I refunded mine after 14 days. the image quality is absolute crap. Even when taking shots with manual exposure set , iso locked to 100. on a bright sunny day, and exposing manually to protect the highlights. I saw massive amounts of noise/grain, and the image was just very poor. Doesn't hold up looking at any thing larger than a phonescreen. The DJI mini 4K is so much superior in image quality, and it's only 80 euro's more (and at that comes with the RC) - so i will be getting a Mini 4K instead for my coming 2 months abroad. Too bad, i really love the Neo's size, it meant i could just fit it in even my smallest regular sling bags without issue. No setup time required (unfolding arms and props) but yeah. Image quality is just too poor.
I've flown the Mini series for 3 years. In Contrast I've had this drone for a whole 1 week and It's Awesome for what it is. For the price point it is perfect for beginners. Almost Indestructible. Are you really expecting the quality of a Mavic 3 at £170 (or £300 for the Combo). Get real mate.
You basically only talked about it for photography/cideo. How about flying it in fpv mode or how tough it is. Or the fact you don’t need a controller at all. And if you do need one you can use just about anything. Will that other one do any of that. Nope it won’t.
I’ve waisted 11:44 mins of my life for this negative review and thank you for it because I JUST ORDERED MINE AND CANT WAIT TO ADDED TO MY DJI DRONE ARSENAL 😅😅
No one reads the manual and ok let me just plug it into a Tesla Charger. For a battery that only last 12 mins to have to wait an hour to charge on a charger that powers my MacBook Pro is ridiculous
dude ... its a $199 toy drone. dont expect too much out of this... Stop overthinking and over analyzing this and if u have some money from your channel.. get a mini4 Pro or something ....
I've got a few generations of mini and Mavic. And I'm completely excited about my Neo that is arriving next week. Here's the thing, the most important camera is the camera you have with you, and this is the first drone that can be part of my every day bag. Not even the Minis will go with me everywhere. It's not a cinematic camera. Its for folks that want to share clips with family or social media. There are only a handful of folks who have people who will actually watch their videos on anything other than a phone or tablet. Most people are taking clips and editing on their phone to share to people who will watch on their phone, and it will be easy enough to make great looking footage for that purpose with this drone. And any chance you would like to share your metrics of how people view your videos?
It may do but then the issue is that for a fly more combo with the remote, the 3 batteries still only last 36 minutes. 1 battery in the mini 4k lasts longer than that and is $100 cheaper in Australia for a way better quality image than the neo
99% of people who clicked to watch this and who would buy a $199 drone don't even have a clue wtf you're talking about. I'm a Michelin starred chef and my opinion is that McDonald's food is of poor quality.
My main issue is with the obvious artifacts, and no amount of color grading can fix that. Let's see if they won't release a Neo 2 with a slightly better camera in the not-too-distant future.
bought mine as a cheap practice drone for learning to fly fpv. with care refresh it's a no brainer. you can take risks with it that you might be afraid to try with a more expensive drone, one you spent hours building, or one that wasn't insured. I really only care about the image through the goggles and its great...cheers
Add-on optical filters for the neo. I realise it will increase the weight slightly but might improve image quality a bit. I think you make some good points. Battery charging obviously needs a higher current charger so that's something you can change. Spare batteries would be essential.
Yeah agreed, the ND filters may help but the battery is a big problem. Even with the fly more combo you’re only likely to get 36 mins flight time out of all 3 batteries. The mini 4 k has a was better image quality and out of 1 battery alone you get 38 mins plus it comes with a controller
There are literally a dozen or more fpv quads available around that price that are as good or better than this thing and don't include DJIs proprietary BS
It's a $200 drone. I don't really see anything wrong with the video considering you are shooting in direct sunlight with harsh shadows and varying backgrounds. Most of today's videographers need to read a good book on exposure.
A drone is naturally going to be exposed to varying forms of light. Through shadows and into the sun etc. the problem is, with this one the image quality in general suffers and then as soon as the light hits it, it over exposes everything to the point of being quite unusable and there’s no option in the app to change the exposure. So yes whilst in a controlled environment we can choose and adjust the lighting, outdoors we can’t
I am waiting for gen 2. I own the Mini 2 SE and I think the video quality on that is better. I do like the size and features of the NEO that are clearly lacking in my Avata 2 and Mini 2 SE. I am hoping the 3S comes with the fire next month. Great honest review!!!
Thank you! I am also hoping they release a drone just like the Neo but with a much better image quality. Then it’s quite literally perfect as a blogging drone
For me? For the price... It is nice but needs some ironing. As for easy use to just pull drone and lauch it while on a walk or when lerning your kid to ride the bicycle? It is good. If by firmware they might set zero sharpnes in different place..
Thank you for your honest review. Is good to hear both the good and the bad qualities of the drone. Which other small drone would you recommend with a better camera? Perhaps, one in similar size to the Neio?
Thanks for the honest review. And for everyone who says it's only $199, I would rather have paid more for it, and got a better camera. Great video Mate.
My thoughts are you have me nervous i'm trying to use it for fishing. Sinking it would be cheaper than the mini 4. A pro is the ease and time it takes to set up and capture a spotlight shot. Today was my first flight with the neo.
Charging the batteries in the fly-more's charging hub , i could keep flying indefinitely when using a 140 Watt Anker powerbank in my bag. It does charge a lot slower if you charge directly via the drone. By the time i was done with the 3rd battery; the 1st one is already charged and the 2nd halfway. The charging hub charges all 3 batteries simultaneously. Having said that, i refunded mine on the 14 day mark (DJI official refund period) because yes, the image quality is extremely poor. Even when i locked ISO to 100 and did manual exposure to protect the highlights ? The results were extremely grainy and noisy. This was with the RC; so i could set sharpening and NC to 0 or -2.
i got the neo just to fly it about. I never got it for videos and photos. I mean there are ND filters for it now which is ace and helps a lot but again... I found the neo is more of a drone to just fly around and have fun with. I personally think its ace to be able to fly around my house and places i just couldnt with my mini 3 or air 3. Also im willing to bet on DJI's first gen product (the neo) its more software limitations and the only hardware limitation is the camera... which on their second gen version im expecting quite a step up from what we have.
