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X5 - how to get the most out of it
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sugahara
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One thing to consider is that each lens is sharpest at certain apertures - a great resource to use is DxOMark.  For example the Olympus 12mm is sharpest at f5.6.  Another consideration is that some lenses are also subject to vignetting and distortion at the smallest and largest apertures.  

As far as the shutter speed and frame rate are concerned, here's a great video by Ray Tsang on how shutter speeds and frame rates can be used to change the look and feel of your film.  

http://nofilmschool.com/2015/09/ ... e-look-feel-of-film

Here's another great post- Saving Private Ryan is a great example of changing the shutter speed for a specific effect.

http://cinemashock.org/2012/07/3 ... aving-private-ryan/

2016-1-21
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Lgpproducciones
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Hi, nice post !

Guys who use X5 also should keep in mind that this setup was thought to operate by 2 persons. Of course one fly the I1 and the second one just work on the gimbal, other way is almost impossible to do both thing at the same time by one man and do it right.
Also as a pro photographer and videographer i can suggest those who does not have the chance and have to fly alone to use wide lenses, keep your focus to infinity and if you are shooting day time you can set you iris to F22 and automatic iso. If is day time it does not matter if iso goes up to 400 or so, it is more important in this case to have good deep of field.
Also is good to remind Directors or people who hire us that Drones are design for wide shots !! and NO for close up ones !
2016-1-22
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Mike9129
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out of interest, do you feel the stock lens is wide enough, or is the wider angle Olympus 12mm (?) a must have?

if so, whats the best way to buy the x5 with this lens instead of the stock one?
2016-1-22
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jimhare
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Mike9129 Posted at 2016-1-22 11:44
Pretty spot on as regards manual control, works the very same for anyone whos used a DSLR in manual. ...

What you describe sounds very familiar.  It's basically a symptom of too much movement for the frame rate and shutter speed.   This has been an issue for decades in film to the point where strict rules were created for just how fast you could pan a camera before it looked stuttery.  

So two things you can do.  The first is to reduce the shutter speed.   If you use shutter to control light then it's easy to set it way way too high, like 1/600+.  The ideal place is around double the frame rate but sometimes that can even appear stuttery during fast motion.  In this case your best bet is to use a faster frame rate, like 50 or 60FPS.  This will come out completely smooth but will have more a videoish look rather than a filmic look.  I touch on this in my original post.

Hope this helps.
2016-1-23
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Airborne Steve
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Thank you Jim, A fabulous article. You have a great skill in explaining things well. Cheers.
2016-1-25
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bikki
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jimhare Posted at 2016-1-18 05:42
A forum member offline asked this - "I feel you might consider connecting the dots with a connection ...

It might be the dumbest question ,but I gota ask you these setting applies for the video , right ? I am more like video guy than photo guy . This
2016-1-25
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jimhare
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bikki Posted at 2016-1-26 15:46
It might be the dumbest question ,but I gota ask you these setting applies for the video , right ? ...

Hey bikki, there are no dumb questions, yours is fine.

The answer is most of the concepts apply to both video and stills.  The main one that changes between the two is shutter speed.   In video shutter speed will determine the look, clarity and also affect light.  High shutter speeds will look choppy in video plus accentuate rolling shutter.

In still images the shutter speed will determine how much or little motion blur is in your shot.  So unlike video, high shutter speeds are your best friend for stills as they will freeze a moment and give you a very sharp image.

Hope this helps!

Jim
2016-1-26
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jimhare
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Airborne Steve Posted at 2016-1-26 10:38
Thank you Jim, A fabulous article. You have a great skill in explaining things well. Cheers.

