Drones are a dime a dozen these days and with so many flying around in the aerial photography and videography market, it can be tricky to pick one to take to the skies with.

The Anafi, by French manufacturer Parrot, is one more to consider.

Parrot's previous drones, such as the Mambo, Disco and Bebop, seemed to be aimed at a more casual crowd, with their focus on virtual reality, racing and acrobatics. With the Anafi, however, Parrot is not playing around.

It comes with features such as a 4K camera that can shoot HDR video and a three-axis gimbal for shot stability.

It weighs an impressively light 320g, making this slim machine - which gives popular drones like the DJI Mavic Air a run for their money - a great choice for users who value portability.

The camera's capability of 180degree tilt freedom is a standout feature. The Anafi's gimbal allows it to look straight up or down, allowing for a flexibility I have not experienced with other drones.

Also commendable is the camera's lossless digital zoom. Parrot said earlier last month that its camera could go up to 2.8x zoom in 1,080p and 1.4x zoom in 4k without losses. It sounded too good to be true, but when I tested the camera, the claims seemed to stand up.

The ability to zoom in clearly on a drone opens up plenty of recording opportunities and users keen on getting detailed shots of landscapes will find this feature useful.

The Anafi has a good battery life - 25 minutes of flight time on a full charge, which is more than that of many other similarly-priced drones.

Its USB-C charging port allows the 2,700mAh lithium-ion battery to be charged anywhere with a portable charger.

But while the Anafi's size, battery and heavy-duty camera impress, I have a few quibbles.

For one thing, the battery takes longer to charge than some of its competitors' - going from zero to 100 per cent in about two hours and 15 minutes. Those keen on this drone might want to get a spare battery.

But its most noticeable flaw is the lack of any obstacle avoidance capability, which most drones in the Anafi's price range have. It cannot detect and evade obstructions such as cliffs, cables or tree branches during flight.

This means users have to be very careful when flying it. This is especially worrying considering how the Anafi feels fragile and could be prone to damage upon slight impact.

The control also feels a tad laggy. In the three times I flew the Anafi, there was a short but noticeable lag between my inputs on the controller and the drone's flight path.

This meant I had to be more mindful while flying it, as the drone did not stop immediately when I let go of the controller's joysticks.

While it was something that I could work around and got used to eventually, it does open up the Anafi to potential accidents.

These issues slightly diminish the appeal of the drone's standout camera.

The Anafi is a drone that captures superb images that will satisfy photographers and videographers, provided they fly it cautiously.

• Verdict: This small flying machine packs a punch with its heavy-duty battery and excellent camera, as long as one is careful and does not mind a slightly longer than usual charging time.