#Review: Flying DJI’s New Mavic Mini Portable Drone

[awpro]

Buy Drones and Action Cameras Online

At AWPRO, we understand the thrill of capturing stunning aerial footage and adventurous moments through drones and action cameras. Whether you're a professional filmmaker, an avid traveler, or a recreational enthusiast, finding the right equipment is essential. This guide will explore the best options for buying drones and action cameras online, focusing on popular models, pricing, and where to find them.

Why Choose Drones?

Drones have transformed the way we capture images and videos. They offer unique perspectives that traditional cameras simply cannot achieve. Here are some key benefits of using drones:

Aerial Photography: Capture breathtaking landscapes and events from above.

Versatile Applications: Ideal for agriculture, real estate, and environmental monitoring.

Recreational Fun: Enjoy flying and exploring new areas from a bird's-eye view.

Popular Drone Models Available at AWPRO

DJI Mini 4 Pro

Features: 4K HDR camera, 34 minutes flight time, ultra-lightweight design.

Price: Approximately AED 3,800.

Why Buy: Perfect for beginners and professionals alike due to its portability and advanced features.

DJI Mavic 3

Features: Hasselblad camera system, up to 46 minutes flight time.

Price: Around AED 8,300.

Why Buy: Exceptional image quality and long battery life make it ideal for serious filmmakers.

DJI Neo Fly More Combo Drone

Features: Dual camera setup, foldable design.

Price: AED 1400.

Why Buy: A budget-friendly option for casual users.

The Rise of Action Cameras

Action cameras are compact devices designed to capture high-quality video in extreme conditions. They are perfect for:

Sports Enthusiasts: Record your adventures while skiing, surfing, or biking.

Travel Vloggers: Lightweight and easy to carry for capturing every moment on the go.

Underwater Filming: Many models are waterproof, making them ideal for marine activities.

Top Action Cameras Available at AWPRO

GoPro HERO13 Black

Features: 5.3K video resolution, advanced stabilization technology.

Price: AED 1200.

Why Buy: Renowned for its durability and exceptional image quality.

GoPro Max 360

Features: Dual-screen design with impressive stabilization.

Price: AED 2,000.

Why Buy: Offers great performance straight out of the box with minimal setup.

INSTA360 X4

Features: 360-degree recording capability.

Price: AED 1,800.

Why Buy: Ideal for creating immersive content with its unique shooting capabilities.

AWPRO Online Store

At AWPRO, we offer a curated selection of drones and action cameras from top brands like DJI, GoPro, and Insta360. Our user-friendly website allows you to browse products easily, compare prices, and read customer reviews before making your purchase.

Tips for Buying Drones and Action Cameras Online

Read Customer Reviews: Gain insights into product performance from other users.

Check Return Policies: Understand the return process in case the product doesn't meet your expectations.

Conclusion

Buying drones and action cameras online has never been easier with platforms like AWPRO providing a comprehensive selection of high-quality products. Whether you’re looking for a top-of-the-line drone or an affordable action camera, our guide will help you make informed decisions that enhance your photography and videography experiences.

[mavdrones]

What Is The Best Drone For Vloggers?

If you're a vlogger looking to elevate your content, you’ve probably considered adding a drone to your toolkit. Drones have revolutionized how creators capture footage, allowing for breathtaking aerial shots that add a new dimension to videos. But with so many options on the market, it can be tough to know which drone best fits your needs. Let me introduce you to the DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO, a drone that’s not just great—it’s the best option for vloggers.

Why Is The DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO Perfect For Vloggers

The DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO stands out in a crowded market due to its combination of portability, advanced features, and exceptional performance. Whether you’re a travel vlogger, a tech reviewer, or someone who loves capturing everyday adventures, this drone is designed to make your life easier while delivering stunning results.

1. Compact and Lightweight Design

One of the biggest advantages of the MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is its ultra-compact size and lightweight design. Weighing less than 249 grams, it’s small enough to fit in your bag, making it incredibly portable. This is a huge plus for vloggers who are always on the move, as it doesn’t add much weight to your gear and is easy to carry around. Plus, drones under 250 grams in many countries don’t require registration, meaning less hassle for you.

2. High-Quality Camera

At the heart of any vlogger’s needs is a high-quality camera, and the MAVIC MINI 3 PRO delivers in spades. It’s equipped with a 1/1.3-inch sensor that can shoot 4K HDR video at 60 fps. This ensures your footage is crystal clear, vibrant, and professional-looking, even in challenging lighting conditions. The camera also supports 48MP stills, so you can capture stunning photos that are perfect for your thumbnails or Instagram feed.

3. Cinematic Shots Made Easy

The MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is packed with features that make capturing cinematic shots a breeze, even if you’re not a drone expert. With its three-directional obstacle sensing, the drone can avoid obstacles in its path. This gives you peace of mind while flying in tricky environments. Additionally, features like FocusTrack, QuickShots, and MasterShots allow you to create dynamic, complex shots with just a few taps. Whether you want a smooth tracking shot or an epic reveal, the MAVIC MINI 3 PRO has got you covered.

4. Longer Flight Time

Battery life is a crucial factor for vloggers, especially when you’re out in the field. The MAVIC MINI 3 PRO offers an impressive flight time of up to 34 minutes on a single charge. This means more time to capture the perfect shot without having to constantly worry about running out of battery. If you’re working on a longer shoot, you can always carry extra batteries to extend your filming time.

5. User-Friendly Interface

DJI is known for its intuitive, user-friendly apps, and the MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is no exception. The DJI Fly app is easy to navigate, even for beginners, and offers a range of intelligent features that help you get the most out of your drone. From automated flight paths to easy video editing tools, the app simplifies the entire process. This enables you to focus more on your creativity.

6. Versatile and Adaptable

Whether you’re filming a travel vlog in a bustling city or capturing serene landscapes in nature, the MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is versatile enough to handle various scenarios. It possesses an adjustable aperture, intelligent exposure settings, and various shooting modes. This allows you to adapt to different environments, ensuring that your footage looks professional no matter where you are.

What Makes The DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO The Best Option Available For Vloggers?

Here are the key reasons why the DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is the top choice for vloggers:

Portability: Lightweight and compact, making it easy to carry and ideal for travel.

Camera Quality: Shoots 4K HDR video at 60fps and 48MP photos, ensuring high-quality footage.

Obstacle Avoidance: Three-directional obstacle sensing for safer flights, even in challenging environments.

Cinematic Features: Intelligent modes like FocusTrack, QuickShots, and MasterShots for easy, professional-looking shots.

Battery Life: Up to 34 minutes of flight time, giving you more time to capture content.

User-Friendly App: The DJI Fly app offers an intuitive interface and intelligent features, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users.

Versatility: Adaptable to different shooting conditions, from urban landscapes to natural scenery.

In conclusion, if you're a vlogger looking to take your content to the next level, the DJI MAVIC MINI 3 PRO is the drone for you. Its blend of portability, camera quality, intelligent features, and user-friendly interface makes it an invaluable tool for capturing stunning aerial footage. With this drone, you'll not only enhance your videos but also enjoy the process of creating them. Happy vlogging!

[componentplanet]

Review: Flying DJI’s New Mavic Mini Portable Drone

DJI’s Mavic line of drones has quickly dominated the market for prosumer drones. With the Mavic 2 series, DJI pushed its capabilities even closer to those offered by larger and more expensive drones. Now, with the Mavic Mini ($399) DJI is pushing the envelope in the other direction, with a remarkably small and light, but still capable, model. We got one of the first production units in house and have been flying it in various locations. As you’d expect from an entry-level product, there are tradeoffs. But for the most part, it is an impressive offering for the price.

DJI Mavic Mini by the Numbers

The headline number for the Mavic Mini is its weight. At 249 grams (8.8 ounces), it is one of the first capable drones that is light enough to skate under the FAA registration requirement that starts at 250 grams. While that doesn’t remove the need for commercial operators to follow all the rules, hobbyists can fly one without bothering to register it (which costs $5 and is starting to require a small safety test) — although air space regulations still apply. The Mini is also about the same size is the diminutive DJI Spark when its rotors are extended, but unlike the Spark, it can fold even smaller. Also unlike the Spark, it features a full-on 3-axis motorized gimbal.

The Mini’s camera isn’t quite as capable as the one in the Mavic Pro and Zoom models. The 12MP 1/2.3-inch sensor will shoot 2.7K video at 30fps (and 1080p at 60fps), but can’t capture 4K video. The controller is also stripped down, with the LCD and the USB-A port removed and featuring fewer controls. DJI also claims realtime video can be transmitted to the controller at something over two miles — with the usual caveat that in the US, for example, you are supposed to keep your drone within sight.

Using DJI’s New Fly Mobile App

Along with the Mini comes yet another DJI app, DJI Fly. (I really wish the company would somehow sort out its app strategy, as remembering which of DJI’s many apps goes with each of its different devices is painful.) Fly is a simplified version of the DJI Go app used to fly the company’s other drones. The interface and menu systems have been re-designed to be more intuitive — although of course, it comes with a learning curve if you’re used to the current interface. There is also a helpful new direction-and-orientation indicator at the bottom of the display.

Fly comes with a bunch of integrated help for flight modes. That’s a mixed blessing. Several times I had a tutorial video pop up while I was flying, and hitting the back button brought me to a scary “Unable to take off right now, firmware update required” screen while my drone was a few hundred feet up in the air! Clicking around brought back the flight interface, but particularly with the lack of an LCD on the remote, I want the app interface to be rock-solid reliable.

Like DJI’s Go app, Fly offers some pre-programmed cinematic maneuvers for the Mini. They include Dronie, Circle (Orbit), Rocket, and Helix — not as rich a set as those available with the Pro and 2 Pro, but certainly a nice way to get started. Those can be combined with creative templates within the app itself, so if you don’t need too much editing or post-processing, you can create and share a complete video-based composition right from your phone after flying.

Shooting Images and Video With the Mavic Mini

At first, I was quite disappointed that the Mavic Mini doesn’t support either shooting in RAW or 4K video, and it doesn’t include any high-end video capture formats like D-Log or D-Cine. After shooting with it for a while, though, I was impressed enough with the JPEG and video output that I don’t think most users will mind being restricted to those options. At 2.7K (the maximum resolution) noise is lower than when shooting at 4K on the more expensive Mavic Pro, for example. Color and contrast are also excellent. DJI has clearly done a lot of work on its image processing pipeline.

DJI Mavic Mini test images, photos by David Cardinal. Resized for the web.

Since the image above has been resized, it is hard to get a sense of the detail, so here is a full-resolution crop from it:

Full-resolution crop from the DJI Mavic Mini sample image

So those looking for the best possible quality, and willing to do the post-processing work, will still miss the added flexibility of RAW and D-Log, but will gain a much more streamlined workflow. For example, a 2.7K video imported into Adobe’s Premiere Rush can be cut, captioned, and exported in record time on a good desktop or laptop. For most applications, it won’t even need any color correction.

Comparing a Mini with a Mavic Pro

The basic flight dynamics are quite similar between the Mavic Pro, Mavic 2 Pro, and the Mini. I found it a little harder to manually achieve smooth panning and flight maneuvers with the Mini’s remote, but I suspect I could adapt to that over time. What I missed most was the LCD on the Pro model remotes. It’s too easy for something to go wrong with the phone, app, or connection between the two for me to want to rely solely on the app to fly.

I also miss the full-size USB-A port on the remote. I find DJI’s small, proprietary USB cables difficult to use, and they don’t work at all if you’re flying with a tablet. So I always use a regular USB cable plugged into the USB-A port with my Mavic Pro drones. As far as image capture, you lose a lot of the flexibility of the Mavic Pro. There doesn’t seem to be an option to shoot RAW photos or D-Log video, or even perform pre-programmed 360-degree panoramas. I don’t know if any of those features will be added as the Fly app evolves, but for now, they make the Mini more suited to a casual user than anyone who needs to go a little deeper.

Another unresolved issue is that currently the Mavic Mini is not supported by DJI’s SDK (Software Development Kit). That means that powerful and popular third-party apps like Litchi — that allows sophisticated pre-planned routes and other custom capabilities — don’t work with the Mini. DJI hasn’t said if it intends to change that. If it doesn’t, then those who want the smallest possible drone with the most functionality may have to stick with the Spark.

Is the Mavic Mini the Right Drone For You?

If you want an inexpensive, easy to transport, drone with a very good gimbal and quality camera, the Mavic Mini is a compelling choice. There are plenty of less expensive drones, but they are mostly toys compared with the Mini. And moving up to a more capable version like the Mavic Pro doubles the price and increases the size. However, currently photo, video, and application options are very limited for the Mini, so anyone who wants to capture the best possible images and video from a small drone will need to move up to the Mavic Pro Platinum ($1,149) — or of course the somewhat more expensive 2 Pro ($1,729) or 2 Zoom ($1,429). And if you’re not hooked on DJI, but want 4K video in a small package, Parrot’s ANAFI 4K drone ($699) is also an affordable option.

[Image credit: David Cardinal]

Now Read:

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Field-Tested: A Winning Upgrade

How to Create Amazing Videos With Your Drone

Hands On With the Parrot Anafi Portable Drone: Can It Unseat DJI’s Mavic?

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/301782-dji-mavic-mini-portable-drone-review from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/12/review-flying-djis-new-mavic-mini.html

[techfc3]

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[bestsoftblog]

10 Best Drone for Teenager for 2020

Are you looking for the best drone for teenager based on ease of use, video and image quality, and durability, design and super longer flight time?

Many of these drones are excellent for teenagers and those kids learning how to fly a drone.

Best Drone for Teenager

If you’re in a hurry and don’t want to read thousands of customer’s reviews on Amazon, Wal-Mart, BestBuy, eBay, etc. I’ve you covered already. I have read through hundreds of reviews for each drone to come up with what is the “Best”.

Here are my top picks and recommendation for the best drones for teenagers that you can purchase right now or later today.

