DJI Phantom 4 vs 3DR Solo - Which to Buy?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ต.ค. 2024
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The Phantom 4 and the Solo are both amazing quadcopters. But which is right for you? In this video I cover several criteria, both subjective and objective, including specifications, flight characteristics, price and more. I like both of these drones, but I do think that each has its advantages. If you are looking to buy one of these, this video will help you make a more informed decision about which one is a better fit for your needs. This is an honest comparison of the two and reflects my opinions about the drones, both of which I own and have flown many times.
Cable cam, GoPro (removable camera, not fixed) SMART controller. I went with 3DR all the way. Getting 1.2 Km range and the RTL didn't even trigger. Love it!!
My Solo has been excellent. At $500 for the Best Buy bundle it's an absolute steal. Hero 4 online are $300 plus I can take it off and ride moto. GoPro also updated firmware to film straight without fisheye-wideview as an option. Plenty fast for a drone I'm not racing it lol.
I bought 2 solos from best buy along with 2 solo back packs, have a total of 10 battery's, 20 spare props and still have less than $900 in them. ( just bought 4 battery's for $34 each.) Not sure what all the GPS issues are with it as i have none, less than 2 min and im flying. I can tell you my Phantom 3 Stranded goes fly about 3 to 5 mins longer and is great also. In sport mode the solo is very fast and can do flips.( I left the Fixed GoPro mount on one of the solos) I can tell you if i had to choose between the solo and the P3 Stranded id choose the solo, although if money wasn't a factor id get the P4 over the Solo.
For those of you who will never own or Fly a SOLO it is Now Legend ... Way ahead of its time
Got my Solo at Best Buy for $250.00. Works great, I already had the Hero4 Black so it was a no-brainer. I picked up two extra batteries for $90.00. It has performed flawlessly.
That was the best review I had seeen so far. Well done, balanced and discussing the really important points. While I opted for the Solo, I do recommend the Phantom 4 to my friends. Solo crashed once as one of the motor pods was destroyed when landing on a soft lawn. Albeit it took nearly 4 weeks to get the spare part delivered to Germany, the 3DR Team decided upon review of the flight log to shoulder the costs, meaning it was a guarantee service! I am happy with the support, but would highly appreciate if they had a service center for in European customers!
GOPRO does 2.7K at 60FPS which you didn't mention. Probably the biggest reason I went with the Solo.
Djimphantom does 4k
+DKW Photography solo does 4K as well so not too big of a deal. :/
+DKW Photography Both can do 4k. The problem is you can only shoot in 30 Frames Per Second in 4k. The GoPro has an option to drop the quality for extra frames per second.
I like video games. Most games previously ran at 30 FPS. New one tend to run at 60FPS. Going back and playing the old games, legitimately, they feel clunky because of the frame rate.
More frames is a better alternative at times.
Games now a days run at 120FPS with the New GTX 10 Series
Gear of the Week the dji phantom has a 2.7k camera and it's only $500....
I will be honest, I bought the Solo as a first drone and paid $499 for the bundle from Best Buy, came with the backpack, drone, extra battery, gimbal, and an extra set of blades. If I paid more than what I paid for it, I would have been highly disappointed.
I also may be slightly biased as well, since i have had nothing but issues with my Solo. When I tell my Solo to come home, it goes straight up in the air until I finally manually override it. Luckily, I haven't had it long and am going to return it to Best Buy and put the money towards a DJI Mavic Pro instead.
Good review!
Smart move. Even the $400 Phantom 3 Standard will outperform the Solo - especially in terms of reliability and lack of fussing with.
1mThe0ne , plus 3dr is not making the Solo anymore. I'm waiting to see REAL WORLD reviews about the Mavic. Too many HYPE videos right now and I want to see how Mavic owners like it before I pull the trigger. I'm not an early adopter especially where tech is concerned.
The return to launch function will go to about 200 feet and then land straight down. This value can be changed in the mission planner setup. This is a safety function so it does not collide with anything when returning to launch
1mThe0ne Are you flying at a low level when you press Home? That's a safety feature sounds like you didn't invest any time to learn features and functions.
You can also use Tower to change the RTL so that it turns around facing you when it comes home and right before it starts to come down it will turn around with its back to you then land. That way you can see what your heading toward on the return.
good video!! i own a 3dr solo and rocks, but the only thing that i hate is the take 2-3 min to get a green light and go, take for ever to get good satellite signal, so your wasting battery and when u good to go you probably only have 15-17 min to fly on smooth fly mode or 12 min on sport mode, i love the fact that Solo comes with a lot other fly modes. plus as READY SET DRONE I'm agree that u can used ur gopro in diff. scenario
don't forget P4 you can fly indoors. I have both units and both are great in their own way, thats why i have both.
It's worth noting that although the Phantom includes a camera, the one you buy for the Solo doubles as a sport cam you can use for many other applications off the UAV.
