DJI's RS4 Mini stabilizer can now track subjects automatically
The RS4 Mini is a major redesign from the previous RS3 Mini and is slightly heavier (2 pounds compared to 1.8 pounds) to accommodate some of the new features. It boasts the same 4.4 pound payload as before, meaning it can carry nearly every mirrorless camera on the market and many lightweight cinema cameras to boot.
An important new feature for ease of use is the addition of automatic axis locks absent on the previous model. And in fact, the RS4 Mini is the first of DJI's gimbals to use 2nd-Gen axis lock tech that can unlock the gimbal in just one second. It also has DJI's 3rd-Gen Native Vertical Switch that that offers the fastest switch experience to date in the RS series. Another new addition is Teflon interlayers and a fine tuning knob that allows "more precise millimeter balancing" when installing a camera. DJI also introduced a new Responsive mode (alongside the regular Smooth mode) that allows the gimbal to react better to fast hand movements.
For solo vloggers, the coolest new feature is the DJI RS Intelligent Tracking Module (included in the RS 4 Mini Combo), that's much like the "Multifunctional Module" on the Osmo Mobile 7P gimbal, minus the fill light. When attached to the gimbal, the tiny device enables ActiveTrack on any phone or camera, keeping a human subject in frame within 33 feet. Tracking can be enabled with a pull of the trigger or an open palm visual command.
The RS 4 Mini also has DJI's latest 4th-Gen Stabilization that strikes a better balance between stabilization strength and tactile feel, promising an "enhanced user experience" and improved stability for vertical shooting. Other improvements include 30 percent better battery life (now up to 13 hours) and charging speeds, a next-gen RS Briefcase Handle and a quick-release magnetic mount. The RS4 Mini is now available for $369 by itself or $459 in the Combo package, which includes the RS Intelligent Tracking Module and RS Briefcase Handle.
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Gizmodo
5 hours ago
- Gizmodo
DJI Power 2000 Review: The Portable Power Station You Want for Your Off-Grid Adventures
For a few years in my 20s and 30s, I was contracted to play music on street corners for half-marathon runners in Austin, Texas. When the site I was assigned didn't have an outlet available, I had to rent a gas generator (on the organizers' dime)—a loud, heavy bastard of a machine that was a physical struggle to get started. How I would have loved to have something like the DJI Power 2000 portable power station at the time. The Power 2000 is the third and most powerful in DJI's series of gigantic lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) batteries you can power on with the touch of a button and use to recharge DJI drones and more. In most ways, it's an upgraded version of the Power 1000, just with more USB ports and AC outlets, along with a higher 2,048Wh capacity versus its 1,024Wh predecessor (which means it's quite a bit heavier at 49 pounds, too). The Power 2000 can output at 3,000 watts continuously, an 800-watt improvement over the Power 1000. DJI Power 2000 power station Loaded with ports and plenty of power, DJI's Power 2000 is a great backup battery, even if you're not a drone enthusiast. Pros Cons That's more than enough to drive an amplifier and a small PA system for the couple of hours that I needed, and with way less hassle. Not having to groggily fight to start up a gas motor and then compete with its relentless drone and inhale its fumes while chipper, fit runners streamed past me would have been glorious. The Power 2000 is made, in part, to keep your DJI drones in the air. With its two proprietary Smart DC (SDC) ports, it can quickly charge some, but not all, of DJI's flying cameras. I didn't have such a drone to test, but The Verge found last year that the Power 1000's SDC port could get a DJI Air 3 battery up to full capacity in less than an hour. I'd assume slightly better performance here, as the Power 2000's ports improve on those of its predecessor, offering the same voltage but output at 12 amps instead of 10. Per The Verge, you'll need to buy an SDC cable that's specific to the drone you're charging. Those ports aren't just for powering drones. You can use them, either individually or in tandem, to charge the Power 2000 itself, although DJI doesn't include any of the adapters necessary for that. If you want to charge it from your car's 12-volt DC outlet (or its cigarette lighter, if you're old like me), you'll need a $49 cable. To power it via solar panels, you need a $59 DJI MPPT adapter module, which can accommodate up to three solar panels; that's something you'll want if you hope to recharge the battery at more than a snail's pace. See DJI Power 2000 at Amazon Grid power is the fastest way to charge the Power 2000—DJI says that it can go from 0 to 80% in 55 minutes and to full in about 90 minutes. When the power station arrived with a 36% charge, it only took about 35 minutes to fill from the wall plug in my office. During that time, the battery's internal fan kicked on, quiet enough that I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't home alone. After draining it completely, it took 90 minutes to get it to 82 percent, and another 30 or so to top off, so quite a bit longer than DJI's estimate. The slower-than-promised charging time could be explained by a snag I hit during that session: while checking the DJI Home app as it finished, there was an 'AC input over frequency' error notification at the top of the page. Tapping the notification took me to DJI's support site, where a message said that page didn't exist. Some Googling took me to a DJI list of error codes and solutions, but its recommendation—to try another outlet—didn't help. I asked the