Holy Stone HS100G Drone with 1080p FHD Camera 5G FPV Live Video and GPS Return Home Function RC Quadcopter for Beginners Kids Adults — Best Beginner Drone for 10 Year Old Boy

DJI Phantom 4 — Best Drones for Beginners

Holy Stone Drone 170 Quadcopter — Best Professional Drone 2019 & 2020

Force 1 Mini Drone with Camera — U34W Dragonfly — Best Drone for Photography

Eachine E010 Drone — Best Beginner Drone with Camera and GPS

Force 1 Video Drone with Camera for Adult & Kids — Best Drone for Cinematography with Long Flight Time

DJI Mavic 2 Pro — Best Drone for Professional Videography Surveillance for Teenagers

Potensic T25 — Affordable & Budget Friendly Drone for Low Price

Mavic Mini Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time, less than 0.55lbs, Gray — Best Drone 2019 & 2020

Altair Aerial AA300 GPS Beginner Drone with Camera — Top Camera Drone for Teenagers

Eachine E511 Drone — Offers a New Perspective on Flying Drones

Parrot Anafi — World’s Best Tiny Drone on the Market with Great Camera Range

Top Race Dragon Drone — Military Freestyle Drone for Teenagers’ Racing

Proflight Orbit Folding Camera Drone — Cheap Best Drones 2019 for Teenager

Potensic D80 — Modern Teenagers Drone for Indoor Use

Holy Stone HS100 FPV Drone with Camera & GPS — Best of Holy Stone Brands with Aesthetic Design

Altair Aerial Falcon for Kids

There different types of drones on the market with great options, variety of features and whether cheap or pro, they’ve got different price points also.

So when it comes to buying a drone for your teenage kids, you should consider the best small drone with excellent battery life, superior video recording, high-quality image and obstacle avoidance. This will make the life of your teenage boy or girl gets a unique view on the world’s future.

I’ve reviewed and read hundreds of drone reviews, and these are best drones for teenager in experts’ tests and recommendations.

What is the Best Drone for Teenager?

Let’s dive deep into each of these best drones’ features, pros and cons and why you need to have one for your teen kids.

1. Holy Stone HS100G Drone with 1080p FHD Camera 5G FPV Live Video and GPS Return Home Function RC Quadcopter for Beginners Kids Adults — Best Beginner Drone for 10 Year Old Boy

Holy Stone HS100G Drone with 1080p FHD Camera 5G FPV Live Video and GPS Return Home Function RC Quadcopter for Beginners Kids Adults with Follow Me, Altitude Hold, Intelligent Battery is easy to fly for teenagers, stable in the air and the camera quality is excellent.

Its flight time is up to 12–15 minutes and takes about 3–6 hours to charge one of the two batteries that come with the package.

You can use the 2.4GHz remote control to handle the drone in the air. The remote is light but LCD screen on the remote does not offer first person view but displays camera mode (either video or still), the drone’s range, gain trim and battery life.

Its more than 2MP camera shoots still images at 1280×780 and records video at 720p.

Features

Includes remote control.

The Quadcopter manual

5V USB charging cables

8 x Screws for Blades and Motors for propeller guards

2500 mAh Drone Battery Capacity

1 x HS100G Drone and Transmitter

1 x 2500 mAh Drone Battery and USB Charging Cable

8 x Propellers (under the foam box)

2 x Propeller Guards

4 x Blade Pads and Blade Caps

8 x Screws for Blades and Motors

8 x Fixed Rubber Pieces for Blades’ Screws

1 x Manual

Pros

Comes with bright LED light for night flights

Excellent for teenagers

The drone has soft landing pads

Intuitive controls

Up to 12–15 minutes battery flight time

About 50–100 meters flight range

One key 360” 4-ways flip

Powerful attitude hold function

Equipped with one key return and headless security system.

Camera range can turn 90” downward

Wide field of view up to 120”

GPS look makes it more stable in the air

Virtual reality headset makes its performance excellent

Cons

3–6 hours is a very long battery charge time.

2. DJI Phantom 4 — Best Drones for Beginners

The DJI Phantom 4 is DJI smartest flying drone offering remote control that connects to smartphone app with a tap to create tracking shots and fly around obstacles.

This super-powered Phantom 4 drone supports 4k video recording at speed and changing real direction.

The battery life around 15 to 20 minutes and the drone offers excellent degree of performance and functionality, and has become an excellent option for aerial photography professionals and teenagers.

DJI Phantom 4 uses new sensors to add ground breaking obstacles avoidance plus an improved high-quality, robust, build sturdy piece of kit that delivers excellent results.

Features

Gimbal stabilization technology to capture clean footage with the drone is in the air.

Comes with built-in video editor powered by DJI director software to add text, music to your video.

16GB Micro SD Card

Carrying Case

Capture 4k Ultra HD video at 12.0MP (4000×3000) photos and at 30 feet per second.

GPS technology for easy, auto takeoff and auto return home.

App enables monitoring camera for easy operation by teenagers.

The package kit comes with extra components such as Remote Controller, Battery Charger, Gimbal Clamp, Battery Propeller Pairs, Micro USB Cable and more.

Pros

High-quality stabilized footage

Easy to fly by teenagers

Ability to avoid objects.

Excellent smartphone app

Eagle eye lens.

Real masterpiece stability in the air.

Excellent and stable 4k footage.

Cons

Not easily upgradeable

May require software updates in the future.

3. Holy Stone Drone 170 Quadcopter — Best Professional Drone 2019 & 2020

Holy Stone Drone 170 Quadcopter is a small (mini) RC Helicopter drone 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro 4 Channels quadcopter with aesthetic, looking design and handy.

It has no power button and no camera and is fun for teenagers to play with.

The quad has LED lights on the front and when the mini device is turned on, the light will be blue.

The drone has 4 rotors, with white and black blades on the front and back respectively.

Features

Headless security system lets teenagers to keep the drone flying in the air with ease.

6–8 minutes flight time

45–60 minutes charging time

2.4GHz technology which is excellent for anti-interference.

Flexible and stable in the air with 6-axis gyro stabilization system.

About 30–50 meters wind-resistance control.

Pros

Durable drone

Excellent flight time up to 8 minutes

Very lightweight and agile drone for teenagers.

Easy to set up and use.

Three speed modes.

Remote control included.

Cons

The quadcopter arms are not reliably strong.

Props could fall off easily.

4. Force1 Mini Drone with Camera — U34W Dragonfly — Best Drone for Photography

The Force1 Mini Drone with camera is a super mini drone for beginners suitable for teenagers and perfect for photography.

With its 0.3 megapixel camera and a 360 degrees flip, the drone can take perfect shots continuously with excellent performance.

The remote control drone comes included with batteries charge time up to 30 to 50 minutes.

This mini drone has low speed for teenagers (beginners) and high speed for professional aviators.

Perfect for teenagers and beginners, this Force1 mini quadcopter features the 4 channel remote transmitter to race multiple UFO drones, and headless mode to orient the drone to your remote.

Features

Beginner and teenagers drone with 720P HD camera.

Small drone size for indoor flying which is ideal for teenager kids.

360 flips and easy flying drone that is portable with 1-key Lift/Land function.

Excellent quality material and these video drones with HD camera comes with remote control.

Pros

Good for teenagers due to its stable flight.

Good camera quality and durable.

Easy to use.

Cons

Blade guards are somewhat fragile.

Charging does not last.

5. Eachine E010 Mini Drone — Best Beginner Drone with Camera and GPS

Eachine E010 Mini Drone is an affordable and easy to fly beginner UAV that can flip and spin in the air.

This drone is ideal for teenagers because you can learn to use it while having fun flying.

The Eachine E010 Mini Quadcopter for teenagers offers teens under 10 years old to get involved in flying drones with little to no effort to learn how to use drone.

This quad features great speed, 360” flip, headless mode, one key return, and memory function.

It is an excellent starter drone for teenagers and perfect gift for kids of all ages including 7 year old, 8 year old and 12 year old children of yours.

Features

One key return to auto fly back to the remote control’s location.

Durable and practical even at low price point.

High low speed mode (switch).

3D flip and ability to spin in the air while flying.

Remote control activated compass mode for changing its flight direction.

Headless mode

30–50 minutes flight time.

30 meters flying distance.

LED lights and 360” roll-over.

Plastic

4 Channels

Built-in gyroscope

Weighs 1.76 ounces

150mAh 3.7V for drone.

Pros

Excellent drone for teenagers to learn and master how to fly a drone.

Can withstand multiple crashes

Durable and made of quality materials

Great performance with rolls and 3D flips

Night LED lights

Removable battery gives you the option to get spare charged batteries and enjoy more flight time.

Small, lightweight and compact design enables you to fly the drone indoors.

Cons

5 minutes of flight time.

30 meters range not really ideal.

6. Force1 Video Drone with Camera Live Video for Adults and Kids — Best Drone for Cinematography with long flight time

Force1 Drones with Camera Live Video for Adults and Kids is an excellent drone for capturing amazing high quality video and photos with flight stability technology.

When considering what the best drones for teenager comes with, Force1 Drone with Camera Live Video features triple-bladed propellers, sparkling LED lights and HD.

HD Video Camera for FPV viewing and offer apps that will let you view the video on your tablet or smart phone with virtual reality.

Features

Easy to fly drone for beginners and experience teenagers or experts.

This camera drone has excellent features such as headless mode, altitude hold, custom route mode via mobile app and gravity induction.

Comes with 2 extra drone batteries to boost your flight time.

Excellent hover drone with durable is ideal for teenagers of all ages.

Pros

A perfect night flyer

Night flight drone that lights up the whole places due to its powerful LEDs.

360 flips and 3D roll-overs

Durable material

Affordable price

Gyroscope accelerometer accuracy

Comes with a total of 3 batteries to enjoy more flight time.

Force1 is like a military toy drone for teenagers.

Has 2 rates from slow to fast speed

Has a big spacious battery bay

Comes with 500mAh battery

Cons

LED not visible during the day.

Lack precision landing.

7. DJI Mavic 2 Pro — Best Drone for Professional Videography Surveillance for Teenagers

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is one of the best drones with a large sensor, portable design and travel friendly in the skies.

With 20MP 1-inch sensor, DJI Mavic 2 Pro can shoot raw stills and 4k video at 30 feet per second.

This masterpiece drone is intuitive to control with app and easy to fly with intelligent shooting and flight modes that can capture cinematic shots easily.

It’s the perfect drone for teenagers and capable of delivering excellent images with its advanced flight and camera tech.

The main body of the Mavic 2 Pro is rectangular and compact with camera mounted at the front/bottom of the drone.

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is the best option for videographers and photographers who need a small size and light weight drone that is highly portable and attractive.

It is less expensive, easy to fly and comes with the best camera technology and advanced flight tech available in the consumer drone market.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Specifications

Flight time: up to 31 miniutes

Sensor: 20MP one-inch CMOS

Take-off weight: 907g

Focal length: 28mm

Video: 4k MP4 & MOV, 10-but D-LogM & 10-bit HDR

Shutter speed: 8–1/8000 sec

Aperture: f/2.8 — f/11

Features

Battery size: 3950mAh

Weight: 907g

Camera resolution: 20MP

Controller: Yes

Range:8km

Pros

1-inch 20MP sensor

Good foldable design

Easy to fly advanced drone

Aperture control

Intuitive app for camera control.

Cons

No portrait shooting option

Above ISO 100 could lead to noisy sound during flight.

Limited battery life.

In landscape orientation camera could locked

8. Potensic T25 GPS Drone — Affordable & Budget Friendly Drone for Low Price

Built by a good brand Potensic company, Potensic T25 GPS Drone is the best-selling GPS drone with the 1080p HD camera on the market.

This beginner’s drone for teenagers comes with excellent features such as follow me, altitude hold, GPS return, long control range, adjustable lens and live video.

The Potensic T25 drone can reach a reasonable speed and its altitude hold is steady for stabilizing footage.

It has a built-in GPS technology for smoother video transmission and flight stability.

Takeoff and landing are a simple one button operation which is ideal for teenager pilot and beginner.

Features

Altitude hold for a stable footage.

Dual GPS

Follow me mode tracks positioning via GPS

1080P HD Wi-Fi camera

Farther control distance

One-key takeoff and landing

Headless mode

Smartphone app functions.

Pros

An impressive GPS lock feature

Comes with beginner mode to help newbie teenagers learn how to fly the drone.

Easy to navigate, user-friendly intuitive app interface.

Cons

Subpar return to home needs improvement

9. Mavic Mini Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time, less than 0.55lbs, Gray — Best Drone 2019 & 2020

Mavic Mini Drone is one of the best drones with its nimble and responsive lightweight features and flying experiences every teenager ever had.

The Mavic Mini is a portable and compact drone at 250gram, capture high quality footage in 2.7k Quad HD Video and allow teenagers to enjoy recording and editing with hyper intuitive DJI fly app.

This drone is a higher-end small drone with unique features as a 3-axis gimbal with 12 megapixel camera, DJI fly app, 30 minutes, battery life and SMP adapter.

This drone is unique for teenagers to learn to fly drones with excellent flight performance.

It’s foldable and easy to carry with its light weight, it can stay in the air for a higher period.

Pros

3-axis motorized gimbal provides teenagers with ability to shoot ultra-smooth video footage.

Extremely light weight ideal for teenagers.

High-end HD camera to capture 2.7k videos and 12MP photos.

Easy to fly without any set up or assembling of drone’s parts.

Excellent flight performance of up to 30 minutes per charge.

Comes with built-in GPS sensors and can hover and withstand strong wind.

Great control range at 4KM (2.5miles).

The DJI Mavic Mini is equipped with intelligent flight modes like Helix, Quick Shot and Circle.

Designed for beginner and teenager pilots for easier flying and shooting.

Cons

No obstacle avoidance.

4k camera not available.

FollowMe mode and hyper lapse are not available.

10. Altair Aerial AA300 GPS Beginner Drone with Camera — Top Camera Drone for Teenagers than Altair Aerial Falcon for Kids

The Altair Aerial AA330 drone is built with teenager pilots in mind and equipped with features for easy flight and comes with a live video 720P, two batteries and out of the box ready to fly.

This Altair Aerial Falcon can fly for up to 8–10 minutes in the sky on one battery.

The autonomous hover and positioning system makes it easy for a teenager to learn the controls.

A single battery gives you 15 minutes of flight time and the package comes with 2 batteries.

Features

15 minutes flight time.

Made of high quality plastic material that can sustain crashes.

Wide angle 720P HD camera

Stable flight in the air

120 degree viewing angle

Durable construction

Headless mode

Custom flight routing

Affordable camera drone

Free extra battery

Easy to fly with 818 hornet — 3 controller skill settings

Excellent Altair brand customer support service

120 degree viewing angle

Altitude hold

One key takeoff

Comes with personal hobby starter RC quadcopter for all ages including teenagers

Custom flight routing

Autonomous hover and positioning system

Pros

Very easy to keep and excellent stability in the sky.