In that sense, the Solo might be a much better value.
Thanks for this. I'm a teacher and we're looking to get a drone for our school. I have a little experience with the Solo and was curious how it stacked up against the Phantom. I'm leaning towards the Phantom.
Phantom is great. If budget is an issue, consider the Phantom 3...it's 90% as good at the 4 and quite a bit less money. But if you have the budget for a Phantom 4, you will be very happy with it!
Will shoot for the 4 and if they say there isn't a budget for it, we'll try for the 3 :)
Checkout B&H the Phantom 4 is priced at $1200 right now.
You gotta remember that the solo was the first drone from 3DR. This company could have been so great. I always preferred the look of the solo, more 'pro' and less toyish looking.
The selling point for me was the fact that I had a GoPro Hero4 so this made the Solo $500+ cheaper than the Phantom. So far, the Solo has been a learning experience. It was a big step up from my nano drones that I experimented with. Customer service at 3DR has been really tight and incredibly helpful. BUT I advise anyone thinking about a drone of this caliber (that is new to all of this) to watch every vid you possibly can because A LOT can go wrong if you are not ready! Regardless, the thing is fun as hell and you can capture some unreal footage!
Thanks very much for your caparison,there are some extras on the 3 DR you can put a light source on to it for night photograpy plus you can buy a different lens if you don't like the fisheye effect,I"m a photographer and we like to change lenses and if you you bring the recording don from 4 to 2.7 K's you can shoot at 60 frs so my have it for the 3 DR Solo,cheers Andre Lantin
Hi this is one of the best product comparisons on TH-cam Solo vs Phantom 4. I was at NABShow and there was no indication of consumer drone pullback at the 3DR booth. But talking to these trade show reps you never get an objective overview like yours, you hit the sweet spot with all the key decision points... bravo!
The one point that is unclear is if the Solo provides power to the GoPro. If not then you need to remove the GoPro to change batteries on the camera vs. Phantom's all-in-one design
Great review. I think the Solo would be better compared to the Phantom 3, they are really the same generation. As you stated, the Phantom 4 is a next generation. You touched on the Phantoms collision avoidance a bit when you said it didn't work in sport mode but, that is a big feature of the Phantom4 and I don't think the Solo has it. I've bumped into a few things with my Phantom 3. It's fallen from 10ft right on it's back after hitting my shed and only broke propellers, in fact, in all my crashes, I've never had any main body damage. My next Quad copter will have collision avoidance.
On my monitor those side-by-side video of the GoPro and Phantom 4 were much different in color balance. The GoPro had a significant red cast. I could see pink in the white clouds. You can adjust the color balance in post, of course. And that goes for sharpness too, in general. One camera can have a more aggressive software sharpening applied by default. But ultimately the bottom line is how good is the lens on each of them. That's what I'd be digging into to find out.
My bestbuy has an open box Solo for $260 with extras included, think I'll go pick it up tomorrow
Awesome! That is a great deal!
Yeah - I got the Solo 3DR for $299 with gimbal included, spare battery, and spare set of blades. Crazy.
Picked it up at BB too for 299 w/ gimbal and extras. Why not!!!!??
I got an open box (note: upon opening it, had never been taken out of box) 3DR Solo for $259 ,along w/ an extra battery, gimbal, and extra blades. (@ BestBuy), went back next day and got 3 more blade packs, for $15 (25% off = $5 ea w/ 3 accessories), then wanted the backpackfound an open box on the backpack for $51 and got 2 more batteries, price matched with Fry's $42 ea, then got the $25% off for buying 3 accessories together again. So a grand total investment of about $430 incl tax
Note: they are back up to $450 for the Solo @ BestBuy, glad I caught the special pricing !!!
I got a Solo on sale from amazon lightning sale with gimbal, backpack, and spare rotors for $599. Helps that I already own a GoPro Hero 4. Otherwise I would go P4 most likely. Just couldn't pass up the deal!
That's a good deal. Let us know how you like it! And thanks for watching.
Great comparison video, thanks for sharing! I have spent the past few months learning the basics with beginner & intermediate drones, and am now looking to step up to a more higher end device. The P4 has been on my list for awhile and your video has basically sealed the deal. I look forward to checking out your other videos. Thanks again!
Thanks MrChris! Glad to hear you got some value out of our video. Please let us know how you like the P4!
Saw at Fry's Electronics this weekend: 3DR Solo, gimble, extra battery and set of props - $650.
I got my Solo 3DR refurbished from bestbuy @$179.99 last week. Very nice compares to Phantom 3
Great video. But there is very important question about FPV.
At 12:53 you mention that you connect your smartphone app to GoPro using WiFi. As GoPro site says, the maximum WiFi range is 600 feet. And Phantom 4 uses its RC channel to transmit the FPV, which does mean that its FPV range equals to its RC range, over 3 miles, as the DJI site says. If it's true then Phantom 4 has got dramatically better FPV range.
