Choosing a Drone – The DJI Phantom 4 vs the GoPro Karma vs the DJI Mavic Pro vs the DJI Spark
Please take this post with a pinch of salt as I don’t currently own a drone. In fact I’ve never owned a drone. That said, I am an avid photographer and videographer, and am in the middle of acquiring my very first drone. I’m also a research ninja and won’t buy anything without all the facts – this includes reading reviews, watching YouTube videos, talking to owners, and so much more.
Ever since I watched the first Phantom take to the sky I’ve wanted a drone, but they were always too bulky (and expensive) for my taste and needs. Then the GoPro Karma was announced and my ears pricked up. And just days later the Mavic Pro was announced by DJI. Suddenly a drone seemed like an option. So after cleaning up the drool I began trying to establish which was the best for me. They were roughly the same price, were of similar size, and offered similar features. And so the research began…
And then, while trying to justify the R20 000 spend, something magical happened – DJI announced the Spark. The Spark came in at roughly half the price, while offering 75% of the features. This extra option made things infinitely more complex (and better).
So if (like me) you’re in the market for a drone, which one should you spend your hard earned cash on?
As mentioned above, it went from being an easy choice – the latest in the Phantom range – to being a complex decision. And while that’s a win for the consumer, it can also be a little daunting.
And so to help you with your decision, here’s what I discovered on my journey. It’s by no means a full review, nor does it cover every aspect of each of the drones I discuss. It’s merely intended to point out what I consider to be the key points of each drone, and to then tie them back to varying individual use cases. I hope it helps you in some way or another, as it did me.
As you probably guessed from the title image, the drones I considered in my search were the DJI Phantom (range), the DJI Mavic Pro, the DJI Spark, and the GoPro Karma. I didn’t look at the Parrots, or the various other ranges on the market. I also looked at the drones specifically for photography and videography, and not for their sheer flying pleasure.
The Drones
The DJI Phantom Range
For me the Phantom range is the range that got me interested in drones. They’re legendary, and they’re great! Both in terms of photo and video quality. Their main problem is that they’re big, and are therefore bulky to transport. They are also relatively expensive.
The Phantom 4’s (Pro and Advanced) image quality is fantastic thanks to the 1 inch, 20MP CMOS sensor. This allows the user to shoot 4k video at up to 60 frames per second (at 100 Mbps). The camera sits on a 3-axis gimbal which allows for silky, smooth footage.
The Phantom’s camera also allows for manual control of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and so on, all while shooting in both RAW and JPEG. The camera’s mechanical shutter assists in the removal of rolling shutter when taking photos of fast-moving objects, or when flying quickly.
In terms of battery life, the Phantom boasts a 30 minute flight time which is well paired with some great flight modes including Draw, ActiveTrack, TapFly, and gesture controls. The Phantom also has 5 vision sensors and GPS, allowing it to however in place, and to avoid obstacles from as far as 15 meters. It can also achieve speeds of over 70km/h in sport mode.
The Phantom’s remote has a built in screen and makes use of DJIs Lightbridge HD technology. This allows for a video transmission range of 7kms.
As for the Phantom 4’s downsides – well, there aren’t many other than size and price. That said, these can be critical factors for many a potential drone owner.
The GoPro Karma
The Karma is the drone that made me want a drone. Finally drones were smaller, making them an option for my travel and fishing videos. They were also cheaper, especially if you already owned a compatible GoPro, as this reduced the price from R20 000 to R15 000.
The Karma’s image quality is good as it makes use of compatible GoPros – currently this list includes the Hero4 and Hero5. What this means as image quality could improve as newer GoPros are released (as long as they remain compatible with the Karma). This is potentially a benefit over the Phantom 4 as the camera can be upgraded at a low price point, rather than replacing the entire drone. I say potentially as it does rely on GoPro ensure the future cameras are compatible with the Karma.
Currently the GoPro Hero5 Black boasts a 12MP CMOS sensor which allows the user to shoot 4k video at up to 30 frames per second. As with the Phantom, the camera sits on a 3-axis gimbal which allows for smooth footage. Where the Karma outdoes the Phantom 4 however is that the gimbal is detachable. This means that you can remove it from the drone and use it on the various other GoPro mounts (the chest mount for example), thereby stabilising more than just your drone footage.
The Hero5’s camera does allow for some manual control – exposure, ISO, and so on – and shoots in both RAW and JPEG. It doesn’t however allow for aperture control, and also has an electronic shutter which means rolling shutter can be an issue with fast moving objects. It’s therefore not quite as good as the Phantom’s camera.
