plus 5” Racing fpv drones & parts

DJI FPV SYSTEM V2

The DJI FPV System v2 refers to the DJI FPV Goggles and DJI FPV Goggles v2, which work with the DJI Air Unit, Caddx Vista, and Runcam Link video transmitters. The successor to the FPV Goggles V2 is the (enragingly named) DJI Goggles 2 which is covered in a separate section of this page.

In 2024, The V2 DJI FPV system is finally coming to an end. The V2 goggles are basically impossible to buy new, and even used/refurbished sources are getting more and more rare. As a result, we have removed the V2 DJI goggles from this page. However, the V2 section still remains because V2 video transmitters are widely available, and they still work with the Goggles 2. These cameras are still desirable even though they are last-generation because they offer capabilities like low-light vision that the O3 camera does not.

Most people who want to get into the DJI FPV system today should buy the Goggles 2, the Integra goggles, or whatever goggle DJI releases after that.

DJI VIDEO TRANSMITTERS AND CAMERAS

The first thing to do when shopping for a DJI V2 system is choose a camera. DJI V2 cameras are made by Runcam and Caddx. Once up on a time, DJI made cameras for the V2 system, but they’ve stopped. Whichever camera you settle on, the good news is that both Runcam and Caddx sell the exact same DJI video transmitter under a different name (Caddx calls it the Vista while Runcam calls it the Link). This vTX is the only one currently available for the DJI V2 cameras, so your choice is simple.

The main distinction between cameras is whether they support 120fps or 60fps refresh rate. The 120fps cameras have lower latency of about 25 to 35 ms, while the 60fps cameras are more like 35-45 ms. Pilots disagree over whether this small difference matters. It depends a lot on the type of flying you do. Although it’s not directly related to the framerate, 120fps cameras can also adjust image settings like exposure, saturation, and white balance. They can also switch between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio; all of the 60 fps cameras are a 16:9 aspect ratio only. Unfortunately, not all 120fps cameras have this feature any more, so you should check product listings carefully if this is a feature that’s important to you.

120 fps cameras include the original DJI camera and the Caddx Nebula Pro. These have the best image quality, in addition to the other advantages of their high framerate. Caddx has also released the Nebula Pro Nano, which is a 14mm (nano-sized) 120 fps camera for the smallest drones. Image quality isn’t quite as good as its larger cousin, but it’s the best 14 mm-sized DJI camera you can get. Make sure you DON’T buy the Nebula Nano (vs. the Nebula Pro Nano), as the Nebula Nano (non-Pro version) has very poor image quality.

If you’re ok with a 60 fps camera, then you’ll choose based on image quality and size/weight. The Caddx Polar and Runcam Phoenix HD both have worse image quality than the 120fps cameras, but still acceptable to some. Neither one is clearly superior to the other, and you should compare them in reviews to decide which one you prefer.

For night-time use, the Caddx Polar and the Runcam Night Eagle have great low-light sensitivity.

The Runcam Wasp deserves special mention. It’s a 120fps camera, so it has lower latency, but it’s the only 120fps camera that doesn’t have adjustable image settings (exposure, saturation, etc) and it only operates in 4:3 mode. It also can’t switch from the 120fps low latency mode to the 60 fps high-quality mode. Basically, if you only fly in low latency mode, and you’re ok with a 4:3 aspect ratio, the Wasp is an acceptable choice, but the Nebula Pro not that much more expensive and has better image quality and adjustability.

When shopping for a camera, pay attention to whether it’s labeled as “micro” or “nano”. Micro cameras are 19mm wide; nano cameras are 14mm wide. Most modern frames from about 3″ on up are sized for Micro cameras, but if you buy a Nano camera, you can use a 3d printed adapter to mount it. Nano cameras are typically used on frames smaller than 3″.