If you're looking at buying your first drone or upgrading to a more advanced model, chances are the camera is one of your most important considerations. Thankfully, the best camera drones deliver, well, the best camera technology and image quality available, making these amazing drones your first port of call when looking for a new model.
Of course, many of you may be looking for something slightly different in a drone, so fear not, we have guides that cater to all requirements. So, if you're looking for something more specific check out our best drones, best beginner drones and best FPV drones guides. In these you'll find many more recommendations and, ideally, the perfect drone for you and your style of photography, video and flying.
If you’re simply looking for the best camera drone for your budget and requirements, you're in the right place. Some models simply have a single high-quality camera while others may have two or even three, ranging from wide-angle to telephoto.
Larger sensor sizes and adjustable apertures are also features you can look out for. But let's not forget, the camera irrespective of its prowess remains only a part of the equation. Drone size, weight and flight features remain important factors to consider.
The Quick List
Best camera drone overall
The world's first consumer drone with three cameras - the Mavic 3 Pro offers exceptional image quality. Probably overkill for most users unless you're a pro.
Best dual camera drone
The DJI Air 3S is a powerful and high-spec mid-sized drone featuring two impressive cameras covering wide-angle and medium telephoto focal lengths for creative versatility.
Best value for money
If the only camera you need on a Mavic 3 is the Four Thirds Hasselblad camera with an adjustable aperture, the Mavic 3 Classic is the perfect option.
Best small camera drone
With 4K 30fps video in a small and foldable 249g drone, The Autel EVO Nano+ also offers collision avoidance for safer flights in complex environments.
Best for portability
Thanks to excellent image quality, power and advanced features in this medium-sized drone, the DJI Air 3 is a versatile option for shooting photos and videos.
Best DJI mini drone
The DJI Mini 4 Pro is the best sub-250g drone available offering excellent image quality for photos and videos alongside advanced collision avoidance and subject tracking.
Best cheap mini drone
The DJI Mini 3 may not have all the features of the more expensive DJI Mini 3 Pro, but it shares the same camera and many features for a budget price.
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Best entry-level camera drone
DJI's entry-level Mini 4K delivers up to 4K 30 FPS video and impressive image quality in a sub-250 g model that's the perfect starting point for beginners.
Best professional-use drone
With a full-frame camera offering interchangeable lenses, the DJI Inspire 3 is aimed at professional use cases such as Hollywood movies, television and precision surveying.
Best enterprise drone
The Autel EVO Max 4T is a feature-packed enterprise drone aimed at use by law enforcement, search & rescue and for mapping/surveying.
Best attachable drone camera
If you'd like to be able to create FPV-style videos with a DJI Mavic Air2/2S, the Insta260 Sphere is a 360° camera that will allow you to do exactly that.
James is an award-winning freelance landscape and portrait photographer, as well as a highly experienced photography journalist working with some of the best photography magazines and websites with a worldwide audience. He's also the author of The Digital Darkroom: The Definitive Guide to Photo Editing.
Best camera drones we recommend in 2024
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Best camera drone overall
✅ You're looking for versatility: The three cameras on offer on this drone give you the ability to shoot different perspectives and different focal lengths at the same time, which can help produce more creative content.
✅ You want to shoot high-quality slow-mo: With this drone, you don't have to choose between quality and frame rates. You can shoot 5.1K up to 75fps, 4K up to 120fps and FHD up to 200fps.
❌ You're on a budget: With all the features on offer, this is quite an expensive drone and may be overkill for casual hobbyists.
🔎 DJI Mavic 3 Pro One of the best foldable drones on the market, this allows you to get stunning videos and offers great flexibility with three cameras that can film at the same time. The only real downside is the price, but we think beginners and pros would be pleased with this purchase. ★★★★★
Not all drones are made equally, and the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is one of the best drones available and at the time of writing, one of the best consumer models ever made. It's also the world's first consumer drone to feature three individual cameras on the gimbal, opening up a range of creative possibilities as we explored in our DJI Mavic 3 Pro review.
