DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Should You Upgrade in 2025?
- gear4greatness
- Sep 17, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 27, 2025
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Should You Upgrade in 2025?
When I first unboxed the DJI Mini 5 Pro, I’ll be honest — I didn’t expect such a noticeable jump from the Mini 4 Pro. I figured it would be a minor tweak or two, maybe better obstacle avoidance and a touch more resolution. But the first time I took it up into the fall sky, that thought vanished instantly. The colours, the clarity, and the control felt like stepping into another level of drone filmmaking.
I’ve flown the Mini 4 Pro since launch, and it’s been my go-to for travel, urban flights, and river scenes here in Winnipeg. But when the Mini 5 Pro came out — now officially available in both Canada and the U.S. — I wanted to see for myself if it was worth upgrading. And after testing both side by side, here’s what I found.
📷 My Take on the Camera Upgrades
This is where DJI really changed the game. The Mini 5 Pro sports a new 1-inch CMOS sensor — a huge improvement from the 1/1.3-inch sensor in the Mini 4 Pro. You can feel the difference the moment you start reviewing footage.
With the Mini 5 Pro, I’m getting 50MP stills and 4K/120fps video that holds detail even in the shadows. Flying over the river at dusk, I noticed the dynamic range was miles ahead. The reflections on the water looked cinematic, not blown out. It’s the first sub-250g drone that truly handles low light like a pro-level model.
By comparison, the Mini 4 Pro still produces beautiful images, but once the light starts to fade, noise creeps in fast. I’ve worked around it before — shooting during golden hour or boosting ISO carefully in post — but the Mini 5 Pro doesn’t need that kind of juggling.
🎬 My Verdict: If you care about image quality and you often shoot in mixed or low light, the Mini 5 Pro isn’t just an upgrade — it’s a different league.
🚁 Flight and Portability
One thing I love about both drones is how easy they are to pack and fly. You can slip either one into a small shoulder bag and be ready to film within minutes.
But the Mini 5 Pro still edges ahead. Even with the bigger sensor, it keeps that magic number — 249.9g — meaning it stays under the legal limit for advanced licensing in both Canada and the U.S. The battery life also stretches to about 36 minutes, which might not sound like much, but when you’re out filming multiple takes or location angles, that extra 2–3 minutes really counts.
The Mini 4 Pro isn’t far behind with around 34 minutes of flight time, and it’s still a fantastic travel companion. But after using the Mini 5 Pro, I find myself reaching for it more often — mostly because I can stay in the air longer and grab every shot I need without swapping batteries as often.
🧳 My Verdict: Both are ultra-portable, but the Mini 5 Pro gives me a little more freedom and endurance when I’m out filming full days.
🧠 Smarter Flight & Safety
I’ve always appreciated how DJI builds advanced safety into even their smallest drones, and this time they took a leap forward.
The Mini 5 Pro now uses LiDAR-assisted omnidirectional obstacle sensing — and yes, I noticed the difference right away. Flying through tree-lined trails or near light poles downtown, it just feels more confident. The tracking is smoother, and ActiveTrack does a better job predicting motion when I circle around moving subjects like cyclists or boats.
The Mini 4 Pro already had great avoidance, but it relied purely on cameras. It’s still solid, but not quite as future-proof. You can feel how the 5 Pro refines the flying experience — almost anticipating your next move.
🧭 My Verdict: The Mini 5 Pro gives me peace of mind when I’m flying close to objects. It’s smarter, safer, and built to handle complex environments without constant manual correction.
💰 Pricing and Value
Now that both are sold in Canada and the U.S., pricing has finally stabilized.
DJI Mini 5 Pro: Around $1,099–$1,579 CAD / $999–$1,199 USD, depending on the kit.
DJI Mini 4 Pro: Often discounted below $1,000 CAD / $899 USD, making it a tempting budget choice.
If you’re a beginner or casual flyer, the Mini 4 Pro is still an incredible deal. It’s reliable, easy to fly, and more than capable of producing professional footage in good light.
But if you’re serious about filmmaking, content creation, or selling footage, the Mini 5 Pro pays for itself quickly. The quality and low-light performance alone can elevate your entire project.
💸 My Verdict: The Mini 4 Pro is the best deal for hobbyists. The Mini 5 Pro is the better investment for creators who care about visual quality and advanced control.
📦 Buy on Amazon USA
🌄 Final Thoughts
Flying the DJI Mini 5 Pro for the first time reminded me why I love this craft — that quiet hum in the air, the view opening up, and the feeling that you’re capturing something bigger than yourself. The fall colours looked like they were painted across the landscape, and the footage came out cleaner, richer, and more cinematic than anything I’ve shot with a Mini before. 🍁
What stood out most to me wasn’t just the image quality — it was how stable and predictable the flight felt. I could focus entirely on composition, knowing the drone was handling itself. It’s that kind of trust that makes creative flights more enjoyable and less stressful.
For creators like me who film everything from cityscapes to nature scenes, the DJI Mini 5 Pro just makes sense. It’s still lightweight and portable, but now it delivers pro-level results without compromise. The Mini 4 Pro will always hold a place in my kit, but the Mini 5 Pro is the one I reach for when I want every shot to count.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Should You Upgrade in 2025?
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