If you have seen the amazing 4k video footage by the DJI Phantom 4 PRO taken from hundreds of feet high in the sky, you would be curious to know more about this incredible drone. Look no further as I review all you need to know about DJI phantom 4 based on my personal experience.
DJI Phantom 4 PRO is incredibly efficient. It has four blades that provide it the much-needed lift for aerial photography. It also comes with a camera that gives it the ability to stream live videos to a mobile device or an iPad. It has a controller that provides users with the ability to direct its flight. It is basically a drone with a camera attached, but it offers more than what meets the eye.
The drone will practically fly in front of you while you are at the wheels using the controller to move it around, and you will be able to see the live feeds of the drone’s camera on your phone or iPad in real-time.
The DJI Phantom 4 PRO can fly up to 5.3km away, and that’s an impressive range for drones in its class. It has four LED lights below the home button to indicate the battery level on the controller.
Main Specs
- Maximum resolution: 4K (4096 x 2160) at a bit rate of 60fps / 100Mbps
- H.264 or H.265 compression
- 1-inch sensor 20-megapixel camera
- Video transmission by DJI Lightbridge (4.3 miles range)
- High dynamic range with D-Log
- Mechanical shutter reduces the focal plane phenomenon
Camera
In previous versions of the Phantom drone, users had to purchase a separate GoPro camera, but the Phantom 4 comes packed with a camera.
The camera housing is suspended from the drone body via a gimbal that works against the drone movement, providing an exceptionally smooth image.
The gimbals are electric and can be entirely wirelessly controlled via the controller. This allows you to move the camera 90 degrees (that is, the entire range from the front to the bottom).
To rotate the camera 360 degrees horizontally, you need to pan the drone body using the controller.
Easy to fly
It’s simple. But it’s not as easy as you think. Mainly, you’ll use the two sticks on the controller to control the drone (this is a bit like playing on an Xbox or PlayStation console). The left one controls rotation and altitude, and the right one is used to move back and forth. You can control the camera pitch with an additional wheel on the controller. There are also many support functions
Design
The appearance of the Phantom4 Pro is luxurious white.
Four propellers are attached to the corners of the luxurious white body. By rotating this propeller, you can fly the drone.
Underneath the body is a camera for photography, which is connected with the gimbal. This cool appearance may be one of the reasons why the Phantom series is popular! I love this shiny and rounded body!! It’s a little iPhone-like.
Battery Life
According to the official website, Phantom4 can fly for 28 minutes continuously. It seems that the battery is quite good compared to other drones with its 28 minutes endurance.
However, if you take aerial photography seriously, you should have some spare batteries. Anytime you are flying the drone, bring the drone back as soon as the battery level drops to 5%, so you don’t lose data if the drone goes off altogether.
Photos & Videos
The image quality of the camera is pretty beautiful
The Phantom4 camera can shoot in 4K quality. With 4K settings (4096 x 2160), you can shoot at 25fps, with UHD 4K settings (3480 x 2160) at 30fps, and with slow-motion settings at 1080p, you can shoot at a frame rate of 120fps.
Also Read
Flying
With the press button pressed, the on-screen switch slides to confirm take off, and the Phantom 4 PRO will take off into the air.
The Phantom 4 PRO has the Sport mode, and it’s is meant for usage in the case fast speed is needed; it could go as fast as 45 mph. The sport mode enables vision positioning and GPS but disables the front obstacle-sensing system.
Advantages
- System to avoid obstacles in 5 directions
- Excellent camera
- Numerous flight modes
- Excellent flight time and flight distance
Disadvantages
- The buying price is high
- Expensive optional touchscreen controller
- The gimbal is tilted a little. In rare cases, photos taken with Phantom4 may feel a bit tilted.
- The size is a little worrisome when you store or go camping.
Bottom line
The Phantom 4 PRO is a must-have for photography and video lovers. You are guaranteed high-quality videos and images shoot. More fascinating is the obstacle avoidance system, which highlights the beauty of this new gadget.
Although the price is high, with the active tracking system, which by the way, is not perfect, it tracks well enough desired objects and people. I will recommend this flying gadget to every drone enthusiast and professional camera operators.