Thanks Steve.  Where abouts in Australia are you?
2016-1-26
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ckopix
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Hi Jim,  Nice write up.  I am a photographer first, quadcopter pilot - newbie & distant second but learning.  Is there anyway to outfit a Phantom 3 PRO with an X5?  Probably not, but had to ask.  With my first RC I was afraid to invest to much and then crash it, etc so I bought the P3P.  However, I miss not being able to adjust the F-stop as I am a manual shooter.  Thanks,  Curtis
2016-1-26
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kolaysin
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Great tutorial Jim! I read all posts and I wish I will do better videos&photos with my x5. If you have time, can you write something about shooting in low light conditions, thanks a lot
2016-1-27
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jimhare
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ckopix Posted at 2016-1-27 07:26
Hi Jim,  Nice write up.  I am a photographer first, quadcopter pilot - newbie & distant second but l ...

Hi chopix, as you guessed the X5 won't work on the P3 unfortunately.
2016-1-27
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ckopix
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Thanks Jim.  Given I have a Olympus OMD EM1 with compatible lens I had to ask...
2016-1-27
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Donnie
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jimhare Posted at 2016-1-17 14:59
My pleasure, I'm sure my explanation left everyone with more questions than answers to feel free t ...

Jim, I'm kind of new at this photography game but have an opportunity to get an x5 with  a DJI 15 mm lens for $1650. Should I jump at this or do you think because I don't have any expensive equipment to do post work that it's not worth it. It also has all of the filters.

Cheers- Donnie

P.S.  I always read all of your posts because they're so informative and interesting, I can tell you know what you're talking about in this photography world. Thanks again for your advice. Most sincerely, Donnie
2016-1-31
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jimhare
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Donnie Posted at 2016-2-1 11:59
Jim, I'm kind of new at this photography game but have an opportunity to get an x5 with  a DJI 15  ...

Hi Donnie,  sounds like a good price and you could probably get at least what you paid for it if you decided it was a bad idea and wanted to resell it.

The X5R will be the one that requires more hardware.  The X5 creates the same files as the X3 so if you are working with those okay then these will be the same, just look better.

You'll want to brush up on your photography skills and expect to put some practice time in where you get disappointing results, but if you're up to it then it sounds like a good idea to me.   
2016-1-31
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Donnie
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jimhare Posted at 2016-1-31 21:05
Hi Donnie,  sounds like a good price and you could probably get at least what you paid for it if y ...

     That is what I was thinking as well, I cant get hurt to bad at that price ( great minds think alike )  The

X5 R I am sure is out of my league ( For Now...)

Thanks Again- donnie
2016-2-1
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gegetrane
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I feel that on thing is missing though, the DISTANCE of the subject from the camera also is quite important... The farthest the subject, the larger the depth of field.
But even with an opening of, say, f:5.6, you can get correct focus from a few feet to infinity on a 15mm lens. Just set the focus around 20 feet.
Check out some Near/Far Focus Distances tables.
Please don't believe me on my word, try it.
Gerald
2016-2-3
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ian
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This would be all well and good if the color temps on the camera actually did what they are supposed to.
To some degree auto white balance works but you can't shoot on it because it doesn't hold and moves all over the place depending upon the light. Upon testing the manual color temperatures in my studio against other cameras and my knowledge of lighting, its so far off its ridiculous. This thing should NOT be on the market. I have worked with cameras for 25 years and no matter what white balance, color profile, filter etc... all I get is a purple mess in the blacks and colors way off what they should be.
2016-2-26
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jimhare
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ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-2-27 14:34
This would be all well and good if the color temps on the camera actually did what they are supposed ...

What color space are you shooting in?   Log etc.?   I haven't had any trouble with color temperature.
2016-2-26
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ian
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jimhare Posted at 2016-2-26 20:02
What color space are you shooting in?   Log etc.?   I haven't had any trouble with color temperatu ...

I have tried ever color space possible.
I ran tests with the camera up against other cameras in my studio and the thing is way off what it should be. I tested every setting, filter, white balance, etc. Auto white balance comes closest to what it should be but of course you can't shoot on auto white because it will move. When I set it to manual, the temperatures are so far out from what they should be. Heres DJI's response, basically admitting the camera is wrong.

DDM Posted at 2016-2-4 13:08
Cmon DJI respond even if you don't fix it now. tell us what is going on!!!