Please confirm or refute my suppose. Thanks!
Phantom 4 no question
UAS DRONE you can't compair these drone one has sensors and the other doesn't that makes a big difference
After sleeping on this I think the fact that people are still comparing new crafts to now the older solo shows the power of 3dr. the fact Dji who has now built 4 models since the solo came out and still people want to judge stands for the power of 3dr...
+Tallguysd haha so true
+Tallguysd - Uh......Phantom 3 shipped LONG before Solo and was actually complete and working (March, 2016). Solo shipped w/o gimbal and not working - didn't even start to work until about late September 2015. DJI has come out with one model - an advanced collision avoidance system - since that time. The judgement is simple - the market speaks.
+Drone Flyers Multirotor & Quadcopter info My my point is why not talk about new verse new!
the only guys comparing the two is this guy. There is no comparison and anyone that knows anything about quads won't argue 3DR is a waste of money. The Solo should be in the $300-400 range.
Tallguysd So you saying that an old drone is $1450.00 is a good buy?
nice video thank you, however you failed to highlight the fact you can tweak the flight characteristics of the solo. You said the p4 is a blast to fly in sport mode but have you flown the solo in acro mode ? Have you used the sliders to give solo the top speed in normal flight ? And the main point of solo is the preset shots for film makers. You may have brushed over this but you should have made a point of highlighting these. The p4 is also the next model up from the p3 but the solo has been out throughout and you don't have to buy a new craft like with the phantom series. Also didn't mention the ability to upgrade wireless.
The dude from 3DR used to be with DJI, but split off after disagreements about focus and direction. Interesting to see where they diverge in terms of specs and users.
Studentofgosset , That's too funny because he's no longer with 3dr, smooth talk'n car salesman !
The P4 is an awesome quad, but the 3dr Solo is very good, and for the money today, it is a good value. With the forced DJI software upgrade that you have to upgrade to, makes flying in many areas nearly impossible. If money wasn't a factor I would by the Mavic Pro. The nice thing about the Solo is, you can do more with it due to being open source.
Thanks i have been waiting for a nice comparison! Now that Gopro delayed Karma its looks like i will be grabbing the phantom 4. Do you know if it takes night photos with longer exposure?
Thanks
+Giant Asparagus yes, it does. Even the lower cost P3's have taken some amazing night shots. Yeah - sad about GoPro and their tardiness....doesn't seem they will be a player.
I would like to add also that your battery that you used for the test on the 3DR must not be very good. I have 8(eight) batteries and every one of them give me at least 18 minutes of flight, all filming. The longest flight I have gotten is 20:19 with lots of forward flight, fully loaded. Yes I was taking it really easy trying to get good slow video and my GoPro was fully charged. I would try a few different batteries before you say the flight times are that bad. You have to give an apples to apples comparison.
And just for the record, I also own a DJI P4. It has some cool features, but when I have work to do, it is either the 3DR Solo or my TriTrooper Y6 900 (w/3DR PixHawk) with the RED under it, that come out to do the work.
i dont know if its worth saying but, at aces deals you can buy solo with gimbal for $998.00US, i know this as im buying one atm, its only one store, so across the board it may be more expensive at other retailers. Here in australia solo with no gimbal is $1700.00AU and gimbal is $700.00AU extra, so all in all it pays to shop around. i have found you vid is very enlightening due to what tou say in regards to 3DR going down the commercial route rather than sticking to the consumer, which has probably given them the $$$$ to expand into the commercial market.
cheers
Lee from land downunder
Timing is everything with all of the upgrades and extras now. Just purchased the 3DR Solo with 2 batteries, chargers, case and axis gimbal, brand new for.........................................$234.00
19:08 regarding the satellite pickup time .... Antenna needs to be modded and you’ll get quicker setup & pull a few extra satellites too. Gets you extra signal with a simple mod. Antenna just needs to be isolated from the circuit board. Many videos on TH-cam to explain this.
Still flying Solo in 2020🤓✈️💫🤙🏽
I just picked up mine and wish I bought 2. I got the Best Buy $299 bundle with backpack and gimbal and this bundle already had the 3way gimbal on the drone! I went straight back but this bundle is out of stock. They are still selling the stand alone kit with a free gimbal for $299 and I'm getting one of those anyway because it's a super cheap way to get a backup of everything. DO NOT worry about the naysayers reporting 3dr is done. These things are full open source and the community is huge.
Got the solo. Had it for 1 week. Awesome vids with the gopro 4 blk. whilst shooting the sunset 2 days ago, it just fell out of the sky. luckily no one injured. drone destroyed, however..same with the gimble and camera. Contacted 3Dr and am awaiting their review of the flight log. Should have waited a tad longer and saved the coin to get the DJI phantom 4. Lesson learned. Too many issues with the solo for my taste. Gotta admit, tho..it looks cool. Looks don't mean squat in the end , though, imo.
