A2S and MA2 photo comparisons

[abruzzopat]

Just got the A2S today. I've only had a few minutes, but I wanted to post some quick comparison shots. These pics were taken minutes apart (I only have one phone so could not fly them simultaneously).

Before anyone roasts me, this is just two pics (plus a crop of each) and is by no means scientific or comprehensive. These are straight from drone JPG... no processing other than the crops.

The MA2 is 48MP looking straight down from 50mt and the A2S is "single shot" also looking straight down from 50mt.

You can be the judge, but I do feel that they show the A2S to have more DR and saturation. More punch.


Above pic is A2S in single mode (resized so forum would allow post)


Above pic is MA2 in 48mp mode (resized so forum would allow post)

These next two are extreme crops. You can see that the MA2 has more noise and is less contrasty.


This is the A2S

This is the MA2

 

[slup]

These are straight from drone JPG... no processing other than the crops.
but I do feel that they show the A2S to have more DR and saturation. More punch.

Mmm ... and it's just there your comparison fails unfortunately. Both pics are heavily processed by the internal raw converter in each craft in order to produce those jpeg's you show. Both the "punch", saturation, contrast & what you see as dynamic range is affected by that conversion.

To do a fair comparison you should use raw pics ... they are totally untouched & will show what each sensor is able to produce.

You can see that the MA2 has more noise ...

The noise levels remaining in jpeg's are also depending on the internal noise cleaning ... so again, not a fair comparison. But as the MA2s have a larger sensor I would expect that it can produce cleaner pics though.

 

[abruzzopat]

Mmm ... and it's just there your comparison fails unfortunately. Both pics are heavily processed by the internal raw converter in each craft in order to produce those jpeg's you show. Both the "punch", saturation, contrast & what you see as dynamic range is affected by that conversion.

To do a fair comparison you should use raw pics ... they are totally untouched & will show what each sensor is able to produce.



The noise levels remaining in jpeg's are also depending on the internal noise cleaning ... so again, not a fair comparison. But as the MA2s have a larger sensor I would expect that it can produce cleaner pics though.

Umm... you're welcome? Like I said, not scientific, just straight from the drones. Maybe tomorrow I'll have time to do RAWs and post those.

 

[slup]

...Like I said, not scientific, just straight from the drones...

Yep, got that ... just wanted to clarify that what you have tested isn't each sensors ability to produce pics, you've tested the differences in the internal jpeg conversion & auto exposure setting nothing more.

Raw files with the same exposure settings will reveal the differences in performance ...

 

[Capt KO]

Truck color looks bolder with the S. Looked at A2s but bought a used A2 on the forum today so it was interesting. Not in it for the pics but scouting for fish. Enjoy my MM but doesn’t handle wind as well as the Air2, so I’m told.

 

[StantonZ]

I think it's a "wash"...

 

[dsops]

Yes, a "scientific" comparation should start with raw files with similar conversion workflow to jpeg. But this is also not exhaustive. Raw files are far to be "untouched" by the drone software, there are different sensors, different digital converters, possible different raw packing algorithms. In my opinion the jpegs are also good enough to see the differences, most of the users will not record and process raw files.

It is clear for me there is a bit different default processing related to contrast and saturation, but no hint in the samples about a better dynamic range. The detail level is almost similar, with a very few improvement for the a2s. Also the noise level is clear lower for the a2s (look at the car platform shadow). As a ma2 owner I do not see too much reasons to make an upgrade now, but it is clear a better drone.

 

[abruzzopat]

I'm adding some additional files. Still not scientific, so please just take it for what it's worth. When I have some time I may point the drones at some test sheets, or maybe do some evening shots. In this case I wanted to see what happens pulling shadows from a high contrast scene.

Subject is an old factory in bright sunlight. I tried to take similar shots, but it's hard to get the exact shots, partly because the lenses are different focal lengths, and partly because I suck. I have attached the original DNG files if you want to do your own manipulation.

I imported the DNGs into LR, cropped similar areas and cranked the shadow boost to 100%. I would very rarely do this in real life... just seeing what would happen.

Enjoy...

Above is the A2S



This is the MA2

Here are the DNGs:
A2S: A2S-orig.DNG
MA2: MA2-orig.DNG

 

[FLTRXS]

I'm adding some additional files. Still not scientific, so please just take it for what it's worth. When I have some time I may point the drones at some test sheets, or maybe do some evening shots. In this case I wanted to see what happens pulling shadows from a high contrast scene.

Subject is an old factory in bright sunlight. I tried to take similar shots, but it's hard to get the exact shots, partly because the lenses are different focal lengths, and partly because I suck. I have attached the original DNG files if you want to do your own manipulation.

I imported the DNGs into LR, cropped similar areas and cranked the shadow boost to 100%. I would very rarely do this in real life... just seeing what would happen.

Enjoy...

View attachment 127714Above is the A2S


View attachment 127715
This is the MA2

Here are the DNGs:
A2S: A2S-orig.DNG
MA2: MA2-orig.DNG

thanks, i am impressed with the quality.

 

[andrew reeves]

Just got the A2S today. I've only had a few minutes, but I wanted to post some quick comparison shots. These pics were taken minutes apart (I only have one phone so could not fly them simultaneously).

Before anyone roasts me, this is just two pics (plus a crop of each) and is by no means scientific or comprehensive. These are straight from drone JPG... no processing other than the crops.

The MA2 is 48MP looking straight down from 50mt and the A2S is "single shot" also looking straight down from 50mt.

