Ultimately, the GoPro Karma Gimbal is an ‘OK’ gimbal

GoPro’s Karma Grip motorized gimbal mount was first released as part of the Karma drone kit. Part of the marketed appeal of the GoPro Karma is that it’s more than just a drone. Specifically, it’s a drone that has a removable gimbal to allow you to take the camera/gimbal and attach it to a separate handle (called Karma Grip) that you can use without the drone.

In order to do this, you’ll utilize the lock-ring to unlock the gimbal from Karma the drone, and attach it to the Karma Grip.

Once you’ve done so, you can then lock the Karma Grip itself, ensuring the gimbal stays put:

On the back of the gimbal are four buttons and four LED status lights.  These lights state the battery power of the gimbal, which is charged via USB-C cable.

The other four buttons are used to:

Record button: Start/stop video recording, or take a photo
Mode/Power: Change between photo/video modes, or power on/off the gimbal
Highlight button: Set a highlight tag that GoPro apps can use later to identify something exciting
Lock Orientation button: This is used to lock the orientation of the camera.

This last button is notable as it allows you to keep the camera either level to the ground, or set at a specific orientation.  This is useful when you may want to film something not level with the horizon, such as a bike computer on your handlebars.

The Grip is designed to be able to clip into the Karma mounting ring, which allows you to then mount it to any GoPro compatible mount location.

And example of this is the front of the Seeker backpack, which even has little elastic straps to keep the bottom portion of the gimbal in place.

All of which is solid, even more so since the gimbal is lightly water resistant – meaning it’ll stand up to rain/snow. However the connectors between the camera and the gimbal are not.  Thus it won’t work in the water, and if you have a Hero4, then keep in mind the water resistance there isn’t ideal (whereas the Hero5 is fully waterproofed).

Still, there are some challenges. First is that the gimbal blocks much of the camera’s display screen – thus making it harder to see what you’re filming. Second, it lacks a microphone port, which matters to some folks. On the Hero5, I find the onboard audio so good that it’s rarely needed. But lastly, and most importantly – the gimbal often gets out of whack.

Meaning that the gimbal calibration becomes off kilter, and the image starts to tilt.  This is usually noticeable within as little as 30 seconds of running. Correcting such tilt in post-production afterwards is a pain in the ass.

Ultimately, the GoPro Gimbal/Grip is an ‘OK’ gimbal. It’s just that there are great gimbals available for half the price, and half the weight. Plus those other gimbals are far more flexible in compatibility.

 

 

 

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Will the Karma drone sales be enough to revive the GoPro?

According Recode’ source, GoPro will cut approximately 270 more jobs, or about 17 percent of its workforce based on its headcount at the end of last year. That’s on top of the 200 positions the company said it would eliminate in November. The recent job cuts were made mostly in the company’s virtual reality and broadcasting wings, claiming that “no one is left” to supervise the departments. Those cuts would certainly reflect Woodman’s CES assertions that GoPro is looking to shift its focus to a core set of products.

Just in case you didn’t know, GoPro cut 100 jobs in January 2016 and 200 more after the Mavic launch in November 2016. So the company’s workforce has shrunk by almost 25% since the beginning of last year.

GoPro primarily sells action-oriented cameras, but it recently made a foray into drones. The company’s foldable Karma drone is back for sale after an embarrassing recall. Some customers complained of a power failure that caused the aircraft to fall from the sky, leading to the recall.

Now the hyped Karma drone is back,how about the updated one?

Theverge has got another review unit.

As reviewed by Theverge, the Karma can’t autonomously follow you around. Its battery life is on the low end, and its range is much shorter than its main competitors. It doesn’t have fancy sensors to help it stabilize indoors or avoid obstacles. It’s akin to releasing a flagship smartphone in 2016 that didn’t have a fingerprint sensor or front-facing camera.

It concluded that the GoPro Karma is not a great drone by today’s standards. It’s basic, kind of like a mid-tier Android smartphone that checks all the boxes that more trailblazing units have established over the last few years. It may be a nice starter kit if you own a GoPro. If you don’t need a handheld stabilizer or don’t own a GoPro, there is no reason to settle for a drone with a spotty track record and a total lack of cutting-edge features.

Will the drone sales be enough to revive the floundering company? It seems that though the Karma drone is back on sale, existence of the DJI Mavic has completely blocked their way into the drone market.

Thank you for reading!

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Range is not an issue with the GoPro Karma

GoPro is a camera company that made a drone. The Karma drone is first an accessory for GoPro cameras.

TechCrunch reviewed, on paper, the GoPro Karma looks like it’s going to compete with the DJI Mavic drone. They’re both packable drones with limited feature sets, designed with portability in mind. In reality, the Karma’s main competitor is the DJI Phantom.

But we think the Karma’s competitor is not the Phantom 3 or 4 but it is the Mavic Pro. Portability is what the Karma was developed for and it falls short when compared to the Mavic although it does have a much better camera with the Black. The Karma will be the go to for those deep in the GoPro ecosystem and for GoPro’s first shot at a drone it’s a home run, but let’s not minimize the impact of the Mavic, it is the standard everyone will now try to emulate.

It’s clear that the product bundle itself is one of the main differences between the GoPro Karma and its DJI rival. GoPro shares a single camera between both the drone and its gimbal grip, and wants you to buy it separately. You’ll need to supply a Hero4 Black or Silver, or the new Hero5 Session or Hero5 Black camera for use with your drone, bolstering GoPro’s camera sales in the process unless you already own one. But the drone ships with its gimbal grip as a free accessory, and realistically speaking, many target customers likely already own one or more GoPro cameras anyway.

Range is not an issue with the GoPro Karma. Its maximum flight distance is 3,000m, which in most cases is far enough for the pilot to lose sight of the drone, breaking one of the key FAA rules of piloting a drone of keeping the drone in visible range. However, many other drones available around the Karma’s price now have a range of 5,000 meters or farther.

