I'm at the part in the video where you said the video quality really isn't up to your standard but watching RUclips on 1080P. It looks pretty damn good to me. The only time it looks bad and very grainy is when you zoom in and it doesn't have a telephoto lens so obviously it's going to look bad
Thank you! I was thinking the exact same thing. I kept watching them in 4K on RUclips saying to myself...there is no way this is 4K. It looks either soft and grainy soft with over processing. It's not bad video for the price but every other DJI footage I see I like so much more.
The only reason I'd want a Neo would be for the follow mode. The 2SE can do Dronie, Rocket, Circle, Helix, and Boomerang in the quickshots mode, it's faster, more stable in wind and the camera has a decent zoom. The poor battery life and camera of the Neo just make it more like toy/gimmick. I suppose it all depends on what you intend to use it for.
Finally someone’s honest about the video footage! I’ve watched a ton of videos with people showing the ‘4k’ videos shot in the neo, but the footage looks over sharpened, crusty and saturated. Apparently you can do some adjustment settings if you have the remote (not the phone app). Overall the ease of use still sells me, just disappointed in the advertised 4k footage 😢
Yeah, it's not actually 4K. I believe the sensor itself is 4K, but the digital stabilisation crops in heavily to end up with approximately 1080p, which is then upscaled to create the 'make believe' "4K" footage for marketing purposes.
Love your honesty as always, Roo! 🤩 As for the footage resolution, the way I understand it, when using FPV mode, you get the full uncropped sensor with no stabilisation. During all other uses, it crops in a heap, I'm guessing around 50% (i.e. 4K down to 1080p), so that the digital stabilisation can do its magic without a gimbal. Then it upscales it to 4K. I haven't tested it yet, but its 1080p footage might even be nicer than the 4K, as upscaled footage is normally over-sharpened.
I think your hypothesis about the cropped/stabilized video being less than 4k and then upscaled is absolutely right. I think on top of that though the other issue is that the Neo's minimum shutter speed has to be much higher than a 3-axis gimbal drone because it needs each frame to be captured without any motion blur to avoid digital stabilization artifacts. My guess is that the sensor itself is probably perfectly decent quality on its own, but they are just running it at a higher-than-normal ISO in order to get away with faster shutter speeds. That would explain the unusually high grain in the footage, and why it becomes unusable so quickly in low light. It may be applying some kind of denoising filter on top of the footage as well which would only add to the muddy look. That's my own theory, anyway. Great video!
It sounds like a good hypothesis to me. And if true, I can't imagine that the ND filters, which are now being sold for this, would be a good idea. The Neo seems to need every photon it can get.
@@Roos-Reviews Oh that's a good point, I didn't even think about ND filters, yeah those are going to be basically useless with this drone. The one are I can see them maybe working alright is with FPV flight, but even then there's going to be a fair amount of stabilization going on. I guess if someone wants to use an ND filter to get good motion blur with this drone, they would be much better off trying to do it in post instead
Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference in the shots unless you zoomed. For most users, the quality of NEO will be enough, since there are only a minimum number of professionals. A professional knows what to buy. I have NEO and it's great. Only the flight time could be longer and the recording memory as well.
Yeah, I think for the average beginner who just uploads clips to Facebook and tiktok for family and friends, it's perfectly fine. Then if they get a bit more serious about their footage, they can always upgrade to something higher up the chain. I zoomed in so that people could see what the footage difference actually is on a larger screen as most people will be viewing it on a phone screen and each drone is only taking up half of the screen, so it's not really possible to tell how big a difference there really is.
@@Roos-Reviews I played my footage on a 42" TV and I think I was really satisfied. Yes, they are oversharpened and the colors are sometimes unnecessarily saturated, but the benefits outweigh the benefits.
I completely agree with your review. I don't understand how some RUclipsrs claim the Neo's video quality is great. Even for stills feels like it's from a 2013 smartphone-it's shockingly bad for 2024 (EVEN AT 199$) Even using the RC (to turn off the max sharpening by default) in manual mode, shooting at ISO 100 on a sunny day with manual exposure to protect highlights, I still got a huge amount of grain. I returned it to DJI within 14 days, which is a shame since I love hiking abroad, and the Neo would’ve been perfect to carry. On the upside, it convinced me to get a Mini 4K, so I guess the Neo works as an upseller for DJI! The piercing whine of it's props is also not to be underestimated, even 40 meters overhead it's quite noticible.