In terms of battery life, the Karma boasts a 20 minute flight time which is a third less than the Phantom. It has some great flight modes including Orbit, Dronie, Reveal and Cable Cam which are geared at a more action or hobbyist user. It can achieve speeds of around 55km/h in sport mode, which is not significantly less than the Phantom 4.
Unlike the Phantom 4, the Karma has no obstacle avoidance sensors. For more advanced drone pilots this may not be a deal breaker, however for the beginner these sensors (although only forward facing) may save you a lot of tears.
That said, you can replace individual components on the Karma which is a big plus. This means that a crash may just mean replacing an arm, rather than a whole drone.
Looking at the remote, the Karma’s remote also has a built in screen. It makes use of a 2.4GHz signal and it’s range is currently limited to 3kms, which is less than half of the Phantom 4.
Since we mentioned size as a downside of the Phantom 4, it’s worth noting that the Karma folds down (it’s arms fold in) to a size of roughly 9cm x 36cm x 22cm. It also comes in at R20 000, as opposed to the R30 000+ of the Phantom 4.
As for the Karma’s downsides – again there aren’t many. The camera quality is definitely not as good as that of the Phantom 4, but this may change as new Heros are announced. And when you’re getting a lot of the Phantom’s features at two thirds of the price, is this really an issue? The drone is also a fraction of the size of the Phantom.
The DJI Mavic Pro
Hot on the Karma’s heals the Mavic Pro was announced. I now had options…and choices to make. I would consider the Mavic Pro a middle-end drone. It’s small, but surprisingly powerful, and (along with the Karma) is the first drone I considered buying.
The Mavic Pro’s image quality is good thanks to the 1/2.3 inch, 12MP CMOS sensor which allows the user to shoot 4k video at up to 30 frames per second. As with the Phantom, the camera sits on a 3-axis gimbal which allows for silky footage.
The Mavic’s camera allows for some manual control – exposure, ISO, and so on – and shoots in both RAW and JPEG. It doesn’t however allow for aperture control, and also has an electronic shutter which means rolling shutter can be an issue with fast moving objects.
In terms of battery life, the Mavic boasts a 27 minute flight time which is slightly less than the Phantom, but significantly more than the Karma. It has some great flight modes including ActiveTrack, TapFly, Tripod, and gesture controls. As with the Phantom, the Mavic also has 5 vision sensors, 2 ultrasonic range finders, redundant sensors and GPS, allowing it to however in place, and to avoid obstacles from as far as 15 meters. It can also achieve speeds of around 65km/h in sport mode, which is not much less than the Phantom 4.
The Mavic’s remote doesn’t have a built in screen, but does have a dock for your smartphone. It makes use of DJIs OcuSync HD technology. This allows for a range of 7kms, as per the Phantom.
Since we mentioned size as a downside of the Phantom 4, it’s worth noting that the Mavic Pro folds down (it’s arms fold in) to a size of roughly 8cm x 20cm x 8cm. It also comes in at R20 000, which is inline with the Karma, and is far less than the R30 000+ of the Phantom 4.
As for the Mavic’s downsides – again there aren’t too many. The camera quality is definitely not as good as that of the Phantom 4, but when you’re getting the majority of the Phantom’s features at two thirds of the price, is this really an issue? The drone is also a fraction of the size of the Phantom.
As for comparing the Mavic Pro to the Karma, I’d definitely say the Mavic is slightly better. For the same price (assuming you buy a camera with the Karma), you’re getting a smaller drone, with more range, a longer flight time, obstacle avoidance and faster top speeds. All of this with a similar quality camera.
Where the Karma tops the Mavic Pro is the detachable gimbal, the ability to upgrade the camera, and the replaceable parts.
The DJI Spark
Amidst the confusion the DJI Spark was announced. It added an extra level of complexity with it’s user friendly nature, smaller size, and increased flexibility. But these pros do come with cons.
The Spark’s image quality is decent as it boasts the same 1/2.3 inch, 12MP CMOS sensor as the Mavic Pro. That said, it’s video is limited to 1080p at up to 30 frames per second (24 Mbps), meaning it’s the only drone in the list which doesn’t shoot in 4k. The Spark also only has a 2-axis gimbal, as opposed to the 3-axis gimbal boasted by the other drones. While this is definitely a limitation, the footage I’ve reviewed on YouTube is still incredible stable so it’s not a concern to me.