The DJI Mavic has a claimed a maximum flying distance of 8 miles (13km). OcuSync long-range-transmission technology is capable of relaying a signal up to 4.3 miles line-of-sight while supporting 720p HD video (1080p HD transmission in short-range mode). Every time you fly, OcuSync scans a range of available frequencies to find and use the one with the least interference to give you more reliability and control, OcuSync transfers vital statistics of the Mavic to you in real time, and can also be used to download photos and videos at up to 40 Mbps while flying. It can be controlled using the DJI Go app over shorter ranges. If you to want to fly further the you can add a tiny remote controller which increases the range to a claimed 7km. The remote can link to a mobile device and view a live feed from the copter in 1080P.

On the whole, the GoPro Karma is a great drone. Think of it as a flying GoPro mount, though, instead of an autonomous aerial vehicle. It lacks collision detection and follow-me abilities — the latest features found on most drones in the Karma’s price point. And that’s a shame, too, as both are excellent additions to drone technology. Think of the Karma as one of the best drones from 2014, and maybe, for GoPro’s core audience, that’s fine.

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How the GoPro Karma flight modes work

Many pilots are interested in hearing the details of how the GoPro Karma flight modes work. Above is a video that demonstrates each of these options.

The GoPro Karma has four automatic shooting modes, which enables the drone to do all the hard work when it comes to getting the perfect cinematic shot and/or positioning. Note that these modes are commonplace on drones these days, so none of what we see here is out of the norm. In fact, by all objective measures, GoPro has the least number of autonomous shooting modes. And they lack autonomous follow-me modes.

Here’s a run-through of the four modes.

Orbit:  In this mode, the drone will orbit around a set point. To set it up you’ll start by flying directly above the point you want to orbit around. Then on the controller you’ll tap to set that point.  Next, you’ll fly to the radius around that point.  In other words, just back up 10-15 meters. Then mark that point. Then simply hit start. At this point Karma will fly around the object forever.

You can adjust the speed along a slider, as well as then adjust the height and radius distance using the controls. This means that you can keep the drone circling around that tree, while increasing or decreasing elevation. The drone will automatically keep pointing both the camera and gimbal angle at that tree. Further, you can then increase the distance to the tree by using the other stick, allowing you to create a spiral effect.

Dronie: This mode allows you to take a selfie where the drone zooms out and away from you. So the picture starts up close, and then the drone flies upwards and outwards away from you, keeping you in the picture. You can control the speed during it. Afterwards, it’ll reverse course along the same path back to the starting position.

The challenge I’ve found on numerous occasions with this is that it’s hyper-sensitive to movement of the controller. While the unit will give you a 3-second countdown, if you try and place that controller out of view during that 3-second countdown I’ve seen cases where it’ll change orientation of the drone camera – thus defeating the purpose of the dronie.

Reveal: In the reveal, GoPro Karma will fly towards a point and slowly rotate the camera gimbal up to the horizon. You’ve likely seen this shot countless times at the start of a movie where the camera is pointed down towards the ocean, and then pans up to show the skyline of a city ahead of it, as the craft continues to fly towards it.

It’s a great opening shot in a video, and it’s also handy to use in snippets of videos as well.

Cable Cam: This flight modes allows you to set two points in the sky and then have the drone fly back and forth between those points over and over again. You’ll start by flying to Point A, and then setting it. After which, you’ll fly to Point B and set that. You cannot do any more points beyond two points.  After which, you’ll press start.

GoPro Karma will then go back and forth along this imaginary highway. By default it’ll also remember any elevation changes you’ve set between the two points. Thus you can get smooth elevation increases this way. While the drone is going back and forth, you can then control the camera angle. Not just the gimbal, but the orientation of the camera. The drone takes care of flying, while you just focus on the camera. You can also adjust speed as well as height at any time.

Note when you close the clamshell, it immediately ceases any auto-shot modes. The drone will instantly stop and hover. This really sucks, because that’s kinda-sorta the point of the clamshell remote – to be able to close it up and not have it dork with the controls. So I had wanted to get in the shot and take the control with me on the bike, but alas, I can’t do that.

( Source )

 

 

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Who is the GoPro Karma for?

Scan drone forums to find many people like GoPro Karma for its full package, versatility and portability.

“I really like DJI but the GoPro Karma does offer a full package for mostly all elements. I will guess the Mavic Pro is a better quad hands down. But if the Karma is a solid quad in the air, the package offers a lot of versatility other than being just a portable quad. Removable gimbal to use with Karma Grip is a killer feature with a Hero 5. Would like that for my kids events, biking, vacations, etc.”

These people can also live without follow me and collision avoidance features.

“The DJI Mavic definitely has more features that appeal than the GoPro Karma BUT, and it is a big but, the GoPro Karma is first generation and it has features, such as removable camera, that will allow me to transfer my existing camera to future generation Karma’s and thus make my investment carry over to the next generation that you can most certainly expect to include features found in the Mavic. Can I live without tracking and collision avoidance and, to a degree, the range difference for now? That’s a tough one but just on the fact that in the next generation my cost will be lower because my cameras transfer (and can be used in other ways, not just flight) I would lean GoPro. With the camera being removable, I can use it in a variety of ways, how about putting that arm into a cradle on a track robot and inspect a pipe, follow a cave explorer, crawling under a house to inspect…without having to have another employee licensed by the FAA.

Technology advantages shift back and forth, I have a great deal of canon video equipment and even though the next guy comes out with more features…this year, I’m not ditching my investment in cameras and lenses to switch. GoPro looks like it is serious about making just that kind of haven for investment in equipment and opportunity to grow by creating a full product “ecosystem” that allows me to work in more than one way or arena. So, my experience is don’t get blinded by the new “features” that will stand at the front for just a short time, look at the long term effect of your investment.”

