It used to be scary and intimidating to fly a drone, let alone film using one. Nowadays, flying a drone means seeing the world from a different perspective — in this case, all 360 degrees.
For the past few weeks, I have been testing the Antigravity A1, the first drone I have ever used with a built in 360 degree camera. I expected a gimmick. What I got was something genuinely innovative surprisingly fun.
It’s been a long time coming, and it finally hit on Tuesday, with the U.S. banning new models of Chinese-made drones effective immediately.
Take the flexibility and straightforward user experience of a 360 camera and combine it with the nearly unlimited capabilities of a drone—that’s what the Antigravity A1 aims to offer creators who want to show their audiences a totally different perspective.
Storytelling, at its core, is the art of creating meaning through a sequence of events that evoke emotion, connection, and transformation. For centuries, visual stories have sought to blur the lines between lyricism and realism. Yet, the evolution of technology has at times constrained cinematographers in that pursuit. Artificial intelligence, if trained well, may someday bridge this gap, but until then, creators continue to seek their own rhythm to express their visual narratives.
Since the first iteration of the DJI Mini series drone, I have always dreamed of having a small, portable drone equipped with a large 1-inch sensor—specifically, a drone capable of combining the benefits of being lightweight while delivering great image quality. Prior to this, it had always been a game of choosing your compromise. Flying a compact drone meant compromising on image performance, while a larger drone naturally offered better quality at the expense of portability.
The DJI Mavic 4 Pro promises speed, safety, and image quality that rivals ground-based cameras. After real-world testing in demanding conditions, I discovered where this flagship drone excels and where it still leaves room for improvement.
DJI has once again redefined what’s possible in aerial imaging with the launch of the DJI Mini 5 Pro, the world’s first sub-250 g mini drone to feature a 1-inch CMOS sensor. Compact yet powerful, the palm-sized drone pushes its boundary with pro-level image quality, advanced safety features, and extended flight time, making it a versatile tool for creators at any level.
Antigravity, a new drone brand incubated by Insta360 in collaboration with third-party partners, officially launched today. The company aims to redefine aerial exploration and storytelling by introducing drones that offer immersive 360-degree video capture, combined with user-friendly controls.
The DJI Mini 4 Pro is undeniably a marvel of modern drone technology. It is currently the best compact sub-250 g drone that money can buy. Packed with tons of new features such as omnidirectional obstacle sensing, true vertical shooting, and 4K video recording up to 120 fps, it is clearly designed for creators who demand both performance and portability—and for working professionals like me who prefer a smaller drone for easier flight access in most areas. It's easy to see why it's a popular choice among drone enthusiasts.
A few days ago, DJI sent me their soon-to-be-released DJI Flip Drone. Although they probably explained everything about it in the emails they sent, I’ll admit—I didn’t read a word. Instead, I ripped open the box, grabbed the drone, and decided to figure it out on my own.
The new DJI Air 3S has made quite a splash in the photo and drone world, with a reasonable price, dual cameras, and robust obstacle avoidance with the addition of LIDAR.
I woke up with my morning coffee to these thoughts: “Overprocessing images can sometimes compromise the integrity of the image and do more harm than necessary. Here are several reasons why one should refrain from over-editing their images.” I thought to myself, “I need to caffeinate further before finishing this article” and took a big gulp of my coffee.
Every so often, I find a new piece of software I was unaware of but that gets me excited when I discover and use it. Recently, I stumbled upon PanoVolo, a new Windows/Mac app for creating panoramas with a minimum of fuss that still provides very high-quality output.
Phase One, Quantum Systems, and Trimble have unveiled the P5, a cutting-edge 128 MP medium-format UAV camera. Under 700 g, it’s crafted for unmatched aerial survey precision and image clarity, revolutionizing high-res data capture in lightweight survey gear.
Canon has just announced their longest zoom lens for the RF mount, the RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM ,and we’ve tried it in the real world. How was it? Pretty damn enjoyable! Is it worth considering? We certainly believe so! But there is a downside to it. Let’s have a proper look at the new telephoto.
Landscape photography as a genre can be perceived as quite repetitive to some. However, to others, it can be a multifaceted challenge depending on the light, conditions, and locations that we choose to photograph!
Whether you’re a new or avid drone pilot, one way to up your footage quality is through the use of drone filters. Just like for your terrestrial camera, optical lens filters make a huge difference. Let me show you what drone filters can do for you with the K&F CONCEPT filter kit.
Modern lenses are quite remarkable devices, and they often allow you to shoot at extremely wide apertures with little consequence in image quality, making it easy to fall into the habit of just leaving your lens at that maximum aperture for all your images. That can be a mistake, though, and it can make your work overly one-dimensional. This excellent video essay discusses some of the many reasons you might want to consider stopping down the next time you head out.
DJI Air 3 versus Mini 3 Pro versus Mavic 3 Pro versus Mavic 3 Classic. It is all a bit much now, isn't it? Just like Sony, DJI is constantly releasing updated versions of their products, at varying price points, and with different sets of features, so it is tough to know which one to get. In this video, Kai looks at the four latest drones from DJI and breaks down what might be best for you.
Drone photography is becoming increasingly popular for landscape photographers and for good reason. Drones offer a unique perspective of the world we live in that can be used to capture stunning landscape imagery. If you're new to drone photography or if you're looking to improve your skills, here are 10 tips to help you take stunning landscape photos with your drone alongside equipment and accessories to consider.
