Best solo flying & cinematic camera moves?

[Citizen Flier]

(M2P / SMart Controller)

I mostly shoot stills, and get generally excellent results. But I'd like to up my game for video. I've tried Waypoints Mode, but Go4 app inserts a pause when it changes course at waypoints (fatal flaw!). Ruins video. Anyone know if this has improved? I haven't tried in some time. And there's no DJI documentation for this. Online tutorials don't seem to mention the Pause issue.

Most advise using Litchi for this. And I'm willing to try. But I've also heard Litchi can have issues with Smart Controller -? Is Litchi stable with M2P /SC ? (I NEVER have issues with Go4 App other than Waypoints mode)

IMO, the best thing is to simply BE A BETTER PILOT. The video below just popped up in the news feed. I really like the cinematic flying/camera work. Would you better video pilots out there find this level of flight/camera control easy -flying manually, single pilot (no camera operator)?

Thanks.
(no condescending insults please)

Nice flying/cinematography here. (video a bit too long, and music seems inappropriate, but what a setting!)

Mini - My best clip from Belogradchik rock fortress

mavicpilots.com

 

[slup]

When it comes to filming pre-planning it crucial ... especially if you are trying to get the whole shot in one take. Usually that's not how it's usually done as it's to a great risk for some hesitant flying/camera pointing ...

The key is to keep the viewers interest. Longer transportation's to a main point of interest or panning's risk to be boring. Instead shorter scenes should be used, when edited perhaps around 5sec per scene. Using this it's easier to plan, go in, do/film your move that you want & fly out ... then mix the cuts so you have a logic time line or transportation line through the movie, not recommended to jump back & forth from the same point of interests or in the logical timeline.

Then the final clip should edited land on around 2-4min in total edited.

And regarding the moves in the attached movie ... basic ones what I can see, with some training they should be easy to pull off.

 

[Jeff A]

I can't address the Litchi/SC issues because I have never seen the SC in the flesh but I use Litchi for most of my flights and, as noted in slup's post above, Pre-Planning is crucial. Personally, IMHO flying a Drone without Litchi is flying a crippled drone. I'm sure you will have other responses regarding thye Litchi/SC interface and their comments will be interesting to me as well.

 

[Citizen Flier]

Thanks for the replies. I just heard back from the pilot of the video above. He flew all manual, Go4 app.
I do have a decent grasp about planning, editing, duration, & story telling, etc. My question was PRIMARILY about how to (technically) best capture cinematic moves, angles etc. as a solo pilot using M2P with SC.
To me the biggest challenge is controlling smooth, simultaneous pans, tilts, dollies, etc. to best Tell the Story. I guess it's all about planning & PRACTICE.
Drone Stills vs Drone Video is like playing one game of checkers vs 3 simultaneous games of chess. Hats off to you ace video/pilots.

 

[lannes]

Expo, yaw and sensitivity settings in DJI Go4

Sensitivity Settings for Smooth Drone Footage - DJI Go 4 - dronegenuity

DJI Go 4 is absolutely packed with settings. It can be challenging to know exactly what each option does or how it affects the flight of your drone. Sensitivity Settings for Smooth Drone Footage - DJI Go 4

www.dronegenuity.com

 

[Citizen Flier]

Yes, I have optimized those settings. Could probably do better at that. But I still believe more hours at the controls are what earns the brass ring.

 

[Repaid1]

Yes, I have optimized those settings. Could probably do better at that. But I still believe more hours at the controls are what earns the brass ring.

I can tell you that your gimbal is going to need optimized from going from mostly stills to video. You will need to fine tune your "ramping" setting. This isn't needed when taking stills. From my observance most that take Stills want a fast responsive gimbal, almost robotic in movement.

You will want to "Calm" down your gimbal quite a bit. The "Ramping" of a gimbal will allow your gimbal to come from a faster pace to a smooth creeping stop. One of the biggest practices you will find yourself doing on the sticks...isn't on the sticks, it's on the gimbal pitch wheel. Everyone is different on what sensitivity they like to put on that wheel for speed out of the hole and how far they like to press the "Gas Pedal" down for faster speed.

Additionally the "Ramping" setting is known as Gimbal Pitch Smoothness. On that setting it adjusts how far your gimbal glides to a stop after you come off the Pitch adjustment. It will get rid of that hard "jerk to a stop" that can be seen in many videos.
By varying the top slider and second you will come to what your sensitivity is when rolling gimbal pitch. Every one again is different, but you will find that it takes a bit of time to find your setting that works best.

You will find that programs such as Litchi allow a single operator to forgo joystick/flight path instruction and allow you to focus more on gimbal and camera control for the beginning/intermediate flyer...I highly recommend Litchi as a tool to have and it works fine on the SC as I fly with both

 

[Heed]

To me the biggest challenge is controlling smooth, simultaneous pans, tilts, dollies, etc. to best Tell the Story. I guess it's all about planning & PRACTICE.

There are some great camera moves in that video. There were a few spots that weren't done at same speed and detracted I think. Using edits, as mentioned above, I think would help with that. I also agree it was a tad bit long.

Yes, basically, it's just a matter of practice and checking to see if your "optimized" setting work for you.

Take the moves you liked in the attached film and then go practice them. Over an over.

It's what I've done. Watched videos and then practiced the moves.

I was hoping to see some posts on installing Litchi on a SC. I've really enjoyed the SC and overall happy with the purchase. However, this is a big limitation to the SC. I really wish it was a simple as installing an app like your phone to put Litchi on the SC.

 

[Repaid1]

I was hoping to see some posts on installing Litchi on a SC. I've really enjoyed the SC and overall happy with the purchase. However, this is a big limitation to the SC. I really wish it was a simple as installing an app like your phone to put Litchi on the SC.

I would have mentioned it but it has been discussed Ad nauseam, it is literally as simple as you "wished" it was and described: DJI Monitors (Smart Controller, CrystalSky, Phantom 4 Screens) - Litchi

 

[Heed]

I would have mentioned it but it has been discussed Ad nauseam, it is literally as simple as you "wished" it was and described: DJI Monitors (Smart Controller, CrystalSky, Phantom 4 Screens) - Litchi

Thanks. Researching something else and ran across this today:

Litchi on Smart Controller Problems, voice, & camera/record buttons (solved)

My bird by the way is a Mavic 2 Zoom (M2Z) I Purchased Litchi through the Amazon app on the Smart Controller. After downloading and installing it everything worked fine with a few exceptions: One exception was the voice (speech), which was pretty much not understandable. On Litchi's site at...

mavicpilots.com

Looks like the ease of installation has improved (your link) as well as the issue with the vide/photo "shutter" buttons not working with Litchi. The post above outlines the changes in settings to make so that the Photo/Video buttons.

Thanks.

Also, Semper Fi!

I just saw your tagline. USMC retired in 2015.