Kamra vs Solo

jcar · Feb 1, 2017

Soon we will be able to pick up a Kamra for $299.00 LOL

GoPro’s future is now tied to the revival of its Karma drone — the one that fell out of the sky last year

richnat · Feb 1, 2017

They should have just bought the rights to the Solo and built up from an existing pretty much proven platform. I see that it would be hard now to sell the Karma at those prices given that their track record is so tainted. Granted, they did provide full refunds to everyone, but who would want to take that chance again?

Also, what all models of GoPros work with Karma? I'm guessing only the 5s.....

richnat · Feb 1, 2017

I just checked their website. The Karma works with 5 and Session 5. It will work with a 4 with a special harness available for another $30.

jcar · Feb 1, 2017

Better off just getting the Solo for $299.00 Soon the Karma will be at that price also. Would be worth that price.

jcar · Feb 1, 2017

What the heck. Must be dump drone stock month. Yuneec Typhoon G Quadcopter RTF Drone- GoPro Gimbal;ST10+ Grnd Station;Steady Gr | eBay $250.00 Hand held gimbal is worth that.

Spectre95 · Feb 1, 2017

Would love to have the gimbal, but honestly not sure I would trust the drone at this point. Going to take a lot of testing and then more testing for me to believe it is stable.

alfadude1 · Feb 1, 2017

Spectre95 said:
Would love to have the gimbal, but honestly not sure I would trust the drone at this point. Going to take a lot of testing and then more testing for me to believe it is stable.

I had a Karma before the recall. It flew nicely and took nice and very stable videos, even in high winds. My only problem with it was the very strict no fly zones. Most of my rural town is off limits and I couldn't even start the motors because someone used to fly a seaplane from a local pond, so the Karma considered it an airport.

I am not sure it is worth more than a Solo on sale coupled with a set of the Alfa antennas, nor do I think it will put a dent in DJI sales, but I thought it was a good quadcopter (aside from the NFZ and the recall).

Maxheadspace · Feb 1, 2017

alfadude1 said:
I had a Karma before the recall. My only problem with it was the very strict no fly zones.

That's a non-starter for me. As you pointed out, there are so many places designated as "airports" that really aren't airports, such as the hospital near my house. No-fly-zone lockouts are a deal breaker. Commercial flying allows approvals to fly in restricted airspace, but if your drone won't even fire up... The Phantoms have a lockout, but it's graduated from the airport out, meaning if you're a mile or two from an airport you can still fly, just that it's a lower ceiling. Not quite as bad...

alfadude1 · Feb 1, 2017

Maxheadspace said:
That's a non-starter for me. As you pointed out, there are so many places designated as "airports" that really aren't airports, such as the hospital near my house. No-fly-zone lockouts are a deal breaker. Commercial flying allows approvals to fly in restricted airspace, but if your drone won't even fire up... The Phantoms have a lockout, but it's graduated from the airport out, meaning if you're a mile or two from an airport you can still fly, just that it's a lower ceiling. Not quite as bad...

Yes. I have a P4 and it gives a warning in my town and has the graduated restriction zone near real airports. I contacted GoPro via email, chat, and phone before the recall and couldn't get through to anyone that really could relate to my concern. Contacting them using each method seemed very scripted but supporting aircraft isn't the same as supporting action cameras. I think they need to sort out the No Fly Zones (and listening to customers) to have a chance of competing.

twitchyzero · Feb 2, 2017

if they didn't have the recall and DJI didn't release the Mavic Pro...wow could you imagine?

This is GoPro's first and last bird, just like Solo is to 3DR (RTF)

Some times you only get one shot...GoPro and 3DR spent all their energy on one product and the competition still swallowed them alive. The price war was downright savage, and even personal, but it benefited many of us, I'm sure with everyone and their $299 complete Solo package and then some would agree to an extent.

id10t · Feb 2, 2017

twitchyzero said:
if they didn't have the recall and DJI didn't release the Mavic Pro...wow could you imagine?

This is GoPro's first and last bird, just like Solo is to 3DR (RTF)

Some times you only get one shot...GoPro and 3DR spent all their energy on one product and the competition still swallowed them alive. The price war was downright savage, and even personal, but it benefited many of us, I'm sure with everyone and their $299 complete Solo package and then some would agree to an extent.

