Mavic 2 Pro Can its camera zoom?

[RickAung]

Hi,
As a newbie can anyone tell me please if I can zoom in with the camera on the above model? I've tried looking in the manual. Perhaps the zooming ability is restricted the zoom model and I just have to move the drone instead? Thanks, fellow pilots

 

[Drbobk]

The Pro has a fixed focal length camera, that is, no zoom. The camera itself is supposed to be better than the Mavic 2 Zoom’s camera, so you have to decide which is more important - zoom capability or image quality (not that the quality is bad on the zoom, but the Pro camera has a larger sensor, etc.).

 

[RickAung]

Thanks that what I thought. I went for the better camera so I'll just move the Mavic

 

[Idrach]

You do have the options of HQ versus Full FOV on video (on the 2 Pro) - HQ uses the central 4k on the sensor and gives you a 55 degree field of view, Full FOV downsamples across the whole 5.5k sensor giving you a 75 degree field of view. It's not much of a zoom but if you really need some ...

 

[WobblingWillie]

You do have the options of HQ versus Full FOV on video (on the 2 Pro) - HQ uses the central 4k on the sensor and gives you a 55 degree field of view, Full FOV downsamples across the whole 5.5k sensor giving you a 75 degree field of view. It's not much of a zoom but if you really need some ...

Yes, I've read that it is the equivalent of a 1.4X zoom.

 

[Drbobk]

But it’s not a zoom, even if you can fake two different focal lengths. It’s nothing more than in camera cropping, or the often maligned digital zoom, not optical.

 

[CanadaDrone]

Assuming we're talking about video, if you use 4K HQ it gives you the equivalent of a 40mm lens compared to the 28mm lens equivalent you get in FOV mode. It's about a ~1.43x 'zoom'. There is no loss in quality whatsoever - in fact the HQ "zoomed" mode is better than FOV because it uses a 1:1 pixel readout. Because 4K video only requires a portion of the 1" 20MP sensor (~5.5K), you have some flexibility there.

For still images, there is no way to zoom optically, your options are either to crop or fly the drone closer which usually is a non-issue.

 

[LTravieso]

Yes you can by bringing the drone in or out

 

[David Metcalf]

Not a fan of approaching buildings too closely. Besides normal drifting on GPS, wind variations can push the drone into buildings structure too suddenly for me to react. Church roofs and steeples are the bane of my days work.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Not a fan of approaching buildings too closely. Besides normal drifting on GPS, wind variations can push the drone into buildings structure too suddenly for me to react. Church roofs and steeples are the bane of my days work.

Close inspection? Use PGYTECH prop guards. Most people sneer at anyone using them, but if you're close enough to a built structure for turbulence or propwash to drag you in for a terminal close-up: propguards will make the difference between a drone that can still be flown and a twisted pile of junk. They have been part of my hazard mitigation policy for over three years.

 

[David Metcalf]

(sigh) OK then! I'll consider that as belt (stay back) and suspender (prop guards) approach. Given the money invested good extra security.

 

[justcruisin]

No

 

[AMann]

Best zoom lens is a pair of legs… or in this case a lower altitude!