M2P OR MA2S for photography side jobs.

[KC2LLW]

Hello All,
Thinking about a new MA2S or a used M2P. I currently have a MA2 but have started to do some drone jobs on the side and realized that the MA2 will not get me many missions. I have my 107 and looking for more Real estate and commercial construction drone jobs. I can’t afford a MA3 so I’m wondering which would be best a MA2S or the M2P? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[CanyonRunVideos]

Hello All,
Thinking about a new MA2S or a used M2P. I currently have a MA2 but have started to do some drone jobs on the side and realized that the MA2 will not get me many missions. I have my 107 and looking for more Real estate and commercial construction drone jobs. I can’t afford a MA3 so I’m wondering which would be best a MA2S or the M2P? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve

Hi Steve, I can easily afford a Mavic 3 but I decided to continue to use my Mavic 2 Pro on all of my commercial drone jobs. On a great deal of my commercial jobs they normally require a great deal of flight time so I have seven batteries in my flight bag. I have PolarPro ND Filters from ND4 to ND128 and polarized ND Filters as well. I also enough have enough charging equipment to charge seven batteries plus the controller and my iPad Mini 5 I use on the controller if I needed to in the field. The aerial job that I had on Tuesday of this week consisted of non-stop flying for four hours in the daytime. Then I took a break for dinner while I re-charged all of my aerial equipment batteries and waited until it was dark. Then I flied non-stop from 8:45pm until 11pm. This drone job was for a regular client that manufactures LED lighting for street lights and many other uses for LED lighting. So for me, purchasing all of the extra equipment that it would take for this kind of aerial job is very costly and my Mavic 2 Pro is doing just fine right now. Kent.

 

[KC2LLW]

Hi Steve, I can easily afford a Mavic 3 but I decided to continue to use my Mavic 2 Pro on all of my commercial drone jobs. On a great deal of my commercial jobs they normally require a great deal of flight time so I have seven batteries in my flight bag. I have PolarPro ND Filters from ND4 to ND128 and polarized ND Filters as well. I also enough have enough charging equipment to charge seven batteries plus the controller and my iPad Mini 5 I use on the controller if I needed to in the field. The aerial job that I had on Tuesday of this week consisted of non-stop flying for four hours in the daytime. Then I took a break for dinner while I re-charged all of my aerial equipment batteries and waited until it was dark. Then I flied non-stop from 8:45pm until 11pm. This drone job was for a regular client that manufactures LED lighting for street lights and many other uses for LED lighting. So for me, purchasing all of the extra equipment that it would take for this kind of aerial job is very costly and my Mavic 2 Pro is doing just fine right now. Kent.

Wow Kent,
Very impressive! I am new to this but would like to do this and figure you have to start somewhere right? I love flying and really like being my own boss. I guess you are suggesting a M2P? I have an iPad Mini 5 and feel I could get more work if I have the M2P just a little worried on buying used and not sure what a fair price would be for a M2P fly more combo used. I wish I would have bought the M2P instead of the MA2 but at the time I had no idea I would get my part 107 and actually fly missions and get paid lol

 

[CanyonRunVideos]

Wow Kent,
Very impressive! I am new to this but would like to do this and figure you have to start somewhere right? I love flying and really like being my own boss. I guess you are suggesting a M2P? I have an iPad Mini 5 and feel I could get more work if I have the M2P just a little worried on buying used and not sure what a fair price would be for a M2P fly more combo used. I wish I would have bought the M2P instead of the MA2 but at the time I had no idea I would get my part 107 and actually fly missions and get paid lol

Thanks for the compliment Steve. Look on Ebay or other online sellers and you just maybe able to fins a brand new Mavic 2 Pro out there or try the DJI site to see if they have any Certified re-built models for sale there. Kent

 

[KC2LLW]

Thanks for the compliment Steve. Look on Ebay or other online sellers and you just maybe able to fins a brand new Mavic 2 Pro out there or try the DJI site to see if they have any Certified re-built models for sale there. Kent

Thanks Kent, I’ll take a look.
Steve

 

[Robert Prior]

Depends partly on what you need to do. From the specs the M2P has a better camera. I flew mine with an iPad Mini 4 before I got a Smart Controller, so the Mini 5 should work fine.