Hello! Your concern has attracted our attention, things are going on, please just wait for the update with patience. Thanks for your support and understanding!
2016-2-26
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daver/m
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rfrye Posted at 2016-1-17 17:49
EXCELLENT, Jim Hare! I say that because you are getting through my thick skull on this.
THANK YOU! ...

I second that, Excellent Jim Hare ! Thank you.
2016-2-26
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daver/m
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jones5r Posted at 2016-1-17 22:13
Jim, you're changing the world...Good Stuff. DJI, pay the man!

Dji should offer Jim some free equipment to use and test, and pay him too !
2016-2-26
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jimhare
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daver/m Posted at 2016-2-27 15:35
Dji should offer Jim some free equipment to use and test, and pay him too !

Heh, would love to test the X5-R!
2016-2-27
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jimhare
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ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-2-27 15:10
I have tried ever color space possible.
I ran tests with the camera up against other cameras in m ...

Very interesting.  Is this with the X5 or X3?

Jim
2016-2-27
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ian
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jimhare Posted at 2016-2-27 03:11
Very interesting.  Is this with the X5 or X3?

Jim

X5. ITs going to DJI tomorrow
2016-3-3
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ian
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jimhare Posted at 2016-2-26 20:02
What color space are you shooting in?   Log etc.?   I haven't had any trouble with color temperatu ...

I tried every possible color space.... slightly improved on D-Log but to get a daylight balance I had to manually set it to above 7100k.
2016-3-3
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tomato
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Thanks Jim, great info. Would like to touch base with you. Think I have to add you as a friend to send a PM?
2016-4-22
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jimhare
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tomato Posted at 2016-4-23 10:24
Thanks Jim, great info. Would like to touch base with you. Think I have to add you as a friend to se ...

Correct, need to friend to PM.  I'll send a request.
2016-4-22
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str1776
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ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-3-3 01:41
I tried every possible color space.... slightly improved on D-Log but to get a daylight balance I  ...

Hi Ian very curios with the outcome of your x5  issue
Please update with  there answer. I'm getting  a new bird arriving this week the inspire pro x5
The more info the better on this issue
2016-5-3
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str1776
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jimhare Posted at 2016-1-23 06:18
What you describe sounds very familiar.  It's basically a symptom of too much movement for the fra ...

Awesome points great information thank you for sharing .
2016-5-3
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mikegrook
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Thank you for taking out the time to post that. I am trying to learn the camera end as the flying part I have been doing for years. Really appreciate your effort to share some knowledge !
2016-5-3
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ayrshireuav
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fantastic post.  Really made things clearer.  Both for me and my X5!!!
2016-5-3
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ian
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str1776 Posted at 2016-5-3 22:33
Hi Ian very curios with the outcome of your x5  issue
Please update with  there answer. I'm gettin ...

Sorry for the delay in response. The solution was me getting a new camera.
2016-5-26
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ArtistFirst
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Well done Jim!!!  I like.
2016-6-11
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Ricky Wu
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thx for the great tips
2016-6-16
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mrbill
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One thing I'd like to add is that whatever lens you end up with on your x5, you should never really use an aperture much smaller than f/8. Nearly all lenses exhibit aberrations once you get to f/16  or smaller, so stick to f/8 and still expect to use an nd filter.
2016-6-26
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jimhare
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mrbill Posted at 2016-6-27 17:20
One thing I'd like to add is that whatever lens you end up with on your x5, you should never really  ...

Great tip!
2016-6-27
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jonhardison
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Jim:

A) Thank you.
B) Thank you.
C) This little gem? "This is frustrating because when you spend a lot of money you expect all your results will be superior but this isn’t the case.  You will take many shots that look horrible compared to the X3, making some people feel they received defective cameras." Got my X5 two days ago and this is where I'm living now.  LOL!
Don't get me wrong, I recognise the awsome sauce and splendor of the Inspire 1, and I don't know if I'm the only one that feels this way or not, but every time I open a box with DJI on it I find there are little ommisions in the sales documentation; importand things that are implied but compltely missing from the product when it shows up.

