Is there a way to pan video using built-in actions?

[5000msl]

I've tried all the tricks and techniques to acheive a smooth, steady pan (rotation) about a single point without consistent success. I've been practicing for over a year and am no better, sigh. Is there a variation on one of the built in quick modes, or a way to set up waypoints to acheive a simple pan from a single location? Example: panning across a line of mountain peaks. My M2P pans are smooth, but the speed (angular rotation) varies too much to be cinematic. Thanks.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I assume that by 'tricks', you've adjusted the controller settings per the several available youtube video tutorials (Yaw, EXP, etc.)?

You don't mention using cinematic or tripod modes, so I must ask: have you tried using those?

Another thought: with previous controllers, you could buy after market controller stick extensions, where the thought is that the longer they are, the smaller movements you can make.

Chris

 

[5000msl]

I assume that by 'tricks', you've adjusted the controller settings per the several available youtube video tutorials (Yaw, EXP, etc.)?

You don't mention using cinematic or tripod modes, so I must ask: have you tried using those?

Another thought: with previous controllers, you could buy after market controller stick extensions, where the thought is that the longer they are, the smaller movements you can make.

Chris

Yes, yes and yes, Chris, I've done all those things and done many trials. It may be that my dexterity, or the steadiness of my figers, is simply no match for the responsiveness of the machine. Thus, I am seeking advice on how to finagle any of the provided modes to my advantage.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Okay, a couple of other thoughts:

Editing: nobody is perfect. If you're trying to get a good pan and flub it at the start or end, don't sweat it. When you're putting your video together, just don't include the jerky parts. If you are editing (and you should be for many reasons), you should not be concerned about getting the world-class pans, complete from start to end, in the bird.

Flying with editing in mind: once you have that editing mind set, you can apply that to your filming technique.

For instance, if you want to do a pan between 45 and 90 degrees. Then start recording and turning your bird at 30 degrees and plan it to be smooth right at 45 degrees and keep it smooth / not trying to slow it down until you hit 90.

I know, sometimes you want the pan to start slow in the resulting video, not cut-in to already moving. But maybe this combined with a little bit of slowdown (before it gets un-smooth) will help.

Compare to pro videography (major motion picture making): having you seen those rigs? They're very expensive, heavily geared, and today they're mostly robotic. We just don't have that with the puny manual sticks and no panning automation like they have.

Speaking of automation: you asked about waypoint missions. Maybe someone else has tips for you in this area, but in my experience, they aren't often very smooth. For me, it's been hit or miss, but perhaps someone else has mastered that. Good luck.

Chris

 

[5000msl]

Chris, thanks for your thoughts. My problem seems to be in the middle - for example, I want to pan from one mountain peak to another, all is well, until the pan speed bumps up in the middle resulting in faster motion. I've tried to use the time controls in DiVinci Resolve to correct in those situations, but the result is unsatisfactory. Seems like it would be so simple for DJI to add a panning mode to their quick shots; I"ve requested such a feature, but am not holding my breath.

 

[bheiser1]

I haven’t had the greatest luck with panning yet either, though unlike the OP, I’m new at this. I’ve adjusted the gimbal settings as recommended, so the starts and stops are smooth, but it seems like as I yaw, the resulting video shows little “steps” of motion. I’m not sure if that’s the same as what the OP see (it sounds similar). In my case I’ve chalked it up to “still have a lot to learn about shooting video, especially from a quadcopter”.

 

[tck444]

I have never had great luck eiter, so my strategy, is just a work-a-around.

1. Fly in a straight path as much as possible.

2. Shoot a 2 minute video, then just find the best 30 seconds.

3. Take a wider shot and then do more of the pan and zoom in processing.

4. Keep filming on RTH and hope to get lucky.

Understandably, a bit simplistic solution.

 

[Gizmo6257]

Good video. What did u use to color grade?

I have never had great luck eiter, so my strategy, is just a work-a-around.

1. Fly in a straight path as much as possible.

2. Shoot a 2 minute video, then just find the best 30 seconds.

3. Take a wider shot and then do more of the pan and zoom in processing.

4. Keep filming on RTH and hope to get lucky.

Understandably, a bit simplistic solution.

 

[5000msl]

3. Take a wider shot and then do more of the pan and zoom in processing.

Clever technique, though most of the time I'm both too close to get the wider shot and as I'm rendering in UHD I've no headroom to zoom or pan. I have taken DNGs and used them in a similar maner as you describe; that works pretty well, but is not the same as an actual pan with movement.

 

[hiflyer201]

You can do super smooth smooth slow pans in active track, so that would depend on how to locate a subject. I'm sure there are other quick shots that you could use. I had never used any of them on the Air until the other day when I started fooling around with active track. I tried using it on the Spark in the past and was less than impressed.

