One Saturday morning in 2018, Werner and I took a Parrot Anafi and an MJX Bugs 5W to the field. Not a real comparison (that wouldn't be fair), just some thoughts on what a cheap entry-level drone does well and where a semi-pro one is worth the money.
Not a fair fight
The Anafi has really great specs on paper, and for the difference in price you could buy about three Bugs 5Ws for one Anafi. So this isn't about which is better. It's about what you get, and what matters when you buy your first drone.
Hovering and controls
The first thing I wanted to test, and one that matters a lot when you start, is hovering. The Bugs 5 hovers really well. It stays in place, even with a bit of wind, and doesn't go crazy like some cheap drones do. For a first drone that's great. The Anafi, of course, does exactly the same, and in the footage you can see them hovering side by side.
The controls are very easy on both. The Anafi reacts slightly stronger and faster to the sticks, but considering the difference, the Bugs is super responsive.
Portability and camera
The Bugs 5 comes in a plastic and cardboard box and doesn't fold, so that's the size you have to carry. The Anafi folds and closes into its case, so you can throw it into any bag. On portability, the Anafi wins hands down.
The camera is the biggest gap. The Bugs has no gimbal, just a shock absorber, and when you move too fast the footage isn't usable without heavy post-production. If you want it for photography or vlogging, it won't do the job. The Anafi has a two-axis mechanical gimbal plus electronic stabilisation for the third, and it works great. My take: if you can get good footage out of the Bugs, you're ready for something like the Anafi, the Spark or the Mavic Pro.
Return home and follow me
We tested return to home. The Anafi was off by about 20 centimetres. The Bugs 5 landed within the same square metre it took off from, which is great for a drone under 200 euros. Its follow me mode works, but without stabilisation the footage is shaky and choppy. It just follows the phone instead of tracking you visually like the Anafi or DJI drones.
I also crashed the Bugs a couple of times by mistake, flying without GPS, and it was fine. It's very light, so it's good for learning.
My thoughts
For under 200 euros, the Bugs 5W gives you GPS, return home and amazing hovering, and the photos are usable. The Anafi is already a professional product, with HDR footage you can use for your vlog or holidays. Thanks again to Werner: about 90% of the drones you see on my channel are thanks to him.