“The GoPro Karma is the first drone that made me consider getting one. I can take it for shorter biking trips in the mountains. Though Karma lacks some features like “follow me”, less features mean easier to use and less intimidating for beginners. No need to attach a phone or tablet and the detachable gimbal is also welcome. Just see the Karma what it is don’t compare it to the fully featured drones. It’s kind of point and shoot vs DSLR and many times you don’t want to drag your DSLR with you the point and shoot is more convinient. It’s extremely portable and comes with everything you need and you can save $100 if you buy the Hero5 in a package with it. ”

I think the GoPro Karma’s advantage is that you basically can remove the GoPro and use it as a waterproof action cam. But if that doesn’t matter to you because all your land videography will be done with a “real” camera, then the Karma instantly loses 90% of its appeal over Mavic Pro.

The GoPro Karma sells for a flat price of $800 while the Mavic Pro costs $999. The total cost depends on what camera you strap to it. It costs $1000 with a GoPro Hero 5 Session, and $1100 with a GoPro Hero 5 Black.

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GoPro Karma vs DJI Mavic:See What They Think

GoPro Karma and DJI Mavic are considered two entirely different drones, however, it is inevitable for users and enthusiasts to have it compared neck-and-neck. These are two of the more popular brands from the competitors with almost the same features and specifications so it is understandable why comparisons are necessary. Almost is an understatement as one may have more than the other.

The site MyFirstDrone provides some thoughts on this battle.DJI Mavic is going to be the better choice because of how small it is and the additional automated features that it has. While the GoPro owners out there are going to love it. In a way, it’s almost like the 3DR Solo drone, but made by GoPro. He thought what it comes down to is price. People who have GoPros and don’t want to spend as much money will probably get the Karma, and people who want the smallest drone with the most features are going to get the DJI Mavic.

Unfortunately, there’s no follow features on the Karma. You get a 2 point cable cam mode, dronie mode, reveal mode, and orbit mode. These are the same features that other drone manufacturers have had for the past year. Upon its initial launch, the Karma was criticized for a lack of functionality, even the basic ‘Follow Me’ was missing.

The site Gizmodo thought it depends who is flying and under what conditions. On basic specs, the DJI Mavic Pro seems to have bested the GoPro Karma in several categories. Some aspects such as top speed, battery life, portability, remote controller, features modes, it looks like DJI Mavic wins.

When it comes to versatility of video recording, the GoPro Karma easily beats DJI. It was built to combat these type of situations. It can be outfitted with the new GoPro Hero 5 Black, the Hero 5 Session, Hero 4, and Hero 3 cameras and its removable stabilizer that can be used as a handheld gimbal for shooting nice clean shots on or off the drone.

As added by FASTCOMPANY, GoPro may have missed its chance to claim a substantial share of the market, let alone be a serious challenger to China’s DJI, the undisputed industry leader. That’s particularly true since the initial release of the Karma was delayed for about a year, and because the recall came not long after DJI launched its Mavic Pro, which was seen as a direct Karma competitor offering more features like obstacle avoidance and follow-me features that the Karma can’t match.

In conclusion, DJI Mavic Pro is better than GoPro Karma, at least on paper. We’re hoping to get our hands on both drones when GoPro Karma is on sale this year so we can really test the claims both companies are making.

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Though Gopro Karma Grip lack a few more features, it fits my needs

Bought GoPro Karma Grip at end of Nov. Works great with the hero 5 black, great case it comes in. The grip is easy setting up and using, make sure you do update on GoPro site for camera and grip, it recognizes right away when plugging in USB to computer, it directs you every step of way. It is pretty durable and I read complaints on it being noisy, but I don’t have that problem. The device does lack a few more features as the DJI Osmo‘s, but it fits my needs perfectly. I do have a problem with how long it takes to charge, ( hours ), but once it’s charged with the GoPro camera connected, it seems to last a good while. After charging, I had it in case with camera connected about 5 days without use, and the bar lights on the grip were still full. Then I used it to film about a hour straight without pausing, and the light on bar went down only one notch, and the GoPro camera went down from 96percent to 95percent, so it seems to hold charge pretty well ( I also use the GoPro supercharger to charge ).

The stabilization is pretty good, after testing quick movements and light jogging around yard, this produces stabilized video shots, you wouldn’t think so while filming, seems like the footages are jerky, but it’s not.

Now when using this and looking at your filming while recording, the bracket bar does hinder some of your viewing, but it’s not too terrible. I did think though when using the camera off of Karma Grip, it does have good stabilization when you go into menu and set this up, but when you connect the camera on to grip, that stabilization cut’s off and you now use the grip internal stabilizer, would be nice if it could hold camera and grip stabilization, you would even double the stabilization. So when the Karma Grip shuts your camera stabilizer off, you have to remember to set it back in menu when not using the grip. I have not used this in heavy sports action like biking, etc… but it suits my needs when I want to pull out quickly to do some videoing in close quaters and semi fast movements. I can also use my voice commands when using this grip. I would highly recommend this.

Scan GoPro forums and Amazon to discover a long topic of “Karma Grips button’s don’t work”.

“I fully charged the Karma Grip, hooked up my Hero 5 Black and tried to turn it on. The grip showed 4 lights, the stabilizer kicked in but the camera did not turn on. I manually turned on the camera and tried to use the shutter button on the Grip. It did not work.”

“Don’t buy this. I was so looking forward to this stabilizer, as I think the GoPro 5 (which I love) makes the best camera for a stabilizer. But this Karma Grip is so buggy. I turned it on and off 20 times (I counted) and only once, did it turn the camera on, and never could I get the “record” button to work on the grip. I’m all for trying to make things work, but this buggy out of the box is a huge red flag. ”

Many owners have the same issue and returned it for repair.

