How to Choose a Budget Drone with an HD Camera

Drones are revolutionizing photography, according to Time. They are making what used to be insanely expensive helicopter shoots into an affordable task that can be accomplished not only by professional photographers. In fact, drone photography has become quite a popular hobby these days. As long as they are under 35kg, anyone can use them almost anywhere to take fantastic aerial pictures. Today, as technology develops rapidly, you don’t even have to pay a small fortune for this equipment. But you do need to choose your budget drone carefully.

The Wonders of Drone Photography: Why Is It So Special?

Technology is developing fast and brings with it opportunities to improve people’s lives and bring them joy. Photography drones are one of the tools that can do both. This type of tech is advancing very fast and it serves versatile purposes. There are selfie drones that are mostly used for fun and there are drones that play an essential part in combatting climate change.

However, the majority of people use this tech simply to expand their photography hobby. And today it’s easy to do because you can get the best drones for photography without breaking bank. You just need to find the right balance of tech features that will allow you to take great shots but won’t make the device too expensive.

Things to Consider When You Buy a Budget Drone for Photography

GPS

There are very cheap drones without a GPS that you can use to learn how to fly a drone in general. However, if you plan to do any decent photographs, GPS is a must-have feature. This is because not only will it allow you to tag interesting locations and program routes. This feature also prevents you from losing the drone if you set it right.

Today advanced GPS technology allows you to easily monitor your drone all throughout the flight. Later, you will also be able to point out exactly where every shot was taken. Therefore, you will be able to return to see or photograph an interesting spot again. You also can use this technology to program a route for an autopilot flight. And, of course, you will never lose your drone. Even if something does happen, you will know exactly where it crashed.

All in all, GPS makes using your drone both easier and safer. Therefore, this is a feature definitely worth investing in.

HD Camera

There truly is no point in buying a photography drone without an HD camera. You simply cannot do any aerial photography without it. Luckily for you, this feature is so essential that even budget drones are equipped with it.

Of course, you will still need to study reviews from other photographers who used the device. Look up the shots they managed to take with this drone. This will allow you to understand exactly what the camera is capable of better than any article advertising the device.

For excellent quality of the shots, you should look for a drone with a 1-inch sensor or less. Also, be sure to check how the camera fares with low light. You won’t be able to make stunning evening and sunset pictures with just any camera.

Picture Format

Almost every photographer edits their pictures in some way. And if you are buying a budget drone, this would be a must step. Therefore, you should choose a drone that takes saves the files in RAW/DNG formats.

These formats allow for easy formatting in many ways. Nighttime pictures, in particular, are easier to edit if they are in this format.

Gimbal

Gimbal is a part that stabilizes the camera on your drone. Today, you can find drones with mounted gimbals or buy a gimbal as an accessory to install on a cheaper drone. The latter might be the best route for beginners because this could be cheaper.

Skipping gimbal isn’t really an option because without it, your videos will be shaky and shots might be blurry. If you use the drone for photography only, you might wait to see if the quality of the pictures you take without it is satisfactory for you.

In Conclusion: Buy a Popular Drone

Buying a photography drone shouldn’t be too hard as long as you know exactly what you want from it. You need to accept that you’ll have to compromise on some features for the sake of a lower price. The features you really can’t compromise on are an HD camera and GPS.

There are dozens of drones to choose from in every price category today. But picking one of the most popular options will always be the best idea. This way, it will be easier to find helpful information about the device. And should it break, fixing it will also be easier. Also, remember that a cheaper drone can be easily upgraded over time. But only if there are enough third-party accessories to add new features to it. This is another reason why picking a popular model is best.