Awesome review John.. Look forward to your next drone review. I’ve been researching more about drones and the Exo Cinemaster 2 appears sturdy, but would like to see its reliability in the long run💜
I'll let you know. I'm about to fly a lot more, since its warming up where I'm at... and I'll let you know. So far, my only complaint is a lag in video transmission. I think it has to do with the way that it stabilizes video, electronically.
I'd love to hear your thoughts when you start using it, George. Don't forget to pair it, and go through all of the geomagnetic calibration, and GPS signals. There's a lot in there. Don't skip steps! Hope to see your video.
@@johnabbottphotography I love it! The battery life is phenomenal!! I got roughly 28 minutes in one flight! Very easy to operate. Video quality is very good! Overall, very satisfied with the EXO Cinemaster 2 purchase!!
@@devildog1073 Cool. Keep flying safe, sir. I haven't flown more than 10 to 12 minutes at a time, just because I never want to push it. But I love that you're getting the maximum out of your flights!
Wow John, thanks so much for the great review! Love how you compared it to the Deerc D15 drone. What a difference! We'd love to share this on our Facebook page if you're cool with that! Let us know 😎 You rock! 🚀🦅
Completely. I hope you take my thoughts into consideration. You make a great product. Just shot with it today (I'll be posting it later). Can't wait to see what you guys have up your sleeves, and thanks for producing a drone with a steady gimbal that I could afford.
What a garbage... 1. No proper stabilization of Gimbal 2. The line of horizon is curved, meaning optics = garbage 3. Propellers seen in footage at 90 degrees 4. Instability at hoovering 5. Poor quality image, from sharpness to color science 6. Lens at F...what F does it have? F4 ? Because is damn poor even in shadows, not to mention a possible night footage that probably would be catastrofic. That is not Cinemaster...is Garbage-Master. Sorry folks, would take a MIni SE any time and beat the hell out of this. You are at 10 years distance even from the old Spark, not to mention old Autel EVO1 or Mavic Air 1.
@@geodrone7643 "What a garbage"? What? "2. The line of horizon is curved, meaning optics = garbage" I've been a photographer for roughly 30 years. Literally ANY line or horizon is going to be curved with a very wide angle lens at an angle to the horizon. You genuinely don't know what you're talking about, optics wise. "Poor quality image, from sharpness to color science" This isn't a sentence. I don't know what the intention of this was, but its not informing people of anything.
@@geodrone7643 "4. Instability at hoovering" I think you meant hovering? Anyone who believes this just needs to go to 7:44 in the video. The only thing moving is the bike. The drone is hovering rock steady, and yeah, I was impressed. I don't know if this is a different drone company, or just that TH-cam person who wants to argue. I don't mind someone having a different POV, or any valid criticism of this drone. But I genuinely disproved what you wrote inside of the video.
@@geodrone7643 Hey! If you ever have any questions about our drones, please feel free to reach out to us personally and we'd be happy to answer any and all of your questions 😇 We truly value your opinion and, although we disagree (as do our customers), your opinion is valid and you're free to stand by it. Let us know if you have any questions, our live chat operates daily from 9AM to midnight EST! Have a great day. 💪🏼
Nice review and the video quality from the drone is excellent. I’m also impressed that you got your part 107 license and have only two drones. I just got my second drone and obtained my TRUST certificate. Part 107 will come but it’s a while out. Thank you for your video.
Ha! I'm already looking at other drones, but honestly, I'm good with what I have now. The D15 was a great drone to learn how to fly on. Having said that, I'm really glad I bought the Cine2. Also, since its winter here in Chicago, my flying days are limited. Can't wait for spring/my next trip. I like that the EXO is portable enough that I can fit it in my carry-on baggage (that is a positive of the folding props). Thanks for dropping by. Keep tuned. I'm going to start on a Part 107 primer in the next week or so. Writing my script for the first part since I don't want any incorrect facts.
I have a Mavic Pro and a EVO II 8K and a Bebop 2 but it's lost in my garage. I'm looking for something decent for my son's 13th birthday that's not expensive if he wants to learn to fly as it's the legal requirement for age and I do have my FAA107 as well. This seems pretty decent, almost as good as the original Mavic Pro for the image quality but maybe I'll get one. Also you earned a sub today, if you don't have your email on the contact page I would recommend adding it as when you grow on YT it'll be how sponsors will find you. Does EXO have Geo flight restrictions?
Thanks! And thanks for the suggestions! I haven't run into flight restrictions within the program itself, or the drone... but then I always run B4Ufly before I even begin. EXO's support team seems pretty great. When I had a question a while back, they were with me the next day. Its part of the reason why I like them a lot. So toss them any questions you have. I think they are running a promo this weekend, so try that as well, and let me know what you think. There's a ton of drone companies competing for air right now. DJI seems to be stepping up their game even more. Its going to get crazy interesting. Thanks for the sub! Part 107 material is coming up, very soon, if your son wants to learn (for when he's old enough to take the test himself.)
I was going to buy the ExO Blackhawk, but they are sold out and should have blackhawk 2 coming soon....so in the meantime I bought-just arrived today, will test it tmrw- the Cinemark2....Hoping to get comfortable with it so I can film my prescribed burn in my woods on my ranch later this month.... Thanks for the review and tips. BWC
No problem Bruce! Please share your thoughts after you've had a chance to play with it, and don't forget to: 1) Remove all of the tags 2) put down the legs 3) add a SD card that's high speed 4) make sure that the switch on the side of the transmitter for the GPS is on
Glad I could help. Buying drones right now is a consumer's nightmare, IMHO, because there are people who know a lot about it but don't know how to talk in layman's terms, or speak in such absolutes that I can't take them seriously. I feel like there are a lot of half truths out there. So my goal is to only say what I know, and to disseminate it in a way that anyone can see it. Best of luck on your 107. In a couple of weeks, I'm starting a series on studying for it.