Ive just purchased the Neo today just for some fun around my backyard like you. I will be using it with the goggles and controller from the Avata2. I have other quads for ripping out in the scrub as I live regional NSW and I am actually looking forward to the Neo. I think it will be a blast with the goggles3 trying to navigate the many obstacle s I have in my yard.
And my honest opinion is the Neo is awesome. I brought it with me travelling and it did it's job. Easy to launch using the preset flight patterns for scenic shots and the spotlight was used to take group photos. It is essentially what this drone does. It not a drone for flying with controller eventhough you can. One battery lasted me the day as I only needed the drone when called for. Back to hotel and it's charging ready for tomorrow. 4K quality? Look my travel shots were awesome and in my eyes and through social media posts, it passed with flying colours. Please recommend another drone of it's size and price that does exactly that but better and I would gladly consider.
Its a noob Friendly Drone and i think it's pretty good at this price point. Its like you are buying $2500 laptop or phone and comparing with $500 laptop or phone or whatsoever. This is what you get on the price point.
What’s wrong with you people? The product is sold as a drone for selfies, not a toy for kids, and the selfies are crap. Period. What you see in the advertising and what you get is very different.
I love mine and it's improving my videos ( I think 😂). I consider it a taster drone, certainly a beginners drone. I ever wanted a drone but it's certainly got me contemplating upgrades.
Very useful and reachable drone for beginners . My opinion is to buy with combo package. Its very good for Vlogging alone and can also use for professional shots for work. Voice recording is an important plus. But i agree about exposure setting and improvements needed.
This is the Mini of the Neo line. It is cheap, the Neo 2 will be much better and a bit more money, but I am waiting for the Neo 3 Pro which will be a great tiny drone. For now, this is the only drone I will fly in the house, or let follow me around like a puppy. I suspect that the battery life will get better also, but 20 minutes is more than enough for me, and I can charge three batteries in less than an hour and keep one on the charger with a power station while I am flying. I think it is a great toy to play with until the follow on's come along. DJI is a master at milking every dollar out of every group they bring out. My guess is that the next two editions are ready to produce now... (I suspect the image will improve when my Polarized ND filters get here also.)
A serious content creator would never buy this due to its low quality. The Neo is just a toy, nothing more, nothing less. It's like a photographer shooting photos with a cheap compact camera instead of a DSLR or mirrorless. Besides, even an expensive drone won't achieve much without good ideas.
At last, someone who isn't afraid to tell it like it is - hope your channel grows because honesty should be rewarded. I wanted a Neo for it's versatility and here in the Netherlands they are immediately available in the stores, but common sense made me wait to see how it was received. Most of the (positive) reviews are from guys/gals who got it for free, but if you do a bit of research there are folks who are saying it's just crap footage. Maybe if Dji allow the user a bit more control of the settings (out of the box - not with additional controllers) it could be improved, but as it is even for the price it is useless. Oh and I'm not a Dji hater, I own the Mini 4 Pro and the Avata 2 and am eagerly awaiting the Air 3s.
It’s good for the price Image quality is very good to post on Instagram etc,but maybe not enough for TH-cam I have mini 3 pro and avata 2,I got this so that I can learn manual mode with this,so that I’ll be able to fly avata in manual and not crash constantly considering its much expensive to repair
I use a Ryze/DJI Tello 5mp 720p still when I go out. For phone quality and sharing it’s still seems to be perfect and amazing for what I do. I’m wondering if I should replace it with the neo. I know the quality of the image is better, but I’m not seeing it in these TH-cam reviews. I’m trying to convince myself to spend the money on a Neo
Budget drone others available . Feature ease of use . Common sense applies and adjust camera settings . I'm loving my Neo , I have others for more serious use .
TY for this review, as I almost ordered a Neo. It is most unfortunate that DJI doesn't allow the Avata 2 with its far better video quality to be used with the RC 2 controller which would permit tracking and many of the features of the Neo. As with you, the poor video quality of the Neo is a deal breaker.
It is $200. I think people are expecting too much. I believe it is awesome for the price. Learn its limitations and use it within them and it is fine. Although being able to change video settings would be a massive benefit.
As a TH-camr that makes cinematic vlogs in the Mountains...For the big shots I use the Mini 4K the Neo is a fantastic bit of light weight bit of kit for them follow shots and a few quick shots... Image quality? Not realy an issue as TH-cam and other social media platforms never pay in 4k...use a good video editor and fly the neo in the correct light situation to account for that exposure problem and you've got a great bit of kit.
Well as you can see from my comments in the video, I clearly disagree. I don’t think the neo is actually 4k quality. It can’t be when the mini 2 se is way better image quality and only 2.7k
@@simplefilmstudios Mini SE 2 also has 3 axis gimbal for stabilization…Neo has 1 axis which I imagine sacrifices image to help with stabilization. The level of stabilization coming out of the Neo is impressive for a 1 axis 135g drone…something has to give (hence picture quality).
Doesn’t help much unless you can manually adjust the settings which on the phone you can’t. In auto mode what people don’t realise that that an ND doesn’t do much.
