Hello there,

I am about to perform a close-up inspection of the High Voltage Transmissions Towers and for that reason I am looking for a Camera with a decent zoom ( more than 15x ) which will be compatible with DJI App and zoom option can be operated directly from DJI App.

I am looking at below cameras:

- Canon Powershot SX510HS
- Panasonic Lumix FZ300
- Panasonic Lumix FZ72
- Panasonic Coolpix P610
- Canon Powershot SX60HS
- Nikon Cooplix P900

To summarize, can I use any of these cameras with a set-up M600 Pro + Ronin MX and I can fully operate my camera from groung ( including zoom ) ?

Thanks in advance for your input

With the M600 or M600 Pro (function is essentially identical), you cant control a camera from the ground with the Go App except for DJIs cameras. You can Start and Stop Video and take a Photo, if you want to use Zoom you need to get the DJI Focus, but then you would need a DSLR or Cinema Lens with a Focus Ring.

There are some third party controller for Sony Cameras, bout you can't Zoom.

So unfortunately DJI doesn't offer much of a interface with third party Cameras

For your use it looks like the Z30 would be the best option but it is in a totally different Price range than other cameras. Maybe you can rent one somewhere.

P.R Posted at 2017-1-16 06:12
With the M600 or M600 Pro (function is essentially identical), you cant control a camera from the ground with the Go App except for DJIs cameras. You can Start and Stop Video and take a Photo, if you want to use Zoom you need to get the DJI Focus, but then you would need a DSLR or Cinema Lens with a Focus Ring.

There are some third party controller for Sony Cameras, bout you can't Zoom.

Thanks a lot for sufficient, however unfortunately not satisfying answer. Indeed  Z30 is out of the price range I can afford, that's why I am looking for the alternative solutions.

Do you have any suggestions regarding the DSLR ( possibly the lightest one for more flying time reasons ) and the lens to be mounted in order to achieve a good zoom with it ?
I guess something like 24-500/600mm ?

Extra question:
Do the third party cameras have GPS coordinates embed into photo details (sourced from the drone GPS) ?
I am not going to rely on the camera in-built GPS with 5m accuracy.

Amadeusz Posted at 2017-1-16 07:38
Thanks a lot for sufficient, however unfortunately not satisfying answer. Indeed  Z30 is out of the price range I can afford, that's why I am looking for the alternative solutions.

Do you have any suggestions regarding the DSLR ( possibly the lightest one for more flying time reasons ) and the lens to be mounted in order to achieve a good zoom with it ?

Unfortunately I think this is going to be hard, I tried to balance a Sony A7rii and a Canon 70-200L IS II and I couldn't do it without any counter balance. I think its going to be hard to balance a bigger Lenses on the Ronin MX without any counter balance. And you need the DJI Follow Focus which is again another 2k.
You could tough zoom in all the way and then fly, but it's going to be hard to find anything while flying.

You can only get GPS data on DJI cameras and not third party cameras, at least what I know, consider that the M600 is not much more accurate, I think its 3-2m accuracy.

Another solution could be the DJI Z3 which is a 7x zoom (22-77mm equivalent)

But other then that I think its going to be hard to find something unfortunately.

Maybe it's useful if you check the following Thread, it's just a mechanical issue with the M600 Pro & the Ronin MX, a failure in design? Or it's solved? Good Luck! Abe  http://forum.dji.com/thread-102525-1-1.html

hint, hint   
dronexpert.nl/product/sony-rx100-gimbal-for-matrice-100/[/url]

I use a fz2000 on my m600 with ronin mx. I use the Intelli-G for camera control. It works very good.
You will need a camera with live video out on the HDMI at the same time as WiFi and recording. I have tested several cameras and the only one so far is the fz2000.