I am generally pleased with the v02.00.0300 beta - it seems to have fixed the 4K camera reset issue. That issue has not occurred at all since I have been running the beta software.

However, I have noticed a reduction in the quality of the video - I have detected lots of artifacts or flicker in the videos I have captured using the beta firmware. It is most apparent in brown and green imagery. I have uploaded a file to You Tube that demonstrates what I am seeing.

The You Tube video is a zoom to 1920 x 1080 of a section of video originally captured at 3840 x 2160 @ 30 fps. If you study the section of grass between the fences and the pine trees the artifacts are quite apparent.
The settings were all default, other than ISO 200 and a ND8 polar pro to get the shutter to 60. I have studied my original files from before the firmware issues and I have never seen a video issue like this in the past.

Input welcome - if anyone can suggest something I may do to try and rectify the problem, I'll happily give it a try.

Can you link to a short clip of the original 4k file in drop box or similar. Also which camera setting did you use ?

Same clip, rendered at full 4K, for comparison:

It's better to see a clip of the original file from the SD card unprocessed, then can be sure there's no artifacts introduced by youtube or suchlike.

Also which camera settings did you use, was it auto exposure or manual, ND filter used or not ?

My initial impression was that it was under exposed which I think is why it's struggling with some of the areas. The 4k on you tube certainly looked better than the first 1080.

I'm viewing here on a 4k monitor.

Edit:- definitely a lot more detail in your second 4k video.

Aardvark Posted at 2017-9-14 04:00
It's better to see a clip of the original file from the SD card unprocessed, then can be sure there's no artifacts introduced by youtube or suchlike.

Also which camera settings did you use, was it auto exposure or manual, ND filter used or not ?

PM me your email and I'll send you a link to the full unprocessed file at mega.co.nz.

Camera was set to manual, ND8 and ISO 200/60.

It definitely is under exposed. I manually changed the ISO to 100 later, and that's where the artifacts first popped out at me! Looking back at my earlier videos of the same scenery around my house, they are smooth as silk.

Would it be valid to wonder if DJI has dropped the bitrate in an effort to prevent the camera reset issue?

Just to verify, only video resolution changed, right? Could you please help to upload the original footage to Dropbox so I can grab the original version? It would be highly appreciated if there is a footage of the same resolution with same frame rates as a comparison.

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-14 04:17
PM me your email and I'll send you a link to the full unprocessed file at mega.co.nz.

Camera was set to manual, ND8 and ISO 200/60.

"Would it be valid to wonder if DJI has dropped the bitrate in an effort to prevent the camera reset issue?"

The bit rate has not changed, you can see that when you look at the 'detail' in the file properties.

I would like to hear others thoughts, but to me, given the lighting, it's more or less what I would expect to see (viewed in 4k). All appears fairly smooth with no obvious pixilation or similar artifacts.

Edit:- the 4k video option can now be seen again in youtube.

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-14 04:17
PM me your email and I'll send you a link to the full unprocessed file at mega.co.nz.

Camera was set to manual, ND8 and ISO 200/60.

I did some video (4k @ 30 fps, 1/60th shutter, D-Cinelike) this afternoon, and there definitely seems to be a lack of detail, soft, almost out of focus. I'll get something posted up in the next day or two.

I am REALLY no expert, but the only flicker I saw was in the upper right looking at roof tops.  And those I think were caused by parallel lines.  I think it's lines like that that mess with the software and causes them to jump.  Just my uneducated $.02

MrRobert5823 Posted at 2017-9-14 12:39
I am REALLY no expert, but the only flicker I saw was in the upper right looking at roof tops.  And those I think were caused by parallel lines.  I think it's lines like that that mess with the software and causes them to jump.  Just my uneducated $.02

Check out the grass area in the first video (1080p zoom). It's bopping around with artefacts. It's an extreme example, but noticeable as up until this beta I've been amazed at how good the video quality has been. To me these artefacts bopping around are very apparent.

