One of the main reasons for the popularity of drones is that many of them come with cameras that allow you to capture and record some good images and photos. However, it was the case that if you wanted to use them for professional purposes, you would have needed to shell out a significant amount of money. Fortunately, times have changed and now you do not need to spend $1000+ for a good camera drone for professional photography. In fact, you can purchase a very good camera drone, like the DJI Mini 2 for under $400, this drone allows you to capture amazing images in both RAW & JPEG format and has features for HDR and panorama photography. Check out my list of the best cheap drones for photography and see which one is suitable for your budget.
According to the popular photography website, digital photography school, one of the most important features of a good camera is its image sensor size.
A camera with a large sensor is the preferred option as it can capture more details and this results in better image quality.
For this reason, I have ordered the list of the best cheap drones for photography by their overall sensor size.
Of course, there are other important features to think of like the lens size, aperture, shutter speed, ISO range, FOV and if the camera can shoot in RAW format.
One final point to note, if you are thinking of using these drones to make money, you will need to register them with the FAA or the CAA.
If you live in the USA, you will need to obtain the Part 107 certificate, which is issued by the FAA and will require you to sit a 2-hour exam and obtain a score of at least 70%.
There are numerous study guides both paid and free, that will help you prepare for this exam. Many of the paid courses have a huge success rate and come with a money-back guarantee.
Some of the popular Part 107 prep guides include those from the Pilot Institute, Dart Drones and Ground Pilot School.
If you live in the UK, you will need to obtain a Flyer and Operator ID, the Flyer ID will require you to pass a short examination. This can be taken at any CAA approved testing centre.
However, if you are going to be flying near people, you will be required to obtain the General Visual Line of Site Certificate (GVC).
This will require you to complete an online exam but it isn’t overseen by the CAA, instead, there are CAA approved recognised assessment entities (RAE’s) that will oversee this examination. There are a number of RAE’s all over the UK, you can find the full list on the CAA website to see which one is near you.
Best Cheap Drones For Photography
1. DJI Mavic Air 2
The DJI Air 2 is one of the best drones for photography, it’s an amazing lightweight drone that comes with many exciting features. The drone comes with an amazing HD camera and is equipped with a 1/2-inch Quad Bayer image sensor that is capable of capturing stunning aerial photography in 48MP. The drone records video footage in 4k at 60fps and captures 8k time-lapse videos via its hyperlapse feature. It has features to capture HDR videos and images and the camera is stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal. The drone comes with a cool feature called SmartPhoto, this will allow anyone to capture amazing photos without the need for any manual editing. Other features the Air 2 comes with are obstacle avoidance technology, APAS 3.0, 34 minutes of flight time and a 10km transmission range.
Key Features
- 1/2-inch Quad Bayer sensor, 24mm lens, 84°FOV
- Fixed f/2.8 aperture
- 12MP & 48MP images
- Burst, interval, AEB and panorama photography modes
- Supports HDR images
- SmartPhoto mode
- Photo ISO – 100-3200 (Auto), 100-6400 (Manual)
- Video ISO – 100-6400
- Records videos in 4k at 60fps, 2.7k at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps
- 120Mbps
- 8k time-lapse videos
- Quick shots to capture short cinematic videos
- Obstacle avoidance technology
- Autonomous flight modes
- 34 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
2. Fimi X8 SE 2022
The Fimi X8 SE has gone through many updates, the newest version (called the X8 2022), comes with many improved features, the most notable being its camera, which now comes with a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor with a large aperture and bigger pixels. The camera can capture 48MP images in both DNG and JPEG and records smooth 4k video footage at 30fps. The camera can capture HDR videos and photos and comes with 4 QuickShot flight modes for hands-free short cinematic video footage. It also comes with an improved image tracking capability, 34 minutes of flight time and a 10km transmission range.
Key Features
- 1/2-inch CMOS sensor with 25mm lens & 79°FOV
- Fixed f/1.6 aperture
- 48MP images
- Multiple photography modes
- Support for HDR videos and images
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps
- 100Mbps
- ISO range – 100-6400
- Quickshots for one-tap cinematic video footage
- Intelligent flight modes
- 35 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
3. DJI Mavic Air
This is one of the best-looking drones on this list, the DJI Mavic Air, as its names suggest, is a lightweight foldable drone that comes with some innovative features. The Mavic Air comes with an obstacle avoidance system, so you can fly this drone with very little risk of crashing into anything. The Mavic Air comes with a 4K camera that is stabilised by an advanced gimbal system. The camera can record professional video footage and capture amazing photos with its 1/2.3-inch 12 MP CMOS sensor. It has HDR support that will capture the true colours of any subject matter and you can record slow-motion videos for high-quality cinematic video footage. It has a couple of pre-programmed flight modes that will allow you to take quick professional-quality videos totally hands-free and you can even take videos through hand gestures.