“I returned my Karma Grip for a replacement, I hope the replacement works, I find the build quality of the grip to be good, it was good to see the grip charging the GoPro but all functions around recording and power on/off where unresponsive.”

I think it’s the firmware problem, maybe firmware update makes it works with the Karma Grip.

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It is GoPro Karma again?！

GoPro Karma drone has had a bit of a troubled recent history since it was first introduced last year. After being delayed throughout most of 2016, it finally went on sale in October, only to be recalled in November due to what the camera company later said was a faulty battery latch, which could cause the batteries to lose power mid-flight.

Three months off the market, the GoPro Karma went up for sale again at the beginning of February. However, it reportedly crashed into a New York City apartment window according to the New York Post at the end of February.

A GoPro Karma drone smashed though the window of a 66-year-old lady living on the 27th floor of 20 Waterside Plaza in Manhattan, New York. The woman was working on a computer when the drone smashed right though her window and fell within 4 feet of her. Currently, the Police and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the accident. They are planning to use the drone’s serial number to locate the drone owner in the FAA’s database.

Scan some comments to discover reviews like “This sounds hoax. 27th floor windows won’t break that easily, and no point in throwing shit on a brand for “being unreliable”… all drones are unreliable to a degree.”

However, the news is absolutely real. New York Post has reported this issue. The building is about 30 years old with smaller windows, not floor to ceiling commercial windows. Some pilots added, “If I was choosing a drone to fly around Manhattan illegally or not, I wouldn’t choose one prone to drift without avoidance technologies available at the same price. The GoPro Karma is a clumsy drone, whether a gust of wind took it or not, it had too many things going against it in the first place, before it took off. Now we all suffer as a result of poor drawing board choices.”

All drones are unreliable? I think it depends on two factors. One is what kind of drones do you choose. As the GoPro Karma lacks features such as obstacle avoidance and “Follow Me” mode, so you should find a deserted wide open field with no obstacles. If you want to fly around Manhattan, then some drones like the Phantom 4/4 Pro and Mavic Pro which have obstacle avoidance may be a better choice. The other thing is that the drone operators make safe flying their priority. Although drone manufacturers are doing everything technically possible to ensure flight safety, drone enthusiasts must also do their part.

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Any changes to the new GoPro Karma drone?

GoPro was forced to recall the unfortunately-named Karma in November 2016 after several reported cases of its battery disconnecting mid-flight. But now a modified version has arisen Phoenix-like from its ashes with a redesigned latch mechanism, which GoPro is confident will keep the battery firmly in place.

The GoPro Karma doesn’t exactly come with a particular camera. The various camera options are the Hero5, the Hero Session, or attach your own, and that’s what determines where you land on the $799-$1,099 scale. Each option will give you a different quality of video.

	Recording Resolution	Photography	Battery
Hero 5 Black	4k @ 30FPS 1440P @ 80 FPS 1080P @ 120 FPS	12MP	1220mAH
Hero 5 Session	4k @ 30 FPS 1440p @ 60 FPS 1080p @ 90 FPS	10MP	1000mAH

 

Not only do you get a drone, you get the Karma grip for ultra smooth video. This acts as a camera stabilizer so that when you’re on the move, you can grab smooth high quality footage instead of rough hand-held. The stabilizer fits inside the drone. The camera is connected to the stabilizer which is in turn connected to the drone.

Karma Grip Specs

Length	8″ (20.5cm)
Battery Life	105 Minutes
Weight	0.52lbs (0.24kg)

 

The GoPro Karma Drone comes with an easy flight system including a controller with a 5 inch screen that runs at 720p and lasts up to 4 hours. The simple controller with its few buttons allows new drone users the confidence to get great shots from the air.

Bring some passengers along with GoPro passenger app which allows you to fly your friends around! As you drive the Karma with the controller, your bros and gals with the app can tie in to the view and watch while you drive. In other words – show off your flight skills to your friends as they watch.

LCD Screen Size	5 inches
Resolution	1280×720 (720p)
Brightness	900 nits
Battery Life	240 Minutes
Radio Frequency	2.4Ghz
Weight	1.38lbs (0.625kg)

 

The drone has pretty good acceleration—which is kind of to say you should be careful.  I’ve never flown a drone of any kind that I wanted to blast off faster than it did, which would make controlling harder.  Anyway, it’s a speedster, clocking in at a max of 35 mph.  This is facilitated, up to a point, by its compact, elongated design and its petite build.

It would be nice if it had obstacle avoidance built in, a pretty standard feature that it’s mysteriously missing. I think the idea is that such a high-end video-creating drone will attract experienced pilots who won’t need it.

The review is based on the old GoPro Karma. Are there any changes to the Karma drone to improve it? I was really excited for the Karma drone during its first announcement, but things have changed drastically since then and I’m not sure if there is enough fight for this dog to stay in. Only time will tell.

 

 

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GoPro Karma vs Phantom 4: Duel of drones

The GoPro Karma was recalled last year due to sudden loss of power which would cause the drone to crash mid-flight. The re-release for the Karma drones fixed the issue by adding latches to keep the battery secure during flight.

Note that since we did not have the New GoPro Karma in our hands at the moment, we can only rely on what the manufacturer says about the old version, namely the technical data sheet.

Control and functionality

Let’s start with the item that we have … the least information. Indeed, for lack of test, difficult to get an idea on what is worth the GoPro Karma in flight. However, on paper, the Phantom 4 seems to us far better provided than its competitor.

The TapFly has two very interesting functions: the TapFly, which allows it to fly to a destination marked on the smartphone and tablet, and the ActiveTrack, which is the tracking mode. Without target beacon) of the Phantom 4.

These automatic modes require the presence of an obstacle detector at the front of the drone, which it is actually equipped with.

The GoPro Karma only has an “auto path” mode, which aims to optimize the shooting and avoid the hazards of manual driving by making the flight more fluid.

