Looking at the online videos from the very first EVOs, I thought that the image quality could be improved upon so I have been focusing my pre-purchase research on the Yuneec H Plus - which after six months of procrastinating, I still haven't bought because I'm not convinced that its sensor/codec/processor/bitrate/card interface can deliver sufficiently artifact-free video under maximum load, ie 4k60.
But upon taking a fresh look at recently uploaded EVO footage, I see a big improvement in video quality, including - but not limited to - the latest firmware gimbal jitter fix. I'm still not certain that this update has fixed the tilt jitter so I'm looking out for more evidence on that; but it has certainly smoothed out the yaw.
More than this, the EVO video now looks really clean. All video suffers to some extent from antialiasing, moiré and similar artifacts but the recent samples of EVO footage are cleaner than the H Plus imho (making allowances for YouTube's compression artifacts). I would love to know how EVO has achieved this. I assume the lens, processor etc are cobbled together from the same standard box of Asian components as most other drones. So maybe EVO's software is better?
One thing really grabbed my attention. EVO 4k60 footage plays very smoothly on my rig (5k iMac with 40GB RAM and a 40Mbps broadband connection), dropping very few, if any, frames even when playing at full resolution. But this has not been the case with hundreds of H Plus 4k60 videos I have viewed on this same rig. These have all stuttered badly and dropped lots of frames.
So what is the difference between 4k60 video made from EVO's Sony 1/2.3" CMOS and the H Plus's Sony 1" CMOS? The pixel dimensions are the same. The bit depth is presumably the same. The file sizes are presumably the same. But something has to be different.
Once I work out the answer to this mystery, the EVO will again be a serious contender for my cash - even though it's only available in the UK as a gray import. Hopefully, once Autel get ahead of the launch phase, they will begin to export; but until then, I assume it's a PITA if I were to need a factory repair.
I was initially disappointed that Autel didn't follow through on their 1" CMOS launch promise; but it was always going to be almost impossible to deliver both a 1" CMOS and a sub-$1,000 price tag. I might wait for that 1" CMOS but the current camera is doing such a good job, I might not. I do see richer/deeper colour on the H Plus footage but some of that can be delivered in post…and rich colour is no use to me if I can't watch the video online without dropping loads of frames.
My only real concern is that I can't access all the EVO's functions if I fly using the remote controller on its own. The H Plus controller doesn't need a mobile device at all and that appeals to me.
Apologies for rambling on. I think the EVO has a big future and would be grateful for any feedback.
But upon taking a fresh look at recently uploaded EVO footage, I see a big improvement in video quality, including - but not limited to - the latest firmware gimbal jitter fix. I'm still not certain that this update has fixed the tilt jitter so I'm looking out for more evidence on that; but it has certainly smoothed out the yaw.
More than this, the EVO video now looks really clean. All video suffers to some extent from antialiasing, moiré and similar artifacts but the recent samples of EVO footage are cleaner than the H Plus imho (making allowances for YouTube's compression artifacts). I would love to know how EVO has achieved this. I assume the lens, processor etc are cobbled together from the same standard box of Asian components as most other drones. So maybe EVO's software is better?
One thing really grabbed my attention. EVO 4k60 footage plays very smoothly on my rig (5k iMac with 40GB RAM and a 40Mbps broadband connection), dropping very few, if any, frames even when playing at full resolution. But this has not been the case with hundreds of H Plus 4k60 videos I have viewed on this same rig. These have all stuttered badly and dropped lots of frames.
So what is the difference between 4k60 video made from EVO's Sony 1/2.3" CMOS and the H Plus's Sony 1" CMOS? The pixel dimensions are the same. The bit depth is presumably the same. The file sizes are presumably the same. But something has to be different.
Once I work out the answer to this mystery, the EVO will again be a serious contender for my cash - even though it's only available in the UK as a gray import. Hopefully, once Autel get ahead of the launch phase, they will begin to export; but until then, I assume it's a PITA if I were to need a factory repair.
I was initially disappointed that Autel didn't follow through on their 1" CMOS launch promise; but it was always going to be almost impossible to deliver both a 1" CMOS and a sub-$1,000 price tag. I might wait for that 1" CMOS but the current camera is doing such a good job, I might not. I do see richer/deeper colour on the H Plus footage but some of that can be delivered in post…and rich colour is no use to me if I can't watch the video online without dropping loads of frames.
My only real concern is that I can't access all the EVO's functions if I fly using the remote controller on its own. The H Plus controller doesn't need a mobile device at all and that appeals to me.
Apologies for rambling on. I think the EVO has a big future and would be grateful for any feedback.