Yeah I had the same issue, even at ISO 100 in manual exposure on a bright day, there is still noise in my footage. I think the drone by itself for 199 USD is still a really great value, despite the video quality, as it is about half the price of the X1, at least where I live. But once you add a controller, I don't see it as being such a good value now, not when the Mini 4K or 2SE are available.
Awesome review!! I really appreciate the honesty (but I doubt DJI would like it) But, to be honest, this is the video I needed to really take a decision, and I have decided to go with the DJI Neo, since, as you mentioned, this would be my first drone, and I mainly would be using it for videos of my family on Social media, so investing a little more into a mini 2 SE, or a mini 4K would not make any sense if I really don't use it that much and most importantly, I am not a content creator or something like that. Thanks man, I was really searching for this type of review.
I bought the neo as first drone, it’s good, you need the controller , but in uk it’s £289 as flymore. However first trip away I’ve returned the neo and bought the mini 3 for £300 as I realised I need the mini as the video is poor in the neo. But either way what a time to be alive when you can get that much tech for just £160 for the Neo. It is still amazing
We just picked up the Neo love it. Had the HS720G it was ehhmmm crap. Flying is sooo much easier than the HS. We only really film in 1080p and its for our own amusement when we travel. If we end up using this a lot and think we need better footage then we may get a Mini Pro. But for now this is more than enough. Sharpness -2, little correction in Davinci. Looks fine for our needs. Maybe next year a Neo Pro will be released ;) Who knows. The way this flies is soo much fun, even indoors. The Holystone, was incapable of flying stable indoors and most of the time outdoors ;)
I love my mini 2 se. I wanted to get a neo but the fact its not compatible with my old controller made me choose to just save for a mini 4 pro FMK. I really want to try those tracking shots.
Great review. I just sold my Mini 2 and picked up the Neo. I plan on only using it in limited scenarios. I kept my Mini 3 Pro if I need good camera footage. The Neo will go in my bike backpack, but it does not replace the better quality Mini line of drones.
I think you have the right approach. The better quality drone for the really nice shots and the Neo just to carry with you as a much less expensive and quick to use tool for grabbing quick shots. That is exactly what I am doing. The enclosed props make it really useful for flying in the woods and around objects that would ruin my Mini.
@@spirittravels. If I am shoot footage of a location I will use my Mini 3 Pro. If I am shooting an activity, the Neo. The Neo is easer to carry and I don't need the controller (although I bought the fly more kit so I can fly it like a regular drone).
Great review. The neo is excellent for single creators who want those awesome follow shots, which look great on vlogs. I think it's possible to add a mini lightweight camera to the neo if you want better image quality. But the DJI mini SE is way better for the regular drone footage. Have you actually looked into the DJI mini 4K for the image quality? I'm not sure whether it's worth buying the mini SE or the mini 4K. What's your opinions on that? Much appreciated.
I tried a friend's Neo (using phone for controller). It was difficult to get close slow movement to a target. I believe the new Hoverair will have a cinematic mode so maybe better for the shots I need.
I wonder if they'll do anything to improve the camera quality on this model or just release a new model with a better sensor? It's only the terrible camera that's stopping me buying one.
$460 CDN for the fly more kit just bought one, no sale on amazon, the standard neo is 238 CDN , i just felt like the video overpriced the flymore kit as id probably have not paid over 500 for it
In Ontario with tax the fly more combo on Amazon was, and still is, $503CAD, which is what I said. So I'm not sure how you got the idea that I overpriced it. And the standard Neo is $249 before taxes, $281 with.
It applies too much sharpening and noise reduction if you have the controller rc n3 then you can toggle sharpness and noise reduction to minus 2-3 and it will be way better
Oof thats bad that you are forced to pay that much for the Neo. In Europe it's less than 200e ! And even if the Neo has a pretty bad video, it's ok for the price.
