Watch Chase Jarvis Crash a DJI Phantom into the Icelandic Sea

If you have been following Fstoppers this year, you probably know that Lee Morris tested the DJI Phantom out in Charleston and crashed it into a marsh. The Phantom is really awesome, but comes with some risks. Chase Jarvis wasn't satisfied with the quality of GoPro footage on his Phantom and tried attaching a Sony RX100 II to it instead. Does it work? No. No it does not.

[Via Gizmodo]

Jaron Schneider's picture

Jaron Schneider is an Fstoppers Contributor and an internationally published writer and cinematographer from San Francisco, California. His clients include Maurice Lacroix, HD Supply, SmugMug, the USAF Thunderbirds and a host of industry professionals.

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67 Comments

I guess it's easier to take "risks" when all you're doing is risking the insurance company's money.

I guess that's what insurance is for, isn't it? Why else would you have one?

My car is insured too but I'm not going to drive into a tree because it's cool.

What an idiot.

Why test range over the ocean? That part I don't get.

He has exceeded his luggage allowance and wants to lighten some load....

WiFi interference causes fly aways with the DJI Phantom. You are not supposed to use wifi while flying unless its a Phantom 2 or Phantom Vision :)

Wasteful! Completely unnessesary. I just never got this guy like everyone else seems to.

Trying to get more page views?

Anyway it has been professionally done at least 2 years ago! Watch the 30th second in the Iceland Promotional clip!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2QgGoAuwoU

Btw, its really a beautiful place! But take only pictures and leave behind only footprints!

that's not necessarily an aerial/drone shot... could have been done with a boom

That was shot with a boat. Source: I've been on that boat.

Ah, I hate watching this and being reminded I should have been on this trip!

Ya blew it!

Take only pictures. Leave only plastic and nickel-cadmium batteries.

Ah man, yeah this is bad. Proper gimbal and baseline understanding of the tech would have solved this instantly. I think you guys would like my drone movie! I promise I know how to fly it and don't use gaffer tape to affix my camera to the device : | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgLkWT246qU

Man, I have to believe SF would never let you fly this now right? The FAA has come down on these RC helicopters, but that footage is awesome.

Was a week or two ago :D

So basically what you're saying is you didn't get a permit, so this video was made illegally.

those are the best kind

Oh the horror...

No it was made legally

I have not come across a bigger narcissist in the online photography world than this hipster. I'm surprised he didn't shoot this footage in black and white while wearing sunglasses with his bearded yes-man cheering him on. Wait, he WAS wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day. I guess he's going to have to find another way to seek attention. Hey, maybe you can mail your dirty shoes around again.

"Wait, he WAS wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day."

Have you ever been out there? White snow and ice can make you fully blind.

Well, not really blind... but yes, refraction is pretty harsh.

it´s called REFLECTION.....

Since he shoots a lot of his videos in black and white, you'd think he'd be used to it by now.

damn right.

another boring video thats made on purpose just to get some clicks...
no easier way then acting like an idiot to get a few youtube clicks.
boring and lame.....

Another cynical comment, whining, that adds nothing to the conversation when you could have just went on to the next one. Boring and lame.

So you got a crush on Chase or something? Seem to be taking this a little too personally.

Wow, someone hates this guy for no reason other than him being great at what he does. Why watch?

I haven't watched this. The picture and the story is all I need. I've seen his other work however. The bearded yes-men cheering him was a lucky guess. I'm not hating on him because he is allegedly good (I've never seen his actual work), but I'm hating on him because he's that one guy everybody knows who always wants to be the center of attention and tries so so so hard to be liked.

Dude is what, 30 something? I saw him on DigitalRevTV and he was wearing jeans so skinny that even teenage girls would pass on it. I've seen a few of his "interviews" and everything is in black and white in a dark room. He's putting himself out there so all criticisms are valid.

OH! I get it, you hate him because of the way he dresses!!! Got it.

How old are you?

Old enough to not wear skinny jeans and sunglasses at night.

You openly admit to never seeing anything from the guy, yet you are so quick to dislike him because of his outward appearance. Makes sense.

Have you ever been near a glacier? Snow? Sunglasses are not just for bright, sunny days near a beach.

is this a jackass skit?