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-14 13:29
Check out the grass area in the first video (1080p zoom). It's bopping around with artefacts. It's an extreme example, but noticeable as up until this beta I've been amazed at how good the video quality has been. To me these artefacts bopping around are very apparent.

Yeah... quality is quality.... I see what you mean in the grass too... thanks

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-9-14 04:27
Just to verify, only video resolution changed, right? Could you please help to upload the original footage to Dropbox so I can grab the original version? It would be highly appreciated if there is a footage of the same resolution with same frame rates as a comparison.

https://mega.nz/#!0tBUwTbL

Key:              !NRdooNIFvqHRz8IUGaVYons8DMKWeFHA1VKRwXasiO8
         


This is the original file. I have recorded this area around my house a lot and this quality issue is new. Recording made with ND8 ISO200/60. I changed the ISO to 100 for another recording and the issue still exists. However, it is not as noticeable in brighter footage. Having said that, I have older footage, both dark and bright that does not exhibit the issue reported here.

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-14 15:39
https://mega.nz/#!0tBUwTbL

Key:              !NRdooNIFvqHRz8IUGaVYons8DMKWeFHA1VKRwXasiO8

I'll help to transfer to the engineers to confirm. Thank you for your assistance and your patience.

Aardvark Posted at 2017-9-14 12:16
I did some video (4k @ 30 fps, 1/60th shutter, D-Cinelike) this afternoon, and there definitely seems to be a lack of detail, soft, almost out of focus. I'll get something posted up in the next day or two.

Hey Aardvark, were you able to confirm video recording quality degradation with .300 after all?

I haven't been able to shoot since its release to compare but this bit is worrying imho if we have to trade video quality to prevent gimbal from rebooting.

Dnerve Posted at 2017-9-18 11:18
Hey Aardvark, were you able to confirm video recording quality degradation with .300 after all?

I haven't been able to shoot since its release to compare but this bit is worrying imho if we have to trade video quality to prevent gimbal from rebooting.

I've not had a chance to test since previous post. However I had done some video prior to that hovering in back garden, and that appeared to be OK. A number of others are now running the Beta as well, perhaps somebody else can add their observations, good or bad.

We have compared videos recorded by beta version and the previous version, and have not noticed quality reduction. In your footage, yes, we have seen noise jumping in dark region. Actually, we have apply very slight noise reduction in low ISO for keeping more detail. Here are some suggestions for getting better quality: 1) increase exposure: low ISO, larger shutter. 2) reduce noise using the plugin of post-processing software, such as DaVinci Resolve。

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-14 15:39
https://mega.nz/#!0tBUwTbL

Key:              !NRdooNIFvqHRz8IUGaVYons8DMKWeFHA1VKRwXasiO8

I compared this original file with some of my footage from the same weather conditions. My shots are not as noisy, though I only shoot in ISO 100. The usual annoying flicker is there too.

Are you using the None setting? If so, based on this clip only I think it looks like expected considering the slight underexposure. Sadly the camera in the Phantom 4 often turn low contrast areas into mushy blobs especially in low light conditions.

DJI_camera Posted at 2017-9-24 20:36
We have compared videos recorded by beta version and the previous version, and have not noticed quality reduction. In your footage, yes, we have seen noise jumping in dark region. Actually, we have apply very slight noise reduction in low ISO for keeping more detail. Here are some suggestions for getting better quality: 1) increase exposure: low ISO, larger shutter. 2) reduce noise using the plugin of post-processing software, such as DaVinci Resolve。

Thanks everyone (especially DJI_camera) for your input. I will continue to test the camera, but so far, I have been happy with my most recent footage. I have changed the title of this thread to reflect that.

CentralOtagoKiw Posted at 2017-9-26 14:21
Thanks everyone (especially DJI_camera) for your input. I will continue to test the camera, but so far, I have been happy with my most recent footage. I have changed the title of this item in the thread to reflect that. Unfortunately, I can't change the actual title of the thread.

You should be able to change the title by going to trhe first post in the thread and editing it.

Geebax Posted at 2017-9-26 15:39
You should be able to change the title by going to trhe first post in the thread and editing it.

Thanks, have done that.