Solo camera you can remove gopro to use something else if you don't fly . I bought one for me and one for my son and both of us really like solo
Gopro 2.7k will do 60fps
Solo has way more smart modes then the phantom
the big thing for me is I can take my GoPro off the solo and use it for other shots!
+Tallguysd finally a non DJI Fanboy comment.
Thank you for the informative comparaison video. Great job ! Do you know if any future updates with these dones will allow ZOOM option ( 2X, 4X,6X, 8X ) ? Thanks in advance.
3DR Solo has a deal right now with buying a Solo, you also get an extra battery, so that makes it 1,500 for a total kit, Drone, Camera, Gimble, and extra battery.
I like the p4 but it seems like the solo has more 3rd party support for a bit beyond personal use. Kodak 360 camera, tethering, the new gopro hero 5. To get these features you would have to buy a new drone each time with dji
+Neelma Pratap P3 has support for 3rd party, like a 3D mapping app flitetest used in a video. I do not know about P4 but I assume support will come
+Neelma Pratap DJI reminds me of the early years of Apple. Just like the iPhone... it will be only a status symbol for the drone pilot elitist.
I am happy with the 3dr its a great first drone I plan to use this as starter drone. I have not had any major problems with it. I am using a non go pro camera on the a non moving gimbal and I happy with it. plan to get a go pro hero 4 and gimbal for it in the future.
When he talked about the gimbals, the fact the t props or legs show has nothing to do negatively towards gimbals, absolutely shows the gimbal actually doing it's job! Misplacement of the camera in respect to legs or props or redesign of legs, or placement of legs, props etc. etc. etc.
One minor update to specs.... GoPro4 Black will shoot in both 30fps and 60fps at 2.7k. 3DR actually recommends 2.7 60fps for best results.
I just bought 2 3DR SOLOS, I paid $250 each at Best Buy. I bought 5 gimbals at $25 each. 20 sets of propellers ( two props box ) at $6 per box. 6 batteries at $30 each. I am very satisfied with the SOLO, it flies so well and looks very sexy! I also own a DJI P4 and P3 Standard. I love my DJI's, but the SOLO is a different beast. The open source aspect is really a rad bonus. I do not think the SOLO is dead or a waste of money because they changed market focus. I am guessing 3D Robotics will get back into to consumer market again under a sub company of 3DR. The industrial market is going to be huge and they pay more money then consumers. Right now the consumer market is flooded with crap, but 3D Robotics will be back and they will be at the top with Autel Robotics, DJI and an unknown company. Oh yeah I will be buying the GoPro Karma when it rereleased this summer (2017). If anyone has anything cool or hacks that I can do with my SOLO; please let me know. I know this thing can do a lot and has unlimited potential.
Hey my friend... great comparison. Just a few unbiased suggestions to take your channel to the next level!
1) Introduce yourself to your viewers. Not sure i ever heard your name or where your from? Your subscribers want to know who YOU are... So, help them get to know you...
2) Try to "mix it up" a bit. Your (overall) just too Calm... get a little "excited" now and then. Show em that your excited about what your talking about.... a joke or "pun" wouldn't hurt ya. "There was a young man named Nick... who had such an enormous ****** ! (LOL) ;-) (jus kiddin)
3) Go out on a limb! PICK YER FAVORITE drone!!!!! Don't be "wishy washy" or dance around it. It was relatively obvious that you preferred the P4, so make it a BOLD statement at the end! Tell yer viewers which one to buy!!! (and why you believe they should)! Sure, you might lose 25 subscribers, but you'll gain 50 overall, so the NET increase is in your favor. Your subscribers are looking to YOU for the answer. They WANT you to pick the best drone for them....because they often can't decide on their own.... get it?
4) Copy and paste your video link to 25-30 "drone group" pages on Facebook and Twitter. There are 1000's of FB drone heads out there to tap into.
Now... get off your flabby ass and whatever you do..... "BE BRILLIANT!"
Hugs and best of luck on a successful TH-cam channel...
Jim
AKA: DEMUNSEED
(shameless self promotion) ;-)
+Demunseed OH, AND ONE MORE THING.... "Hang a frikkin picture on that "sheetrock!!" ;-)
dont lsten to that. I'm sick of seeing metrosexual feminine volggers getting "excited" now and then. Your delivery was manly and correct.
+Demunseed *Get the DJI Phantom 4 now with a discount up to 50% from DJI with this link:* click.dji.com/vVchDmDmaNPzASil?pm=link You have to hurry! it's only a limited deal!
+Don Robinson I DONT KNOW DON. demunseed sounds like he can be a annoying drunk at times, not everyone wants to hear some obnoxious drunk rambling on and on, ya maybe spark it up a little but give your honest opinion and if others don't like it don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. thanks a lot.
