DJI announcement Oct 11 - new camera system?

[ukaleq]

I don't own any (yet) but from my perspective the problem is not that they launch a new, better camera. It is that they seem to abandon the previous products as soon as a new one is released.

For example they promised an osmo handle for the X5S and it seems like it will never exist. You still read about many problems with the X5S, from misaligned sensors to firmware bugs, and given DJI's record it is easy to imagine that they won't put too much effort in correcting these problems after the release of the X7.

And then I start asking myself if it is wise to put so much money in a system that may become obsolete pretty quickly if DJI releases an X8 and more or less abandons the X7. For example, they say the X7 will be compatible with "other DJI products in the future". Is there any good reason to believe they can be trusted about that more than about the osmo handle? I asked on the official DJI forum if they meant it would be compatible with the Matrice 200 and their moderator made a completely useless answer. Sometimes I wonder if they are real people and not bots.

 

[Casey53]

Good points above, and I agree.

Not really bothered at all as I shoot stills so the 4MP difference isn't that great. Plus, I have a far better lens variety that I can use between the X5S and any brand of Micro Four Thirds camera as well. I suspect the new X7 lens mount may be severely limited for any aftermarket lens maker to make a lens for unless they release some adapter which will add weight, and most E-mount lenses that could cover the field of the X7 with an adapter are beyond the hauling capacity of the X7. DJI will end up sell their pricey proprietary DL lenses to a very limited market.

If they reduced the price of the (Dare I say over-priced APS-C?) X7 system to half their current price I might venture into it, but the cost is excessive for what it is for still image work and being locked to a set lens mount format controlled DJI and I'm not interested. They need to fix the serious issues they have with their current stuff first (i.e. Camera yaw drift, poor sensor alignment, magenta WB, parts falling out of new cameras, gimbal shake and vibration, lines in video, limp gimbals, etc.), and quit their dumping and moving on marketing scheme. They haven't even presented an Osmo yet either and may never - just sell another overpriced camera and move on. Probably will end up mounting the entire I2 in an oversized Volkswagon-Ronin bumper for $5K. Oh, and it's "Coming soon."

 

[PatrickP]

I don't own any (yet) but from my perspective the problem is not that they launch a new, better camera. It is that they seem to abandon the previous products as soon as a new one is released.

For example they promised an osmo handle for the X5S and it seems like it will never exist. You still read about many problems with the X5S, from misaligned sensors to firmware bugs, and given DJI's record it is easy to imagine that they won't put too much effort in correcting these problems after the release of the X7.

And then I start asking myself if it is wise to put so much money in a system that may become obsolete pretty quickly if DJI releases an X8 and more or less abandons the X7. For example, they say the X7 will be compatible with "other DJI products in the future". Is there any good reason to believe they can be trusted about that more than about the osmo handle? I asked on the official DJI forum if they meant it would be compatible with the Matrice 200 and their moderator made a completely useless answer. Sometimes I wonder if they are real people and not bots.

It's what ever works for you, do you get mad when apple releases a better computer or iphone if you're perfectly happy with the existing model? I'm happy with the X5S now , but its nice to know if i need more i can get it! better to have the option than not. I probably will hold off on the x7 due to the lens limitations and cost, but that might change in the future.

Also did anyone notice all but one of the new lenses will work for a full frame sensor and 8K video? hopefully that's a clue that a new full frame 8K camera is to come in the future.

"The maximum sensor size supported by the DL-S lens is Super 35 mm, while the other three DL lenses support full-frame sensors. All of them can achieve resolutions of up to 8K."

 

[NickU]

Not really too bothered by the new camera... beyond the marketing, it's not a quantum leap up in size, mp, etc. I've had my time in the past chasing the latest n greatest gear porn. Nowadays, it's the kit to do a job and only update things when they break or if there's a pressing need to. I buy gear these days on fitness to do a job - so I've an X5 and Osmo and an X5S and I2. lenses are shared, and that's good utility for me. Having just invested a loada dosh in those cameras (and being bitten by the X5 not working with the I2), at the minute, there isn't the utility in the X7 or DJI lenses.

So, I'll probably give it a year or so and see how DJI's proprietary DL (DJI Lens) mount lenses line up cost wise, performance wise and utility wise - it's a lot of money in glass if they abandon the line for another idea like everything else they do! They need to look at Arri (PL) Canon (EF) and Nikon (F) and look at the longevity of their respective lens mounts (and why they've survived so long).

