I'd tend to agree with the "over spent" on larger platform viewpoint.. and if not swapping lenses, the
I2 is a bit excessive for the family picnic group picture. It's iconic shape & design attract those with ample funds even if for personal pleasure. The near equal abilities of the M2P single camera, and folding ease for transport make the M2P / Z appealing to many. Plus, as in other tangents... the advertisement, Owner's Youtubes, and M2P "tips" are everywhere in comparison to
I2 .That too encourages & draws many to jump to M2P.
IF and When the Inspire 3 arrives... I hope it assumes one missing role still performed by the I1... Thermal, and maintain the heated tandem power source, but larger. Other than firmware, there's no reason the
I2 couldn't run the XT (with adapter) or the XT2 like the M210... same gimbal mount. Just a little different design or few MM longer arms it could have run the TB55 paks
I'd agree on the battery life, for a tandem running 2 parallel at 8560mAh the
I2 should have been able obtain longer airtime. The I1 at 5700mAh it was near the same flight time... the motors consumed 3000mAh difference?
The I1 was a pure sports car... no frills and performed it's tasks very nicely and lives on for that very reason.
Even the X5R was a great camera... not as fast to extract or process as the X5S but near identical quality without the additional license cost... moving the processing into the
I2 and off the camera, still not sold if that was a beneficial... but it's incorporation of the circuits & SSD bay, was a nice design. There was a substantial photographic difference between the X5 & X5R as well, even if only using the SD card.
The
I2 was an extremely fast accelerating craft until a few updates reduced acceleration performance... the top speed remains about the same. I'd agree, the
I2 was a great new design improving on the unique favored design of the I1.
The I1 would easily continue to live if batteries don't force it out of action. I keep hoping a 3rd party will produce TB48's.
The
I2 has a long life ahead, long after the I3 but I doubt it'll live as active in the senior years as the I1 has obtained.
Roles performed... I truly enjoy the M2P / Z but it can't carry a MFT sensor and mount a sharp ultra wide 12mm or near equally sharp 7.5mm manual lens when a wide non-distorted image is required.
Both the I1v2 &
I2 meet that demand.