@@simplefilmstudios yeah, great deal... 😆😆 Spent thousands of dollars on their products 😎👌 anyway, I really like the video quality, as I said on mobile it's just perfect even without color grading 😊 on my 4K monitor it looks worse, but not tragic at all 🤔
@@DroneBenke-Hungary put it on a TV for TH-cam and it’s trash. I love the DJI products and I love the features of the neo but why is the image quality so bad? Like just give us the 2.7k sensor from the mini 2 SE and then it’s perfect
I shoot motorbike vlogs (just starting). I've been looking for a cheap, very easy way to grab some nice B-Roll content. I don't mind about the quality, or even the battery life. This drone ticks all the boxes for me. At some point I'll probably want to get more into drones, but for fast B-Roll creating on the fly, it seems perfect :)
I'm on my 6 or 7th DJI Drone at this point. And I've flown RC for 30 years. This is pretty whiny to be honest. You have to review products with their use case as a baseline. Not what you want something to be. Start with it's intended purpose and review it from that perspective. For what it's intended to do at the price point it's doing it is absolutely EPIC. Nothing short of that. On top of that my kids are loving this thing. Learning on a low cost platform that they can build from. RC has come so far that some have become completely spoiled by the tech that's available to them. Something to think about....
I would agree if there was already technology in the 2.7k sensor of the mini 2 se that produces a lot better quality than the 4k30 neo. Like why not just give us that sensor instead? Then it’s perfect
Unrelated to the actual drone review, but I didn't know you can take back an opened and used drone to JB and get a refund just because you didn't like it?
Where's that golf course? Looks like the place I got married at in Barbados 30 years ago but that's gone now as far as I am aware. Yeah the drone doesn't look good and even though your beef is with sunlight, it looks even worse in lower light, I'm going to go for the Hover Air x1 Pro Max I think. Bit spendier though.
Disagree...my 10yo got it as his first drone. Easy to use without needing a controller/phone. But it's nice that he can use my controller from my Mavic or his tablet
Come on for the price it's a bad ass, kids love it and so do I, it's a selfie drone not a Mavic pro mate, all drones have good and bad points, the price and durability is great and for a little drone it even does a good range test, yes camera isn't great but why are you comparing to a Ferrari..
I just got mine, and yes it really does suck, after updates and trying to connect it to the phone, then trying to connect it to my dji n2 controller which did not connect , i was getting fed up, I finally got it to work with my phone and tried the first flight, I crashed a lot around the garden on follow mode, not my fault as the drone was flying itself,, there is no sd card to plug into my imac, so still wondering how i connect the neo to the imac to download any crash videos lol. I have to say its pants and I shall make an honest video myself on this toy. I have already got quality dji drones , but for the price point and the fact you could just let it follow you on an ebike or walking or running it was a pull for me to buy, but first few flights on going through the house and garden on long follow it struggled and actually crashed a fare bit from hitting leaves branches twig and my back door lol. not impressed so far.
I also am not a great fan of the Neo but... I do feel you expect Avata qualities out of this entry level selfie flyer. Image quality is so subjective.. for instance, I feel your colour corrections are a little overdone.. but that's just me. You do bring up some obvious Neo issues and yes maybe DJI should have taken a step back and really looked at what was on the table... but you never show all your cards in the first round right? I subscribed to your channel because I think you will have a unique perspective on things going forwards. I look forward to seeing more. Thank you.😱👀👍
You are so right about the neo from dji in this times we must go forwards dji is making lots of money on us to give us this shit camara the mini have a 2.7k and it is even better than this 4k on the neo come on? They can do better and stop sucking us its a shane.👎👎👎👎👎😡😡😡
you can't have it all. Neo is a budget drone. It has an average quality lense but you can control it only by itself unlike expensive drone. Portability is what Neo promotes because you can bring it by itself and anyone can use it because average people often sees using controller, calibration, wait for satellites, and other complex process that makes drone flying complicated.
True, it’s cheap and there are great features which I acknowledged. The image quality though in 2024 even for something this cheap should be a lot better.
@@simplefilmstudiosok sorry about that. Thought you were taking about the Neo+N3+fly app not letting you change EV from -3 to +3 on pictures and video.
I don't think DJI made this drone to be a professional type drone. I think they want to make a intro type drone that was inexpensive for all ages to break into the drone flying experience. One that allows you to experience drone flight while still being able to use it in different type of flight modes (i.e....fun, vlogging and FPV). For $199us I don't think you can really compare this to a better drone like the Mini 4 pro but who wants to spent that kinda money if they have never flown drones before?
Yea… agree its not top of the line, but for selfie drone might be a good xmas present. Cant fly it in the US without a controller… so might just not waste the 200.
@@simplefilmstudios - Great point. I looked at that also, but by the time you add the fly more combo’s your up to 4-500 bucks on top. Trying to keep this as just a pop-up for quick shots while hiking, etc. 300 bucks and done. I’m waiting on the Air 3s or Mavic 4 Pro as my main drone to do the heavy lifting. That way I can use the RC2 controller for the Neo too.
@@simplefilmstudios Not in the UK - can only be bought (and flown) with RC controller - about 50% more expensive. But that is by the by - they serve two very different purposes. You can't just throw a 2 SE in your pocket and launch it from your hand
DJI wants to get their hooks into new pilots. Then they piece meal the extra stuff that you really need. Other previous DJI owners have at least the controller. Unless it’s an older controller.
@@gliderrider yeah exactly so you need a newer controller anyway or an expensive controller for it to be compatible. I think unless you buy the fly more pack it’s not great at all
Honestly fair play for the video but to be honest anyone expecting pro cinematic shots from €200 drone should get his brain inspected. People colour grade everything today no matter on which camera footage is made.
I colour graded the footage but there’s a cheaper drone from DJI that’s been out for a couple of years with better image quality. Wait for tonight’s video
@@simplefilmstudios OK. I'll wait for video but you still needed to colour grade it. You were pointing out how you needed to colour grade footage and I'm pointing out how everyone is colour grading footage from every camera no matter isnit €50 or €5000.
Im loving my NEO. Yes, the footage isn't the best, but it's helping me learn both using a drone and colour grading. There's already ND filters on the market. If i had bought thesecond-hand mini, it would already be out of commission from crashes
The ND filter will only help if you have the controller and can manually adjust the exposure. Otherwise the automatic settings on the neo will just adjust anyway like an iPhone would
@@simplefilmstudios why would you fly them that once? What's the point of that? One for quick trips and work bag and the other one to do proper video at separate times I thought that be obvious.