Thanks! I wanted to compare the two drones myself, and then thought: "hey, there's a video!" I was surprised when I saw the video side by side. But it helps to see the difference in colors, and which you would prefer. I still don't get the guy in the comments who says that there is no gimbal stabilization. He literally couldn't have watched the video and come to that conclusion. And to be clear: I'd love for everyone to make their own conclusions based on what they see, and the video I shot. That's the best measure to me.
Please add your feedback after you do; I'd love to hear your experience. Never, ever, ever take off without checking to make sure the GPS switch is on, and without calibrating it, and making sure that it has enough GPS signals, and you should be good. (This applies for all drones, IMHO) And feel free to reach out if you have questions. Nice to meet you.
This was awesome, John. Thank you! I'm currently shopping for a drone for my next big trip and the Cinemaster 2 is one I'm considering. Thanks again for the review!
Fantastic. Please feel free to share your thoughts if you end up buying one. I didn't know a ton about the company before buying it, and took a chance. I'm really glad with my purchase so far. Having said that, I want to learn what others think.
@@NoOverhead Totally. I had clicked on something, and just kept finding their ads. But I was still trying to find out more information, which is part of why I wanted to do as much of an unbiased review as I could for others.
Im actually considering this drone. Im no professional when it comes to drones, but i do have a recreational certificate to fly for recreation reasons. I am considering getting my Part 107 licence. My only concern about getting a drone like this is if Exo is planning on implementing Remote ID to their drones. Ive heard that Drones that support Firmware and app updates will get the Remote ID firmware update. Ive looked at DJI and other drone manufacturers. Although they are probably much better drones, they are much more expensive and I feel that i wouldnt be getting the most out of them because of feature sets that i wouldn't personally use. I currently have the Exo Ranger x7 plus, and after owning it for 4 months, Im already having issues with the Gimbal and the camera. The image becomes distorted and garbled, and it calibrates only 50% of the time, so I may have gotten a bad one. Great video of the cinemaster 2
I haven't had those kinds of issues with the Cinemaster, but I'm curious if they're the same Gimbal design? So far, I haven't seen anything that updates firmware. I know I'm going to sound like "that guy", but get the part 107 if you fly a lot. I swear to you that on at least 3 occasions, the process of getting my license had taught me something that may have saved my drone from getting damaged, or me from doing something foolish. Beyond that, there are certain aspects of flying that it helps you with. It also helped me understand what was going on while storm chasing, because I had studied up on weather before running into the EF4 that I shot video of. (Not with my drone, unfortunately.)
@John Abbott Thanks for the information. I do fly my drone for only about 40 minutes a day "mostly weekends", but yes that could be a long time of flying. I also had someone ask me if I could fly my drone and take videos and pictures to promote his business online. I told him that I do believe that requires me to get a Part 107 license to do that legally. When I look at both drones, I do not believe that they both have the same gimbal design. The Cinemaster appears to have a better gimbal and camera. Plus the Ranger can only record at 1080p at 25fps, and The video quality is similar to your D15 video footage, but it doesn't do very well when recording towards the sun. I found a post that Exo will not be implementing Remote ID into their current line up of drones, but will include it in their newer models. Their current models, they will have a link soon to be able to get one, so I suppose that helps.
Congratulations on a good video and good view count. Great review. I prefer DJI drones but always interested in others.Looks like they tried to replicate the Mavic air 2 with that EXO drone. Awesome video. TY for sharing. Fully watched and enjoyed.Thumbs up. New Subscriber
Thanks! I haven't tried it yet, but EXO recently came out with a mini that is supposed to compete with the newest DJI. Its peaked my interest. In the meantime, thanks for the subscribe!
Excellent review John - thanks for that. Would you mind doing a review of the controller? I am curious as to the application used in conjunction with my phone or mobile device. I'm leaning in to pull the trigger on this drone or one of its family members, so in order to avoid buyers' remorse, I wanted to pick your brain first. Thanks again! ~ Eugene
I feel like the App they recommend, X-Drone, is better than the App I've used for my Deerc (M RC Pro). As I mentioned in the review, the controller is the same as the Deerc D15; it seems to be a standard controller on a lot of drones. My two biggest complaints about the controller are: 1) I don't like the thing that holds your phone. You have to pull it out and flip it up. If you have a larger phone, your phone can get in the way of the buttons that are on the top of the controller (the take off/landing button on the left, and the button on the right that toggles between tripod mode and high speed mode). You can still reach it. Its just not easy. 2) The phone holder - like all of the phone holder's I've found - doesn't grip the phone well. I have to take off my phone's case in order for it to work. On the positive side, I did an asinine thing and lost my transmitter. EXO sells replacement transmitters for (what I consider) a pittance. th-cam.com/video/AgeGBqPRZAw/w-d-xo.html Last thing you need to know: There's a lag between the video on the drone and what you see on your phone. From what I've seen, this happens on everything but high end drones and/or drones that use a analog link to a dedicated headset. I'm guessing the lag is less if you have a high end phone, because its all about processing the information from the drone. I own a Samsung 7. :(
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks for that! I’m watching a bunch of others reviews and am getting more comfortable with my purchasing decision. Did you happen to do a distance test by chance? If so, when did you lose connection? I’m okay with staying within 1K because much of the work I do is LOS anyways, but I was just wondering what you found to be the limits. What’s advertised isn’t always what’s realistic.
