So…Is the Mavic Producing Out of Focus Images or Not?

This whole drone business is a real “swings and roundabouts” affair right now.

Whilst the DJI Mavic appeared to be the new big thing and even “trumping” the Go Pro Karma, where it could fail for me is image quality…image quality is king in my world!

In this particular image quality test against the DJI Phantom 4 (video 1 below), the Phantom wins hands down…no contest. Or does it?

You need to watch all three videos below and read on to find out just how good the Mavic is. Never take the opinion of just one video, especially when the product is so new as your choice could be made on errors in judgement by the reviewer.

Anyway, it seems from this comparison that the Mavic is geared towards being a handy, take anywhere drone more for amateur, enthusiast and/or fun flyers.

Based on Casey’s video alone, I certainly wouldn’t use this as a back up or professional B-roll footage for my business. I’m not even sure I would want one now at all.

Casey says he would definitely sacrifice image quality for convenience any day of the week. Not me…

I would “re-compromise” between the two and settle for a Phantom 4 as B camera or dare I say it…

…the Go Pro Karma could win back the top spot for this category as we all know Go Pro cameras produce excellent 4K/1080p footage and I am guessing the Go Pro HD Hero 5 will surpass the quality of the HD Hero 4.

Check out the video:

Some people are saying that perhaps Casey didn’t focus correctly so I found this video from Digital Rev which backs him up with regards to image quality…but are they all missing something?

Again, the footage looks soft but in my experience, you need to dig a little further. When I first forked out nearly £2,000 for the X5 camera and Olympus lens for my Inspire 1, I was initially  disappointed by the results I was getting.

It took a little bit of research, a lot of tweaking, learning and practising until I finally nailed it and started getting perfectly sharp, superb 4K footage every time.

It seems this is also the case for the DJI Mavic. Whereas the Phantom 4 has full autofocus, the Mavic doesn’t. You need to tap the screen to focus like you would on a Smartphone. Once you do that, everything falls into place as you can see in this last video…

So there you have it. Even the most followed and popular YouTubers can get it wrong sometimes. It seems from all of this that the Mavic does actually produce super sharp 4K footage and in my opinion, it wins the day. I may even buy one myself.

I have a particular job at the moment that means me hiking about with a group of walkers all over the Purbecks in Dorset. They only really need 1080p output and rather than lugging the Inspire 1 plus batteries around all day, having the Mavic in my camera bag would make life soooo much easier!

Only time will tell which way popularity goes with regards to sales for these two drones.

DJI Mavic Pro vs DJI Phantom 4 was last modified: September 30th, 2016 by Nick

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When we’re on location, we work really hard – but we also have a whole lot of fun. Today, I want to introduce you to one of our amazing film crews. We first worked with Matthew and Cori in Morocco, where they were living and working with the Peace Corps. We filmed our Histograms Exposed course there – and later traveled with them to Hawaii to film Spot On Exposure. Most recently, in June they joined me in Iceland to film our Composition course.

When we are traveling, Matthew and Cori work hard every single day. They get up when we do – well before dawn most days – they make sure all the audio and video gear is charged and ready, and they are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to shoot the next lesson. They help carry our gear. They help scout locations. They deal with crazy weather conditions, and they never complain. They listen to us as we are recording – keeping a lookout for errors, watching our transitions, and offering suggestions. While we were filming in Iceland, Matthew and Cori kept track of the schedule. They drove long distances. They reminded me to eat. They kept me motivated. In short, they kept things running smoothly day after day – and they kept me laughing, too.

One evening, Matthew decided he’d take on yet another responsibility… he offered to teach a lesson, using only the notes I’d prepared for myself. This short video is the result. None of us could stop laughing… but who knows! Maybe you’ll learn something!

Composition isn’t just about following the “Rule of Thirds”, and getting in close to your subject. Matthew takes us through the basics of understanding how contrast can help you draw attention to your subject and create impact in your photos… or at least that’s what this section was meant to do. It seems that my notes should be much more detailed if anyone else is going to have to teach from them! 😉

*Don’t worry – in the actual course, I teach this lesson myself! (Sorry Matthew – your lesson didn’t quite make the cut!)

About Author Varina Patel

There is nothing more remarkable to me than the power of nature. It is both cataclysmic and subtle. Slow and continuous erosion by water and wind can create landscapes every bit as astonishing as those shaped by catastrophic events – and minuscule details can be as breathtaking as grand vistas that stretch from one horizon to the other. Nature is incredibly diverse. Burning desert sands and mossy riverbanks… Brilliant sunbeams and fading alpenglow… Silent snowfall and raging summer storms… Each offers a unique opportunity. I am irresistibly drawn to the challenge of finding my next photograph, and mastering the skills required to capture it effectively.

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Image by Aurélien

For many of us photographers, they are objects of desire. The key to ultra-wide almost surreal looking images that would look good in anyone’s portfolio. I am talking about, of course, fisheye lenses.

Today we are going  to give you the brief 101 on:

• What they are,
• Which one to buy, and
• How to use them.

