Hi I am a new pocket 2 user - I purchased this product for many reasons but one of the key features was the active tracking.

I am a photography tutor and intend to use the pocket 2 to create training videos, and want to use the active track so that it will follow me as I talk about different elements of a shoot.

So far I have not managed to have active track follow me for more than a few seconds before it loses me.

Here is a link to the 'raw' video straight out of the camera - this is the BEST I have been able to achieve so far.
https://youtu.be/8BdQQnJJDSE

Any help and suggestions as to what settings I may need to change would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ian

Hi Ian.

It's losing track of you while standing still in front of a similar coloured background.
Either don't stop moving or try wearing a top that has a different colour to any of the background colours.

I would suggest a very light blue or red.


Ray.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 11-12 09:42
Hi Ian.

It's losing track of you while standing still in front of a similar coloured background.

Thanks for the reply Ray - tried changing the shirt not made much of a difference.  Not possible to keep moving while recording a tutorial as I would actually need to explain what I am doing before moving!  By the looks of things, this time it lost me as I was moving - standing still didn't appear to be the issue.

https://youtu.be/_-QXmG0RPbE

ianbutty Posted at 11-12 10:21
Thanks for the reply Ray - tried changing the shirt not made much of a difference.  Not possible to keep moving while recording a tutorial as I would actually need to explain what I am doing before moving!  By the looks of things, this time it lost me as I was moving - standing still didn't appear to be the issue.

https://youtu.be/_-QXmG0RPbE

Hi Ian.  I wonder if it was tracking your face that time or switched to face tracking.
Track was lost when you faced away from the camera. I still think you need a lighter colour or maybe even try a white shirt. It's a contrast thing when not tracking faces.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 11-12 10:31
Hi Ian.  I wonder if it was tracking your face that time or switched to face tracking.
Track was lost when you faced away from the camera. I still think you need a lighter colour or maybe even try a white shirt. It's a contrast thing when not tracking faces.

The grey shirt is what I wear for all my tutorials and actually, there is a very good reason for it.  When taking a light reading in a studio a white shirt is a big reflector near the subject that affects the light readings.  Similarly, anything with a dominant colour can potentially reflect that colour onto the subject when doing tabletop photography.  So, unfortunately, changing the shirt isn't an option.

Can you elaborate on this statement?  "I wonder if it was tracking your face that time or switched to face tracking." I thought active tracking was face tracking?  Have I misunderstood?  If so how do I select one over the other?  I've been double-tapping a cross icon in the app and it starts tracking me.  Should I be doing something else instead?  Which actually leads me on to another question - I need to work out how to do all this on the device itself rather than via the phone which could be being used for other things - such as when teaching how to use a phone to create photos.

ianbutty Posted at 11-12 10:42
The grey shirt is what I wear for all my tutorials and actually, there is a very good reason for it.  When taking a light reading in a studio a white shirt is a big reflector near the subject that affects the light readings.  Similarly, anything with a dominant colour can potentially reflect that colour onto the subject when doing tabletop photography.  So, unfortunately, changing the shirt isn't an option.

Can you elaborate on this statement?  "I wonder if it was tracking your face that time or switched to face tracking."  I thought active tracking was face tracking?  Have I misunderstood?  If so how do I select one over the other?  I've been double-tapping a cross icon in the app and it starts tracking me.  Should I be doing something else instead?  Which actually leads me on to another question - I need to work out how to do all this on the device itself rather than via the phone which could be being used for other things - such as when teaching how to use a phone to create photos.

Hi.
There should be face tracking and object tracking available. Face tracking will lose track when not facing the camera. Object tracking is when you draw a larger rectangle around a complete object that it should then track.  But both as far as I'm aware use older technology and rely on contrast detection. The sensor may also only have vertical contrast to measure by. Of that I'm not certain, but it certainly doesn't have the capabilities of upmarket mirrorless cameras or a top end DSLR.  Even outside, such systems often lose track when in front of a wooded background preferring to take focus on the verticals of the trees. If you can't wear something that stands out quite a bit from the background I can't see you getting this working in an environment where you are trying to avoid harsh shadows or far enough away from the background to stand out.