I am always dumbfounded to hear these critics talk shit about the Neo! It is an inexpensive drone ideally suited for new users. It has awesome tech and is so easy and SAFE for use around people. Why are these guys bitching about image and video quality.
@@simplefilmstudios Don’t forget the Mini 2 SE is a 2.7k with a 3 axis gimbal…Neo only has 1 axis which I would imagine requires a lot of cropping of 1/2” sensor picture to achieve the stable footage out of cam. Neo would need all mechanics of SE camera to produce same results (achievable in 135g drone?). You want a social media drone that is easy to use = Neo. You want to improve picture quality but sacrifice some ease of use = SE 2. Otherwise just wait for Neo Pro (coming 2025?).
The great, great majority of youtube videos extol the DJI NEO. You say it sucks. I have been using it for two weeks in every kind of situation and I am very, very impressed. Strange that for a tiny minority of youtubers the NEO sucks. Very, very strange :-)
If you want a rop end experience buy the top of the line drone. There is a place and customer for a Toyota Corolla and a Mercedes. You are being over critical of a great entry level vlogging drone.
I hope it will be a PRO version soon :) I have one like 2 weeks, bought it for MTB it's fun but the crap camera quality is annoying. I would have gladly paid more for a better camera. Also bit to slow. th-cam.com/video/U-O-dfnnBGQ/w-d-xo.html
Duhhh its a $200 drone..it does not have the same features of more expensive units....it is not a DJI Air 3 Pro..like comparing an apple to a brick! If you add a simple ND filter you can fix many of the issues you mention. Plus you can buy more batteries...So in my mind NEO does NOT SUCK...Silly video!
Thanks all for watching, what are your thoughts?
For the price?….For a newbie in drone i am having so much fun with my neo. 😂
I refunded mine after 14 days. the image quality is absolute crap. Even when taking shots with manual exposure set , iso locked to 100. on a bright sunny day, and exposing manually to protect the highlights. I saw massive amounts of noise/grain, and the image was just very poor. Doesn't hold up looking at any thing larger than a phonescreen.
The DJI mini 4K is so much superior in image quality, and it's only 80 euro's more (and at that comes with the RC) - so i will be getting a Mini 4K instead for my coming 2 months abroad. Too bad, i really love the Neo's size, it meant i could just fit it in even my smallest regular sling bags without issue. No setup time required (unfolding arms and props) but yeah. Image quality is just too poor.
How tf did u guys get your neo already i don't get mine until the 10th💀
Bought mine from the store in Australia
@@simplefilmstudios are they out over there already? I'm in the US and and all the websites I've seen don't ship until the 8th or 10th of October
@@chrisguzman7926 yeah been here for 2 weeks
I've flown the Mini series for 3 years. In Contrast I've had this drone for a whole 1 week and It's Awesome for what it is. For the price point it is perfect for beginners. Almost Indestructible. Are you really expecting the quality of a Mavic 3 at £170 (or £300 for the Combo). Get real mate.
Wait.... you mean a 199.00 drone isnt as good as a 1000.00 one? I am shocked i tell you!😂
Waiting on my Neo. LoL
Wait until tonight’s video, there’s one with way better quality for the same price and it’s still a DJI
You basically only talked about it for photography/cideo.
How about flying it in fpv mode or how tough it is. Or the fact you don’t need a controller at all. And if you do need one you can use just about anything.
Will that other one do any of that. Nope it won’t.
The mini 4k is infinitely better in every way expect for durability
I’ve waisted 11:44 mins of my life for this negative review and thank you for it because I JUST ORDERED MINE AND CANT WAIT TO ADDED TO MY DJI DRONE ARSENAL 😅😅
Thanks for the watch time 👍🏼
Use a power delivery charger of 50 watts or more for fast charging! Seriously dude, read the manual!
No one reads the manual and ok let me just plug it into a Tesla Charger. For a battery that only last 12 mins to have to wait an hour to charge on a charger that powers my MacBook Pro is ridiculous
dude ... its a $199 toy drone. dont expect too much out of this... Stop overthinking and over analyzing this and if u have some money from your channel.. get a mini4 Pro or something ....
Mate my channel has 100 subs there’s no money…
@@simplefilmstudios 100 subs too many imo
I've got a few generations of mini and Mavic. And I'm completely excited about my Neo that is arriving next week.
Here's the thing, the most important camera is the camera you have with you, and this is the first drone that can be part of my every day bag. Not even the Minis will go with me everywhere.
It's not a cinematic camera. Its for folks that want to share clips with family or social media. There are only a handful of folks who have people who will actually watch their videos on anything other than a phone or tablet. Most people are taking clips and editing on their phone to share to people who will watch on their phone, and it will be easy enough to make great looking footage for that purpose with this drone.
And any chance you would like to share your metrics of how people view your videos?
Do you think the Fly more combo with remote and ability to adjust camera settings would change your opinion much?
It may do but then the issue is that for a fly more combo with the remote, the 3 batteries still only last 36 minutes. 1 battery in the mini 4k lasts longer than that and is $100 cheaper in Australia for a way better quality image than the neo
did you expect iphone 15 video quality for $200?
When DJI states 4K 30 that’s the quality I expect which this doesn’t even come close to a 4K decent image quality
Exactly!!
@@simplefilmstudios you have the choice to give $1200 and buy avata 2
99% of people who clicked to watch this and who would buy a $199 drone don't even have a clue wtf you're talking about. I'm a Michelin starred chef and my opinion is that McDonald's food is of poor quality.
I’m pretty sure most people looking at an image (or food platter) can tell what is good quality and what is not.
@@MISTERLeSkid I have the neo I have a DJI mini pro 4 I think the neo does what it says on the tin 😊
I've used it as a Tello replacement and i think i may use it more than my mavic mini one as for faster start to make clip
It is a good starters drone and has a fast setup
Serious improvement over Tello!