@@Discoverdose It actually controls pretty well with phone virtual joysticks,s you get 50M range (this is limited in the app; even if your signal strength is good it doesn't wanna go further but 50M is quite a lot still, even for going up for an aerial shot) - the only downside is when controlling it via a phone you're only locked to it's slowest speed setting (cinema) so not even normal, let alone sport. Not sure if that will be added in the future, probably not. I refunded mine within 14 days cause i just couldn't handle the insanely subpar quality for both stills and footage. Even at 199$ if i'd get it without the fly-more combo.
No. Completely different would mean no similarities. These are both DJI drones. They both have brushless motors and four props. They both have cameras. They both come with remote controls. They are both grey. They are both under 250 grams. They both use the same app. They both have trick shots. They both run on lithium polymer batteries. They are both marketed to beginners. There are many more similarities.
i think Both drones have different purpose. Neo is for closeup shots/vlogging meanwhile the mini 2 se is for aerial shots.. I wouldn't have the confidence to fly the neo 100+ meters up since it is small and has shorter battery capacity and flight time than the se. both are good but both has its own purpose.
Finally, someone said it! The image quality is lower than even Mini 2. I've seen it in videos on RUclips where the reviewers were praising the image quality, but it was obviously worse than other older drones. They made the file 4k, but is clear that is upscaled and way oversharpened. I'm positive the sensor is not a true 4k sensor. Thank you for the honest review! I'll stick to mini Mini2 for now.
I’ve been using the Neo for around 10 days now, and I completely agree with you, Roo. The camera quality is what concerns me the most, and the wind resistance isn’t great either. A couple of tweaks in the settings can slightly improve the footage, but DJI definitely needs to enhance these features. Thanks for the honest review-totally stand with you!
Dealbreaker for me is the fact NEO not being compatible with RCN1. Otherwise i think neo is a better option. You can go FPV with it if you buy the gear for it.
Thank you for this video. It answered the questions most people have over camera quality in a direct comparison. So many reviews either say it’s bad without clear comparison context or imply it’s good (clearly not the case when compared to a 2.7k camera from the same company). Also your video on the pocket 2 vs 3 really helped me to go with the former for my needs (and saved me over spending for little gain for my use case). Appreciate the context so commenting to say so but also for the algorithm! Thanks!
I must have watched 20 reviews on the Neo while I'm waiting for mine to arrive and yours is short and concise and perhaps the best one I've watched.
Thanks very much. That's not actually my full review. I did a more detailed Neo review earlier.
This is the best comparison ever, side by side.
Great video! Finally someone did a realistic review of what the neo can and can't do, or that it can do but not well. Thank you!
I'm at the part in the video where you said the video quality really isn't up to your standard but watching RUclips on 1080P. It looks pretty damn good to me. The only time it looks bad and very grainy is when you zoom in and it doesn't have a telephoto lens so obviously it's going to look bad
Your voice is so soothing... you could review a potato and I'd tune in 😂
You got yourself a new sub, Mate!
Thank you. I once did exactly that: ruclips.net/video/aYKjkEqpxPU/видео.html
been scouring YT for this, thank you for the honest review, majority ofreviews I watched is overly hyped
Best honest review I’ve seen. I think DJI might not be sending out test equipment to you anytime soon.
Thank you! I was thinking the exact same thing. I kept watching them in 4K on RUclips saying to myself...there is no way this is 4K. It looks either soft and grainy soft with over processing. It's not bad video for the price but every other DJI footage I see I like so much more.
Thanks, some beautiful shots and the comparison I have been waiting to see.
The only reason I'd want a Neo would be for the follow mode. The 2SE can do Dronie, Rocket, Circle, Helix, and Boomerang in the quickshots mode, it's faster, more stable in wind and the camera has a decent zoom. The poor battery life and camera of the Neo just make it more like toy/gimmick. I suppose it all depends on what you intend to use it for.
And follow from behind can't keep up with a bicycle and it doesn't work from the front.
@@Roos-ReviewsThe 2se doesn't have the follow me mode? Does the 2se have rhe the return home mode?
@@aumarigan yeah, it has return to home 👍
Thanks...
Great, informative, to the point review. Thank You for doing it.
I was thinking about getting the Neo….
So glad I waited to make my decision to get the Se.