@@johnabbottphotography lmao lol lulz, I had no idea that they had decent American drones, but for the price I paid, I still got the best bang for buck, but those exo drones are pretty good for the money, I checked out the website, I hope exo beats dji soon, I prefer American 1st products if I can help it... I try to buy locally and American made when possible...
@@Omnar_Goldmane_RGLH Got it! I'd love it if they were American made, but I don't think they are. I've yet to run across any American made drones. Glad you like your DJI. At some point in time, I hope to compare and see what the major differences are. DJI has the advantage of being one of the first, and I think they're innovating well from what I can see.
Yes. I believe that Deerc is the same company as Holy Stone, although I can't find any official confirmation of this. If anyone knows, please throw in. As far as EXO having the same controller, I found that a few different drone companies seem to use that same one.
Can't inderstand the price point for the EXO drones. The Blackhawk 2 pro 3 battery package is $1118.00. The DJI Air 2s fly more package is only $1299.00. Not much difference. Why would you buy an EXO over the Air 2s? Most people will not.
I would love to see a comparison between the two, particularly a video 1:1 comparison. The DJI supposedly has a better video resolution, but it appears as though the EXO *might* have a larger CMOS. (Its hard to find the exact specs of the CMOS both are using.) The DJI has a CMOS with an effective Pixels of 20 MP, and indicates that it has a 1" sensor. The EXO has a 1/1.3 Inch CMOS Sensor, and I'm having trouble finding out more info on that. According to the stats, the DJI 2 has a f/2.8 lens and the EXO has a f/1.85 lens, giving the EXO a little bit more than a full stop worth of light. On paper, the EXO has 200mbps Max Bitrate, and the DJI has a 150mbps bit rate. All of this is on paper. And if there is one thing I've learned from 30 years of photography... its never trust the stats. Trust the image.
The X7 ranger plus usa edition sucks when it comes to video quality it skips and has alot of jello! Definitely not what the commercial demonstrates! I got suckered in and bought it I thought the 3 axis gimbal would be decent but the camera quality sucks very bad!! It's a 150$ drone at best!! U get what you pay for!! Buy DJI And u will see!! But u did a awesome review!! Thanks
John, I bought a Cinemaster 2 after watching several reviews including yours. I wonder if you have experienced problems with the remote phone holder keeping your phone secure? And if you have used any modifications to it to secure the phone and maybe a sunshade for the glare?
Hey Tom: I did buy a sunshade for my phone. My phone is a Samsung 7, and although it was 'bright' at the time, it can't compete with bright sunlight. (I'm also not used to bright sun, since I work in front of my computer so much.) This is the one I bought. You need one that's the proper length of your phone. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0774KL2Y5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 As far as it slipping out of the phone holder? Yeah, I never did like the phone holders on Transmitters. I realized when you wrote that, that I never mentioned it because its the same style of transmitter as the D15, my previous drone. Having said that? I never met a phone holder that I've liked. Its a real janky way to work. I'd much rather have an included screen on any transmitter. Unfortunately, that seems to immediately raise the overall cost of a drone.
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks for the reply John. I ordered a sunshade with an adapter phone/tablet holder. I got them both yesterday. I'm not sure if my sunshade is too big but I think if needed, I might be able to trim it some. I haven't really been able to get everything set because the adapter won't stay securely in the remote's phone holder either. I had hoped it wouldn't utilize the same worthless phone holder. I'm trying to get more details from people that like the adapter to make sure I have it on correctly but I am thinking about super gluing it, especially on the bottom groove of the remote holder which will mean it won't fit in the case. But I have a Ruko Drone case from my first drone that is 40 feet deep in Lake Of The Ozarks!! :-( So, even though it would be inconvenient to have two cases, I can keep the permanently glued remote in a case that I can always keep other things in as well. I will be exhausting all possibilities before making the glue job though.
@@tntsher Now I want to hear the Ozark-lost-drone story. I bought an adapter, but I don't trust myself to use it, yet. When the weather gets a little bit better, I plan on flying a LOT, and that's one thing I plan on testing out. You probably know this already, but the phone holder angles out a little bit until you hear a click. It helps it stay in place a little bit better. I think a lot of these problems are going to be worked out on subsequent drones, since I have two drones from two different companies that have the same transmitter. Keep me in the loop about what works for you.
Hey Landon; do you mean the shape, the type of plastic, or the thickness? I agree that style-wise, DJI has the jump on most other drones. Its basically the Apple of drones.
Hey Merv; I haven't tried the auto track yet. I've never found a real use for it. I know that some people love it, but the only time I would want my drone to "follow" me for a cool looking shot is if I didn't have the remote in my hand. And obviously, you need to have the remote in your hand for it to follow you. As far as the obstacle avoidance? The Cinemaster 2 only has the front looking avoidance. I won't trust obstacle avoidance on something that flies until they can get it working reliably in a $50,000 car. When I earned my Part 107 license, I felt a strong sense of responsibility for always knowing where my drone was. I don't plan on testing obstacle anymore than I would test a full sized plane with obstacle avoidance. I'm reminded of a rental car that I used that gave me false warnings when I would try to change lanes. A great idea in theory... but until it works reliably on cars?
I do notice that the lens has a noticeable amount of distortion, especially when panning. Looks like a fish-eye effect and makes you nauseus to watch for too long. Pretty disappointing for what would otherwise be a great budget drone.
