Why You Can Trust CNET Parrot Anafi drone update adds new HDR, hyperlapse camera skills
And it has a $799 extended flight bundle available now, too.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Parrot's Anafi drone
Parrot launched its latest camera drone, the compact, lightweight Anafi, back in June, but since then it's updated it with new features and improvements to keep its fans happy -- and potentially woo buyers away from that other drone maker.
Another big update arrives today with tweaks to the drone's HDR, hyperlapse and dolly zoom.
- It can now capture HDR video in 1080p resolution with wider dynamic range than before, and you can shoot HDR photos now, too.
- Hyperlapse video, a timelapse video shot while the drone moves, can be recorded in x15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 speed options. It's available in the Anafi's simple touch and fly mode as well as with a planned flight
path
for custom shots.
- Dolly zoom, which uses the camera's digital zoom to zoom in on a subject while the drone moves backward, can now be used on points of interest (POI) such as a statue or house in addition to people.
Owners will find a new spiral cineshot, too, which will center the camera on a subject as the drone flies in an upward spiral, but it's fully automatic so you don't have to be an expert pilot to get the shot.
Parrot updated the drone's Follow Me capabilities as well with three new tracking modes: Path, Lock and Dynamic. Path will follow users from behind, while Lock tracks a subject at a constant distance with the yaw angle locked to keep the background framed as well. Dynamic will track a subject at a constant distance and angle.
Parrot also announced a new $799 Anafi Extended bundle. The package includes everything you'd normally get for its $650 price -- the drone, controller, a battery, 16GB microSD card -- plus two additional batteries, a travel bag and two USB-C cables for charging. (A single battery goes for $100, so this is a good deal.) Parrot also includes a two-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud with either package. Parrot announced a partnership with Adobe in September.