Finally someone’s honest about the video footage! I’ve watched a ton of videos with people showing the ‘4k’ videos shot in the neo, but the footage looks over sharpened, crusty and saturated. Apparently you can do some adjustment settings if you have the remote (not the phone app). Overall the ease of use still sells me, just disappointed in the advertised 4k footage 😢
Yeah, it's not actually 4K. I believe the sensor itself is 4K, but the digital stabilisation crops in heavily to end up with approximately 1080p, which is then upscaled to create the 'make believe' "4K" footage for marketing purposes.
Best review ive seen yet
Love your honesty as always, Roo! 🤩
As for the footage resolution, the way I understand it, when using FPV mode, you get the full uncropped sensor with no stabilisation. During all other uses, it crops in a heap, I'm guessing around 50% (i.e. 4K down to 1080p), so that the digital stabilisation can do its magic without a gimbal. Then it upscales it to 4K. I haven't tested it yet, but its 1080p footage might even be nicer than the 4K, as upscaled footage is normally over-sharpened.
Scotty! Yeah I think that is what seems to be going on. You have given me a video idea.
@@Roos-Reviews Looking forward to it! I'll go get the popcorn! 😁
You're the best, always. Good review
Got both models' fantastic comparison video thank you.
Thanks for this awesome review!
I think your hypothesis about the cropped/stabilized video being less than 4k and then upscaled is absolutely right. I think on top of that though the other issue is that the Neo's minimum shutter speed has to be much higher than a 3-axis gimbal drone because it needs each frame to be captured without any motion blur to avoid digital stabilization artifacts.
My guess is that the sensor itself is probably perfectly decent quality on its own, but they are just running it at a higher-than-normal ISO in order to get away with faster shutter speeds. That would explain the unusually high grain in the footage, and why it becomes unusable so quickly in low light. It may be applying some kind of denoising filter on top of the footage as well which would only add to the muddy look.
That's my own theory, anyway. Great video!
It sounds like a good hypothesis to me. And if true, I can't imagine that the ND filters, which are now being sold for this, would be a good idea. The Neo seems to need every photon it can get.
@@Roos-Reviews Oh that's a good point, I didn't even think about ND filters, yeah those are going to be basically useless with this drone.
The one are I can see them maybe working alright is with FPV flight, but even then there's going to be a fair amount of stabilization going on.
I guess if someone wants to use an ND filter to get good motion blur with this drone, they would be much better off trying to do it in post instead
The first reviev that is complet true thanks
Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference in the shots unless you zoomed. For most users, the quality of NEO will be enough, since there are only a minimum number of professionals. A professional knows what to buy. I have NEO and it's great. Only the flight time could be longer and the recording memory as well.
Yeah, I think for the average beginner who just uploads clips to Facebook and tiktok for family and friends, it's perfectly fine. Then if they get a bit more serious about their footage, they can always upgrade to something higher up the chain.
I zoomed in so that people could see what the footage difference actually is on a larger screen as most people will be viewing it on a phone screen and each drone is only taking up half of the screen, so it's not really possible to tell how big a difference there really is.
@@Roos-Reviews I played my footage on a 42" TV and I think I was really satisfied. Yes, they are oversharpened and the colors are sometimes unnecessarily saturated, but the benefits outweigh the benefits.
@@Roos-Reviews You have nice reviews. Your voice is soothing.
@XLbiker Well, I like your positive outlook. I am still having a lot of fun with my Neo and if anything, it has made me excited for a possible Neo 2.
Thank you very much.
Interesting comparison, and shows just how weak the Neo's camera really is. Great video, and thanks for sharing.
Much needed video. Thanks!
I think i'll wait for the next batch of models for DJI... I'm sure neo software will/might become standard in all dji drones
I completely agree with your review. I don't understand how some RUclipsrs claim the Neo's video quality is great. Even for stills feels like it's from a 2013 smartphone-it's shockingly bad for 2024 (EVEN AT 199$) Even using the RC (to turn off the max sharpening by default) in manual mode, shooting at ISO 100 on a sunny day with manual exposure to protect highlights, I still got a huge amount of grain. I returned it to DJI within 14 days, which is a shame since I love hiking abroad, and the Neo would’ve been perfect to carry. On the upside, it convinced me to get a Mini 4K, so I guess the Neo works as an upseller for DJI! The piercing whine of it's props is also not to be underestimated, even 40 meters overhead it's quite noticible.