Durable design

Long lasting battery and longer flight time

Cons

Pricey

What is the Best Drone for a 12 Year Old?

Here are the best drones for a 12 year old and these drones are great tech gadgets and teenager-friendly drones on the market. They are easy and safe to use.

818 Hornet Drone

AA300 GPS Drone

Syma XSC Drone

Holy Stone F181 Drone

Qcopter Quadcopter

DJI Mavic Pro

DJI Inspire 2

Autel Robotics Evo

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

Parrot Anafi

Holy Stone F181 RC Quadcopter Drone with Camera RTF 4 Channel 2.4GHz 6-Gyro Headless System Attitude Hold Function Black

What Age is Appropriate for a Drone?

Teenager’s drones are labeled as appropriate for ages 8 and above. If your child is under the age of 12 which that age is appropriate for a drone usage, you as a parent you need to review the types of toy drone models that are best for kids — not just for teenagers.

What is The Best Drone for an 8 Year Old?

The best kids drones for an 8 year old include:

Holy Stone DEERC170 Predator Mini RC Quadcopter

ProFlight Orbit Folding Camera Drone

UDI RC U27

Parrot Airborne Night Drone Maclane

Syma X5C Drone

JoyGeek Mini Drone

Air Hogs Star Wars

Holy Stone HS177 Battle Drone

Hubsan Nano Q4SE Quadcopter

Potensic Mini Drone for Kids

Qaxis MyFirst Drone

Altair AA108 Kids Drone

What is the Best Drone for a 7 Year Old?

The best drone for a 7 year old kid might be considered based on model, kid’s age and flight time.

Here are my top picks for the best drones for kids of 7 year old.

Holy Stone HS170 predator

Syma X5C

Snaptain S5C

DROCON Ninja

Altair Aerial Falcom — top camera drone for kids and teenagers

Altair Aerial 818 Hornet

Force1 Scoot — Suited for all ages and teen level

Potensic A20 — Kids drone for indoor use

Ryze Tello

DJI Spark

Force1 UFO

Holy Stone HS177

Air Hogs Star Wars Millennium Falcon

UDI U818A HD

Cheerson CX-10

Are Drones Good for Kids

The best drones are good for kids because they are cheap, cool and easy to fly.

For kids to fly toy drone, it keeps them happy, entertained for hours.

Flying the best drone for teenager can be an exciting hobby for kids.

Drones can help kids to learn about robotics, mechanics, aviation, electronics and photography.

It is really a lot of fun for kids to have a drone they can quickly and easily fly in the air.

Conclusion

Generally, the best drone for teenager cannot be emphasized especially its ability to helo your teenager kids learn now to fly drone, robotics, photography, videography, mechanics and electronics as well as get entertained and have funs.

That is why I have reviewed 100s of the best drones on the market and here are my top picks and recommendation for the best drone for teenagers.

Holy Stone HS100G Drone with 1080p FHD Camera 5G FPV Live Video and GPS Return Home Function RC Quadcopter for Beginners Kids Adults — Best Beginner Drone for 10 Year Old Boy

DJI Phantom 4 — Best Drones for Beginners

Holy Stone Drone 170 Quadcopter — Best Professional Drone 2019 & 2020

Force 1 Mini Drone with Camera — U34W Dragonfly — Best Drone for Photography

Eachine E010 Drone — Best Beginner Drone with Camera and GPS

Force 1 Video Drone with Camera for Adult & Kids — Best Drone for Cinematography with Long Flight Time

DJI Mavic 2 Pro — Best Drone for Professional Videography Surveillance for Teenagers

Potensic T25 — Affordable & Budget Friendly Drone for Low Price

Mavic Mini Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time, less than 0.55lbs, Gray — Best Drone 2019 & 2020

Altair Aerial AA300 GPS Beginner Drone with Camera — Top Camera Drone for Teenagers

Culled from Bestsoft Nigeria: https://www.bestsoftnigeria.biz/blog/best-drone-for-teenager/#ixzz6YgZzv5Fj

[emilyzh2019-blog]

Travel Photography Gear Guide

Travel Photography Gear

I’ve been working as a travel photographer & blogger for 9 years, so I get a lot of questions about what kind of travel photography gear I use. Take a peek inside my camera bag!

Now, when you’re reading through this list, please keep in mind that I’m a working professional. I carry a lot of gear these days. More than I started with.

Most travelers don’t need backup cameras, drones, and multiple lenses.

If you’re just interested in a good portable camera for traveling, make sure to check out my complete guide to the best travel cameras for every budget.

I also share some more budget-friendly gear options at the end of this post. Enjoy!

My Travel Photography Gear (2019)

Shooting in Italy with my Sony A7R III

Sony A7R III – Main Camera Body

I was a Canon fanboy for years and started my backpacking adventures back in 2010 with the Canon 7D. However, when Sony came out with their smaller (and superior) mirrorless A7 line, I made the switch.

Since then I’ve been using Sony cameras & lenses for the past 4 years.

Sony’s camera & sensor technology is often ahead of its competitors these days — in fact, even Nikon uses Sony sensors in their cameras!

The Sony A7R III is built for high-end landscape photography with a massive 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor. This sensor is HUGE! But the camera body isn’t, which is pretty incredible.

Frankly, this is far too much camera for most travelers though.

If you’d like examples of more budget-friendly options, make sure to read my tips for choosing the perfect travel camera.

My Travel Camera Lenses

Sony 16-35mm F2.8 – Wide Angle Lens

The 16-35mm F2.8 is the lens that’s on my camera 75% of the time. As a landscape photographer, I love shooting wide to capture as much of a big landscape as possible.

But you can also get decent portraits out of it zoomed in to 35mm and stopped down to F2.8. This lens works well for night and star photography too.

There is a less expensive version of this, the Sony 16-35mm F4 which is another decent option too.

Sony 24-70mm F2.8 – Medium Zoom Lens

Occasionally I need a little more reach. Or, I only have space for one lens (like on bigger hiking trips), and want the best of both worlds.

The 24-70mm F2.8 isn’t quite as wide, but often wide enough for most landscapes. With the added ability to zoom in to small subjects far away, or to compress the background making mountains “look” bigger.

This is also my go-to portrait lens for taking photos of people!

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 – Telephoto Zoom

The 70-200mm F4 is my wildlife photography lens. I don’t use it that often, and don’t bring it along on every trip either. If weight is an issue, it’s usually the first to be left behind.

But if I have a particular shot in mind that requires a telephoto, I’ll bring it.

By adding a Sony 2X extension on it, I can up the range to 400mm (which is great for safari photography).

My Backup Camera: Sony A6500

Sony A6500 – Backup Mirrorless Camera

For a long time, I only traveled with one main camera. But as I began working professional photography gigs, I realized that a backup camera was a wise investment.

When you’ve been hired for a photography project that pays 5-figures, the last thing you want is an accident or malfunction to leave you without any useable images for the client!

The Sony A6500 works with all my other Sony lenses, plus I use it as a portable vlogging camera.

It has a cropped (smaller) sensor, but has many of the same functions as my larger A7R III.

I also use it for shooting time-lapses while I’m working on other things, with help from Sony’s internal time-lapse software.

Sony 10-18mm F4 – Wide Vlogging Lens

The 10-18mm F4 is a cropped sensor lens that stays attached to my Sony A6500 body. It’s nice and wide for shooting selfie-style vlogging video, with fast autofocus.

Capture the Action with a GoPro!

GoPro Hero 7 – Action Camera

I’ve been using a GoPro since I started traveling 9 years ago. I’ve owned almost all the models! Currently, I travel with the GoPro Hero 7.

GoPro cameras are great at capturing hands-free action or “b-roll” and you can attach them to almost anything. Plus, they are waterproof and shockproof!

I use my GoPro for surfing, mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cliff jumping, interior and exterior moving-vehicle footage, and more.

GoPro Camera Accessories

Just owning a GoPro is not enough to get great images and video. The magic of these cameras is in the multitude of accessories that are available for them!

Handheld sticks, suction cups, clamps, head straps, mouth mounts — so many unique ways to attach a GoPro to something and get amazing footage.

Check out my complete guide to the best GoPro accessories for travel.

Traveling with a Drone

DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Flying Drone

The perfect tool for capturing aerial photography and video, while costing much less than renting a helicopter! Drones have really come a long way.

I couldn’t be happier with the new DJI Mavic 2 Pro (read my full review here).

It flies super fast, is extremely reliable, and shoots some very high-quality photos and video. Not to mention it folds up to fit in my carry-on bag!

The 360-degree sensors help stop you from running into things while flying, so you can concentrate on the shot. Active track and intelligent flight modes can do a lot of the work for you.

Remote Controller Sun Shade

I don’t own a bunch of accessories for my drone, but one important one is the DJI Mavic Sunshade. This allows me to see what I’m shooting on my iPhone screen, even in bright sunlight.

DJI Car Charger

Another drone accessory I bring with me on road trips is the car-charging adapter for DJI Mavic batteries. This ensures I always have a fresh battery ready to fly during epic travel photography road trips!

Peek Inside My Camera Backpack!

My Camera Bags

LowePro Whistler 350 – Camera Backpack

It took me a while to find a great camera backpack that I really loved, and I went through many different ones.

I finally found a winner in the LowePro Whistler 350. It holds everything I need it to, sits comfortably on my back, and has the perfect amount of weatherproofing and gear straps to tackle my typical outdoor adventures.

You can strap on a tripod, snowboard, hiking poles, ice-ax — anything really. While it comes with a rain cover, you really don’t need it because the bag itself is so water-resistant anyway.

There’s a dedicated laptop pocket, room for a jacket and snacks, plus it opens from the back for easy access on the ground. When the bag is fully loaded, it weighs about 24 lbs (11kg).

LowePro TopLoader Pro – Small Camera Bag

This is a smaller top-loading shoulder bag that’s large enough for a single full-size camera with a zoom lens.

You can also cram a 2nd lens into the side pocket if needed (or a GoPro, etc.).

I use this bag specifically for long-distance trekking adventures, where I need to carry a regular hiking backpack filled with food, clothing, and camping gear.

This little camera bag attaches up front to the backpack straps on my chest, for easy access to my camera and a balanced load for hiking long distances.

I use this setup when I need to travel light with a minimum amount of camera gear in the backcountry.

Lightweight Travel Tripods

My Camera Tripods

RRS TQC-14 – Full-Size Tripod

As a landscape photographer, a solid yet lightweight travel tripod is a key piece of my photography equipment.

I use my RRS TQC-14 to stabilize the camera in low light situations and with high f-stop settings (for maximum focus range). It allows me to get shots I just can’t achieve hand-held.

Sunsets, sunrises, the northern lights, star photography, and motion blurred waterfalls are just some of the situations where having a tripod is important.

I also use it to film myself for vlogs, as well as to shoot travel selfies when I’m hiking on my own. There are cheaper tripods out there though too, which I share in my guide to the best travel tripods.

Joby Gorillapod – Mini-Tripod

If I need to travel super light, for example on a long-distance camping & trekking adventure that will last multiple days, then I sometimes pack the Joby Gorillapod 5K instead of my full-size tripod.

At only 1.55 lbs, this thing is tiny. But the bendy legs allow you to attach it to objects for a higher perspective too. It’s strong enough to hold my large camera and works great as a “selfie stick” for shooting video too.

L-Bracket

This piece of metal attaches to the bottom of my large camera and allows for very quick changes from a landscape angle to portrait mode (long photos to tall photos) on my tripod. 

In today’s Instagram world, where the 8×10 ratio is important, I try to shoot images of key locations in both landscape and portrait perspectives. I use the landscape style in my blog posts, and portrait style for social media (because they display better on smartphones).

Some of my Camera Accessories

Important Travel Camera Accessories

Peak Design Capture – Camera Clip

I love this thing so much! Basically, the Peak Design Capture Clip allows you to “clip” your camera onto your belt, or on the shoulder straps of a backpack, for easy access (and to keep your hands free).

I use it constantly for day hiking, walking around cities, and basically, anywhere I know I’ll want quick access to my camera. While I still use a camera strap sometimes, this is the primary way I carry my camera. You can even run with it!

HINT: If you have a larger camera, the Peak Design Pro Pad makes carrying it on your belt MUCH more comfortable.

Peak Design Leash – Camera Strap

When I’m not using my Peak Design camera clip mentioned above, I snap on this Peak Design Leash Camera Strap and sling it around my shoulders it like you’d wear a rifle.

The Peak Design system allows me to quickly remove the strap if it’s getting in the way, or snap it back on. Adjusting the strap length is also super fast. It’s pretty minimal and doesn’t take up much room in a bag. 

External Microphones

For video, the internal microphones on cameras just aren’t very good. In fact, they’re pretty terrible. Because audio is SO important for creating a good video, I pack two different external microphones.

One is the Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun, which goes on the top of my camera. Great quality, and very small.

The other is the Tascam DR-TL Lavalier. This goes on my body, so I can get great audio even if the camera is far away, the room has a lot of echoes, or if it’s super windy out.

Hotshoe Flash

I own a Sony F43M flash, although I rarely take it with me on trips unless it’s for something very specific. Like maybe cave photography or nightlife.

LED Video Light

This tiny but powerful Aputure ALM9 LED Light mounts to the camera’s hot-shoe and allows me to shoot video at night. It takes up almost no space and can be recharged via USB cable.

Camera Lens Filters

Lens filters help you achieve certain photography effects that just aren’t possible with software yet. Think of them as sunglasses for your camera.

I carry a Hoya Fusion One Polarizing Filter to help reduce glare & reflections on water, glass (like through helicopter windows), and to darken up the blues and clouds in a sky.

I also carry a Tiffen Variable ND Filter (neutral density) which cuts down the amount of light going into the camera to different degrees, depending on how much you spin it. Why? To create special effects like motion blur in a waterfall, even when it’s sunny outside.

Wireless Intervalometer/Remote

One of my favorite pieces of gear is the Pixel TW-283 Wireless Remote & Intervalometer. This allows me to shoot time-lapses, or take photos of myself from up to 100 ft away from the camera.

You can set the timer to take photos all night while you sleep if you want to! They make different versions for different brands of camera.

Memory Cards

Because I shoot in RAW, with very large camera files, I use very fast memory cards. I own a mixture of Sony High-Performance 64GB and ScanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB class 10 cards which read/write at around 300 mb/s. 