I would agree but GoPro has such a cult following I think they will sell well. Also if the reason for the failures is true then most folks will likely over look the failure. For those who don't know GoPro is claiming the battery door/compartment was not tight enough and the battery would lose connection thus loss of power. So it would appear it was not a hard engineering problem with the electronics of the drone. If that is truly the case they may have to reduce the price but they can buy/discount their consumers back into the GoPro Eco System.

3DR IMHO opinion made a huge blunder by hitching its wagon to GoPro without a 5 or 10 year support agreement. Considering most of the knock of cameras use the same firmware and menu code 3DR would have been much better off offering the best drone for multiple cameras. I could only imagine how great it would be if you could add a Sony, Garmin, or any other camera to the Solo. A few in house engineers would have been a lot cheaper in the long run than the fire sale GoPro Only caused.

I would have paid 200.00 to 400.00 for a gimbal and app integration for those cameras. Diversity killed them as it does many other businesses who have tout someone elses product to sell their own.

cryhavoc38 · Feb 2, 2017

twitchyzero said:
if they didn't have the recall and DJI didn't release the Mavic Pro...wow could you imagine?

This is GoPro's first and last bird, just like Solo is to 3DR (RTF)

Some times you only get one shot...GoPro and 3DR spent all their energy on one product and the competition still swallowed them alive. The price war was downright savage, and even personal, but it benefited many of us, I'm sure with everyone and their $299 complete Solo package and then some would agree to an extent.

If the Karma doesn't sell well, then I, for one, am looking forward to the $299 karma blowout at Best Buy next year

jcar · Feb 2, 2017

cryhavoc38 said:
If the Karma doesn't sell well, then I, for one, am looking forward to the $299 karma blowout at Best Buy next year

Same here

mr2andy · Feb 3, 2017

I'm not trying to help karma sales but let's break down the price here. Karma is currently going for 799 without the gopro 5 and 1099 with gopro 5. For 799, you get the drone + controller (with a screen) + karma gimbal + the karma grip (retail @ 299) + Karma case. If you take the karma grip away, the drone + controller + gimbal + case = 499. That's not too far off from the 299 solo we all bought from BB today. Karma is already on a fire sales.

quickamg · Feb 3, 2017

mr2andy said:
I'm not trying to help karma sales but let's break down the price here. Karma is currently going for 799 without the gopro 5 and 1099 with gopro 5. For 799, you get the drone + controller (with a screen) + karma gimbal + the karma grip (retail @ 299) + Karma case. If you take the karma grip away, the drone + controller + gimbal + case = 499. That's not too far off from the 299 solo we all bought from BB today. Karma is already on a fire sales.

+1 I'm getting one.

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jcar · Feb 3, 2017

quickamg said:
+1 I'm getting one.

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Mavic still blows it away

quickamg · Feb 3, 2017

jcar said:
Mavic still blows it away

Oh Ok.

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twitchyzero · Feb 4, 2017

quickamg said:
Oh Ok.

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if you flew both, you'd know that is a pretty accurate statement.

Even if Karma is $299, count me out. It's too similar to the Solo which I had 3 at one point. I simply do not trust GoPro's software, either.

If I want a foldable craft, Mavic Pro is the clear winner.

Maxheadspace · Feb 4, 2017

mr2andy said:
Karma is currently going for 799 without the gopro 5 and 1099 with gopro 5. For 799, you get the drone + controller (with a screen) + karma gimbal + the karma grip (retail @ 299) + Karma case... Karma is already on a fire sales.

Realistically, that's pretty much where they have to be to remain competitive. DJI has such a rock-solid base that GoPro is going to have to be really competitive to stay in the game. I hope GoPro is successful, if just to keep competition in the market. I think I'm done buying drones for the year. (Unless they start selling Karma's for $299...)

Spectre95 · Feb 4, 2017

twitchyzero said:
if you flew both, you'd know that is a pretty accurate statement.

Even if Karma is $299, count me out. It's too similar to the Solo which I had 3 at one point. I simply do not trust GoPro's software, either.

If I want a foldable craft, Mavic Pro is the clear winner.

Have to admit reviewing the specs i would go mavic as well. The karma offers me nothing except the grip over my solo. The mavic however does give me a differentiator or two.

That being said, if the package drops to 299$ i may buy one and a spare battery pack just to get the grip for use with my hero 5.