You can be the judge, but I do feel that they show the A2S to have more DR and saturation. More punch.

View attachment 127590
Above pic is A2S in single mode (resized so forum would allow post)

View attachment 127591
Above pic is MA2 in 48mp mode (resized so the forum would allow post)

These next two are extreme crops. You can see that the MA2 has more noise and is less contrasty.


View attachment 127594This is the A2S

View attachment 127595This is the MA2

Curious question: Any reason the American flag is upside down? Just asking...

 

[FLTRXS]

Curious question: Any reason the American flag is upside down? Just asking...

I dont think it is, optical illusion. flag pole coming off house on an upward angle and flag hanging from it, from above looks that way because you cant see the upward direction of the pole.

 

[andrew reeves]

I dont think it is, optical illusion. flag pole coming off house on an upward angle and flag hanging from it, from above looks that way because you cant see the upward direction of the pole.

just curious. no issues, thanks

 

[andrew reeves]

Don't mean to beat a dead horse. BUT, look at 1 out of 3 pics, the First picture before the blow-up, the full shot. It's not right. Use those two fingers for a closer look. it's upside down. weird, right?

 

[Amergin]

Don't mean to beat a dead horse. BUT, look at 1 out of 3 pics, the First picture before the blow-up, the full shot. It's not right. Use those two fingers for a closer look. it's upside down. weird, right?

It looks like a flagpole attached horizontally to the wall of the house. The flag is the right way up as far as I can see.

 

[ckoerner]

Appreciate you taking the time to take these comparison shots and share with us here.

 

[PAI1]

Mmm ... and it's just there your comparison fails unfortunately. Both pics are heavily processed by the internal raw converter in each craft in order to produce those jpeg's you show. Both the "punch", saturation, contrast & what you see as dynamic range is affected by that conversion.

To do a fair comparison you should use raw pics ... they are totally untouched & will show what each sensor is able to produce.



The noise levels remaining in jpeg's are also depending on the internal noise cleaning ... so again, not a fair comparison. But as the MA2s have a larger sensor I would expect that it can produce cleaner pics though.

Appreciate you taking the time to take these comparison shots and hare with us here.

Thanks for taking the shots..

 

[zentenk]

I'm adding some additional files. Still not scientific, so please just take it for what it's worth. When I have some time I may point the drones at some test sheets, or maybe do some evening shots. In this case I wanted to see what happens pulling shadows from a high contrast scene.

Subject is an old factory in bright sunlight. I tried to take similar shots, but it's hard to get the exact shots, partly because the lenses are different focal lengths, and partly because I suck. I have attached the original DNG files if you want to do your own manipulation.

I imported the DNGs into LR, cropped similar areas and cranked the shadow boost to 100%. I would very rarely do this in real life... just seeing what would happen.

Enjoy...

View attachment 127714Above is the A2S


View attachment 127715
This is the MA2

Here are the DNGs:
A2S: A2S-orig.DNG
MA2: MA2-orig.DNG

Thanks for the shots. Amazes me how hard it is to find raw sample photos to download. The only other ones I was able to find were on dpreview.

Every reviewer says the images are better on the A2S because of the bigger sensor... But from these two photos, it is pretty clear the MA2 produces sharper results than the A2S in daylight. I wonder whether they have actually looked at the photos side by side or there was something wrong in the capture of the A2S shot, though at 1/2000s I doubt there are any motion blur.

With no sharpening on both, side by side, with MA2 zoomed at 200% and A2S at 100% (which roughly matches them up - 48mp vs 20mp), it is no contest, MA2 wins hands down. What interesting is with MA2 zoomed in at 200% and A2S at 100% it should give the A2S an advantage, but it doesn't. You'd have to significantly sharpen the A2S image in LR to catch up to MA2's sharpness.

There's also a pretty heavy green tint on the A2S, whereas the MA2 skews a little bit towards magenta

A2S: great sensor but not so good lens?

 

[Rilot]

For me it's about the dynamic range. Soft RAW files can easily be fixed in post, lack of dynamic range cannot.

 

[JustADude]

For me it's about the dynamic range. Soft RAW files can easily be fixed in post, lack of dynamic range cannot.

I agree, and if you look at the first photos you can see that in the flag, driveway, and trees. The driveway near the garage and the white portion of the flag in the MA2 photo is clipped whereas the A2S photo is not or is at least much better. The highlight in the trees also appears to be clipping the green channel in the MA2 photo. There is clearly more DR in the A2S photo.

 

[JustADude]

Thanks for the shots. Amazes me how hard it is to find raw sample photos to download. The only other ones I was able to find were on dpreview.

Every reviewer says the images are better on the A2S because of the bigger sensor... But from these two photos, it is pretty clear the MA2 produces sharper results than the A2S in daylight. I wonder whether they have actually looked at the photos side by side or there was something wrong in the capture of the A2S shot, though at 1/2000s I doubt there are any motion blur.

With no sharpening on both, side by side, with MA2 zoomed at 200% and A2S at 100% (which roughly matches them up - 48mp vs 20mp), it is no contest, MA2 wins hands down. What interesting is with MA2 zoomed in at 200% and A2S at 100% it should give the A2S an advantage, but it doesn't. You'd have to significantly sharpen the A2S image in LR to catch up to MA2's sharpness.

There's also a pretty heavy green tint on the A2S, whereas the MA2 skews a little bit towards magenta

A2S: great sensor but not so good lens?

View attachment 128102

Do you have links to the originals? I looked in the dpreview sample galleries, and I didn't see any that were of the same subject.