company about the error, and DJI senior product specialist Donovan Davis suggested in an email that I hold the AC button down for 10 seconds to change its frequency. In the U.S., 60Hz is the standard electrical frequency, but sure enough, I seemed to have accidentally put the Power 2000 in 50Hz mode, denoted by 'AC50Hz' on its display. Holding the button down was an easy fix, but DJI's support documentation sure didn't help me get there. Fully recharging it after this change took about 90 minutes. As for the DJI Home app, it's a nice addition to the package. With it, you can connect to the Power 2000 over Bluetooth to view its current power input and output for each port, as well as an estimate of the time it has until it's either charged or depleted, depending on where you're looking. You can also peek at past notifications like error codes, update the battery's firmware, and tweak a few general settings. The app supports multiple devices and, of course, has a link out to DJI's store so you can buy more stuff. So let's talk about what I put the Power 2000 through. Its first test was inflating and deflating an air mattress with a built-in 60-watt blower. That didn't even make a dent in the battery percentage, which remained at 100% afterwards. Next, I plugged in my Fender Blues DeVille amplifier, a large, four-speaker amp that drew between 90 and 140 watts over the 20 minutes I played at the loudest volume I was willing to endure. That dropped the battery to 95%—encouraging results if I want to play for 6 hours straight, but I wasn't straining the battery, yet. The real test involved running it as close as I could to 3,000 watts continuously, to see if DJI's claim that it can do so holds up. I tried a hair dryer and two space heaters first, which proved to be too much, pushing it to 3,300 watts. It lasted just 20 seconds before shutting off, but it's likely because I had exceeded the maximum 25-amp output of the device, as Davis confirmed to me in his email that the Power 2000 has the same peak 4,400-watt output as the Power 1000, despite that not being listed in DJI's specs. Companies that make batteries like these love an absurd chart to brag about what you can get out of them. Here are some examples of the number of charges or hours of operation the Power 2000 is good for, from the press materials DJI shared with Gizmodo: Take those numbers as the vague estimates they are, but the point is you'll get a lot more out of it than your average pocketable power bank. The Power 2000 manages that with four USB-C ports (two 140-watt and two 65-watt) and four 24-watt USB-A ports. Davis said those numbers are per-port, rather than being combined like you'd find in many USB wall chargers. You'll also find four AC outputs, three of which are U.S.-standard three-prong grounded outlets and one four-prong one, like you'd plug an electric clothes dryer into (though it's rated for 125 volts, not the 220 volts offered by such an outlet in your home). Between the USB-C and AC outputs, you'll find a digital display that shows you the current battery percentage, output or input wattage, how long until it's charged or discharged, and other helpful info. That's obviously all super useful if you're on a camping trip and don't want to keep track of various power banks or split time with others using the measly couple of outlets you might find at a campsite. The Power 2000 can also function as an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS—essentially a battery backup in the event of a power outage—if you plug it into your wall and then connect a computer or something into one of its AC ports. It goes into UPS mode automatically in that event, passing power through to your device until it detects a loss of power at the wall, at which time DJI says it will switch over to providing its own power within 0.01 seconds. The DJI Power 2000 can function as a home battery backup. For that, you can string together as many as 10 of DJI's $899 expansion packs, for a total of 22,528Wh of capacity, the company says. So how portable is this thing? Well, the Power 2000 sure ain't light at 49 pounds. Still, that's less than half the 111 pounds of the first 3,000-watt gas generator I found on Home Depot's website, and it's in line with the weight of other, similar generators like the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max. Its sturdy handles make transportation easy if you can lift the weight, but going more than a few feet would be rough without mechanical assistance (i.e. a cheap folding luggage hand truck) or a second person. If you're willing to pony up another $1,000, you could buy DJI's Power 2000 combo pack that ships with a hand truck and expansion battery. The Power 2000 feels very well-constructed, but there are things to note about its durability in inclement weather: DJI lists its operating range as between 14 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit, while its recharging temperature range bottoms out at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. DJI makes no claims about its dust resistance, but given the large heat vent on the side, that's no surprise. Also, while DJI writes in its original press release announcing the Power 2000 that it is designed for 'safer operation in rain, condensation, and salt spray conditions,' a footnote on its product page reads: 'To ensure product performance, do not operate the power station [sic] a rainy environment for more than 3 minutes, in a condensation environment for more than 30 minutes, or in a salt fog environment for more than 8 hours. Avoid exposing it to condensation or salt fog for extended periods.' On the plus side, the Power 2000's LFP battery chemistry means it's safer and longer-lasting than a lithium-ion battery would be—according to DJI's product page, the device won't