BTM_Pix

Now then........ I doubt I've got the wherewithal to get your 100mbit HD going but I might have just got something reasonably interesting working on the GX80. I need to do a proper controlled test against a G7 in the morning to confirm it but I'm cautiously optimistic. Stay tuned

Well, thats very interesting! I suspected there would be some sort of engineering/debug mode it could be put into and what they're showing in those videos is such a specific set of button press combinations that no way has someone just stumbled on it! The really, curious thing is from this particular video. And more to the point, why no one has picked up the VERY interesting entry in the Setup screen when he's scrolling through it. He does it quickly so I've attached a screenshot of it here......ROM BACKUP??????

Wow. Not far off being recycled as a Scooby Doo transition that

I can offer you a speedboosted Contax Zeiss 50mm 1.7 vs speedboosted modern Nikon G 50mm vs non-speedboosted Sigma 35mm ART comparison on a GX80 if you're interested?

It would have to do RAW though as it's a tough crowd on here drone wise.

It being primarily gesture driven that is giving food for thought. You can imagine someone in a group of friends launching it and them all waving at it and it getting utterly confused about which one of them it should be reacting to! This is exactly how much I thought it would be as well. I reckon a whole load of young vloggers who've been waiting on this have just gone "oh".

Full press release --------- DJI Launches Spark, The Easy And Fun Camera Drone For Everyone DJI Europe - May 24, 2017 17:00 BST DJI Spark DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, has launched the DJI Spark, an easy-to-use, fun-to-fly mini camera drone that lifts off from the palm of your hand to capture and share the special moments in your life on the go. Thanks to DJI’s powerful technology, Spark is the first drone that users can control by hand gestures alone, successfully removing the barriers between you and your camera in the sky. Even if you’ve never flown a drone before, flying Spark is easy because the only remote controller you’ll need is your hand. When Spark takes off from your hand, it automatically enters Gesture Mode. This features new advanced gesture controls like PalmControl, which lets users control Spark with hand movements.[1] In Gesture Mode, you can also send Spark up and away from you, take a selfie, and call it back with just your hands. “Controlling a camera drone with hand movements alone is a major step towards making aerial technology an intuitive part of everyone’s daily life, from work and adventure to moments with friends and family,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Spark’s revolutionary new interface lets you effortlessly extend your point of view to the air, making it easier than ever to capture and share the world from new perspectives.” Spark has been designed to be the perfect lifestyle accessory you can take anywhere. It fits easily in almost any bag and weighs 300 grams – less than a can of soft drink. Spark is ready to launch within seconds whenever inspiration strikes and can be operated by a remote controller, a mobile device, or hand gestures alone. Spark will be available in five different colours: Alpine White, Sky Blue, Meadow Green, Lava Red, and Sunrise Yellow. Visually Smart, Incredibly Intuitive Spark comes with new and exciting flight options that empower you to effortlessly capture and share your memorable moments. The new QuickShot Intelligent Flight Mode makes creating professional videos fun and easy. Select a QuickShot, and Spark will fly along a preset flight path while recording a short video and tracking a subject along the way. Four QuickShots are available: Rocket, sending Spark straight up into the air with the camera pointed down; Dronie, flying up and away from your subject; Circle, rotating around the subject; and Helix, spiraling away from a subject as it flies upward. For each QuickShot, Spark will automatically create a 10-second video from your flight that is ready to share on social media, where everyone can see your special moments. Previously introduced Intelligent Flight Modes such as TapFly and ActiveTrack can also be found on Spark. Developed based on DJI's vision technology, a new TapFly sub mode called Coordinate allows Spark to fly to a location you tap on your mobile device screen. TapFly’s Direction Mode lets you keep flying in the direction you tap on the screen. Using ActiveTrack, Spark will automatically recognise and track an object you choose, keeping it at the center of the frame for perfect shots of objects in motion. Whether you are using TapFly or tracking a subject, Spark’s 3D Sensing System will actively sense obstacles in front of the aircraft. With the remote controller accessory, operators can switch to Sport Mode and unleash Spark's speed potential of up to 31 mph (50 kmh). Sport Mode sets the gimbal to first-person view (FPV) by default, so the camera moves with you as you fly. Spark will also be compatible with DJI Goggles for an immersive FPV flight experience. Shoot Like a Pro Spark houses an impressive camera with a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and shoots stabilised HD 1080p videos. Spark's 2-axis mechanical gimbal and UltraSmooth technology dramatically reduce shake and rolling shutter effect to capture cinematic shots effortlessly. Spark includes many previous DJI drone shooting modes with two new additions: Pano and ShallowFocus. In Pano Mode, the camera creates horizontal or vertical panoramas by automatically adjusting its gimbal and heading, taking a series of pictures and stitching them together. ShallowFocus allows you to put part of a picture into sharp focus while the rest of the image is softened, creating photographs with a shallow depth of field.An array of filters and automatic editing templates available in the DJI GO 4 app enables creators to quickly edit videos and share them directly to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Fly with Safety, Accuracy, and Precision Spark’s FlightAutonomy system consists of the main camera, a downward-facing vision system, a forward-facing 3D Sensing System, dual-band GPS and GLONASS, a high-precision inertial measurement unit, and 24 powerful computing cores. These features allow Spark to hover accurately with vision system assistance at up to 98 feet (30 meters) and sense obstacles from up to 16 ft (5 m) away. Like all recent DJI drones, Spark can return to its home point automatically with a sufficient GPS signal. While using the remote controller, if the battery gets too low, connection is lost, or the operator presses the Return to Home (RTH) button, Spark flies back to the preset home point while sensing obstacles in its path. Spark also integrates DJI’s GEO System or NFZ geofencing to provide you with up-to-date guidance on areas where flight may be limited by regulations or raise safety or security concerns – helping you fly safely and responsibly. For optimal performance, Spark is powered by a high-energy density LiPo battery and has a maximum flight time of up to 16 minutes. When flying with the remote controller accessory, Spark allows for 720p real-time video transmission from up to 1.2 miles (2 km) away.[2] Price and Availability The retail price of a DJI Spark, including an aircraft, a battery, a USB charger and three pairs of propellers, is £519 (€599). The Spark Fly More Combo includes an aircraft, two batteries, four pairs of propellers, a remote controller, propeller guards, a charging hub, a shoulder bag and all necessary cables, with a retail price of £699 (€799). Pricing and availability of other accessories for Spark will be announced at a later date. Spark will be available for pre-order at store.dji.com, four DJI Flagship Stores, and authorised dealers. Spark pre-orders will start shipping in mid-June. Colour options and Fly More Combo availability may vary at different sales channels.

