How to Switch Between Video and Photo Modes on the DJI Neo 2
Peter Leslie
21 May 2026
If you have the DJI Neo 2 sat in the camera view in DJI Fly and you cannot remember which way to jump between video and stills, there are two routes — a dedicated button on the remote controller, and a tap-and-pick dial on the touch screen. Both swap shooting mode in a single action, and both keep the drone in the air.
Most drone pilots reach for the hardware button when they need the swap to happen quickly without taking their eyes off the live feed, and use the touch dial only when they also need to drop into QuickShots. The button sits to the right of the right joystick; the touch dial sits at the top of the icon column on the right-hand side of the camera view.
Quick guide
To switch shooting mode on the DJI Neo 2, press Photo/Video button on the remote controller (right of the right joystick), or tap DJI Fly → Camera View → top icon on the right (Shooting Mode dial) → Photo / Video. The hardware button is one press; the touch dial swipes between Photo, Video, and QuickShots.
Step-by-step: How to Switch Between Video and Photo Modes on the DJI Neo 2
Follow these top to bottom the first time, and you will know the path off by heart the second time.
Open DJI Fly and drop into the DJI Neo 2 camera view
With the DJI Neo 2 powered on and the remote controller connected, launch DJI Fly and tap Go Fly to enter the camera view. The live feed fills the screen and the column of shooting controls runs down the right-hand edge.
Find the Photo/Video button on the DJI Neo 2 remote controller
Look at the front face of the remote, just to the right of the right joystick. The small round button sat between the right stick and the Shutter/Record button is the Photo/Video button. It is the fastest route between the two shooting modes.
Press the Photo/Video button once to toggle between Video and Photo
A single press swaps the mode. If the drone was in Video it switches to Photo, and if it was in Photo it switches to Video. The right-hand column on the screen updates the moment the press registers, so you can confirm the swap without looking down at the remote.
Find the Shooting Mode icon at the top of the right-hand column in DJI Fly
If you would rather use the touch screen, look at the stack of icons running down the right of the camera view. The icon at the very top of that column is the Shooting Mode dial — it shows whichever mode the drone is sat in right now.
Tap the Shooting Mode icon and pick Video or Photo from the dial
A single tap opens the Shooting Mode dial with Photo, Video, and QuickShots arranged around it. Swipe to the option you want and release — the camera view commits to the new mode straight away, no confirm step.
Confirm the camera view has switched to the new shooting mode
Check the right-hand column. In Video the rows expose resolution and frame rate; in Photo they expose aspect ratio and the photo shooting style. The Shutter/Record button at the bottom right of the screen also redraws between a red record dot and a white camera dot, which is the fastest visual confirm that the mode flipped.
Peter's tip
I almost never use the touch dial mid-flight on the DJI Neo 2. The hardware Photo/Video button on the remote is one press and your thumb is already on the right grip, which keeps both hands on the sticks. The only time the touch dial wins is when I need QuickShots — that option only lives in the dial, so the screen tap is unavoidable for things like Dronie or Boomerang.
| Mode | What the right-hand column shows | When to pick it |
|---|---|---|
| Video | Resolution and frame rate rows are exposed, the Shutter/Record button on the camera view draws as a red record dot, and the Video Mode dial sits in the column for cropping and slow-motion options. | Moving subjects, cinematic flights, anything where the shot needs to be continuous, and any session where you plan to grab still frames out of the footage in post rather than committing to a single photo at the moment. |
| Photo | Aspect ratio and photo shooting style rows are exposed, the Shutter/Record button redraws as a white camera dot, and the timer option becomes selectable for delayed self-shots from the hover. | Static scenes, mapping a single composition, group shots from a hover, and any time the final deliverable is a stills frame rather than a clip — the photo mode commits the full sensor to one frame rather than a video stream. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to switch between Video and Photo on the DJI Neo 2?
The dedicated Photo/Video button on the remote controller. It sits to the right of the right joystick, one press swaps the mode, and you keep both thumbs on the sticks while you do it. Going through DJI Fly works too, but it is a touch-screen tap that takes your eyes off the live feed for a second longer.
Which shooting mode does the DJI Neo 2 default to?
Video. The DJI Neo 2 fires up the camera view in Video mode every time you power on, and it stays in Video until you press the Photo/Video button or tap the Shooting Mode icon in DJI Fly to switch across. A fresh power-cycle resets the camera view back to Video.
Can I switch between Video and Photo mid-flight on the DJI Neo 2?
Yes. The Photo/Video button on the remote works in flight, and so does the Shooting Mode icon in DJI Fly. The drone keeps holding position from the sticks while the mode changes. Stop recording before you swap if you are mid-clip, otherwise the cut from video to a frozen photo frame looks jarring in the final footage.
Why is QuickShots greyed out when I tap the Shooting Mode icon?
QuickShots only becomes available once the DJI Neo 2 is airborne. With the drone on the ground the option sits in the dial but cannot be selected — take off, hover for a moment, and the QuickShots tile lights up. Photo and Video are both selectable on the ground and in the air.
Does the DJI Neo 2 remember the last shooting mode after I land?
Only within the same session. Land, leave the drone powered on, and the next take-off will return to whichever mode you finished in. Power-cycle the drone and the camera view resets to Video — the default shooting mode on the DJI Neo 2 after a cold start.
What if the Photo/Video button on the DJI Neo 2 remote does not respond?
Two usual causes — the remote is paused on a sub-screen that hijacks the button, or DJI Fly is on an outdated build. Tap back out of any open menu in DJI Fly to return to the standard camera view and try the button again. If it still does nothing, update DJI Fly, re-launch, and re-pair the remote if needed.
Can I switch shooting modes from the DJI Neo 2 without the remote controller?
Yes — when using Mobile App Control on the phone alone, tap the Shooting Mode icon at the top of the right-hand column in the DJI Fly camera view and pick Photo or Video from the dial. The dial behaves the same way it does with the remote connected, so the touch route is the fallback whenever the controller is not in the loop.
Video is the default and the safe call for moving subjects; Photo is the one to flip into when the deliverable is a single frame from a hover. The Photo/Video button on the remote is the route most drone pilots end up using once the layout is muscle memory.
If you are not sure which mode suits the kind of flying you are doing on the DJI Neo 2, drop the details to peter@hiredronepilot.uk and I will come back to you directly. The video version of this walkthrough is on YouTube and the comments are open.
References
Primary source material for this article is the official DJI Neo 2 documentation and DJI Fly. External links open in a new tab.
- DJI Neo 2 — Downloads (User Manual, Quick Start Guide, firmware notes) · Remote controller layout — Photo/Video button position and the Shooting Mode icon in the DJI Fly camera view.
- DJI Neo 2 — Product page (UK) · Camera hardware overview and the shooting modes available on the drone.
- DJI Fly — App download and release notes · The app where the Shooting Mode dial lives. Release notes record any layout changes between app versions.
Peter Leslie
Founder & GVC Drone Pilot
Peter is the founder of HireDronePilot. With thousands of logged commercial flight hours, he writes about drone technology, commercial surveying tactics, and UK aviation compliance.
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