The DJI O4 Lite Air Unit has quite a bit going for it—light-weight, compact, and ideally suited for sub-250g micro builds. However when you’ve flown it in tight areas or tried to make use of picture stabilization, you’ve most likely seen the fairly slim FOV (subject of view). That’s the place Flywoo steps in with a intelligent answer: a easy wide-angle lens that considerably improves the O4 digital camera’s FOV—no want to change the digital camera or glue on dangerous DIY optics. On this evaluation, I’ll share my hands-on expertise with the Flywoo wide-angle lens, the way it performs, what to anticipate, and what to be careful for.
Study extra in regards to the DJI O4 Lite and the most effective settings in our tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/how-to-setup-dji-o4-lite/
The place to Purchase
You should buy the Flywoo Vast-Angle Lens package from these distributors:
Why the Vast-Angle Lens Issues
The DJI O4 is unbelievable for micro FPV drones, however the slim FOV makes proximity flying really feel much less pure and restricted. Issues get even worse while you apply picture stabilization like RockSteady or Gyroflow, which crop into the footage additional and make it really feel even much less watchable.
Flywoo’s wide-angle lens goals to repair this, and in some ways, it succeeds. This accent is straightforward to put in, and bumps the O4 digital camera’s FOV from round 117° to 155°, practically matching the costlier O4 Professional digital camera. All with out modifying or risking injury to your delicate DJI O4 digital camera.
Testing – How It Performs
On the bench, I instantly seen the rise in FOV. The broader view was apparent, however so have been the perimeters of the lens in each the goggles and uncooked video.
The sides have been seen when setting the digital camera to 4:3 facet ratio and Vast FOV which provides you the widest FOV. Fortunately, when you’re utilizing Gyroflow or DJI’s built-in RockSteady stabilization, it crops in and removes these edges within the remaining video.
Not solely does the broader FOV make the footage look extra cinematic and immersive, it additionally improves your flying expertise. With extra of the setting in view, it turns into simpler to evaluate distance and timing, making proximity flying and freestyle maneuvers really feel way more pure. I discovered myself flying extra confidently and with larger precision.
There’s a slight drop in picture readability—some softness and a gentle coloration shift—however nothing dramatic. You’ll solely discover it when you zoom into the footage or examine it side-by-side with footage shot with out the lens. The lens flare can be a bit extra pronounced when flying towards shiny daylight, doubtless because of inner reflections from the additional glass lenses. Nonetheless, these minor drawbacks don’t outweigh the advantages in my view.
[xxx lens glare]
Bonus Characteristic – ND Filter Holder
The Flywoo Vast-Angle Lens comes with a detachable UV filter that doubles as a lens protector.
The UV filter may be swapped for ND filters (accessible individually from Flywoo). ND filters are important for controlling publicity and sustaining correct movement blur in shiny lighting circumstances, particularly when taking pictures cinematic movies. You’ll be able to find out about using ND filters on this tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/nd-filter-fpv/
Buy Flywoo’s ND Filters Set right here (contains UV filter, ND8, ND16 and ND32 filters): https://oscarliang.com/product-d00b
3 Completely different Variations
The Flywoo Vast-Angle Lens additionally serves as a mounting adapter, and selecting the proper model permits you to match the DJI O4 Lite digital camera into frames that help totally different cameras. This makes the O4 Lite Air Unit way more versatile and accessible for a greater variety of drone builds.
Plug & Play Model for Flywoo O4 Builds
Also called the “Cam Shell” model.
This model doesn’t have any mounting holes of its personal. As an alternative, it requires using the Flywoo O4 Digicam Shell adapter from Flywoo, which should be bought individually. The digital camera shell turns the O4 Lite right into a 14x14mm kind issue, like a typical nano FPV digital camera. As soon as the shell is put in, you may merely clip the wide-angle lens onto it.
