S. Dent@stevetdentNovember 30th, 2021In this article: DJI, gear, telephoto, Mavic 3, drone, cameras, Mavic 3 Cine, 4/3 sensor, reviewiThis content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here, then reload the page to see it.
DJI’s Mavic 3 created early buzz when a leak suggested it would have a large 4/3 sensor and dual camera system, along with an incredible 46 minutes of range. However, potential buyers were also shocked to learn that it has a $2,200 starting price, compared to $1,449 for the Mavic 2 Pro. And that goes way up to $5,000 if you want advanced features like ProRes HQ video.
Early footage shows that the camera is indeed impressive and the 50 percent extra flight time is extremely useful. Buyers have also complained, though, about the price, overly basic Fly app and features like ActiveTrack 5 that won’t be available until a January 2022 update.
DJI
Mavic 3
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Pros
- Incredible image quality
- Extremely stable
- Solid obstacle avoidance
- Easy to fly
- Very long battery life
Cons
- Basic Fly app
- Missing features at launch
- Telephoto lens not up to par
I wanted to find out if it was worth that kind of money, particularly if you already have a Mavic 2 Pro. I’ve had the standard model for a couple of weeks and have been testing it around the French countryside with a licensed drone pilot, Samuel Dejours. Here’s what we found out.
Steve Dent/Engadget
As I mentioned, there are two versions of the DJI Mavic 3: The standard model and the Cine. Both have identical cameras and drones, but the Mavic 3 Cine has a built-in 1TB SSD, MicroSD slot and Apple ProRes 422 HQ video support. It also comes with the screen-equipped RC Pro remote, while the standard model includes the more basic RC-N1 that requires a smartphone.
ProRes 422 HQ is desirable for professional film shoots, because it delivers higher image quality and better color fidelity, especially for detailed scenes. The drawback is that it takes up a lot more space, using 1GB for around 10 seconds of video, for a total SSD record time of 167 minutes. The only way to get that footage off the drone is via the USB-C Thunderbolt port and supplied cable, but it can transfer at speeds very quickly, at up to 700MB/s.
The Cine model comes in a bundle with three batteries, a carrying bag, two sets of ND filters and more. As mentioned, it also costs $5,000, so you’d need a good reason to have those features. Since the Cine is aimed more at professional filmmakers, we tested the standard model in the $3,000 Fly More Combo. That includes three batteries, a charging hub, one set of ND filters and a nice carrying bag that converts into a backpack. It’s equipped with a MicroSD slot and 8GB of storage that’s only really useful for emergencies
Much like the Air 2S, the Mavic 3 folds into a compact, easy-to-carry size. It weighs 899 grams with a battery, slightly under the 907 gram weight of the Mavic 2 Pro. It has a slightly larger wingspan, as the arms are a hair longer to accommodate the bigger propellers.
Steve Dent/Engadget
Because of the dual camera system and larger main camera sensor, the camera module is bigger too. As a result, it protrudes a bit beyond the drone body, leaving it more exposed to damage in a crash.
The camera module itself no longer pans like the Mavic 2 Pro’s camera, so all panning must be done by moving the drone. However, it now tilts up 30 degrees, which can come in very handy for certain types of shoots, inspection work and so on. The camera locks when the drone is turned off, and is protected by a harness that my colleague jokingly called a bondage mask.
The Mavic 3’s battery is much larger than the one on the Mavic 2 Pro, at 5,000 mAh compared to 3,850 mAh. That, along with some aerodynamic tweaks, gives it a 50 percent boost in range from 31 to 46 minutes — a huge and incredibly useful gain. The 65-watt charger, now powered by USB-C, can juice up a battery in about an hour and 50 minutes.
Steve Dent/Engadget
DJI notes that flight time is 46 minutes with a hover time of 40 minutes. As you might expect, though, that depends heavily on the outside temperature and how you operate it. In sunny skies and lowish 47 degree F (8 degree C) temperatures, with a mix of sport, cinema and normal flying, we were easily getting about 35 minutes of range. That’s really good, and as a result, Samuel didn’t feel the need to rush as he sometimes does with his Air 2S or FPV. And those numbers should be considerably higher in the summertime.
Now, let’s get to the cameras. The primary camera was built by DJI in collaboration with Hasselblad and features a 24 mm f/2.8-f/11 lens and 4/3 sensor. For reference, that’s a third bigger than the one-inch sensor on the Mavic 2 Pro and the same size as Panasonic’s mirrorless GH5 II camera sensor, for instance.
The video specs are nearly as impressive as the GH5 II, as well. It can shoot 5.1K at 50 fps or 4K at 60 fps using the entire width of the sensor, yielding sharp, supersampled video. You can also shoot 4K at 120 fs if you don’t mind cropping of about 50 percent. That won’t be a big deal for most people, as 4K 120fps footage is extremely useful on a drone for action, wildlife, moving water and so on.
Some parts of this article are sourced from:
engadget.com