DJI Mavic 3 Pro Review

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a new addition to DJI’s Mavic lineup of drones, and it’s the most advanced model to date. Although not announced as a direct replacement for the Mavic 3, which has been on the market for almost two years, it does seem to be that way as the price difference between the two doesn’t leave much room for the now ageing Mavic 3. The Mavic 3 Pro is positioned as the more professional version of the Mavic 3 Classic, offering improved capabilities and features that make it more suitable for professional filmmakers and photographers.

The Mavic 3 Pro, essentially bridges the gap between compact drones and larger professional drone systems like the DJI Inspire 3.

The standout feature of the Mavic 3 Pro is its camera system. It features three cameras: a 24mm wide-angle camera, this is the Hasselblad Camera, a 70mm Medium Telephoto Camera, and a 166mm Telephoto Camera camera. The big news here is that the 24mm has been co-designed with Hasselblad and features a 20 mp 4/3 CMOS sensor. That’s essentially the same size of sensor that you find in many Olympus and Panasonic cameras so that image capture quality potential here is massive. The other two cameras are slotted in around the large 24mm and can be activated through the DJI Fly app with a quick tap on the screen.

The camera system is also capable of capturing 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, making it perfect for professional filmmakers who need high-quality footage.

Overall, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro looks to be an impressive drone that offers professional-grade features and capabilities. Its camera system is the best on the market at this price. However, it doesn’t really have any competitors, and it’s capable of capturing stunning images and videos in almost any situation. While it’s a bit pricier than the DJI Mavic 3, it’s well worth the investment for professional photographers and filmmakers who want the best.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is built to be both durable and lightweight, checking it over and looking at it side-by-side with the Mavic 3 and they’re almost identical, the only difference is a slight uplift at the front to accommodate that slightly larger lens. Its body is made from high-strength composite material and features a magnesium alloy frame, which provides increased durability and helps keep the weight down although it is slightly heavier than the Mavic 3.

As the body of the drone is essentially the same as the previous two there’s little actual changes other than that slight modification to raise the front. Otherwise, the arms fold or rotate out in the way that we’re now familiar with on DJI drones, the battery pops in the back and a rubber flap covers the USB Type-C port and MicroSD card slot.

Props are all quick-release, just push down on the propeller and rotate the clock wise and they can be changed. Otherwise, little to report back on design or handling changes.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is packed with features that make it one of the most advanced drones on the market. The standout feature is the camera system, which includes three separate cameras that can capture footage in a variety of formats and resolutions.

The Hasselblad Wide-Angle Camera is the primary camera on the Mavic 3 Pro and is capable of capturing footage in 5.1K/50fps, 4K/120fps. It has an effective resolution of 20MP and a lens equivalent to 24mm, with an aperture of f/2.8-f/11 fronting a large 4/3 CMOS sensor. This camera also supports a range of colour modes, including Normal, D-Log and HLG/D-Log M, and Night Video Mode, which allows you to capture stunning footage even in low-light conditions.

In addition to the wide-angle camera, the Mavic 3 Pro also features a Medium Tele Camera and a Tele Camera. The Medium Tele Camera has an effective resolution of 48 MP or 12 MP and an equivalent lens of 70mm with an aperture of f/2.8. It supports 5.1k@50fps, 4K/120fps and 1080p/200fps video recording and has a 3-7x zoom, with 3x being an optical zoom.

The Tele Camera has an effective resolution of 12 MP, a lens equivalent to 166mm, and an aperture of f/3.4. It supports 4K/60fps and 1080p/60fps video recording and has a 7-28x zoom, with 7x being an optical zoom.

Other notable features of the Mavic 3 Pro include its advanced obstacle avoidance sensors, which help prevent collisions with obstacles in front, behind, above, and below the drone. It also features an improved AirSense system that can detect nearby aeroplanes and helicopters, and DJI’s Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 5.0 allows the drone to fly around obstacles automatically.

Air safety is always a major consideration when you’re flying and here to ensure maximum safety the Mavic 3 Pro features DJI’s improved AirSense system, which uses ADS-B technology to detect nearby aeroplanes and helicopters. The system warns the pilot when a manned aircraft is within range and recommends taking appropriate action, such as landing the drone or changing its flight path which will give you some peace of mind while flying.

Alongside are the Intelligent flight modes include FocusTrack; which allows the drone to track subjects while avoiding obstacles; MasterShots; which automatically shoots and edits sequences, QuickShots; which captures stunning single camera movements such as Circle and Helix, Panorama that captures 100MP photos and High-Speed QuickTransfer enabling the ultra-fast download of images and video to your mobile.

Overall, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a feature-packed drone that is perfect for professional photographers and videographers who need to capture high-quality footage in a range of environments. Its advanced camera system, intelligent flight modes, and safety features make it a reliable and versatile tool for capturing stunning aerial footage.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is an impressive drone when it comes to flight performance. With a maximum flight time of 43 minutes, it offers a longer flight time than many other drones on the market, although does drop a few minutes on the DJI Mavic 3. This long flight time means that you can spend more time in the air, allowing you to capture more footage and explore your surroundings for longer periods of time. To actually get that flight time, however, it’s worth noting that you’ll need to use the camera at 1080p 24/fps and switch off features such as APAS and AirSense. You’ll also need to run the battery beyond its safe limit for returning. I managed around 25 minutes per battery filming with all sensors on, and a couple of landings in that time.