I prefer DJI Go 4 (for the M2P) over Fly (for the MA2S). Screen is easier to read and it has more functionality. YMMV, of course.

 

[Dave Maine]

Depends on the standards requirements of your customers.

 

[KC2LLW]

Depends partly on what you need to do. From the specs the M2P has a better camera. I flew mine with an iPad Mini 4 before I got a Smart Controller, so the Mini 5 should work fine.

I prefer DJI Go 4 (for the M2P) over Fly (for the MA2S). Screen is easier to read and it has more functionality. YMMV, of course.

Robert,
I will probably do mostly real estate photo's and video's not sure if the MA2S can handle it. I can get a new MA2S for the same price as a M2P used but like you said the M2P has a better camera, just a gamble when buying used.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[KC2LLW]

Depends on the standards requirements of your customers.

Yes true and I see a lot of jobs require M2P I have been lucky to gat a few jobs with my MA2.

 

[Robert Prior]

Yes true and I see a lot of jobs require M2P I have been lucky to gat a few jobs with my MA2.

What about them requires the M2P?

 

[CanadaDrone]

Hello All,
Thinking about a new MA2S or a used M2P. I currently have a MA2 but have started to do some drone jobs on the side and realized that the MA2 will not get me many missions. I have my 107 and looking for more Real estate and commercial construction drone jobs. I can’t afford a MA3 so I’m wondering which would be best a MA2S or the M2P? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Steve

Both the M2P and A2S use extremely similar 1" Sensors manufactured by Sony Semiconductor. For still images, you will probably notice zero difference between the two. Whatever RAW converter you use will make a much larger difference, for example. Since the M2P has an adjustable aperture, I would probably go that route. Also keep in mind that a 20MP 1" sensor begins to have it's image quality degraded beyond F4 due to diffraction, so if you are going for maximum image quality, you don't want to use too small of an aperture regardless.

 

[KC2LLW]

What about them requires the M2P?

The jobs that require the M2P or Phantom pro 4 is all about the 1" sensor being capable of producing a higher quality image versus the 1/2" sensor, and that is what most of the clients require.

 

[Robert Prior]

The jobs that require the M2P or Phantom pro 4 is all about the 1" sensor being capable of producing a higher quality image versus the 1/2" sensor, and that is what most of the clients require.

According to the spec the Air 2S has a 1" sensor.

DJI Air 2S - Specs - DJI

Check out DJI Air 2S specs for product features and detailed explanations. Integrated with a 1-inch camera sensor for up to 5.4K UHD video, 12km transmission range, and intelligent shooting modes like MasterShots, DJI Air 2S is an all-in-one film crew that records your adventures with ease.

www.dji.com

Variable aperture gives you more flexibility with the M2P, and you get waypoints which can make some shots much easier to get.

 

[CanadaDrone]

According to the spec the Air 2S has a 1" sensor.

DJI Air 2S - Specs - DJI

Check out DJI Air 2S specs for product features and detailed explanations. Integrated with a 1-inch camera sensor for up to 5.4K UHD video, 12km transmission range, and intelligent shooting modes like MasterShots, DJI Air 2S is an all-in-one film crew that records your adventures with ease.

www.dji.com

Variable aperture gives you more flexibility with the M2P, and you get waypoints which can make some shots much easier to get.

The Air 2 has a 1/2" sensor, the Air 2S has the 1" sensor - the above poster says he has an Air 2, so if his clients are requesting output from a 1" sensor or above, he would need a different drone (A2S, M2P, M3, P4P, etc.)

 

[Robert Prior]

The Air 2 has a 1/2" sensor, the Air 2S has the 1" sensor - the above poster says he has an Air 2, so if his clients are requesting output from a 1" sensor or above, he would need a different drone (A2S, M2P, M3, P4P, etc.)