As for controlling, DJI and GoPro have taken quite different paths: when the first one is displaying on a smartphone (or a tablet), GoPro proposes a dedicated controller, with a large screen rather bright on the paper (900 nits ). The counterpart is that if this controller is damaged, you have no choice but to replace it.

Finally, GoPro allows, with its Passenger App, to share video in real time with other users (available on iOS and Android). The latter can, while you are piloting the drone, take care of the capture and the shooting.

Performance and autonomy

Regarding performance and autonomy, once again, the Phantom 4 seems to be still ahead of GoPro Karma. Whether it is the top speed (20 m / s, compared to 15 for the Karma), the range (3.5 km, versus 1 km for the GoPro drone) or the maximum altitude (6,000 meters, while the Karma only “4,500 meters”), the Phantom 4 data sheet surpasses that of the Karma drone.

From the point of view of autonomy, the observation is identical; DJI announces 28 minutes of flight, against 20 minutes for GoPro. The battery onboard the Phantom 4 (81.3 Wh against 75.4 Wh for Karma) is probably not unrelated to this difference of 8 minutes.

Compactness

The GoPro Karma is considerably heavier: counting the mass of the drone, the battery, the camera and the stabilizer, we arrive at 2,144 kg. The Phantom 4 is 300 grams less. Its width and length are also larger than those of the DJI drone (411 x 305 mm, compared to 229 x 229 mm for the Phantom 4).

On the other hand, it is less than 6 cm high and above all, its articulated structure allows it to take more compact dimensions, which allow it to fit in a backpack (delivered by GoPro). A real asset for Karma.

The quality of the shot

It is certainly in this area that the difference between the two drones is the most significant. The Phantom 4 has a dedicated camera, this is not the case with Karma, where you can adapt a GoPro Hero 4 (Black or Silver), a Hero 5 Session or a Hero 5 Black.

This choice makes the GoPro Karma very scalable, and from this point of view, GoPro was rather smart, rightly focusing on the quality of its pocket cameras.

In the case of the Phantom 4, a 9-element lens overhangs a 1/2-inch sensor that shares 12 million pixels, an aperture at f / 2.8 and a sensitivity that ranges from 100 to 3,200 ISO. GoPro is less hard on the subject: just know that the GoPro Hero 5 has a 6-element aspherical glass lens, which brings light to 12 million pixels as well.

In video, performance is similar, but GoPro reaches 30 fps in 4K, where the Phantom 4 is content with 25 fps. Both drones can shoot in Full HD at 120 fps.

In Conclusion

This comparison between these two drones highlights their different orientation: when GoPro Karma relies on the simplicity and the quality of the videos, trying to attract a large audience, Phantom 4 are oriented more towards the users more demanding, which will have uses more exotic than a “simple” shot.

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Mavic Pro vs GoPro Karma

Now that the two “sensations of the moment”, the GoPro Karma and the DJI Mavic Pro, have been presented to the public and the minds are gradually calming down, I would like to take the time to compare their main technical characteristics.

Many users tend to rely mainly on purely technical characteristics to compare “high-tech” products, which does not always give a faithful image to the reality of things (fan boys Of Apple will surely recognize here …).

It is true that the Mavic Pro really looks great on paper but the two drones have not been really tested, it is important not to bury the Karma drone which still has some assets on paper .

Most of the videos available online today are commercial videos and do not reflect the reality of things in my opinion.

This article is a means of comparing the technical characteristics of these two products by putting them face to face. Although not exactly the same position and the same targets, these two companies are currently boosting the industry and pushing it forward by the competition generated by these devices.

Ok these two quadcopters share some similarities, they are both foldable and compact but also possess characteristics of their own.

Gopro clearly has a positioning targeting fans of extreme sports or outdoor activities in general and offers here a versatile and ultra portable drone.

Let’s start by comparing their main differences:

Characteristics	Mavic DJI	Gopro Karma
Autonomy	27 mins	20 mins
Wight	734g	1006g
Dimensions	L: 198 / W: 83 / H: 81	L: 365 / W: 224 / H: 90
Max Transmission Distance	7 kms	1 km
Built-in Camera	Yes	No Gopro
Return screen	Yes	Not on the input pack
Camera	FOV 78.8° 28 mm f/2.2	FOV 94° 17.2mm f/2.81
Resolution	4K / 2.7k 30p + C4K 24p	4K 30p / 2.7k 60p1
Subject Tracking	Yes	No
Avoiding Obstacles	Yes	No
Vision positioning system	Yes	No
Transport bag	Optional	Included
Battery prices	$104	$94

What is the best?

On paper, the Mavic Pro beats Karma in the following areas:

• Autonomy in flight (27mins against only 20mins for Karma). Claimed by the manufacturers.
• Special Flight Modes, Follow me, Active track, Tap to Fly …
• 4 Sensors to avoid obstacles.
• Range of 7km.
• Top speed of about 65 km / h in sport mode.

On paper, GoPro Karma beats Mavic in the following areas:

• Versatility thanks to the integration of the GoPro which can be detached to be used in different ways.
• No need to buy a product in addition to have the video return (if you own the remote control)
• Possibility to use the old versions of the GoPro (Hero 4)
• The Gimbal is detachable to take videos in manual
•  Appearance of a flat mode on the Hero 5 to correct the effect fish eye that some do not appreciate!

Conclusion

For many users of quadcopter, GoPro Karma will offer a better added value in its versatile side. Perfect for a sportier mode of use and for “moving” videographers.

Mavic Pro will offer more interest for budding dronists and / or DJI enthusiasts looking for more versatility and portability without sacrificing quality or functionality.

It’s up to you to see what your preferences are!