You should buy the O4 Digicam Shell adapter right here: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_oonV9l8
Specs:
- Measurement: 16.8mm × 21mm × 18mm
- Added Weight: 3.7g (plus 1.3g from the digital camera shell, whole 5g)
O3 Mounting Model
This model turns your DJI O4 Lite digital camera into the identical dimension and mounting sample because the DJI O3 digital camera, making it appropriate with a variety of O3-compatible frames accessible right this moment.
It’s arguably essentially the most versatile possibility, however remember: when you’re mounting the O4 Lite like an O3 digital camera inside a full-size quad (comparable to a 5-inch construct), chances are you’ll want an extended digital camera cable—the one designed for the O4 Professional ought to work.
Specs:
- Measurement: 21mm × 23.5mm × 22.3mm
- Weight: 7.5g
O4 Professional Mounting Model
This model turns the O4 Lite digital camera into the identical kind issue and mounting because the DJI O4 Professional, ideally suited for brand new frames which might be designed for this new digital camera mounting.
Similar to the O3 model, utilizing it in bigger frames could require an extended digital camera cable, such because the one used for the O4 Professional.
Specs:
- Measurement: 21mm × 23.5mm × 20.5mm
- Weight: 7.5g
Which Model Ought to You Get?
It relies upon principally in your body’s digital camera mount dimension:
- In case your body helps DJI O3 or O4 Professional mounting, go along with a kind of variations for safer fitment.
- In case your body makes use of nano-sized 14x14mm mounts, select the Plug & Play Cam Shell model.
A Nearer Take a look at the Design
The lens housing is 3D-printed in TPU. It’s versatile, matches snugly, and is general effectively made.
Including this wide-angle lens introduces 5 to 7.5 grams of additional weight to your construct. On 2″ quads or smaller, this weight is likely to be noticeable and should barely have an effect on efficiency. Nevertheless, on 3″ or bigger drones, the added weight is negligible and shouldn’t pose any points.
Drawbacks and Quirks
Extra Weight
The lens provides round 5g to 7.5g, which might be an excessive amount of for 1S tiny whoops. Nevertheless, on open-prop micro quads, even 1S-powered ones, the additional weight is normally manageable. On something 2.5″ or bigger, it’s unlikely to be a problem.
Slight Picture Softening & Glare
Because of the further glasses, the picture could seem barely softer. That is solely actually noticeable when zooming in, so it’s not a dealbreaker for most individuals. You may also expertise elevated lens flare when dealing with towards the solar, brought on by reflections between the added lens components. Moreover, with extra glass surfaces, mud is extra prone to construct up, so chances are you’ll want to wash it extra steadily.
Lens Seen in View
Within the goggles, you might even see the perimeters of the wide-angle lens, particularly when utilizing 4:3 facet ratio and Vast FOV settings. Nevertheless, this may be eliminated within the air unit recording utilizing picture stabilization instruments like Gyroflow or the built-in RockSteady on the DJI system.
Lens Motion in Crashes
As a result of the plug and play model of the lens is a friction match, a tough crash can shift it ahead barely, giving a fisheye “skate video” look till get the drone again and manually push it again. The O3 and O4 professional variations gained’t have this subject.
Closing Ideas: Is It Price It?
Completely.
The Flywoo Vast-Angle Lens is a game-changer for anybody flying with the DJI O4 Lite digital camera. It considerably improves the flying expertise by providing a a lot wider and extra immersive subject of view. Extra importantly, it makes stabilized footage (through Rocksteady or Gyroflow) really watchable, addressing one of many key shortcomings of the O4 digital camera.
Whereas it’s not good—as a result of added weight, lens edges in view, and slight picture sharpness and glare compromises—it solves an actual drawback that DJI left unaddressed. And for builds the place house and weight permit, this can be a extremely really useful improve. Simply be sure that to choose the precise model based mostly in your digital camera and body.
You should buy the Flywoo Vast-Angle Lens package from these distributors:
For the plug&play model, don’t neglect to get the cam shell adapter: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_oonV9l8
And get the ND filters set as effectively for extra cinematic footage: https://oscarliang.com/product-d00b