Yes, but he was deciding between the Air 2S and Mavic 2 Pro. (I missed your post about identical sensors.) The M2P gets him variable aperture and waypoints.

OTOH, batteries may be harder to come by as the M2P is discontinued.

 

[KC2LLW]

Yes, but he was deciding between the Air 2S and Mavic 2 Pro. (I missed your post about identical sensors.) The M2P gets him variable aperture and waypoints.

OTOH, batteries may be harder to come by as the M2P is discontinued.

Yes this is what I am struggling with myself. I can get a new MA2s for $1200 (fly more combo) or a used M2P for about the same money and really not know the history of the used M2P. I know the M2P is a better overall drone and camera but if the MA2s can do the jobs I get in real estate then I may go with the MA2s only for the new vs used gamble.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[Robert Prior]

Yes this is what I am struggling with myself. I can get a new MA2s for $1200 (fly more combo) or a used M2P for about the same money and really not know the history of the used M2P. I know the M2P is a better overall drone and camera but if the MA2s can do the jobs I get in real estate then I may go with the MA2s only for the new vs used gamble.
Thanks,
Steve

I have an M2P I use for landscape photography. I find I rarely change the aperture. Strikes me that's more useful for video when you want to have some motion blur.

Wind resistance is something else to consider, depending on your location and the constraints of the contracts (ie. can you wait for a calmer day).

And how about remote ID, which I understand is coming sometime?

Depending on what shots you are trying to get, Insta360 has a camera that mounts on the MA2/2S that looks intriguing. Offering a 360° movie might be a selling point for you. Would work with your existing drone, too.

Insta360 Store: The Official Store for Insta360 Cameras, Accessories and Services

Insta360 is the world's leading maker of stablilized action cameras and 360-degree VR cameras. Popular products include ONE R, ONE X, GO, Pro 2, Titan, action sport camera accessories, enterprise solutions, trade-in deals for old action cams and more! Our mission is to help people capture and...

store.insta360.com

One more question: what is it that the contracts require that your MA2 can't deliver? Is it image pixel dimensions? Dynamic range? Something else?

I think if I was in your shoes my choice would be a new aircraft with a warranty. YMMV, of course.

 

[KC2LLW]

Robert,
All good points. I feel the 1” sensor on the MA2s would get me the jobs I’m being pasted on now with the MA2. I don’t think it’s anything other than clients prefer the 1” sensor as it is more a professional standard. I prefer new over used and am already using the fly app. I am concerned about remote ID and hope there will be aftermarket add ons to the MA2S and all drones out there. The Insta 360 is interesting. I guess I need a little more research but leaning towards the MA2S.
Thanks
Steve

 

[Robert Prior]

Robert,
All good points. I feel the 1” sensor on the MA2s would get me the jobs I’m being pasted on now with the MA2. I don’t think it’s anything other than clients prefer the 1” sensor as it is more a professional standard. I prefer new over used and am already using the fly app. I am concerned about remote ID and hope there will be aftermarket add ons to the MA2S and all drones out there. The Insta 360 is interesting. I guess I need a little more research but leaning towards the MA2S.
Thanks
Steve

Are clients insisting on a 1" sensor? That seems odd if you can get the images they require with a smaller one.

I shoot a lot of HDR and panoramic images (with a DSLR as well as my drones), and I don't think you could tell the difference between my full-frame camera and my APS-C camera just on the end product alone. The full frame sensor makes it easier for me to get the images I want, but the final product is the same.

Hell, I shoot JPEG not RAW with my M2P when shooting HDR, because the JPEG means less fiddling with RAW processing and the HDR gives me more dynamic range than a single-shot RAW does anyway…

 

[KC2LLW]

Robert,
The jobs I have received only required 12MP 4K 30fps I believe the M2P is 20MP maybe it's the 20 million pixels? I do think for real estate the photo's are fine from the MA2.
Steve