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My adventures with the Mavic 2 Pro

Chasing Light & Shadows

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Just thought I'd start a thread for the videos I produce and if anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I'm no pro but have a fair bit of experience flying in close conditions with the original Mavic Pro and now the Mavic 2 Pro.

The first video was shot on a trip to the lake district, my nd filters hadn't arrived so didn't really spend much time flying the drone, it was mostly a photography trip.


This second video was shot yesterday using the polar pro 16-4 graduated nd filter and manual POI.


This one was with the original Mavic Pro, loved how stable it was in tight spaces but the camera just wasn't up to much in low light. Need to fly this one again with the new drone although it doesn't stop on a dime the way the original Mavic did and kind of overcompensates a bit unpredictably.

 
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CL&S: The tree POI is outstanding! Now I am really anxious to try out my PP gradients if the weather will ever cooperate.

KB

I've just updated the tree POI with the full version of the video, you can get a better perspective of how well the filters work as in this version the flight carries on above the trees. I flew for another few minutes like this but the video would be way too boring!
 
CL&S: I just love that clip and especially the way the sun shines through the tree as the camera pans around. Simply gorgeous and ditto for the countryside.

That scene was made for gradient ND filters for sure but even with the 16-4, you have some overexposure and I'm wondering if a 32 gradient would have been even better? Clearly, the M2P has created a whole new cinematography learning curve for us. :)

Unfortunately, the weather here in South Texas has not be conducive to flying for over a week and it doesn't look like that will improve until Friday. So, I HOPE to get out soon and test my PP gradients and thanks for getting my juices flowing regarding them. :)

KB
 
It's a fine line and especially in this case with the sun going down rapidly. The thing with this scene is it starts off partly in the shadows and then into back light and then into front light. The 32-8 would have been too dark as the shadows are already a bit too crushed, personally I prefer a blown out sky than crushed shadows.
Still, I think the sensor did a great job and certainly miles ahead of what the original mavic would have achieved. Glad I bought the nd grads and have the polarizers arriving tomorrow in time for my next trip up to the Lakes at the weekend.

Hopefully your weather will improve!
 
A short clip from our visit to the English Lake District earlier this week. The light was fading after a 12km hike over Catbells and back down through Newlands Valley. Decided to get the drone out one last time and fly backwards away from the sun and avoiding as much of the dreaded green lens flare as possible.


Avoidance sensors where deactivated due to low light, the map was grey due to no internet and not staying pre-loaded from the previous flight. The perfect recipe for what happened next.

So... a few short moments after this video ended the drone hit some bracken 300m up the side of Rowling End near Causey Pike. After a short tumble the bird was down.

It was dark by the time I'd reached the bottom of Rowling End and had planned the rescue... route to crash site, backup route to crash site, route out of crash site, backup route out of crash site, head torch, map, compass, food, water, redbull, gloves, hat, rain jacket, first aid kit, portable phone charger and lastly the drone remote. My friend Charlotte had the GPS coordinates just in case I didn't come back (her idea!).

After half an hour of heading upwards through patches of dead bracken and heather, some short scrambles over loose rock, curious glowing eyes (sheep) the yellow flashing LEDs of the drone were a welcome sight. The rescue was a complete success, the only damage was to the tips of one set of props and one of the clips where the prop connects to the motor had broken off. Everything was checked over and fixed the next morning, the drone ready to fly another day :)
 
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