As I wrote in another thread, the lens in the EXO Cinemaster 2 has a 120° angle of view. That's equivelent to a 10-12mm lens. That puts it really close to a fish-eye lens. I don't get the nauseating effect you're speaking of, but you're certainly entitled to your opinion.
@@JoelsterG4k At 5:47, are you talking about the cut? Because right before the cut, I was turning the drone. (I just noticed it now) On the shot at 8:16, I think you're seeing the effects of a slower shutter speed because its low light. It was gusty on the sunny day (I mentioned that in the end), but I'm not getting the wobble that you're speaking of. My experience is about 30 years of photography. The first footage that I had seen in low light at around 7:44, everything is rock steady. It impressed the crap out of me. It still does. I think that if there was a wobble issue, it would be completely apparent there. Having said all of that, I'll keep looking. I'm posting some footage later today. Let me know if you see it there. And yeah, it was starting to get windy with the footage I'm posting later. The drone was fighting to stay on course.
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks, Im thinking on getting this drone, it is on sale right now but there is hardly any footage available, thank you for your videos.
Sorry I missed this when you originally posted it. You pulled the card from the drone, yes? If you did, and its in 720p, go through the steps of turning your drone on, and check the settings in whatever app you're using. You can change some of the settings of the drone, depending on your app. It might have somehow been set to a lower resolution. My files are 3840 x 2160. The two biggest issues I've currently having with them is: 1) my actual monitor isn't set to that high of a resolution 2) my graphics card is older, and there is no software update available. Ugh. Let me know if you still need help.
You can adjust it vertically, up and down, on the phone. I haven't tried to control anything from the APP beyond setting the return to home functions. (I adjust them differently if I'm around really high objects.) Beyond that, the gimbal seems to be pretty steady, IMHO, based on the test I did in the video. I was impressed by how level the video stayed while I was rocking it left and right. There's a LOT of times where I slam on the brakes with the drone, and the video remains where it was to the horizon.
Hey Raul; I think this is the current one I'm using. www.microcenter.com/product/626486/micro-center-premium-128gb-microsdxc-card-uhs-i-flash-memory-card-c10-u3-v30-a1-micro-sd-card-with-adapter
@@johnabbottphotography Yes, the FAA license #. I just saw that it needs to be "displayed on the outside of the drone." I just got the Cinemaster 2 last week and am super excited to use it. It might be a cool idea for a video to explain all of these FAA rules and how to easily navigate them to us noobs. I had no idea it was like this until after I received my drone.
@@avalanchecannon7911 You're right, and I'll get on that. Thanks! I hope you like the Cine2 as much as I have. The weather where I live is just getting warm enough to fly again, and I just pulled it back off of the shelf to check my battery. Remember to always check your GPS switch on the side of the transmitter, and don't fly until you have at least 8 signals on your GPS. Fly safe.
I've heard ppl compare it to other drones. My immediate observation on entering the world of drones is that there seems to be a lot of - say - overlap between different drone companies.
No, it doesn't. Most drones don't, until you get into the truly high-end drones. The EXO has a lens with a 120 degree angle. Its considered a super-wide if you were comparing it to a 35mm lens.
@@pneumaticfanatic7835 Cool. Yeah, I'm not a fan of digital zooms. They don't create more pixels, but just interpolate what's already there. Glad you found what you like.
I agree that it's incredibly annoying, but I think having to do it all the time is better than having to look for a reminder when you move more than 30 miles away from your last flight. The DJI Mini 2 has you perform this under certain circumstances, all depending on how far you are away from your last flight. I think being in the habit of correcting your compass constantly is pretty useful considering how important it is to get your drone back to where it started. th-cam.com/video/IDMTwVG5aK8/w-d-xo.html
Awesome review John.. Look forward to your next drone review. I’ve been researching more about drones and the Exo Cinemaster 2 appears sturdy, but would like to see its reliability in the long run💜
I'll let you know. I'm about to fly a lot more, since its warming up where I'm at... and I'll let you know. So far, my only complaint is a lag in video transmission. I think it has to do with the way that it stabilizes video, electronically.
the camera on this captures the sunset beautifully
Just bought one, waiting for it to get here. Great review! Thanks
I'd love to hear your thoughts when you start using it, George. Don't forget to pair it, and go through all of the geomagnetic calibration, and GPS signals. There's a lot in there. Don't skip steps!
Hope to see your video.
@@johnabbottphotography I love it! The battery life is phenomenal!! I got roughly 28 minutes in one flight! Very easy to operate. Video quality is very good! Overall, very satisfied with the EXO Cinemaster 2 purchase!!
@@devildog1073
Cool. Keep flying safe, sir. I haven't flown more than 10 to 12 minutes at a time, just because I never want to push it. But I love that you're getting the maximum out of your flights!
@@johnabbottphotography thank you sir!
This is a great review. Thanks, John.
Wow John, thanks so much for the great review! Love how you compared it to the Deerc D15 drone. What a difference! We'd love to share this on our Facebook page if you're cool with that! Let us know 😎 You rock! 🚀🦅
Completely.
I hope you take my thoughts into consideration.
You make a great product. Just shot with it today (I'll be posting it later). Can't wait to see what you guys have up your sleeves, and thanks for producing a drone with a steady gimbal that I could afford.
What a garbage...
1. No proper stabilization of Gimbal
2. The line of horizon is curved, meaning optics = garbage
3. Propellers seen in footage at 90 degrees
4. Instability at hoovering
5. Poor quality image, from sharpness to color science
6. Lens at F...what F does it have? F4 ? Because is damn poor even in shadows, not to mention a possible night footage that probably would be catastrofic.
That is not Cinemaster...is Garbage-Master.
