7 Best Drones in 2021 to Shoot 4K Video

Drones come in all shapes and sizes and offer a wide range of specifications and unique features and buying a drone that suits your specific needs can require some research. A feature that many of the new drones in 2021 have in common as its popularity has increased over the past few years is 4K video. The video resolution standard is currently in a state of transition as 1080p fades into the past 4K, or 2160p, is proving itself as the new standard as it has become increasingly financially accessible for the average buyer.

Resolution size comparison graphic

So what 4K-capable drones in 2021 are the best and why? Just because the drone’s camera can shoot in 4K does not mean it shoots well in 4K. Based on documented specifications and usage research, discussed here are the five best 4K video-capable drones available to consumers with various budgets as of May 2021.

Holy Stone HS720E Drone

#7 For those on a tight budget the Holy Stone HS720E certainly packs a punch at its price point. The HS720E is equipped with Electronic Image Stabilization, a 1-axis gimbal, Sony sensor and is capable of recording video at 1080p (1920x1080p, HD) up to 60fps and up to 30fps at 4K (3840x2160, UHD). The drone also features automated flight modes for smooth route-specific shooting.

DJI Mini 2 Drone

#6 The ultra-budget-friendly DJI Mini 2 ascends into the number three spot. The Mini 2 is a small package perfect for shooting in tight spaces like flying indoors and yet capable of producing some massive results. This unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV includes a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that handles silky smooth 4K video up to 30fps and 4x zoom capabilities.

DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone

#5 If $1,000 is the absolute maximum you’re willing to dish out for a drone, DJI’s Mavic Air 2 is the go-to. The Mavic Air 2 is a beginner/hobbyist-level drone featuring some impressive specs for its price tag. Included with the Mavic Air 2 is a half-inch CMOS sensor capable of producing 48mp photographs and yes, 4K video up to 60fps with an 84° field of view (FOV). It might also be beneficial to mention at 1080p this mini-drone can capture up to 240fps if 4K at 60fps just isn’t fast enough.

DJI Air 2S Drone

#4 Yet another DJI drone hits the list, the Mavic Air 2’s more handsome and ripped younger sibling, the Mavic Air 2S. The Air 2S fills in all the places where the Air 2 fell short. It boasts a 1-inch CMOS sensor to gather more information, 4K/60fps and 5.4K/30fps video, 10-bit Dlog-M (RAW) color as well as updated sensors that allow for obstacle sensing in four directions. Due to the high dynamic range, high resolution and accurate color reproduction, the results of night shooting are better than ever.

Autel Evo II Drone

#3 Autel’s EVO II takes the bronze. Designed for professional videography, the EVO II produces mouthwatering 4K video quality. It might also be worth mentioning the 8K video capabilities—yes, 8K video with a foldable drone under $1,500. 8K video certainly isn’t the current resolution standard and because it is the very first foldable 8k-capable drone it probably wouldn’t be too out of line to suggest the technology packed into its little spherical camera has some kinks that need to be worked out, but it’s still pretty damn cool.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

#2 The Mavic 2 Pro is currently the all-around best drone available for under $1,600. Its sleek frame holds an f/2.8, 28mm Hasselblad camera with a 1-inch 20MP CMOS sensor. 4K video can be captured at up to 30fps and Full HD (1080p FHD) video up to 120fps. The 10-Bit Dlog-M and 10-bit HDR color profiles allow for over a billion colors to be captured and due to its image stabilization technology, all recordings will come out looking buttery smooth. Its 100-12,800 ISO range allows for surprisingly good low-light situations. Achieve the highest quality video available for under $1,600.

DJI Inspire 2 with Zenmuse X7

#1 The number one spot belongs to a drone that is aimed more toward those whose flight purposes go beyond recreational use. While there are a few drones available that provide cinema-level video quality only one has been tried and tested over and again by professional filmmakers. Putting aside bring your own camera (BYOC) UAVs like the Freefly Systems ALTA 8 and DJI’s Matrice 300 RTK which will run you around $14,000 to $18,000, the next best thing is the DJI Inspire 2 X7. This monster of a drone fly’s up to 58mph and shoots major motion picture-level quality footage. The Zenmuse X7 interchangeable camera system offers four carbon fiber enclosed prime lenses ranging from 16-50mm and resolutions up to 8K. but performance and beauty come at a price. The Inspire 2 with a Zenmuse X7 camera runs around $8,000.

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How beneficial are drones for professional real-estate photographers?

Interview with professional photographer, Andre Ramoska

Q As a professional real estate photographer, how have you implemented the use of drones in your work?

A We use drones to get a higher perspective, from 15-feet high to 300-feet high. The higher elevation gives a different feel to photos and also shows the space more.

