CGO3+ LENS REPLACEMENT QUANDARY

SID · Feb 19, 2018

Good morning all. I have been trying to research replacing the stock CGO3+ stock lens with an aftermarket one. From my observations there seems to be a fair amount of communication on where to get one, but not a whole lot on the end result after replacement. Am I looking in the wrong forum headings? And just for the record what has been everyone's experience of having Carolina Drones replace the standard lens with one of their CD Lenses. Any help will be appreciated by this less than newbie.

VETTE198620002000 · Feb 19, 2018

I have sen youtube videos on it. try your search there you should find it.

Dr Delta · Feb 19, 2018

SID said:
Good morning all. I have been trying to research replacing the stock CGO3+ stock lens with an aftermarket one. From my observations there seems to be a fair amount of communication on where to get one, but not a whole lot on the end result after replacement. Am I looking in the wrong forum headings? And just for the record what has been everyone's experience of having Carolina Drones replace the standard lens with one of their CD Lenses. Any help will be appreciated by this less than newbie.

There is a very good thread about lenses going on at this forum. With examples and all....

Longer (6mm & 8mm) PixAero Lenses Now Available!

You'd want to look into message #128 I suppose.

B Scott · Feb 21, 2018

Highly recommended are the Peau 8.25mm along with a mount adaptor and a set of filters. The new lens is 2x magnification compared to the default lens but should be used under a 1/500 shutter to eliminate a jello effect. If the light is too strong, they also sell a set of filters.
8.25mm f/3.0 41d HFOV 16MP (No Distortion) – Peau Productions

PatR · Feb 21, 2018

B Scott said:
Highly recommended are the Peau 8.25mm along with a mount adaptor and a set of filters. The new lens is 2x magnification compared to the default lens but should be used under a 1/500 shutter to eliminate a jello effect. If the light is too strong, they also sell a set of filters.
8.25mm f/3.0 41d HFOV 16MP (No Distortion) – Peau Productions

It’s actually closer to 3.6x magnification over stock.

BeeRAD56 · Feb 21, 2018

I bought a second camera and installed the Carolina Dronz 3.77mm option and I'm REALLY happy with it! I did the install myself and it took me less than 30 minutes after watching Richard Gilmore's YouTube video.

Eagle's Eye Video · Feb 21, 2018

B Scott said:
Highly recommended are the Peau 8.25mm along with a mount adaptor and a set of filters. The new lens is 2x magnification compared to the default lens but should be used under a 1/500 shutter to eliminate a jello effect. If the light is too strong, they also sell a set of filters.
8.25mm f/3.0 41d HFOV 16MP (No Distortion) – Peau Productions

So Mr. Scott, who is specifically "highly recommending" the Peau 8.25?? Because if you actually did some searching on this board, you will find that several pilots that own own a CGO3+ with a Peau lens installed (including myself) have been less than happy with the results, particularly when shooting video. I am having my Peau lens replaced with a PixAero 6mm, and hope to soon have direct comparison video and photos of both manufacturers' lenses, as well as the PixAero 3.77 that replaced my stock CGO3+ lens.

I'm sorry sir, but I'm calling BS...I could be wrong, but you sound like a shill for Peau.

B Scott · Feb 22, 2018

DUDE! Why so harsh and insulting?? Take a deep breath, please.
I do not have a Peau 8.25mm myself but it is something I am considering. In any case, I don't even live in the US and there are no dealers anywhere near me, so if I am thumping Peau's drum, who would it be for?
Here on the forum, many have touted the Peau 8.25mm in the past. I have not as yet come across posts to the contrary but that does not mean they are not out there. If you have different information I would love to read it. Equally, if you have info on the PixAero 6mm... please post. I would love to read it.

