DJI Mavic Air 2 Gets Digital Zoom, 4K Hyperlapse and More in Free Update

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

On Aug 15, 2020, Ed Ruf wrote
(in ):

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

I have never been a fan of digital zoom. However, playing around with this firmware update I have been surprised at just how well it has been implemented. The 4K 30fps, and 2.7K are limited to 2X digital zoom, and 1080P to 4X. Also using the scroll wheel on the controller delivers a very smooth zoom transition with barely perceptible IQ loss in 4K, & 2.7K.

There is no digital zoom for stills, HDR, or any 4K, or 2.7K 60fps.

The gimbal control has been improved with the app update along with some other stuff, and I have been having fun. unfortunately my other photography has been neglected.

No zoom used in this clip.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-TV5z6Xn/0/518a96ae/1920/MB-clip-1920.mp4

--
Regards,
Savageduck

On 15/08/2020 22:51, Savageduck wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, Ed Ruf wrote
(in ):

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

I have never been a fan of digital zoom. However, playing around with this firmware update I have been surprised at just how well it has been implemented. The 4K 30fps, and 2.7K are limited to 2X digital zoom, and 1080P to 4X. Also using the scroll wheel on the controller delivers a very smooth zoom transition with barely perceptible IQ loss in 4K, & 2.7K.

There is no digital zoom for stills, HDR, or any 4K, or 2.7K 60fps.

The gimbal control has been improved with the app update along with some other stuff, and I have been having fun. unfortunately my other photography has been neglected.

No zoom used in this clip.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-TV5z6Xn/0/518a96ae/1920/MB-clip-1920.mp4


I much enjoyed this video clip. ;-)

Thanks for sharing.

A few $millions tied up in the vessels floating there!

On Aug 15, 2020, RichA wrote
(in ):

On Saturday, 15 August 2020 17:51:56 UTC-4, Savageduck wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, Ed Ruf wrote
(in ):

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

I have never been a fan of digital zoom. However, playing around with this firmware update I have been surprised at just how well it has been implemented. The 4K 30fps, and 2.7K are limited to 2X digital zoom, and 1080P to 4X. Also using the scroll wheel on the controller delivers a very smooth zoom transition with barely perceptible IQ loss in 4K, & 2.7K.

There is no digital zoom for stills, HDR, or any 4K, or 2.7K 60fps.

The gimbal control has been improved with the app update along with some other stuff, and I have been having fun. unfortunately my other photography has been neglected.

No zoom used in this clip.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-TV5z6Xn/0/518a96ae/1920/MB-clip-1920.mp4

--
Regards,
Savageduck

Digital zoom might actually be worth something if they'd cheated, have it at HD level initially, "zooming" and switching to 4K in the process. It would give a true impression of increased detail without actually providing it.

Flying out here for the last few days has been out of the question due to extremely high temperatures exceeding the margins for MA2 camera operation 102ºF(38.9ºC) today, 105ºF (40.6ºC) tomorrow, and 109ºF (42.8ºC) predicted Monday through Wednesday.

I will try to make an early morning flight tomorrow to make a 3 part digital zoom demo; 4K 30fps, 2.7K 30fps (2X), and 1080P 30fps-60fps (4X).

--
Regards,
Savageduck

On Aug 15, 2020, Savageduck wrote
(in iganews.com):

On Aug 15, 2020, RichA wrote
(in ):

On Saturday, 15 August 2020 17:51:56 UTC-4, Savageduck wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, Ed Ruf wrote
(in ):

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

I have never been a fan of digital zoom. However, playing around with this firmware update I have been surprised at just how well it has been implemented. The 4K 30fps, and 2.7K are limited to 2X digital zoom, and 1080P to 4X. Also using the scroll wheel on the controller delivers a very smooth zoom transition with barely perceptible IQ loss in 4K, & 2.7K.

There is no digital zoom for stills, HDR, or any 4K, or 2.7K 60fps.

The gimbal control has been improved with the app update along with some other stuff, and I have been having fun. unfortunately my other photography has been neglected.

No zoom used in this clip.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-TV5z6Xn/0/518a96ae/1920/MB-clip-1920.mp4

--
Regards,
Savageduck

Digital zoom might actually be worth something if they'd cheated, have it at HD level initially, "zooming" and switching to 4K in the process. It would give a true impression of increased detail without actually providing it.

Flying out here for the last few days has been out of the question due to extremely high temperatures exceeding the margins for MA2 camera operation 102ºF(38.9ºC) today, 105ºF (40.6ºC) tomorrow, and 109ºF (42.8ºC) predicted Monday through Wednesday.