In the case of the X5 it was autofocus.  I dug and dug through posts and tuts but nowhere was it ever clear that the X5 doesn't actually have autofocus. Not in the sense most have come to expect anyway. Yes. You can touch a spot of your screen and the X5 will focus on that spot, "...like you would when using your cellphone.", as DJI says, but it's NOT like your cellphone.  Your cellphone autofocuses and allows you to go from its focus choice to your own with a touch of of the screen.  The X5 just doesn't do anything.

A few comments above this one someone posted that you're going to need the second controller and another person to use the X5.  Again, really important to know that. In fact, if I'd realized there was no "auto focus" this entire exersize might have been handled differently.

Some form of center weighted auto focus in the X5 and X5R would make it reasonably easy for a single pilot to manage the camera while flying but as that previous commenter said, I'm not under the impression my goals are realistic considering all that needs to be managed at the same time. And getting a second to deal with camera work? That's not going to be possible the vast majority of the time.

I'm wondering if anyone else in the community is having any luck at all managing the Inspire 1 and X5 alone, how and if those that are REALLY get what they want out of this combo.
I know you haven't worked with the X5 so I'm not asking you to spend another second, Jim.

Your contributions here are fantastic and very much appreciated. :-)

D) Thank you!
2016-7-28
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Marko1953
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A couple of people on here have posted and suggested that using the smallest possible aperture is the way to go. This is WRONG WRONG WRONG. Sure this would make sense for greatest depth of field. But the big mistake is ignoring SOFTNESS DUE TO DIFFRACTION AT SMALL APERTURES!. Sorry to be dramatic but I have a friend who spent weeks trying to work out why his images were so soft after switching to the X5 with the standard DJI lens. He took the normal advice about using small apertures (f/11, f/16 etc) for greatest depth of field. He thought there was something wrong with his sensor! Each lens has its own optical properties and each lens works best at certain apertures , the so called sweet spot. This is usually about f/5.6 but varies between lenses. All lenses show some softening at very small apertures. After switching to f/5.6 he suddenly has sharper images! I shudder when I read people on forums like this giving advice to newbies about things that they have no actual experience about. After reading the first post on here and others a newbie might immediately elect f/16 or f/22 on his new X5 and then wonder why his photos are so ordinary and not sharp. Please don't give "theoretical" advice with authority unless you have actual experience about what you are advising. You will save people a lot of heartache.
2017-2-9
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jimhare
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Marko1953 Posted at 2017-2-9 23:53
A couple of people on here have posted and suggested that using the smallest possible aperture is the way to go. This is WRONG WRONG WRONG. Sure this would make sense for greatest depth of field. But the big mistake is ignoring SOFTNESS DUE TO DIFFRACTION AT SMALL APERTURES!. Sorry to be dramatic but I have a friend who spent weeks trying to work out why his images were so soft after switching to the X5 with the standard DJI lens. He took the normal advice about using small apertures (f/11, f/16 etc) for greatest depth of field. He thought there was something wrong with his sensor! Each lens has its own optical properties and each lens works best at certain apertures , the so called sweet spot. This is usually about f/5.6 but varies between lenses. All lenses show some softening at very small apertures. After switching to f/5.6 he suddenly has sharper images! I shudder when I read people on forums like this giving advice to newbies about things that they have no actual experience about. After reading the first post on here and others a newbie might immediately elect f/16 or f/22 on his new X5 and then wonder why his photos are so ordinary and not sharp. Please don't give "theoretical" advice with authority unless you have actual experience about what you are advising. You will save people a lot of heartache.

Yes!  Absolutely agree.  f/5.6 or maybe f/8 along with some ND is the way to go.   But having said that there are times you will need to close the aperture further for technical reasons and need to be willing to accept the reduction in quality.   As you say, there is no substitute for years of experience and these tutorials can't be all encompassing and cover every tradeoff.  
2017-2-10
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alice24
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Thanks Jim! Will send my friend here to read this!
2017-2-12
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