My main issue is with the obvious artifacts, and no amount of color grading can fix that.
Let's see if they won't release a Neo 2 with a slightly better camera in the not-too-distant future.
bought mine as a cheap practice drone for learning to fly fpv. with care refresh it's a no brainer. you can take risks with it that you might be afraid to try with a more expensive drone, one you spent hours building, or one that wasn't insured. I really only care about the image through the goggles and its great...cheers
Have you tried an ND filter with it? Or CPL for getting better shots?
Add-on optical filters for the neo. I realise it will increase the weight slightly but might improve image quality a bit. I think you make some good points. Battery charging obviously needs a higher current charger so that's something you can change. Spare batteries would be essential.
Yeah agreed, the ND filters may help but the battery is a big problem. Even with the fly more combo you’re only likely to get 36 mins flight time out of all 3 batteries. The mini 4 k has a was better image quality and out of 1 battery alone you get 38 mins plus it comes with a controller
It's a toy drone. Having said that, name a better drone for $200....
There’s a better one, wait for tonight’s video
There are literally a dozen or more fpv quads available around that price that are as good or better than this thing and don't include DJIs proprietary BS
It's a $200 drone. I don't really see anything wrong with the video considering you are shooting in direct sunlight with harsh shadows and varying backgrounds. Most of today's videographers need to read a good book on exposure.
A drone is naturally going to be exposed to varying forms of light. Through shadows and into the sun etc. the problem is, with this one the image quality in general suffers and then as soon as the light hits it, it over exposes everything to the point of being quite unusable and there’s no option in the app to change the exposure. So yes whilst in a controlled environment we can choose and adjust the lighting, outdoors we can’t
I am waiting for gen 2. I own the Mini 2 SE and I think the video quality on that is better. I do like the size and features of the NEO that are clearly lacking in my Avata 2 and Mini 2 SE. I am hoping the 3S comes with the fire next month. Great honest review!!!
Thank you! I am also hoping they release a drone just like the Neo but with a much better image quality. Then it’s quite literally perfect as a blogging drone
For me? For the price... It is nice but needs some ironing. As for easy use to just pull drone and lauch it while on a walk or when lerning your kid to ride the bicycle? It is good. If by firmware they might set zero sharpnes in different place..
100% agree
Thank you for your honest review. Is good to hear both the good and the bad qualities of the drone. Which other small drone would you recommend with a better camera? Perhaps, one in similar size to the Neio?
Mini 2 Se for sure has a way better camera than the NEO
Thanks for the honest review. And for everyone who says it's only $199, I would rather have paid more for it, and got a better camera. Great video Mate.
Thank you 🙏
Then simply buy the other dji drone that are more expensive and better out there. This was not made for you.
My thoughts are you have me nervous i'm trying to use it for fishing. Sinking it would be cheaper than the mini 4. A pro is the ease and time it takes to set up and capture a spotlight shot. Today was my first flight with the neo.
Recommendations are to not take the neo over water but I’ll leave that one up to you 😁
Charging the batteries in the fly-more's charging hub , i could keep flying indefinitely when using a 140 Watt Anker powerbank in my bag. It does charge a lot slower if you charge directly via the drone. By the time i was done with the 3rd battery; the 1st one is already charged and the 2nd halfway. The charging hub charges all 3 batteries simultaneously. Having said that, i refunded mine on the 14 day mark (DJI official refund period) because yes, the image quality is extremely poor. Even when i locked ISO to 100 and did manual exposure to protect the highlights ? The results were extremely grainy and noisy. This was with the RC; so i could set sharpening and NC to 0 or -2.
Yes so you’ve got the package which now I believe is the only way to bug this drone. I bought the drone by itself and it’s not worth it
Wouldn’t a set of filters and the fly more combo sort out most of your issues ?
Yeah but the. You may as well by the avata or the mini 4 pro
i got the neo just to fly it about. I never got it for videos and photos. I mean there are ND filters for it now which is ace and helps a lot but again... I found the neo is more of a drone to just fly around and have fun with. I personally think its ace to be able to fly around my house and places i just couldnt with my mini 3 or air 3. Also im willing to bet on DJI's first gen product (the neo) its more software limitations and the only hardware limitation is the camera... which on their second gen version im expecting quite a step up from what we have.
Ive just purchased the Neo today just for some fun around my backyard like you. I will be using it with the goggles and controller from the Avata2. I have other quads for ripping out in the scrub as I live regional NSW and I am actually looking forward to the Neo. I think it will be a blast with the goggles3 trying to navigate the many obstacle s I have in my yard.
And my honest opinion is the Neo is awesome. I brought it with me travelling and it did it's job. Easy to launch using the preset flight patterns for scenic shots and the spotlight was used to take group photos. It is essentially what this drone does. It not a drone for flying with controller eventhough you can. One battery lasted me the day as I only needed the drone when called for. Back to hotel and it's charging ready for tomorrow. 4K quality? Look my travel shots were awesome and in my eyes and through social media posts, it passed with flying colours. Please recommend another drone of it's size and price that does exactly that but better and I would gladly consider.
Its a noob Friendly Drone and i think it's pretty good at this price point. Its like you are buying $2500 laptop or phone and comparing with $500 laptop or phone or whatsoever. This is what you get on the price point.
True, my problem with it is that they have I better camera and image quality in the mini 2 se for the same price even though it’s only 2.7k
How you spects for 200?
Too much obviously
What’s wrong with you people? The product is sold as a drone for selfies, not a toy for kids, and the selfies are crap. Period. What you see in the advertising and what you get is very different.
100% agree
Is it loud?
I love mine and it's improving my videos ( I think 😂).
I consider it a taster drone, certainly a beginners drone.
I ever wanted a drone but it's certainly got me contemplating upgrades.
