I've had this problem since I started flying, but I've finally done enough tinkering to think this might be a hardware issue - or at least a setup problem.



I've set the exp up to make it a smooth as possible:
Throttlle: 0.33 rudder: 0.1 forward 0.2

the vid shows that when turning slowly with the stick in a constant position the pan movement starts and stops.

Yesterday I calibrated the IMU and the controller.  Firmware of phantom and controller is up to date, most recent app installed.

Try a gimbal calibration and let us know what video settings you are using eg frame rate.

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-7-31 22:08
Try a gimbal calibration and let us know what video settings you are using eg frame rate.

Yes did the gimbal calibration several times over the last few weeks.
frame rate makes no difference. this was shot at 60fps, took stuff tonight at 30fps that shows the same jerkiness

gherk Posted at 2017-8-1 00:09
Yes did the gimbal calibration several times over the last few weeks.
frame rate makes no difference. this was shot at 60fps, took stuff tonight at 30fps that shows the same jerkiness

Aloha gherk,

     Here is a test to see if it is hardware, thumbs or software.  Go into Multiple Flight Modes and choose Point of Interest.  Set up a POI but instead of having the camera looking down, aim the camera straight across.  Test the PAN at various speeds for at least a half turn at different speeds.  The flight path should be a perfect circle and the PAN should be perfectly smooth.  If it is not smooth show us the video.

     It looks like you said you calibrated the controller.  That means you moved the sticks to their full extension within the gimbal box?  You also moves the tilt wheel to its full extension?  The controller confirmed a completed calibration?

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

I would recommend you to consider Cetacean's suggestions and try again.

Sorry, but what I see is something which I see often on my 4K captured videos. I put it down to the processing capability of the media player. Have you tried down-coding to 1080i to see how the player manages that?

I too have been struggling with this.  I have tried playing with the settings with no effect.  Turned down the yaw expo and gain.  Gimbal pan synchronous follow ON, Gimbal start/stop buffer 20.  None of this seemed to help.  Then I did a shot of a moving object from a fixed point without any pan and the motion was still uneven. See near the end of this:   So maybe it is not the pan but something else.  I have been shooting at 1080P but had a go with 4K with no improvement as far as this issue goes.  I was  in both cases using 25fpi.  So is it the playback that is at fault?  Mine is pretty basic - WIndows Photo Gallery.  Windows Media Player and Windows Films and TV were no better.  It was edited in Windows Movie Maker but I went back to the originals and they are no better.  Any ideas?

Hey cetacean, ok I did the point of interest thing and I think it was ok.  I'll have to have another look and upload some...

kenjedfish Posted at 2017-8-7 08:04
I too have been struggling with this.  I have tried playing with the settings with no effect.  Turned down the yaw expo and gain.  Gimbal pan synchronous follow ON, Gimbal start/stop buffer 20.  None of this seemed to help.  Then I did a shot of a moving object from a fixed point without any pan and the motion was still uneven. See near the end of this: See near the end of this.  So maybe it is not the pan but something else.  I have been shooting at 1080P but had a go with 4K with no improvement as far as this issue goes.  I was  in both cases using 25fpi.  So is it the playback that is at fault?  Mine is pretty basic - WIndows Photo Gallery.  Windows Media Player and Windows Films and TV were no better.  It was edited in Windows Movie Maker but I went back to the originals and they are no better.  Any ideas?

It would be nice to see a short piece of that footage uploaded in it's original form, straight from the camera. Youtube does all sorts of awful things to video material, so you can't judge the quality looking at Youtube footage. Try putting an original piece up on Dropbox for us to see.

Geebax Posted at 2017-8-7 19:58
It would be nice to see a short piece of that footage uploaded in it's original form, straight from the camera. Youtube does all sorts of awful things to video material, so you can't judge the quality looking at Youtube footage. Try putting an original piece up on Dropbox for us to see.

