode from the main camera. They just have some bug in demossaicing algorithm and need to fix it. Yes it may appear as a serious pixel peeping but if you happen to print large prints like 1m x 3m (4ft x 12ft) then these artifacts will show. Plus even in smaller sized images they alter the color tone in shadows and complex surfaces like tree branches. It's not fringing and Topaz won't help. I posted a thread over at 3S forum with detailed comparison images. You can see that - for example - iPhone 15Pro - although QB sensor - does not have this problem so it is fixable. Here for you a screenshot of Topaz processed file - one with RAW denies only and another with additional denoise filter. That additional filter helps a little bit (and introduces other downsides) but we're trying to fix the problem which shouldn't be there in the first place.

 

[High_Order1]

For still pictures I am after crisp lens corner to corner. The Hasselblad branded lens on M2Pro is soft open,

ah...

You sound disappointed in a prosumer drone. Normally, pro photographers use a pro camera on a drone mount.

If I were shooting for a print measured in FEET, a tiny DJI probably wouldn't have entered my mind.

Hasselblad is just a name. The glass is always more expensive than the sensor.

 

[Cafguy]

ah...

You sound disappointed in a prosumer drone. Normally, pro photographers use a pro camera on a drone mount.

If I were shooting for a print measured in FEET, a tiny DJI probably wouldn't have entered my mind.

Hasselblad is just a name. The glass is always more expensive than the sensor.

Totally Agree I have friends that do serious Drone work as Professional Cinematographers. They have a few DJI's but they are Either for personal use or job recon. When doing the actual job, out come the cinelifters with the hugely expensive "box" cameras on top. (they use Red cams)
They even have little Ronin stabilizers they can put on top that make their Drones look Super Cool!
These things are WAY out of my Price range tho! Maybe my numbers will hit in tonights lottery.

 

[High_Order1]

I am really glad there were no forums when I started in photography.

I just went and did it with what I had.

Now, I would be paralyzed with decision indecision listening to all the experts tell me why everything is terrible.

Not a dig at OP, but a different perspective.

I have thousands invested in 'camera gear'. Thousands. Made most of it back shooting for magazines, books, newspapers, training, tons of private events and as a duty at work.

I did much of it with gear many would consider 'subpar'. Turns out, no one handed me a check but cut a corner off because the bokeh was rough or the lens was soft. (except for women getting their kids a package for cheerleading, pageants, or weddings...)

So, when I got a drone, I didn't have a very high bar for the imaging sensor. I just jumped in and figured with time and poking about I would learn what I really wanted.

The video on my 2s is broadcast quality (maybe not network, but I bet they'd take it if the subject was compelling enough). The stills are good enough for even fancy full color magazines.

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot with it on a blue sky day for money.

The kind of stuff he is talking about comes in when a production company or intelligence equity are looking for certain deliverables. Like the rigs you are talking about.

I was an adopter of digital for specific use cases, but shot film way into the digital era. I think eventually digital will meet up to film, but in the end, it's all about the glass.

 

[YVRGUY]

WOW ,If you returned the Air 3s because of one tiny bug ,I really don't think you will be happy with anything ,I personally think the Air 3s is an Amazing drone

DITTO a2tomm

 

[ryguy80]

I am really glad there were no forums when I started in photography.

I just went and did it with what I had.

Now, I would be paralyzed with decision indecision listening to all the experts tell me why everything is terrible.

Not a dig at OP, but a different perspective.

I have thousands invested in 'camera gear'. Thousands. Made most of it back shooting for magazines, books, newspapers, training, tons of private events and as a duty at work.

I did much of it with gear many would consider 'subpar'. Turns out, no one handed me a check but cut a corner off because the bokeh was rough or the lens was soft. (except for women getting their kids a package for cheerleading, pageants, or weddings...)

So, when I got a drone, I didn't have a very high bar for the imaging sensor. I just jumped in and figured with time and poking about I would learn what I really wanted.

The video on my 2s is broadcast quality (maybe not network, but I bet they'd take it if the subject was compelling enough). The stills are good enough for even fancy full color magazines.

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot with it on a blue sky day for money.

The kind of stuff he is talking about comes in when a production company or intelligence equity are looking for certain deliverables. Like the rigs you are talking about.

I was an adopter of digital for specific use cases, but shot film way into the digital era. I think eventually digital will meet up to film, but in the end, it's all about the glass.

I got back into traditional photography a little over a year ago and joined/spent time over at the DPReview Forums gear sections, particularly Nikon, as that is what I primarily shoot. That was probably the biggest mistake I ever made. So much paralysis over lens sharpness and bokeh, and what camera does this and that, I eventually took a hiatus. Right now, I have no intention of going back.

I would rather see more photo content and get inspiration about future shoots. Is there something creative about a certain composition/lighting/etc. that I haven’t considered that can help me evolve and grow my skill set?

 

[Felix le Chat]

I got back into traditional photography a little over a year ago and joined/spent time over at the DPReview Forums gear sections, particularly Nikon, as that is what I primarily shoot. That was probably the biggest mistake I ever made. So much paralysis over lens sharpness and bokeh, and what camera does this and that, I eventually took a hiatus. Right now, I have no intention of going back.

I would rather see more photo content and get inspiration about future shoots. Is there something creative about a certain composition/lighting/etc. that I haven’t considered that can help me evolve and grow my skill set?

Fully understand the paralysis comment, on top of that: a lot of those forums should be renamed 'boast-boards'.

 

[High_Order1]

So much paralysis over lens sharpness and bokeh, and what camera does this and that, I eventually took a hiatus. Right now, I have no intention of going back.

I will always be Team Nikon in my heart. I still have my F3.

I used to upset them by reminding them unless you were shooting large format, it was all tourist grade anyway LOL

Then came the first digital back for Hasselblad.

Then, it was mirrorless.

Now, it's a chunk the size of a decent candy dangling from a 'toy airplane'.

I would spend more time figuring out the vagaries of this camera more if I could park it somewhere and then just go through all the settings; mostly I chimp what I think will give me the most to work with when I am putting through post, and concentrate on not being herky jerky.

... I do want to try a long exposure night shot, kind of has always been my thing. I was doing HDR before it was an easy button setting, too. Photoshop was my jam.

Now, it is all people with kit lenses and green [ A ] or just cellphones telling me they don't need me and my wireless flashes and modifiers and HUGE investments in finding out what works; so in the end, how much does it matter, anymore?