I'm Starting to Finally Understand Spark

[redrydermedia]

Its been three weeks since Spark arrived, but I think I'm finally getting to understand and appreciate it. I can fly and film and do things with Spark I can do with my Phantoms, but the power of Spark is taking videos that include me......Selfies! That may sound obvious, but I'm finally getting to understand it. Forget Gesture Mode. I think those are like cheap circus acts. They quickly become boring.

The Quick Shots and more importantly, the Active Track are where the real power happens! I can EASILY have Spark perform certain simple maneuvers that result in very cool videos with me in the video! The Active Track in particular is awesome. To walk along and have Spark follow, or even better, to walk and have Spark stay in front of you or to the side is even more Awesome! Active Track works remarkably well, and Quick Shot Circle is almost as great. Now, if DJI can get Helix and Dronie to work with reliable and reasonable parameters, they can be powerful tools as well. Rocket is interesting, but I can't see using it that often.

I can I understand if you're not interested in shooting video with you in the shot, Spark might be disappointing, but I'm thinking it's pretty awesome!

 

[Advexure]

Happy to hear it and glad you are enjoying your Spark! Safe flying and feel free to share your photos/videos in that section of he forum.

 

[Oliver Scott]

My only issue is having video and photos with me holding the Spark controller all the time. The gesture selfie thing would be great if it A) worked most of the time, which it doesn't and B) It could take higher resolution images. I have yet to do some Active Track and Quick Shot videos but the samples I've seen the gen pub create with these modes do look amazing. Any tips on taking 12mp photos of yourself without having the controller in shot all the time would be great!

 

[Sparkbart]

I too wish the Gesture mode would work more consistently too. But I'm not sure why you are complaining about not being able to take higher res pictures. Its specs have long been published. If better resolution pictures are important to you, maybe you should have considered the Mavic or even the Phantom 4 Pro. Its not like they said it could take better resolution photos and then delivered something less.

Gesture mode and Active track well enough that I've got plenty of pictures/videos of me without my remote. Of course there are limitations and I wish it did these features alot better but its about par for the course for any current pro-sumer drone...

My only issue is having video and photos with me holding the Spark controller all the time. The gesture selfie thing would be great if it A) worked most of the time, which it doesn't and B) It could take higher resolution images. I have yet to do some Active Track and Quick Shot videos but the samples I've seen the gen pub create with these modes do look amazing. Any tips on taking 12mp photos of yourself without having the controller in shot all the time would be great!

 

[Oliver Scott]

Hang on a sec! Watch a DJI spark promo and they show taking selfies with Getsure (big selling feature) and tell you it's a 12mp camera. I have not seen any disclaimer on any of their ads saying that "Gesture Selfies will be 2mp". Feels to be one of those sneaky hidden things that only looking at the manual before hand would show.

 

[redrydermedia]

Hang on a sec! Watch a DJI spark promo and they show taking selfies with Getsure (big selling feature) and tell you it's a 12mp camera. I have not seen any disclaimer on any of their ads saying that "Gesture Selfies will be 2mp". Feels to be one of those sneaky hidden things that only looking at the manual before hand would show.

I agree, that was a big surprise. Hopefully it can be fixed with a software upgrade. The real issue with Gestures are they're so unreliable, and once Spark is 15ft in the air, the only way to get it down is to wait for the battery to die! I've just decided not to use Gestures and maximize my enjoyment with the Quick Shot and Acrive Track features.

 

[mapwd1702]

I agree, that was a big surprise. Hopefully it can be fixed with a software upgrade. The real issue with Gestures are they're so unreliable, and once Spark is 15ft in the air, the only way to get it down is to wait for the battery to die! I've just decided not to use Gestures and maximize my enjoyment with the Quick Shot and Acrive Track features.

if it won't come down, connect with your phone (which it should be already for it to have GPS lock and not fly away) and land it, no need to have to wait for it to run out of battery

 

[Dick]

Its been three weeks since Spark arrived, but I think I'm finally getting to understand and appreciate it. I can fly and film and do things with Spark I can do with my Phantoms, but the power of Spark is taking videos that include me......Selfies! That may sound obvious, but I'm finally getting to understand it. Forget Gesture Mode. I think those are like cheap circus acts. They quickly become boring.

The Quick Shots and more importantly, the Active Track are where the real power happens! I can EASILY have Spark perform certain simple maneuvers that result in very cool videos with me in the video! The Active Track in particular is awesome. To walk along and have Spark follow, or even better, to walk and have Spark stay in front of you or to the side is even more Awesome! Active Track works remarkably well, and Quick Shot Circle is almost as great. Now, if DJI can get Helix and Dronie to work with reliable and reasonable parameters, they can be powerful tools as well. Rocket is interesting, but I can't see using it that often.

I can I understand if you're not interested in shooting video with you in the shot, Spark might be disappointing, but I'm thinking it's pretty awesome!

With quick shot the focus of the video does not have to be you or a person.....it works quite well on any object like a car/boat/statue/building.

 

[Qrandle]

Hang on a sec! Watch a DJI spark promo and they show taking selfies with Getsure (big selling feature) and tell you it's a 12mp camera. I have not seen any disclaimer on any of their ads saying that "Gesture Selfies will be 2mp". Feels to be one of those sneaky hidden things that only looking at the manual before hand would show.

I totally agree with this one.

 

[regdawg]

if it won't come down, connect with your phone (which it should be already for it to have GPS lock and not fly away) and land it, no need to have to wait for it to run out of battery

So the Spark either as to be connected to the phone or the RC to get GPS lock? Does GPS have to be enabled on the phone? My Spark is on the way so I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I get it this week.

 

[Maki]

Hi! I don't know if this is the correct thread to ask a question (newbie here).

Just want to know if there is a setting in spark camera that will lock on a subject and still control your remote/spark?

thanks!

 

[suprPHREAK]

If you are in active track, you can do almost everything except yaw and it will keep you in frame.

 

[Maki]

If you are in active track, you can do almost everything except yaw and it will keep you in frame.

Thanks!

need to practice more on smooth panning.

 

[sohpg]

if it won't come down, connect with your phone (which it should be already for it to have GPS lock and not fly away) and land it, no need to have to wait for it to run out of battery

Hmm... I remember that once Spark has been paired with the RC, you’ve got to do a hard reset by pressing the on/off switch on the battery to pair with phone through Wi-Fi. So if it’s already paired to the RC and hovering on air with gesture control, it can only be brought “home” using the RC, not by phone.