Sorry folks, would take a MIni SE any time and beat the hell out of this.
You are at 10 years distance even from the old Spark, not to mention old Autel EVO1 or Mavic Air 1.
@@geodrone7643
"What a garbage"?
What?
"2. The line of horizon is curved, meaning optics = garbage"
I've been a photographer for roughly 30 years.
Literally ANY line or horizon is going to be curved with a very wide angle lens at an angle to the horizon.
You genuinely don't know what you're talking about, optics wise.
"Poor quality image, from sharpness to color science"
This isn't a sentence.
I don't know what the intention of this was, but its not informing people of anything.
@@geodrone7643
"4. Instability at hoovering"
I think you meant hovering?
Anyone who believes this just needs to go to 7:44 in the video. The only thing moving is the bike. The drone is hovering rock steady, and yeah, I was impressed.
I don't know if this is a different drone company, or just that TH-cam person who wants to argue.
I don't mind someone having a different POV, or any valid criticism of this drone. But I genuinely disproved what you wrote inside of the video.
@@geodrone7643 Hey! If you ever have any questions about our drones, please feel free to reach out to us personally and we'd be happy to answer any and all of your questions 😇 We truly value your opinion and, although we disagree (as do our customers), your opinion is valid and you're free to stand by it. Let us know if you have any questions, our live chat operates daily from 9AM to midnight EST! Have a great day. 💪🏼
Nice review and the video quality from the drone is excellent. I’m also impressed that you got your part 107 license and have only two drones. I just got my second drone and obtained my TRUST certificate. Part 107 will come but it’s a while out. Thank you for your video.
Ha!
I'm already looking at other drones, but honestly, I'm good with what I have now.
The D15 was a great drone to learn how to fly on. Having said that, I'm really glad I bought the Cine2.
Also, since its winter here in Chicago, my flying days are limited. Can't wait for spring/my next trip. I like that the EXO is portable enough that I can fit it in my carry-on baggage (that is a positive of the folding props).
Thanks for dropping by. Keep tuned. I'm going to start on a Part 107 primer in the next week or so. Writing my script for the first part since I don't want any incorrect facts.
I have a Mavic Pro and a EVO II 8K and a Bebop 2 but it's lost in my garage. I'm looking for something decent for my son's 13th birthday that's not expensive if he wants to learn to fly as it's the legal requirement for age and I do have my FAA107 as well. This seems pretty decent, almost as good as the original Mavic Pro for the image quality but maybe I'll get one. Also you earned a sub today, if you don't have your email on the contact page I would recommend adding it as when you grow on YT it'll be how sponsors will find you. Does EXO have Geo flight restrictions?
Thanks! And thanks for the suggestions!
I haven't run into flight restrictions within the program itself, or the drone... but then I always run B4Ufly before I even begin.
EXO's support team seems pretty great. When I had a question a while back, they were with me the next day. Its part of the reason why I like them a lot. So toss them any questions you have. I think they are running a promo this weekend, so try that as well, and let me know what you think.
There's a ton of drone companies competing for air right now. DJI seems to be stepping up their game even more. Its going to get crazy interesting.
Thanks for the sub! Part 107 material is coming up, very soon, if your son wants to learn (for when he's old enough to take the test himself.)
I was going to buy the ExO Blackhawk, but they are sold out and should have blackhawk 2 coming soon....so in the meantime I bought-just arrived today, will test it tmrw- the Cinemark2....Hoping to get comfortable with it so I can film my prescribed burn in my woods on my ranch later this month....
Thanks for the review and tips.
BWC
No problem Bruce! Please share your thoughts after you've had a chance to play with it, and don't forget to:
1) Remove all of the tags
2) put down the legs
3) add a SD card that's high speed
4) make sure that the switch on the side of the transmitter for the GPS is on
Fantastic review
Thanks, Tommy! I'm trying to be as honest as possible and help people make an informed decision.
Thanks for the video John, I'm getting ready for my 107 test and looking for a drone and enjoyed your video and information..
Glad I could help.
Buying drones right now is a consumer's nightmare, IMHO, because there are people who know a lot about it but don't know how to talk in layman's terms, or speak in such absolutes that I can't take them seriously.
I feel like there are a lot of half truths out there.
So my goal is to only say what I know, and to disseminate it in a way that anyone can see it.
Best of luck on your 107.
In a couple of weeks, I'm starting a series on studying for it.
Thanks!
Great review man thank you! I have the X7 Ranger looking into the cinemaster 2 .
Thanks, Robert! I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on the X7 when you have a chance. Feel free to ask questions about the Cine 2.
Thank you I was wondering about the EXO so thank you!. The colors do look good!
Thanks!
I wanted to compare the two drones myself, and then thought: "hey, there's a video!"
I was surprised when I saw the video side by side. But it helps to see the difference in colors, and which you would prefer.
I still don't get the guy in the comments who says that there is no gimbal stabilization. He literally couldn't have watched the video and come to that conclusion.
And to be clear: I'd love for everyone to make their own conclusions based on what they see, and the video I shot. That's the best measure to me.
@@johnabbottphotography yes it does. I was pleasantly surprised.
Thanks! This helps a lot! Now I know which one to buy!
Thanks, Ashley! Fly safe.
Just ordered one and this video has made me so much more happy I did! Thank you John!
Please add your feedback after you do; I'd love to hear your experience.
Never, ever, ever take off without checking to make sure the GPS switch is on, and without calibrating it, and making sure that it has enough GPS signals, and you should be good. (This applies for all drones, IMHO)
And feel free to reach out if you have questions. Nice to meet you.