 

[Casey53]

I can see DJI putting the Cinecore 3.0 8K processing engine back inside a future X8 camera body for an Inspire 3. That design would make it compatible to an Osmo without the need for two licenses if that were done with the Inspire 2 and an Osmo/Ronin with a Cinecore 2.1 in it (Bad and costly engineering mistake, imho.). That design might move easily between other drone models too than the current X5S/Inspire 2 setup.

Might not be much different than dumping the Inspire 1 and X5 camera for the new (old?) X5S on the Inspire 2. The Inspire 3 will take the new X8 self-contained camera, and technology moves on. Lens mount may stay the same, if they settle on it and not go to something different with a universal fit of a more popular brand and more focal length choices. Putting a bunch of stock lenses in an extended carbon fiber proprietary tube for more money doesn't sound like a long term plan along with not much of an offering by other 3rd party makers.

So it's "Coming soon!" ... and yer X7 is now obsolete.

...and my recently updated 5,000nit DJI Crystal Ball just shook, flipped upside down, and cracked.

 

[NickU]

...and my recently updated 5,000nit DJI Crystal Ball just shook, flipped upside down, and cracked.

shouldn't have updated to the latest firmware release then

 

[Casey53]

shouldn't have updated to the latest firmware release then

Yeah, but Sparky on the DJI Forum said "Updating is recommended" and by doing that would make it "Compatible with upcoming devices...coming soon."

They lied - and I bought into it! Stoopid me.

On well. Not a great loss as the DJI Crystal Ball never bolted up correctly to its handle either.

(Sorry, but owning all this shoddy Chinese stuff is becoming laughable to my friends, if not annoying as **** to me. "You need to go spend another $3,000 for another laugh." ugh.)

Get a load of this Chinese lens with the backwards working diaphragm (The MFT bayonet mount is off to see the f/stop ring.). What fantastic quality control they have! "Refund?" Surely you jest. Glad they don't import Chinese-made cars here.

 

[SimplyKen]

I don't own any (yet) but from my perspective the problem is not that they launch a new, better camera. It is that they seem to abandon the previous products as soon as a new one is released.

For example they promised an osmo handle for the X5S and it seems like it will never exist. You still read about many problems with the X5S, from misaligned sensors to firmware bugs, and given DJI's record it is easy to imagine that they won't put too much effort in correcting these problems after the release of the X7.

And then I start asking myself if it is wise to put so much money in a system that may become obsolete pretty quickly if DJI releases an X8 and more or less abandons the X7. For example, they say the X7 will be compatible with "other DJI products in the future". Is there any good reason to believe they can be trusted about that more than about the osmo handle? I asked on the official DJI forum if they meant it would be compatible with the Matrice 200 and their moderator made a completely useless answer. Sometimes I wonder if they are real people and not bots.

I agree with the osmo handle with the only clarification being that it’s not just a handle any more since it also has to be a handle and SSD reader, unlike The first generation Osmo which was just a battery holder and a record button. There’s a significant increase in the required electronics that are contained within the “handle” itself. That **** still should have been out 3 months after the Inspire 2 launched.

An APSC Camera wouldn’t fit on an Inspire 1 Platform. That’s why they “abandoned” it. It’s at its very max weight limit with the X5R. I fly my X5R and it’s an absolute dog when you give it full collective.

The platform requires bigger props motors and ESCs, and DJI at that point decided to call it an Inspire 2 and package it with all the onboard redundancy and extra camera and opto sensors.

When they come out with an Zenmuse X9 Full Frame they’ll assess whether the Inspire 2 Platform has the payload capacity to hold a full frame camera and gimbal.

If it doesn’t, and they either limit it to the Matrice 600 or come out with an Inspire 3. And we all whine why they’re “abandoning” the Inspire 2 Platform, we’re gonna sound like a bunch of spoiled brats because in the big picture flying a full frame raw sensor before that meant getting a 25 lb Arri Alexa 65 with another 20 lbs in gimbal which is around double what any X8 Heavy Lift or Alta 8 can carry, which in turn puts you in a full fledged Helicopter at that point and well beyond UAV territory and prices, maybe $20k a day to rent or upwards of $500,000 to own depending on what kind of helicopter you want to keep in your back yard, after you build a heli pad and get you rotorcraft pilots license.

And DJI will probably package it to us in $12,000 give or take. Just some perspective.