+dave dec Yeah, yeah, yeah.... "haters" just gotta HATE.... I'm use to it... You guys have a great day. Hope to see ya on my Bucket List America Trip!
Excellent review. Organized. I assume that the Phantom uses the DJI NAZA flight control system and Solo is PixFalcon?
+David Yantis - DJI has their own F/C which is customized - although the NAZA code base was probably used as a starter. It no longer has a removable f/c like the old days. Solo uses Pixhawk F/C as their basic but it's semi-custom for Solo I believe (addition of a 1 GHZ cpu).
At the end of the day he rated a drone (P4) that came out almost a year after the 3dr solo. it should be full of stuff that was not around when the Solo first came out. and it should perform way better then the solo. but the real question should be is it worth the money today to buy the P4 over other drones that still do more and perform just as well for less money. and that answer is up to you at the end of the day.
Great review. I personally have the solo and its been working for me just fine. My buddy has the Phantom. The Phantom does has a better fly time then my solo.
I just picked one up from best buy for $300 including gimbal, extra battery, and 2 propellers. Great deal!
i cant belive how pricy these used to be.. u can get refurbished 3drs from best buy fot 200$ an brand new gimbal for 49$.....i just picked up the 3dr an gimbal an back pack for 300
Have you been able to try the 3DR Solo battery tether yet? The way I plan to use the Solo would make the tether useful in my case. Wondering if since you published this video if you have had any experience with it.
Look forward to your review on it. BTW good video review, thumbs up. My sister just moved to Austin today.
Excellent comparison...you state pros and cons clearly. Thanks.
I think you missed an important thing ! The range of fly ( I have to say that I don't have any of those drones ) I have heard the phanto 4 can fly 3 miles away versus the 0.5 miles of solo but I am no sure, I am just trying to get a drone , it is hard because both look great, I like the idea of go further away for that reason I would buy a phantom but at same time I like the idea of a independent camera because you can update for a newest, I haven't made a chose yet it is making me crazy , Thanks for the video it was very useful for me to be able to pick up my first drone.
Flew my Dads Phantom 2, 3 and 4 and still like my Solo more. My app and gopro make the phantom look antiquated. Since this review has been done the App has improved and updates have made it much better. The cost comparison now is way off. Buy a Bundle on amazon with backpack and pre-installed gimble for 599 dollars. I already had a Hero 3 Silver which works great with the gimble. The price point has been driven down and in my opinion which makes the 3DR a better buy now. GoPro quality is far superior to the cameras DJI uses, but that said the only argument left is not getting the Gopro with the buy. The gimble does appear to be more stable on DJI, but I have worked out the kinks and micro vibrations in mine and I cannot tell the difference now.
Thanks for the comment Robert. Agreed that these kind of comparison videos are a snapshot in time. Agreed that alot has changed in terms of pricing and software updates since then. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!
Very objective and a pleasure to watch
Get the DJI Phantom 4 now with a HUGE DISCOUNT: click.dji.com/M9gs8Vy_HO-V4260?pm=link You have to hurry! Price will rise to 1799,- very soon!
One of the advantages I'm considering with a platform like the Solo is that you can switch cameras in it. I'd love to start a side business using multi-spectral and thermal imaging for agriculture/forestry applications (which I believe they are starting to make GoPro size cameras for this, but not sure if the hook-ups will be located in the same place due to proprietary reasons), and that just wouldn't be possible with a Phantom... as much as I prefer technology on the P4. It's a bummer, but I'm sure that by the time I'm able to drop a couple of grand, something will combine the best of multiple worlds by then. Thanks for the in depth review.
Great point. The Solo recently announced that it will have a gimbal for the FLIR camera which might be perfect for that sort of thing. Check it out. dronereview.com/2016/08/16/thermal-imaging-comes-to-3dr-solo/
Food for thought. I have found a 3DR solo with a go pro hero 4 black, a gimbal, a 32gb sd card (1), and go pro lens hood frame for $1099. Is that price worth it for this drone? The Phantom 4 is $1400. I am leading towards the 3DR because I feel it will be worth it for a long term investment because of the capability to switch camera gear and possibly an up-gradable battery.
I bought the Solo and are confident I made the right choice. 3DR keep innovating and have forced DJI to match their features. Go the Solo - you won't be disappointed.
What about the flight range ?? looks like 800m on the 3DR vs 5000m on the P4 standard.
the 3DR is super affordable now since its being phased out. I think 200$ is the range for the drone alone (new on ebay). Im torn and going for the P4 i think so far.
They designed the solo for upgrades, you can get a gopro in higher resolution like gopro 7 where it goes live feed.
First time drone owner first flight was with a 3DR solo I have no complaints. I watched this video just before placing my order...
Good review. Used and refurb market has the solo for $300 with a backpack and the P4 for $799 the Solo open source community can't beat and will be supported for a long time. A heck of deal for $300 DJI can't be beaten for user-friendly software and support.