For the sake of simplicity, we will refer to focal lengths that are 35mm full frame equivalents.

First Up. What Are Fisheye Lenses?

There is no real definition as to where ultra-wides lenses end and fisheyes begin but whilst an ultra-wide will attempt to eliminate or reduce distortion as far as possible, a fisheye will maintain and even embrace it.

The angle of view for a fisheye will start at around 100 degrees and can go out as far as 180 degrees. Typically on 35mm sensors the fisheye lenses are around the 8-10mm length whilst ultra-wides start at about 14mm.

There are in fact two main types of fisheye lenses that we can buy:

1. The Circular Fisheye, and
2. The Full Frame Fisheye.

Circular fisheyes are designed to project the image within the confines of the sensor, so what you get is a fully circular image on a rectangular frame.
The full frame fisheye also projects a circular image but in this case, it covers the entire sensor.

A circular fisheye projects the entire image within the confines of the sensor. By Alby Headrick

A full frame fisheye covers the entire sensor area. By Ian Sane

The characteristics of fisheye lenses are an ultra-wide field of view and extreme distortion of the image. This manifests itself as straight lines becoming curves and the overall image appearing as if its is projected onto a spherical surface.

In fact, the widest fisheye ever made was a Nikon 6mm. This had a 220 degree field of view, which effectively meant that photographers could see behind themselves.

If you’re new to Photoshop, you’ll at least want to get some of the basics down with editing outside of Lightroom (a great tool in itself of course). This complete video course by Steele Training will ensure you are prepared for those editing touches you need to get your images just how you want them.

Why Use Fisheye Lenses In Photography?

In other words, why use a lens that creates such pronounced distortion?

• Well, that distortion is one key factor for using fisheyes. It creates an ultra-wide, image where leading lines can be curved into our subject. The whole spherical feel on such shots can be very easy on the eye.

Fisheye shots can be very pleasing to the eye. By Dora Hon

• Another use for fisheye lenses is for shots in very confined spaces. Small interiors can be incredibly difficult to capture at the best of times. By using a fisheye and removing the distortion in post production we can capture very tight spaces and yet allow them to look natural.
• Another great use of the fisheye is shooting directly up or directly down. In a city street full of skyscrapers, pointing the fisheye straight up can give a dramatic view of endlessly high buildings.

  Pointing directly down from on high we can capture the minutiae of city life going on below us. The sides of the buildings will lead our eyes down into that city.

Dramatic shots looking either up or down. By End User

• Surreal and creative shots are another great reason for owning a fisheye lens. We can exaggerate the normal into something extraordinary and thought-provoking. This works particularly well when exaggerating perspective.
• With fisheye lenses, it is possible to have the subject a few centimetres from the lens with a background that remains in focus to infinity. This is due to the immense depth of field you get from a fisheye even at the widest apertures.

Shooting with a fisheye can be very challenging. The extreme perspective and distortion requires one to think quite differently from using a more mainstream lens. Check this guide to truly understand the concept of distortion.

If you’ve used an ultra-wide already, you will adapt more easily to the fisheye way of shooting. One area that can be particularly difficult to deal with is lens flare. The large bulbous front element and wide field of view combine to make controlling the light quite difficult.

Where To Start Looking For Fisheye Lenses

As mentioned above you first need to decide between circular or full-frame versions. There are now quite a few choices for photographers to choose from.

Camera manufacturers such as Nikon, Canon and Pentax all produce fisheyes. Some are designed specifically for the APS-C sensors or even M43 (Micro 4/3 sensors).

Most, if not all of these are full frame coverage lenses. Sigma produces both full frame and circular lenses. Its 8mm f3.5 is the current model but will only produce a circular image on full frame sensors.

The Nikon 10.5 DX is a good budget option for Nikon users. By yoppy

Samyang are a relative newcomer to the lens business but produce a range of fisheye lenses to suit full frame, APS-C and M43 sensors.

Summary

Fisheyes lenses are not for everyone. They are difficult to use, relatively expensive and only suitable for certain roles.

However, if you are the sort of person that loves getting great images from an ultra-wide lens then a fisheye is just a small step further to go in terms of creativity and technique.

If you’re new to Photoshop, you’ll at least want to get some of the basics down with editing outside of Lightroom (a great tool in itself of course). This complete video course by Steele Training will ensure you are prepared for those editing touches you need to get your images just how you want them.

Further Resources

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Jason Row is a British born travel photographer now living in Ukraine. His images have been licensed to companies such as Cunard, Ethiad and Virgin Atlantic as well as multiple newspapers and magazines. As well as shooting stills he is now creating travel stock video in 4K. He maintains a travel stock photography site at Jason Row Photography You can also catch up with him on Facebook at Facebook/TheOdessaFiles

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Sourced by Time Trap Photography sharing the best photography tips, news and tricks throughout the industry. Time Trap Photography is dedicated to freezing those special moments in life that can be revisited and admired for generations to come. - Shannon Bourque
Please visit our main site for booking availability and rates.

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