Photojournalist in Brazilian Amazon, which drone for great raw files ?

[Alessandro Falco]

Hi all, and congratulations to this great community I'm studying since few days.
My name is Alessandro Falco and I'm an italian photojournalist and documentary photographer.
My work is collected on: www.alessandrofalco.com
I recently moved to Belem do Pará, Brazilian Amazon, to start working on environmental and social issues affecting these areas.
I've no experience with drones, I just flight once during a wedding and it was good, and I was not supposing to start using one professional one day.
My clients are quite exigent on photo quality and I suppose that a drone may also give me opportunity to sell video from rainforest also.
My idea is to buy one but imported products are limited here and cost a bit of money so I'm struggling to decide which drone may help me.
Mavic pro 2 versions are crazily expensive here except for one piece of the ZOOM version who's available in my city for a bit more than 2000 Euros.
Of course as a photographer I would go for the 2 PRO but it's not an option buying new here.
I was interested on the Mavic AIR because its portability would not affect my already big equipment, but I can't find info about RAW files with it.
My work requires I travel with the drone for days, backpacking it even when not using because of large distances.
Other two choices are the PRO 1 (same price of air) and the SPARK for half the price.

I need professional results, RAW files and a good resolution with no video editing.

Approx files here:
PRO 2 ZOOM = 2100 euro
PRO or AIR = around 1000 euro
SPARK = around 600 euro

Anyone could help me clarify my choice ?

I add few photos I took of illegal gold mines with a DSLR while flying over rainforest. I would like a similar resolution with proper editing.

Thanks a lot!

 

[brett8883]

Hi all, and congratulations to this great community I'm studying since few days.
My name is Alessandro Falco and I'm an italian photojournalist and documentary photographer.
My work is collected on: www.alessandrofalco.com
I recently moved to Belem do Pará, Brazilian Amazon, to start working on environmental and social issues affecting these areas.
I've no experience with drones, I just flight once during a wedding and it was good, and I was not supposing to start using one professional one day.
My clients are quite exigent on photo quality and I suppose that a drone may also give me opportunity to sell video from rainforest also.
My idea is to buy one but imported products are limited here and cost a bit of money so I'm struggling to decide which drone may help me.
Mavic pro 2 versions are crazily expensive here except for one piece of the ZOOM version who's available in my city for a bit more than 2000 Euros.
Of course as a photographer I would go for the 2 PRO but it's not an option buying new here.
I was interested on the Mavic AIR because its portability would not affect my already big equipment, but I can't find info about RAW files with it.
My work requires I travel with the drone for days, backpacking it even when not using because of large distances.
Other two choices are the PRO 1 (same price of air) and the SPARK for half the price.

I need professional results, RAW files and a good resolution with no video editing.

Approx files here:
PRO 2 ZOOM = 2100 euro
PRO or AIR = around 1000 euro
SPARK = around 600 euro

Anyone could help me clarify my choice ?

I add few photos I took of illegal gold mines with a DSLR while flying over rainforest. I would like a similar resolution with proper editing.

Thanks a lot!

Welcome to the forum! I think photo quality wise all there of those use similar 1/2.3” CMOS sensors so you will get approximately the same resolution on all of them. None of them have an adjustable aperture though so as a photographer you’ll know that limits your control over the photo.

The spark has substantially lower flight time than the others and isn’t as powerful to navigate windy sky’s and I would put it in the “toy category” though like the coolest highest quality toy ever.

The difference between the Mavic Air and the other two is gonna be range. The Mavic Air is really good for shots that are nearby but you won’t have the same kind of ability or confidence at least to have it go off on its own while you sit in your car. It also has a fixed focus so you won’t be able to get certain shots where the foreground is out of focus but the background is in focus. It is smaller and more portable than the Pro and the Zoom but it’s also a lot noisier. This may not sound like a big deal now but if your subjects are distracted by this colossal mutant bee angrily buzzing at them then it can be an issue. It will also attract more attention.

The Mavic Pro and Mavic Zoom are built on the same airframe so they are the same size though the Zoom is a bit heavier. Both handle similarly and can take extraordinary wind and turbulence. They have a long battery life and their remote controllers use a more reliable and stronger radio system then the Mavic Air and Spark which allows then to fly a couple miles under less then ideal circumstances and servers miles under the best circumstances. This is something invaluable that specs can’t tell you about. Having that range and confidence in the range can be the difference between getting the shot and not getting the shot. They both have adjustable focus as well.

The Mavic Zoom of course has a 24-48mm telephoto lens which can aid in getting that higher resolution you want since you wouldn’t have to crop as much. It’s also smarter and has more modes and features, slightly longer flight time and a bit quieter but besides the zoom lens the actual photo quality is the same with the pro and zoom.

If you can afford the zoom get the zoom and the Mavic 2 Pro is really closer to a bonfide SLR quality.

 

[PortCanaveralFlorida]

[QUOTE="
My work is collected on: www.alessandrofalco.com [/QUOTE]

Dig the (An indigenous leader speaks to the chamber of deputies of brasilia during a plenary session) Being in headdress and what looks like office space was a cool shot!

 

[THE CYBORG]

My opinion differs from brett8883 I would go the 2 pro over the zoom for quality, the only benefit of the zoom is some fancy effects in video.
I could be wrong so stand to be corrected if I am
You can get great RAW files with the Mavic Pro 1 but if you aren't going to edit them you may as well use JPEG or am I missing something.

 

[Meta4]

I need professional results, RAW files and a good resolution with no video editing.
I add few photos I took of illegal gold mines with a DSLR ... I would like a similar resolution with proper editing.

If you want photo quality and resolution, the choice is clear.
The Mavic 2 pro is the only one that will give you what you are asking for.
The others have tiny sensors, 12MP resolution and no aperture.