Another thing to point out is that if you try to fly the DJI within 5 miles of an airport it will only let you do it in manual mode, with no gps. The Solo will tell you that you are close to an airport, but you can still fly it in any mode including smart shots.
The DJI will not even let you take off unless you are in manual mode.
Now I know ppl will say don't fly near an airport, agreed, but where I live the airport is 400 feet above the rest of the town. So no chance of ever coming close to any aircraft.
+Joel Atkins Just bought a Phantom 4 and I was curious about the no fly zones. So it's as easy as turning off the GPS? That seems really simple... thanks for the info!
+BigPileOfWesley Well it isn't just turning off the GPS, none of the Intelligent flight modes work in manual mode and it will drift and not hold altitude. You have to fly in manual mode( also known as ATTI mode) which means you better know how to fly your DJI as if it were an RC helicopter. So practice flying in ATTI mode, and then practice more, then repeat.
The 3dr is 400 for a full package right now...
David F the phantom 4 has gone down to $799 for the drone and 3 extra batteries
300 now at bb
Thinking I could save vs the Mavic and still get the footage I want for less than half the price! Reading reviews like crazy.
260 now at Amazon (brand new, unopened)... with free shipping LMFAO!
George Costanza bought one tonight with gimbal, 3 extra batteries (4 total), and pack of blades for $410 from Best Buy. Lol. Bummer is I thought my GoPro 3 would work- gotta get a 4 now lol.
I bought a Solo last August - and P4 - 2 months ago. I like P4 a lot better battery flight time on the P4 - P4 is a lot better for start up. IMO the camera on the P4 is better the a Go Pro 4Black. I have serval camera filters for the P4 which I like a lot as well. The controller is a lot better on the P4 vs the Solo. The best thing id the range the range on the Solo is very short compared to the P4. The range was the deciding factor for me in buying the P4 - that said I will probably hang on to Solo and not sell it just yet as I paid a premium for it the price dropped a lot after Xmas 2015 - OTH the solo used proceed will drop a lot in the coming months. The only thing I miss from the Solo is the orbit and cable cam shots - but the tracking mode in the P4 makes up for it.
Nice Video Dude. The Phantom 5 should have those avoidance sensors on the sides instead of just front and bottom. And don't think it would make a difference, but clear plastic blades so not so visible moving fast forward. What do you think?
Clear plastic blades is a pretty cool idea! Thanks for watching - if you find any clear blades for the P4 or Solo, please let me know!
Cool review! Thanks.I also think DJI's gimbal controller is AWESOME..
Just I hope there will be some 3rd party items for Solo.
Cameras may be similar in specs, but the thing is you have zero control of exposure and white balance on the GoPro ... this is HUGE for the professional photographer. On the P4 you have full control: Can change exposure in the air, start/stop the camera as you please, change shutter speed on the fly, switch from photo to video while you fly and there's no fisheye on the P4. Sure, you can remove the fisheye in post, but there's a loss of quality and clarity. Shooting in narrow on the GoPro causes a major loss of quality. As for flying characteristics, you can even see in your video how much more stable the P4 is.
+Matthew Adams Solo can do that all. Did you not hear/watch the video... full capabilities to adjust GoPro setting with 3DR app. I rather be able to change or add a newer version of GoPro while you are stuck with your DJI camera. Yup that's right, Solo is a platform to build on, unlike DJI... you have to keep coming back for the latest greatest of DJI products. Some forget that all the time.
+BigWorm512 While you may have basic controls, you don't have the ability to lock the ISO, exposure, shutter speed. Don't get me wrong, I love GoPros but I don't feel they are ideal for aerial video. Right now, the GoPro is substandard, even compared to the DJI camera (really a Sony camera). While one day, GoPro might release a camera without distortion or obscenely wide views and/or a narrow mode that doesn't destroy video quality with full manual camera controls, but I need a decent sub-$5K flying camera right now.
+Matthew Adams yes for shooting photos its nice to have those capabilities, but not everyone will be a pro photographer and would careless about shutter speed. I rather trade that off to the Solo Smart Shots in a heartbeat... Im more a videographer. Different strokes for different folks. Solo is working with many companies to bring aftermarket add-ons, Im sure a camera company is already developing one for the Solo. Look at the Yuneec H920 its supporting a GH4 "a built-in miniature one that is". So don't think DJI is the only drone company out there.
Actually, as a camera the GoPro has far more recording features. On of my favs is Nightlapse, which is essentially a long exposure time-lapse, plus far other features for recording as well. Wish DJI would have not x'd out GoPro. It was a great pair.
Just got a solo bundle at Best Buy including gimble, extra battery, set of prop. $300. Yes. $300. Add that camera and you have a KILLER DEAL!!! $700 versus $1400 Phantom 4.
