A Hands-On Look at the New DJI Spark

The new DJI Spark is an intriguing and adorable little (so little) drone. While its size, specs, and usability features all seem to point at it being a drone for the masses, there are many of us wondering how it might hold up in more professional circumstances. Check out this early hands-on review to find out.

Coming to you from Kaiman Wong, this is a very practical look at DJI's newest drone. It's a peculiar little device, lacking 4K and the ability to shoot stills in raw (hopefully, that'll be enabled with a firmware update), but still carrying a solid sensor the same size at the Mavic Pro and original Phantom 4, two-axis stabilization, and the feature set and user experience that DJI is known for. Video (1080p at 30 fps) comes in at 24 Mbps, definitely below that of higher-end models, but Wong seems quite impressed with its quality and the drone's overall performance nonetheless. I have to admit I think it looks quite good as well, and for a $500 device that's ultra-portable and doesn't even need a remote controller (it can use virtual sticks on your phone), I might have to get one just to keep in my truck for those spontaneous shots. 

If you'd like to preorder the Spark, you can do so here.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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8 Comments

Dear DJI: on the next firmware option, PLEASE give a 2.7K video option and 35Mbps capabilities and you will have a BIG order of them from me =)

2.7K wont cut it for me. It has to be at least 2.8k and 40mbps!

lol his videos are always entertaining and extremely informative
this spark is so tempting!

Looks like it shoots stills in JPG only, that's a huge disappointment!

i wish it had 1920x1080 at 24p,60p, and 120p i'd have been all over it.

Based on what it doesn't have, compared to its higher sibling, this looks like it should have been priced at $250, not $500 (which doesn't include the $100+ controller, and which has features capped without said controller).

So, as nice as it is for DJI to keep innovating, there is simply one thing that prevents me from buying their products: lack of customer service. I am sure many are aware of the fact post sale support is non-existent. If you aren't familiar, simply do a quick google search. I hope I am wrong, and DJI has turned this issue around. But if you are a working professional, this is a very important area DJI needs to address. I hope someone can tell me that this is no longer a problem.

This drone is a game changer because of its size and ease of use. DJI raises the bar again. https://www.halfchrome.com/spark/