VIdeo settings / quality

[Phil H]

Greetings all.

My Air doesn't come out much so I have not had the chance to simply experiment with settings. I have noticed however a considerable difference in video quality when footage taken approaching a subject head-on is compared with that taken when the drone is turned 90 degrees and travels across the subject on the same day and in the same light conditions.
I am careful not to use excessive speed of travel but am otherwise befuddled and wonder if someone can please offer some assistance? I have to confess that I think that the unit is on auto settings.

Many thanks

 

[Don Wiley]

My suggestion is to maintain video recording at the highest frame rate and resolution possible as a starter. You can always lower the resolution and frame rate in post-production but you can't raise them. Lighting is of course an issue in most respects, try minimizing the amount of sky in your image as the camera will average the lighting in between the darker ground and lighter sky giving neither good exposures. Auto White Balance should also avoided whenever possible, manually set this every flight to get the best picture.

Flying sideways is always a problem with digital imaging, the compression algorithms rely basicly on only updating what has changed. Moving sideways the % change becomes huge and the software has to start making sacrifices, quality degrades. Try flying at 30-45 degrees off the direction of travel instead of 90 degrees, or even 135-150 degrees (basically the same shot almost flying backwards) for much better shots. flying sideways is like looking straight out of a car side window, too much flying by too quickly.

 

[Phil H]

My suggestion is to maintain video recording at the highest frame rate and resolution possible as a starter. You can always lower the resolution and frame rate in post-production but you can't raise them. Lighting is of course an issue in most respects, try minimizing the amount of sky in your image as the camera will average the lighting in between the darker ground and lighter sky giving neither good exposures. Auto White Balance should also avoided whenever possible, manually set this every flight to get the best picture.

Flying sideways is always a problem with digital imaging, the compression algorithms rely basicly on only updating what has changed. Moving sideways the % change becomes huge and the software has to start making sacrifices, quality degrades. Try flying at 30-45 degrees off the direction of travel instead of 90 degrees, or even 135-150 degrees (basically the same shot almost flying backwards) for much better shots. flying sideways is like looking straight out of a car side window, too much flying by too quickly.

Many thanks for that Don, I understand the principle but wondered whether the issue can be reduced in settings?

 

[theDRONEranger]

If one wishes to really maximize the photo/video quality one should learn the different settings and purpose of the adjustments available. This includes the use of ND filters as well. Experiment with different settings on differing weather days to help you determine which combination of settings would be best for you. Speed, ISO, FPS, WB, filters, etc. Learn them and use them to the best of your ability. Those settings are adjustable for a reason.

 

[Maskuleva]

My filming experience is that if you are filming in 4K/25 fps you on a fixed subject will have a sharp picture but if the subject is moving you will have better picture quality with 1080/50 fps.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

My filming experience is that if you are filming in 4K/25 fps you on a fixed subject will have a sharp picture but if the subject is moving you will have better picture quality with 1080/50 fps.

If you are willing to go down to 1080, you can push the frame rate as far up as 120 fps. For a fast moving subject, that would be the setting I would use. Plus, you can make great slow-mos out of that; like this one (not my video).

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[theDRONEranger]

Human eye normally works in the 30fps range, so going below would possibly result in blurred playback, but absolutely at least double or triple the fps for slo-mo playback. Depends on the action of the scene. Try not to use on long shots but rather on shorter scenes. If it is too long of a slow motion scene, the audience could loose interest. Better, if possible, to capture from differing angles, to include lead in and exit, and intermix the shots. This is a great excuse to get even more drones and have the family involved as well. Wink wink! Beats having to repeat the event excessively just to get a differing views.

 

[Phil H]

Many thanks for taking the time to respond folks, I must 'play' a little more with the thing, I think that part of the problem is the old not knowing what I don't know scenario.
How do folk cope with the sending up a drone to determine whether NDs are required - or what ND is required - to then make that adjustment and still have time to fly?
Do you use a pre-flight flight battery and then swap when you have the correct ND on?