Like the Mavic, the Spark’s camera allows for some manual control – exposure, ISO, and so on – but it sadly does not shoot in RAW. This means you’re limited to 8-bit JPEGs as opposed to 12-bit RAW images, making it’s photos far less editable. I’d equate the Sparks camera to that of a smartphone camera mounted on a drone.
That said, the Spark is hipped with 2 photo modes not supported by the other drones, namely Pano and ShallowFocus. Pano allows for the shooting of panoramas from the drone, while ShallowFocus uses 3D vision technology to simulate a shallow depth of field in your photographs (thereby making them more appealing). While these can be a little gimmicky to more advanced photographers, they’re great features for your average user.
In terms of battery life, the Spark boasts a 16 minute flight time which is significantly less than the Phantom and Mavic. As with the other drones, the Spark has some great flight modes including Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, and gesture control. The Spark also has a vision positioning system (VPS), a 3D sensing system, and GPS, allowing it to however in place and to avoid obstacles from 5 meters. It can also achieve speeds of around 50km/h in sport mode, which although less than the other drones is still decent.
The Spark’s remote is very similar to that of the Mavic – it doesn’t have a built in screen but does have a dock for your smartphone. It makes use of standard WiFi which means it has a maximum range of around 2kms, which again is less than the other 3 drones.
The control is also an optional extra for the Spark as it can be flown either with a smartphone (limited to a 100 meters from the home point, with a 50 meter altitude), or via gesture control (photos only). In my mind these 2 options are geared more at the hobbyists, and anyone wishing to take full advantage of the Spark would require the controller.
While we’re talking gesture control, one feature that is worth noting for the Spark (and is not available on the other drones) is the palm launch. This is the ability to safely launch and land the drone in your hand, rather than from the ground. For me this is an incredibly important feature as I often film on water, while fishing off my float tube, where I have no space to take off or land the other drones.
Since we mentioned size as a downside of the Phantom 4, as well as a benefit of the Mavic and the Karma, it’s worth noting that the Spark is by far the smallest drone coming in at 15cm x 15cm x 5cm. Although it’s the smallest drone, it’s not collapsible (like the Mavic and Karma) so this is both its packing as well as it’s in flight size.
In terms of price the DJI Spark comes in at between R10 000 and R12 000. The reason I give a price range here is that R10 000 gets you just the drone, while for R12 000 you get the Fly More combo, which includes the remote, extra batteries, and so on. In my opinion the Fly More combo is a must, as the drone is extremely limited without this.
As for the Spark’s downsides, there are a few. Video is limited to 1080p at 30fps, photos can only be taken as JPEG and not as RAW, flight time is significantly less, and the Spark has the shortest range. However, considering you’re paying half the price (if not less) for this drone, these are less downsides than they are compromises. 1080p video and JPEG photos are more than enough for most hobbyists. And with a few extra batteries you get plenty of airtime. As for the 2km range, it’s similar to that of the Karma.
In my mind you’re getting the biggest bang for buck with this drone. And considering it has the same sensor as the Mavic, who knows what could be added with future software updates.
Which is the Best Fit for You
So now that we’ve chatted about the pros and cons of each drone, which one is the best fit for you?
For me the Phantom 4 (range) is in a different class to the Mavic Pro, the Karma, and especially the Spark. The quality of both it’s photos and video are far superior to the other 3 drones. That said, it’s also at a far higher price point and does not fall into the category of a compact drone. I’m therefore going to exclude it from the below recommendations.
That said, if you’re after image quality, don’t require a portable drone, and price isn’t of a concern, then the Phantom 4 is for you.
As for the rest of us, here are my recommendations.
For the Photographer
Winner: The DJI Mavic Pro
Why: The DJI Mavic offers the Adobe DNG RAW photo format. This allows for a greater bit-depth on your images and therefore more editing possibilities, for better colour correction to more depth in the shadows and highlights.
Runner Up: The GoPro Karma
Why: The GoPro Karma also offers a RAW photo format. However since the Mavic Pro offers a longer flight duration, has a greater range, and has obstacle avoidance, all for the same price, I’d favour it over the Karma.
For the Videographer
Winner: The DJI Mavic Pro
Why: The Mavic Pro offers 4k video, while the Spark only offers 1080p. It also has the largest range and the longest battery life
Runner Up: The GoPro Karma
Why: As with the Mavic Pro, the GoPro Karma also offers a 4k video. However since the Mavic Pro offers a longer flight duration, has a greater range, and has obstacle avoidance, all for the same price, I’d favour it over the Karma.
