DJI Mini 4 Pro full honest review: is it worth buying?
I am close to buying the DJI Mini 4 Pro but want honest opinions from real owners rather than press releases. What does it actually do well, what does it disappoint on, and is it worth the price compared to the Mini 3 Pro or waiting for something new?
5 Answers
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HobbyistHank
Best Answer
Six months with the Mini 4 Pro. Honest assessment: the camera genuinely delivers. D-Log M footage grades beautifully, 4K/60fps is smooth, and the 1/1.3-inch sensor handles golden hour and overcast conditions better than I expected from a 249g drone. The omnidirectional obstacle avoidance is a real improvement over the Mini 3 Pro and gives confidence flying near trees and in complex environments.
The real disappointments: price creep is significant when you add up drone, RC 2 controller, Fly More Combo batteries, and ND filters. You can easily spend $1,200 to $1,400 for a complete kit. ActiveTrack 360 subject tracking also requires more setup than the marketing suggests and works best with the RC 2 controller. The base drone-only configuration at $759 is the right entry point. Buy extras gradually as you identify what you actually need rather than buying the full combo upfront.
Check DJI Mini 4 Pro Price on Amazon
PhotographyDroner
As a photographer first and a pilot second, the camera quality is what matters most to me and the Mini 4 Pro delivers on that front. The 48MP RAW stills have plenty of detail and dynamic range for landscape and travel work. The 4K/60fps video with D-Log M is genuinely usable in a professional context. The vertical shooting mode for portrait-format content is a real convenience for social media creators.
Where the camera falls short compared to higher-end drones: no variable aperture means you need ND filters for proper video exposure. The lens is fixed-aperture f/1.7, which is fast and good in low light, but you cannot control depth of field the way you can on larger sensor cameras. For the 249g class, though, this camera is in a league of its own.
SafetyFirst_Sam
The omnidirectional obstacle avoidance is the biggest practical upgrade over the Mini 3 Pro for me. The Mini 3 Pro had front, back, and downward sensors. The Mini 4 Pro adds side and upward sensors, giving you full coverage in all directions. Flying through a wooded area or near structures, APAS 5.0 actively reroutes around obstacles in real time and has saved me from several close calls.
The system is not perfect. It struggles with thin wires, low-contrast surfaces like glass buildings, and situations where there is not enough space to navigate around an obstacle. In very tight spaces it will just stop rather than find a path. But in typical flying environments, the omnidirectional protection is genuinely reassuring and justifies a meaningful portion of the price premium over drones with fewer sensors.
GearReviewer_Tom
Pricing transparency: the Mini 4 Pro drone only is $759. The version with the RC-N1 controller (requires your phone) is $759. The version with the RC 2 controller (has a built-in screen) is $959. The Fly More Combo with RC 2 is around $1,099. For outdoor flying in direct sunlight, the RC 2's built-in screen is significantly better than trying to see your phone display, and I consider it worth the upgrade.
Extra batteries are around $79 each. A three-pack filter kit adds another $60 to $80. By the time you have a solid working kit, you are at $1,200 to $1,500. That is not a criticism of the drone itself, but it is important to budget realistically before buying the base drone and discovering the true cost of a complete kit.
TravelDroner
Wind resistance is solid for a drone this small. DJI rates it for Level 7 wind at 38 km/h and my experience flying in coastal and mountain environments confirms the Mini 4 Pro maintains stable footage in moderate gusts that would require aggressive stick corrections on older or lighter drones. The small footprint means very strong sustained wind can still push it around, but typical recreational flying conditions pose no problems.
Summary verdict: the Mini 4 Pro is the best 249g camera drone available in 2024. If you need a sub-250g drone with top-tier image quality and safety features, it has no real competition. If you are willing to go over 250g, the DJI Air 3 offers dual cameras at a higher price. The Mini 4 Pro is the right choice for the majority of recreational pilots, travel photographers, and content creators who want quality without bulk.