PatR · Feb 22, 2018

With all due respect to both of you, this thread provides a pretty good pictorial overview of the differences in images between 4 different lenses: Longer (6mm & 8mm) PixAero Lenses Now Available!
https://yuneecpilots.com/threads/longer-6mm-8mm-pixaero-lenses-now-available.10189/page-7
Some time back Eagle's Eye ran a thread where he demonstrated the Peau 8.25's performance while shooting video. IRRC, one other person did similar. Those videos were the reason I did not buy the 8.25mm lens for video purposes but have kept it in mind for stills photography. The only thing that was holding me back from buying one was a lack of still photos for review that would establish effectiveness for that application. The thread previously mentioned finally provided those references so now I have to make a choice between the PixAero 6mm and the Peau 8.25mm. The difference in mass between the 8.25 and stock lens induced some shimmer in the video. For me that was pretty much expected as the H gimbal was designed and developed to deal with a specific lens weight and mass moment arm. Although mechanically dampened through the use of dampener balls the primary stabilization is performed electronically via software driving gimbal actuators sized for the mass of the camera using a stock the lens, antenna, and exterior trim pieces in the original configuration. Nothing else. Any change in lens weight or moment arm (longer or shorter lens, hanging the antenna outside the camera shell, etc.) will force the gimbal to work harder than it was designed to do.

Anyone that has worked with professional gimbals understands that a gimbal can only be balanced for one camera and lens at a time, and when large lenses are employed a gimbal must be equipped with motors sized in a manner that will permit them to carry increased mass. Balancing a gimbal normally requires slight re-positioning of the camera with the desired lens installed to keep the mass of the entire camera assembly located over a gimbal's "sweet spot". Adding "offset weight" is not good way to balance a gimbal. The use of a zoom lens in a gimbal, one where lens elements change positions to alter focal length, requires very complex balancing and sophisticated software, and even with that there are limitations with how much a gimbal can handle. As an example, I have a CGO-4 equipped with the stock 14-42mm lens. The CGO-4 provides for "zoom" and the gimbal stabilizes the image perfectly at a 14mm to 30mm or so focal length but when extended (internally) to a 42mm focal length some shimmer similar to what Eagle's Eye experienced with his 8.25 tests becomes apparent. The lens weight remains the same but the mass moment arm changes with movement of the lens elements.

The CGO-3 gimbal was not designed with multiple lens options in mind so any change in lens carries the risk of altering the weight and balance enough to prevent the software and actuators from fully stabilizing the image. Keeping all that in mind we must select lenses wisely when changing lenses on the CGO-3, choosing one that is as close to the stock lens in dimension and weight as possible. When it comes to recommending a product we should make recommendations based upon our own personal experience with those products, not from advertising script or from info in posts we've read that were written by people unknown to us. Everything we read on the internet is often not true.

Eagle's Eye Video · Feb 22, 2018

B Scott said:
DUDE! Why so harsh and insulting?? Take a deep breath, please.
I do not have a Peau 8.25mm myself but it is something I am considering. In any case, I don't even live in the US and there are no dealers anywhere near me, so if I am thumping Peau's drum, who would it be for?
Here on the forum, many have touted the Peau 8.25mm in the past. I have not as yet come across posts to the contrary but that does not mean they are not out there. If you have different information I would love to read it. Equally, if you have info on the PixAero 6mm... please post. I would love to read it.

I apologize if I came across as harsh but, there are posters here that have a secondary agenda.

These two threads should provide some additional information on comparisons and others experience with the Peau. Since you have not made the purchase, I would suggest looking at the other alternatives as well.

Lense choice for roof inspections.

Longer (6mm & 8mm) PixAero Lenses Now Available!

As far the quality of the Peau, while the lens itself is not particularly poor, however the gimbal on the CGO3+ was not designed for the tighter tolerances of the degree of acceptable vibration, for the longer focal length lens. This can be minimized if you are only doing photo inspections and can compensate with higher shutter speeds that can be obtained without the use of ND filters.

However if you want to be able to take video that is equally sharp, even when you are using ND filters to minimize rolling shutter effects, the Peau has not been up to the task. This is primarily due to our attempts to push the limits of the stabilization capabilities of the gimbal.

