Solo is still a worthy competitor.

erikgraham · Jan 1, 2017

Hey guys, I haven't been around for awhile because I've been fiddling with some other drones for the last 8 or 9 months. I still love the Solo, but it's getting pretty old at this point.

I just wanted to stop by to vent a little bit about how difficult it is to get get a nice clean image out of all the DJI cameras I've been testing (the P4 and now the Mavic). They suffer from both smearing (oil panting effect) AND over sharpness (which causes aliasing, and flickering). It's damn near impossible to achieve the right balance. There is also a huge problem with banding (moire effect).

It is possible to get it dialed in, but you've really got work at it, and you need to tailor your settings for the subject matter you're shooting. Very annoying. The problem is in DJI's implementation of h.264 compression. Their algorithms are just plain crap compared to the Hero 4 Black. DJI's X5R is amazing when you shoot RAW, but it's compressed h.264 footage is just as crappy as the P4 or the Mavic. Oh, and it costs $5 grand.

So in my opinion, if you are still flying the Solo, or if your a new Solo owner, and you're looking at some of the new drones out there with envy, be careful what you wish for.

The Solo + H4 Black + Smart shots is still hard to beat in terms of image quality and complex camera movements. Throw in Solex and a good rectilinear lens from Peau, and the Solo is absolutely an excellent piece of kit. More than a worthy competitor.

Just my two cents.

(And happy new year everybody)

Vegasrobbi · Jan 1, 2017

While I agree Solo's smart moves are unsurpassed I wish we had a camera/gimbal option. I'm not a professional photographer and my Solo is equipped with a H4B.

My Solo always outperforms my DJI and Yuneec drones but the IQ never seems as good. I can deal with fisheye in GP suite but the clarity and vibes never seem as good.

I wish we had the option of a lightweight Autel 4k type camera and gimbal. An aerial camera with a better FOV, lighter gimbal and less vibes.

My P4 sucks at autonomous moves but I get better IQ. Solo is amazing but I never seem to get the quality I'm after. As long as I have a live video feed I'd give up camera controls in the app, or at least limited control. But this is probably a long shot given Solo's gimbal integration and processing power.

Here's a quick vid from last week.

nightram · Jan 2, 2017

I did a review on litchi for mavic today, pasted at the end here. It is just so unpolished.

I aint giving my solo away any time soon.

A Litchi review: First impressions

Dont get yer unmentionables in a knot, this is only the first experience.

Deciding to brave the weather I thought it would be a good idea to test out Litchi. "Everyone" raves about it, so I sacrificed $30 and decided to give it a whirl. My experience will relate to using it on the S7.

First glance at the app, it seems cluttered and gaudy with icons in different places and style. I remember back to highschool when initially learning about programming. Basic rules were "make it familiar and friendly". The idea being to present something visually appealing and easy to use. The main faults I see in this are that it deviates too much in style from the DJI Go 4 app, being the defult user experience. By having a different style it will potentially confuse the buyer and possibly lessen the experience therefore impacting on sales. Also, I like the DJI Go4 layout and scheme, it seems well polished with the fuelbar being fantastic.

On to flight modes starting with waypoints. Flat out disappointment, though this might not be primarily Litchi's fault. Waypoints must be a minimum of 2 mins in duration or you cannot do them. For me this sucks big time. I dont want to do epic saga flights, I want to use the waypoints for something meaningful like targeted camera shots. An ideal reveal takes 6-8 seconds, what am i supposed to do for the remaining minute and 54 seconds? Program in some circlework? I am going to have to get back to this one, as the goal was to accurately test the gimbal control abilities unbiased using the Solo as the benchmark. So scratch waypoints for today.

Didnt bother with orbit or follow me, it is a native mode with no additional function in Litchi.

Next I tried out the POI function. Now with this I was impressed. It is a simple function with great potential to get those cinematic flybys. The only things I didnt like was that it seemed to be in a "sport style" control mode, in that when you released the sticks it took an inordinate amount of time to stop. I want it to stop now, as it is no good for safety if I overrun and hit something. The defult orientation mode also is not good and I find heading mode the best.

Lastly I played with Pano. Nothing ground breaking here and does a remarkable effort to copy Denis Baldwins Dronepan. A bit slower than Dronepan, but effective. What would have been nice is if someone at Litchi put the time in and calculated the minimum amount of photos required for a 360 Pano with the appropriate amount of overlap. I dont want to take 5 billion photos with 90% overlap, nor do I want to do the maths. I would be curious to know if it focuses each time or sets and forgets.

Well then, what do I base my benchmarks on? Pretty much other platforms that have been around longer or done it better. Still to date I would have to say that the Solo has the best Orbit and Waypoint (MPCC) system available for multirotors, with Tower 3 providing the best visual experience for waypointed missions. Dronepan would provide the best Pano system, though I believe it is only available on IOS atm.

So final thoughts on Litch (initial look)? It definitely provides function where there was none, also it is all an one package making it one nice easy purchase. Aesthetically it needs work, with menus and sub menus a basic box style looking unfinished. 2 minute waypoint is painful and if not usable for short runs, well then why use it at all? Waypoints are most useful to lessen the load on the user, allowing them to think more on the creative than the physics of flight.

