Typhoon H CGO3+ camera has a focus problem. Period.

[ChrisP]

I've been participating in another thread on this forum that's been exploring why so many new Typhoon H owners are having unacceptable focus problems with the CGO3+. That thread now has 173 replies and 2600 views, so I thought I would post a new thread to drive home how bad this problem has really become for us for and for Yuneec.

First let me say I LOVE the Typhoon H. From the aerodynamic engineering and stability, to the quick release blades, to the incredible controller, to the stability, to the smart modes, to everything else about this fantastic piece of engineering. It is breaking my heart to have to return this machine. But I have NO choice.

I have had 2 completely out of focus cameras for the H. Many owners have reported this problem, and a couple (now including myself) have waited weeks to get a new camera only to have the EXACT SAME problem with the new camera. Additionally the conversation with Yuneec today was less than encouraging. No promises to deal with the problem. Only assurances that I can send in my camera again and waiting another 3 WEEKS (pushing me beyond the point of being able to get my money back from the retail outlet).

To be clear: We have compared the 4K video footage from these defective cameras to other footage including footage from other CGO3+ cameras without the problem. It is not our imagination. This problem exists, and is beginning to appear to be widespread.

For comparison here is a side by side look at what I'm talking about. All shots from 4K UHD video. The last shot is my cell phone just to emphasize how bad this problem is. (PLEASE VIEW IN FULL SCREEN)

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

I'm not impressed with the photo quality period. Here's an uncropped shot. Not sure how I ended up with such a low res jpg.

 

[ChrisP]

I'm not impressed with the photo quality period. Here's an uncropped shot. Not sure how I ended up with such a low res jpg.

I'm focused so much on video I may not be able to help. that looks even worse than my sample, almost like it has interlacing artifacts . How does your video look?

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

I'm focused so much on video I may not be able to help. that looks even worse than my sample, almost like it has interlacing artifacts . How does your video look?

Like crap. I'm uploading a short vid shot in 1080p 60 and it's all jagged.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

Here's the video. Shot in 1080p60. Very jagged in buildings and alot of artifacts in the trees. I'm new at this so it could be me not understanding the camera settings/capabilities.

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[CAPTAINDRONE]

Here's the video. Shot in 1080p60. Very jagged in buildings and alot of artifacts in the trees. I'm new at this so it could be me not understanding the camera settings/capabilities.

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That is a software problem. Lens looks fine but the firmware/sofware is glitching.

 

[ChrisP]

Here's the video. Shot in 1080p60.

Completely unacceptable, but your lack of quality looks very different than mine. I don't have any of the jagged edges. Definatly send in your camera, although my experience today was pretty bad. I wish you luck finding a solution. I love the H. Absolutely had it with the camera.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

That is a software problem. Lens looks fine but the firmware/sofware is glitching.

Camera software? I edited in iMovie and rendered it straight out. And the original file looks just as bad in Quicktime.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

Jaggies are also the byproduct over sharpening with a rolling shutter. Because the image is scanned line by line rather than a global shutter there is a temporal error induced

The raw file looks just as bad in Quicktime before I edited it in iMovie and uploaded.

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

Camera software? I edited in iMovie and rendered it straight out. And the original file looks just as bad in Quicktime.

The software in the camera.... i.e., the Firmware programming which controls all the internal settings (shutter, light, bit rate, sharpness, etc). The settings your ST16 is sending the camera, are not registering correctly. You have no control over this, unless of course you could somehow reinstall the firmware for the camera, which then may fix it. I'm no expert, but I've seen this in point & shoot cameras & it was a firmware problem.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

I've been participating in another thread on this forum that's been exploring why so many new Typhoon H owners are having unacceptable focus problems with the CGO3+. That thread now has 173 replies and 2600 views, so I thought I would post a new thread to drive home how bad this problem has really become for us for and for Yuneec.

First let me say I LOVE the Typhoon H. From the aerodynamic engineering and stability, to the quick release blades, to the incredible controller, to the stability, to the smart modes, to everything else about this fantastic piece of engineering. It is breaking my heart to have to return this machine. But I have NO choice.

I have had 2 completely out of focus cameras for the H. Many owners have reported this problem, and a couple (now including myself) have waited weeks to get a new camera only to have the EXACT SAME problem with the new camera. Additionally the conversation with Yuneec today was less than encouraging. No promises to deal with the problem. Only assurances that I can send in my camera again and waiting another 3 WEEKS (pushing me beyond the point of being able to get my money back from the retail outlet).