@@johnabbottphotography thank you for the tips I will be back here to comment as soon as I get it in the mail and test it out
@@ClevelandOh216
Just checking back in to see what you think?
This was awesome, John. Thank you! I'm currently shopping for a drone for my next big trip and the Cinemaster 2 is one I'm considering. Thanks again for the review!
Fantastic. Please feel free to share your thoughts if you end up buying one.
I didn't know a ton about the company before buying it, and took a chance. I'm really glad with my purchase so far. Having said that, I want to learn what others think.
@@johnabbottphotography I can definitely say their digital retarget marketing is on point. I see their ads everywhere now lol.
@@NoOverhead
Totally. I had clicked on something, and just kept finding their ads. But I was still trying to find out more information, which is part of why I wanted to do as much of an unbiased review as I could for others.
John, you deserve to be making a living on TH-cam
Well, thanks!
Nice review, thanks for sharing. I am gonna share this on the EXO Drone Owners Facebook page.
I didn't know that there was such a thing. I'll have to look it up. Thanks, Carlos!
Im actually considering this drone. Im no professional when it comes to drones, but i do have a recreational certificate to fly for recreation reasons. I am considering getting my Part 107 licence.
My only concern about getting a drone like this is if Exo is planning on implementing Remote ID to their drones. Ive heard that Drones that support Firmware and app updates will get the Remote ID firmware update.
Ive looked at DJI and other drone manufacturers. Although they are probably much better drones, they are much more expensive and I feel that i wouldnt be getting the most out of them because of feature sets that i wouldn't personally use.
I currently have the Exo Ranger x7 plus, and after owning it for 4 months, Im already having issues with the Gimbal and the camera. The image becomes distorted and garbled, and it calibrates only 50% of the time, so I may have gotten a bad one.
Great video of the cinemaster 2
I haven't had those kinds of issues with the Cinemaster, but I'm curious if they're the same Gimbal design?
So far, I haven't seen anything that updates firmware.
I know I'm going to sound like "that guy", but get the part 107 if you fly a lot. I swear to you that on at least 3 occasions, the process of getting my license had taught me something that may have saved my drone from getting damaged, or me from doing something foolish. Beyond that, there are certain aspects of flying that it helps you with.
It also helped me understand what was going on while storm chasing, because I had studied up on weather before running into the EF4 that I shot video of. (Not with my drone, unfortunately.)
@John Abbott Thanks for the information. I do fly my drone for only about 40 minutes a day "mostly weekends", but yes that could be a long time of flying.
I also had someone ask me if I could fly my drone and take videos and pictures to promote his business online. I told him that I do believe that requires me to get a Part 107 license to do that legally.
When I look at both drones, I do not believe that they both have the same gimbal design. The Cinemaster appears to have a better gimbal and camera. Plus the Ranger can only record at 1080p at 25fps, and The video quality is similar to your D15 video footage, but it doesn't do very well when recording towards the sun.
I found a post that Exo will not be implementing Remote ID into their current line up of drones, but will include it in their newer models. Their current models, they will have a link soon to be able to get one, so I suppose that helps.
Very good video
great review gets a sub we need new blood in this great hobby.
Thanks, Johnny! I appreciate it. Its a trip to be able to fly and shoot what you see.
Great video John! Very informative. 👍👍👍
Glad I could provide it! That's going to be my main goal for all of my drone videos.
Congratulations on a good video and good view count. Great review. I prefer DJI drones but always interested in others.Looks like they tried to replicate the Mavic air 2 with that EXO drone. Awesome video. TY for sharing. Fully watched and enjoyed.Thumbs up. New Subscriber
Thanks!
I haven't tried it yet, but EXO recently came out with a mini that is supposed to compete with the newest DJI.
Its peaked my interest.
In the meantime, thanks for the subscribe!
Excellent review John - thanks for that. Would you mind doing a review of the controller? I am curious as to the application used in conjunction with my phone or mobile device. I'm leaning in to pull the trigger on this drone or one of its family members, so in order to avoid buyers' remorse, I wanted to pick your brain first.
Thanks again!
~
Eugene
I feel like the App they recommend, X-Drone, is better than the App I've used for my Deerc (M RC Pro). As I mentioned in the review, the controller is the same as the Deerc D15; it seems to be a standard controller on a lot of drones. My two biggest complaints about the controller are:
1) I don't like the thing that holds your phone. You have to pull it out and flip it up. If you have a larger phone, your phone can get in the way of the buttons that are on the top of the controller (the take off/landing button on the left, and the button on the right that toggles between tripod mode and high speed mode). You can still reach it. Its just not easy.
2) The phone holder - like all of the phone holder's I've found - doesn't grip the phone well. I have to take off my phone's case in order for it to work.
On the positive side, I did an asinine thing and lost my transmitter.
EXO sells replacement transmitters for (what I consider) a pittance.
th-cam.com/video/AgeGBqPRZAw/w-d-xo.html
Last thing you need to know:
There's a lag between the video on the drone and what you see on your phone. From what I've seen, this happens on everything but high end drones and/or drones that use a analog link to a dedicated headset. I'm guessing the lag is less if you have a high end phone, because its all about processing the information from the drone. I own a Samsung 7.
:(
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks for that! I’m watching a bunch of others reviews and am getting more comfortable with my purchasing decision. Did you happen to do a distance test by chance? If so, when did you lose connection? I’m okay with staying within 1K because much of the work I do is LOS anyways, but I was just wondering what you found to be the limits.
What’s advertised isn’t always what’s realistic.
I recently got a dji mini 2 and have been getting ads for the exo drones, good job bro
I'm not tracking you, Omar.