Thought it was going to be cheaper to be honest...... http://www.dji.com/mobile/spark

Agreed. Now that I've actually got the mimicking working with the "newer" generations of cameras I can look at it a bit more when I get back tomorrow. I suspect it's way beyond my capabilities to get the cameras to identify themselves as other models but I can at least now fully compare what gets sent when the app is talking to a model that has a cinelike d profile capability like the G7 and one that doesn't like the GX80 as I have both cameras. There is bound to be a debug engineering command that does it but that's unlikely that I'll stumble upon it!!!

So I've been doing some stuff controlling the Panasonic cameras over wifi by mimicking their smartphone apps. It's for something that might be useful for a few other people that I'll put up in a few weeks. Nothing earth shattering but could be of use if you use a gimbal... Anyway, what I see is that when the camera accepts the remote control connection it sends back to the app what model it is and all of the applicable functions to enable in the menus of the app. So that includes colour profiles (including vlog by the way) and all of the different recording formats. I've then tried to construct the commands to send my PAL G7 the one for 1080p60 which is obviously something the camera is capable of but is locked out from the user by not appearing in the UI. Unfortunately it didn't accept it but I'm going to do some more poking around when I get back. The point being that I have a hunch that someone smarter than me (which is a pretty much anyone with a computer) might be able to exploit this area if they can find a way to convince the G7 it is NTSC and not PAL. Ditto for getting the GX80 to think it is the G7 so it can have cinelike d for example or c4k as the sensors are the same it's just what Panasonic choose to lock out based on what the camera is told it is.