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GoPro Karma review-Video

I have been interested in the GoPro Karma since the launch last year. But there are a lot of negative reviews on this, and lots of comparisons to DJI’s Mavic Pro. I do like the GoPro Karma bundle given the grip, the detachable camera plus the drone, allowing me to use it for multiple different scenarios. But how bad/good is the drone? It would be good to get some insights from actual users. I especially am concerned about this review from IPHONEDO on Youtube.

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I tested the Karma Grip, the GoPro stabilizer

I tested the Karma Grip during a day of skiing. I initially made a grip in the hotel room to test the functions and then I used the Karma Grip on the ski slopes: by filming camera by hand and hanging the stabilizer On the GoPro Seeker backpack. I also compare two images filmed at the same time: one with the Karma Grip and the other without.

The result is unmistakable: the film is extremely stable and the difference in picture quality between a stabilized video and a non-stabilized video is enormous.

Otherwise, I saw in a video that the brushless motors were noisy to the point of hampering the sound.

The announced autonomy of 1:45 seems perfectly accurate. At the end of the day, I had only one level used that the 4 that the stabilizer has.

The Karma Grip is sold for $372.

Accessories to go further

• Remote: This is the waterproof remote control for the HERO5 Black and the HERO5 Session ™. Very useful for starting and stopping recording or taking pictures when the stabilizer is on a headphone for example. Its price: $96. Accessory that greatly improves the comfort of shooting.

• Karma Grip Extension Cable: The Karma Grip handle can interfere, for example, by attaching the Karma Grip to the torso or to a helmet. GoPro had the good idea to propose this extension cable to connect the handle and the stabilizer. The handle can then be attached to a strap or stored in a backpack pocket. The accessory is not yet for sale. As soon as it is released, I buy it because this accessory seems to me indispensable for filming.

• Seeker backpack: This is the GoPro backpack designed for GoPro cameras: chest attachment (Hero5 Black), shoulder strap and numerous camera storage. Its price: $201. If your backpack satisfies you, go for a Capture shoulder or Capture Pro Peak Design and its GoPro adapter. This is what I use to hang my GoPro on my hiking backpacks.

• Supercharger: allows simultaneous charging of two GoPro devices worldwide and up to 20% faster for HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session, up to 45% faster Dual Battery Charger (HERO5 Black) and up to 45% faster ‘To 70% faster the Karma Grip thanks to the USB-C 3 A cable included. Price: $58.

The Karma Grip is a super efficient stabilizer and really easy to handle. Undeniably, GoPro makes it possible for everyone to make videos stabilized excellent qualities. But as we always want more, I would have liked a waterproof stabilizer with some additional functions like the automatic tracking of a subject or the programming of a timelapse in motion.

 

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Put GoPro Karma grip gimbal to good use at such a price

( Video via Abe Kislevitz )

The GoPro Karma grip is GoPro’s 1st party gimbal.  For years 3rd parties have made various GoPro gimbals, and they’re pretty awesome. Now with Karma Grip gimbal, GoPro has their own offering.

The Karma Grip Base is officially the piece that holds the Karma gimbal, so basically, it’s the handle. This comes with the Karma drone kit, or can be purchased separately for $299USD. Note, it doesn’t come with a camera – you’ve gotta supply that yourself.  You can see how it pulls out below from the drone and the attaches to the grip base.

The GoPro Karma grip gimbal has controls for shutter buttons, changing camera modes, changing stabilizer angle, and powering the camera on and off. Plus, you can specify highlights on the fly.

A few buttons allow you quick access functionality:

Record button: Starts or stops video or takes a photo. You can press and hold the record button to power on the gimbal and start recording quickly.

Mode/Power: Change between photo/video modes, and power on/off the gimbal.

Highlight button: Quick Set a highlight tag so you can quickly identify it later in your edit.

Lock Orientation button: This allows you to keep the camera level to the ground or set at a specific orientation or direction.

Next, you can then mount the grip to any GoPro compatible mount. For example you could snap it on the GoPro backpacks (Karma Case or Seeker bags), as well as just about any other GoPro mount you’ve got (such as pole mounts or whatever else).

Alongside with the Karma Mounting Ring, which allows you to mount it to existing GoPro mounts and thus put it on things like bars, bikes, and stripper poles. Really, anything roundish. This year they’re planning a Karma Grip extension, which is basically like a giant selfie-stick.

The Karma Grip gets two hours of battery life, and can be recharged using the new GoPro charging accessories as well.

At $300, we certainly think this is an expensive add-on to buy for your GoPro, so make sure you plan on putting it to good use! We also noticed the gimbal does block part of the screen — making it a little harder to see what you’re filming.

We think the Karma Grip is a great bundled bonus when you buy the Karma drone. But separately for $300 is it tech we want? While we like that it gets the job done and works nicely with your GoPro, we do think it’s a little expensive. Keep in mind there are other options out there for under $200 that are also compatible with smartphones.

 

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Hover Camera:Maybe a first drone for the younger consumer

In 2016, drone has become one of the hottest consumer gadget and we have seen more variations of drones in the market, from 4K camera quadcopter to indoor toy drones without a camera to foldable drones that fit in your pocket. More interestingly in the past few months, foldable drones have become a widely discussed topic among all other drones in the press and social media.

Not all drones are made equal and this also holds true for foldable drones. For many first time drone buyers, price and aesthetics often become key deciding factors for their purchase. However, consumers should really ask themselves how they intend to use the drone. Is this going to be another acquired hobby? Are you interested in capturing amazing aerial footage? Are you just looking for the fun and thrills of flying? Or are you looking for something that can do both?

The Hover Camera Passport, DJI Mavic Pro and GoPro Karma were among the most talked about foldable drones in recent months, so we took a look at some reviews from technology media and bloggers to sum up it all up.

