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Auto Shot Paths

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Hey guys,

I'm new, and undecided between the Mavic and Karma.

I am a GoPro enthusiast with a few years of experience. My wife and I travel frequently throughout the year, and then send a really slick home movie to our friends and family at year's end. I've been waiting for the Karma and Mavic for quite some time, and it's now time to add a drone to our footage.

I recently learned about the auto shot paths, and this is exactly what I want. Does the Mavic have anything similar? I want to be able to shoot and then hide the controller, and it sounds like the Karma can only do this.

Please advise.
 
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CAPTAINDRONE has already posted the same video on another thread, but I'll post it here again for you. I personally thought it was one of the best comparisons reviews. I strongly recommend taking time to watch this review.

 
I strongly recommend taking time to watch this review.

If you'd rather watch a review from someone that doesn't have DJI affiliate links in their video description, you can try this one instead:

 
If you'd rather watch a review from someone that doesn't have DJI affiliate links in their video description, you can try this one instead:


I saw this video last night. This video was just OK. I don't think he covers nearly enough aspects to lean on one side or other. Almost felt like this dude was paid by GoPro to do the comparison.

I stand behind what I posted earlier and will still strongly recommend watching the comparison review I posted.

On another note for OP, just watch as many reviews as possible on youtube. There aren't that many out right now anyways but will keep you busy until actually getting your hands on one. Ultimately, YOU will choose which one suits your needs.
 
OK... I am assuming that DJI Mavic does not have auto shot paths?

I watched the video, but the GoPro is the only device that will let me shoot cinematic video of myself without holding a controller.
 
Hey guys,

I'm new, and undecided between the Mavic and Karma.

I am a GoPro enthusiast with a few years of experience. My wife and I travel frequently throughout the year, and then send a really slick home movie to our friends and family at year's end. I've been waiting for the Karma and Mavic for quite some time, and it's now time to add a drone to our footage.

I recently learned about the auto shot paths, and this is exactly what I want. Does the Mavic have anything similar? I want to be able to shoot and then hide the controller, and it sounds like the Karma can only do this.

Please advise.

I have the Mavic and have ordered the Karma. If you're new to drones, go for the Karma. It is simple to operate, very basic machine with nothing fancy & it has the built in display, so your cell phone is still good for picture taking and phone calls while flying. Also the Karma has the removable camera option and the Karma grip. All great items for capturing moments on vacation.

If you've been flying drones for a long time (experienced), and your a photographer then the Mavic Pro is the answer. As for flight modes, it has the ones anyone would want if on vacation.... it has obstacle avoidance and 3 different follow me modes plus a ton of professional modes. I can honestly say it has one of the best cameras around because the camera can focus on objects (not a fixed focus). I currently own the Phantom 3 Pro, Phantom 4, Yuneec Typhoon H (all with great cameras). The Mavic is pretty much the first drone (low cost) with the tap to focus feature so most reviewers are unaware that you must tap to focus if filming objects close up and tap to focus if filming objects far away. Tap to focus gives one depth of field and if used correctly, can take an ordinary video into fantastic territory.

The Karma has the GoPro Hero 4/5 camera. I personally like the fisheye look that you can get with a GoPro... but only at distance shots. Close up hovering around people, it looks terrible. And if you move the gimbal with the fisheye look, the result is not pleasing. Certainly you can also film in linear mode, but that is not the natural lens, so you're losing a bit of quality.

The Karma is the very first drone entry by GoPro, so it has it's limitations and problems, which GoPro will address with firmware updates as the months go on (hence the reason I ordered one).

Your best bet is to just keep watching YouTube videos of both drones. People have them and are flying them. Stay away from reviewers because they are either in one camp or the other and are biased. The people to listen to and watch are just your average first time user who posts a view. You can see if they are finding it simple or hard to use and what quality of a vid they received in the end.

Happy shopping!
 
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Thanks for this reply. Can the DJI Mavic do the Dronie and Orbit and Cable Cam paths that the Karma can?
 
Thanks guys. But, does the Mavic have any preset paths to play with?
features-detail-controller-display_v2.jpg

This may help. It sounds like you're new to drones and know more about the Karma, so let's look at what the Karma has. In the photo you can see the auto shot paths that the Karma is able to do. This is ridiculously limited but I'm sure GoPro will add more in the future.

DRONIE. This is one many drones do. You place the drone in front of you at shoulder height (about 10 feet or more out). Hit Go and the drone flys backwards to a predetermined distance (usually on a 45 degree angle). The MAVIC does not have a similar function. You have to actually fly the Mavic backwards away from you which is extremely simple. Note... when the Mavic flys backwards, it has ZERO obstacle avoidance in the rear. Since the Karma has no obstacle avoidance period, plan on crashing into objects at low height.

CABLE CAM. For some strange reason GoPro only made a two point Cable Cam. The Karma can only fly back and forth between two points. Most drones have 20 points or unlimited numbers (depending on memory). I guess GoPro is keeping it as simple as possible for now. All of the DJI products have a much more sophisticated system.... However, to be honest I don't recall seeing this on the Mavic.

REVEAL. So far I've only seen the Karma to have this option. It's pretty much the CABLE CAM, except when the Karma flys between the two points it raises the camera up to look at the horizon. The Mavic does not have this option. You would have to fly the Mavic and raise the camera yourself.