The advantage with the large capacity cards is also their biggest potential undoing in that because you can get by without changing them all day then when they do fail you've lost far more. I prefer to stick with lots of smaller capacity ones and swap them more often to mitigate the risk. Funnily enough by the way, I've actually just made a multi card DIY Nexto device for just this purpose that can automatically back up a simultaneous combination of 3 sd and micro sd cards and a CF card onto an SSD. I'll put it up on here so you can have a look once it's in a proper box and not just blutacked together!

This one isn't particularly horrendous actually. Works on the Olympus 45mm which has the same size thread as well as the little SLR magic 35mm https://www.amazon.co.uk/trade-Premium-Filter-SCHOTT-OPTICAL/dp/B00KH8Q6ZS

One thing that's becoming increasingly apparent about Fuji is that the corrections that they have going on with their lenses don't play nice when you're using them in video mode. God knows what it would look like of they added their own version of IBIS into the equation.

I've generally found it to be OK but have only really used it indoors and not in places with a lot of other wifi kicking about. Looking at the Play store, it seems a common theme on Android as well.

Well, in terms of fixing it, its escalated quickly! With the aid of a packet capture app, I've worked out that there is an initial authorisation step that the app uses with my GX80 and G7 so by replicating that I've now managed to get them both working so I suspect it'll be the same with the GH5. Its a bit clunky as the first time it asks you to authorise and then times out but it recognises the device next time round and thereon in. If you don't mind having a go, then this is the process. ----------------- FIRST TIME ONLY Put the GH5 in WiFi mode as though it were being connected to the smartphone. Connect Mac/PC to the GH5 WiFi Put this command into the browser : http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=accctrl&type=req_acc&value=4D454930-0100-1000-8001-020A000270B8&value2=D2304 The camera should ask you to authorise connecting to this device. Agree to it and the camera will do some hour glass spinning and eventually time out and say there was a connection fail. -------------- ------------- SUBSEQUENT CONNECTIONS Put the GH5 in WiFi mode as though it were being connected to the smartphone. Connect Mac/PC to the GH5 WiFi Put this command into the browser : http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=accctrl&type=req_acc&value=4D454930-0100-1000-8001-020A000270B8&value2=D2304 Then this one http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=camcmd&value=recmode It should then display the Under Remote Control message and wake up its main LCD/EVF display. Change to manual mode or Shutter priority and set shutter speed to 1/1000 (or something other than 1/640 !) Then put this command into the browser and it should set the shutter speed to 1/640 http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=setsetting&type=shtrspeed&value=2390%2F256 --------------- Under the previous connections in the WiFi setup of the GH5 you should see D2304 as it authorised it (even though it seemed to fail first time) and this is what lets you get past the new restriction. If you could have a go on the GH5 and tell me if it works that would be great so I can get on with the rest of my cunning plan! If you want to mess about with the settings in the meantime, if you download the stuff from that PersonalView thread then you should be able to manipulate the other settings such as ISO etc as long as you take the initial steps I've listed. Does it do it out of inactivity Jon or intermittently?

Yes, I'm just piggybacking on other people's work but I can't find anyone doing anything beyond the GH3/FZ1000/LX100 era. Something definitely changed for G7 and GX80 so suspect its the same for the GH5. Which it looks like it is. Which means if I can find the solution for my G7 and GX80 then it should be the same. Original work is here https://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/6703/control-your-gh3-from-a-web-browser-now-with-video-/p1

Nice one. Well, not nice one for it failing obviously! But same message as the other ones that fail, I think I might have a lead as to resolving this. Thanks a lot.