I will make you this offer... As soon as my camera with the new PixAero 6 is back I will be posting direct results, between the Peau and PixAero lenses... both video footage and photos. If you think you can get the results you are looking for with the Peau, I'll send you my old Peau for free. All you'll have to cover is the shipping.

rdonson · Feb 22, 2018

If you want to keep the same FOV as the Yuneen lens then this is a good comparison

Dr Delta · Feb 22, 2018

It seems, looking at the shots published earlier in this thread, there is no need for fitting the CGO3+ with another lens while the stock lens is performing very well (and is perfectly balanced to the OEM gimbal). I was saving money to do so, but I am happy to spend the funds elswhere.

Looking critically on its focus is maybe worth just as much (and a lot cheaper).

rdonson · Feb 22, 2018

I've got two TH480s . One has a well focused, sharp camera. The other is run of the mill, "meh" kind of focus. Once I experienced the sharp camera it's hard for me to want to use the other. I'm considering sending the softer one off to Carolina Dronz and let them focus it for me.

PatR · Feb 22, 2018

Kind of like having two new cars where one runs well and the other doesn't. I know which one I would drive most often. Unfortunately we are hard pressed to send our cameras back for warranty corrections, and if we've had them long enough there would be no warranty coverage anyway. Better to have things we use than have things we don't so spending the money to make them right can be worth the expense.

rdonson · Feb 22, 2018

I'm with you, Pat.

I would only send it back to Yuneec if it were a wreck or a very expensive fix and still under warranty. Too many horror stories about Yuneec CS to give me any warm fuzzies. My own email experience with CS only showed me they didn't read what I had written and that they were likely judged by how quickly they could close a case without them doing anything.

I'm pretty confident that Carolina Dronz would do a good job getting a sharp focus on the soft camera.

In the meantime I'm still thinking that a lens hood would benefit the CGO3+ greatly. I may experiment in that realm myself.

B Scott · Feb 23, 2018

Well, I have decided to go with the Pixaero 6mm despite having praised the Peau. I have a couple of reasons.
First off the weight. I feel the Pixaero 6mm will most likely cause less imbalance in the gimbal.
Second, in retrospect, the 8mm is maybe a little too much zoom. I would still like to be able to take panorama shots and the wider view of the 6mm lens would most likely give me a bit more overlap.
Last of all the price. The Pixaero is a little closer as far a shipping goes and is a third cheaper than the Peau.

I get my replacement drone tomorrow and I am skulking around eBay looking for a 2nd hand CGO3+. I figure if I botch mounting the lens I will have a camera spare and possibly learn something should I try to put the lens on the other camera. But on the other hand, if all goes well I will have two cameras and can switch from one to the other depending on the shot I need. I put in a bid on an older ST16 as well. If I can get one cheap it would be nice to have one person film as the other flies.

Thanks to everyone for making this a very educational thread.

Eagle's Eye Video · Feb 23, 2018

The exact reasons why I as well, went with the PixAero 6...

B Scott · Mar 3, 2018

Well, I bit the bullet and bought a 2nd hand CGO3+. It arrived today so the first thing I did was open it up and have a quick peek inside to determine which generation it might be. My biggest fear was that it might turn out to be a first gen camera with the little tiny wires. I can now rest easy as it is the model with the big right angled cable ribbon. Getting the circuit board and lens out should not be a problem. Meanwhile, the lens is in the mail and should arrive in the next couple of weeks (knock on wood)
Rubik has also just posted a great comparison between the stock lens and the 6mm

Rubik said:
Here's my flying comparisons of the pixAero 6mm lens vs. the stock lens. The first video is straight out of the cameras. The second is my post processing to make each video look its best. Please read the descriptions associated with each YT video.
The sharpness settings on the 2 cameras was not the same. The camera with stock lens; sharpness=5. The camera with pixAero lens; sharpness=6. Even with the greater sharpness of the pixAero camera, the image is not as sharp as it should be. I'll have to fiddle with focus a bit more. The other thing that is clear from watching uncropped videos is that the pixAero lens has a LOT of vignetting. I haven't yet found a way to fix that in my video editing software. Easy to fix in photos.