Solo vs The "White" guy...

[tomnjfl]

I will be interested in your input on this. I have both and like them both. They are just different. Each has it's specific areas that they are better than the other. Just remember what forum you are on and be careful how objective you are, you may get lambasted by a few here but most are pretty open to others input.

So here's some initial thoughts and impressions. I didn't have too much time to experiment since the weather in Florida has been total @#$% for the past 2 weeks, but here's a few quick things:

Look/Feel: I still like the look and feel of the Solo better. Construction feels a little sturdier and I prefer the black look over the white of the P3. But I guess that's mostly a personal thing. Some people I'm sure will like the bright white better. I was also a bit surprised that the P3 is a bit smaller in person then in images. One thing I really prefer on the Solo is the landing legs. I feel that it's a bit sturdier on the ground with the legs spread out a bit and on angles. The P3 gives me the feeling that it could tip over and any time lol, but it doesn't.

Setup: Pretty simple. The DJI app is really nice, and has tons of customizable features, very similar to the 3DR app in many ways. I'll have to dig in a little deeper to see if there's any pros/cons to one over the other.

Flying: The P3 was pretty easy to get in the air. Your basic FLY, LAND, and RTH functions all worked perfectly smoothly. We took off and landed from the grass on the fairway of a golf course, so I was actually really impressed that the P3 landed on the uneven surface without any hiccups. My Solo FOR SURE would have had trouble landing on the surface since it wasn't perfectly level. This could be because of the infrared sensors on the P3 that spot the ground. I did notice that the P3 sort of bounces when it lands, whereas the Solo comes in pretty smooth (when it works). Not sure if that's typical or not.

GPS: It actually aggravated me that the P3 picked up GPS so quickly. Within a minute we were flying with 17 satellites locked. I'd have to go back to the exact location with Solo for a comparison, but I've never seen anything more then 12 sats on Solo.

Gimbal/Camera: I definitely prefer the quality of a GoPro over the DJI camera, just based on a quick initial impression. Maybe there's some camera settings on the P3 we need to explore more, but it just didn't look at vibrant as the GoPro. The footage was also REALLY shaky, which is something I didn't expect. Most other footage I've seen from a P3 was fairly smooth, so maybe it was just some slight wind....but hey, on the bright side at least the gimbal actually worked, which is more then I can say for my Solo sometimes!!

Overall, I still prefer the Solo, but I do have to admit the P3 makes a compelling case for DJI. It's a really solid product for sure.

 

[Bigskyflyer]

So here's some initial thoughts and impressions. I didn't have too much time to experiment since the weather in Florida has been total @#$% for the past 2 weeks, but here's a few quick things:

Look/Feel: I still like the look and feel of the Solo better. Construction feels a little sturdier and I prefer the black look over the white of the P3. But I guess that's mostly a personal thing. Some people I'm sure will like the bright white better. I was also a bit surprised that the P3 is a bit smaller in person then in images. One thing I really prefer on the Solo is the landing legs. I feel that it's a bit sturdier on the ground with the legs spread out a bit and on angles. The P3 gives me the feeling that it could tip over and any time lol, but it doesn't.

Setup: Pretty simple. The DJI app is really nice, and has tons of customizable features, very similar to the 3DR app in many ways. I'll have to dig in a little deeper to see if there's any pros/cons to one over the other.

Flying: The P3 was pretty easy to get in the air. Your basic FLY, LAND, and RTH functions all worked perfectly smoothly. We took off and landed from the grass on the fairway of a golf course, so I was actually really impressed that the P3 landed on the uneven surface without any hiccups. My Solo FOR SURE would have had trouble landing on the surface since it wasn't perfectly level. This could be because of the infrared sensors on the P3 that spot the ground. I did notice that the P3 sort of bounces when it lands, whereas the Solo comes in pretty smooth (when it works). Not sure if that's typical or not.

GPS: It actually aggravated me that the P3 picked up GPS so quickly. Within a minute we were flying with 17 satellites locked. I'd have to go back to the exact location with Solo for a comparison, but I've never seen anything more then 12 sats on Solo.