@@markmaxharris grab the mini 3 for sure. 38 minute rated flight time and a controller. True 4K30 and 1.7 aperture
Very useful and reachable drone for beginners . My opinion is to buy with combo package. Its very good for Vlogging alone and can also use for professional shots for work. Voice recording is an important plus. But i agree about exposure setting and improvements needed.
If they allowed adjustment of exposure and shutter speed within the app apart from the controller that would be a game changer
This is the Mini of the Neo line. It is cheap, the Neo 2 will be much better and a bit more money, but I am waiting for the Neo 3 Pro which will be a great tiny drone. For now, this is the only drone I will fly in the house, or let follow me around like a puppy. I suspect that the battery life will get better also, but 20 minutes is more than enough for me, and I can charge three batteries in less than an hour and keep one on the charger with a power station while I am flying. I think it is a great toy to play with until the follow on's come along. DJI is a master at milking every dollar out of every group they bring out. My guess is that the next two editions are ready to produce now... (I suspect the image will improve when my Polarized ND filters get here also.)
A serious content creator would never buy this due to its low quality. The Neo is just a toy, nothing more, nothing less. It's like a photographer shooting photos with a cheap compact camera instead of a DSLR or mirrorless. Besides, even an expensive drone won't achieve much without good ideas.
100% agree
At last, someone who isn't afraid to tell it like it is - hope your channel grows because honesty should be rewarded. I wanted a Neo for it's versatility and here in the Netherlands they are immediately available in the stores, but common sense made me wait to see how it was received. Most of the (positive) reviews are from guys/gals who got it for free, but if you do a bit of research there are folks who are saying it's just crap footage. Maybe if Dji allow the user a bit more control of the settings (out of the box - not with additional controllers) it could be improved, but as it is even for the price it is useless. Oh and I'm not a Dji hater, I own the Mini 4 Pro and the Avata 2 and am eagerly awaiting the Air 3s.
Thank you 😁 I ended up taking mine back and the DJI mini se which films in 2.7k is better for sure
It’s good for the price
Image quality is very good to post on Instagram etc,but maybe not enough for TH-cam
I have mini 3 pro and avata 2,I got this so that I can learn manual mode with this,so that I’ll be able to fly avata in manual and not crash constantly considering its much expensive to repair
Agreed. For IG it’s fine, but for TH-cam it really looks like 480p or 720 at best
mini 4k is superior in every way, expect for durability but at this point buy a 20$ drone master it, get a mini 4k insurance costs only 40$.
I use a Ryze/DJI Tello 5mp 720p still when I go out. For phone quality and sharing it’s still seems to be perfect and amazing for what I do. I’m wondering if I should replace it with the neo. I know the quality of the image is better, but I’m not seeing it in these TH-cam reviews. I’m trying to convince myself to spend the money on a Neo
Budget drone others available . Feature ease of use . Common sense applies and adjust camera settings . I'm loving my Neo , I have others for more serious use .
TY for this review, as I almost ordered a Neo. It is most unfortunate that DJI doesn't allow the Avata 2 with its far better video quality to be used with the RC 2 controller which would permit tracking and many of the features of the Neo. As with you, the poor video quality of the Neo is a deal breaker.
100% and thank you for watching
It is $200. I think people are expecting too much. I believe it is awesome for the price. Learn its limitations and use it within them and it is fine. Although being able to change video settings would be a massive benefit.
The right way to play is to fly it as a FPV drone
I’ve seen a. Few people doing this but then all of the quick shot vlogging features don’t really apply. I do agree with you though
Overrated you say ? I have it and it so cheap compared to my mavic 3 pro cine i cant complain
Yeah but you also have a mavic pro….
As a TH-camr that makes cinematic vlogs in the Mountains...For the big shots I use the Mini 4K the Neo is a fantastic bit of light weight bit of kit for them follow shots and a few quick shots... Image quality? Not realy an issue as TH-cam and other social media platforms never pay in 4k...use a good video editor and fly the neo in the correct light situation to account for that exposure problem and you've got a great bit of kit.
Well as you can see from my comments in the video, I clearly disagree. I don’t think the neo is actually 4k quality. It can’t be when the mini 2 se is way better image quality and only 2.7k
@@simplefilmstudios
Mini SE 2 also has 3 axis gimbal for stabilization…Neo has 1 axis which I imagine sacrifices image to help with stabilization.
The level of stabilization coming out of the Neo is impressive for a 1 axis 135g drone…something has to give (hence picture quality).
Some people want a drone that’s top spec cinematic quality for £199
Get real it’s a 135 gramme model to throw around
Go spend 10k on a drone then moan
You know they make filters for this drone?
Doesn’t help much unless you can manually adjust the settings which on the phone you can’t. In auto mode what people don’t realise that that an ND doesn’t do much.
3:16 sunlight problem, 4:30 sunlight problem, 5:52 sunlight problem, 8:15 sunlight problem... you just keep repeating your self man.
Yeah context plays a big part…
I locked the exposure on mine and its alot better
I'm truly surprised by the video quality even in 1080p@60, watching on my phone... It looks amazing 😎👌
Surely you can’t mean that. Either that or you’ve got some kind of deal with DJI
@@simplefilmstudios yeah, great deal... 😆😆 Spent thousands of dollars on their products 😎👌 anyway, I really like the video quality, as I said on mobile it's just perfect even without color grading 😊 on my 4K monitor it looks worse, but not tragic at all 🤔
@@DroneBenke-Hungary put it on a TV for TH-cam and it’s trash. I love the DJI products and I love the features of the neo but why is the image quality so bad? Like just give us the 2.7k sensor from the mini 2 SE and then it’s perfect
I shoot motorbike vlogs (just starting). I've been looking for a cheap, very easy way to grab some nice B-Roll content. I don't mind about the quality, or even the battery life. This drone ticks all the boxes for me. At some point I'll probably want to get more into drones, but for fast B-Roll creating on the fly, it seems perfect :)
I'm on my 6 or 7th DJI Drone at this point. And I've flown RC for 30 years. This is pretty whiny to be honest. You have to review products with their use case as a baseline. Not what you want something to be. Start with it's intended purpose and review it from that perspective. For what it's intended to do at the price point it's doing it is absolutely EPIC. Nothing short of that. On top of that my kids are loving this thing. Learning on a low cost platform that they can build from. RC has come so far that some have become completely spoiled by the tech that's available to them. Something to think about....
