DJI announces two micro four-thirds cameras for Inspire 1 drone

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,253   +192
Staff member

DJI joined the Micro Four Thirds Standard Group earlier this year intent on improving the quality of cameras compatible with its drones. The company wasted little time getting to work, just recently announcing a pair of 4K resolution, interchangeable-lens cameras targeting those with serious aerial photography ambitions.

The DJI Zenmuse X5 and X5R are both compatible with DJI’s Inspire 1. They feature a 16-megapixel image sensor that's eight times the size of the one used in the Inspire 1's original camera. It's the same sensor used by Olympus and Panasonic in their micro four-thirds line of cameras.

The Zenmuse X5 is capable of recording 4K (3,840 x 2,160) video at up to 30 fps, 2.7K (2,704 x 1,520) at up to 30 fps and Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) at up to 60 fps in MP4/MOV format. The X5R, meanwhile, can record lossless 4K videos in RAW at up to 30fps with a 1.7Gbps average bitrate (2.4Gbps maximum bitrate).

The more expensive X5R model is also capable of recording footage to both a microSD card and a removable 512GB solid state drive.

At launch, the cameras will be compatible with three lenses: the DJI MFT 15mm f/1.7 ASPH Prime, the Panasonic Lumix 15mm G Leica DG Summilux f/1.7 ASPH and the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0. Best yet, pilots will be able to adjust focus and aperture from the ground for added control.

The Zenmuse X5 will be available later this month starting at $4,499. The X5R, which won’t arrive until sometime in the fourth quarter, is priced at $7,999.

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I wonder how long this toy drone fad will last. I see it something like CB radios in back the 70's, they took off like sky rockets, just about everybody had one (yes I also had one in my car back then) but they didn't stick around very long. Perhaps this will last a bit longer.
 
Excuse me, but a Multi-Thousand dollar piece of kit is hardly a toy. Toy multi-rotor Remote controlled aircraft are in the $30-$200 or so range. They are here to stay. This setup is for intermediate to advanced videographers. These new camera's take the standard sub-par camera into the quality that B-movies would easily use, which is very nice quality.
 
I wonder how long this toy drone fad will last. I see it something like CB radios in back the 70's, they took off like sky rockets, just about everybody had one (yes I also had one in my car back then) but they didn't stick around very long. Perhaps this will last a bit longer.

These aren't going anywhere, there are loads of professional applications. The only way they are going out of fashion is if camera's start flying by themselves and throwing them doesn't count.
 
These aren't going anywhere, there are loads of professional applications. They only way they are going out of fashion is if camera's start flying by themselves and throwing them doesn't count.
I'm wondering how long "micro four thirds" will stick around, as everybody and their mother is ramming 16:9 down our throats, everywhere you look..
 
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These aren't going anywhere, there are loads of professional applications. They only way they are going out of fashion is if camera's start flying by themselves and throwing them doesn't count.
Drones themselves will be around professionally for a long tome to come but the ones we play with recreationally, the lustre will eventually fade and we'll move onto something else, maybe not for a while yet. Maybe not in my lifetime, maybe not even in yours but we will. Nothing is around forever.
 
I wonder how long this toy drone fad will last. I see it something like CB radios in back the 70's, they took off like sky rockets, just about everybody had one (yes I also had one in my car back then) but they didn't stick around very long. Perhaps this will last a bit longer.

drones are saving fortunes in overhead video costs, saving millions in Oil Rig NDT and a sport enjoyed by hundreds of thousands.
 
I wonder how long this toy drone fad will last. I see it something like CB radios in back the 70's, they took off like sky rockets, just about everybody had one (yes I also had one in my car back then) but they didn't stick around very long. Perhaps this will last a bit longer.

I am afraid, but these drones are going nowhere, these drones are the future and they only gonna keep getting better and better. There are so many applications out there, that relies on them nowadays that, it will be virtually impossible for them to disappear or not stay here.
 
I am afraid, but these drones are going nowhere, these drones are the future and they only gonna keep getting better and better. There are so many applications out there, that relies on them nowadays that, it will be virtually impossible for them to disappear or not stay here.
I agree, drones will be around for a long time to come, perhaps centuries but you can't stop the juggernaut that is called progress.
 
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