Q When you were buying a drone to use for real estate photography, what specifications or features of the drone were absolutely essential?

A We use them for photos, so we look for higher megapixels and good sensors. We do not shoot video for clients yet, so we have not cared too much about video settings like 4K.

Q Out of every ten new assignments, how often does the drone get used?

A For us we use a drone 1 out of every 10 assignments, sometimes 1 out of 15. For us, we do more high-quality photos of interiors. We do more model homes/ apartments, if we photographed single home listings, I would say I would use it every time.

Q Is having or not having a drone a make-or-break deal for some clients?

A A drone definitely gives you an upper hand. I don’t think it would break a deal if we didn’t have it because our company is so sought after for our interior photography that they would probably just hire a separate drone person. But I cannot say for sure because we have had a drone for a long time. I would say for smaller companies/ people not having a drone would most likely break a deal.

Q Are you ever worried about property damage if an accident occurs, what happens if the drone decides to fly into freshly painted drywall?

A We are always worried about crashing and damaging. It is a flying object that potentially could cause serious damage to property and/ or other people if you do not fly safely.

Reuben Wu masterfully utilizes drones equipped with lights to produce art

Using drones as light sources, photographer Reuben Wu creates astonishing imagery with long exposure shots. Wu makes light exploration more beautiful than ever.

The Field of Infinity, Aeroglyphs, and his latest work Motion Pieces give a perspective of nature previously thought only to be found in computer-generated imagery, or perhaps at the site of an alien abduction.

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“By attaching a light to a drone, and tracing linear forms above remote landscapes at night, my work offers a new perspective, showing familiar places but under an unfamiliar light,” Wu says.

 It’s difficult to comprehend the amount of trial and error, the number of hours spent perfecting the scene’s timing. The landscapes are lit to produce accentuated curves and angles resulting in a dramatic and visually appealing image.

Photo Credit: Reuben Wu

Talking about DJI's Mavic 2 Pro

The Mavic 2 Pro, an entry/mid-level drone with professional-level features that gets put through the wringer in Drone Film Guide’s November 15, 2019 article authored by Stewart Carroll “Mavic 2 Pro Long Term Review.” The article’s aim is directed toward the consumer, someone who’s currently hunting for a new small unmanned aerial vehicle system.

 

“By the end of this review, you will understand both the benefits and downsides of the Mavic 2 Pro, helping you gauge whether it is the right drone for you.”Carroll dives deep into the system addressing each and every component. He provides the results of his extensive testing of its flight performance in various modes, 10-bit video picture quality, HDR performance and more. He discusses what he liked and what he didn’t like about the hardware and software, telling the story of a thing in such great detail you might think his life depended on it, but imagine he hasn’t received a lot of complaints.I for one definitely don’t have any complaints. It’s an article of instruction and guidance, the guidance I myself sought out and instruction I consulted when I was in the market for my very first drone back in 2019. 

Now that I’ve had a Mavic 2 Pro for about two years now I can confirm with confidence that the major majority of Carroll’s assessments ring true based on my own experience with the drone. The build quality is tough and it’s obvious a whole lot of time and money went into engineering this thing. However, there are a couple items that seem a little overembellished.

Mavic 2 Pro ascending

“As much as automated flight modes like Active Track and Point of Interest is fantastic tools, 90% of the time I fly in manual positioning mode and tripod mode. I need a drone that can be smoothly eased in and out of maneuvers and the Mavic 2 Pro does so like it’s on rails at times. This leaves more mental capacity to focus on the creative rather than the mechanical aspects of the shot in question.”

Fantastic when compared to what? While there are rare occasions when I’ll use these tools, more often than not I’ve found shooting manually produces a cleaner shot. I wish I could say these are fantastic tools, but that really hasn’t been my experience. Point of Interested would especially be useful if it were consistent in its function.

For me, Active Track sits bobbing uselessly in the same boat. I’ve tried a handful of times to allow Active Track to prove to me it doesn’t belong in this boat, but it continues to disappoint. If you’re following someone using Active Track they had better be moving continuously in one direction. No stopping or deviating from point A to B, god forbid you stop underneath the drone, otherwise, the drone loses you (its tracking point) and its memory of what it was doing just a moment ago. 

Mavic 2 Pro following cyclist with Active Track

Too often have I found myself saddened by the imported footage I was counting on being exceptional, like nearly everything else. The despair hits when watching the buttery smooth automatic flight path get interrupted by a violent repositioning. Maybe I’m expecting too much.

That’s it. Those are the only few complaints of the brutally in-depth work of Carroll. In the future when that new drone arrives with 8K video at 240fps, I’ll be looking for you Carroll. I want to know what you think about it. I want to know what you think about all of it, including what you think about its fantastic auto-flight modes.

Photo Credit: Thomas Husen