For the Hobbyist, Social Media Addict or the Family Guy
Winner: The DJI Spark
Why: Although the DJI Spark is the most limited in terms of both photo and video quality and capabilities, it offers by far the best value for money coming in at half the price of the other drones. For the hobbyist and social media addict, 1080p video and JPEG photos are more than adequate. The hand launch, flight modes, gesture control, and the ability to operate the Spark with a smartphone also make it perfect for your average user. It is also be far the smallest and most convenient drone with the quickest launch time.
For the Extreme Sports Fanatic
This was a tough category.
Many sports fanatics will already own a GoPro. In this instance a GoPro Karma may be a good option since you’re getting something roughly equivalent to the Mavic Pro, but at a cheaper price since you’re not paying for the camera. The gimbal is also detachable from the drone so you can use it to stabilise your other action footage. The downside is that you’ll need to keep swapping your camera from your various mounts onto the drone.
If however you don’t own a GoPro, or wish to keep your GoPro mounted elsewhere while flying your drone, then I’d choose between the DJI Mavic Pro and the DJI Spark.
Amazingly, unless you’re planning to sell footage or require 4k, I’d probably favour the Spark. Why? It’s cheaper, easier to get into the air, more portable, and has great active track modes.
Winner: The DJI Spark
Why: The Spark offers everything you need in an extreme sports drone. It’s compact, convenient, and has great filming modes like ActiveTrack. It’s also relatively cheap in case you have an accident and need to replace it.
Alternative: The GoPro Karma
Why: As mentioned above, if you already own a compatible GoPro you can get a Mavic quality drone at close to the price of a Spark. You’ll also get a detachable gimbal which can be used in conjunction with many GoPro mounts to stabilise your extreme sport footage. This saves you from having to buy another gimbal, which you may wish to do if you invest in one of the DJI drones.
Runner Up: The DJI Mavic Pro
Why: The Mavic Pro offers everything you need in an extreme sports drone. It’s compact, and has great filming modes like ActiveTrack. However unless you require the 4k video, the Spark probably does everything you need at half the price.
For the (Compatible) GoPro Hero Owner
Winner: GoPro Karma
Why: Since you already own the camera, you’re getting something roughly equivalent to the Mavic Pro at closer to the price of a Spark The gimbal is also detachable from the drone so you can use it to stabilise your other GoPro footage. You can also upgrade your camera without having to buy a new drone. And if you do crash the drone, you can buy spare parts.
The Mavic Pro vs the Spark
For me (and probably a lot of other people) it came down to either the Mavic Pro or the Spark. The Phantom 4 was simply out of my price range, while the GoPro Karma just isn’t as good as the Mavic Pro for the same price.
Let’s start by saying that the Mavic Pro and the Spark are in different leagues, there’s no doubt that the Mavic is the better drone. That said, when bringing cost into play it becomes a far more complex comparison.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, the Mavic Pro outperforms the Spark in the following areas; it shoots 4k video as opposed to 1080p, offers DNG RAW when taking photos, has a 25% longer flight time, over triple the range, has a 3-axis gimbal, flies fractionally faster, and looks like a beast.
The Spark on the other hand is easier to use, is quicker to take off, offers a hand launch option, is slightly smaller, and comes in at half the price.
What this means for you probably has more to do with budget than anything else. For me the Spark wins out in value for money, so unless you need 4k or RAW photos, I’d suggest the Spark.
And So I Bought…
It was a tough choice and, despite all my research, there was no clear winner.
My main problem was that I fit into multiple of the above categories – I’m a photographer, videographer, family guy, hobbyist and extreme sports fanatic. I make travel, family and fly fishing videos. I also take a lot of photos.
I therefore began by discounting the Phantom 4 due to it’s size and price. I then discounted the GoPro Karma since I don’t own a compatible GoPro, and feel that the DJI Mavic Pro is a far better drone than the Karma for the same price.
This left me with the Spark and the Mavic Pro.
I wanted the Mavic Pro for it’s 4k video and RAW photo capabilities. But the Spark appealed to me since I fish off a float tube (watch this video) and being able to hand launch and land meant I could have my drone with me on the water. And we all know the best camera is the one you have with you.
The fact that the Spark sells at roughly half the price was also a contributing factor. And considering that for half the price you get roughly 75% of the functionality (depending how you look at it), the Spark seemed like a clear winner.
So in the end, I bought the Spark. I’ll let you know how I feel about my decision once I get up and running.
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