Key Features
- 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with 24mm lens & 85° FOV
- Fixed f/2.8 aperture
- 12MP images
- 32MP panorama photography
- Multiple photography modes including burst, interval, panorama and AEB
- Supports HDR images
- ISO Video – 100-3200 (Auto & Manual)
- ISO Photo – 100-1600 (Auto), 100-3200 (Manual)
- Records video footage in 4k at 30fps, 2.7k at 60fps
- 100Mbps
- Intelligent flight modes
- Obstacle avoidance technology
- 21 minutes of flight time
- 4km transmission range
4. DJI Mini 2
The DJI Mini 2 is probably the best selling mini drone on the market, with a small, compact and lightweight design, it’s easy to see why it is such a popular drone. Despite being a lightweight drone, the Mini 2 comes with some exceptional features and this includes an upgraded camera that can capture HD images in 12MP in both RAW & JPEG formats as well as recording 4k video footage at 30fps. The camera has different photography modes which include panorama, interval and AEB, the latter of which will allow you to develop HDR images. The drone has 5 QuickShot modes for easy cinematic video footage and comes with GPS assisted automatic return to home when to battery gets low on charge.
Key Features
- 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with 24mm lens & 83° FOV
- Fixed f/2.8 aperture
- 12MP images
- Multiple photography modes
- Support for HDR images
- ISO Photo – 100-3200
- ISO Video – 100-3200
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps, 2.7k at 60fps
- 100Mbps
- 5 QuickShots
- 31 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
5. Parrot Anafi
The Parrot Anafi is one of the lightest 4K drones and has a unique foldable design that makes it easy to pack and carry around. It comes with an amazing camera that can capture images in 21MP and record 4k videos at 30fps and comes with HDR support for both videos in images. The camera is supported by a 3-axis hybrid gimbal that can be tilted 180° which will allow you to get better viewing angles. The camera has a 1/2.4-inch image sensor that can shoot in both DNG RAW and JPEG and comes with a 2.8× lossless zoom. Live streaming is transmitted in 720p quality and has a range of around 4km. The drone also has a couple of intelligent flight modes and comes with a decent flight time of 25 minutes.
Key Features
- 1/2.4-inch sensor with ASPH 23mm lens & 84° FOV
- Fixed f/2.4 aperture
- 21MP images
- Multiple photography modes
- Supports HDR videos & images
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps
- 100Mbps
- ISO range – 100-3200
- Smart flight modes
- Automatic return home
- 25 minutes of flight time
- 4km transmission range
6. Fimi X8 Mini
This is an incredible mini drone that comes with many similar features to the larger Fimi X8, it’s small and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and a great choice for drone photography. The drone comes with an HD camera that can record HDR videos in 4k and capture 12MP images in RAW & JPEG. The camera comes with a Hisilicon chipset for better quality images in low light environments and is stabilised by a 3-axis gimbal. Other features include 4 QuickShots for one-tap cinematic video footage, intelligent flight modes, 30 minutes of flight time and an 8km transmission range.
Key Features
- 1/2.6-inch CMOS sensor with 26mm lens & 80° FOV
- Fixed f/2.0 aperture
- 12MP still images
- Multiple photography modes including AEB & panorama
- ISO range – 100-3200
- HDR support images and videos
- F-log colour profile for videos
- Records 4k video footage at 30fps
- 100Mbps
- Intelligent flight modes
- 31 minutes of flight time
- 8km transmission range
7. DJI Mini
This is one of my favourite drones in any category, the DJI Mavic Mini is a lightweight compact drone that comes with many of the innovative features that have made DJI the no.1 consumer drone company. One of the main features is its HD camera that can record high-quality video footage in 2.7k at 30fps and capture amazing 12MP still images. The camera is stabilised by an advanced gimbal system that will eliminate distortion and it can transmit live video feed in 720p at 30fps. The drone comes with some pre-programmed flight modes called Quickshots, when activated, you will be able to take some amazing videos hands-free. It has a flight time of 30 minutes and a transmission range of 4km
Key Features
- 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor with 24mm lens & 84°
- Fixed f/2.8 aperture
- 12MP images
- Single shot and interval photography modes
- ISO Video – 100-3200 (Auto & Manual)
- ISO Photo – 100-3200 (Auto & Manual)
- Records videos in 2.7k at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps
- 40Mbps
- 4 QuickShots
- Automatic return to home
- 30 minutes of flight time
- 4km transmission range
8. Hubsan Zino Mini Pro
The Zino Mini Pro is an impressive camera drone, especially from a small drone company like Hubsan. The drone comes with many exciting features, the main one being its camera that has a large 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor that is capable of capturing 48MP images and 4k video footage. The drone also comes with an obstacle avoidance system, 40 minutes of flight time, several autonomous flight modes which includes an improved image tracking mode and QuickShots to capture short cinematic video footage.
Key Features
- 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor with 84° FOV
- Fixed f/1.85 aperture
- 48MP images
- Records video footage in 4k at 30fps, 2.7k at 60fps
- 200Mbps
- 4 QuickShots
- Obstacle avoidance technology
- Intelligent flight modes
- 40 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
