Question: Why do some ST16S controllers have no camera Zoom and Some Do?

[Outsidethebox]

Okay got a replacement ST16S Controller and a replacement C23. Both pre owned/referbished and the St16S has a camera zoom but will not Zoom with either of my C23 cameras

Any Ideas?

 

[WTFDproject]

The zoom feature was introduced with Build 822. The controller, camera and drone are three distinct parts of each build. Sounds like you may have wound up with a mixture of firmware versions.

Have you bound each drone/camera to the controller, reviewed the firmware page, and compared what you see?

This is current for H Plus:

 

[DoomMeister]

Place Camera 1 on the H+ and bind AC and camera to the controller. Go to Settings, General (…), scroll down to where firmware versions are displayed and take a photo or screen shot.

Repeat the process with Camera 2.

Upload the photos so we can see if the firmwares match for zoom capability.
See the Changelog at the start of the attached manual.

 

[Outsidethebox]

Man if this is just simple firmware update that would be awesome..

Camera 1 top pic

Camera 2 bottom pic

 

[WTFDproject]

Man if this is just simple firmware update that would be awesome..

Looks like both cameras and the drone are out of date. Controller is current firmware
Cameras:
Camera 1 top pic - (20180507) is Build 652 pretty much the oldest build released to the public
Camera 2 bottom pic (20181122) is Build 784. Just before zoom was introduced.

Drone (Autopilot): - Build 652. Looks like it has never been updated.

Controller - Build 822 - Latest firmware available to the public.

 

[WTFDproject]

@Outsidethebox,
The mismatched firmware is probably the reason for no functional zoom, and the cure would be current firmware.
However, firmware updates on the HPlus/C23 come with some issues. Most notably the "Gimbal Buzz". I'm not the expert for firmware updates. @Steve Carr and @DCH know a lot more, and certainly some others folks can offer good information.
It would be a good idea to seek advice prior to the upgrades, including the actual benefits of the digital zoom. @Ty Pilot , @Fred Garvin and others can better discuss the actual merit (or lack thereof) of digital zoom.

There is a ton of stuff already on the forum.

 

[DoomMeister]

This is personal opinion, but digital zoom has a very limited usefulness. It can be great for operating in a SAR environment where the operator can zoom in on an area without putting the aircraft in jeopardy or out of VLOS. The other use is similar and is to zoom in on a subject to insure it is in the frame before returning to 1X to make the actual shot. Digital zoom is the same as doing it in post processing, but in post you have much greater control.

If both cameras are free from gimbal buzz and work with your SD cards, you may want to leave them as they are.

 

[brianpk]

This is personal opinion, but digital zoom has a very limited usefulness. It can be great for operating in a SAR environment where the operator can zoom in on an area without putting the aircraft in jeopardy or out of VLOS. The other use is similar and is to zoom in on a subject to insure it is in the frame before returning to 1X to make the actual shot. Digital zoom is the same as doing it in post processing, but in post you have much greater control.

If both cameras are free from gimbal buzz and work with your SD cards, you may want to leave them as they are.

I agree - digital zoom is pretty pointless if you have any ability whatsoever to use any imaging software.
It's surely only really for point and shoot "photographers" who use what comes out of the camera as the finished article.

 

[Outsidethebox]

This is personal opinion, but digital zoom has a very limited usefulness. It can be great for operating in a SAR environment where the operator can zoom in on an area without putting the aircraft in jeopardy or out of VLOS. The other use is similar and is to zoom in on a subject to insure it is in the frame before returning to 1X to make the actual shot. Digital zoom is the same as doing it in post processing, but in post you have much greater control.

If both cameras are free from gimbal buzz and work with your SD cards, you may want to leave them as they are.

Now that we talk about that Im kinda thinking the same thing.. I dont want to update and then start having problems.. Like I read about the C23 vibrations that some guys are having..

Thanks you everyone for the info.

 

[Phaedrus]

I use the zoom mostly when doing site recon of larger sites. I can zoom in on an object of interest while still in flight. I've done some roof inspections for clients as well where it is just easier to use the zoom literally on the fly. For creative stuff post is the way to go.