M2P and M2Z Owners

[eke2k6]

Hey guys!

I’ve owned the M2P since the day it was available. However lately I’ve had the itch for the Zoom as well, or as a replacement.

I’m curious about you pilots who own both. Is the Zoom still an option despite the different “focal lengths” afforded by the Pro’s HQ and FOV modes? And for those of you who grade your videos, is there a significant drop on quality when you push the Zoom too far?

Sorry for all the questions, I’d just really appreciate your opinions and feedback as experts/fellow pilots

Thanks!

 

[Starz]

The m2p is one of the better cameras, but that’s based on how I use it.
I don’t do any post work because of time constraints and haven’t found the need. The zoom is used just for the reason it was intended. It can stay a bit farther away from whatever subject it’s pointed at without closing in to see better. I like them both.

 

[eke2k6]

The m2p is one of the better cameras, but that’s based on how I use it.
I don’t do any post work because of time constraints and haven’t found the need. The zoom is used just for the reason it was intended. It can stay a bit farther away from whatever subject it’s pointed at without closing in to see better. I like them both.

Ah, gotcha. How do you typically use the pro though?

 

[Starz]

If I’m looking for a really good picture, the pro is what goes up. Especially in low light conditions.

 

[eke2k6]

If I’m looking for a really good picture, the pro is what goes up. Especially in low light conditions.

Makes sense, thanks! What would you say your typical usage ratio is? 50/50 pro to zoom? Or otherwise?

 

[Starz]

Probably more like 75 pro/25 zoom.

 

[eke2k6]

Probably more like 75 pro/25 zoom.

Thank you!

 

[Gilbertlopez1]

Hey guys!

I’ve owned the M2P since the day it was available. However lately I’ve had the itch for the Zoom as well, or as a replacement.

I’m curious about you pilots who own both. Is the Zoom still an option despite the different “focal lengths” afforded by the Pro’s HQ and FOV modes? And for those of you who grade your videos, is there a significant drop on quality when you push the Zoom too far?

Sorry for all the questions, I’d just really appreciate your opinions and feedback as experts/fellow pilots

Thanks!

I Have Both, And Use Them 50/50. Both Are Extreme Fun To Fly, I Have A Smart Controller For Each One, Makes The Flying Experience Even Better. The Only Thing I Like More About The Pro 2 Is The Low Light Capability’s. But The Zoom Is Freekin Great, And There's A Hidden Little Feature, If You Lower The Res To 1080 I Believe, Your Zoom Range DOUBLES !!! And Putting Them Into Sport Mode Is A Freekin BLAST !!!

 

[ScottM2Zoom1]

95% of my vids (wildlife) could not be shot with the M2P.....96mm lossless zoom on the M2Z allows me to vid wildlife AS WELL AS any other standoff situations.....like monuments....no fly points of interest.....etc. and it lets me explore and get close up shots when obsticles and bartiers are present....like friends around a capfire thru hole in tree canopy.

 

[Johnmcl7]

95% of my vids (wildlife) could not be shot with the M2P.....96mm lossless zoom on the M2Z allows me to vid wildlife AS WELL AS any other standoff situations.....like monuments....no fly points of interest.....etc. and it lets me explore and get close up shots when obsticles and bartiers are present....like friends around a capfire thru hole in tree canopy.

The 96mm zoom is not lossless, it's a digital crop of the sensor as the lens only goes to 48mm.

 

[ScottM2Zoom1]

The 96mm zoom is not lossless, it's a digital crop of the sensor as the lens only goes to 48mm.

 

[ScottM2Zoom1]

Talk to DJI. Thats their claim. I have noticed no loss and have never heard anyone say different.

 

[eke2k6]

95% of my vids (wildlife) could not be shot with the M2P.....96mm lossless zoom on the M2Z allows me to vid wildlife AS WELL AS any other standoff situations.....like monuments....no fly points of interest.....etc. and it lets me explore and get close up shots when obsticles and bartiers are present....like friends around a capfire thru hole in tree canopy.

Got it, thanks! My only hesitation has been that videos I've seen from the M2Z look...how do I put this...crunchier than the M2P. It's hard to describe really. Has anyone else seen it too, or is it just me?