No disrespect Mark and this isn't aimed at you, but I gotta get something off my chest... I get criticized for being a DJI fanboi all the time (which I admit to being), but I am so sick of guys thinking they got the deal of the century cuz they just picked up a $300 Solo! Do you really think you know something the rest of the drone community doesn't? These things sold for $1000 plus gimbal, plus camera, plus extra batteries, just a matter of months ago... now their prices got slashed to a fraction of that ($260 at time of this writing). If they were such a great deal, all the guys who actually know something about drones (there are a lot of them) would have grabbed 3 or 4 each at that price, and they'd be all snatched up by now. But, they are still in stock everywhere (BB, Amazon, BH, eBay) for a reason! Because they're a POS!! It may seem like a killer deal, but that's on the surface only. Sure the P4 is twice the price, but if you consider it's features, functions, relevance, gimbal stability, IR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, GPS system, picture quality (Solo isn't even compatible with the newest GoPro Hero5, but regardless), control range, video transmission range, flight performance, hover stability, speed, flight time, its more than twice the drone! So, the Phantom4 is still the better deal; with the real killer deal being the Phantom 3 Standard... only $400... and still a better drone than the Solo!
Anyways Mark, I hope that didn't offend you, it wasn't meant to. At the end of the day, we're all in this together and are for the same cause, I really do hope you got one of the good ones (they do exist) and enjoy your new drone!
I have them both and i agree to 99% of this review. I personally like the phantom 4 camera quality better then gopro, but i like to do photos more then videos and p4 have better cameracontroll from the app and iso all the way down to 100 . The range is also wery different on this quads, i can go 600-800m on my solo while i have been out 5000m with phantom 4. The solo have mods that phantom dont have, like manual and acro and the smartmodes is wery easy to use. But as you also experienced, phantom have never any issues while the solo is more unstable, the image get lost and reconnect often and somtime my gps is lost and it goes to manual flightmode. I hope 3dr get back in the game and releese some hardware updates so it get closer or better then phantom again, its not healty for the drone marked if one brand dominate too much and competition between brands is healty for all of us.
+Lars Martin Tangen Great comment! I wish all these DJI fanboys can understand that, Well said!
Are the DJI 1045 props interchangeable with the 3DR 10 x 4.5 props? Also nobody has done a video or given instructions on the multitude of apps needed and order to start them to run the camera and flight program. The Gimbal won't let me manually record.
Solo was on sale fer $299.99 with free spare batt, gimbal, 2 props at Best Buy. Got one last nite & went to get another one today. But sale ended yesterday. Dat sux!!!
Well done sir. I'm on my second DJI quad. 1st the P1 and now the P4. I agree about the camera. The integration on the P4 is very seamless. The gimbal and GoPro has been good, but I think there are
some issues with stability and certainly the fish eye effect. Also I used the video transmitter on the P1 and always had some drop out issues. Using lightbridge is a way better system for video and control. The DJI Go app has been great. Lots of options for the beginner as well as the Pro pilot. Tap to fly and auto track as well as the POI options really bring the P4 into the world of creativity and out of the uncomfortable place of worrying about stability and drift. I also like the the DJI flight logs and instal video preview on my phone and tablet. Thanks for a great comparison with the solo. I feel good about my choice of staying with the DJI. Andy
Many thanks,a very well considered and well presented comparison.
Just ordered my P4, I am very impressed with the Litchi app and as I am mainly interested in video photography, the GS does it for me.
You see the legs in the Solo because of the camera vision angle. With a GoPro on the P4 you'll see them too
Just a heads up, 3dr is NOT replacing your GoPro camera when it crashes even though its their fault. That sucks.
Thank you for this video, your amazing. Why does no one else do comparison videos??
+Tony Constance WHY because they are one way street OPIONIATED people and they cant see the good on other drones PERIOD.
Informative, measured and balanced, well done... My company owns a SOLO, it is used for commercial purposes (property/building inspection) and generally it had performed well.Regarding your comments on software stability, we experimented with Mission Planner, just connecting SOLO to this program (nothing more), has caused a catastrophic systems failure in SOLO. This has grounded the UAV.3DR to date have been helpful, however the SOLO is not flying due to software issues, a shame, because in the field it has proven to be a robust and effective tool.
Their is zero comparison between these two drones, maybe you should compare the Solo 3dr to the Phantom 3 Standard, that would be a very slightly better comparison. I didn't hear you mention anything about the range differences, the Phantom 4 will fly a greater distance away.
Thanks for the comment. This video was done right after the P4 came out and the Solo was still considered a player in that space. I agree that today we know the P4 is a better drone...and yes, it definitely had better range!
Good simple, Easy to understand/ No Bull concise, to the point . Information without the gimmicks.