What’s great about it:

• Cool design, compact, portable and easy to carry around
• Charging hub can charge two batteries at the same time
• It crashes into things but it doesn’t fall to the ground
• Can grab or catch the Hover Camera drone because the propellers are inside a casing

Some shortfalls:

• No dedicated transmission system which means greater chance of interference using Wi-Fi, shorter range flights and less ideal for outdoor flying esp. in windy conditions
• Computer Vision is a hit and miss especially in detecting and tracking moving subjects
• No gimbal for the camera so footage were wobbly and shaky
• Camera and sensor size is smaller, only comparable to a smartphone camera and not optimized for aerial imagery
• No GSP, which means less stable and not ideal for outdoor flying
• 8 min battery life only so not idea for travelers

Conclusion: A neat idea for a drone, but not quite there yet in terms of footage quality, tracking and stability. Maybe a first drone for the younger consumer if they are just looking for something fun and cool.

Stay tuned for the second half of this review as we share our analysis of two other foldable drones, the DJI Mavic Pro and GoPro Karma.

( Source )

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New GoPro Karma review

Three months after cutting off the wings of his Karma drone, GoPro offers it again for sale, in limited quantities to begin with.

Originally the Karma went on sale 23 October 2016, but was quickly recalled due to reports of batteries disconnecting in the air and causing complete power loss. GoPro says the issues are fixed and the Karma drone is now back on sale at GoPro.com and some US retailers as of 1 February.

If you’re not in the US, you’ll have to wait a little longer: the GoPro Karma will be officially re-released in “international markets in Spring”. There’s no exact date, but as soon as we have more information we’ll update.

The new GoPro Karma drone costs £719 / US$799, and comes without an in-built camera. If you want to buy the GoPro Karma together with a camera as a bundle, you can get it with a GoPro Session for US$999 or the new GoPro Hero5 Black for US$1,099.

We had expected the Karma to be priced competitively as GoPro is late to the party, and chief rival DJI already has a low-cost drone – the Mavic Pro – which has a stabilised camera which you can buy for just $999 on DJI Store.

From the photos, you can see that GoPro has thought carefully about how to make the Karma convenient. Everything you need – apart from the camera – is included in the box.

You get a backpack into which fits the fold-up drone, the controller (which has a built-in screen), the handheld grip, a battery and charger.

The 3-axis gimbal can be swapped between the drone and the Grip handle so you can get stabilised handheld shots. Plus, the Grip can be mounted to vehicles and even your body thanks to a new range of mounts.

The GoPro Karma uses brushless motors and screw-on self-tightening propellers. It takes a proprietary Li-Po battery with a capacity of 5100mAh and GoPro says it’s good for up to 20 minutes of flight time. It takes an hour to recharge, while the controller takes 2.5 hours and the Grip 2 hours. Only one of the Grip or Controller can be charged at the same time from the battery charger.

The remote controller of GoPro Karma looks a bit like a video game controller. It can be controlled with two joysticks, plus a take-off/land button. There’s also a built-in touchscreen, so you don’t need to plug in your smartphone or tablet. You can however pair the remote with a smartphone, so you can concentrate on flying while a buddy works the camera.

Finally, the Karma is also said to be repairable, with replaceable arms and propellors. Users can also specify “no-fly zones” to keep their new drone out of trouble.

Here are the drone’s key specs:

Maximum Speed	35 mph (15 m/s)
Maximum Distance	3280ft (1000m)
Maximum Flight Altitude	14,500ft (4,500m)
Maximum Wind Resistance	22mph (10m/s)
Operating Frequency	2.4GHz
Dimensions (Opened/No Propellers)	Length: 12in (303mm)
	Width: 16.2in (411mm)
	Height: 4.6in (117mm)
Dimensions (Folded/Transport)	Length: 14.4in (365.2mm)
	Width: 8.8in (224.3mm)
	Height: 3.5in (89.9mm)
Propeller Length	10in (25.4cm)
Weight	35.5oz (1006g)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gopro Karma review

Just when you thought that the Karma was done for due to their major recall and a class action lawsuit back in November 2016, GoPro confirmed plans to further establish themselves in the drone market later this year. According to a GoPro representative at CES 2017, the Karma’s full re-release report will be publicly made “Early February.” With high hopes for a relaunch of their prized Karma.

The GoPro Karma has four arms (one rotor on each) that can be folded flat against the drone’s body for easy transport in a backpack. It also features a three-axis gimbal for stabilising video, and the camera is suspended in front of the drone so that the propellors aren’t in view.

Excitingly, the gimbal can also be removed for attachment to the included handheld Karma Grip, which features camera control buttons (shutter, filming modes and angle of gimbal) and delivers stabilised footage when used with the gimbal. You can attach the gimbal rig to other mounts too, which is handy.

The GoPro Karma battery life is on the average, GoPro Karma drone is said to have around 20 minutes of battery life from a one hour charge.

Please see the Sneak Peek of GoPro Quadcopter Footage

If you were hoping Karma might get a little upgrade, or a price-cut upon its return to curry favor with potential and previous customers alike, sadly you were wrong. Introducing new functionality at the same time as trying to isolate and fix a problem is probably not wise, anyway. Instead, GoPro hunkered down and clocked in thousands of hours of test flights to make sure its fix (a change in the battery clasp mechanism) had done the job.

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GoPro Karma vs DJI Mavic Pro:Which one is for you?

Now the GoPro Karma drone is back. It is once again listed on the GoPro website but disappointingly with no accompanying editorial to provide explanation for the recall and relaunch story, nor detail of any enhancements. What we know is that GoPro has improved the battery latch of the device to avoid it from slipping out of place which leads to a loss of power. This design reportedly keeps the battery intact and in place even when there are strong vibrations of the drone. And it maintains its portability compared to other drones available to the public. It was reported that the drone also has the removable gimbal stabilizer.

If the re-released GoPro Karma remains the same as on its initial launch except the improvements mentioned above, then we could make a comparison between the relaunched GoPro Karma and the Mavic Pro.

