Sensor problem?

[ronald]

Hello all, I have had my Evo since July and has been doing great ,but for the last couple flights I cannot get the horizon and ground to balance out. One is either correct and the other will be blown out or to dark. I have done all I know , I have used the touch setting to get the sky to darken, then the ground becomes black and vice-versa. Do you think this is a sensor problem?? I have even tried filters with no luck. Took an early morning flight today and still got same results. Can't get that happy medium that was there when new.

 

[CraigCam]

Are you shooting in auto or manual mode? Sounds like your WB is not locking possibly. What happens indoors and not flying? I good test is letting the camera auto set for indoor light then carry the drone outside into bright daylight then back inside. Document that with screen record and if it doesn’t look right to you, contact Autel.

 

[ronald]

Thanks Craig, I am shooting in Auto and by turning on inside shop all looks ok, but outside I can't shoot hardly any horizon or it will blow out. I can turn camera down and you can see it self setting itself but it just doesn't seem like it was from new. I just tried it at mid-day here in MS,(heatwave/drought)and it looked somewhat acceptable on computer. Think my screen resolution on my tablet that I run is one problem. I have a Nividea Shield coming Tuesday. Can tell more then,

Thanks Again

 

[Ansia]

I recommend you try ND filters. It will allow a slower shutter speed and you will get better photos and videos.

 

[ronald]

Thanks Ansia, I am using the ND filters with polarizer. Have played with that also, may give Autel a call and see what their reply is.

 

[Trox]

Hello all, I have had my Evo since July and has been doing great ,but for the last couple flights I cannot get the horizon and ground to balance out. One is either correct and the other will be blown out or to dark. I have done all I know , I have used the touch setting to get the sky to darken, then the ground becomes black and vice-versa. Do you think this is a sensor problem?? I have even tried filters with no luck. Took an early morning flight today and still got same results. Can't get that happy medium that was there when new.

Think my screen resolution on my tablet that I run is one problem.

There are no stated camera specs that I can find that identify the exposure metering system on the camera. But I suspect its a Spot metering sensor in the center of the frame rather than an averaging sensor. That becomes apparent when your bright sky extends down below the midpoint of the frame and your ground level goes underexposed. And in reverse, if more than half of your frame from the bottom up is terra firma the metering system is adjusting exposure based on the brightness of the vegetation or whatever is covering the ground and can wash out the sky. Without an averaging light metering system the problems you run into are common on any similar camera and there is no guaranteed one size fits all fix.

A couple suggestions to help overcome the washout and underexposure:
From a photographic standpoint there is little value in having half or more of your frame showing the sky which would be what the light meter is exposing for....unless you are shooting unusual cloud formations in that case the ground is irrelevant anyway.
- You can lower your drone altitude so there is more ground than sky in the frame.
- You can increase your altitude and bump your camera pitch down a degree at a time until your exposure is more balanced which is another way to reduce the amount of sky in the exposure.
- Try flying your drone over the subject from a different angle in relation to the sun and light source. Light from "over the shoulder" always produces a better exposure and is easier for the camera metering system to come up with a good middle of the road setting. Remember as the seasons change the direction of the sun and its angle in the sky changes too so what use to be some great exposure on a flight path may now be a victim of a changing light angle and season.

There are a number of other adjustments you could make by setting any number of variables in Manual mode. Like changing your ISO, shutter speed, etc. These WILL help you compose and expose for that perfect STILL shot. But because the drone is on the move when shooting video your conditions for light metering are constantly changing and so a fixed manual setting may go out of balance as the drone moves over new terrain, rotates in a different orientation to the sun, etc.

If you turn on your Over Exposure Warning in Camera Settings it will give you a pattern on the areas of your frame that are truly overexposed (and not related to your mobile device's inability to display the drone image its receiving) as a guideline for making your adjustments. I use this when I need to get the best balance possible. Don't worry, the over exposure pattern (zebra or moire) is just a screen "overlay" and is not recorded on the drone camera's video or still shots.

 

[ronald]

Thanks Trox ,will keep this in mind when I get to fly again. I have dabbled in photography a little, that's why this has got me puzzled. Thanks so much for the information,
Ron

 

[Franlac]

Thanks Trox ,will keep this in mind when I get to fly again. I have dabbled in photography a little, that's why this has got me puzzled. Thanks so much for the information,
Ron

Hello Ronald
You could show us a little video, so that we understand and that we can help you a little more ..
Thank you

 

[ronald]

Thanks Franlac, I am in process of getting my video over to my new to me Nvidea Shield, Howell here is a pic that shows how the horizon blows out. This was with sun to my back and with a filter.
Yea,I know my horizon is crooked, ?

 

[ronald]

Just think this should be much better with the filter. Like I said,this is sun to back, this is as good as it gets in a 360.

 

[Franlac]

Hello after watching your photo
I think it's normal that the pictures are not beautiful, you filmed with the sun high and on the left side we see that it is more burned.
It should have lowered the expo of -0.1
To have beautiful contrasts it is necessary to film during the golden hour 7am to 11am and 17pm to 21h00 pm.
It should be known that when we have plain colors in green as in your photo the sensor has a little more trouble, it is the same for all the camera appereils.
I never filter on my EVO, and I get very good results, I tried but I'm not convinced!
Good luck

 

[ronald]

Thanks Franlac, will try to put all this info into my video session. Yes this was approaching midday , will post my results later, thanks
Ron