LONG EXPOSURE

[Ray101]

Thanks guys. Managed to produce this so far. Better practise i suppose

 

[borislip]

Less about practice, more about luck. Put it in multiple shots mode on max number of shots, and take a few of those, too. Back home, on a PC, just choose the sharpest one.

 

[Strobing_NYC]

I think the Spark is a little better at longer exposures even though they share the same sensor.
The second image is from the Mavic Pro (blue tone)

 

[Ray101]

So i managed to get this today. Looks quite decent with no edits.

 

[tomsmavic8804]

So i managed to get this today. Looks quite decent with no edits.

I have much DSLR equipment and the mavic. Certainly my 5D3 with high end lenses takes great shots but mavic is not bad if you know what how to post process. This was printed to 16x20 on metal and neighbors and friends love it

 

[Johnnynxn]

I shot this last week with the mavic...wish it could be a little sharper though. View attachment 31285

is that shot of Btown

 

[ykwarks]

mavic pro iso100 1.3sec

 

[borislip]

View attachment 31578 mavic pro iso100 1.3sec

How? Did you fill an entire card with those 1 sec shots, hoping for a good one?

 

[Mr. Salty]

How? Did you fill an entire card with those 1 sec shots, hoping for a good one?

No, borislip, this isn’t up to chance. It’s not luck. People really can study, practice and learn how to take and edit excellent photographs with the Mavic Pro.

You might want to try that tactic rather than just complaining about the camera’s shortcomings. You can’t hide behind the “but I’m an amateur” excuse forever.

 

[ykwarks]

How? Did you fill an entire card with those 1 sec shots, hoping for a good one?

this is the only shot i took with this composition. my mavic is quite stable in low wind conditions 8 out of 10 came out sharp at 1~1.5sec as long as they’re focused correctly as that seemed to be the main issue in low light conditions for me.

 

[borislip]

No, borislip, this isn’t up to chance. It’s not luck. People really can study, practice and learn how to take and edit excellent photographs with the Mavic Pro.

You might want to try that tactic rather than just complaining about the camera’s shortcomings. You can’t hide behind the “but I’m an amateur” excuse forever.

Sorry to tell you, but you are wrong. You are taking over 1 second exposure from a flying platform, affected by wind, and the main factor here is luck. Either get lucky and fly on a really calm day, or get lucky and have one photo out of 100, when the Mavic happened to be stable enough at that very second.

 

[borislip]

this is the only shot i took with this composition. my mavic is quite stable in low wind conditions 8 out of 10 came out sharp at 1~1.5sec as long as they’re focused correctly as that seemed to be the main issue in low light conditions for me.

I don't think i ever happened to have it this stable. I usually try solving the focus problem by flying some 20m over something i can focus on (which, sadly, can be a challenge indeed), assume it is good enough (close enough to hyperfocal), and avoid touching it for the entire session.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Sorry to tell you, but you are wrong. You are taking over 1 second exposure from a flying platform, affected by wind, and the main factor here is luck. Either get lucky and fly on a really calm day, or get lucky and have one photo out of 100, when the Mavic happened to be stable enough at that very second.

I’ve been a photographer for 40 years, most of those professionally. It isn’t luck. It’s experience and skill.

And part of the skill is knowing not to try long exposures when there are 20 mph winds. It’s no different than choosing the right time of the day to fly so the sun is where I need it to be in order to achieve the shot I want rather than leave it to “luck.” I’ve waited weeks for the weather to be just right to get an aerial photo for a client.

You’re an admitted amateur. Nothing wrong with that. Your real problem is that you’re an amateur who thinks he knows everything and doesn’t want to learn anything by asking questions. With you, it’s always going to be the equipment’s shortcomings, not your own. Good luck with that.

 

[borislip]

I’ve been a photographer for 40 years, most of those professionally. It isn’t luck. It’s experience and skill.

And part of the skill is knowing not to try long exposures when there are 20 mph winds. It’s no different than choosing the right time of the day to fly so the sun is where I need it to be in order to achieve the shot I want rather than leave it to “luck.” I’ve waited weeks for the weather to be just right to get an aerial photo for a client.

You’re an admitted amateur. Nothing wrong with that. Your real problem is that you’re an amateur who thinks he knows everything and doesn’t want to learn anything by asking questions. With you, it’s always going to be the equipment’s shortcomings, not your own. Good luck with that.