Spare Batteries

There is nothing worse than running out of battery power during an epic photography moment! That’s why I always carry spare batteries for my cameras.

I pack 3 batteries for my Sony A7R III, 2 for the A6500, 2-3 for the Mavic Pro, and 2 for my GoPro.

Portable Hard Drives

I travel with an Apple Macbook Pro 13″ with a 1TB SDD, which is usually plenty of room for the images & video I shoot on any given trip.

To back that up, I also pack a super small 2TB Scandisk Extreme Portable SSD. Once I get back “home”, I move everything over to a larger desktop RAID system.

Camera Rain Cover

Have you ever shot photos under a waterfall? Your camera will get soaked! While my Sony A7R III has decent weather sealing, in super bad weather, or under waterfalls, I throw on my Peak Design Shell Rain Cover.

Cold Weather Protection

I bought a cold-weather jacket for my camera last year, for a few winter projects I was working on. One camping on the ice in Manitoba, and the other snowmobiling through Russia.

It keeps your camera, batteries, lens, and your hands nice and toasty while shooting outdoors in below-zero temperatures.

Clear Accessory Pouches

I own a few Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouches to keep all my cables, battery chargers, and GoPro Accessories organized. The clear sides allow me to quickly figure out what’s inside.

Camera Maintenance Stuff

Camera Cleaning & Maintenance

Microfiber Lens Cloths

There’s nothing worse than a foggy or smudged camera lens! I pack no less than 3 of these 3M Microfiber Lens Cloths on every trip. Two go in my camera bag, one goes in my pocket for easy access. 

I always end up losing them too, so it never hurts to have more than you need laying around.

Air Blower

The problem with changing your lenses on mirrorless cameras is that the mirror is exposed to the elements, and they’re a magnet for dust. Dust on your sensor leaves you with “dust spots” on your photos (or worse, video).

A few quick bursts of air with this Camera Air Blower on your sensor can help clear that dust away.

Sticky Sensor Stick

When the air blower doesn’t work, and the dust on my sensor is too stubborn to blow away, I break out the big guns, my Eyelead Sensor Stick. It’s kind of like a gummy bear on a stick that pulls the dust away.

Budget-Friendly Camera Kit Examples

Yes, I own a lot of camera gear now. But that wasn’t always the case.

When I first started traveling, all I used was a Canon 7D, a wide angle zoom lens, a tripod, and a GoPro.

If you are still new to travel and adventure photography, don’t get discouraged by this giant list of gear-porn that I’ve accumulated over the years!

I do this professionally and make decent money, so I can afford to go a little crazy.

For those of you traveling on a tighter budget, I’ve put together my ideal “starter travel photography kits” below — which won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

The Minimalist Backpacker Kit

Sony RX100 VA – Compact Point & Shoot

Joby Gorillapod 3K – Compact Tripod

Travel Photography Enthusiast Kit

Sony A6500 – Compact Mirrorless

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 – Travel Zoom Lens

Manfrotto BeFree – Aluminum Travel Tripod

LowePro Slingshot Edge – Mirrorless Camera Bag

Improving Your Travel Photography

Ok! That was a big post. But people kept asking about my gear, so there you go. :)

However please remember that gear isn’t everything.

The best way to improve your travel photography is to practice as much as possible and learn new skills.

Even after 9 years doing this, I’m still constantly learning techniques to get better.

First, if you don’t already edit your photos using software like Adobe Lightroom, I highly recommend you start.

For more quick and cheap ways to improve your travel photography, no matter what gear you use, make sure to read my full article here. ★

Enjoy This Post? Pin It!

READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ARTICLES

How To Choose The Best Travel Camera Ultimate Adventure Travel Gear Guide Best GoPro Accessories For Travel DJI Mavic Pro Drone Review

Have any questions about my travel photography gear? What do you pack in your camera bag? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

[funlandx]

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[togiweb]

I’m supposed to get photos as soon as I take something out of the box. I know better. The rule is not to play with the gadget first. I’m going to crash the drone; I always do.

I crashed the DJI Mavic Air 2 and broke a landing peg. I flew the drone before I took pictures and, of course, the drone found a tree. I swear it’s not my fault this time. I quickly discovered the Mavic Air 2 obstacle avoidance technology is not up to par with its competition.

And yet I still love this drone. The Mavic Air 2 builds on the success of the original and is loaded with updated technology. Now it can go faster, farther and take better pictures while performing automated flight paths and object tracking.

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Review

Flying the DJI Mavic Air 2 is a treat and has everything a drone needs: fast speed, high-res camera, long battery life, tremendous range and obstacle avoidance. And it’s relatively inexpensive at $799.

I’m satisfied. And that’s not something I often say when reviewing gadgets. There’s little missing from this product. It’s not perfect — the avoidance system has trouble detecting obstacles on the side of the drone — and yet I have no problem recommending this drone. The DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best consumer drone to date.

I wish I could show video from an epic kayaking trip where the Mavic Air 2 follows our boats down rapids and around a gnarly river. But I’m writing this review during the COVID-19 lockdown, so the best I can do is videos of my golden retriever, Nova, chewing on a stick, and me mowing my yard.

It’s fast and capable of hitting 40 mph. The range is excellent — I was able to stream video from nearly the stratosphere. The automated flight paths are a great way to add drama to any video. Just select a person or lawn tractor, and the drone will follow it, even circling if instructed.

The crash

I love the Mavic Air 2 even though it crashed while performing an automated video. Twice.

Here’s the thing. I’m known around TechCrunch as the guy who crashes drones. I want to think it’s because I use them a lot during the review process to find their limits and flaws. Maybe I’m just a lousy pilot. Our original DJI Mavic coverage was delayed because I crashed the drone into a birdhouse and snapped a handful of props. Replacements had to be shipped from China. With the Mavic Air 2 I missed the birdhouse, but found a tree, and a landing leg snapped in half when it hit the ground. Later, when the drone was filming me on the mower, it got stuck in a tree after not sensing a massive tree limb.

I don’t think these crashes are my fault.

The DJI Mavic Air comes preloaded with flight routines. The idea has roots in the drone selfie — where someone stands on a picturesque cliff and the drone takes off backwards, pointed at the waving group of people while revealing the stunning landscape. This DJI drone can do this automatically. Just select a subject — me on a mower — and hit start. The drone counts down from three and starts flying while keeping the person or object in focus.

As you can see in the video above, everything was going great. The drone took off from about 8 feet, skimmed the birdhouse that previously claimed another drone, and was slowly circling my yard until it found a tree. I assumed the drone’s obstacle avoidance system would have stopped the drone if it detected an object. That’s what happened during the previous dozen flights. But this time, the drone did not identify the branches and crashed.

I don’t think it’s my fault.

The drone has a hard time detecting objects when moving side to side. There are multiple sensors on the front, back and bottom of the drone and none on the side. The second time it crashed, the drone was in a similar motion, moving side-to-side when it lodged itself on a large limb.

The drone survived both crashes and can still fly, and I’m having a blast. The drone is fast and stable. The range is incredible, though if the FAA is reading this, the drone never left my line of sight.

Operation

DJI states the Mavic Air 2 has a video transmission range of 10 km. In my experience, these range numbers are unachievable in the real world. More often, the range is more than half of that distance, but still impressive and well out of the operator’s sight range.

Drones are increasingly adding technology for capturing personal experiences rather than faraway objects. The Mavic Air 2 seems purpose-built for this task. Sure, it can fly forever in a straight line, but it has the capability of tracking an object and providing a unique vantage point.

The Mavic Air 2 packs DJI’s latest object tracking tech, and it works well as long as its limitations are understood. Just drag a box around an object and the software will lock onto the object and keep it centered in the camera’s field of view. Combined with the obstacle detection sensors, this gives the Mavic Air 2 an impressive suite of capabilities.

DJI’s new object tracking is an improvement over past generations. It seemingly has no issues detecting large objects in front, behind or under the drone.

In my experience, the Mavic Air 2 detected power wires, birdhouses and large tree branches as long as they were not on the drone’s side. And it sees people and vehicles fine. It has a hard time tracking Nova; more often than not, the drone loses him even when he’s walking. If the drone detects a potential collision, the controller starts beeping with fury.

With object tracking, it frees the operator from being in front of the camera. Suddenly, with this feature, the possibilities are endless. As detailed above, the Mavic Air 2 lacks sensors on the drone’s side, which is its limiting factor. Use it in a field or parking lot, and you’re good. Use it down a wooded river or trail, and you’ll have a bad time.

Skydio makes a consumer drone that has a similar feature set. However, in my experience, the Skydio drone’s object detection is superior to what’s found in the Mavic Air 2, making the tracking features more useful. With a Skydio drone, users are able to have the drone fly autonomously through areas the Mavic Air 2 is unable to navigate.

The Mavic Air 2’s camera is fantastic, considering the price of the drone. It easily captures the blue skies and wispy clouds, which is often hard for cameras in consumer drones. Colors pop, and landscape photos come alive. The 48MP sensor provides enough detail to zoom into areas with little loss of quality. The camera can shoot RAW files and DJI released a series of ND filters that can attach to the front of the lens, giving the user more control over lighting.

Best of all, the Mavic Air 2 has excellent battery life. I averaged around 30 minutes of flight time in moderate wind when using the drone in Normal mode. The battery life drops to around 25 minutes with high winds or spirited flying in Sport mode. During my time with the Mavic Air 2, I flew the drone more than a dozen times. I don’t think I ever had to recharge the controller.

Conclusion

The Mavic Air 2 was a long time coming. I’ve used nearly every DJI consumer drone since the original Phantom, and each generation leapfrogs the last in capabilities and convenience. The original Mavic freed me from carrying a large Pelican case with Phantom drone. The second generation Mavic added a better camera. The small DJI Spark made drones even more portable, but the camera and range were lacking. The DJI Mavic Mini filled that need with updated tech in a foldable design, and yet the camera is underwhelming.

The Mavic Air 2 builds on the success of the original but is loaded with updated technology. Now the Mavic Air 2 can go faster, farther and take better pictures while preforming automated flight paths and object tracking.

The Mavic Air 2 is the drone for most consumers. It hits the sweet spot of capabilities for the price.

DJI Mavic Air 2 Review: Fantastic drone, despite obstacle avoidance blindspots I’m supposed to get photos as soon as I take something out of the box. I know better.

[droneswithcamera24]

Best Drones with Camera 2020

Don't know which drone to acquire? Our purchasing overview and also specialist reviews will help you pick.

Best drones with camera come in all dimensions and also forms. Consider the substantial series of prices and it can be fairly hard to exercise which is the most effective for you.

If cash is most likely to vary greatly in your acquiring choice, you should likewise have a look at our guide to the most effective inexpensive drones. If you're a lot more curious about the excellent top quality airborne video, you'll need to budget plan a great deal more, yet there are some great mid-range alternatives such as the new DJI Mavic Mini, however, do not neglect the DJI Glow which is likely to drop in cost now it is officially terminated.

What to look for in a drone

Some individuals just wish to fly for enjoyable, but lots of people want a drone to take aerial photos and also videos. And if you want them to be any type of good, you will certainly require to spend ₤ 300+. We've yet to see a less expensive drone achieve stabilized, excellent high-quality video clip.

You tend to obtain what you pay for with drones, so the higher price, the far better the camera and also the even more functions (such as challenge evasion) that are included.

Trip time as well as a range

Trip time varies a whole lot, and it isn't linked to rate. The Mavic Mini is DJI's most affordable drone, yet flies for up to thirty minutes on a fee. The DJI Spark, nevertheless, costs a lot more, however, has a 12-15 minute trip time.

Don't pay way too much attention to variety. It seems terrific to be able to fly numerous kilometers away, yet a lot of neighborhood laws (consisting of in the UK) claim you should maintain drone visible whatsoever times.

Light and also very little drones can be blown around in the wind, which is why having GENERAL PRACTITIONER on board is a should: it allows the drone to instantly float in place.

Spares

It's rare on most of the drones listed below, crashing is a unique opportunity. Almost all drones include a complete collection of spare props, however as 2 rotate anti-clockwise and also the other pair clockwise, you've obtained only two spares for every set of spindles.

Examine first if spare components are simple to get for a specific drone, as well as additionally their prices.

Video cameras

Not all drones feature cams. You don't need a cam since you must constantly have the drone in your line of vision while flying it.

At the less costly end of the cost scale, you'll be fortunate to get back at 720p (1280x720) video, but if you desire a drone for airborne video choose at the very least 1080p (1920x1080). Bear in mind that - as ever - you can't rely on specifications alone. Read our reviews to learn exactly how good each drone's cam is.

Nonetheless, you'll just obtain fantastic quality video footage if you buy a drone with a gimbal. This is a stabilized install for the electronic camera which maintains it stable when the drone tilts or moves around. Parrot's Bebop 2 has a set wide-angle electronic camera that does a practical job without a gimbal, however, the top quality from every one of DJI's drones is usually significantly better.

Trending Articles

Some drones record video straight to a microSD card yet others record from the remote, or perhaps over the air to a mobile phone. The straight recording is normally much more reliable and also better top quality as the video doesn't have to be transmitted prior to being videotaped.

Finest drones 2020

1. DJI Mavic Air

You may not consider it inexpensive, the Mavic Air is amazing worth for cash. It's one of the most innovative customer drones you can currently purchase and fires great-quality video and also breathtaking pictures.

The Quickshot settings are great, there's best-ever challenge avoidance and it's tiny enough to lug all over with you.

Inevitably, this is the drone you have actually been waiting to acquire.

2. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

The Mavic 2 Zoom is an exceptional drone if you can manage a few hundred over and also above the Mavic Air. Its long flight time is a real benefit, as well as it stays rather mobile.

Its challenge evasion system is additionally much better, as is its things monitoring as well as video clip transmission system. It's the zoom lens that really makes the distinction, letting you get closer to your topic.

3. DJI Mavic Mini

Targeted at first-time fliers, the Mavic Mini is a cut-down variation of the Mavic Air. It's a proficient drone which is very easy to fly, yet it doesn't have barrier evasion as well as makes use of a cut-down application which has a limited feature set.

Fortunately is that it takes decent video as well as pictures, and it's light sufficient to avoid requiring enrollment in some nations.