Thanks for your interest.  Here is one of the original takes straight from the Mavic camera.  Look at 1:45

link

Playback on my fairly basic setup is jerky.  So perhaps what I had originally thought was a panning problem is more a recording or playback issue.  It is an old single cylinder bike but it does not judder that much!

kenjedfish Posted at 2017-8-8 00:11
Thanks for your interest.  Here is one of the original takes straight from the Mavic camera.  Look at 1:45

link

I hope you don't mind, I had a look at your file here and all seemed well in terms of smooth playback. I did notice a slight artifact at about 1:45 which I took to be the shadow of a bird, but it's only there for a few frames at most.

Which software are you using for playback ? At 1080P I would think any computer less than five years old should be capable of reasonable playback. But it is very dependant on hardware.

kenjedfish Posted at 2017-8-8 00:11
Thanks for your interest.  Here is one of the original takes straight from the Mavic camera.  Look at 1:45

link

The file appears to play back OK to me. Perhaps you could try VLCPlayer, it is a free download. It will be a playback problem, not recording, but if VLC does not play back OK, then your computer may need an upgrade.

Back to my jerky pan...

OK so this is on course lock:


You'll see as soon as I start to pan its bloody useless.  This is me applying smooth smooth pressure to the stick.  Once it gets over a certain speed its OK.  The other thing I've noticed is backlash: If I turn the  phantom to the right it turns back slightly to the left.

Compare this to


This is point of interest. I've included the bit at the beginning where I'm getting goofy over how fast it'll go (my first time of using this mode hee hee) cos it shows how smooth it is when fast.
However its also smooth when slow - its not as smooth but its not as jerky as the manual pan.

Can I assume then that its the CONTROLLER that's the problem?  If I flip it into a different mode will that reverse the sticks? so I can test if the problem is with the left stick only?  

Thanks to Aardvark and Geebax for your very helpful replies.  I tried the VLCPlayer and it does seem better, especially on the original file.  So I guess for better results I am going to have to invest in a better processor and some proper (not WIndows freeware) editing tools.  Most editing software seems to want a better processor than I have, which is why I have not yet gone that way.  I am using a HP Pavilion laptop - Intel Core i3OU @1.9GHz - 64 bit - with 4GB RAM.  Great for the home office but maybe not up to this kind of thing.  I am not looking for professional results - the Mavic is a toy for me - but I would like to produce something a bit smoother!  
Thanks for your help!  
Ken

kenjedfish Posted at 2017-8-7 08:04
I too have been struggling with this.  I have tried playing with the settings with no effect.  Turned down the yaw expo and gain.  Gimbal pan synchronous follow ON, Gimbal start/stop buffer 20.  None of this seemed to help.  Then I did a shot of a moving object from a fixed point without any pan and the motion was still uneven. See near the end of this: See near the end of this.  So maybe it is not the pan but something else.  I have been shooting at 1080P but had a go with 4K with no improvement as far as this issue goes.  I was  in both cases using 25fpi.  So is it the playback that is at fault?  Mine is pretty basic - WIndows Photo Gallery.  Windows Media Player and Windows Films and TV were no better.  It was edited in Windows Movie Maker but I went back to the originals and they are no better.  Any ideas?

While certain problems occur across devices please note that you hijacked a P4P thread in order to show us your Mavic video.
There is a sub-forum for sharing. Your video is not supportive to the OPs issue. Esp. since it underwent YT conversion.

gherk Posted at 2017-8-9 03:41
Back to my jerky pan...

OK so this is on course lock:

The problem is not on your side - it came with the latest update.
I have the same issue and tried all possible solutions.

I was very glad that the tilted horizon issue is gone only to be replaced by bumpy pans...

been having same issue with my spark since i got it about three weeks ago as well as my gimbal even if i set it to number #1 value thought it was jus me until i tried on a friends 3yr old spark and another freinds mavic air 2 neither of these experience flyers could succeed in making a smooth pan.