Nobody knows everything. And i do, indeed, take any weather related factor as luck. And i'll explain why. Its because i am NOT a professional photographer, i mostly take my shots on vacations, and may not be on that same spot tomorrow. And i can't afford unlimited time off just to get that shot. Sorry to disappoint you, but for non-profesaionals like me, bad weather conditions are the luck factor. I don't have the privilege to wait for perfect conditions, i either can use what i have, right here, right now, or not. Hope this explain me calling it "luck".

 

[gjhick]

To the folk disappointed with the Mavic’s camera ... I’m puzzled why you didn’t spend a bit extra and buy a Phantom 4 Pro, with it’s larger sensor?

Everything is a trade-off. With the Mavic you were offered portability, lower price, so-so image quality, and availability right now. For a better image ... pay more, go to a non-folding drone, and/or wait for new technology.

 

[ykwarks]

i feel it’s both experience and luck. you need experience to understand how the camera setting on the mavic works under certain light and wind conditions as well as understanding post processing (lightroom, photoshop, etc) you do also need luck when taking LE shots on a moving platform. longer the exposure is, more luck you’ll need as drones can’t be completely still unlike using a tripod with a still camera. wind could blow at any time and could ruin the shot. however with practice, you can reduce the number of shots to get a good result.
for those using a mavic doesn’t want the phantom for obvious reasons but still want the best results out of it and the only way to do that is by learning and understanding the “photography” part of this platform. i think the mavic can produce decent images for its small image sensor if you know what you’re doing.

 

[borislip]

To the folk disappointed with the Mavic’s camera ... I’m puzzled why you didn’t spend a bit extra and buy a Phantom 4 Pro, with it’s larger sensor?

Everything is a trade-off. With the Mavic you were offered portability, lower price, so-so image quality, and availability right now. For a better image ... pay more, go to a non-folding drone, and/or wait for new technology.

You have already provided the answer in your own post. Its a trade-off. The key word is "portability". Sure, i could pay more and buy a P4P, but because of its size, i'd never take it on vacation with me anywhere. Its really this simple.

Doesn't prevent me from wishing it would do better, though. Knowing what pocket cameras do those days, as well ss how much Mavic can generally lift, i don't see why would it be technically impossible either.

 

[borislip]

As for "paying more" in general, $1k isn't low. For $50, such as on Syma toys, i wouldn't expect s camera at all (yet they do have a very low end one, like on old feature phones). But for $1k i expect something better than a mid range Chinese phone camera quality with a fixed aperture, really.

 

[shamus]

As for "paying more" in general, $1k isn't low. For $50, such as on Syma toys, i wouldn't expect s camera at all (yet they do have a very low end one, like on old feature phones). But for $1k i expect something better than a mid range Chinese phone camera quality with a fixed aperture, really.

I feel you on some points, but complaining about the price tag of $1K, doesn't make any sense without comparing to something else. If you can state that there is another drone with better or the same quality in terms of photo capabilities at a lesser price let me know.
My MPP is still not a limiting factor. You just need more practice with it.
Hope you'll catch that night shot you're hoping for

 

[borislip]

I feel you on some points, but complaining about the price tag of $1K, doesn't make any sense without comparing to something else. If you can state that there is another drone with better or the same quality in terms of photo capabilities at a lesser price let me know.
My MPP is still not a limiting factor. You just need more practice with it.
Hope you'll catch that night shot you're hoping for

If i could state that there is another drone with better camera at a lesser price, guess what i'd be flying, lol.

Me, and my own brain will ALWAYS be a limiting factor to begin from, thats, obviously, undeniable and unavoidable. This includes limited skills (nope, i don't have that gut feeling of whats the best composition would be), limited time available (nope, i don't have unlimited time off work), as well as simple plain laziness to get up with the suntise in order to get the best shot (i am a night owl, and yes, i know thats not a good excuse anyway).

But in any case, while i do try to use my existing gear to the max extent i can, gear remains a limiting factor as well, and i always want more from my gear, for lower price. Better image quality, dynamic range, exposures range, sharper lens, faster and more precise focus, longer fligjt times, better stability, longer range, and whats not. Preferably, for a $9.99 + tax, lol. Don't we all want this? ;-)

Yea, i do realize how unrealistic it is.