This drone is basically a compact camera with wings. If I were buying my first drone, this $209 deal would already be in my cart

DJI Mini 4K
(Image credit: Adam Juniper)

When I bought my first drone, I was torn between getting a model with fantastic photo specs…or getting an affordable one that would be less heartbreaking if I happened to crash it into a tree. I’m now a licensed drone pilot, but if I were a newbie to drone photography, this $209 DJI drone deal would be in my cart already.

The DJI Mini 4K isn’t DJI’s most advanced drone, but it’s an affordable beginner drone that’s still capable of shooting photos in full manual mode, capturing RAW photos, and shooting 4K video. That, mixed with the lower list price, led to a five-star review for this affordable quadcopter.

The DJI Mini 4K was already an attractive drone for beginners at its usual $299 list price – but the compact drone has just dropped to its lowest price ever, according to Amazon price trackers. The beginner drone is just $209 at multiple retailers right now.

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DJI Mini 4K
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DJI Mini 4K: was $299 now $209 at BHPhoto

The DJI Mini 4K is a lightweight quadcopter with a 12MP 1/2.3-inch camera sensor. The drone is easy for beginners to get started with – and at a price that's easier to swallow.

Multiple US retailers seem to have this deal, but B&H includes an additional one-year extended warranty at no additional cost.

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With a 12MP 1/2.3-inch sensor, the DJI Mini 4K is basically a compact camera with wings. Despite having a more mellow tech sheet, creators who are new to drones but not new to photography can still use manual exposure, as well as RAW files.

The DJI Mini 4K isn’t going to beat out pricier drones. For example, there are no collision sensors – although sometimes these sensors make beginners a little too confident! The camera also doesn’t have the best dynamic range.

The specs climb quite a bit as the price does – the DJI drone on my wish list is the Mini 5 Pro with its larger one-inch sensor that can shoot up to 50MP. But, the Mini 5 Pro comes in at a much higher $759 list price.

If I wanted to fly a drone for the first time, but I wanted to keep the budget low enough that I wouldn’t be devastated on the off chance I happened to crash, the DJI Mini 4K would be at the top of my list.

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Hillary K. Grigonis
US Editor

With more than a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology, Hillary K. Grigonis leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Rangefinder, The Phoblographer, and more. Her wedding and portrait photography favors a journalistic style. She’s a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, but has tested a wide range of cameras and lenses across multiple brands. Hillary is also a licensed drone pilot.

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