explode if the batteries are punctured. DJI also says drops or impacts won't result in open flames. Finally, the Power 2000 has built-in shutoff mechanisms that trigger if it gets too hot or is being driven beyond its capability, like when I plugged in one too many space heaters. The only bummer about devices like these is they don't come cheap. DJI's suggested retail price for the Power 2000 is $1,899, although Davis assured me that $1,299 is a 'long-term promotion' and that it's the price 'customers can expect to continue paying' on DJI's website. Even at $1,299, DJI Power 2000 is spendy, but it's priced closer to competing devices like the $1,099 Bluetti Elite 200 V2 or the $1,049 EcoFlow Delta 2 Max, and cheaper than the $2,199 Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus. Still, that doesn't make the portable power station an easier pill to swallow, especially since you can get a lot of the same benefit by picking up the cheaper Power 1000, priced at $699 as of this writing. The extra $600 for the Power 2000 gives you double the port count, twice the capacity, and a higher continuous output rating, which isn't nothing. But a $15 power strip can easily make up for those missing ports. Ultimately, whether you should pick up the Power 2000 comes down to whether you feel you need its extra capacity and capability—and maybe whether you're a big DJI drone enthusiast. If that's you, the DJI Power 2000 won't disappoint. This is as good as large power banks get, and it's certainly nicer than huffing exhaust fumes. See DJI Power 2000 at Amazon
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Flying drones is my job (yes, really) — here are 5 things you should consider before you buy one
The best drones come in all shapes and sizes — from heavy models that weigh over 2 pounds to really light ones that weigh less than 8 ounces. I test drones for a living and put them through rigorous testing to determine whether they're good value for money. I've reviewed some fantastic quadcopters from DJI, HoverAir and Potensic — each with its own unique selling points. If you're on the hunt for a drone and buying for the first time, it can feel overwhelming at first. Drone technology has come a long way, and today, there's one for every purpose and everyone — whether you're a professional or a hobbyist. Since flying drones is one of my favorite hobbies (and my job), I thought I'd take you through the five things you need to consider before dropping your hard-earned money on a drone. I'm going to keep the first tip short and sweet. The most important question you need to ask yourself is a simple one: "What do I need the drone for?" Answering this question will help determine not just the purpose of the drone, but your budget as well. See, if you're getting a drone just for fun, you won't need to spend thousands of dollars. But if you're getting it for professional work, you'll need to extend your budget by a lot. There are many different drones available — ones specifically designed for selfies, mini drones, drones for prosumers, the list goes on. Many drones today come equipped with safety features that help instill more confidence in pilots, both new and old. Return to Home (RTH) is one such feature, and most drones have it. Basically, you can hit a button on your controller or smartphone and it'll make the drone to return to its last known take-off point. Drones like the DJI Flip also automatically return to home when their battery is low. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Another feature to think about is obstacle avoidance. The pricier your drone, the more adept it as at avoiding obstacles. Some drones, like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, feature omnidirectional collision avoidance thanks to the multiple sensors on their body. This, essentially, means that the drone will either brake or swerve to avoid obstacles in its path or around it. But this technology is expensive. Cheaper drones, like the HoverAir X1 Pro, feature either front- or rear-facing obstacle sensors only, making them trickier to fly in complex environments. However, having unidirectional obstacle avoidance is better than having none (the DJI Neo doesn't have any). How many cameras is too many? Depends on who you ask — or the drone you get. There are many single-camera drones out there, such as the DJI Neo which takes 12MP images and 4K/30fps video only. Then there are dual camera drones, like the DJI Air 3S which captures either 50MP (wide-angle) or 48MP (tele) photos and 4K/60fps footage. And then you've got triple camera drones, like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro which has a 100MP Hasselblad camera, a 50MP tele and a 48MP medium-tele camera. For most casual pilots, a single camera drone will more than suffice. Because many drones feature intelligent flight modes (where the drone flies autonomously, records short-form video and returns to its take-off position), you can still have a lot of fun with just one camera. Dual- and triple-camera drones offer versatility and can help take photos from different angles and at various zooms, but they aren't necessary for everyone. Again, consider your budget and purpose before frivolously spending more money than you originally intended. Battery life is another important consideration, and it ties into the first point I made up top: how long you want a drone to last will depend on its intended purpose and your budget. Of course, we all want to keep flying our quadcopters forever and never worry about running out of juice, but that isn't the reality. Smaller drones, like the DJI Neo (18 minutes) and the HoverAir X1 ProMax (16 minutes), don't last nearly as long as bigger ones, like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro (51 minutes) and the DJI Air 3S (46 minutes). You've also got drones that fall in the middle, such as the Potensic Atom 2 (32 minutes) and the DJI Flip (31 minutes). If you're getting a drone just for taking selfies and very casual videography, you'll be fine with a single charge lasting under 20 minutes, but I'd recommend spending a little extra on a drone that lasts at least (or over) 30 minutes if you want to fly high or far. Many drones also come as bundles which cost extra but give you additional batteries, so you can swap dead ones for fresh ones when you're out in the field. Often, these can be bought separately too, so don't fret too much if you don't get them when you buy the drone. Last but not least, remember that various laws apply to drones depending on their weight class, and this true for almost every part of the world. You'll need to register your drone with a specific organization depending on the country you're flying in, and you usually need to undertake a test to prove you're a capable pilot. If the drone weighs less than 249g (8.78oz), you don't necessarily need to register with the F.A.A. in the U.S. or the C.A.A. in the U.K. Sub-249g drones include ones like the DJI Neo, the DJI Flip, the Potensic Atom 2, and the HoverAir X1 Pro, to name a few. If you're flying a heavier drone, one that weighs over 249g, you need register with the aforementioned organizations. When I registered to become a drone pilot in the U.K., I had to take a flying test to obtain a Flyer ID and an Operator ID (which costs £11) from the C.A.A. This applies to drones like the DJI Air 3S, the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, and (the very high-end, cinematography-oriented) DJI Inspire 3. In the U.S., the laws are a bit less stringent if you want to fly a drone casually, but you must take and pass a free online test. And there you have it. These are the five things you need to consider when buying a drone: intended purpose, safety features, cameras and resolution, battery life, and weight restrictions. Is there anything else you gave a lot of thought to before buying your first (or second or third) drone? Let me know in the comments below! Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Engadget
3 days ago
- Engadget
Engadget review recap: Samsung Z Flip 7, Oakley Meta glasses, DJI Osmo 360 and more
Whew, it's been a crazy few weeks for us at Engadget. School may still be out, but there's no summer break for the steady stream of new gadgets coming across our desks. I'll forgive you if you missed a review or two over the last few weeks — we've been busy. Here's a quick rundown of what we've been up to, just in time for you to catch up over the weekend. The Z Flip 7 has decent battery life, bigger screens and more AI smarts. However, the cameras are dated and Samsung isn't offering enough utility on this foldable's second screen. $1,091 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $1,100 at Best Buy$1,090 at Walmart Alongside the Z Fold 7, Samsung debuted an updated version of its more compact foldable, the Z Flip 7. UK bureau chief Mat Smith noted that the company managed to provide a substantial overhaul, but there are some areas that were left untouched. "Certain aspects of the Flip 7 are lacking, most notably the cameras, which haven't been changed since last year," he said. "Samsung also needs to put more work into its Flex Window." There are some solid upgrades that will appeal to serious athletes and power users, but they don't quite justify the higher price. $399 at Meta Meta's first non-Ray-Ban smart glasses have arrived. While we wait for a more affordable version to get here, senior editor Karissa Bell put the white and gold option through its paces. "While I don't love the style of the Oakley Meta HSTN frames, Meta has shown that it's been consistently able to improve its glasses," she wrote. "The upgrades that come with the new Oakley frames aren't major leaps, but they deliver improvements to core features." DJI's Osmo 360 is a worthy rival to Insta360's X5, thanks to the innovative sensor and 8K 50 fps video. However, the editing app still needs some work. $530 at DJI Reporter Steve Dent argued that DJI is finally giving Insta360 some competition in the 360-degree action cam space. The design and performance of the Osmo 360 are great, but the problem comes when it's time to edit. "The all-new DJI Studio app also needs some work," he explained. "For a first effort, though, the Osmo 360 is a surprisingly solid rival to Insta360's X5." The Nothing Phone 3 might be the company's first 'true flagship,' but several specs don't match that flagship moniker. The bigger screen, battery and new Glyph Matrix make it a major step up from Phone 2, but camera performance is erratic and you'd expect a more powerful processor at this price. $799 at Nothing Nothing's first "true flagship" phone has arrived, ready to take on the likes of the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S25. Despite the company's lofty chatter, Mat argued the Nothing Phone 3 is hampered by a lower-power chip and disappointing cameras. "While I want Nothing to continue experimenting with its phones, it should probably prioritize shoring up the camera performance first," he said. The redesigned Galaxy Watch 8 has a longer battery life and much more comfortable fit. The Gemini integration is actually helpful and the new health metrics and fitness guidance are useful. $350 at Amazon Samsung debuted a big update to its Galaxy Watch line when it unveiled the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. Senior buying advice reporter Amy Skorheim spent two weeks testing the new wearable, which impressed her so much she declared it was "Samsung's best smartwatch in years." You can read her in-depth review here. Here are the rest of the reviews you might have missed:
