terrible video quality with phantom 4

dave perry · Apr 30, 2016

martybabe said:
I shall be contacting them next week too, I haven't got a scrap of footage worth keeping since I got the P4. In direct comparison to my P3s footage it fails miserably. I've tried everything in settings/ post, everything. I hope the NZ agents are accommodating because I have a $2700 drone that I won't be using anymore.

Yeah, there's definitely something odd going on...had you done the firmware upgrade?

martybabe · Apr 30, 2016

dave perry said:
Yeah, there's definitely something odd going on...had you done the firmware upgrade?

Did the upgrade straight out the box Dave, so I've no idea if would have been better beforehand. Truth is, I've been kidding myself, sure I would find the right combination of settings or post production to get some quality video but it's never going to happen.

My P2 with gopro 4, p3 standard, and even my $100 hand-held camera all take better video than this with auto settings and zero post production. Totally gutted.

dave perry · Apr 30, 2016

martybabe said:
Did the upgrade straight out the box Dave, so I've no idea if would have been better beforehand. Truth is, I've been kidding myself, sure I would find the right combination of settings or post production to get some quality video but it's never going to happen.

My P2 with gopro 4, p3 standard, and even my $100 hand-held camera all take better video than this with auto settings and zero post production. Totally gutted.

have to say that Jeff from photogear was very good. ..rang this afternoon to say there was something not right so good on them for following up the problem quicly

martybabe said:
Did the upgrade straight out the box Dave, so I've no idea if would have been better beforehand. Truth is, I've been kidding myself, sure I would find the right combination of settings or post production to get some quality video but it's never going to happen.

My P2 with gopro 4, p3 standard, and even my $100 hand-held camera all take better video than this with auto settings and zero post production. Totally gutted.

dave perry · Apr 30, 2016

My problem was I'd never used one before so had nothing to compare it to, just knew something wasn't right. The guys from photogear in Auckland have been excellent in getting to the bottom of it and then offering me a solution.

peterepeat69 · Apr 30, 2016

martybabe said:
I shall be contacting them next week too, I haven't got a scrap of footage worth keeping since I got the P4. In direct comparison to my P3s footage it fails miserably. I've tried everything in settings/ post, everything. I hope the NZ agents are accommodating because I have a $2700 drone that I won't be using anymore.

Sounds like an awful batch of p4s were released from the factory, hope you get your money back

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

martybabe · Apr 30, 2016

peterepeat69 said:
Sounds like an awful batch of p4s were released from the factory, hope you get your money back

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

Thanks mate, I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to the P4 but if they Offer me my money back and that's a big If, I will certainly take it .

dave perry · Apr 30, 2016

The frustrating thing is you waste so much time testing and analysing the footage all the while going quietly insane!!!

peterepeat69 · Apr 30, 2016

dave perry said:
The frustrating thing is you waste so much time testing and analysing the footage all the while going quietly insane!!!

The answer is simple, if the p4 was right in the first place you wouldn't have to go insane, I knew from the outset my p3a had the right quality Images, so insanity didn't play a part at all, but when I saw smudgy p4 images I started to understand the insanity, so much money spent, double what I spent on a machine that produces ridiculous low quality images. I've always said it and I'll say it again, Chinese companies always cut corners when it comes to quality, and when they sell newer devices they drop the quality to save money. I've seen it time and time again, they need an American company like apple to control their quality standards, that's a fact.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

aaronrivera · Apr 30, 2016

But apple products r made in china.. By chinese ppl... So? I duno man. Go buy 3d robotics or something

peterepeat69 · Apr 30, 2016

aaronrivera said:
But apple products r made in china.. By chinese ppl... So? I duno man. Go buy 3d robotics or something

Yes but apple products are quality controlled by apple America, so I do know man.

Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots mobile app

spaceweasel · Apr 30, 2016

dave perry said:
I've just bought my Phantom 4 and am pretty shocked by the video quality, especially in d-log where trees and bushes have no detail at all. .

Don't worry. This will be quickly followed by the Phantom IV version 2.

ChrisInbeer · May 1, 2016

dave perry said:
I've been doing all my viewing off the card. I think I've got myself into a bit of trouble here.....Here's a link to something I did the other day in 1080p...can other users of the p4 confirm that's what the quality is supposed to be like...it's a pro res 422 file
Dropbox - DJI_0021.MOV

ChrisInbeer · May 1, 2016

dave perry said:
I've been doing all my viewing off the card. I think I've got myself into a bit of trouble here.....Here's a link to something I did the other day in 1080p...can other users of the p4 confirm that's what the quality is supposed to be like...it's a pro res 422 file
Dropbox - DJI_0021.MOV

Hi Dave.
I've just viewed your material and it looks about right for 1080 P.
I shoot in 4K all the time and in Dlog. After adjusting the video in Premiere Pro CC. I get what I think as great quality material. Obviously it's not the same as Cinema 4K shot in Dlog L on my Panasonic GH4 camera but that's to be expected. I'm happy with what DJI are producing and hopefully they will come up with a better quality camera in the near future. I'm a quality nut having worked my way up from Nikon F, F2, F3. Leica M4, Hasselblads etc. Best of luck. Chris. Chrismartin.zenfolio.com

aaronrivera · May 1, 2016

So i did my tests. Wen u record in 1080p data rate is only 25mbps. When 4k it goes to 60mbps. I wish it could record at 60mbps at 1080p to achieve the best detail. But i guess not. Im also hoping its my card.

AeroVisionz · May 1, 2016

I hope you don't take this question in the wrong way but did you remove the little plastic protective film off the lens when you unboxed your drone?

dave perry · May 1, 2016

pixelAIR said:
I hope you don't take this question in the wrong way but did you remove the little plastic protective film off the lens when you unboxed your drone?

No offense taken...I did take off

dave perry · May 1, 2016

aaronrivera said:
So i did my tests. Wen u record in 1080p data rate is only 25mbps. When 4k it goes to 60mbps. I wish it could record at 60mbps at 1080p to achieve the best detail. But i guess not. Im also hoping its my card.

The people I bought it off agree somethings not right so I'm taking it back..unfortunately the examples I posted don't show up the blurry detail less tree effect as well...in dlog that effect is especially pronounced.

David Cooke · May 1, 2016

I shoot only in 1080 and 720 at 30fps with good results . . check one I uploaded here just yesterday . . "The3Blues" [WIKI]http://www.inskyphoto.com/gallery.html[/WIKI]
Have tried 4K at 30fps and got huge files with no better visual clarity really. . not so most people would notice with the "MARKONE eyeball"

bigstalks · May 1, 2016

Shot in 4k downgraded to 1080p for YouTube.

KevMo Photog · May 1, 2016

bigstalks said:
Shot in 4k downgraded to 1080p for YouTube.

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Cool footage man. Saw the other phantom flying below at the end of your vid.