4. DJI Spark

The DJI Glow may not offer the most effective photo or video clip top quality, yet as a plan, it is just one of the very best you can purchase under ₤ 700. It's so little it will certainly suit virtually any kind of bag, it's easy to use as well as it has attributes - such as item tracking and also obstacle evasion - that you would certainly anticipate only in much more expensive designs.

5. DJI Mavic Pro

Folding drones are unquestionably the future. GoPro assumes so, and since DJI has unveiled the Mavic Pro, it makes certain to become the bandwagon on which to jump. The Mavic might appear pricey, but the reality that it was also far better tech inside it than the Phantom 4 suggests it's actually excellent worth.

If there's one drawback it's that you can not eliminate the gimbal as well as a cam for ground-based filming as you can with GoPro's Fate. The Mavic Pro's mobility and the fantastic brand-new controller are the genuine champions. It indicates you don't have to carry a huge case around as you provided for the Phantom, and that it does not have to be a special occasion: you can take the Mavic Pro anywhere.

6. Parrot Anafi

With a 180-degree turning gimbal, a battery that charges through USB-C and also the ability to tape-record 4K HDR video clip, the Anafi is a well-priced drone. The grab is that it won't stay clear of any kind of challenges as well as a few of the autopilot settings that need to be opened with in-app acquisitions.

7. DJI Phantom 4 Advanced

The Phantom 4 Advanced is one more excellent drone from DJI. It's not low-cost, and also spare batteries are costly, however, it is very easy to fly and also provides a variety of 'clever' settings that will help you obtain respectable aerial video footage. For some, the 20Mp cam will make it worth the upgrade from the Phantom 3 or 4, yet remember it lacks the rear vision sensors of the Phantom 4 Pro, which isn't a whole lot a lot more pricey.

8. Parrot Bebop 2 Power FPV

The Bebop 2 Power is really a dual-purpose drone. You can utilize it for firing cinematic video or dart around at 40mph and have fun with the FPV headset. It's big batteries suggest it flies for longer than its competitors, yet the downside is that it isn't as portable because it doesn't fold up.

If your major objective is to get the most effective feasible video of high quality, though, after that there are far better options.

9. Hubsan H501S X4

The Hubsan H501S is well valued if you're looking for an easy-to-fly drone with a first-person-view camera. But those wanting to videotape great airborne video and also pictures must look in other places.

[nayanasri]

The $ 399 Mavic Mini lives in a sweet spot of core features and a low price. It packs everything critical to be a quality drone. It has a good camera, good range, and a good controller. It holds up well in the wind and is quick enough to be fun. And it’s so small that you’re more likely to throw it in your bag and take it on Instagram adventures.

The small size is the Mavic Mini’s main selling point. It weighs 249 grams, and that odd number isn’t an accident. Drones that weight 250 grams and above have to be registered to fly. And yet, even though the Mavic Mini is lightweight and foldable, it’s packed with core features: 30 minute flight time, 4 km HD video transmission, 3-axis gimbal holding a 2.7K camera, and a physical controller that works with Android and iOS devices. At $ 399, it’s a lot of drone for the money even though it’s missing features found in DJI’s other drones.

There are more expensive drones packed with a lot of features. I own most of those drones. They’re fun, but several years ago, feature creep started sneaking into DJI’s products. Now, with a convoluted product line, a spreadsheet is needed to deceiver DJI’s drones. Most come loaded with countless features owners will likely never use. The Mavic Mini is something different. It’s basic, and I dig it.

Here’s what’s missing: collision detection, ultra-long-range connection, 4k camera, gesture control, and advanced camera features like trackable follow, panoramic, timelapse, and optical zoom.

The Mavic Mini is quick enough to be fun, but it won’t win any races. It’s responsive and fast enough. Light and easy. Compared to a Mavic 2, it feels smaller and less powerful — because it is — and yet it never feels too small or underpowered. The Mavic Mini is well balanced, and owners should find it enjoyable to fly.

Despite its tiny size, the Mavic Mini holds up well in high wind. I took it up to 200m on a windy fall day in the Midwest. The wind was clearing leaves off the trees, and I was bundled up in hat and gloves. It was gusty. The Mavic Mini didn’t care. It took off like a drone much larger and stood tall against the wind. What’s more, the video didn’t suffer. The gimbal held the camera steady as it recorded the autumn landscape.

The drone uses DJI’s new app, and I’m using a beta version to test the drone. Called DJI Fly, it’s a streamlined version of DJI Go and packs several enhancements. Safe fly zones are better integrated into the app and have an additional level of detail over the older app. DJI also better built-in support for its social community app, SkyPixel. However, as this version is streamlined, it lacks a lot of information standard on the Go version, most notable, a mini-map in the bottom corner of the screen. I’m hoping DJI adds more features to this app after it launches.

The camera is good for the price. The pictures here were taken from the drone and not altered or adjusted. They were taken on cloudy and sunny days. The range is surprisingly good as the drone can capture blue skies and dark highlights. Occasionally in direct sunlight, the camera colors become washed out.

They say the best camera is the one you have with you. That’s where the Mavic Mini comes in. The best drone is the one you have with you. For years, I lugged around a massive Pelican case containing Phantom 2 and later a Phantom 3. I thought I was the coolest. At a moment’s notice, I could go to my car’s trunk and retrieve a suitcase containing a flying camera. A few minutes later, after my phone synced to the drone, and the controller joined the drone’s network, I had 15 minutes of flight time. Then came the foldable Mavic, which fit alongside my camera gear like a large telephoto lens. Other drones came and went. I liked the GoPro Karma for a time.

The tiny Mavic Mini is a game-changer. It’s small enough that I’ll bring it everywhere. It’s small and light enough that it feels like a large point and shoot in my computer bag.

Want more features and a better camera but keep the portable size? Earlier this year DJI announced the $ 919 foldable Mavic Air that has a 4k camera and 5 mile video transmission.

The Mavic Mini gets everything right. It’s small, comes with a lovely case, and in a $ 499 bundle, two extra batteries with a clever charging pack. The camera is surprisingly good though admittedly less powerful than DJI’s more expensive drones. The Mavic Mini is the perfect drone for a first-timer or experienced drone enthusiast. DJI stuff enough features into the 249 gram body to make this a fantastic drone for anyone.

DJI Mavic Mini announcement

Gadgets – TechCrunch

DJI Mavic Mini Review: Tiny, powerful and the perfect drone for anyone The $ 399 Mavic Mini lives in a sweet spot of core features and a low price.

[cyberblogin]

The $399 Mavic Mini lives in a sweet spot of core features and a low price. It packs everything critical to be a quality drone. It has a good camera, good range, and a good controller. It holds up well in the wind and is quick enough to be fun. And it’s so small that you’re more likely to throw it in your bag and take it on Instagram adventures.

The small size is the Mavic Mini’s main selling point. It weighs 249 grams, and that odd number isn’t an accident. Drones that weight 250 grams and above have to be registered to fly. And yet, even though the Mavic Mini is lightweight and foldable, it’s packed with core features: 30 minute flight time, 4 km HD video transmission, 3-axis gimbal holding a 2.7K camera, and a physical controller that works with Android and iOS devices. At $399, it’s a lot of drone for the money even though it’s missing features found in DJI’s other drones.

There are more expensive drones packed with a lot of features. I own most of those drones. They’re fun, but several years ago, feature creep started sneaking into DJI’s products. Now, with a convoluted product line, a spreadsheet is needed to deceiver DJI’s drones. Most come loaded with countless features owners will likely never use. The Mavic Mini is something different. It’s basic, and I dig it.

Here’s what’s missing: collision detection, ultra-long-range connection, 4k camera, gesture control, and advanced camera features like trackable follow, panoramic, timelapse, and optical zoom.

The Mavic Mini is quick enough to be fun, but it won’t win any races. It’s responsive and fast enough. Light and easy. Compared to a Mavic 2, it feels smaller and less powerful — because it is — and yet it never feels too small or underpowered. The Mavic Mini is well balanced, and owners should find it enjoyable to fly.

Despite its tiny size, the Mavic Mini holds up well in high wind. I took it up to 200m on a windy fall day in the Midwest. The wind was clearing leaves off the trees, and I was bundled up in hat and gloves. It was gusty. The Mavic Mini didn’t care. It took off like a drone much larger and stood tall against the wind. What’s more, the video didn’t suffer. The gimbal held the camera steady as it recorded the autumn landscape.

The drone uses DJI’s new app, and I’m using a beta version to test the drone. Called DJI Fly, it’s a streamlined version of DJI Go and packs several enhancements. Safe fly zones are better integrated into the app and have an additional level of detail over the older app. DJI also better built-in support for its social community app, SkyPixel. However, as this version is streamlined, it lacks a lot of information standard on the Go version, most notable, a mini-map in the bottom corner of the screen. I’m hoping DJI adds more features to this app after it launches.

The camera is good for the price. The pictures here were taken from the drone and not altered or adjusted. They were taken on cloudy and sunny days. The range is surprisingly good as the drone can capture blue skies and dark highlights. Occasionally in direct sunlight, the camera colors become washed out.

They say the best camera is the one you have with you. That’s where the Mavic Mini comes in. The best drone is the one you have with you. For years, I lugged around a massive Pelican case containing Phantom 2 and later a Phantom 3. I thought I was the coolest. At a moment’s notice, I could go to my car’s trunk and retrieve a suitcase containing a flying camera. A few minutes later, after my phone synced to the drone, and the controller joined the drone’s network, I had 15 minutes of flight time. Then came the foldable Mavic, which fit alongside my camera gear like a large telephoto lens. Other drones came and went. I liked the GoPro Karma for a time.

The tiny Mavic Mini is a game-changer. It’s small enough that I’ll bring it everywhere. It’s small and light enough that it feels like a large point and shoot in my computer bag.

Want more features and a better camera but keep the portable size? Earlier this year DJI announced the $919 foldable Mavic Air that has a 4k camera and 5 mile video transmission.

The Mavic Mini gets everything right. It’s small, comes with a lovely case, and in a $499 bundle, two extra batteries with a clever charging pack. The camera is surprisingly good though admittedly less powerful than DJI’s more expensive drones. The Mavic Mini is the perfect drone for a first-timer or experienced drone enthusiast. DJI stuff enough features into the 249 gram body to make this a fantastic drone for anyone.

DJI Mavic Mini announcement

Source link

DJI Mavic Mini Review: Tiny, powerful and the perfect drone for anyone The $399 Mavic Mini lives in a sweet spot of core features and a low price. It packs everything critical to be a quality drone.

[marymperezga]

What’s In My Camera Bag? A Travel Photography Gear Guide

Travel Photography Gear Guide

Travel Photography Gear

I’ve been working as a travel photographer & blogger for 9 years, so I get a lot of questions about what kind of travel photography gear I use. Take a peek inside my camera bag!

Now, when you’re reading through this list, please keep in mind that I’m a working professional. I carry a lot of gear these days. More than I started with.

Most travelers don’t need backup cameras, drones, and multiple lenses.

If you’re just interested in a good portable camera for traveling, make sure to check out my complete guide to the best travel cameras for every budget.

I also share some more budget-friendly gear options at the end of this post. Enjoy!

My Travel Photography Gear (2019)

Shooting in Italy with my Sony A7R III

Sony A7R III – Main Camera Body

I was a Canon fanboy for years and started my backpacking adventures back in 2010 with the Canon 7D. However, when Sony came out with their smaller (and superior) mirrorless A7 line, I made the switch.

Since then I’ve been using Sony cameras & lenses for the past 4 years.

Sony’s camera & sensor technology is often ahead of its competitors these days — in fact, even Nikon uses Sony sensors in their cameras!

The Sony A7R III is built for high-end landscape photography with a massive 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor. This sensor is HUGE! But the camera body isn’t, which is pretty incredible.

Frankly, this is far too much camera for most travelers though.

If you’d like examples of more budget-friendly options, make sure to read my tips for choosing the perfect travel camera.

My Travel Camera Lenses

Sony 16-35mm F2.8 – Wide Angle Lens

The 16-35mm F2.8 is the lens that’s on my camera 75% of the time. As a landscape photographer, I love shooting wide to capture as much of a big landscape as possible.

But you can also get decent portraits out of it zoomed in to 35mm and stopped down to F2.8. This lens works well for night and star photography too.

There is a less expensive version of this, the Sony 16-35mm F4 which is another decent option too.

Sony 24-70mm F2.8 – Medium Zoom Lens

Occasionally I need a little more reach. Or, I only have space for one lens (like on bigger hiking trips), and want the best of both worlds.

The 24-70mm F2.8 isn’t quite as wide, but often wide enough for most landscapes. With the added ability to zoom in to small subjects far away, or to compress the background making mountains “look” bigger.

This is also my go-to portrait lens for taking photos of people!

Sony FE 70-200mm F4 – Telephoto Zoom

The 70-200mm F4 is my wildlife photography lens. I don’t use it that often, and don’t bring it along on every trip either. If weight is an issue, it’s usually the first to be left behind.

But if I have a particular shot in mind that requires a telephoto, I’ll bring it.

By adding a Sony 2X extension on it, I can up the range to 400mm (which is great for safari photography).

My Backup Camera: Sony A6500

Sony A6500 – Backup Mirrorless Camera

For a long time, I only traveled with one main camera. But as I began working professional photography gigs, I realized that a backup camera was a wise investment.

When you’ve been hired for a photography project that pays 5-figures, the last thing you want is an accident or malfunction to leave you without any useable images for the client!

The Sony A6500 works with all my other Sony lenses, plus I use it as a portable vlogging camera.

It has a cropped (smaller) sensor, but has many of the same functions as my larger A7R III.

I also use it for shooting time-lapses while I’m working on other things, with help from Sony’s internal time-lapse software.

Sony 10-18mm F4 – Wide Vlogging Lens

The 10-18mm F4 is a cropped sensor lens that stays attached to my Sony A6500 body. It’s nice and wide for shooting selfie-style vlogging video, with fast autofocus.

Capture the Action with a GoPro!

GoPro Hero 7 – Action Camera

I’ve been using a GoPro since I started traveling 9 years ago. I’ve owned almost all the models! Currently, I travel with the GoPro Hero 7.

GoPro cameras are great at capturing hands-free action or “b-roll” and you can attach them to almost anything. Plus, they are waterproof and shockproof!

I use my GoPro for surfing, mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cliff jumping, interior and exterior moving-vehicle footage, and more.