Bit of an usual request (with request being the operative word actually) but I was wondering if someone with a GH5 could do a quick test for me. What I need you to do is put the WiFi on as though you were going to use the remote iOS or Android control app but then actually connect to the Camera's WiFi through a computer (PC or Mac doesn't matter). When its connected, go to your web browser and paste the following line in and hit return http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=camcmd&value=recmode What I need to know is if the camera then says "Under remote control" or some similar message or instead gives you a message telling you to update the App. If the GH5 does actually go into remote control mode, can you then put it in manual mode and set the shutter speed to 1/1000th and then paste the following command into your browser and hit return http://192.168.54.1/cam.cgi?mode=setsetting&type=shtrspeed&value=2390%2F256 NB - These commands just mimic what the Panasonic ImageApp sends to the camera so the GH5 is not being hacked or being put in any danger! I have done this on an FZ1000 and LX100 and it works without issue but the GX80 and G7 don't want to play ball. I just need to know if the GH5 has the same issue because if it doesn't then I might develop a little something that could be of use.... While I'm at it, if anyone with a GH4 feels like having a go that would be appreciated too !

Here is a test showing it with a Contax Zeiss 50mm f1.7 and a Panasonic G7. Shots are 1.7 with a dumb C/Y MFT adapter, f1.7 with the Fotodiox, f2.8 with the Fotodiox and f4 with the Fotodiox. As you can see, it does the field of view part right at least but sharpness doesn't make a comeback until f4 Crop of the f1.7 with and without the Fotodiox.

At a motocross race this morning to shoot stills but remembered @mercer was asking about 1080p50 on the X-T20 so flicked it to video to capture a few quick segments. Anyway, I'd previously only seen the exposure shift with the wide primes but its evident here when I was altering focal length tracking the riders on the cheap 50-230mm I was using. Handheld so apologies for the shake and rough tracking.

Blimey, if this is the improved version then that Light Cannon must look like you're shooting through tear gas. I'll post something up later as you never know the look it produces might be appealing for some people. In which case mine is definitely for sale and because they're not available in most reputable dealers, they're now quite rare but I'll let it go for a bargain £500 for the good folks on here

The Sirui carbon version is the established one that has a lot of good reports from users for this type of self standing monopod. Ok comparison video here

Maybe one of the new Libec hands free monopod might be a compromise when out and about Jon?

I've bought most of my Fuji lenses used but I don't really feel too violated by the prices I've paid for the new ones. Its a pity Sigma have stayed away from the X mount though as you can see from the MFT stuff they do that they certainly offer a good alternative. I've only got really basic MFT lenses despite having quite a few cameras that can take them and its definitely down to that idea that I look at something like a Sigma ART 35mm 1.4 in Nikon mount and think "well I can mount that on my Nikons, Fujis and the MFTs so I'm getting 3 lenses" so nothing in MFT stacks up against that in practical or financial terms. Its the same with the Fujis being tied to their own system of course but as they are predominantly for stills for me, the AF isn't negotiable so I have to have them. Fuji's summer deals are supposed to launch next week for Europe and I expect this deal for the three f2 primes on B&H might be one of them https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1338126-REG/fujifilm_xf_50mm_35mm_and.html I'd be tempted by a similar MFT set but its the price of the wides in MFT that really stings and puts the prices way over the cost of the Fuji set.

If you want to inadvertently gain some, erm, 'quirky' looks from your perfectly good Contax Zeiss lenses and make yourself £140 poorer in the meantime then I can't recommend the Fotodiox Excell+1 C/Y to MFT reducer enough. You gain the extra field of view and a terrific 'shot through a bunsen burner' central blue flare whenever anything remotely considered to be brighter than a coal mine at night passes across it. Not only that, if you don't close the lens down by three stops, you get a built in diffusion filter. Not like a ProMist, more just like actual mist. And not like shooting through a sheer silk stocking but more like shooting through woolen tights. That are covered in more tights. Its some feat for a reducer to gain you one stop of light and then you have to pay it back with two more in interest if you're shooting anything other than 80s soft porn. I'm selling mine if anyone wants one. Hardly used. As long as you count not hitting myself over the head with it whilst sobbing and gently repeating "stop buying crap because its cheap"