@@johnabbottphotography lmao lol lulz, I had no idea that they had decent American drones, but for the price I paid, I still got the best bang for buck, but those exo drones are pretty good for the money, I checked out the website, I hope exo beats dji soon, I prefer American 1st products if I can help it... I try to buy locally and American made when possible...
@@Omnar_Goldmane_RGLH
Got it!
I'd love it if they were American made, but I don't think they are. I've yet to run across any American made drones.
Glad you like your DJI. At some point in time, I hope to compare and see what the major differences are.
DJI has the advantage of being one of the first, and I think they're innovating well from what I can see.
Excelente video.. en tu opinión que me recomiendas
⭐ CINEMASTER 2 ó F22 S2... Saludos desde mexico
The controller uses the exact same screen as the Holy Stone.
Yes. I believe that Deerc is the same company as Holy Stone, although I can't find any official confirmation of this. If anyone knows, please throw in.
As far as EXO having the same controller, I found that a few different drone companies seem to use that same one.
Can't inderstand the price point for the EXO drones. The Blackhawk 2 pro 3 battery package is $1118.00. The DJI Air 2s fly more package is only $1299.00. Not much difference. Why would you buy an EXO over the Air 2s? Most people will not.
I would love to see a comparison between the two, particularly a video 1:1 comparison.
The DJI supposedly has a better video resolution, but it appears as though the EXO *might* have a larger CMOS. (Its hard to find the exact specs of the CMOS both are using.) The DJI has a CMOS with an effective Pixels of 20 MP, and indicates that it has a 1" sensor. The EXO has a 1/1.3 Inch CMOS Sensor, and I'm having trouble finding out more info on that.
According to the stats, the DJI 2 has a f/2.8 lens and the EXO has a f/1.85 lens, giving the EXO a little bit more than a full stop worth of light.
On paper, the EXO has 200mbps Max Bitrate, and the DJI has a 150mbps bit rate.
All of this is on paper.
And if there is one thing I've learned from 30 years of photography... its never trust the stats.
Trust the image.
This is much better then the ranger specially the IS
I'm pretty happy with it so far. And yeah, the IS is amazing, especially in tripod mode.
@@johnabbottphotography no obstacle sensors right?
The X7 ranger plus usa edition sucks when it comes to video quality it skips and has alot of jello! Definitely not what the commercial demonstrates! I got suckered in and bought it I thought the 3 axis gimbal would be decent but the camera quality sucks very bad!! It's a 150$ drone at best!! U get what you pay for!! Buy DJI And u will see!! But u did a awesome review!! Thanks
@@akaiphone
I believe just a standard one on the bottom, for landing.
@@CMGOUTDOORSADVENTURES
Are you using a fast SD card? Skipping sounds like a card issue.
John, I bought a Cinemaster 2 after watching several reviews including yours. I wonder if you have experienced problems with the remote phone holder keeping your phone secure? And if you have used any modifications to it to secure the phone and maybe a sunshade for the glare?
Hey Tom: I did buy a sunshade for my phone. My phone is a Samsung 7, and although it was 'bright' at the time, it can't compete with bright sunlight. (I'm also not used to bright sun, since I work in front of my computer so much.)
This is the one I bought. You need one that's the proper length of your phone.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0774KL2Y5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
As far as it slipping out of the phone holder? Yeah, I never did like the phone holders on Transmitters. I realized when you wrote that, that I never mentioned it because its the same style of transmitter as the D15, my previous drone. Having said that? I never met a phone holder that I've liked. Its a real janky way to work. I'd much rather have an included screen on any transmitter. Unfortunately, that seems to immediately raise the overall cost of a drone.
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks for the reply John. I ordered a sunshade with an adapter phone/tablet holder. I got them both yesterday. I'm not sure if my sunshade is too big but I think if needed, I might be able to trim it some. I haven't really been able to get everything set because the adapter won't stay securely in the remote's phone holder either. I had hoped it wouldn't utilize the same worthless phone holder. I'm trying to get more details from people that like the adapter to make sure I have it on correctly but I am thinking about super gluing it, especially on the bottom groove of the remote holder which will mean it won't fit in the case. But I have a Ruko Drone case from my first drone that is 40 feet deep in Lake Of The Ozarks!! :-( So, even though it would be inconvenient to have two cases, I can keep the permanently glued remote in a case that I can always keep other things in as well. I will be exhausting all possibilities before making the glue job though.
@@tntsher
Now I want to hear the Ozark-lost-drone story.
I bought an adapter, but I don't trust myself to use it, yet. When the weather gets a little bit better, I plan on flying a LOT, and that's one thing I plan on testing out. You probably know this already, but the phone holder angles out a little bit until you hear a click. It helps it stay in place a little bit better.
I think a lot of these problems are going to be worked out on subsequent drones, since I have two drones from two different companies that have the same transmitter. Keep me in the loop about what works for you.
My main problem I have with these drones is the plastic it's built with just looks cheap compared to a Dji mini 2
Hey Landon; do you mean the shape, the type of plastic, or the thickness?
I agree that style-wise, DJI has the jump on most other drones. Its basically the Apple of drones.
Het john, How about auto track? How about obstacle avoidance?
Hey Merv; I haven't tried the auto track yet. I've never found a real use for it. I know that some people love it, but the only time I would want my drone to "follow" me for a cool looking shot is if I didn't have the remote in my hand. And obviously, you need to have the remote in your hand for it to follow you.
As far as the obstacle avoidance? The Cinemaster 2 only has the front looking avoidance. I won't trust obstacle avoidance on something that flies until they can get it working reliably in a $50,000 car.