GoPro Camera Accessories

Just owning a GoPro is not enough to get great images and video. The magic of these cameras is in the multitude of accessories that are available for them!

Handheld sticks, suction cups, clamps, head straps, mouth mounts — so many unique ways to attach a GoPro to something and get amazing footage.

Check out my complete guide to the best GoPro accessories for travel.

Traveling with a Drone

DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Flying Drone

The perfect tool for capturing aerial photography and video, while costing much less than renting a helicopter! Drones have really come a long way.

I couldn’t be happier with the new DJI Mavic 2 Pro (read my full review here).

It flies super fast, is extremely reliable, and shoots some very high-quality photos and video. Not to mention it folds up to fit in my carry-on bag!

The 360-degree sensors help stop you from running into things while flying, so you can concentrate on the shot. Active track and intelligent flight modes can do a lot of the work for you.

Remote Controller Sun Shade

I don’t own a bunch of accessories for my drone, but one important one is the DJI Mavic Sunshade. This allows me to see what I’m shooting on my iPhone screen, even in bright sunlight.

DJI Car Charger

Another drone accessory I bring with me on road trips is the car-charging adapter for DJI Mavic batteries. This ensures I always have a fresh battery ready to fly during epic travel photography road trips!

Peek Inside My Camera Backpack!

My Camera Bags

LowePro Whistler 350 – Camera Backpack

It took me a while to find a great camera backpack that I really loved, and I went through many different ones.

I finally found a winner in the LowePro Whistler 350. It holds everything I need it to, sits comfortably on my back, and has the perfect amount of weatherproofing and gear straps to tackle my typical outdoor adventures.

You can strap on a tripod, snowboard, hiking poles, ice-ax — anything really. While it comes with a rain cover, you really don’t need it because the bag itself is so water-resistant anyway.

There’s a dedicated laptop pocket, room for a jacket and snacks, plus it opens from the back for easy access on the ground. When the bag is fully loaded, it weighs about 24 lbs (11kg).

LowePro TopLoader Pro – Small Camera Bag

This is a smaller top-loading shoulder bag that’s large enough for a single full-size camera with a zoom lens.

You can also cram a 2nd lens into the side pocket if needed (or a GoPro, etc.).

I use this bag specifically for long-distance trekking adventures, where I need to carry a regular hiking backpack filled with food, clothing, and camping gear.

This little camera bag attaches up front to the backpack straps on my chest, for easy access to my camera and a balanced load for hiking long distances.

I use this setup when I need to travel light with a minimum amount of camera gear in the backcountry.

Lightweight Travel Tripods

My Camera Tripods

RRS TQC-14 – Full-Size Tripod

As a landscape photographer, a solid yet lightweight travel tripod is a key piece of my photography equipment.

I use my RRS TQC-14 to stabilize the camera in low light situations and with high f-stop settings (for maximum focus range). It allows me to get shots I just can’t achieve hand-held.

Sunsets, sunrises, the northern lights, star photography, and motion blurred waterfalls are just some of the situations where having a tripod is important.

I also use it to film myself for vlogs, as well as to shoot travel selfies when I’m hiking on my own. There are cheaper tripods out there though too, which I share in my guide to the best travel tripods.

Joby Gorillapod – Mini-Tripod

If I need to travel super light, for example on a long-distance camping & trekking adventure that will last multiple days, then I sometimes pack the Joby Gorillapod 5K instead of my full-size tripod.

At only 1.55 lbs, this thing is tiny. But the bendy legs allow you to attach it to objects for a higher perspective too. It’s strong enough to hold my large camera and works great as a “selfie stick” for shooting video too.

L-Bracket

This piece of metal attaches to the bottom of my large camera and allows for very quick changes from a landscape angle to portrait mode (long photos to tall photos) on my tripod. 

In today’s Instagram world, where the 8×10 ratio is important, I try to shoot images of key locations in both landscape and portrait perspectives. I use the landscape style in my blog posts, and portrait style for social media (because they display better on smartphones).

Some of my Camera Accessories

Important Travel Camera Accessories

Peak Design Capture – Camera Clip

I love this thing so much! Basically, the Peak Design Capture Clip allows you to “clip” your camera onto your belt, or on the shoulder straps of a backpack, for easy access (and to keep your hands free).

I use it constantly for day hiking, walking around cities, and basically, anywhere I know I’ll want quick access to my camera. While I still use a camera strap sometimes, this is the primary way I carry my camera. You can even run with it!

HINT: If you have a larger camera, the Peak Design Pro Pad makes carrying it on your belt MUCH more comfortable.

Peak Design Leash – Camera Strap

When I’m not using my Peak Design camera clip mentioned above, I snap on this Peak Design Leash Camera Strap and sling it around my shoulders it like you’d wear a rifle.

The Peak Design system allows me to quickly remove the strap if it’s getting in the way, or snap it back on. Adjusting the strap length is also super fast. It’s pretty minimal and doesn’t take up much room in a bag. 

External Microphones

For video, the internal microphones on cameras just aren’t very good. In fact, they’re pretty terrible. Because audio is SO important for creating a good video, I pack two different external microphones.

One is the Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun, which goes on the top of my camera. Great quality, and very small.

The other is the Tascam DR-TL Lavalier. This goes on my body, so I can get great audio even if the camera is far away, the room has a lot of echoes, or if it’s super windy out.

Hotshoe Flash

I own a Sony F43M flash, although I rarely take it with me on trips unless it’s for something very specific. Like maybe cave photography or nightlife.

Camera Lens Filters

Lens filters help you achieve certain photography effects that just aren’t possible with software yet. Think of them like sunglasses for your camera.

I carry a Hoya Fusion One Polarizing Filter to help reduce glare & reflections on water, glass (like through helicopter windows), and to darken up the blues and clouds in a sky.

I also carry a Tiffen Variable ND Filter (neutral density) which cuts down the amount of light going into the camera to different degrees, depending on how much you spin it. Why? To create special effects like motion blur in a waterfall, even when it’s sunny outside.

Wireless Intervalometer/Remote

One of my favorite pieces of gear is the Pixel TW-283 Wireless Remote & Intervalometer. This allows me to shoot time-lapses, or take photos of myself from up to 100 ft away from the camera.

You can set the timer to take photos all night while you sleep if you want to! They make different versions for different brands of camera.

Memory Cards

Because I shoot in RAW, with very large camera files, I use very fast memory cards. I own a mixture of Sony High-Performance 64GB and ScanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB class 10 cards which read/write at around 300 mb/s. 

Spare Batteries

There is nothing worse than running out of battery power during an epic photography moment! That’s why I always carry spare batteries for my cameras.

I pack 3 batteries for my Sony A7R III, 2 for the A6500, 2 for the Mavic Pro, and 2 for my GoPro.

Portable Hard Drives

I travel with an Apple Macbook Pro 13″ with a 1TB SDD, which is usually plenty of room for the images & video I shoot on any given trip.

To back that up, I also pack a super small 2TB Scandisk Extreme Portable SSD. Once I get back “home”, I move everything over to a larger desktop RAID system.

Camera Rain Cover

Have you ever shot photos under a waterfall? Your camera will get soaked! While my Sony A7R III has decent weather sealing, in super bad weather, or under waterfalls, I throw on my Peak Design Shell Rain Cover.

Cold Weather Protection

I bought a cold-weather jacket for my camera last year, for a few winter projects I was working on. One camping on the ice in Manitoba, and the other snowmobiling through Russia.

It keeps your camera, batteries, lens, and your hands nice and toasty while shooting outdoors in below-zero temperatures.

Clear Accessory Pouches

I own a few Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouches to keep all my cables, battery chargers, and GoPro Accessories organized. The clear sides allow me to quickly figure out what’s inside.

Camera Maintenance Stuff

Camera Cleaning & Maintenance

Microfiber Lens Cloths

There’s nothing worse than a foggy or smudged camera lens! I pack no less than 3 of these 3M Microfiber Lens Cloths on every trip. Two go in my camera bag, one goes in my pocket for easy access. 

I always end up losing them too, so it never hurts to have more than you need laying around.

Air Blower

The problem with changing your lenses on mirrorless cameras is that the mirror is exposed to the elements, and they’re a magnet for dust. Dust on your sensor leaves you with “dust spots” on your photos (or worse, video).

A few quick bursts of air with this Camera Air Blower on your sensor can help clear that dust away.

Sticky Sensor Stick

When the air blower doesn’t work, and the dust on my sensor is too stubborn to blow away, I break out the big guns, my Eyelead Sensor Stick. It’s kind of like a gummy bear on a stick that pulls the dust away.

Budget-Friendly Camera Kit Examples

Yes, I own a lot of camera gear now. But that wasn’t always the case.

When I first started traveling, all I used was a Canon 7D, a wide angle zoom lens, a tripod, and a GoPro.

If you are still new to travel and adventure photography, don’t get discouraged by this giant list of gear-porn that I’ve accumulated over the years!

I do this professionally and make decent money, so I can afford to go a little crazy.

For those of you traveling on a tighter budget, I’ve put together my ideal “starter travel photography kits” below — which won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

The Minimalist Backpacker Kit

Sony RX100 VA – Compact Point & Shoot

Joby Gorillapod 3K – Compact Tripod

Travel Photography Enthusiast Kit

Sony A6500 – Compact Mirrorless

Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 – Travel Zoom Lens

Manfrotto BeFree – Aluminum Travel Tripod

LowePro Slingshot Edge – Mirrorless Camera Bag

Improving Your Travel Photography

Ok! That was a big post. But people kept asking about my gear, so there you go. :)

However please remember that gear isn’t everything.

The best way to improve your travel photography is to practice as much as possible and learn new skills.

Even after 9 years doing this, I’m still constantly learning techniques to get better.

First, if you don’t already edit your photos using software like Adobe Lightroom, I highly recommend you start.

For more quick and cheap ways to improve your travel photography, no matter what gear you use, make sure to read my full article here. ★

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READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ARTICLES

How To Choose The Best Travel Camera Ultimate Adventure Travel Gear Guide Best GoPro Accessories For Travel DJI Mavic Pro Drone Review

Have any questions about my travel photography gear? What do you pack in your camera bag? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://expertvagabond.com/travel-photography-gear-guide/

[infotainmentplus-blog]