Ha this sounds exactly like what Lee and I did with our Phantom...only we saw an egret on the marsh and decided to chase it for some national geographic footage....result was a fallen Phantom in the water :(

#Fail

This guy never has enough fame... Publishing such a failure, thinking it's cool and laugh about it?Sorry but this has nothing to do with being a professional photographer.... All he's trying to do is grabbing more attention from the web to satisfy his ego...

Trying to convince us that he's experimenting makes it even worse! Come on.... over the water!?!?!?!

1: it's because of bad behavior like this that insuring our equipment is so expensive...

2: I don't consider myself as a particularly environmentally conscious, but I have have limits... flying this over-weighted stuff over the sea IS plain stupid. Think about all the toxic component thrown away in the water + lead, cobalt, nickel, etc.....

I can't believe that was your takeaway. It's not always about publishing your proudest moments. Whether this was a genuine experiment or simply blog-fodder isn't exactly relevant. By the way, 'the toxic component in the water' of a tiny camera and plastic helicopter has about as much significance on the ocean as his 'bad behaviour' does on insurance rates.

Relax man. it's business, it's marketing. On everyone's parts!

It was entertaining.

Stop being so cynical. It's a video. on the internet.

I am really sorry to see all those comments against Chase. I have been following this fellow photographer for a few years, and all the projects he does and the results he gets are something that is rarely seen in the everyday's shoots, as well the production level that he has has been continuously rising.

He did use a DJI and a Sony for something that he probably knew was going to end bad, but if i was fully insured and had that gear at my disposable to crash, why wouldn't i take a chance of something that costs me almost nothing to have an image that is so unique and nobody ever shot?

Check his channel before commenting how stupid or hipster the guy is, he is really awesome and even the average shoot he does, is something many of us will never get to...

I've been following him for a long time too, and loved many of his production. However, being a great photographer and being insured does't mean you're allowed to stop thinking about what you're doing.

My car is fully insured, but I'm not trying to drive it at 220 km/h on a small open curvy country road just to take a pic and post it on Instagram. I'd hire a pilot and shoot on a closed road/circuit/track/speedway...

I do not know if the purpose of it was instagram it and have fun, but I agree partially, there is a bit of marketing in that move there, but i guess also that the clients hired him for his abilities to do something that few people would, and he did just try to increase the production value for the client.

And that's why no one cares about you and your personal car, and Top Speed is one of the most popular shows in history!

fanboy.. remove your fantasy googles. it´s all about the money.

I have also followed him, but more because he's always trying to put his face in front of a camera rather than me looking for him. Guys like Joe McNally and other photographers are natural teachers and while part of their work is self promotion, a majority of the information they put out is valuable photography advice. With Chase, it's almost all self promotion with very little substance. He's as bad as that Bro Knows Photo guy (whatever his name is) except he doesn't have the funny looking hair so he has to resort to skinny jeans and acting like he's a hipster from 10 years ago.

I agree his content does not have a valuable photography advice, but for photographers like me that are trying to transition to professional photography, that is a great share of inspiration and insight in photography industry...

And i will have to ask why do you think Fro Knows Photo (that's his name :) ) is bad...I would like to see that perspective as well :D

Since I got into photography 4 years ago it was thanks to photographers like him, Dom Bower, Chase Jarvis, and other internet photographers that I know so much today, and I have never had a single hour of traditional photography course, and yet I had chances to talk and work with some professional photographers that are in the field and see how much information and knowledge they lack, and yet they are getting paid.

I know JP goes by Fro but I was making fun his Bro-Dude attitude on his videos with other bro dudes. In my opinion, for a working pro, his photography is at best average. Making average pictures black and white and adding a ton of contrast doesn't make them epic.

About all I see of his work is going to concerts or sporting events he has access to. I have also noticed that his advice, in my opinion is for those who have just picked up a camera recently and so anybody who sticks with photography will outgrow him in a few months. Ok, we get it, shoot in raw. He was somewhat entertaining at first, but now it's just self promotion and nothing else.

I agree 100% that now days you don't need a formal education in photography (I have been into this stuff longer than you), but for some reason, people started idolizing Chase and the Strobist guy (Yes I know his name), but at least with DH, he is legit. He may have his own way of doing things that probably doesn't work for others (If I see one more Model Mayhem model standing in front of the sun on a rock in an attempt to overpower the sun, I will scream), but he has a body of work to back it up.

I just wish photographers would post their pictures and a note about how they got the pictures and just shut up and go to their next shoot.

I see what you mean. And yea, I can't really say that those aren't in place :D

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