Design

The Mavic Pro is about the size of a water bottle when folded, and if you’ve had any one-liter beverages lately, that’s not far off. Folded up, the Mavic Pro has dimensions of 83x83x198mm. By comparison, the folded up Karma measures 89.9×224.3×356.2mm. It’s not that small when folded up. The Karma is still a drone that you would need a specially made case for when transporting it. The Mavic is a completely different story. You can fit the Mavic into almost any backpack or bag.

The Mavic Pro weighs in 734g while the Karma weighs 1006g.

Remote Control and Operating Range 

The Mavic Pro remote controller features an LCD screen with essential flight info and can be paired with your smartphone for powerful auto-flight features and a live 1080p video feed from the drone.  It’s small—smaller than an Xbox controller when folded—and flying a drone with joysticks offers more control. Since you can use various phones, the specs of your touch display are up to you. The Karma controller has a built-in 5-inch, 720p touch-screen display, making for a flying experience that feels a bit like a video game.

The Mavic Pro can be flown at a distance of 4.3 miles (7 km) away from its controller, flight time is 27 minutes (in best conditions), max speed is 40mph while in Sport mode.As for the GoPro Karma,the max controlling range is 1.86 miles (3 km), flight time is 20 minutes (in best conditions), max speed is 35mph.

Flight Modes

Just like the Phantom 4 the Mavic Pro has front facing obstacle avoidance, and it has all of the same flight modes like tap fly and active track. It also uses the DJI Go app, which means that it should work with third party apps for additional functionality in the future. On the other hand, GoPro says you should be able to fly the Karma with little to no experience with drones, and capture amazing shots with some of it’s preprogramed flight modes. Unfortunately there’s no follow features on the Karma. You get a 2 point cable cam mode, dronie mode, reveal mode, and orbit mode. These are the same features that other drone manufacture has had for the past year. Upon its initial launch, the Karma was criticized for a lack of functionality, even the basic ‘Follow Me’ was missing.

There are no sensors on the bottom of the GoPro Karma. Sensors like cameras and ultrasonics are what make drones more stable when hovering or when GPS isn’t available and the Karma doesn’t have any of these things. This means that the Karma is not going to be a good choice if you ever want to fly it indoors.As for the Mavic, it has two cameras for 3D vision positioning and ultrasonic sensors for accurate hight holding. Not only that, it also has dual gyros, accelerometers and compasses for more accurate data and redundancy. all of these features work together in the background, so you don’t have to worry about setting any of this up.

Video Quality 

Mavic Pro comes with a built-in camera that can shoot footage in 4K at up to 30fps and 1080p resolution at 96fps. It’s also capable of snapping 12-megapixel stills. The minimum focusing distance is 0.5m and the sensor itself is a 1/2.3-inch unit. Those are some pretty impressive specs that match DJI’s Phantom 4 drone.

When it comes to GoPro Karma, it has opted to make its drone compatible with its latest action cam, the Hero 5 Black. But the Karma’s Stabiliser, which holds the camera, will also work with the more affordable Hero 5 Session and even the 5’s predecessor – the Hero 4 Black and Silver.

If you’re using the latest Hero 5 Black, you can expect to get similar specs to the Mavic Pro. That’s 4K footage at 30fps, 1080p footage at 120fps – a higher frame rate than the Mavic’s 96 – and 12-megapixel stills.

Making the camera detachable in this way has several benefits, and chief among these is the attachment mechanism itself, which comes in the form of the Karma Grip.

The grip comes with the drone, and features a professional-quality stabiliser that should make for fluid footage. But most impressive is the fact that the grip can be removed from the drone and used as a grip to shoot freehand – with the added stabilisation feature – or mounted on other gear such as the Karma Case or Seeker sportpack. It’s also got built-in controls so you can operate the attached camera without having to touch it.

Price

The DJI Mavic Pro costs $999 for the drone or $1299 for the bundle. As for the GoPro Karma, it is basically available in the two options. One is Karma without a GoPro camera which costs $799.99 and the other is Karma bundled with GoPro Hero5 Black which will cost $1099.99.

So which drone should you really buy?You must have an answer now.

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What to expect from the relaunched GoPro Karma?

The famous manufacturer of miniature cameras GoPro presented on September 20 his long awaited quadcopter, the Karma drone, putting an end to a long campaign of mouthing. But he took it off the market 20 days later, on November 10: the drone was likely to go out suddenly in flight and fall in free fall.

Nearly three months later, GoPro identified and solved the problem.GoPro has improved the battery latch of the device to avoid it from slipping out of place which leads to a loss of power. This design reportedly keeps the battery intact and in place even when there are strong vibrations of the drone.

Aside from this, the GoPro Karma drone maintains its portability compared to other drones available to the public. It was reported that the drone also has the removable gimbal stabilizer.

The GoPro Karma is basically available in the two options. One is Karma without a GoPro camera which costs $799.99 and the other is Karma bundled with GoPro Hero5 Black which will cost $1099.99. There is also a Flight Kit for Karma Grip owners which will be available in April for $599.99.

Nick Woodman, GoPro Founder and CEO said:

“Karma is the ultimate aerial, handheld and wearable stabilization solution for the GoPro community. As the consumer drone market continues to grow, Karma delivers the most versatile solution at a very accessible price.”

GoPro remains number one of the miniature camera, but it is in difficulties. This announcement effectively succeeds several waves of layoffs and precedes the presentation of a new quarter of losses.

The brand counts more than ever on its Karma drone to take a new flight. Certainly, the convincing DJI Mavic Pro, of the number one of the drone, imposed itself in the meantime.

The GoPro Karma differentiates itself from the wide variety of drones on the market by having a removable stabilizer gimbal, which you can attach to the the included Karma Grip handle.Fans are looking forward on the improvements introduced for the redesigned GoPro Karma drone. Are you excited to try the re-released drone from GoPro?

 

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