Drone Rush 2018 state of the industry report We are getting ever closer to halfway through 2018, and it has been a great year so far for drones. New gear from established drone manufacturers like DJI have led the way, while newer players like Uvify have broken onto the scene with a straight up need for speed. We’ve seen and done a lot with drones so far this year, so please join us for a little rundown of some of our favorites. In no particular order, by the way. Related Articles Drone Rush 2018 state of the industry report We are getting ever closer to halfway through 2018, and it has been a great year so far for drones. New gear from established drone manufacturers like DJI have led the way, while newer players … Google removes Uber integration in Maps with no explanation In January of 2017, Google made getting an Uber ride easier than ever by integrating Uber directly into Google Maps. However, for reasons currently unknown, Google just removed that integration. Previously, you could look up a … The best new drones of 2018 Here are our favorite drones that have been announced so far in 2018. Not all of them are up for sale just yet, but coming soon at the very least. DJI Mavic Air DJI is rarely content to launch a new drone hidden in a tech show like CES, so they held off a few weeks. January 23 in New York was a lively event to launch the new, folding, compact DJI Mavic Air. This drone consists of the best features from the DJI Mavic Pro and the DJI Spark. It fits directly in between the two size-wise as well. DJI Mavic Air review DJI Mavic Air camera review Mavic Air packs the best Quickshots self-piloting features, an updated 100Mbps camera data rate and rear facing obstacle avoidance sensors. The only thing missing, in my humble opinion, is OcuSync, which would allow wireless connectivity to the DJI Goggles. The DJI Mavic Air is $799 for the base drone, bump up to the DJI Mavic Air Fly More combo for $999. Buy DJI Mavic Air Uvify OOri Announced at CES in January, we actually pre-ordered this little drone on the spot. It is a tiny machine, fits in the palm of the hand nicely, but it is tuned to scoot up to 60 mph. Keep it in beginner mode to fly safely in your living room, then open it up outside to enjoy high speeds. Uvify OOri update – shipping in May Uvify OOri announced This is a race drone trainer, a fun machine to get you started, then jump up to the Uvify Draco or other great full speed racing drones. The Uvify OOri is $389 and shipping to pre-order consumers now. New orders will ship soon. Watch for deals as low as $349 as well. Order Uvify OOri Yuneec Typhoon H Plus Announced at CES in January, the Yuneec Typhoon H Plus is just confirmed to start shipping in July. This is a large folding drone with six propellers for power and to keep things safe and smooth. The camera is a 1-inch, 20MP sensor that shoots 4K video at 60fps, which is mounted on a 3-axis stabilized, fully rotational gimbal. Going by the spec sheet, this is shaping up to be one of the best camera drones (consumer level) to hit the market this year. The Yuneec Typhoon H Plus will go on sale for $1899.99 starting July 1st. Yuneec Typhoon H Plus announced Yuneec Typhoon H Plus shipping date confirmed Autel Robotics Evo Also announced at CES 2018, the Autel Robotics Evo is a folding quadcopter that appears set to take on the DJI Mavic Pro. The head-to-head match up by spec sheet puts the newer Evo in the lead, with the camera shooting 4K video up to 60fps and rear-facing obstacle avoidance sensors. Cryptically confirmed to begin taking orders on June 25th, the Evo is shaping up to be a solid drone for new buyers. You can now pre-order the Autel Robotics Evo for $999. Pre-Order Evo Learn more: Autel Robotics Evo shipping date confirmed DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 Just last month, DJI announced an update to the line of Phantom drones. This latest machine is an incremental update to the Phantom 4 Pro, called the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. Primarily, you are looking at updated propellers and ESCs, to create quieter, smoother and more efficient flight. You’re also looking at OcuSync, the technology that allows wireless connectivity to the DJI Goggles. Let us sum up quick: V2.0 is definitely better than the original, but maybe not so much better that you should park your V1.0 and go shopping. If you are buying your first Phantom drone now, go for the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 for sure. If you can wait, there’s always something better in the pipes, and the Phantom 5 could be here before the year is over. Grab the DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 for $1499 for the base package, upgrade to the Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0 for $1799 to get a built-in display on the remote. Buy DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 Also read: New DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 announced Honorable mentions: GDU O2, Parrot Anafi and Skydio R1 GDU first announced the O2 in September last year, but it just starting shipping to consumers in Q2 of 2018. This is one of the most portable drones around, and is a serious contender to DJI’s more popular products right now. 4K video, 20 minutes of flight time and some handy flight features at your fingertips. Check out the GDU O2 for $732. Parrot announced the new Anafi just now in June. This new machine packs a 21MP camera with 4K video into an advanced-range gimbal. It is a folding drone that appears very portable. With solid hardware in place, Parrot is banking on fun software features to set them apart from the crowd. Pre-orders are open now, the Parrot Anafi is $699. Skydio is not a company we’d seen in the retail market before, having sprung up from MIT grads fairly recently. The Skydio R1 is their first retail machine, and it is packed full of sensors that provide the safest autonomous flight we’ve ever seen. A simple drone in function, offering a few ‘follow-me’ modes, but a highly capable self-flying drone. The Skydio R1 is $2,499. Related Articles 10 best drone apps for Android This article originally appeared on our partner site DroneRush.com You want to fly your drone and you want to incorporate your mobile device into the experience, you'll need to download some apps, but which should you … 9 fun drones you can control with your smartphone This post was originally published on our sister site DroneRush.com Traditional RC toys rely on dedicated controllers to operate, but modern technology put an extremely capable smart device in your pocket and many manufacturers look to … DJI Mavic Air announced: the drone you were waiting for? Head over to our partner site Drone Rush for all the details on the new DJI Mavic Air. The top drone manufacturer in the world took the wraps off a new machine this morning— the all-new … DJI Go 4 – new companion app for new DJI drones This post was originally published on Charged.io, your source for electric vehicles, drones, and green power. After recently rolling out the new Phantom 4 Pro and the massive Inspire 2, DJI has introduced a new mobile app … Events in 2018 Along with the rest of the AA team, we have attended a few events so far this year. In case you missed them, here is where Drone Rush has been: CES in January The year started out with drones, lots of drones. CES 2018 in Las Vegas entertained as much as it informed. Many new machines made their debut at CES, the biggest names in that group include three machines from Yuneec, a folding drone from Autel Robotics and quad my inner child is most excited for, Uvify launched a racing drone trainer. Learn more: Yuneec launches three new drones Autel Robotics Evo announced Uvify OOri – fastest mini drone around AUVSI Xponential in April/May This year, AUVSI Xponential was held in Denver, this was a week long convention for all things autonomous and robotic. We experienced many new drones and other UAV from the commercial and military markets. Uvify was at the show, sponsoring the IDRA Challenger’s Cup drone racing event. We were a minor sponsor ourselves. DJI introduced the TX2 thermal camera for the M200 series drones, we got to learn about all the improvements made to the Uvify OOri and the new Insitu ScanEagle III was announced. That last machine is a large, fixed-wing craft that will help monitor forest fires and survey railways, if nothing else. We pumped out a few videos from the show, but not many written articles, check it out: Intel and The Drone Girl in February This has been a big year for Intel’s drone business. The Falcon 8+ drone, along with their Insight software package, is changing the inspection market. More exciting are the World Record breaking drone swarm events. Emulating fireworks, creating amazing images in the sky, the Shooting Star team of drones put 1,218 drones into the air at the Olympics. We met up with Intel at CES and AUVSI Xponential, but we also met the Shooting Star team at the Girls Who Drone event, hosted by The Drone Girl. We learned a ton about the Shooting Star program. Have a listen to the Girls Who Drone presentation here: Intel Shooting Star drones at the Girls Who Drone event Intel drone business explained If you are flying for pay, or any other form of compensation, you must operate under a different set of rules and possess a commercial drone license. We call it the Part 107. It’s not too hard to get, but it will take some time to learn all the rules. We want to help you learn the rules and get your commercial license, check out our drone pilot training material. What other new drones are coming in 2018? DJI Mavic Pro 2 Rumors, folks, all we have are rumors and wishes. We are fairly confident that we’ll see an update to the popular Mavic Pro this year, and we would love to see some updates such as multi-directional obstacle avoidance sensors and an improved camera. We would mostly like to see a 1-inch camera sensor, with 100Mbps data rate, the same as you find on the Phantom 4 Pro today. Be sure we will make a big deal when we hear anything official, but for now, hopes and dreams. Related: DJI Mavic Pro review DJI Phantom 5 With the release of the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, we are not sure a Phantom 5 is coming soon. We still expect to see the new machine before the year is over, packing a more compact design, perhaps some folding propeller arms, and folding propellers themselves as well. The next stage in camera tech need not be a larger sensor, but an increased data rate could be good. Some camera vendors are shipping with 10-bit video and 4K 60fps or faster as well. The biggest update we expect of the Phantom 5 is interchangeable lenses. The default, single-focus lens of most drone cameras today is fairly wide-angle, but works well. A selection of focal lengths would greatly expand the uses of the drone. But we’re still working with rumors and hopes. See also: DJI Phantom drones guide More drone racing! Along with our desire to cover more commercial drones and Part 107 operations this year, we also want to get into drone racing a little more. We’ll get our start above 50 mph with the Uvify OOri, then we’ll have some more fun and bring you along for the ride. Aside from our own fun and the exploration of drone racing for you, the racing scene is growing. The IDRA has a number of races around the globe this year, and the DRL is going strong as well. We hope to get to more official events as we go. Related: Best racing drones What are you hoping to see from the drone world this year? What’s next? We’ve got all the best drones here, or check out our master Drone Rush drones list! Best Drones of 2018 Drones under $1000 Best camera Drones Best nano drones FAA Registration Drones under $500 Best racing drones Best drone apps Drone Pilot Training | Drone starter guide | Drone Manufacturers , via Android Authority http://bit.ly/2MCHxar

[lorrainecparker]

Road Test: GoPro HERO6 Black

We recently took a week-long trip up to Oregon to visit family scattered about the state that I grew up in, and I decided to pack only ONE camera and the various accessories to see if I could manage to satisfy the call for adventure through action cam imagery. Here’s my experience…

We recently took a week-long trip up to Oregon to visit family scattered about the state that I grew up in, and I decided to pack only ONE camera and the various accessories to see if I could manage to satisfy the call for adventure through action cam imagery. Here’s my experience… and the results.

Mt Hood, OR captured with the HERO6 Black on a Karma Drone

The Gear

Camera: GoPro HERO6 Black

Accessories: Karma Drone & Grip Kit w/Extra LiPo Battery Shorty (Mini Extension w Tripod) Spare H6 Batts & Charger GoPro Portable Power Pack Suction Cup Mount Spare Mounts, extensions, cables, etc.

MacBook Pro w/1TB External HD

All the gear packed for the trip…

    Setting out for the trip with just my Karma Drone backpack and my other backpack with the GoPro HERO6, Black, accessories, MacBook Pro, etc., I was intentionally NOT going to worry about making this trip about capturing every little detail of our journey, but to let it happen organically after we landed in Portland.

The Journey

Of course, the first few days were raining and I had little opportunity to really do much, so we spent time with family, mostly. Time well-spent. And a few GoPro handheld shots off the balcony of our hotel showed the fall colors of the city on the waterfront quite nicely.

Portland, OR – Pano from GoPro HERO6 Black handheld video frames

  I did manage to get a few shots of the amazing fall foliage and the Willamette River that runs through the middle of the city from our balcony view in between showers. My only regret was not getting a good time-lapse of the drawbridge but there was very little ship traffic over the weekend.

The weather cleared up and we headed over the mountain pass by Mt Hood and on our way to Bend. I decided to pull off a few times both going out and coming back to slap the GoPro Suction Cup mount on the windshield to capture some video through the tree-lined mountain passes (you’ll see some time-ramped passes in the video down below).

GoPro HERO6 Black on Suction Cup mount through the mountain pass

            I’ve used these Suction Cup mounts a lot over the years and have never had any issue with them vibrating or coming loose even at high speeds/long distances, so I’m always confident I can trust them even while traveling.

And let me tell you how amazing the built-in stabilization is on the HERO6 Black! The results are so smooth it’s as if it was on a gimbal. The improvement is overwhelming for those of you on the fence about upgrading from your HERO5 Black as noted in this comparison video I posted https://youtu.be/IOiEW7Hrd-8 from my hands-on review. Even the vibrations from the car are nearly completely eliminated.

Karma Drone in flight with the HERO6 Black

Karma Drone

I only had two batteries with me this trip so for my day experiences, I had to judiciously plan out what two 20-minute flights I wanted to capture imagery along the way. Since the weather was absolutely amazing for late October in Oregon, I really wanted to try to capture some of Mt Hood covered with a fresh blanket of snow, since the previous year when we came up here, it was almost completely bare!

We stopped along the way near the base of the mountain along the highway where a small ski run was closed for repairs before the new season and launched from there. You’ll see in the video we got a couple decent shots from that launch, as well as a lovely 300º+ pano!

Flying the Karma Drone off the highway near the closed ski runs at the base of Mt Hood.

This pano was stitched together from still frames of the video capture using Kolor’s AutoPana Giga (APG) and then finished off in Adobe Photoshop. I will be printing this out with my other collection of aerial panos…

Karma Drone & HERO6 aerial panorama stitched from video frames.

  Further along the journey is one of my favorite canyons in the stretch of Hwy 26 through Warm Springs. The landscape goes from flat high-desert and drops down into a carved canyon. The video shows a few clips but it’s really hard to capture the majesty of this route even with a road-cam attached. Check out the video below to see the aerial shots I took rising out of this canyon.

Once we got to our resort destination in Bend (it was late evening and dark out so we could only hear the roar of the Deschutes River below our condo) we got up to an amazing panorama the next day!

I promptly sent the Karma up and out over the river canyon below* and was able to capture this amazing panorama from just below the top tree line where I could legally fly.

Horizon line at tree level above the Deschutes River in Bend, OR

*Note that I checked all the charts and was allowed to fly in this location as long as I remained below 200ft AGL and below the top tree line of this canyon where I launched as there is a small landing strip within 5 miles of this location.

It was a bit windy in this canyon, so I didn’t fly too low or near trees in the video, and I was being respectful of the distance to not annoy any other visitors of the area that filled with resort condos, hiking trails and the like.

Okay – HERE is the video I keep mentioning. It has a montage of handheld shots with camera stabilization on, Karma Grip, Karma Drone and Suction Cup mounted auto time lapses. Enjoy!

Still Photography

As I said, the GoPro HERO6 Black was the ONLY production camera we brought on this trip (besides iPhone 6s, that is), so using either the Shorty handheld extension or the Karma Grip, we took images, panos and “selfies” with the HERO6!

Deschutes River Pano from 7 still images shot on the HERO6 Black

The HERO6 Black performed much better than I expected, despite such a wide-angle lens. I also would have like to have some ND filters with me or at least a Polarizer (look for my upcoming product review from PolarPro featuring these filters that I got after we returned from this trip). But for the most part, I let the camera run in full-auto whenever possible to replicate the average consumer user’s experience, and overall, I’ve been really impressed with results from the HERO6 Black.

Also, I’ve noticed a strange purple casting that appears in the white edges of highlights and cast on items of white clothing at times. After reading in some of the forums online, I’ve seen that a lot of people are noticing this as well.

Here’s a closeup at 100% in Photoshop ACR:

Purple edged highlights

But using Photoshop’s Adobe Camera Raw adjustments (or Lumetri Color in Adobe Premiere Pro for your videos), you can easily knock out the purple highlights from any of your images:

Using ACR to knock out the purple highlights

Of course my wife and I had to get a couple typical tourist shots along the hiking trail! 

So while we were in Bend, we had a small family gathering with my parents and my brother & sister in-law at our resort condo and managed to get everyone to smile for the GoPro on the coffee table, taking sequenced shots from the Shorty extension handle tripod. In hind-sight, I should have raised the camera, but food, wine and laughter prevailed!

Say “cheese”!

  Our final trip back to Portland we were blessed with more blue skies, white snow-capped mountains and contrasting fall colors looking up the windy Columbia River at a spectacular lookout a friend hipped us to that’s off the beaten path. I would have loved to launch the Karma Drone from here but it was too windy and now real launch/landing site I’d trust to take off from. So we settled for a single awesome photo!

Fall colors through the valley of the Columbia River Valley and Mt Hood in the background

What Worked – What Didn’t

For the most part, it was freeing to just have the GoPro HERO6 Black to keep in my pocket attached to the Shorty extension for whatever occasion we found ourselves. We took tons of family shots and goofy videos having fun that aren’t shown here but were a lot easier than relying on crappy iPhone videos. But mostly we captured some amazing scenics along the way. It did make make me wish, however, that I had a DSLR with a zoom lens at times, but I also have thousands of those shots filling up hard drives at home already and I simply didn’t have to futz with much bringing the HERO6 along. I found that I just used it more and didn’t feel like I had to dig out a big gear bag everywhere we went.

One tough lesson I had to learn the hard way was not having a fast enough *Micro SD card with me. I was using Lexar 633x and SanDisk Ultra which have worked just fine in the HERO5 Black previously, but I was getting Card Error messages often when shooting 2,7k/60 or 4k/30. That’s really tough when you’re mid-flight and you have to bring the bird back home and land it to reboot the camera. I did learn if you don’t try to shoot anything over your last card error shot, the HERO6 will repair the end file writing and save your last video upon reboot, so that’s a big plus!

Note: SanDisk Extreme or Pro Micro SD cards are necessary for shooting high frame rate or UHD on the HERO6 Black.

Sadly, the Karma was pretty restricted in where we could fly it. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere (no buildings, bridges, reinforced concrete, etc.) then it seemed to work okay.

Karma drone was often grounded

Otherwise we’d get compass errors and couldn’t take off (not that you’d ever want to take off with a compass error or in an unsafe location, so in this case, the failsafe does work!). It’s just that relying on the Karma for my only aerial shots, limited me to only a few locations that I would normally be able to fly a DJI Phantom or Mavic Pro with ease.

But what I could do with the Karma was remove the gimbal and attach it to the Karma Grip for smooth handheld shots with the HERO6, so not all was lost.

Overall, the HERO6 Black and Karma gave us flexibility and accessibility to make some fun and creative memories of our short trip!

The post Road Test: GoPro HERO6 Black appeared first on ProVideo Coalition.

First Found At: Road Test: GoPro HERO6 Black

[muzaffar1969]

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J

I try not to get drawn into debates about whether Chinese companies are capable of “genuine” innovation. It’s a ridiculous question and invites nasty stereotypes. Plus, if I hear one more genius invoke the iPad to justify his claim of American tech superiority I think my head may explode.

