First Thoughts on the Inspire 2 and X5S

I just picked up my Inspire 2 Monday and couldn't be happier to have it. After working with a Phantom 3 Advanced and Professional for about a year and a half, this new drone makes all the difference in the world. This is not much of an in depth review, but just a quick introduction on what this new micro 4/3 camera is capable of doing. I love the fact that I am able to switch lenses, control aperture and increase my ISO and get an image. I will share a few sample photos I have taken in the time I've had to fly, and I'll do a more in-depth article down the road when I'm a little more comfortable with my new baby.

At first, I struggled to set everything up and learn how to get the Inspire ready to fly. It's definitely not a quick and easy set up, but it isn't all that bad now that I am getting more used to it. The carrying case for this drone is massive, so you will need to find a good way to carry this thing around especially if you plan on walking to your location (make sure you go to the gym at least 4 times a week before trying to walk over 100m with a full case). So far, those are the only negative things I can think of and they are also unavoidable with a bigger drone like this; if you want the better quality, you will have to sacrifice some portability, weight and set up time. If you are not looking for something as big as the Inspire, the Phantom 4 Pro is a great drone that is also capable of putting out some very impressive imagery. Even the Phantom 3 series is great and I will more than likely still be flying my Phantom 3 more than my Inspire 2 because of its size and convenience for certain things (that is probably a lie). 

Shot on the Pantom 3 Pro

Shot on the Inspire 2 with 45mm Olympus 

Shot on Phantom 3 Pro

Shot on Inspire 2 with 45mm Olympus

Shot on Phantom 3 Pro

Shot on Inspire 2 with 15mm DJI

 Shot on Inspire 2 with 45mm Olympus

Conclusion:

It's hard to tell the difference on the final images but when editing in Lightroom, zooming into the photo, and messing around with the file, you can really tell there is a jump in quality. I did my best to compare similar images but realized the lenses and camera settings are more than likely a little inconsistent and might affect the results. Overall, I think the photos are much sharper, as they should be with a drone like the Inspire 2, but I can say that the Phantom 3 will still be a good drone for some time. It is a much easier drone to set up and carry around, same controls as the Inspire but maybe even a little easier to fly with the ability to capture great images. You wont get the same versatility with the photos as you do with the better camera on the Inspire, but that's to be expected on a smaller drone. I still have plenty to get used to with my Inspire, so I will be going out as much as possible and really getting used to it. I look to learn a lot more about photo, as well as video which this thing appears to be a beast with.

What do you think of the quality difference when looking on the screen here? Noticeable or not so much? What DJI Drone would you choose?