Beyond Futuristic Cameras
Beyond Futuristic Cameras
DJI equipped its successful Inspire 1 flying platform with 2 new cameras - Zenmuse X5 and Zenmuse X5R. The cameras are designed particularly for aerial cinematography and photography and are the next evolution of filmmaking and photography.
Zenmuse X5 is mounted on Inspire 1 quad and controlled remotely by the GO app. The app uses Lightbridge to view HD video and photos in real time, covering every detail of what the camera is capturing. Settings adjustments can be made while the drone and camera are in action.
The Zenmuse X5 is a significant improvement to the previous X3. The X3 was a pretty limited camera. No aperture or focus control, aperture was fixed at f2.8 and the lens and sensor were very small. The X5 has a Micro Four Thirds sensor. As it uses existing MFT lenses, it has aperture and focus control which can be altered directly from the GO app during flight.
The change from a 28.5 mm/sq sensor to 225 mm/sq is a huge step up. The resolution has been improved, though the main benefit is the increase in pixel size - the MFT crop frame sensor has a x2 multiplier! Dynamic range has increased to 12.8 stops and having the larger pixels ready to accept more light and a larger lens to provide it, signal-to-noise has also increased.
Currently the Zenmuse X5 has 3 approved lenses for flight use. Due to weight considerations and to the gimbal's ability to balance the lens, you can’t put any MFT lens on the X5. However more lenses are apparently going to be approved in the near future and will allow even more flexibility. With UAV distance limitations always a consideration when shooting, this is good news because it will enable shooting drone operators to get really close to the point of action than ever before.
The X5 has larger sensor pixels and larger lens, which allow the shadow detail to be retained much better. It gives a greater dynamic range, so even in high contrast shots the highlights are much better retained, allowing improved photography creativity. The higher resolution produces a smoother image and the large pixels of the MFT sensor create a higher signal-to-noise ratio with less noise.
With the Zenmuse X5 Series, independent filmmakers and aerial photographers have unlimited possibilities. This technology offers incomparable images that would otherwise cost large sums of money and complicated aerial equipment. With the Go app, taking control over your shootings and drone flight can't get any easier. You get full 360 degrees control over the camera, meaning that you can move it to capture images in any direction. The app's image quality adjustments like white balance, aperture, shutter speed and more work smoothly. It has a one-tap auto focus and you can upload the live-stream videos directly to YouTube!
Whether you are planning to shoot still images or videos, the Zenmuse X5 allows you to produce amazing results with unparalleled quality. Contrary to other forms of aerial videography and photography, using Zenmuse X5 reduces the time needed for setting up a film or photo set drastically. That is because both the cameras and the drone are pretty light in weight and are very easy to manage and control.
At only 0.75 pounds, the camera can produce stabilized long-exposure photos and very smooth videos. Another added advantage is that it can also create aerial maps of very high quality and conduct drone inspections.
Take your creative enthusiasm to the skies!