I would agree if there was already technology in the 2.7k sensor of the mini 2 se that produces a lot better quality than the 4k30 neo. Like why not just give us that sensor instead? Then it’s perfect
Unrelated to the actual drone review, but I didn't know you can take back an opened and used drone to JB and get a refund just because you didn't like it?
Yeah consumer law says that you can. First they told me that I could and then I called DJI and DJI gave them a reference number for the refund.
I have a mini 4 pro and the neo the neo is so much fun for quick shots and it fits in my pocket I love the neo 😊😊😊❤
Where's that golf course? Looks like the place I got married at in Barbados 30 years ago but that's gone now as far as I am aware. Yeah the drone doesn't look good and even though your beef is with sunlight, it looks even worse in lower light, I'm going to go for the Hover Air x1 Pro Max I think. Bit spendier though.
The golf course is called Sanctuary cove in QLD Australia
I think its an incredible drone .
Amazing vídeo! Do you think the quality is good enough to post reels on instagram?
Yes definitely, small screens and reels etc
Wanted to get one but they're out of stock everywhere. So I bought the DJI Avata 2 combo with 3 batteries. More money but oh well.
A way better choice anyway in my opinion
Disagree...my 10yo got it as his first drone. Easy to use without needing a controller/phone. But it's nice that he can use my controller from my Mavic or his tablet
Wish it was even 450 at decent video quality. Hell gimme usable 1080 than crappy 4k30(allegedly)
Exactly!!!
Come on for the price it's a bad ass, kids love it and so do I, it's a selfie drone not a Mavic pro mate, all drones have good and bad points, the price and durability is great and for a little drone it even does a good range test, yes camera isn't great but why are you comparing to a Ferrari..
I just got mine, and yes it really does suck, after updates and trying to connect it to the phone, then trying to connect it to my dji n2 controller which did not connect , i was getting fed up, I finally got it to work with my phone and tried the first flight, I crashed a lot around the garden on follow mode, not my fault as the drone was flying itself,, there is no sd card to plug into my imac, so still wondering how i connect the neo to the imac to download any crash videos lol. I have to say its pants and I shall make an honest video myself on this toy. I have already got quality dji drones , but for the price point and the fact you could just let it follow you on an ebike or walking or running it was a pull for me to buy, but first few flights on going through the house and garden on long follow it struggled and actually crashed a fare bit from hitting leaves branches twig and my back door lol. not impressed so far.
Yes I agree and I’m surprised that from a company like DJI they were happy to put this out to the market.
I also am not a great fan of the Neo but... I do feel you expect Avata qualities out of this entry level selfie flyer. Image quality is so subjective.. for instance, I feel your colour corrections are a little overdone.. but that's just me. You do bring up some obvious Neo issues and yes maybe DJI should have taken a step back and really looked at what was on the table... but you never show all your cards in the first round right? I subscribed to your channel because I think you will have a unique perspective on things going forwards. I look forward to seeing more. Thank you.😱👀👍
Thanks for the comment and subscribing. Maybe I am expecting too much out of a budget drone.
You are so right about the neo from dji in this times we must go forwards dji is making lots of money on us to give us this shit camara the mini have a 2.7k and it is even better than this 4k on the neo come on? They can do better and stop sucking us its a shane.👎👎👎👎👎😡😡😡
Exactly! The bro camera just cannot be 4k
you can't have it all. Neo is a budget drone. It has an average quality lense but you can control it only by itself unlike expensive drone. Portability is what Neo promotes because you can bring it by itself and anyone can use it because average people often sees using controller, calibration, wait for satellites, and other complex process that makes drone flying complicated.
True, it’s cheap and there are great features which I acknowledged. The image quality though in 2024 even for something this cheap should be a lot better.
Honestly, the footage doesn't look that bad to me. 🤷♂️
hmm. thought I was able to change the EV when filming, but not on pictures though.
Nope 👎🏼
@@simplefilmstudiosok sorry about that. Thought you were taking about the Neo+N3+fly app not letting you change EV from -3 to +3 on pictures and video.
Thanks for the honest review and not the usual marketing script. And I loved the tiny piece of paper for the list of positives 😆
Haha thought that was a good addition also 😅
I don't think DJI made this drone to be a professional type drone. I think they want to make a intro type drone that was inexpensive for all ages to break into the drone flying experience. One that allows you to experience drone flight while still being able to use it in different type of flight modes (i.e....fun, vlogging and FPV). For $199us I don't think you can really compare this to a better drone like the Mini 4 pro but who wants to spent that kinda money if they have never flown drones before?
Yes but DJI were the ones who stated 4k quality. Which it clearly is not. Watch my comparison video with the mini 2 se
I mean, it's not the drone's fault, poor drone and bad dji. He is cute :(
And i do understand it sucks but i think it still looks cute regardless 😂
Yea… agree its not top of the line, but for selfie drone might be a good xmas present. Cant fly it in the US without a controller… so might just not waste the 200.
@@MikeCorrigan1520 the mini 2 se that comes with the controller is much better value but it doesn’t offer the vlogging feautures
@@simplefilmstudios - Great point. I looked at that also, but by the time you add the fly more combo’s your up to 4-500 bucks on top. Trying to keep this as just a pop-up for quick shots while hiking, etc. 300 bucks and done. I’m waiting on the Air 3s or Mavic 4 Pro as my main drone to do the heavy lifting.
That way I can use the RC2 controller for the Neo too.
I’ve been flying for years I’m actually impressed it’s only a toy your expecting to much.