The Mavic 3 Pro features the signature Mavic folding design and looks almost identical to previous models. The only significant giveaway, apart from the name badge, is the larger gimbal that’s home to the three cameras with the two telephotos sitting above the wide-angle Four Thirds main camera.
The main camera is a remarkable 20MP 4/3 Hasselblad camera, featuring an adjustable aperture ranging from f/2.8 to f/11, and up to 12.8 stops of dynamic range. It has an equivalent focal length of 24mm. Additionally, there's a 48MP 1/1.3-inch 70mm medium telephoto camera and a 12MP 1/2-inch 166mm telephoto camera.
The three cameras provide a huge amount of versatility, with the ability to capture distant subjects with ease thanks to the telephoto option. This is perfect for situations where you can't fly close to a subject for safety, regulatory or other reasons. All three cameras support RAW and JPEG formats, delivering outstanding image quality.
In addition to its powerful camera setup, the Mavic 3 Pro comes with a range of advanced features designed to make your flying experience smooth and hassle-free. It offers two smart controller options, each with a 5.5-inch touchscreen, eliminating the need to connect your phone. Both controllers are highly responsive, ensuring a seamless flying experience without lag.
You get three different flight modes and 43 km/27mph wind resistance, as well as an array of safety features such as AirSense ADS-B to detect nearby aircraft and an Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system that uses multiple sensors to allow the drone to maneuver around obstacles independently. While this is an expensive drone that may be overkill for some people, we think it offers excellent value for money for those who can make use of its three cameras.
- Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Pro review
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Three cameras and two smart controllers. |
| Functionality | Easy to fly, with obstacle sensing technology. |
| Performance | Excellent image quality and videos up to 5.1K. |
Best dual camera drone
✅ You desire excellent image quality: The image quality produced by the two cameras is impressive, to say the least, and you won’t be disappointed.
✅ You require advanced collision avoidance: With 360° obstacle avoidance and front-facing LiDAR, the Air 3S is highly advanced in this area and is also excellent for subject tracking.
❌ You'd like a smaller drone: As a mid-size drone the Air 3S is less regulator-friendly than sub-250 g models, so this will be something to consider if you require simplicity.
❌ You would prefer more cameras: Two cameras are great, but if you require greater versatility in this area the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the logical choice with its three cameras.
🔎 The DJI Air 3S bridges the gap between the sub-250 g DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mavic 3 Pro with dual cameras providing excellent image quality. It also offers impressive features alongside a highly attractive price for such a high-performance drone. ★★★★1/2
The DJI Air 3S is the second model in the Air 3 lineup, representing impressive advancements in DJI's drone technology that we'll no doubt see in subsequent high-end models. It's not leaps and bounds ahead of the Air 3 in terms of overall features and functionality, but where it does take the lead is in its camera functionality, image quality and a handful of additional features.
The Air 3S features a 50MP 1-inch CMOS in the 24mm equivalent main camera, while the 70mm equivalent medium telephoto uses a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS. These provide a huge amount of versatility and image quality is seriously impressive, to say the least; exactly what you'd expect from one of the best camera drones. In a nutshell, you will not be disappointed.
Video can be captured in flat color profiles for professional workflows and the standard profile for straight-out-of-camera footage, so everyone is catered for. Video can be captured up to 4K 120 FPS, while photos can be captured in Raw and JPEG at 12MP and the full resolution of each sensor.
This foldable and highly portable drone also includes advanced collision avoidance, impressive subject tracking, Off-state Quick Transfer and can also be easily connected to 4G using the DJI Cellular Dongle 2 and a SIM card for more secure and reliable connectivity.
- Our full DJI Air 3S review is coming soon.
| Attributes | Notes |
|---|---|
| Design | Two fantastic cameras and a compact design. |
| Functionality | Fully featured with advanced functionality. |
| Performance | Excellent image quality from both cameras. |