ORBIT. Orbit pretty much standard on all drones. You just fly the drone over the object you wish to circle, punch it that you've selected your point. Then back away to a distance you like and start the orbit and the drone will fly around the object with the camera pointing at the object. The Mavic has this auto option with several more features included.

The only thing you give up in NOT buying the Mavic is... crazy portable (so small in size), precision flying (super stable in the air), object avoidance (forward and downward), long battery flight times, the ability for the drone to follow you or circle you as you walk/run/bike, or follow you up hill, or the ability to fly long distance or the ability to fly without a controller (if desired) and only using your phone. The GoPro Karma has none of this.

What you get with the Karma that you don't get with the Mavic is a camera and gimbal that you can remove and take with you to film parts of your vacation.
 
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Thank you so much! I am leaning towards the GoPro Karma because I can set these paths and just put the controller in my pocket. I really like cable cam.

I've read that the Mavic's follow feature still has some flaws. With the Karma, I can "fake" follow by using the cable cam to produce something similar. If I bike around 10mph, cable cam could produce some pretty cool photos.
 
Thank you so much! I am leaning towards the GoPro Karma because I can set these paths and just put the controller in my pocket. I really like cable cam.

I've read that the Mavic's follow feature still has some flaws. With the Karma, I can "fake" follow by using the cable cam to produce something similar. If I bike around 10mph, cable cam could produce some pretty cool photos.
Sadly, this is not the case. Here is why:

Cable Cam is not a fake follow me because it follows nothing and the camera is stationary. Let's say you pick two points about 100 meters apart. Karma will fly between those points at the speed you set on the controller. This means if you're on a bike, the bike path must then be 100% straight between the two points. Next problem is where is the camera pointing? The reason drones have Cable Cam is so that the operator doesn't have to fly the drone in a straight or curved line while also pointing the camera at a stationary or moving object. It would be next to impossible to ensure you are in the framed shot.

Maybe the Karma, version II (hopefully out at this time next year) will have the ability to do what you are asking.

As for the Mavic. Have a look at the Phantom 4 tracking that was out earlier this year. It has been further refined in the Mavic Pro. Tracking in the Mavic Pro now lets the camera follow you from behind, from in front or from the side. It will track anything larger than a pineapple as long as the object does not blend in with the surroundings. From experience with the Phantom 4 and now the Mavic, it works extremely well. But don't take my word, just watch the hundreds of videos of people doing exactly what you hope to do with the Karma.

I'm not pushing the Mavic, the decision is yours, but you may want to consider making a list of what you'd like your drone to do for your needs alone and see which drone works.

As I mentioned before, if you want a drone with a removable camera, then Karma is it. If you want the fisheye camera image along with linear image you can get with the Hero 4/5, then the Karma is it. If you want a drone that is super simple to fly because it has very few features than the Karma is it. If you want a drone that comes with the display screen built into the controller, then the Karma is it. If you don't mind carrying plenty of weight on your back, then the Karma is it (I don't have the Karma yet but everyone who has weighed it says it is the heaviest drone out there (amongst 6) in its price range).

I'm hopeful that GoPro, within the next 6 months, will add a feature to the Karma controller so that the Karma drone will follow the controller so that it can sort of do what you would like it to do. You would not be able to stick the controller in your pocket, you'd still have to keep it flipped open for it to function. Unfortunately right now that does not exist.

This may help give you an idea of what Active Track is on the Mavic:

 
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Thanks. I'm undecided. We'll see. It feels like travel-sized drone technology just isn't there yet.
 
If you'd rather watch a review from someone that doesn't have DJI affiliate links in their video description, you can try this one instead:

Well WIRED magazines review of the Mavic and Karma took a turn for the worse when they received a ridiculous amount of email telling them they were "numptys" for not knowing how to use the DJI Mavic. So WIRED Magazine changed their review 180 degrees and now say the MAVIC is the best drone (see video below). This does show what I have been saying all along.... If you are new to Drones, go with the KARMA! The Mavic is more designed for people who known photography and drones really well.

 
I watched the follow up, and my decision doesn't change since he still says that Karma is a better camera. I don't need range or long flight times.
 
I've watched several Karma vs. Mavic photos, and I think I'll be buying the Karma. I shoot home movies, and so I plan to have a mix of aerial and ground footage. With the Karma, I might need an extra battery. Then I'll have ~40 mins of flying time instead of ~20.
 
I've watched several Karma vs. Mavic photos, and I think I'll be buying the Karma. I shoot home movies, and so I plan to have a mix of aerial and ground footage. With the Karma, I might need an extra battery. Then I'll have ~40 mins of flying time instead of ~20.

Watch the Karma owners on YouTube. Battery life under normal flying conditions is approx 14 to 15 mins so you may want to pick up 3 batteries.
 
Thank you so much! I am leaning towards the GoPro Karma because I can set these paths and just put the controller in my pocket. I really like cable cam.

I've read that the Mavic's follow feature still has some flaws. With the Karma, I can "fake" follow by using the cable cam to produce something similar. If I bike around 10mph, cable cam could produce some pretty cool photos.

Looks like someone tried your planned idea and the Karma didn't cooperate. Here is the video.

 

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