Did my 2nd flight today. I didn't use the ND filter on my first flight (it was morning and overcast) and the footage turned out okay. Today it was still overcast a bit but later in the day. I didn't use the ND filter. Wish I had. Everything is washed out as you can see if you watch the video below. Lesson learned. Next flight will definitely try out the ND filter.

Another lesson I learned the hard way today... don't ignore the low battery warning and/or don't move away from HOME if you plan to ignnore the low battery warning. I'd started inside a park on my 1st battery, things were going fine (as fine as they go for flight 2 I guess) and I got the battery warning. So I thought, no worries. I'll fly on over to the car, walk with the Inspire as it flies, and battery up once we land over there. WRONG.

I got close, but as I was about to land, the Inspire decided the battery was low enough that it wanted to auto pilot back to HOME which was back in the park. I sort of panicked and tried landing the bird, but instead sent it crashing down to the ground/fence. Couple of propellers broke. Battery clean ejected from Inspire. I was kind of freaked out at that point. Gathered everything up. Put in new battery and new propellers. Ran through checklist again. 2nd battery flight was just fine, so I guess I got lucky that I only lost a couple propellers.

Also my camera movements and/or turns are not as smooth as I'd like them to be, but I imagine that'll improve with flight practice.

Anyhow, if anyone wants to see my washed out ND Filterless footage, you can see it below. Halo seemed appropriate for the way the footage looked.

http://youtu.be/y8RhLIbkclk

That footage doesn't look right. We're you shooting in auto or manual?  Shouldn't look that washed out.

Check your White balance,  that seems fairly off.

Hmm. Not sure. I'll check. Thanks for the input folks.

Sorry to hear that you a small crash but I will take my hat off if I had one to yea as you were willing to admit pilot error!!!!! Glad it was only a couple props

As far as the camera movements go they will get smoother with practice and for me it was making sure that I was real easy on the sticks and I still have more to learn

Depending on where you had your battery warnings set it have a little time or it might not lol. I like to have my inspire on the ground at 25-30% in the winter months as I just don't wanna take a chance. I'm sure it will go further but that's a personal decision that everyone of us will make with our own a/c.

Keep after it

Mike
I think there's more going on there than just missing ND filter. White balance something!!!

What percentag was it when it went to fly home?

Glad the crash was only small......and its still ok. I've never used my ND filter even in bright conditions and the footage is still good but I've never seen images as bad as yours? As per comments above there is something definitely amiss. Were you in auto? Looks like you're getting braver with the flying especially going through those picnic shelters

As for the washed out look of your video, check your EV setting. You may have set it to +2 or +3 by mistake. That would cause that washed out look even with the camera set to Auto. Set it back to 0.

Your EV (- 3 - - 2 - - 1 - - 0 - - 1 - - 2 - - 3 +) is probably set to +3. Needs to be at 0. I'm more than positive that it's NOT the lack of a ND filter or white balance as others have said. ND filters are used to lower shutter speeds, to make footage look more fluid, although DJI's filter isn't enough "stops" to make real cinematic fluidness, which is quite a bummer.

Thank you. I will look in to that before my next flight.

Thanks everyone. Helps.

Abe Posted at 2015-2-20 13:03
As for the washed out look of your video, check your EV setting. You may have set it to +2 or +3 by  ...

You were quite right, sir. EV was somehow set to 2. Not sure how that happened, but thanks for the heads up.

Abe Posted at 2015-2-20 13:03
As for the washed out look of your video, check your EV setting. You may have set it to +2 or +3 by  ...

Actually I know exactly what happened. Accidentally was messing with the right dial on the remote not knowing what it was doing. Good times.