I will try to make an early morning flight tomorrow to make a 3 part digital zoom demo; 4K 30fps, 2.7K 30fps (2X), and 1080P 30fps-60fps (4X).

OK! It was a frigid 73ºF (22.8ºC) at 06:30 before it heats up today. So here is a crude demo of the MA2 digital zoom

4K 30fps (1X-2X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-CXDjVqg/0/bae0151d/1920/DJI_0011z-1920.mp4

2.7K 30fps (1X-2X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-tNC9bqn/0/03ed92c4/1920/DJI_0012z-1920.mp4

1080P 60fps (1X-4X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-bq7sNMw/0/e9e55c2c/1920/DJI_0013-1920.mp4

....and as a bonus a morning 180º pano from the position of the Zoom demo:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-64cwkRL/0/1476faad/O/DJI_0014.jpg

--
Regards,
Savageduck

On Aug 16, 2020, RichA wrote
(in ):

On Sunday, 16 August 2020 10:27:33 UTC-4, Savageduck wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, Savageduck wrote
(in iganews.com):

On Aug 15, 2020, RichA wrote
(in ):

On Saturday, 15 August 2020 17:51:56 UTC-4, Savageduck wrote:
On Aug 15, 2020, Ed Ruf wrote
(in ):

https://petapixel.com/2020/08/13/dji...n-free-update/

I have never been a fan of digital zoom. However, playing around with this firmware update I have been surprised at just how well it has been implemented. The 4K 30fps, and 2.7K are limited to 2X digital zoom, and 1080P to 4X. Also using the scroll wheel on the controller delivers a very smooth zoom transition with barely perceptible IQ loss in 4K, & 2.7K.

There is no digital zoom for stills, HDR, or any 4K, or 2.7K 60fps.

The gimbal control has been improved with the app update along with some other stuff, and I have been having fun. unfortunately my other photography has been neglected.

No zoom used in this clip.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-TV5z6Xn/0/518a96ae/1920/MB-clip-1920.mp4

--
Regards,
Savageduck

Digital zoom might actually be worth something if they'd cheated, have it at HD level initially, "zooming" and switching to 4K in the process. It would give a true impression of increased detail without actually providing it.

Flying out here for the last few days has been out of the question due to extremely high temperatures exceeding the margins for MA2 camera operation 102ºF(38.9ºC) today, 105ºF (40.6ºC) tomorrow, and 109ºF (42.8ºC) predicted Monday through Wednesday.

I will try to make an early morning flight tomorrow to make a 3 part digital zoom demo; 4K 30fps, 2.7K 30fps (2X), and 1080P 30fps-60fps (4X).

OK! It was a frigid 73ºF (22.8ºC) at 06:30 before it heats up today. So here is a crude demo of the MA2 digital zoom

4K 30fps (1X-2X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-CXDjVqg/0/bae0151d/1920/DJI_0011z-1920.mp4

2.7K 30fps (1X-2X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-tNC9bqn/0/03ed92c4/1920/DJI_0012z-1920.mp4

1080P 60fps (1X-4X):
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-bq7sNMw/0/e9e55c2c/1920/DJI_0013-1920.mp4

...and as a bonus a morning 180º pano from the position of the Zoom demo:
https://photos.smugmug.com/Air-2-Work/i-64cwkRL/0/1476faad/O/DJI_0014.jpg

--
Regards,
Savageduck

Good panorama! The third video gives the impression of increased detail as it is zoomed in, but it's just because I was viewing it on a 27" monitor and at the start, the detail was simply rendered too small to see. As it zoomed, features increased in size making the detail easier to view. Had I viewed it on a 60" monitor, it would have likely stayed the same. Essentially, digital zooming is cropping to a narrower view angle.

Coming from a stills photography background, in my opinion digital zoom has always been a poor substitute for optical zoom. What we have here with this firmware addition to the Mavic Air 2 is a bit of a gimmick, which for most non-critical eyes is somewhat acceptable.
Personally my preference is to not use this digital zoom unless there is a particular effect I cannot get any other way, and then I would be inclined to shoot in 4K with the 2X rather than the 1080 4X.

Regardless, the novelty of drone photography/videography since I bought the MA2 as my first drone in May, has been a revelation, a learning experience, and a whole load of fun.

--
Regards,
Savageduck

On 16/08/2020 23:10, Savageduck wrote:
[....]

Regardless, the novelty of drone photography/videography since I bought the MA2 as my first drone in May, has been a revelation, a learning experience, and a whole load of fun.

Here is something rather different, filmed by a young man who I've known
since he was just a twinkle in his daddy's eye!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqqJ1f6Tdak

Something to which you could, perhaps, aspire, Savageduck! ;-)