When I earned my Part 107 license, I felt a strong sense of responsibility for always knowing where my drone was. I don't plan on testing obstacle anymore than I would test a full sized plane with obstacle avoidance.
I'm reminded of a rental car that I used that gave me false warnings when I would try to change lanes. A great idea in theory... but until it works reliably on cars?
I do notice that the lens has a noticeable amount of distortion, especially when panning. Looks like a fish-eye effect and makes you nauseus to watch for too long. Pretty disappointing for what would otherwise be a great budget drone.
As I wrote in another thread, the lens in the EXO Cinemaster 2 has a 120° angle of view. That's equivelent to a 10-12mm lens. That puts it really close to a fish-eye lens.
I don't get the nauseating effect you're speaking of, but you're certainly entitled to your opinion.
I notice a slight vertical wobble in the Cinemaster footage, what a shame.
I'm curious: which shot do you see that in?
@@johnabbottphotography I noticed that too, go to 5:47 and also at 8:16 the camera looks shaky, have you noticed more of that.? was it very windy.?
@@JoelsterG4k
At 5:47, are you talking about the cut? Because right before the cut, I was turning the drone. (I just noticed it now)
On the shot at 8:16, I think you're seeing the effects of a slower shutter speed because its low light. It was gusty on the sunny day (I mentioned that in the end), but I'm not getting the wobble that you're speaking of.
My experience is about 30 years of photography. The first footage that I had seen in low light at around 7:44, everything is rock steady. It impressed the crap out of me. It still does. I think that if there was a wobble issue, it would be completely apparent there.
Having said all of that, I'll keep looking. I'm posting some footage later today. Let me know if you see it there. And yeah, it was starting to get windy with the footage I'm posting later. The drone was fighting to stay on course.
@@johnabbottphotography Thanks, Im thinking on getting this drone, it is on sale right now but there is hardly any footage available, thank you for your videos.
@@JoelsterG4k
Sure thing. Gimme a bit. I'm trying to underscore it with a tiny bit of non-distracting music.
How’d you get your video to export in 4K? I record in 4k on mine but it exports to 720p
Sorry I missed this when you originally posted it.
You pulled the card from the drone, yes?
If you did, and its in 720p, go through the steps of turning your drone on, and check the settings in whatever app you're using. You can change some of the settings of the drone, depending on your app. It might have somehow been set to a lower resolution.
My files are 3840 x 2160. The two biggest issues I've currently having with them is:
1) my actual monitor isn't set to that high of a resolution
2) my graphics card is older, and there is no software update available. Ugh.
Let me know if you still need help.
Exo x7 ranger plus
looks like a Mavic pro
Is the gimbal adjustable from the controller on is it don’t from the app via your phone
You can adjust it vertically, up and down, on the phone.
I haven't tried to control anything from the APP beyond setting the return to home functions. (I adjust them differently if I'm around really high objects.) Beyond that, the gimbal seems to be pretty steady, IMHO, based on the test I did in the video. I was impressed by how level the video stayed while I was rocking it left and right.
There's a LOT of times where I slam on the brakes with the drone, and the video remains where it was to the horizon.
@@johnabbottphotography thank you for the replay and info
What kind of micro sd card did you use ???
Hey Raul; I think this is the current one I'm using.
www.microcenter.com/product/626486/micro-center-premium-128gb-microsdxc-card-uhs-i-flash-memory-card-c10-u3-v30-a1-micro-sd-card-with-adapter
Do you have your FAA License number displayed on the drone?
You mean the license for the drone?
I have that on the battery packs. I believe that was suggested by the FAA at the time.
@@johnabbottphotography Yes, the FAA license #. I just saw that it needs to be "displayed on the outside of the drone." I just got the Cinemaster 2 last week and am super excited to use it. It might be a cool idea for a video to explain all of these FAA rules and how to easily navigate them to us noobs. I had no idea it was like this until after I received my drone.
@@avalanchecannon7911
You're right, and I'll get on that. Thanks! I hope you like the Cine2 as much as I have. The weather where I live is just getting warm enough to fly again, and I just pulled it back off of the shelf to check my battery.
Remember to always check your GPS switch on the side of the transmitter, and don't fly until you have at least 8 signals on your GPS. Fly safe.
@@johnabbottphotography Your video quality is great. You have a ton of potential here. Good Luck! I hope to see some more content I can learn from.
It's look similar drone with mjx bugs 16 pro.
I've heard ppl compare it to other drones. My immediate observation on entering the world of drones is that there seems to be a lot of - say - overlap between different drone companies.
does this drone have a zoom function ?
No, it doesn't. Most drones don't, until you get into the truly high-end drones. The EXO has a lens with a 120 degree angle. Its considered a super-wide if you were comparing it to a 35mm lens.
@@johnabbottphotography Ah i was looking at the dji mini 2 has a 6x digital zoom. I will prolly just snatch that one up thanks for the info!
@@pneumaticfanatic7835
Cool.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of digital zooms. They don't create more pixels, but just interpolate what's already there.
Glad you found what you like.
No doubt it's made by MJX..
Its like parrot anafi...
That calibration shit is annoying just like my other drone…
I agree that it's incredibly annoying, but I think having to do it all the time is better than having to look for a reminder when you move more than 30 miles away from your last flight.
The DJI Mini 2 has you perform this under certain circumstances, all depending on how far you are away from your last flight.
I think being in the habit of correcting your compass constantly is pretty useful considering how important it is to get your drone back to where it started.
th-cam.com/video/IDMTwVG5aK8/w-d-xo.html
You get what you pay for.