You probably know the argument I’m talking about. It goes: Sure, the iPad is assembled in China and China dominates the manufacturing process but it doesn’t matter because Americans design such awesome devices and brilliant operating systems that they add most of the value and capture most of the profit. (You’ll find data to support the Apple “value-added” argument here and here.)

I don’t deny Apple’s success. But it doesn’t prove Chinese companies can’t innovate or that there aren’t a lot of advantages to being heavily involved in both the design and manufacture of your products. Consider the case of another increasingly popular electronic gadget: consumer drones. In that category, the global leader isn’t from Silicon Valley or any other Western economy. It’s Da-Jiang Innovations Science and Technology Co., also known as DJI, based in Shenzhen, China

DJI currently claims 70% of the world's market for drones. Sales surged 60% to $1.4 billion in 2016. DJI’s financial backers include Accel Partners. The company’s latest funding-round gives it a valuation of $10 billion.

This week DJI bolstered its already formidable lead in consumer drones by introducing Spark, a new model mini-drone that is as small as a soda can, can be controlled by hand gestures, and costs less than $500.

As recently as two years ago, there were at least a half dozen companies competing to produce drones in a price and performance format that would appeal to mainstream consumers. Leading contenders included Parrot, a 22 year-old French electronics manufacturer; Lily Robotics, a San Francisco-based drone startup; and GoPro, the popular maker of portable action cameras.

Parrot surrendered in January, announcing it would eliminate two-thirds of the positions in its drone division. The company now says it will repurpose its drone lines to meet the needs of professionals in agriculture, mining and real estate.

Lily, founded in 2013, released a dazzling video in mid-2015 touting a camera drone that would follow you around and could be launched simply by tossing it into the air. The video attracted millions of viewers and helped raise $15 million in funding, and sold more than $34 million in pre-orders. But the company ran into production difficulties and burned through all its cash. In January 2017, it shut down without shipping a single unit.

GoPro was the odds-on favorite. The company had a well-known brand and a solid following among outdoor adventurers. In 2015, GoPro executives announced plans to release an small, affordable drone called the Karma by spring of 2016. But the release had to be pushed back until November and then, only days before launch, pushed back again because malfunctions caused the Karma drones to lose power and fall from the sky. It was eventually released in February.

Few expected DJI to triumph. The company was founded in 2006 by Frank Wang, a Hangzhou native studying engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Its first model, the Phantom quadcopter released in 2013, was for enthusiasts and professional photographers. Late last year, the company launched a smaller, more portable consumer drone called the Mavic Pro that was priced under $1000 and delivered on features rivals had only promised. The Mavic Pro can fly for just under 30 minutes on a single battery charge with a range as far as 7 kilometers, offers a 4K video and yet is is small enough to fold up and put in a book bag. The best thing about the Mavic is its unique software that enables it to detect obstacles mid-air and avoid crashes, and automatically return to “base” if runs low on power. The product drew rave reviews from customers.

DJI executives cite their location with the manufacturing ecosystem of southern China’s Pearl River Delta as critical to their success. The company has its own manufacturing facilities. Engineers can test prototypes in neighboring facilities, speeding product development. DJI can recruit from a large pool of engineering talent. They can’t imagine trying to manage all that from a research park half a world away.

Spark, the new mini-drone, is an example of such innovation. It has a range of only 2-kilometers and can stay aloft for just 16 minutes. But Spark has many of the same software features as the Mavic, and can be controlled by hand gestures, a big plus for beginners. (Read TIME’s spark review here.) Spark’s rollout prompted analysts at the Motley Fool to declare: “GroPro’s Karma is Now Dead in the Water.”

Smug assumptions about China’s inability to innovate deserve a similar fate.

  Clay Chandler @claychandler clay.chandler@timeinc.com

Trade and Finance

Stephen Roach on China's changing growth model: Roach, formerly chief economist and Asia chairman at Morgan Stanley and now lecturer at Yale University, was among the first Western observers to call attention to China's efforts to shift from a growth model driven by investment and exports to one driven by domestic consumption. In this brief essay, he expresses surprise that China is shaping up to be "more outwardly focused, more assertive, and more power-centric than I envisioned" when he started teaching his course on China's economy in 2010. He also notes that, under Xi Jinping, China manifests "less commitment to a market-based reform agenda featuring private consumption and SOE restructuring." Project Syndicate

Moody's doubles down on warning that soaring debt threatens Chinese growth: Beijing decried Moody's decision earlier this week to downgrade China's sovereign debt rating one notch to A1 from Aa3. The agency said a downgrade was justified because of runaway credit growth and China's nearly 300% debt-to-GDP ratio. Chinese government officials attacked the downgrade as alarmist and based on flawed methodology. A front-page editorial in the state-run People's Daily blasted the decision as "sloppy" and "illogical." Moody's was unmoved. On Friday, executives warned China's risked another downgrade if failed to rein in borrowing. The Guardian

China tightens its grip on the renminbi: An agency controlled by China's central bank signaled Friday that it will intervene more aggressively in global currency markets to prop up the value of the renminbi. The announcement follows a series of recent moves by Chinese officials to restrict the ability of Chinese businesses and investors to take money out of China. The shift runs counter to China's stated desire to allow the renminbi to trade more freely and join the dollar and the euro as a genuine global currency. But the move was a consistent with a broader effort by Chinese authorities to minimize risk in the run up to a crucial Communist Party congress. New York Times

A rust-belt bank regulator urges support for China's 'zombie' enterprises. Bao Zumin, director of the Banking Regulatory Bureau in northeast China's Heilongjiang province acknowledged in a press conference Thursday that his agency has actively encouraged creditors to roll over loans to companies in coal, steel and other troubled manufacturing sectors to minimize job losses in region. It's not unusual for China's bank regulators to prop up floundering manufacturers but acknowledging that support so openly is rare. Beijing has promised to eliminate excess capacity in sectors such as steel, coal, non-ferrous metals and other sectors in which China has been criticized for flooding global markets with cheap exports. Financial Times

China In the World

U.S. asserts "freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea: A U.S. guided missile destroyer sailed Wednesday within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, an artificial island claimed by China in the South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over the 12 nautical miles surrounding Mischief Reef and other manmade islands in the South China Sea. The U.S. doesn't recognize China's claims. Wednesday marked the first time since Donald Trump took office that the Pentagon has allowed Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, to assert the U.S. position that waters surrounding the artificial islands are high seas and therefore the U.S. ships are free to operate there in accordance with international law. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Beijing was "strongly dissatisfied" with the operation. New York Times

Mahathir on the rise of China: Malaysia has moved farther from the U.S. and closer to China over the past year under the leadership of prime minister Najib Razak. But Najib's predecessor and former patron Mahatir Mohamad, over a chicken burrito lunch with Financial Times Asia Editor Jamil Anderlini, describes China as the biggest threat to Asian stability. "With the changes in [its] leadership, we see more ambitious leaders coming in and maybe they like to flex their muscles a bit and that is very worrisome... Without actually conquering the countries they have managed to increase their influence over many countries in Southeast Asia, even in South Asia." Mahatir warned of a clash between rising China and the US-dominated world order: "They're not really communist but they are not democratic; they are inclined towards totalitarianism and obviously this conflicts with western ideas about implanting democracy in the countries of the world." Financial Times

In Case You Missed It

A Chinese student praised the 'fresh air of free speech' at a U.S. college. Then came the backlash Washington Post

Don't worry, Hollywood. China's not a threat Los Angeles Times

Does India have more people than China? A U.S. researcher claims Beijing's population statistics are wrong Washington Post

Technology and Innovation

Alibaba leads $1 billion funding in Chinese food startup. Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. and its financial services affiliate, Ant Financial, plan to lead an investment round of at least $1 billion in Ele.me, one of the largest players in a crowded Chinese food-delivery service arena. The financing will value Ele.me at $5.5 billion to $6 billion and help it compete with a rival service backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. Alibaba is battling Tencent-backed startup, Meituan Dianping, for dominance in food and meal delivery businesses. Bloomberg

Google's defeats China's best Go master, but is no match for its censors: Google artificial intelligence unit DeepMind teamed up with Chinese authorities to hold a five-day festival focused on the ancient game of Go. The centerpiece of the event was a three-game contest pitting a DeepMind against China's world Go champion, Ke Jie - all of it livestreamed on Google's YouTube. DeepMind's AlphaGo program won by half a point. But Chinese Go fans couldn't watch the first game on Tuesday because the YouTube livestream was blocked. CNNMoney

May 27, 2017 at 10:12AM http://ift.tt/2s60EOX from Clay Chandler http://ift.tt/2s60EOX

[componentplanet]

Field-Testing DJI’s New OM 4 Gimbal With Magnetic Mounting System

With the OM 4 smartphone gimbal ($149), DJI continues to impress with its ability to innovate. When I first reviewed the Osmo Mobile 2, its features were impressive, but it was a massive device to have to carry just to improve your smartphone photography. With the Osmo Mobile 3, DJI addressed that issue by creating a clever folding system. However, using it was still a little painful, as you had to fiddle with the clamp each time you wanted to mount your phone. Unless you have two phones and can leave one in it, that’s quite a hassle.

I’ve been using a review unit of the new DJI OM 4 (DJI shortened up the name from Osmo Mobile to OM) for a few days now, and its new magnetic mounting system makes those worries a thing of the past.

DJI’s OM 4 By the Numbers

For the most part, anyone who has used a previous generation Osmo Mobile will recognize the design and control layout of the fourth-generation device. Like the 3, the OM 4 folds nicely for compact carrying. It’s actually a little more compact because it doesn’t have an attached clamp.

DJI’s OM 4’s new magnetic mount makes using a gimbal a lot simpler than with previous models.

The biggest difference is the mounting system. The OM 4 features a strong magnet that attaches either to a metal clamp you place on your phone, or for more permanent use, to a metal disk you can stick on your phone. Either is much more convenient than the previous system, and the clamp is fairly low profile, so it doesn’t interfere too much with using your phone (although in my case the middle of the phone where it should go always seems to mean it covers one of the buttons a bit).

The OM 4 features a USB-C charging port, a nice change from so many accessories that still use older connectors. The device takes about 2-1/2 hours for a full charge that should last for around 15 hours of operation.

DJI provides everything you need to get started using the OM 4 in the standard package. No need for a kit upsell.

Using the DJI OM 4

Like every DJI product I’ve used, the first step is logging in to your DJI account and downloading an app — in this case DJI Mimo. I’m really not a big fan of requiring a login to use a camera accessory like a gimbal. It seems unnecessary and one more potential privacy exposure. Hopefully, this practice won’t spread to the people who make smart triggers and other accessories. Once I logged in and opened the app, it found the OM4 instantly and paired with my Pixel 3 and Huawei Mate 20 Pro effortlessly.

DJI markets the OM 4 as being designed to allow operation with one hand. Technically that’s true, but you’re likely to find it easier to do with one hand than the other. In my case, I found it easier to move my thumb to the appropriate controls when using my left hand (I’m left-handed, but I don’t think that was why I found it easier). The stronger motor in the OM 4 meant it had an easier time balancing and moving the Huawei Mate 20 Pro I tested with it (I used it in particular because it is the same phone I used with the Mobile 3). That also meant that panoramas seemed faster, although I don’t have previous times to compare the actual numbers.

DJI Mimo and the OM 4 Pack Some New Tricks

In addition to all the clever pre-programmed modes found in the Mobile 3, such as ActiveTrack, the Mimo app for the OM 4 adds a “Dolly Zoom” and “Clone Me Panorama.” Hyperlapse and Timelapse, which employ both the 3-axis gimbal and Electronic Image Stabilization, have been upgraded. A Sport Mode allows faster gimbal response for tracking faster-moving subjects. It also brings forward Story mode, which allows you to quickly generate videos based on one of DJI’s templates. Personally, I really enjoy the Timelapse and Hyperlapse capabilities. However, if you’re going to do anything exciting with them you may want to have a second phone for that purpose, especially if the project involves leaving a phone somewhere that it can be tampered with or stolen.

Panning Stabilization Remains a Strong Point

Of course, the central feature of a gimbal is how well it stabilizes. I ran a test panning across the same scene using four different setups. For the first test video I panned manually, by twisting the gimbal with my hand:

Then I switched to using the automated panning via the thumbstick. I set the thumbstick to only allow horizontal and vertical direction changes, to help keep it level. For my first test, I pushed the thumbstick all the way to the right to get a sense of how quickly you can pan (you can actually go even faster by changing the settings to accelerate it further):

Then I repeated the pan but with just a light push on the thumbstick. It’s not trivial to keep a constant level of light pressure, so the motion isn’t quite as smooth:

To get a slow pan with more consistent motion, I changed the settings to reduce the panning sensitivity. That allowed me to get a slow pan even with the thumbstick held all the way to the right:

Is the DJI OM 4 For You?

Frankly, if you need a smartphone gimbal, DJI continues to innovate and produce a full-featured product at a rational price. For $149 you get the gimbal, a phone clamp, a stick-on disk for permanent attachment to a phone, a cute little mini-tripod, a charging cable, and a carrying pouch. You can get a replacement clamp for $25 and an additional disk for $19.

Within days of its launch, I received announcements from competitors priced as low as half of DJI’s cost, but from past experience, they’re never quite as full-featured or well supported. In my case, I have two major uses for my smartphone gimbals. The first is when filming from a boat or other motorized vehicle, where a gimbal is really essential for smooth video. The second is the Timelapse and Hyperlapse features. Combining them with a gimbal provides a much easier and more effective way to create those special effects than attempting to do them with an app and a tripod.

For many users, the editing features of Mimo and the Story mode will also be a benefit. Personally, I typically just use Mimo to control the gimbal and capture video. I then use Adobe’s Premiere Rush to assemble it. I’m looking forward to some interesting projects using the OM 4. It is handy enough to take anywhere and has a wide variety of uses, including even simple ones such as helping stabilize long-exposure and low-light images.

Now Read:

Hands On With the New DJI Mavic Air 2

Review: Flying DJI’s New Mavic Mini Portable Drone

DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Tested: A Smartphone Gimbal You Can Travel With

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/314320-dji-om-4-gimbal-magnetic-mounting-system-review from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/09/field-testing-djis-new-om-4-gimbal-with.html