 

[ScottM2Zoom1]

Its certain the photo/video gurus will appreciate the pros performance over the zoom. For casual viewing by 99% of my friends that are not professional photographers ....the notice no difference. So if you seek approval from the pros get a pro. If you shoot for fun enjoyment and to share with friends and family I doubt you will get critiqued.

Got it, thanks! My only hesitation has been that videos I've seen from the M2Z look...how do I put this...crunchier than the M2P. It's hard to describe really. Has anyone else seen it too, or is it just me?

 

[eke2k6]

Its certain the photo/video gurus will appreciate the pros performance over the zoom. For casual viewing by 99% of my friends that are not professional photographers ....the notice no difference. So if you seek approval from the pros get a pro. If you shoot for fun enjoyment and to share with friends and family I doubt you will get critiqued.

True. I'm a bit of a photographer myself, so that's likely my source of anxiety.

 

[eke2k6]

The 96mm zoom is not lossless, it's a digital crop of the sensor as the lens only goes to 48mm.

I think that's true. The 4x zoom is only available in 1080p, which is just 2mp out of the available 12mp

 

[Johnmcl7]

Talk to DJI. Thats their claim. I have noticed no loss and have never heard anyone say different.

Ok, if you want it from DJI:

FOV: about 83° (24 mm); about 48° (48 mm）
35 mm Format Equivalent: 24-48 mm
Aperture: f/2.8 (24 mm)–f/3.8 (48 mm)
Shooting Range: 0.5 m to ∞

Mavic 2 - Product Information - DJI

The Mavic 2 is DJI's flagship consumer drone built for pros and enthusiasts. Discover more about the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom with specs, FAQs, video tutorials, guides, and user manuals. Learn more at DJI.com.

www.dji.com

The Mavic 2 Zoom has a 24-48mm lens so anything beyond that is not lossless because you are losing something, in the case of the 96mm setting you are losing around half the sensor which is why it's 1080p and not 4k. This use of that camera mode should be avoided because you are losing information, if you shoot at the standard 4k mode you can crop it down to 1080p for a digital zoom afterwards if you wish but you still have the freedom to crop and use any other part of the sensor as well.

Unfortunately it's completely normal for marketing departments to boast about digital zooms and other features to promote their products even though it's usually highly misleading to customers.

 

[Johnmcl7]

True. I'm a bit of a photographer myself, so that's likely my source of anxiety.

What sort of photography do you do? If you normally work with larger format cameras (4/3, APS-C, FF etc.) and process the raw files then i think you may be disappointed with the 1/2.3in sensor in the Mavic 2 Zoom as there's little latitude in its raw files particularly pushing the dynamic range. On the other hand if you primarily work straight out of camera then you're not going to get the same benefit from the 1in sensor in the Mavic 2 Pro, there's a lot that can be squeezed out of its raw files but its automatic jpegs are nothing special.

 

[Gizmo6257]

So true

Ok, if you want it from DJI:

Mavic 2 - Product Information - DJI

The Mavic 2 is DJI's flagship consumer drone built for pros and enthusiasts. Discover more about the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom with specs, FAQs, video tutorials, guides, and user manuals. Learn more at DJI.com.

www.dji.com

The Mavic 2 Zoom has a 24-48mm lens so anything beyond that is not lossless because you are losing something, in the case of the 96mm setting you are losing around half the sensor which is why it's 1080p and not 4k. This use of the camera should be avoided because you are losing information, if you shoot at the standard 4k mode you can crop it down to 1080p for a digital zoom afterwards if you wish but you still have the freedom to crop and use any other part of the sensor as well.

Unfortunately it's completely normal for marketing departments to boast about digital zooms and other features to promote their products even though it's usually highly misleading to customers.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The 96mm zoom is not lossless, it's a digital crop of the sensor as the lens only goes to 48mm.

No and yes. When you shoot in video in 1080p at 30fps the Zoom wheel goes from 24-96mm and the resulting output is a true 1080p video without any loss of quality, while zooming from 24 to 96mm. It's not a 4K video. For that, you are limited to the 2x optical zoom.