DJI Mavic Pro 2 // First Photos

DJI Mavic Pro 2 // First Photos

October 02, 2018

My DJI Mavic Pro 2 arrived way earlier than expected.  No sooner was it announced and I pre-ordered it on Adorama, and it was at my door within the week!  I had been holding off getting a second bird for some time now, just waiting for the Mavic 2 to be announced.  The portability factor was something I desperately wanted, but I figured the second generation would have better image quality and would be worth the wait.  And it certainly was!

This new DJI is a foldable aerial quadcopter, packing down to about the size of my Yeti tumbler!  It's small and portable, with updated propellors adding for longer and quieter flights than the first generation, plus more sensors all over for obstacle sensing and avoidance, and most importantly, updated optics.  The Mavic 2 comes in both the Pro model equipped with a 1-inch Hasselblad sensor, or the Zoom version allowing for telephoto shots from the sky.  (Compare all the stats here)

While this isn't quite like taking my Nikon D850 DSLR up into the sky, it sure feels like a step up from my first platform which utilizes my GoPro Hero 4 Black.  I took this portable little unit for its first spin at sunset down at Point Judith.  At first glance, the photos might not look like much in comparison to my existing aerial portfolio, but even after one flight, I was so excited about shooting more with this drone!  

First off, I was able to shoot in RAW, which allowed me new levels of dynamic range and editing capabilities back at the computer.  I was preparing myself to bracket frames and HDR for the sunset shots but ended up requiring neither once I got to post-processing.  I was astounded, all the information was just there... ready for tweaks in color and toning.  The color was accurate, and I was able to shoot into the sun and retain information.

Secondly, the resolution was quite a step up.  This 20 megapixels 1" sensor as compared to my previous 12 megapixel CMOS sensor allows for detail and CROPPING that I previously would forego.  There are just more pixels, more data, more more more to work with.

On my first flight, there was a good 10kt sea breeze still hanging around down at Point Judith.  I was expecting my battery to start to dwindle and have to fly back home by 25%, but the minutes just continued to tick by, and before I knew it I had been flying for a solid 30 minutes.  For anyone coming from drone photography, every minute really counts, and this felt like an eternity of flight time compared to my previous experience. 

Anyway, here are the first shots, and more to come for sure!  My first impressions of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro were stellar.  I can only wait to see what other people capture with it!

Prints Available



Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in Photography Journal

Warm Getaways
Warm Getaways

February 10, 2020

I had been eagerly awaiting this winter season.  Here in New England, the winter months can be rather frigid, but for those of us who don’t mind the exhaustive work of climbing into 6 mil wetsuits or ice-cream-headache cold waters, it’s the eagerly anticipated winter months that bring the biggest swells.  We had snow before the New Year and water temps quickly started approaching 40°F.  But in typical fashion, as soon as the long awaited winter months arrived, I was craving a break from the cold gray in favor of a warm water reprieve.  

Read More

Board Portraits // Experiments
Board Portraits // Experiments

April 30, 2019

I've been wanting to shoot more portraits lately, but in combination with the surf community that I've been so involved with the past year.  My good friend, Kevin Tanner, behind Soudnings Surf Co creates some gorgeous handcrafted boards.  He does all his own shaping, resin work, and glassing, and I wanted to photograph some beautiful boards to highlight his craftsmanship as well as portraits of my friends who ride them.  I decided to do board portraits. 

Read More

Snowy Surf Sessions
Snowy Surf Sessions

March 26, 2019

A lot of us enjoy the warm weather, but a select few of us still enjoy (or perhaps tolerate) the cold weather.  And nothing quite says winter like a fresh snowfall!  On the rare occasion Rhode Island experiences more than one inch of snow while there's swell in the water, you can find a select few of dedicated riders on the shore eager to have a snow session.  

Read More