In terms of flight features, the Mavic 3 Pro has a range of intelligent flight modes that can help you capture stunning footage with ease. The drone features ActiveTrack 5.0, which can track and follow subjects while avoiding obstacles, making it perfect for capturing footage of moving objects such as cars, bikes, and even people. The drone also features Spotlight, which allows you to keep a subject in the frame while you fly the drone around them, and then there’s Point of interest where the drone essentially circles its prey creating stunning cinematic shots.

Testing out each of these features and it’s worth noting that you do need a decent amount of space to allow the drone full movement. In each mode especially Point of interest it was good to see the sensors kick in to stop the drone from reversing into some trees.

This brings me to the impressive obstacle avoidance system. The drone has 12 sensors located on its body, which can detect obstacles in front, behind, above, below, and to the sides of the drone. This allows the drone to avoid collisions with objects, making it a safer option for flying in crowded or complex environments. Essentially these kick in if an object is two close and either reduce the speed of the drone to make it easy for you to track it through or stop it dead in its tracks until you find another way to fly around the object.

The system works incredibly well, and when it kicks in it’s usually for a reason and is best not ignored.

The Mavic 3 Pro also has a range of other features that make it a pleasure to fly. It has a maximum speed of 68.4 km/h, making it fast enough to keep up with fast-moving subjects. The drone also has a range of up to 15 km, allowing you to fly it further away from your location and explore even more of your surroundings. I wasn’t able to test either of these features to their full potential due to space and the flight restrictions in the UK, however, across the fields where I could see its full flight easily it did go at a pace and the transmission to the controller appeared smooth throughout the flight.

Overall, the flight performance of the Mavic 3 Pro is excellent, with long flight times, intelligent flight modes, and advanced obstacle avoidance features.

The big story here is of course the DJI Mavic 3 Pro’s camera quality which is simply breathtaking. Firstly before the cameras it’s worth noting that the video transmission is smooth and crisp, with minimal latency between the camera and the live view and the images being beamed back look amazing on the small screen at least!

Starting with the Hasselblad camera and this is selected by tapping the 1 on the screen. Then in the usual way through the DJI Fly app you can select each of the settings and options you want for that camera, such as aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity along with colour profiles.

In this test I used the newer RS Pro which is a simply outstanding controller with the screen built in so you don’t have to faff around with cables. Checking back the footage and images and the quality is simply outstanding with plenty of tone and detail that is far beyond the quality you would imagine you could capture with sunch a small drone.

The Medium Telephoto can be selected by tapping 3, the camera and visual then change as the camera’s longer focal length is selected. Again the quality of the feed looks great on screen and again this is replicated in the footage with clean, clear crisp detail tone and colour. The quality of this lens and camera is far superior to the one featured on the DJI Mavic 3.

Finally, the Telephoto can be selected by tapping the 7, and again the quality of this camera is superb. Any camera shake or vibration that you think might be apparent is thankfully non-existent.

DJI’s experience with 4/3 sensors from their Zenmuse systems, such as the X5s, is evident in the Mavic 3 Pro’s camera quality. Ultimately, the Mavic 3 Pro is a serious imaging drone that can capture incredible quality footage at a fraction of the size and cost of other drones.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is an excellent drone that pushes the boundaries of what is possible in such a compact form. The camera system is outstanding, and the added safety features make it incredibly reliable and easy to fly. The Hasselblad camera as part of the 3-camera setup make it stand out from its predecessor, the Mavic 3, and it’s an excellent upgrade for those looking for more professional-grade footage.

Would I upgrade from the Mavic 3 to the Mavic 3 Pro?

If I needed the lenses with the 70mm and 166mm then yes without a doubt as the quality of those two telephoto cameras far exceeds the abilities of the Mavic 3. If I were only interested in the high-quality Hasselblad 24mm then I’d stick with the already excellent camera on the Mavic 3. If however, I was buying fresh, then without a doubt the Mavic 3 Pro as I’m sure the Mavic 3 will be at the end of its life relatively soon.

While the price point is higher than the DJI Mavic 3 Classic, the added features of the Mavic 3 Pro make it a worthy investment for anyone looking to take their drone photography to the next level. The improved camera system and safety features are significant upgrades, making it a more robust and reliable drone for imaging.

Overall, the Mavic 3 Pro is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high-quality compact drone that can produce stunning video footage and stills. It’s perfect for professional photographers, videographers, and enthusiasts who want the best possible footage from a compact drone.

When to upgrade to the DJI Inspire 3 depends on your needs and the type of footage you want to capture. The Inspire 3 is a larger, more professional-grade drone designed for commercial and industrial use and is not as portable as the Mavic 3 Pro. If you need more advanced features, such as interchangeable lenses, more robust flight capabilities, and higher-quality footage, the Inspire 3 may be the next step. However, for most users, the Mavic 3 Pro will be more than sufficient for their needs.

The Mavic 3 Pro is an excellent drone with professional-grade features in a compact design. With its outstanding camera system, improved safety features, and robust build quality, it’s an excellent investment for anyone looking to take drone photography to the next level.