Go Big With the Mini 4 Pro
Introducing the future of aerial photography and videography: the ground-breaking DJI Mini 4 Pro. This miniature marvel is a giant leap forward in drone technology, boasting a host of cutting-edge features that will leave both seasoned professionals and novice enthusiasts in awe. From its unparalleled imaging prowess and omni-directional obstacle avoidance to the innovative ActiveTrack 360° with the all-new Trace Mode and the mind-blowing 20km FHD video transmission, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is a game-changer that redefines the possibilities of drone photography. Get ready to embark on a journey of limitless creativity and innovation as we delve into the incredible world of the DJI Mini 4 Pro.
Design
The Mini 4 Pro remains impressively lightweight at just under 250 grams, making it eligible for flight without the need for licenses or registrations in many regions. However, it's not just the weight that's evolved; there are subtle yet significant design enhancements throughout.
One notable upgrade is the repositioning of the four forward- and rear-facing sensors, allowing them to have a wider field of vision, now extending to the sides. The drone's overall physique has also been refined, featuring larger cooling vents, slightly sleeker rear arms, and novel landing gear at the front. Notably, the camera/gimbal shield is now more compact and easier to attach, and it boasts a new protective guard for the propellers during storage.
Continuing from its predecessor, the gimbal retains its ability to tilt up by 60 degrees and down by 90 degrees, ensuring full vertical resolution for captivating social media shots. Located at the rear is a convenient microSD port, and for added flexibility, the Mini 4 Pro boasts 2GB of internal storage, ensuring you're prepared for unexpected scenarios.
When it comes to controllers, the Mini 4 Pro offers two options: the basic RC-N2, which necessitates a smartphone for operation, and the RC2, which includes a built-in screen for added convenience. It's worth noting that, owing to its utilisation of cutting-edge Ocusync 4 transmission technology, first introduced with the Air 3, the Mini 4 Pro is compatible exclusively with the new controllers, not the older models at least for now.
Camera
The DJI Mini 4 Pro's camera system rocks the same 1/1.3 dual ISO sensor as its predecessor, sporting a matching 24mm equivalent lens with a fixed f/1.7 aperture. It's quite a chunky sensor for such a 'mini' drone, just smaller than the 1-inch sensor found on the Mavic Air 2S.
What sets it apart now is its ability to handle 4K slow-motion at up to 100 fps, or 1080p at 200 fps. The action is captured at 30fps by default, but it's still a neat feature for capturing wildlife, crashing waves, and more. And that's not all – it also does 4K at up to 60fps and 1080p at 120fps. Plus, it's got a two times digital zoom for 4K and four times for 1080p, though there's a slight loss in sharpness.
And there's more good stuff to mention – it supports D-LogM, which amps up the dynamic range and offers more creative freedom in post-production. You can also shoot in HLG mode, which once again kicks up that dynamic range. The results are visible right away on an HDR TV, but you'll need to do an HLG to REC.709 colour-space transformation to use it with regular video. Both modes support 10-bit 4:2:0 capture for enhanced quality and reduced colour banding.
The video is sharp and boasts accurate colors. When in automatic mode, it delivers pleasing video, although it can occasionally overexpose or underexpose on exceptionally sunny or gloomy days. You do have the option to adjust exposure compensation, but not much else. Fortunately, there's a full manual pro mode available, granting you greater control over aspects like color balance, LOG, HLG, shutter, ISO, and more.
The Mini 4 Pro has the capability to capture sharp 48-megapixel images or blend four pixels into one to produce 12-megapixel images with enhanced low-light sensitivity. If you opt for the RAW DNG format, you can easily rectify overexposed or underexposed photos.Overall Performance
Given its compact size, you could liken the Mini 4 Pro to a flying action camera. Its light weight also means that crashes have less of an impact (though that may be something you don't particularly want to test fully).
When it comes to speed, it can reach a quite respectable 35 MPH in sport mode, or 26 MPH during regular operation. It's capable of handling winds of up to 24 MPH. While in action, you may worry about it getting pushed around by the wind quite a bit, but you'd hardly notice it in the footage, thanks to DJI's gimbal and stabilisation technology.
So if you're looking to upgrade to the Mini 4 Pro, it is now available on DJI retail in three different packages that you can find below!
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