To be clear: We have compared the 4K video footage from these defective cameras to other footage including footage from other CGO3+ cameras without the problem. It is not our imagination. This problem exists, and is beginning to appear to be widespread.

For comparison here is a side by side look at what I'm talking about. All shots from 4K UHD video. The last shot is my cell phone just to emphasize how bad this problem is
View attachment 1476

Whoa, I didn't see a noticeable difference in your shot until I click for full size. That's crazy.

 

[Markinter]

The low res jpeg might be due to taking pic while in video mode as this just grabs a still image from video. Make sure you're in photo mode then take a pic and file size will be much larger. Not saying your camera is fine just addressing small files size on your uploaded image.

I'm not impressed with the photo quality period. Here's an uncropped shot. Not sure how I ended up with such a low res jpg.

 

[ChrisP]

Whoa, I didn't see a noticeable difference in your shot until I click for full size. That's crazy.

That's been part of the problem. If we were all seeing this on iPad monitors, no one would know that we have any problems. For those of us who work with 4K footage daily, this is a BIG ISSUE. Don't seem to be getting Yuneec's attention quite yet either.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

The low res jpeg might be due to taking pic while in video mode as this just grabs a still image from video. Make sure you're in photo mode then take a pic and file size will be much larger. Not saying your camera is fine just addressing small files size on your uploaded image.

That's a possibility. When I first got the drone I couldn't take a still when videoing but I was shooting 4K. Today, I switched to 1080p60, so if that happened then is photo while video disabled when filming at 4K?

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

That's been part of the problem. If we were all seeing this on iPad monitors, no one would know that we have any problems. For those of us who work with 4K footage daily, this is a BIG ISSUE. Don't seem to be getting Yuneec's attention quite yet either.

I'm on a 2011 MacBook Pro so I'm not seeing 4K anything. But I can see that. I'm just trying to figure out if I have an issue before I call Yuneec and look stupid because I'm doing something wrong.

I actually have a photography degree but that was before digital so I have some understanding of exposure, etc. This camera just seems way too touchy.

 

[Markinter]

That's a possibility. When I first got the drone I couldn't take a still when videoing but I was shooting 4K. Today, I switched to 1080p60, so if that happened then is photo while video disabled when filming at 4K?

It's not like the DJIs where you can do both, you have to exit video mode by switching to photo mode and it takes a few seconds for the camera to switch. You can take full jpegs and raw/dngs photos in camera mode

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

It's not like the DJIs where you can do both, you have to exit video mode by switching to photo mode and it takes a few seconds for the camera to switch. You can take full jpegs and raw/dngs photos in camera mode

I hear you. But when I first got the unit pressing the photo button during video did nothing. I set the photos to dng which is why I was surprised to see jpegs on the card. I think I was in photo mode when taking the above photo because I don't have video of the dog.

But I'm hijacking ChrisP's thread!! Sorry!

 

[Markinter]

60 fps under those conditions isn't the best setting to allow for more light. I'd have shot 30 fps. You exposed for the sky to capture the storm so you aren't going to get great detail in the underexposed areas. Bright conditions 60 fps will look good. You still might have a focus problem but these setting aren't idea given the subject you're trying to capture.

 

[NoCoOutdoorGuys]

60 fps under those conditions isn't the best setting to allow for more light. I'd have shot 30 fps. You exposed for the sky to capture the storm so you aren't going to get great detail in the underexposed areas. Bright conditions 60 fps will look good. You still might have a focus problem but these setting aren't idea given the subject you're trying to capture.

That's good to know. These are things I'm not familiar with. Would the 4K setting have done better? Is there a sort of general setting that would cover most scenes?

Thanks!

 

[Mike_Flys]

I have found that auto really sucks on this camera. I get my best results with fixed settings. Also fund that sometimes when you change the settings in flight and it looks like they changed on the ST16 that they did not in the CGO3+. I can see this when I look at the image properties on the computer.
Here is a sunrise pic right out of my Hs camera unedited or changed in any way. I feel it is pretty decent considering the low light.
Settings are:
White balance: Sunrise/Sunset
ISO: 200
Exposure Time: 1/50 second