(Pocket-lint) – There’s nothing quite like drone photography — the unique perspectives and angles that a flying camera can lend you really are their own reward, and can also invigorate any social media feed with professional-level content.
Whether you’re travelling around new environments and far-flung sites of natural beauty, or exploring the areas around where you live, a drone can be a great way to see things in fresh ways, and capture stunning footage and shots while you do it.
- The Hubsan Zino 2 is on sale with a 32% discount now at China’s biggest electronics market GearBest.com
Of course, they are also really fun to pilot, which helps. If you’re looking to pick up a new drone and get shooting, though, you might be getting a little overwhelmed by the number of options confronting you. The market is super busy nowadays, with dozens of brands and models to pick from.
One of the best on the market, though, and a choice that won’t break the bank, is the Hubsan Zino 2. We thought we’d give you an overview of the features that make this little drone so attractive.
Gone are the days when drones were all massive great machines with large, unbending frames surrounding delicate and fragile camera mechanisms. Now, if you are looking into getting a drone, you will know that it is all about smaller form-factors. The Zino 2 shows off why this trend is so great — it is nice and compact, easily tiny enough to fit into a backpack or daybag.
That means you no longer have to plan an entire trip around bringing your drone. Just chuck it into your luggage and take it out when you see something you want to film.
Its arms also all fold into the body, while even the controller can be packed down into a smaller shape to fit into your packing. As you travel around, you will find that this makes the Zino 2 hugely adaptable.
Once you get somewhere that you want to film, though, the Zino 2 comes into its own. Each charge of the quadcopter’s battery will get you over half an hour of flying time, and because its batteries are detachable you could choose to have multiple ready for quick swaps. When it is up in the air you’ve got a signal range of a huge 6km, meaning that you can get footage over a massive area.
You won’t have to worry about moving too slowly over that area, either, with a top speed of 72km/h making the Zino 2 a zippy little number when you get it flying fast. Plus, with the body of the drone made out of high-quality polycarbonate, you won’t have to worry that the slightest knock will break the whole machine. It’s durable and hardy for a small device. Weighing 915g, it’s a solidly-built drone that will not fall apart.
Of course, one of the most important variables for any drone is the quality of its actual footage. The Zino 2 does really well on this front, too. It is got a 2.3-inch Sony sensor at its heart, which helps it to shoot 4K video at 30 or 60fps with ease.
In point of fact, 60fps in 4K isn’t something that many other drones can match, especially those that are in the same price bracket as the Zino 2. The lens is also capable of housing filters if you want to swap up your filming style.
An on-board chipset from AI gurus Ambarella also helps the Zino 2 shoot great night footage, so those beautiful night-time cityscapes are within your reach. You’ll be able to direct all this with the controller we mentioned earlier.
Some drones skimp out by making you control them using your phone alone, which can get pretty tricky, but the Zino 2 uses your phone as the display for the drone, while the joysticks on its controller let you have a proper degree of control over the drone itself.
With a 3-axis gimble for its camera, you’ll be able to get whatever angle you like. We’re particular fans of a panorama mode that will make the drone automatically shoot a 360-degree circle around it, capturing your entire environment.
Plus, if you do find flying difficult, assist modes can keep the drone stable, upright and level as you fly, to help you get buttery-smooth footage. When it comes time to land, there are even features to help you get the Zino 2 safely out of the sky, such as an automatic return system that will fly the drone back to your location when it detects that it’s running out of battery.
Droning does not get much easier than that, and between its features and its price the Hubsan Zino 2 really is a top choice.