Rex Barlow · Jan 2, 2017

erikgraham said:
Hey guys, I haven't been around for awhile because I've been fiddling with some other drones for the last 8 or 9 months. I still love the Solo, but it's getting pretty old at this point.

I just wanted to stop by to vent a little bit about how difficult it is to get get a nice clean image out of all the DJI cameras I've been testing (the P4 and now the Mavic). They suffer from both smearing (oil panting effect) AND over sharpness (which causes aliasing, and flickering). It's damn near impossible to achieve the right balance. There is also a huge problem with banding (moire effect).

It is possible to get it dialed in, but you've really got work at it, and you need to tailor your settings for the subject matter you're shooting. Very annoying. The problem is in DJI's implementation of h.264 compression. Their algorithms are just plain crap compared to the Hero 4 Black. DJI's X5R is amazing when you shoot RAW, but it's compressed h.264 footage is just as crappy as the P4 or the Mavic. Oh, and it costs $5 grand.

So in my opinion, if you are still flying the Solo, or if your a new Solo owner, and you're looking at some of the new drones out there with envy, be careful what you wish for.

The Solo + H4 Black + Smart shots is still hard to beat in terms of image quality and complex camera movements. Throw in Solex and a good rectilinear lens from Peau, and the Solo is absolutely an excellent piece of kit. More than a worthy competitor.

Just my two cents.

(And happy new year everybody)

I agree with u! Solo still the best

RichWest · Jan 2, 2017

erikgraham said:
I just wanted to stop by to vent a little bit about how difficult it is to get get a nice clean image out of all the DJI cameras I've been testing (the P4 and now the Mavic). They suffer from both smearing (oil panting effect) AND over sharpness (which causes aliasing, and flickering). It's damn near impossible to achieve the right balance. There is also a huge problem with banding (moire effect).

I've noticed that on many of the videos I've seen. Thought it was a filter issue....

I've grown to appreciate the GP4B, the video seems natural and a smooth transition with the changing light. Solo is still a great platform, with or without the smart shots.

I watched a video by Philip Bloom reviewing the mavic. He was critical of DJl's cameras in general and then basically commended what a GP could provide. Like you, he said it can be overcome with difficult post processing. Seems to me DJl peaked with the P3 and now offer's bells and whistles...just to maintain the price point.

I appreciate you giving your trusted opinion here. Happy New Year!

Jubalr · Jan 2, 2017

erikgraham said:
Hey guys, I haven't been around for awhile because I've been fiddling with some other drones for the last 8 or 9 months. I still love the Solo, but it's getting pretty old at this point.

I just wanted to stop by to vent a little bit about how difficult it is to get get a nice clean image out of all the DJI cameras I've been testing (the P4 and now the Mavic). They suffer from both smearing (oil panting effect) AND over sharpness (which causes aliasing, and flickering). It's damn near impossible to achieve the right balance. There is also a huge problem with banding (moire effect).

It is possible to get it dialed in, but you've really got work at it, and you need to tailor your settings for the subject matter you're shooting. Very annoying. The problem is in DJI's implementation of h.264 compression. Their algorithms are just plain crap compared to the Hero 4 Black. DJI's X5R is amazing when you shoot RAW, but it's compressed h.264 footage is just as crappy as the P4 or the Mavic. Oh, and it costs $5 grand.

So in my opinion, if you are still flying the Solo, or if your a new Solo owner, and you're looking at some of the new drones out there with envy, be careful what you wish for.

The Solo + H4 Black + Smart shots is still hard to beat in terms of image quality and complex camera movements. Throw in Solex and a good rectilinear lens from Peau, and the Solo is absolutely an excellent piece of kit. More than a worthy competitor.

Just my two cents.

(And happy new year everybody)

Hey Erik, good to hear from you again. Thanks for the updates on where you've been.

pyrate · Jan 2, 2017

Love Eriks stuff
The key to gopro black is finding the right work flow.
When you get that down, I still think it hammers all the DJI cameras, with a couple of exceptions
If you are a photographer and have become set on RAW then the newer RAW DJI cameras are better
THe new larger sensor on the 4s should slaughter gopro, but I have not seen enough footage to say that it does

erikgraham · Jan 2, 2017

pyrate said:
Love Eriks stuff
The key to gopro black is finding the right work flow.
When you get that down, I still think it hammers all the DJI cameras, with a couple of exceptions
If you are a photographer and have become set on RAW then the newer RAW DJI cameras are better
THe new larger sensor on the 4s should slaughter gopro, but I have not seen enough footage to say that it does

True.

I haven't tested the new Phantom 4 Pro camera. However, I do have the X5R which I fly on an m600. Great great camera, with one caveat that I alluded to above.

For those who aren't familiar with it, the X5R records RAW video to an SSD drive. Simultaneously it records the same footage to an SD card using h.264 compression. This is very handy for quickly reviewing footage in the field and just generally having proxies of the RAW footage (which is otherwise very unwieldy to deal with).

