Videographers and photographers have taken a massive liking to Drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). These remote-controlled quadcopters are full of incredible features, which seemed impossible only a decade ago. How times have changed. Still, drones are continuously evolving and improving. A UAV with ultra-high-definition 4K cameras unleashes your creativity. You can take your photography to greater heights, literally and figuratively with such a machine. Read on to get a view of the best 4k drone camera.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro+
This drone with a 4k camera comes from the most popular drone maker in the industry. This UAV offers advanced imaging features, a powerful 3-axis gimbal-stabilized camera, and enhanced video processing. Video is captured at 4K, with a refresh rate of 60 fps. Photos have a resolution of 20MP. The DJI Phantom 4 Pro+ has powerful computing cores, which enable it to fly while sensing and avoiding obstacles from 5 directions. More features include;
- Intelligent flight modes
- Infrared sensing system
- Ultrasonic rangefinders
- Redundant inertial measurement units
- 1-in 20MP CMOS sensor
- 84-degree field of view
Weakness
- The only downside to this drone is its relatively short flight time, considering its size. In prime conditions, you can only have it flying for 30 minutes maximum.
Get GoPro software for the best picture & video editing
DJI Mavic Pro
What makes this drone stand out is its portability. When folded, it collapses down to the size of a milk carton. Nevertheless, this drone boasts of many excellent features such as the OcuSync transmission system, which allows for it to be operated up to 4.3 miles away. In sport mode, it can accelerate to speeds of up to 40mph. Additionally, it has intelligent flight modes, including active track semi-auto pilot, which lets the drone hover as you focus on controlling the camera. More features include;
- 3 axis gimbal-stabilized camera
- Portable foldable design
- Three active track modes
- Intelligent flight modes
- Obstacle avoidance and flight autonomy
Weakness
- The only downside to this UAV is its 78.8-degree field of view, and images only have a maximum resolution of 12.7 MP. Additionally, video is captured at only 30fps. But then again, it’s challenging to find a portable drone with its size that has its capability.
DJI Mavic Air
This UAV can be folded to the size of a smartphone, making it one of the most portable drones in the market. Despite its small size, the Mavic is in a class of its own, capable of capturing images with great detail and high contrast. It can even take 32MP sphere panorama images, making it ideal for capturing high-resolution aerial photos. Other features include;
- Multiple flight modes
- 85-degree field of view
- 43 mph max speed
- 2.5 miles operating range
- Pocket-sized portability
- Six dynamic quick shots flight modes
Weakness
- For a drone of its size, you would expect it to fly for hours on one charge. However, you can only achieve 21 minutes of maximum flight time, in prime conditions.
Yuneec Typhoon H Hexacopter
This drone with 4k camera stands out for many reasons. At first sight, you will instantly notice it six rotors. These conspicuous wings enable it to lift heavier loads with more flight power, giving it stability on higher flights. Additionally, if a rotor malfunctions, the remaining ones can compensate, keeping the drone alight. This drone’s 4k camera can even be operated independently. This is a welcome feature since the pilot remains focused on keeping this machine up, as another person concentrates on capturing great visual content. Other features include;
- Eight unique flight modes
- Realsense collision avoidance system
- 115-degree field of view
- 43.5 mph max speed
- 3-axis gimbal-stabilized camera
Weakness
- With all the advanced features this drone offers, you will see that its price is quite high. This machine sacrifices nothing, so its high price is understandable, but well above the means of many.
Wingsland S6 Pocket Drone
This is the thinnest drone featuring a 4k camera, and many affectionately refer to it as a ‘selfie drone.’ Its small and lightweight size makes it ideal for those starting out. Parents will also appreciate the safety and security features it offers, such as auto home and auto take-off capabilities. It’s affordably priced, yet captures high-quality imagery, minus the complexities of other varieties in this list. Other features include;
- 3 axis electronic image stabilization
- 117-degree field of view
- 360-degree panoramic photo mode
- Multiple flight modes
- Compact, foldable design
Weaknesses
- A glaring downside to this compact drone is its 10-minute flight time. This short time is quite disappointing since it offers less playtime on a single charge. It is also slow, at only 8m/s, but this can also be a plus for those considering safety.
What you need to know when buying a 4k drone
From beginners to experts, there’s undoubtedly a drone with 4k camera, regardless of the budget. How do you know which one is the best for you? Well, here are some factors to consider.
Brand
When it comes to the best drones, there’s a clear winner in DJI, which is reflected by the number of positions they have on this list. When looking for a 4k 60fps camera drone, you need to dig deeper and look at the specifications. The frame rate is not the be-all and end-all in drones. Some brands will let you down, and when spending all that money for a drone, it’s better to get one from a trusted brand.
Many start-ups claim to have the next big thing. However, you would hardly spend a significant portion to get something from an unknown brand. Would you? A drone is a combination of parts that often crash, so you need to have confidence that you can get spares when you need them.
Features
With 4k drones, you usually have more than enough pixels to buffer images with. With more pixels, the editing process is much more comfortable, so the final output is smoother for more professional-quality aerial video. Still, its good to have features like image stabilization, which eliminates visible camera shakes. Therefore, some features are here to help, and 4k is not the ultimate criterion.
Video and image
One of the best things about 4k is the ability to zoom in and still have a quality image. With lower resolution cameras, when images are zoomed, you find that it’s too pixelated. Therefore, with the drones in this list, you have more freedom to crop, expand, and reframe shots without drastically lowering the quality.
Get your 4k drone today
It’s no secret that drone 4K offers pretty much cinema-quality footage. 4K is nearly four times larger in resolution than full HD at 1080p, which is still impressive. With higher resolution, you get a bigger picture, that’s helpful if you’re going to edit and crop the images in post-production. Whether filming or taking photographs for personal purposes, marketing and tourism or live reporting, the possibilities are countless with a 4k video camera.