Everyone watching this has already bought it 😂
Probably just like me and then took it back to the store lol
Not sure about DJI Neo, this video definitely does...
There’s better options
Imagina ele avaliando um Nissan Micra pensando que é uma Mercedes 😂😂😂
I bought mine for indoor flights, it’s ok.
Battery’s? Get 5 you have over an hour of effortless footage
Then you may as well buy a mini 4 pro with the fly more combo
@@simplefilmstudios that's very true but for the price its amazing but i do agree if you have the money
Jesus it's like you dont know whats that drone is for
It's $200...
So is the mini 2 SE with a 2.7k image recording and it’s way better quality
@@simplefilmstudios Not in the UK - can only be bought (and flown) with RC controller - about 50% more expensive. But that is by the by - they serve two very different purposes. You can't just throw a 2 SE in your pocket and launch it from your hand
Use a better drone when you need it. Neo is $199!
Uhhh... Send it back!
Sent back
Love mine. Not sure what folk expect at this price point.
It’s a cheap drone that’s for sure. But I did expect better quality from DJI
DJI wants to get their hooks into new pilots. Then they piece meal the extra stuff that you really need. Other previous DJI owners have at least the controller. Unless it’s an older controller.
@@gliderrider yeah exactly so you need a newer controller anyway or an expensive controller for it to be compatible. I think unless you buy the fly more pack it’s not great at all
welcome to the sponsored camera videos on the internet... this drone is TRASH ....the picture quality SUCKS
Honestly fair play for the video but to be honest anyone expecting pro cinematic shots from €200 drone should get his brain inspected. People colour grade everything today no matter on which camera footage is made.
I colour graded the footage but there’s a cheaper drone from DJI that’s been out for a couple of years with better image quality. Wait for tonight’s video
@@simplefilmstudios OK. I'll wait for video but you still needed to colour grade it. You were pointing out how you needed to colour grade footage and I'm pointing out how everyone is colour grading footage from every camera no matter isnit €50 or €5000.
@@eScootTalks the video is out now. The mini 2 SE kills the neo in terms of quality
Im loving my NEO. Yes, the footage isn't the best, but it's helping me learn both using a drone and colour grading. There's already ND filters on the market. If i had bought thesecond-hand mini, it would already be out of commission from crashes
The ND filter will only help if you have the controller and can manually adjust the exposure. Otherwise the automatic settings on the neo will just adjust anyway like an iPhone would
Not really fair to compare it to your Inspire 3....
I have the OP3
perhaps get the available uv filters to help with overexposure..
I have a Neo, mini 4pro / RC2 arriving this week, fun stuff..
Maybe but it won’t help the digital image look
You know nothing about photography. You'll struggle to get good images.
Neo and Air 3 perfect combo
Well not really because who can fly 2 drones at once? That just sounds like a lot of hard work
Actually you can! You fly the Air3 and let the other shit follow you around like a mosquito 🦟
@@simplefilmstudios why would you fly them that once? What's the point of that? One for quick trips and work bag and the other one to do proper video at separate times I thought that be obvious.
I am always dumbfounded to hear these critics talk shit about the Neo! It is an inexpensive drone ideally suited for new users. It has awesome tech and is so easy and SAFE for use around people. Why are these guys bitching about image and video quality.
Then just put the 2.7k camera in it from the mini2 se which is way better quality
@@simplefilmstudios
Don’t forget the Mini 2 SE is a 2.7k with a 3 axis gimbal…Neo only has 1 axis which I would imagine requires a lot of cropping of 1/2” sensor picture to achieve the stable footage out of cam.
Neo would need all mechanics of SE camera to produce same results (achievable in 135g drone?).
You want a social media drone that is easy to use = Neo.
You want to improve picture quality but sacrifice some ease of use = SE 2.
Otherwise just wait for Neo Pro (coming 2025?).
The great, great majority of youtube videos extol the DJI NEO. You say it sucks. I have been using it for two weeks in every kind of situation and I am very, very impressed. Strange that for a tiny minority of youtubers the NEO sucks. Very, very strange :-)
Wait until tonight’s video. There’s an older DJI model that has better image quality and it’s cheaper
If you want a rop end experience buy the top of the line drone. There is a place and customer for a Toyota Corolla and a Mercedes. You are being over critical of a great entry level vlogging drone.
I’m not seeing what you’re seeing. I think it looks great!? Especially for social media. Idk. My opinion
It’s not great quality. Hard to even believe it’s 4k
I hope it will be a PRO version soon :) I have one like 2 weeks, bought it for MTB it's fun but the crap camera quality is annoying. I would have gladly paid more for a better camera. Also bit to slow. th-cam.com/video/U-O-dfnnBGQ/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, this drone is definitely not meant for narcissists...
😂😂 guess and honest opinion isn’t welcomed these days
this review is a perfect answer to why you only have 169 subs. Total bla bla bla !!
It’s a brand new channel…
Think you have missed the point of the drone.
Quality doesn’t have a point?
I have now problem with it , it's not made for pro film makers.
Doesn’t need to be pro just half decent
It was made for pre not pro! Pre school children 🤣🤣🤣
@@fendrou what do you fly ?
Man, did your really think that a 250$ will have the same specs as a 5000$ drones. Come on man think before doing something SAF like that.
@@marctremblay9382 mate the mini 2 SE is older and cheaper and has 2.7k instead of 4K and blows this out of the water for image quality
Nah its s great little drone
It’s got a purpose that’s for sure. Reels and short videos on small screens like IG is ok
What do you expect for £170?? I'm not even gonna compare it to my mavic 3 pro!.....
For the money it has good features like I said but the image quality in 2024 is really poor and shouldn’t even be considered 4K
Duhhh its a $200 drone..it does not have the same features of more expensive units....it is not a DJI Air 3 Pro..like comparing an apple to a brick! If you add a simple ND filter you can fix many of the issues you mention. Plus you can buy more batteries...So in my mind NEO does NOT SUCK...Silly video!