DJI Phantom 4 Pro – Impressive Upgrade for Semi-Professional Aerial Films

November 16^th, 20166

DJI Phantom 4 Pro - Impressive Upgrade for Semi-Professional Aerial Films

by Graham SheldonNovember 16^th, 2016

While slightly overshadowed by the release of the great looking DJI Inspire 2, the newly introduced DJI Phantom 4 Pro still shoots fantastic images for the more budget-minded pro pilots out there. With 4K resolution up to 60fps, the Phantom 4 Pro boasts an impressive 12 stops of dynamic range out of its small and newly designed onboard camera. Find out all the details, including pricing and availability, below:

Credit: DJI Global

Jump back in time with me to January, 2013. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters had just hit the movie theaters and the DJI Phantom 1 had just been released with a grand total of ten minutes of available flight time, and the GoPro mount still needed a fair bit of work to remove vibrations. Suddenly, everyone had access to helicopter-style shots in their videos for a fraction of the cost. In the capable hands of market leader DJI, drones – or UAVs – have come a long way since.

To really see just how far we have come give Sebastian Wöber’s article on the new DJI Inspire 2 a read.

For those of us without the change to put down on a DJI Inspire 2 ($3,000 – $6,000), we have the next best thing: the new DJI Phantom 4 Pro. The camera on the drone comes equipped with a new 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor and roughly 12 stops of dynamic range. It is 4K-capable up to 60fps with a maximum bitrate of 100 mbps in H.265 compression, and it has a mechanical shutter, so no more skewed rolling shutter videos.

The Phantom 4 Pro can fly for 30 minutes on a single battery and has a top speed of 41 miles per hour when sport mode is engaged. Personally, I’m not at the skill level where flying at 41 miles per hour seems like a safe use of my investment, but for those of you with a need for speed, you have that option. You can also limit the device to a still very speedy 31 mph by flying in “P-Mode”.

Active Track Mode: Select moving subject and the DJI Phantom 4 will track the object in motion. Picture: DJI Global

Active Track mode is here again with the ability to track a single moving object such as a runner, bicycles and faster vehicles. Three new options in active track mode are: circle, spotlight and profile.

Obstacle avoidance software returns in the Phantom 4 Pro. While not quite perfect, this software is infinitely better than the alternative (i.e. a broken drone). Trees and other pesky obstacles are avoided in flight with the inclusion of five sensors facing outwards from the drone. It doesn’t provide perfect peace of mind, but it will watch your back during those unexpected wind gusts.

High luminance display controller. Credit: DJI Global

A brand new controller comes equipped with onboard GPS, Micro-SD slot and HDMI port. For an additional $300, you can upgrade your controller to a built-in “high luminance display”, with a bright, clean image — even in direct sunlight.

With competition even more slim now with the recent recall of the GoPro Karma, DJI remains the go to drone provider for professionals and hobbyists alike.

The DJI Phantom 4 Pro takes its place as the flagship of the Phantom line, providing a 4K shooting, more mobile, more affordable alternative to its big brother: the DJI Inspire 2. The perfect travel drone — it fits in the overhead of most regional and all international aircraft and gives you access to great looking shots with minimal setup time once on location.

Price:
Phantom 4 Pro w/standard controller: $1,499.00
Phantom 4 Pro + w/high luminance display remote controller: $1,799.00

DJI Phantom 4 in Flight