Help Selecting A Drone

[PhantomWetSuits]

Great to know.....I assumed that they were the same as it was listed as the P3-4K "Professional." I figured it was the P3 with the upgraded camera of the P4.......that makes my decision easier and sways me to the P4 side of the fence a little.

I can likely push through a new P4 but anything above the standard model will be really pushing it with the wife who thinks this is just a stupid man toy and a complete waste of money.

Keep in mind you can buy these on payments several place so they are easy to get now, The only way it will be a waste of money is if you crash it , and the phantom 4 besides having a more water resistant camera and some great sensors that should not be over looked as they have saved many from crashing there drone.

Im pushing for you to get the Phantom 4 pro as that is the best choice for the best flying experience and once your girl has settled the pro plus controller .
I think i remember a conversation with my girl as to why I had to pay $2400 to get the best of everything and it went something like this, I need to get the one that can recognize people and not fly into them, and
she said yeah , you better get that one. :}

Good luck
Phantomrain.org
Coal

 

[Gsxrgrizz]

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions....definitely a lot to think about.

A few of the things that are important to me would be the touch to fly to a specific point and the ability to track someone by touching the screen to name a few. I also like the anti collision sensors and the faster speeds.

As I've not even had the Mavic on my radar how does it stack up to the P4pro?

 

[DerbyPilot]

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions....definitely a lot to think about.

A few of the things that are important to me would be the touch to fly to a specific point and the ability to track someone by touching the screen to name a few. I also like the anti collision sensors and the faster speeds.

As I've not even had the Mavic on my radar how does it stack up to the P4pro?

I bought the Phantom 4 Pro last Spring. I did a ton of research before selecting it. It was the best fit for me because it has a 1" sensor in the camera, and I need that for a project. I am super pleased with my pick and have had no problems. I didn't get it as a toy but it is a blast to fly.

If I did not need the greater camera resolution offered in the Phantom 4 Pro, my pick would be the Mavic hands down. It is such a cool machine, and most people will never notice the camera differences between the two. They are close to identical in flight performance in terms of flight time and speed. I don't remember the range of the Mavic offhand.

When it comes to collision sensors I am glad I have them, but I am so careful I am not sure it would make that much difference. However, I did manage to do a little weed wacking on a tree.

The Mavic is cheaper. The batteries for the Phantom are about $189--$89 for the Mavic.

I don't have the need for a Mavic even though I have engaged in significant mental gymnastics in an attempt to justify the purchase--no luck so far.

It doesn't seem as if you have the photographic resolution needs to merit the Phantom 4 Pro. However, the Mavic is no slouch image wise. Lots of pros use the Mavic, and my guess is you will not notice the difference.

 

[KevinMason]

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions....definitely a lot to think about.

A few of the things that are important to me would be the touch to fly to a specific point and the ability to track someone by touching the screen to name a few. I also like the anti-collision sensors and the faster speeds.

As I've not even had the Mavic on my radar how does it stack up to the P4pro?

This is a good review of the DJI Mavic Pro vs Phantom 4 Pro, click here for the review. The review goes through just about everything you need to know, make sure to watch the 2 videos on that post.

This review made by Casey Niestat focuses more on the camera quality, click here for the review. The first Mavic Pro clip Casey shows turns out blurry I've never had that happen to me. Also according to this video at the end, Casey says his favorite drone is the Mavic Pro

A lot of people dislike the Mavic Pro because of the camera. The Phantom 4 Pro does have a better camera, but in my opinion, you can get professional shots on the Mavic Pro if you know what you're doing. Here's an example of someone who can do it, click here for the video. Here's a tutorial from the same person showing you how he got a cinematic look like that, click here for the video.

At the end of the day what convinced me to get the Mavic Pro is simply Portability and Accessory Costs. I wasn't worried about the camera quality because as shown above you can make the Mavic Pro footage look amazing. Portability you can fit the Mavic in your pocket it's insane how small it is. The Mavic Pro is honestly the perfect travel drone. Now Accessories I'm a firm believer of having multiple batteries, Phantom 4 series battery sells for $169, Mavic Pro battery sells for $89. I bought the Fly More Combo so I already have 3 batteries but if I decide on buying more it's almost half the price of the Phantom 4 battery. ND Filters are a lot cheaper for the Mavic, you can get 3 Mavic ND Filters for the price of one P4 filter (around $30). If you want to use a tablet that's no problem for the Mavic all you have to do is buy a tablet mount holder designed for the Mavic ($10-$20).

BTW: I was on Amazon and noticed DJI sells the Mavic Pro Fly More Combo for $1178 new and $957 used. Click Here

 

[Kevin McGill]

I'll probably get cried down on this forum, but from someone who bought a p4 when they first came out, get a Spark as I now have.
Phantoms are great machines but probably way more than you'll ever need as a beginner.
I'm having more fun and getting more use out of my Spark. Will save you a lot of money in the long run.

 

[Russ43Phantom]

I had a P3P and now have a P4P. If you don't need a 4K camera, I'd recommend a P3P.

When you first start flying, I'd recommend putting in many hours in an open field to gain expertise with flying manually before using the Intelligent Flight Modes. I'd also recommend reviewing all the FAA 107 certification training material even if you only intend to fly recreationally. I'd also review ALL Youtube videos on how pilot error can result in a crash. This is something I don't recommend learning experientially.

Much like driving a car, most people (including my children) don't learn defensive driving until their first fender bender. Flying drones is similar. Let that first (and hopefully ONLY) crash be with your "training wheel" cheap drone.

 

[Deleted member 1555]

My advice is to stay away from anything DJI.

 

[Mark J Colbert]

Over the past 33 years, I've purchased golf clubs - lots of golf clubs, but never at a WalMart, Coscto, or ToysRUs. I never wanted a substandard club to handicap my ability to play. The same thought process applied when I started shopping for drones.
Nothing is out of your league. In very little time, you will learn to fly - take incredible pictures, and have fun with any drone you buy. If you can afford a P4P, Mavik, or any other drone with those capabilities, do it - but pace yourself to be safe, smart, and don't attempt to run before you can walk.

 

[KevinMason]

I'll probably get cried down on this forum, but from someone who bought a p4 when they first came out, get a Spark as I now have.
Phantoms are great machines but probably way more than you'll ever need as a beginner.
I'm having more fun and getting more use out of my Spark. Will save you a lot of money in the long run.

I watched a video of a guy who took some Spark footage, denoised it, upscaled it to 4k, and did some amazing color corrections. I'm not going to lie it looked amazing, but it's a long process.

If anyone here plans on buying a Spark I would suggest getting the Fly More Combo so you can get the extra batteries, and the spark controller I believe that's a must.

 

[Macfawlty]

The P3 4k has been mixed for me. The flight range was meager (so I added the Itelite DBS... essential). Gotta have ND 16/32/64 filter kit to slow the shutter speed. 4k and the best camera you can get is CRITICAL! Anyone can easily see the major difference between 4k and 1080p regardless of screen resolution. The camera on the P3 4k is acceptable with good lighting, but when you edit the footage in post, the image breaks down. In photography I shoot RAW, so perhaps I'm a little more picky.

Flight range is a big deal as well. Even with the Itelite DBS mod on my P3, my range limit with clear view over a river is only a little more than 1/2 mile (2,750 ft/). Far from what's 'advertised', although I recognize pilots have gotten a lot more in the perfect situations.