I have a Phantom 3 4K. My first drone. I was an aircraft technician by trade until a disability and miss things that fly. I know it's the cheaper model but I like it so far. The DJI Go app works well. I have both The flight App and Flight school Auto pilot and have had trouble with them disconnecting after the countdown. Any Suggestions?. I always exit the go app before trying to engage one of those. Thanks
I got my 3dr solo with an extra battery, the backpack, extra props, and gimbal for 400. Best buy was having a great sale
I think it's obvious that the P4 will have an advantage because it will have the latest technology/software built in and the 3DR Solo is a year older. A year can make a big difference in the "technology" world depending on the device. From that standpoint, it's harder to compare them equally but he has too because the Solo is latest drone 3DR has on the market so you have no choice but to compare the P4 to Solo when your referring to those 2 companies. I'm sure the next version of 3DR will have a lot of upgrades.
All good points. I don't think 3DR is going to release any more consumer drones. I have heard that they are going to focus 100% on industrial applications going forward. Thanks for watching!
Ahh I didn't know that about 3DR! I love your videos! I have the Solo and so far I like everything about it. Never flown a Phantom but would like to someday. The Inspire looks pretty cool.
3DR solo is now $299 Plus extra battery at Best buy gimbal is only $49 now ... But they stopped making Solo ? Looking for my 1st Drone for Business & Real Estate ... Any Helpful Info. Thx.
well about a year later and prices are MASSIVELY dropping progress and again GREAT job...
170 for a spare battery?? WTF??? i thought 100-120 was a crazy over priced battery for other quads. that's crazy high!
I have one and you've flown several different ones. I'm curious how your comparison would turn out.
Good review. I recently purchased a Phantom 4 and I can say that I waited until the Phantom 4 due to the object avoidance sensors and software. For a beginner that would prefer not to hit something and crash their $1600 drone the Phantom has an edge over the 3DR for now. I am sure that will change with a future model from 3DR. I have flown both drones and they are very very comparable from a flight perspective. I like the flexibility of the 3DR and will probably purchase one in the future.
My Phantom 4 should arrive next week. Really excited to get it flying
you should have opted to get the p4 professional, bro! better camera and much more features along with the safety features too!
I can produce better images from a P3A because I know how to use the settings. You produce some great feedback but need to learn more about camera settings.
The 3dr is actually less then he says it is. I've found it for less than 300, the gimble i've found for 175, and the camera at 250. Oh and the battery 41 dollars
what the range and ceiling on 3DR Solo did I miss that in your specs ? Max ceiling on 3DR is 400ft it sucks. I want to fly something into the clouds.
great comparison with both objective and subjective opinions, i really like your style, direct to the point, thank you and i hope you make more videos like this one
+Ready Set Drone: i think if i have to choose between phantom 4 and 3dr solo, i would go for 3dr solo because i think it has a better chance for update since 3dr solo is a modular drone. And my subjective opinion: the most important part of a drone for an end-user is the software. It would be great if you can review the software of 3dr solo. I think it has many potentials for end-user. Go Pro Karma is coming soon and i think if they could create a drone as good as their go pro hero, 3dr and dij would have a hard time.
what are some of the difference between DJI phantom 4 and Inspired 1, is the camera quality and clearness better with Inspired?
just purchased solo from bestbuy...$430 with tax includes extra batt, extra propellers, 3 axis gimbal, and a dedicated case... think I did well.
i just skimmed through the video but did you mention object avoidance technology? Does the 3dr have that?
Thanks so much for the additional info. I'll be new to drones, so I may need customer service. Since I first posed my question to you about service, I've read a lot of reviews and almost uniformly found that people think DJI's service and parts availability stinks.
+Michael Smith Stick with 3DR and they will help you every possible way. I hear nothing but horrid stories about DJI.
You make a key point at 17:15 in your video why one would want to think very carefully about investing in 3DR. (If) this is true why would I want to buy their product and spend $2000-$3000.... (all proprietary) spare batteries, case, and so on if they are stepping away from the consumer market? I know for a fact that 3DR more recently dropped all of their DIY drones, Iris+, and expensive aircraft. On top of that, they stopped selling support parts at the same time. People spent thousands investing in their products before SOLO came along and now.....no parts support..all are discontinued. You crash, it's a very expensive paper weight. Defunct model parts that are left over on ebay, amazon, forums are all but drying up too. I can only imagine (based on past history) they would do the same for the SOLO and leave customers hanging out to dry if or when they move out of the consumer market. I can't invest in that business model. I have to look out for my hard earned money. These things aren't cheap! This is just one person's opinion based on experience.
You make some very good points...but of course, dropped support is always a risk when you buy technology products. One advantage of DJI is they are not going anywhere any time soon! Thanks for watching!
Did you mention collision avoidance features on the Phantom? BIG plus imho...
You are 100% right. The obstacle avoidance is huge - both on the P4 and the Mavic. Thanks!
they have a 3dr kit on Amazon for 400 bucks, never had a drone, seems inviting.