Here's the interesting thing though... Even though the X5r has a massive micro 4/3rds sensor, the h.264 footage suffers from the same issues as the P4 and the Mavic. The RAW footage is fantastic, so it's not a big deal, but the issues with the h.264 footage demonstrates DJI's poor algorithms are systemic across the board. So even though I haven't reviewed P4 Pro footage, I'm willing to bet it has the same problems.

Greg Parker · Jan 2, 2017

pyrate said:
Love Eriks stuff
The key to gopro black is finding the right work flow.
When you get that down, I still think it hammers all the DJI cameras, with a couple of exceptions
If you are a photographer and have become set on RAW then the newer RAW DJI cameras are better
THe new larger sensor on the 4s should slaughter gopro, but I have not seen enough footage to say that it does

What is that "right work flow" in your opinion? I have tried several and am not convinced that I have found the one.

Sid nguyen · Jan 3, 2017

well i just picked up my second one and a gphero4 black. can't wait to try it out.

erikgraham · Jan 3, 2017

Greg Parker said:
What is that "right work flow" in your opinion? I have tried several and am not convinced that I have found the one.

In my opinion:
1) capture as flat an image as possible in 4K with as little in camera processing as possible. Protune, flat color, native WB, lowest sharpness, etc. Use an ND filter to allow a shutter speed that is slightly more than 2X frame rate. (As opposed to strict 180 rule which would be a shutter twice the frame rate so if shooting at 30fps, target a shutter speed of 1/80 to 1/100)

2) color correct: using a scope, first adjust your blacks so they are just touching a zero baseline. Second adjust your whites to stretch the wave form, realizing that some specular will be illegal. Then adjust midtones to taste. I generally pull them down to add depth. Next adjust color to achieve a proper white balance (since you used native in step 1).

Now you should have an image that looks well exposed with dynamic range, but the colors are still a little dull.

3) color grade. That's a whole huge topic in and of itself. If you just want to do something quick, try cranking up the saturation in the midtones. Or use something like Resolve to really create the overall look and feel that you want. I often add a little sharpening in at this stage - just a touch, because too much sharpening causes flickering in the image, and in my opinion looks dated.

4) Apply a broadcast safe filter. This will clamp off your illegal whites (from specular highlights), and any blacks you may have pushed down too far.

5) render the final 4K image to 1080p. An image captured at 4K and delivered at 1080P will be cleaner than an image captured at 1080p and delivered at 1080p. Also, scaling down to 1080P will help eliminate noise a little bit.

Lon Denard · Jan 3, 2017

So how much do you charge an hour for tutoring? Editing is killing me!

I'm starting to realize that the Solo is a better platform than I originally gave it credit for. I actually bought it on a whim when it went on sale because I already owned a Go Pro. I planned to use it to learn to fly before I bought a "real drone". Now I see that it has many of the same features as the competition. Thank you for that interesting review.

erikgraham · Jan 3, 2017

Lon Denard said:
So how much do you charge an hour for tutoring? Editing is killing me!

I'm starting to realize that the Solo is a better platform than I originally gave it credit for. I actually bought it on a whim when it went on sale because I already owned a Go Pro. I planned to use it to learn to fly before I bought a "real drone". Now I see that it has many of the same features as the competition. Thank you for that interesting review.

LOL. I charge more than Larry Jordan, who taught me. I highly recommend his website. His video tutorials aren't free, but they are excellent for beginners and there are plenty of tips for professionals as well.

Edit: I'm not sure what software Larry covers these days. His series on Final Cut from many years ago was great. I know he keeps it up to date because I get the occasional email from him. I'm sure he covers all the Adobe software too. I'd have to check his site (which just happens to be down for maintence right now).

Lon Denard · Jan 3, 2017

erikgraham said:
LOL. I charge more than Larry Jordan, who taught me. I highly recommend his website. His video tutorials aren't free, but they are excellent for beginners and there are plenty of tips for professionals as well.

Edit: I'm not sure what software Larry covers these days. His series on Final Cut from many years ago was great. I know he keeps it up to date because I get the occasional email from him. I'm sure he covers all the Adobe software too. I'd have to check his site (which just happens to be down for maintence right now).

Thank you for the tip! I definitely lack the patience. Heck, the Qik mobile app was my go to for my motorcycle videos. I've even done a few from the drone with it. Mixed results for sure but convenient!

Thanks again!

Greg Parker · Jan 3, 2017

erikgraham said:
In my opinion:
1) capture as flat an image as possible in 4K with as little in camera processing as possible. Protune, flat color, native WB, lowest sharpness, etc. Use an ND filter to allow a shutter speed that is slightly more than 2X frame rate. (As opposed to strict 180 rule which would be a shutter twice the frame rate so if shooting at 30fps, target a shutter speed of 1/80 to 1/100)t.

Erik,
Thanks for the reply, I will try out some of these ideas. I tend to shot 2.7K for the smaller files and my computers ability to play them back smoothly.