When talking about drones, it's impossible not to talk about DJI's Phantom quadcopter. And the combination of the Phantom and GoPro's action cameras seemed like a match made in heaven -- and maybe it was, but DJI has announced the release of the Phantom 2 Vision, which comes with its own onboard HD camera, as well as some other upgrades. Continue on to see just how well the Phantom 2 Vision performs in flight, as well as a side by side comparison between its onboard camera versus a GoPro Hero3.
The Phantom 2 Vision brings back some of what was good about the Phantom, like the "Return-to-Home" feature, but there are plenty of new tricks up DJI's sleeve. According to Cinescopophilia, the Phantom 2 Vision offers the first integrated mobile phone FPV system with the use of the DJI Vision Mobile App, which monitors your flight status, keeps real-time flight perimeters, and also lets you share your photos and videos on social/hosting networks. It can sustain Wi-Fi wireless connection up to a distance of 300m, and the battery offers up to 25 minutes of flight time.
Here are some general Phantom 2 Vision specs:
- 14 megapixel still images and 1080p HD video
- 5.8G Remote Controller (with mobile phone holder)
- Wi-Fi Range Extender
- Intelligent Flight Battery and Charger
- Highly Efficient Self-Tightening Propellers
- Enhanced Flight Times (up to 25 mins)
- Low Latency Live Preview (0.1s)
- Remote Controlled Capture via iOS app
- Phone Tilt Controlled Camera Angle
- Album Synchronization to Phones & Social Network Sharing
- Ready-to-fly right out of the box -- no programming needed
- Weight: 9lbs
Now, if you're looking for 4K video from the Phantom 2 Vision, you're not going to find it. Though it does shoot full HD video, it looks as though there are only two shooting options: 1080p30 and 1080i60. So, if 4K is the most important factor for your aerial filmmaking, then maybe sticking with the Phantom/GoPro Hero3 (or Hero3+) combo is the best route to take.
Here are the Phantom 2 Vision's onboard camera specs:
- Resolution: 14MP
- FOV: 140°/120°/90 °
- Sensor size: 1/2.3’
- Functions: Support of multi-capture, continuous capture and timed capture
- Support of HD Recording (1080p30/1080i60)
- Supports of both RAW and JPEG picture format
Here's a side by side comparison of the Phantom 3 Vision's onboard camera and GoPro Hero3:
The Phantom 2 Vision is available now for preorder, but it's going to cost you a pretty penny: $1,199.00. The expected arrival date is sometime between now and early November.
What do you think? Have you preordered the Phantom 2 Vision? How do you think the Phantom's onboard camera fares against the Hero3? Let us know in the comments.
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