Ray.

ianbutty Posted at 11-12 10:42
The grey shirt is what I wear for all my tutorials and actually, there is a very good reason for it.  When taking a light reading in a studio a white shirt is a big reflector near the subject that affects the light readings.  Similarly, anything with a dominant colour can potentially reflect that colour onto the subject when doing tabletop photography.  So, unfortunately, changing the shirt isn't an option.

Can you elaborate on this statement?  "I wonder if it was tracking your face that time or switched to face tracking."  I thought active tracking was face tracking?  Have I misunderstood?  If so how do I select one over the other?  I've been double-tapping a cross icon in the app and it starts tracking me.  Should I be doing something else instead?  Which actually leads me on to another question - I need to work out how to do all this on the device itself rather than via the phone which could be being used for other things - such as when teaching how to use a phone to create photos.

Hi Ian.
I should have added, to get object tracking try putting your finger on the phone screen high and to one side of the object you want to track and draw a diagonal line across to the opposing side towards the bottom.

I've seen a couple of videos on YT where the P2 seems not to track as well as the P1 - which is odd - I strongly suspect some firmware tweaking is going to be required.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 11-12 11:28
Hi Ian.
I should have added, to get object tracking try putting your finger on the phone screen high and to one side of the object you want to track and draw a diagonal line across to the opposing side towards the bottom.

Again, thank you for taking the time to reply.  I'll try what you are suggesting.  Can you tell me how to do object tracking without using the phone as a lot of the time I won't be able to use the phone as that is what I'll be photographing.

Thanks
Ian.

ianbutty Posted at 11-12 13:03
Again, thank you for taking the time to reply.  I'll try what you are suggesting.  Can you tell me how to do object tracking without using the phone as a lot of the time I won't be able to use the phone as that is what I'll be photographing.

Thanks

As far  as I know that is not possible with certainty without the app.  At least I don't know of  a way.
Maybe someone else will have a suggestion.
Sorry.

Ray.

fansfe82067d Posted at 11-12 12:58
I've seen a couple of videos on YT where the P2 seems not to track as well as the P1 - which is odd - I strongly suspect some firmware tweaking is going to be required.

That is a strong possibility or it could be the change of sensor is responsible in this instance.

Hi ianbutty, sorry for the inconvenience caused. May I know the firmware version of your DJI Pocket 2? At the same time, could you record a video to show us your operation when using the active track function? You may upload it to Dropbox or Google Drive, then share the link with me. Thanks.

Active track recognize the shape of the object it begin tracking but if the object turns (if person) or you walk passed it and camera start to see the object's side or rear which is different from the first shape it recognized then it could loose the track.

From your sample video, active track lost you when you completly turn around from the camera and your face (probably recognized tracking point) is no longer visible.

So you need to figure out how much turning of your face that active track lost you and try maintain facing toward camera while you are moving to next subject.

It seems at least it recognize the side of the face and not required to maintain eye contact with camera. It might work for your use with a little bit of care.

I've now seen several YouTube videos where the vlogger is talking to the camera and suddenly the gimbal starts tracking up and down quite quickly, for no obvious reason - apart from perhaps not the best lighting but even so, it looked like it simply wasn't working as it should.

fansfe82067d Posted at 11-12 12:58
I've seen a couple of videos on YT where the P2 seems not to track as well as the P1 - which is odd - I strongly suspect some firmware tweaking is going to be required.

I have both 1 and 2 and the active track doesn't work on the 2.

fansfe82067d Posted at 11-12 12:58
I've seen a couple of videos on YT where the P2 seems not to track as well as the P1 - which is odd - I strongly suspect some firmware tweaking is going to be required.