Yeah I had the same issue, even at ISO 100 in manual exposure on a bright day, there is still noise in my footage. I think the drone by itself for 199 USD is still a really great value, despite the video quality, as it is about half the price of the X1, at least where I live. But once you add a controller, I don't see it as being such a good value now, not when the Mini 4K or 2SE are available.
Awesome review!!
I really appreciate the honesty (but I doubt DJI would like it)
But, to be honest, this is the video I needed to really take a decision, and I have decided to go with the DJI Neo, since, as you mentioned, this would be my first drone, and I mainly would be using it for videos of my family on Social media, so investing a little more into a mini 2 SE, or a mini 4K would not make any sense if I really don't use it that much and most importantly, I am not a content creator or something like that.
Thanks man, I was really searching for this type of review.
Thank you and I love that it helped.
I bought the neo as first drone, it’s good, you need the controller , but in uk it’s £289 as flymore. However first trip away I’ve returned the neo and bought the mini 3 for £300 as I realised I need the mini as the video is poor in the neo. But either way what a time to be alive when you can get that much tech for just £160 for the Neo. It is still amazing
We just picked up the Neo love it. Had the HS720G it was ehhmmm crap. Flying is sooo much easier than the HS. We only really film in 1080p and its for our own amusement when we travel. If we end up using this a lot and think we need better footage then we may get a Mini Pro. But for now this is more than enough. Sharpness -2, little correction in Davinci. Looks fine for our needs. Maybe next year a Neo Pro will be released ;) Who knows. The way this flies is soo much fun, even indoors. The Holystone, was incapable of flying stable indoors and most of the time outdoors ;)
Teşekkürler yeğenim .Güzel video olmuş. Bilgilendik aydınlandık:D
I love my mini 2 se. I wanted to get a neo but the fact its not compatible with my old controller made me choose to just save for a mini 4 pro FMK. I really want to try those tracking shots.
Great review, thanks for this comparison.
This is what I am saying to other reviews I watched, it is not a real 4k, it looks like an upscaled 1080p only in best case scenario.
Great video.
Great review. I just sold my Mini 2 and picked up the Neo. I plan on only using it in limited scenarios. I kept my Mini 3 Pro if I need good camera footage. The Neo will go in my bike backpack, but it does not replace the better quality Mini line of drones.
@@midlifeexplorer160 In which way a do you mean
I think you have the right approach. The better quality drone for the really nice shots and the Neo just to carry with you as a much less expensive and quick to use tool for grabbing quick shots. That is exactly what I am doing. The enclosed props make it really useful for flying in the woods and around objects that would ruin my Mini.
@@spirittravels. If I am shoot footage of a location I will use my Mini 3 Pro. If I am shooting an activity, the Neo. The Neo is easer to carry and I don't need the controller (although I bought the fly more kit so I can fly it like a regular drone).
Great review, thank you 😊
very usefull video. 😀
I love Dji mini 2 Se , as i have it❤❤
I love your reviews
Great review.
The neo is excellent for single creators who want those awesome follow shots, which look great on vlogs.
I think it's possible to add a mini lightweight camera to the neo if you want better image quality.
But the DJI mini SE is way better for the regular drone footage.
Have you actually looked into the DJI mini 4K for the image quality? I'm not sure whether it's worth buying the mini SE or the mini 4K. What's your opinions on that?
Much appreciated.
I'm out the game. But that's Not 4k.. as you said, small sensor upscaled.. love your videos , you still my Favourite
Thanks, I wish you were still in. Many of us miss your videos. Shoot me an email sometime.
Can you turn the sharpness down in the Neo and have it remain that way if you fly with your phone afterwards?
Wonderful review
Wind test mavic wins hands down
But this Neo is a nice gap finder and wins hands down when away from the heavy winds
I just did this exact comparison also. The mini 2 se is way better
good review, also idea its not 4K
I tried a friend's Neo (using phone for controller). It was difficult to get close slow movement to a target. I believe the new Hoverair will have a cinematic mode so maybe better for the shots I need.
I have read 'put the sharpness on -2'...that will help. Can somebody who owns the NEO conform this ?
U can't beat the cost
I wonder if they'll do anything to improve the camera quality on this model or just release a new model with a better sensor? It's only the terrible camera that's stopping me buying one.
