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DJI Neo 2 Overview - Limitations of the Neo
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0:01
The original Neo is an unusual product
0:03
in DJI line featuring a cineoop design
0:07
with fully cover propellers
0:09
capable of flying autonomously or
0:12
controlled by a smartphone, a remote
0:14
controller or the RC motion tree which
0:17
is normally used for FPV models. A sort
0:20
of jack of all trades.
0:23
The basic offer is extremely affordable
0:26
at €200, but it doesn't offer any
0:29
controller. It is therefore limited to a
0:32
few palm launched maneuvers for
0:34
close-range selfies and basic vlogging.
0:38
The propeller protection makes flying
0:40
indoor or close to the ground very safe.
0:45
When using a smartphone, there are major
0:47
restrictions.
0:49
It is not easy to achieve smooth
0:52
maneuvers without dedicated control
0:54
sticks and wheels.
0:56
The transmission is Wi-Fi only with a
0:59
very short range and frequent signal
1:01
loss and flyaways.
1:05
And more importantly, there is no return
1:08
to home.
1:10
In case of senior loss, the drone will
1:12
hover in place until the batteries are
1:14
depleted,
1:17
which is extremely dangerous when flying
1:19
at a high altitude
1:22
or even worse overwater.
1:27
For videography, the best option is to
1:29
get the Flymore combo, which includes
1:31
the RCM3 controller and two extra
1:34
batteries.
1:36
The price is still competitive at about
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€350.
1:44
Even with the Flymore Combo, there are
1:46
some important issues for videography.
1:51
Most users complain about the video
1:53
quality, which is not up to the task,
1:56
even for social media purposes.
2:01
The sensor size is at half an inch, very
2:04
small compared to the competition with a
2:07
narrow aperture of f/2.8.
2:10
The Neo is unable to collect enough
2:12
light and the footage taken in low light
2:15
is very noisy and grainy, practically
2:18
unusable.
2:22
Even in easier light condition, the
2:24
footage is oversharpened and looks
2:26
plasticky.
2:31
In terms of video, photo quality is not
2:33
even remotely comparable to the model
2:36
above, the Flip.
2:41
Unlike more expensive DJI model, the
2:44
camera cannot rotate vertically.
2:48
Portrait photos and videos must be
2:50
cropped from the full frame, limiting
2:52
the final resolution to 1080p. A
2:55
significant drawback for a device aimed
2:58
at social media creators.
3:01
The Neo weights only 135 grams and as
3:05
bulky propeller guards.
3:08
It is not surprising that the announced
3:10
wind resistant is limited to 8 m/s
3:14
corresponding to level four.
3:17
Unlike other DJI models, the Neo has a
3:19
single axis gimbal and on many occasions
3:22
the footage looks shaky. even in
3:25
relatively low winds.
3:28
The announced maximum flight time is 18
3:31
minutes, but in real life it is rather
3:33
between 10 and 15, which is less than
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any other DJI model.
3:40
This is another reason for purchasing
3:42
the Flymore Combo with two extra
3:44
batteries.