DJI Air 2S - Worth the Upgrade?

TECH REVIEWS
Written By Michelle Minthorn

We currently own the DJI Mini 2 and are loving everything about it. Its weight, speed, battery life and video quality are all important things we look a when deciding which drone to carry and fly. Let’s be honest, price is also a feature and we’ll discuss all of the pros and cons below.

Let’s start with how we use our drone and what we look for in one. Because we fly for commercial shoots for clients and fly to capture our travels (sigh), we need something ultra portable and with decent resolution to tick all of the points below:

  • Video resolution: at least 4K

  • Flight time: at least 30 minutes per battery

  • Speed: at least 50km/h

  • Max flight distance: at least 2km

In Action.

Both the Mini 2 and Air 2S deliver in all of those areas so does an upgrade make sense? Which one should you choose as a first time flyer? Let’s watch the video co-created by Sam Kolder for DJI just to get an idea of the incredible features the DJI Air 2S is offering.

So yeah! This new drone is no joke. With pretty much every bump in specs you can imagine when comparing it to the Mini 2 but also the Mavic Air 2. The Air 2S has a wider lens, a 1” sensor, shoots in DLOG 10bit 5.4K, 20 MP RAW stills and an 8x zoom.

This thing is a beast of a drone and if we had to buy one today or replace our Mini 2, we would get the Air 2S….. but wait, maybe not so fast.

Compare.

Compared to the Mini 2, it is double the price and weight, plus the new shooting mode may come in a software update soon. For us, at this point, what is exciting about this new release is the bigger sensor, the 10bit recording and the night shooting. For travelers though, the Mini 2 is still the drone to beat. Its set up is quick from bag to sky and the 4K video is sweet. Pop some ND filters on it and you’re good to go.

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WE RECOMMEND THIS DRONE TO:

  • First time flyers that want a safe but powerful drone.

  • Prosumers that want to get high end image quality.

  • Old legacy drone owners such as Mavic Air 2, Mavic Mini and even Phantom that want to upgrade.

  • Flyers that need low-light shooting capabilities.

GET THE DJI AIR 2S
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WE RECOMMEND THIS DRONE TO:

  • Flyers who are looking to save money.

  • Travelers and folks who prioritize weight and size.

  • Flyers who are comfortable operating without all of the obstacle sensors.

GET THE DJI MINI 2
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MUST HAVE ADD-ON FOR ANY DRONE:

A Neutral-Density Filter, or ND filter, reduces the amount of light that enters a camera’s lens. Under bright sunlight, an ND filter allows photographers more leeway in selecting an aperture and shutter speed by preventing overexposure. Basically, to achieve motion blur and more realistic shots, pop an ND filter on your drones and cameras. You’re welcome. ;)

GET DJI MINI 2 ND FILTERS

Watch the MINI 2 in the wild.

 
Michelle Minthorn
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