Gimbal/Camera: I definitely prefer the quality of a GoPro over the DJI camera, just based on a quick initial impression. Maybe there's some camera settings on the P3 we need to explore more, but it just didn't look at vibrant as the GoPro. The footage was also REALLY shaky, which is something I didn't expect. Most other footage I've seen from a P3 was fairly smooth, so maybe it was just some slight wind....but hey, on the bright side at least the gimbal actually worked, which is more then I can say for my Solo sometimes!!

Overall, I still prefer the Solo, but I do have to admit the P3 makes a compelling case for DJI. It's a really solid product for sure.

Very informative comparison. As far as the bounce when landing, turn vps off, and the shake in video, I have not experienced that yet with my P3 but have with my Solo. There are some on this forum that are working on possible solutions for this but no complete cure yet. I can't disagree with anything else you said. I actually give the nod to my P3 based on the gps performance and minimal fidgeting required.

 

[J R]

Very informative comparison. As far as the bounce when landing, turn vps off, and the shake in video, I have not experienced that yet with my P3 but have with my Solo. There are some on this forum that are working on possible solutions for this but no complete cure yet. I can't disagree with anything else you said. I actually give the nod to my P3 based on the gps performance and minimal fidgeting required.

BigSky,

I'm with you on the assessment but I've got VPS off and I get that "bounce" he's articulating that I don't have with the Solo. I give the Solo points on efficient and steady landing. I don't have any trouble landing the P3 but there is a bit more work with the sticks than the Solo. I'm usually coming in hard to land "now" because I'm extremely sensitive to keeping my batteries in good condition. I don't usually dick around with my landings. I want the bird on the ground at 30%, no less that 25%. Maybe one of those superstition things but up to now my batteries are all good and none of my birds has "just flew away" yet! Knock on wood.

Jerry

 

[Bigskyflyer]

BigSky,

I'm with you on the assessment but I've got VPS off and I get that "bounce" he's articulating that I don't have with the Solo. I give the Solo points on efficient and steady landing. I don't have any trouble landing the P3 but there is a bit more work with the sticks than the Solo. I'm usually coming in hard to land "now" because I'm extremely sensitive to keeping my batteries in good condition. I don't usually dick around with my landings. I want the bird on the ground at 30%, no less that 25%. Maybe one of those superstition things but up to now my batteries are all good and none of my birds has "just flew away" yet! Knock on wood.

Jerry

I love my Solo also, I have gotten into the habit of not flying it around any obstructions (buildings, trees or anything taller than 3 feet tall. Lol. The gps is very unpredictable. Never been an issue with the white one.

 

[J R]

I love my Solo also, I have gotten into the habit of not flying it around any obstructions (buildings, trees or anything taller than 3 feet tall. Lol. The gps is very unpredictable. Never been an issue with the white one.

BigSky,

The "White One" definitely wins on sat lock and GPS stability. Gotta give credit where credit is due.

Jerry

 

[Bigskyflyer]

BigSky,

The "White One" definitely wins on sat lock and GPS stability. Gotta give credit where credit is due.

Jerry

Take the gps and Lightbridge from the "white" one and the air frame and go pro from the "black" one and combine them______hmmm. Just food for thought.

 

[Mauiwind]

I don't know what some of the replies are talking about. I can tell you that the brightness values are a lot better with the P3. (that bothers me cause I'm so into Solo.)
The GP footage has lost a lot of shadow detail and has more contrast. Without color correction, as it is, the GP stuff is cyan/blue and the P3 is much warmer.
Personally, I feel the GP lens perspective ( modded ) is far superior to the wide P3.
Great work ! Mahalo!
So much of what really counts would need to be revealed in post work. (Professional photographer 43 years)

 

[Freebird32]

BigSky,

The "White One" definitely wins on sat lock and GPS stability. Gotta give credit where credit is due.

Jerry

I just got a P3 as an addition to my solo camera. The P3 GPS is enabled for Russian Glonass Sats in addition to US GPS Sats, and it is quicker to lock as a result. I consistently wait 3-4 minutes for Solo to lock on and be "ready" to FLY. I found the P3 easier to get out and fly than the solo. I think the solo is much steadier flying platform. P3 lands softer if you do it manually. Auto land is a bit abrupt - I agree.