Comparing the DJI Phantom 3 4K

Following the success of the popular Phantom 3 range, DJI have added a new addition to the series, the DJI Phantom 3 4K. In this article I explain what the difference is between the Phantom 3 4K, the DJI Phantom 3 Standard and the rest of the Phantom 3 quadcopter range. The DJI Phantom 3 4K  drone was recently announced among other new drones at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. It doesn't have any new features or ground breaking technology compared to the other models, so it is essentially a new Phantom 3 with re-arranged parts and specification to meet the high demand of customers wanting to get a 4K camera in the air but without breaking the bank.

Phantom 3 4K Camera

As the name suggests, the Phantom 3 4K comes with a 4K camera. The same camera as you'd find on the Phantom 3 Professional, allowing you to take 12 mega pixel photos and a variety of video resolutions.

• 4096 x 2160p - 24/25fps
• 3840 x 2160p - 24/25/30fps
• 1920 x 1080p - 24/25/30/48/50/60fps
• 1280 x 720p - 24/25/30/48/50/60fps

Dedicated Buttons on the Controller

Like you'd find on the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced and Professional, the remote control has dedicated buttons for playback, video recording and shutter release. This makes it easier for you to perform certain tasks without having to take your hands off the controller. Now you can snap a photo, start/stop recording and review a shot you just captured all with a click of a button. For the price, this is a great transmitter, and will give the same sturdy feel of the Phantom 3 Professional.

Vision Positioning System

The Phantom 3 4k VPS is another neat feature taken from the Phantom Advanced and Professional and incorporated into the Phantom 4K to help flight stability when flying indoors. This allows accurate height readings and stable flight even without GPS.

Live Feed

The Phantom 3 4K has swapped out the expensive but impressive DJI Lightbridge for a WiFi based system which is capable of streaming a 480p live feed. In comparison to the DJI Phantom 3 Standard which uses WiFi but is capable of stream a 720p HD feed.

Operational Limits

In terms of performance, it has the same flight time as the Phantom Standard (25 minutes) and also has the same range of 500m. The only minor change with the Phantom 3 4K is that is has a fixed max height of 120m/400ft above ground level which cannot be overridden. In my opinion this is a good control measure put in place by DJI to help maintain aviation safety.

Comparing with the Phantom 3 range

This model fits very nicely in the Phantom 3 Range. It offers a flying, stabilised, 4k camera with a live view at an incredible price. I remember not so long ago when the GoPro Hero 4 Black (4k action camera) cost £400. It's amazing to think that for an extra £299, DJI are able to offer a similar camera, attached to the popular Phantom 3 quadcopter, which includes a huge amount of technology. To compare other features, see our comparison chart below: I believe this quadcopter is aimed at the photography market, it allows the user to get a live-feed from the ground (albeit not HD) for a low price, and can capture in beautiful 4K like the Phantom 3 Professional.

Is the DJI Phantom 3 4K worth the money?

At £699, the Phantom 3 4K offers incredible value for money and I can see it becoming a very popular quadcopter. So long as you can deal with the lower resolution feed, this is a a very affordable way of getting a 4K camera in the air on a 3-axis gimbal and with a very respectable flight time. If you're still unsure about which model would best suit you, email us or call us today on 01737 457404 and one of our team would be more than happy to help advise you.