Neo Direct Track is Terri. My Neo has been returned after a collision with a tree in Direct Track.
neo is better overall for beginners
Will wait for the Neo 2. Haha
nice!
$460 CDN for the fly more kit just bought one, no sale on amazon, the standard neo is 238 CDN , i just felt like the video overpriced the flymore kit as id probably have not paid over 500 for it
In Ontario with tax the fly more combo on Amazon was, and still is, $503CAD, which is what I said. So I'm not sure how you got the idea that I overpriced it.
And the standard Neo is $249 before taxes, $281 with.
DJI MINI 2 STILL THE BEST❤❤❤
It applies too much sharpening and noise reduction if you have the controller rc n3 then you can toggle sharpness and noise reduction to minus 2-3 and it will be way better
I don't think it keeps those settings when we use it without the controller though.
Totally agree the footage is crap maybe by version 4 they will get better but for now it’s a no go from me
good❤
The Neo would be good for finding dogs.
Finding Ne(m)o.
Andai neo suport remot Rcn1, i will but both 😢
Oof thats bad that you are forced to pay that much for the Neo. In Europe it's less than 200e ! And even if the Neo has a pretty bad video, it's ok for the price.
I was talking about the price with a controller. I think you might be talking about the price of the Neo on its own without a controller.
@@Roos-Reviews Clearly ! For me the neo + full pack doesnt worth the price ! Just the base neo is
@@Discoverdose It actually controls pretty well with phone virtual joysticks,s you get 50M range (this is limited in the app; even if your signal strength is good it doesn't wanna go further but 50M is quite a lot still, even for going up for an aerial shot) - the only downside is when controlling it via a phone you're only locked to it's slowest speed setting (cinema) so not even normal, let alone sport. Not sure if that will be added in the future, probably not. I refunded mine within 14 days cause i just couldn't handle the insanely subpar quality for both stills and footage. Even at 199$ if i'd get it without the fly-more combo.
Its not, thats a lie, its over 200 euro and dji se costs 280 euro and dji 4k 320 euro
@@Danijel_Klaric DJI Neo is 199€
2 Completely different types of Drone ?
No. Completely different would mean no similarities. These are both DJI drones. They both have brushless motors and four props. They both have cameras. They both come with remote controls. They are both grey. They are both under 250 grams. They both use the same app. They both have trick shots. They both run on lithium polymer batteries. They are both marketed to beginners. There are many more similarities.
i think Both drones have different purpose.
Neo is for closeup shots/vlogging meanwhile the mini 2 se is for aerial shots..
I wouldn't have the confidence to fly the neo 100+ meters up since it is small and has shorter battery capacity and flight time than the se. both are good but both has its own purpose.
Finally, someone said it! The image quality is lower than even Mini 2. I've seen it in videos on RUclips where the reviewers were praising the image quality, but it was obviously worse than other older drones.
They made the file 4k, but is clear that is upscaled and way oversharpened. I'm positive the sensor is not a true 4k sensor.
Thank you for the honest review! I'll stick to mini Mini2 for now.
I’ve been using the Neo for around 10 days now, and I completely agree with you, Roo. The camera quality is what concerns me the most, and the wind resistance isn’t great either. A couple of tweaks in the settings can slightly improve the footage, but DJI definitely needs to enhance these features. Thanks for the honest review-totally stand with you!
Dealbreaker for me is the fact NEO not being compatible with RCN1. Otherwise i think neo is a better option. You can go FPV with it if you buy the gear for it.
sorry sir what is RCNR1 can u explain?
@@soloiobashvili Remote controller version, Neo requires RC-N3
@@kupis1408I've heard it connects to that controller
If the Neo 4K quality is so poor, would it be better to shoot in 1080p 60fps? Could you do a comparison between 4K and 1080p?
Thank you for this video. It answered the questions most people have over camera quality in a direct comparison.
So many reviews either say it’s bad without clear comparison context or imply it’s good (clearly not the case when compared to a 2.7k camera from the same company).
Also your video on the pocket 2 vs 3 really helped me to go with the former for my needs (and saved me over spending for little gain for my use case).
Appreciate the context so commenting to say so but also for the algorithm! Thanks!