Strap yourself in, Jason De Freitas is back with a new project. This time he’s attached a Super 8 Camera to a drone and the footage is astonishing.
Sony's AirPeak drone is the world‘s smallest drone that can carry a full frame Alpha series mirrorless camera. It's also a versatile aerial platform that's capable of carrying other payloads. Check out how professional drone pilot Craig Coker deployed powerful drone-lighting tools to capture stunning images of world-class athletes in the first AirPeak "Light The Night" showcase.
Videography, unsurprisingly, has the added element of needing to not only frame a shot but consider how a camera might move within the space for the duration of the video.
Have you ever wanted to take photos and videos of the Earth from space? Sony has launched an a7R IV nano-satellite into space, offering a user-controllable space photography service.
Many of us associate DJI with their dominance in the drone market for photo and video; however, there is an entire world of enterprise solutions that you might know about. These are innovations that could even show up in the next drone you purchase.
Changing your approach and perspective to your landscape photography can produce some stunning results. Looking at the more intimate details and patterns, the textures, and how everything interacts within your scene can really open up a new world for your photography.
You may have seen some of the hoopla over the Insta 360 Sphere. It's a 360-degree camera that mounts on two popular drones, the DJI Air 2S and its predecessor, the Air2. So, what is it exactly?
The new DJI Avata dropped today and this little drone looks absolutely incredible.
Yes, you read the headline correctly, and the results are out of this world. NanoAvionics mounted a GoPro Hero 7 to an improvised selfie stick and attached it to their MP42 microsatellite to record the footage.
In quite possibly the most epic drone shot of all time Tom Brady hits a hole-in-one on the golf course. But is it real?
The next drone in DJI's Mini lineup, the DJI Mini 3 Pro, is almost upon us, and though it looks to be a successor to the Mini 2, some reviewers have already gotten their hands on it to show that it is, in reality, a different beast entirely with its "Pro" nomenclature.
If you’re into astrophotography, a drone typically isn’t your camera of choice. That’s why I was surprised to see Haida’s release of a light-pollution reducing filter for the new Mavic 3, which they’re calling the NanoPro Clear-Night Filter. Does this filter change the experience of shooting with a drone at night?
While most photographers use a drone to create aerial images, sometimes, that isn’t enough. Sometimes, you want to soar like an eagle, going 50 mph over the sheer face of a mountaintop as you photograph. If that sounds like you, then let me share with you the story of Bernard Chen, paraglider and photographer extraordinaire.
In the world of drone photography, it’s hard to remember that there are players in the market that aren’t DJI. But maybe you are in the mood for something different. Maybe you’re just starting out. It might be worth it, in that case, to check out a few other options.
When I look at product photography and video in the fashion and beauty product industry, many of the shots are now computer-generated. It might be at a steep cost initially to get the team to create the products in 3D space, but once that’s done, the product can be used in any scene you need for the client. Are we beyond photography?
Shooting from a plane is a privilege few of us are lucky enough to experience, and it can yield some incredible images that simply would not be possible otherwise. This neat video goes behind the scenes to show you how a photographer shoots landscape images from a plane and also shows some of the stunning photos he is able to capture.
Just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, sits one of America’s most majestic spots — and every photographer’s dream. Often called the American Alps, North Cascades National Park features endless opportunities to capture America in all its striking glory. But before you point and shoot, you need to know where to look.
The FAA has some new regulations you have to follow as a drone pilot, regardless of whether you're just flying recreationally, or even if you already hold the Part 107 certification. Fortunately, compliance is free and easy, and you can do it right now.
Gudmann and Gyda, both native Icelandic photographers, decided to leave the drone at home on their first few trips to the new volcanic eruption. But this time they headed back with their drone to capture some incredible aerial footage and abstract shots of the lava flow.
While the choice of a memory card might seem simple if you normally just grab whatever’s on sale, there are a number of reasons to reconsider that method. The latest generation of cards offer faster speeds and larger capacities at better price points. Whether you’re looking to equip your newest action cam or drone, PNY’s Pro Elite MicroSD card is a great choice.
One of the latest buzzwords in tech and editing has been AI. While the earliest implementations were a bit of a gimmick, powerful tools and developments from companies like Adobe, NVIDIA, and Luminar have brought AI to the end-user in a meaningful way. Photoshop’s March 2021 update introduces a new AI tool that promises massive resolution improvements for any camera. Does it live up to the hype?
The world mourned when the crocodile whisperer and wildlife personality, Steve Irwin, was stabbed through the heart by a stingray. However, it seems his talents have carried over to his son, Robert, who has just claimed the top prize in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
I've been an avid landscape photographer for many years, and I've been a drone flyer for almost 4 years. I liked the idea of getting landscape shots from angles I simply couldn't get to from the ground. Living in Arizona, there's a lot of opportunities to get some lovely images from the air.
Most of the time, when you see aerial photography, it is taken with top-end modern equipment; after all, it is not cheap to rent a plane or helicopter, and usually, the photographer wants to get the most they can out of the experience. But that does not mean you can't shoot film from the air, and this fun video shows just what a joy it can be.
Learn how to make your own realistic tilt-shift toy town effect in Photoshop CC with this simple edit of an aerial city view.
Oregon has one of our nation's most beautiful coastlines. Seeing it from the sky from someone who really knows how to frame a shot is a real treat for the eyes.
The ability to capture aerial photo and video has many uses, and not all of them are commercial in nature. A recent story out of Australia shows us just how useful drones have become for purposes of public safety and surveillance.