I have both 1 and 2 and the active track doesn't work on the 2.

fansfe82067d Posted at 11-14 04:17
I've now seen several YouTube videos where the vlogger is talking to the camera and suddenly the gimbal starts tracking up and down quite quickly, for no obvious reason - apart from perhaps not the best lighting but even so, it looked like it simply wasn't working as it should.

The pocket 2 active track is much different that the pocket 1 and the pocket 2 does NOT work as well

fans8edba580 Posted at 11-23 10:17
The pocket 2 active track is much different that the pocket 1 and the pocket 2 does NOT work as well

Unfortunately, I have to agree.
I wish it worked at least as the Osmo Pocket 1

After working with setting I’ve noticed the tracking will work well if you are well lit with good contrast to the back ground. Also, the tracking seems more stable if I shoot @ 2.7 k at 30FPS in battery save mode

Thanks for the feedback. we are working on the tracking issue and improve it in next firmware.

Thanks for the feedback. we are working on the tracking issue and improve it in next firmware.

DJI-ytao Posted at 11-25 05:13
Thanks for the feedback. we are working on the tracking issue and improve it in next firmware.

Thanks for the update I shall look forward to the next firmware update - I'm a new DJI user, how frequently do you do firmware upgrades?

ianbutty Posted at 11-25 05:41
Thanks for the update I shall look forward to the next firmware update - I'm a new DJI user, how frequently do you do firmware upgrades?

there isn't a fixed frequency since all the tests need to get passed.

The plan is next month. the date depends on the test result.

plz upgrade dji pocket 2 firmware to 01.02.00.50.
we improved the tracking algorithm , hope it might handle the case you meet.

Holding the Pocket 2 at arms length with it initially tracking my face it will constantly stop tracking for no reason. I don't know if it's because I have a beard or what. This is in broad daylight, solar noon, I'm white with green foliage in background. There is no possibility that it's confusing my face for the background as there is enough contrast. I didn't own the Osmo Pocket but I must say, this face tracking is basically broken.

DJI-ytao Posted at 1-5 19:13
plz upgrade dji pocket 2 firmware to 01.02.00.50.
we improved the tracking algorithm , hope it might handle the case you meet.

I'm upgraded to the latest firmware, problem is, if I put the Pocket 2 down to record (tripod, Do it all handle) it will track me out until I'm about maybe 1.5-2m away and even if I remain staring into the camera it will lose face tracking every time. The other problem I have is that once it loses face tracking it will not re-acquire face tracking when the previously locked subject returns to the center of camera view (but in this case, subject never even left). I have ample footage demonstrating these problems and will upload them to Youtube with my review.

Problems are two-fold.

1. Face tracking loses tracking when subject is only 1.5-2m away.
2. Face tracking doesn't re-establish when subject returns to sufficient proximity / center of camera view.

So the operator must constantly re-center the camera by manipulating the device to get face-tracking to activate again. This breaks up the flow of video footage capture as the operator must constantly manipulate the device. Basically this product only maintains face tracking if held at arms length (even then it will lose face tracking some of the time)?

The face-tracking is this products biggest feature, if it can't do this correctly I have to question the value of this product.

I just reported the same problem trying to use it the same exact way:

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... D765%26typeid%3D765
"I'm having a problem where at around 1.5-2m the Pocket 2 will lose face-tracking every time. I was trying to get it to remain focused on my face while I backed up and grabbed some resistance bands I had attached to a railing outside the other day and with the Pocket 2 placed on the ground only like maybe 5-7 feet away even if I remained staring into the camera to assist the face-tracking once I get around what feels like 2m away it will stop tracking my face. More annoying still is that it doesn't re-acquire face-tracking with the lost subject, one needs to walk back over to the Pocket and press the button twice to "recenter the camera" and then it will turn face-tracking back on. I will upload a video to youtube to demonstrate this with my review. Not impressed with the face tracking of the Pocket 2, it's primary defining feature."