Phantom 3 Professional:
Good: Fantastic flying and stabilization. Too much fun
. Good HD output (from 4k) with ND filters and perfect exposure + lighting.
Bad: If anything isn't perfect, the image quality will be so-so. Never push ISO above minimum, and if you need to change exposure much after the fact, it won't look too good. The compression is a bit strong so if there are lots of moving details in the shot you will see blocking. Turn down the sharpness in camera.
If you want true pro output, you need the Inspire RAW.
(Edited to specify that I am talking about the Phantom 4)
I agree perfectly.
Flying, stabilisation and intelligent modes beyond belief.
The camera for video is not much more than a toy:
- Practically no info at all in the shadows area, so anything less than perfect exposure , or any image with a bit of dynamic range goes to the bin. Forget about shooting anywhere towards the sun, or near sunset, etc
- Yes, a set of ND filter is a must and they must be choosen very carefully
- Huge tendency to get moire in any sort of subjects. Still fighting very hard to get rid of it somehow
- Extremely compressed files with very little detail. Even white balance is better to get it right on the go, as files deteriorate very easily in post production
With my Panasonic GH4 I practically never loose a clip for technical reasons, I can always get something decent in post production.
With the P4 more than 50% of my work goes to the bin, simply not good enough. I do believe in aerial footage, but it is getting really frustrating. If I realise that there is a demand for aerial I will definitely upgrade to something else (well, not much choice)