 

[5000msl]

You can do super smooth smooth slow pans in active track, so that would depend on how to locate a subject. I'm sure there are other quick shots that you could use. I had never used any of them on the Air until the other day when I started fooling around with active track. I tried using it on the Spark in the past and was less than impressed.

Can't really think of a way to use active track in a landscape pan situation, but glad it works for you.

 

[hiflyer201]

Can't really think of a way to use active track in a landscape pan situation, but glad it works for you.

I thought I would give spotlight a try today if it warms up a little. I practice pan's around an object too and I've finally come to the conclusion that I do just as well with default settings. It was a little deflating to see the results of a pan in active track. Have you tried the DJI simulator..It's good for that type of practice

 

[5000msl]

I thought I would give spotlight a try today if it warms up a little. I practice pan's around an object too and I've finally come to the conclusion that I do just as well with default settings. It was a little deflating to see the results of a pan in active track. Have you tried the DJI simulator..It's good for that type of practice

I am able to manually fly around an object fairly smoothly. Where I'm having problems is keeping the drone in one place and panning (rotating) the drone at a constant rate, such as to pan across a mountain range.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

I have never had great luck eiter, so my strategy, is just a work-a-around.

1. Fly in a straight path as much as possible.

2. Shoot a 2 minute video, then just find the best 30 seconds.

3. Take a wider shot and then do more of the pan and zoom in processing.

4. Keep filming on RTH and hope to get lucky.

Understandably, a bit simplistic solution.

[...]

Along the same vein:

5. put the AC in ATTI mode and film during the drift of a slight breeze.

Notes:

• this doesn't help the OP with the panning question, I'm only adding it only because I think it fits in the above list of general video tips
• you have to do something special to the M2P to enable manual ATTI mode. I saved the instructions somewhere (from this forum), but have yet to actually do it. If I remember right, it requires overloading the sport mode switch, changing it to full ATTI and losing sport mode in the process
  Edit: here is the thread on ATTI mode.

Chris

 

[MaxHam]

Yes, yes and yes, Chris, I've done all those things and done many trials. It may be that my dexterity, or the steadiness of my figers, is simply no match for the responsiveness of the machine. Thus, I am seeking advice on how to finagle any of the provided modes to my advantage.

When using tripod mode:
Did you tap on the 'Camera On Tripod' symbol on the screen? You can dial down Yaw/Horizontal/Vertical speed to the extreme.
I would be really surprised if Yaw is still too fast for you when dialed all the way down.

 

[hiflyer201]

I am able to manually fly around an object fairly smoothly. Where I'm having problems is keeping the drone in one place and panning (rotating) the drone at a constant rate, such as to pan across a mountain range.

You can slow down the yaw with a single setting. Advanced Settings>Sensitivity> Yaw....I had my Mavic Air set that way and decided it was too slow. I'm sure you have probably tried that.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

When using tripod mode:
Did you tap on the 'Camera On Tripod' symbol on the screen? You can dial down Yaw/Horizontal/Vertical speed to the extreme.
I would be really surprised if Yaw is still too fast for you when dialed all the way down.

View attachment 88597

Okay, I'm more than a little peeved. I'm glad this is there, but I checked the docs and found no mention of it. Then I noticed there was a newer Pro/Zoom user guide up on the DJI site and downloaded it, finding no mention of it. Then I checked the release notes PDF (which includes the latest firmware) and there's no mention of this.

How long has this been there? Did you find this ad hoc (poking around in DJI GO 4)? Or did you read docs / view a tutorial that mentioned it?

Part of me wonders if there are other features / settings that are not documented, and another part wonders if any missing information is actually critical (safety of the aircraft or operation around people). Too long has DJI documentation be lacking.

Chris

 

[brettbrandon]

I saw somewhere where someone used a plastic card (credit, room key, ect.) and put a hole in it to one side big enough to fit over top of the yaw gimbal stick.Then move the gimbal to the speed you are looking for and pinch the card to the controller to hold the gimbal stick in place and the yaw speed should remain smooth...

 

[brettbrandon]

deleted...

 

[5000msl]

I saw somewhere where someone used a plastic card (credit, room key, ect.) and put a hole in it to one side big enough to fit over top of the yaw gimbal stick.Then move the gimbal to the speed you are looking for and pinch the card to the controller to hold the gimbal stick in place and the yaw speed should remain smooth...

Awesome idea. Thanks, Brett, I'm going to give that a try. I've tried holding a rubber band and tried a little block to brace the stick and those didn't work that well. Pinching the card to the controller sounds feasible.