It's Baaaaaack
- Thread starter WilsonFlyer
- Start date
I have been interested in the Karma drone since the launch last year. But there are a lot of negative reviews on this, and lots of comparisons to DJI's Mavic Pro. I do like the Karma bundle given the grip, the detachable camera plus the drone, allowing me to use it for multiple different scenarios. But how bad/good is the drone? It would be good to get some insights from actual users. I especially am concerned about this review from IPHONEDO on Youtube.
I think this review is a bit too harsh, and would be interested in what actual Karma users think of this review.
I think this review is a bit too harsh, and would be interested in what actual Karma users think of this review.
I had the Karma (V1) before the recall. It was nice but the scheme for dealing with no fly zones was not good for me. I have two areas in my small rural town that were listed as private airports and the Karma wouldn't even start the motors. The "airports" were actually a farm and a lake.
Otherwise, the Karma was nice. It flew nicely, even in heavy winds, took nice video, and the gimbal was very steady. The range was also very good.
I've had all of the Phantom versions, the 3DR Solo, and the Mavic over the years and currently have the P4.
If you already have the GoPro 4/5 Black and like the videos it produces, and don't want to fly near a no fly zone that really shouldn't be one (they have a link to maps on their web site that make the US look like it has measles with all of the no fly zones), it might be a good deal.
Who knows, maybe the V2 will have a better NFZ scheme.
Otherwise, the Karma was nice. It flew nicely, even in heavy winds, took nice video, and the gimbal was very steady. The range was also very good.
I've had all of the Phantom versions, the 3DR Solo, and the Mavic over the years and currently have the P4.
If you already have the GoPro 4/5 Black and like the videos it produces, and don't want to fly near a no fly zone that really shouldn't be one (they have a link to maps on their web site that make the US look like it has measles with all of the no fly zones), it might be a good deal.
Who knows, maybe the V2 will have a better NFZ scheme.
The NFZ scheme has been updated now. Only larger airports have a no fly zone of 1.5 miles radius. The private airports is only a warning area now. check : https://gopro.com/help/articles/Question_Answer/What-is-a-No-Fly-Zone
He is a DJI affiliate, that why its too negative. He was apparently spotted in the DJI booth working with them.
That is great news. I am probably going to order the Karma. I have a GoPro Hero 5 Black on the way from GoPro so the Karma - the camera option is pretty reasonable.
Thanks everyone for the replies. A few more questions for Jon...
1) How does the image quality compare to that of DJI's Phantom 4 / Mavic Pro? (The online reviews are not consistent...your opinion would be appreciated)
2) How useful has the DJI obstruction avoidance feature been in your case? Did it prevent multiple crashes from happening?
3) Did the Karma drone drift a lot? Was it bothersome?
1. When I had my Karma, I used the GoPro Hero 4 Black camera. GoPro came out with a firmware update called Linear FOV that improved the video. I thought the video was excellent and the Hero 5 is probably even better. The Phantom 4 takes excellent video too. I am an amateur so it is hard for me to say but everyone I show the videos from either craft is always amazed, especially on a 4K monitor.
2. I don't use the obstruction avoidance. The P4 goes too slow in that mode so I usually fly in Sport mode.
3. The Karma was very stable. The day I got it, it was very windy, but I couldn't wait to try it. I was very impressed with how stable the craft was, and how stable the videos were. The gimbal was rock solid.
In watching or reading such reviews, it's super important to separate the facts from the spin. Most of the ones I've seen or read pay excessive attention to features which may be inconsequential to most users. Hardcore fanboys preaching one faith or another should generally be ignored regardless of how enthusiastic or shrill their review may be.
So, if drone A has a 3 mile range and drone B has a 5 mile range, is B better than A for you if you're never going to fly it out of sight?
If most things you'll photograph take 5 mins, and you generally work close to home, how important is battery life to you whether it's 20 mins vs 30 mins? For other users, that distinction is a huge one.
If you're never going to fly close to the ground, a bit of drift is probably never going to be important to you. If you fly a lot close to the ground, then buying a drone that has downward facing sensors is something worth considering.
One review of the Karma Grip - maybe by this same guy - made a big fuss about not being able to see the screen on the GoPro. He conveniently overlooked the fact that, since the GoPro has wifi and the Capture App, with a $5 mount, one can easily attach a phone to the grip and not only view exactly what the camera sees, but also gives you complete control of all the settings on it. (For the record, why GoPro doesn't include such a mount is beyond me)
On your drift question, I find the Karma does drift vertically sometimes and is quite stable at other times - presumably varying with GPS coverage. It's almost never an issue for me as I don't fly under a few meters very often other than take off and landing. My Ehang Ghostdrone drifts in much the same way, mostly vertically, seldom significantly.
