Yes, spark is nice, but have a BIG ISSUE... it´s the very small FOV in video mode.
Theorically it´s 81º if I remember... very good..... but problem is it´s only in PHOTO MODE.

check it.... in photo mode you have a very beautiful FIELD OF VIEW.... wide... perfect.

But when you change to VIDEO mode you get a TERRIBLE field of view.... about 70% of photo mode.

You need send far way your spark to get a good scene.... a good FOV is very important.... if you have a wider angle, you always can put it near to you.....if you want to get less FOV... but inverse, impossible.

I suppose this MISTAKE dji did, it´s due lack of 3rd axis on gimbal.... and they try to correct with DIGITAL STABILIZATION.... that´s ok, but please REMOVE THIS OPTION, or put AN OPTION TO DISABLE THIS DIGITAL STABILIZATION and youcan get the FULL FOV (if you move laterally with care, you get soft movements).

as reduced FOV is annoying.... and if you use mobile, you need to reach 50m distance (height) to get a decend capture.

Regards

The fov should be the same. It is the aspect ratio that is different 4:3 vs. 16:9.

I disagree with spookster...the FOV is definitely smaller in video mode.  I typically fly a manual zoom away, videoing the reveal of the whole subject.  Once at the furthest distance I stop the video and take a couple of photos.  The FOV dramatically increases in photo...both vertically and horizontally.

I first mentioned this issue in September in a post titled "Video Zoom".    https://forum.dji.com/thread-113190-1-1.html

So you are saying that the Spark isn't a great landscape drone but is a great selfie drone.  "Light bulb."

My P3S is the same.     When taking video,  especially straight down,  I notice I have to increase altitude dramatically to get the entire scene in the view.  When switching back to photo,  I can reduce altitude a bunch and still have the entire scene in view.

I have a spark on order.  It should be showing up today.   I'm looking forward to working (playing) with it!!!

Sid

as far I got this - spark use almost full sensor for photos. But for video - it crops from around 4k (I think that would be sensor resolution) to FHD, that way it stabilse image (as it's only 2axis gimball)
3rd axis is software stab. - so yes - video is way smaller fov then photo

yeah as Kremi stated, I'm sure this cropping in is a result of electronic stabilization.  it is what it is.

You are "zooming" from 4000x3000 to 1920x1080.  That is 'all' it's doing. The digital 3 gimbal axis is the reason

KREMi Posted at 2018-2-13 08:38
as far I got this - spark use almost full sensor for photos. But for video - it crops from around 4k (I think that would be sensor resolution) to FHD, that way it stabilse image (as it's only 2axis gimball)
3rd axis is software stab. - so yes - video is way smaller fov then photo

It´s.  It stabilizes digitally due lack of 3rd axis.... that´s ok if that was an OPTION.... disable DIGITAL STABILIZATION or enable.... with it DISABLE you will get full FOV (81º I think, that it´s good).

but this can be solved, and i wish it.  AN OPTION TO DISABLE DIGITAL STABILIZATION (ONLY DUE 3RD AXIS¡¡¡¡ even without it, you can get perfect footage with care).

very bad, and dissapointing.

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-2-13 07:49
So you are saying that the Spark isn't a great landscape drone but is a great selfie drone.  "Light bulb."

Not a great "selfie drone" too.... FOV is great for both, landscape and selfie.... with a wide FOV you can take both perfectly.... only move to the subject.... but with a narrow FOV as this.... YOU CAN´T TAKE SOME VIDEOS because you can´t move where you want to get all frame (you can get trees, houses, ....)

DJI can solve this, with an option to capture WITHOUT digital stabilization. Easy.

look at second 170s....

to me this is a issue in Spark, it´s very difficult to get good footages, and even some modes works not as good as if it was wider.
Ie.... active track.... to get some landscape view (and not very wide) you need put the drone to 50m height (I´m talking with mobile, not remote), and at 50m... active track isn´t as succesful as if you have to 20m.... i think distance is an issue for this mode. With a wider video view (real, not real in photo mode, and destroyed in video mode), you can take same footage with drone at 20m (instead 50m) and active track is more precise.

Dji must solve this (yes, i don´t want mavic air to solve, where really it´s solve), it´s very easy, OPTION TO DISABLE LATERAL DIGITAL STABILIZATION. Recording footage with soft movements doesn´t affect...
and if you want have a narrow view, ENABLE IT (you will get less quality too).

better, and for quality, it´s video was taken with full CCD... and downsize to FHD.... taking at FHD (in a 4K CCD) directly is loosing quality too.

"old" phantom had option to narrow and wide..... this is what is happening here, but you haven´t option to solve.

PHOTO modo take photos at wide or medium FOV.... very good..... and lens, yes, they are PHISICALLY 81 degree, nice¡¡¡¡

when you change to video you get the NARROW FRAME... bad.... bad because it´s a narrow frame for stabilize (2 axis are enough at 90% times) and less quality than really you can capture (as photo), you can use a 4K CCD and downsize to FHD.... taking FHD directly is a waste of ccd...

S-e-ven Posted at 2018-2-13 09:03
You are "zooming" from 4000x3000 to 1920x1080.  That is 'all' it's doing. The digital 3 gimbal axis is the reason

Not exactly. Spark will skip some pixels in between to scale the footage down from about 4K to 1080p. Otherwise you would end up having only  the center 1/2 of the frame.
That is not what you are loosing in field of view in video.

What Spark does however is leave about 5% of the edges out of the frame to be able to compensate for the motion.  Digital IS that is.

Ah did not even notice that. Good to know.

spookster Posted at 2018-2-13 12:26
Ah did not even notice that. Good to know.

You can check easily by taking a picture when on the ground and switching to video mode and take a short clip.
Just compare  the two.

have to agree - a poossibility to disable IS and record in 4k or 2,7k would be really usefull!

KREMi Posted at 2018-2-13 08:38
as far I got this - spark use almost full sensor for photos. But for video - it crops from around 4k (I think that would be sensor resolution) to FHD, that way it stabilse image (as it's only 2axis gimball)
3rd axis is software stab. - so yes - video is way smaller fov then photo

Thats right....that's my understanding.  The cropping is necessary for EIS (electronic image stabilization).

Cheers...

Todd in Chicago

not necessary 2.7 or 4k....1080 downsized at fullFOV would be ok. And EIS isn't necessary with a 2 axis gimbal.