DJI Mavic 3 Initial Reviews

Before and at launch, DJI advertised the following features for the Mavic 3:

• Sub 900 g Basic Takeoff Weight:

  • Mavic 3: 895 g

  • Mavic 3 Cine: 899 g

• 4/3 CMOS 20MP Hasselblad Main Camera that does:

  • Apple ProRes 422 HQ

    • 5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50fps [WOOOOOOOOW]

    • DCI 4K: 4096×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps

    • 4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps

  • MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) with max 200 Mbps bitrate

    • 5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50fps [WOOOOOOOOW]

    • DCI 4K: 4096×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps [WOOOOOOOOW]

    • 4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps

    • FHD: 1920×1080p@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*/200*fps

  • 20MP (Max Image Size: 5280×3956) Photos with Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB)

    • Panoramic Photos

  • Hyperlapse

  • Shoots in RAW

  • Lens:

    • FOV: 84°

    • Format Equivalent: 24 mm

    • Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11

    • Focus: 1 m to ∞ (with autofocus)

• ISO Range

• Video: 100-6400

• Still Image: 100-6400

• Shutter Speed

• Electronic Shutter: 8-1/8000 s

• 1/2-inch CMOS Telephoto Camera with 4x Digital Zoom that does:

  • MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265):

    • 4K: 3840×2160@30 fps

    • FHD: 1920×1080@30 fps

  • 12MP (Max Image Size 4000×3000) Photos

  • Lens

• FOV: 15°

• Format Equivalent: 162mm

• Aperture: f/4.4

• Focus: 3 m to ∞

• ISO Range

• Video: 100-6400
  Still Image: 100-6400

• Shutter Speed

• Electronic Shutter: 2-1/8000 s

• Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level: 6000 m

• Max Flight Time (no wind): 46 minutes

• Max Hovering Time (no wind): 40 minutes

• Max Flight Distance: 30 km

• 15km Max Transmission Range

• Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing

• Advanced Return to Home

• Operating Temperature: -10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F)

• GNSS

• GPS + Galileo + BeiDou

• Hovering Accuracy Range

• Vertical: ±0.1 m (with Vision Positioning); ±0.5 m
  (with GNSS Positioning)
  Horizontal: ±0.3 m (with Vision Positioning); ±0.5 m
  (with High-Precision Positioning System)

• Internal Storage

• Mavic 3: 8 GB (available space is approx. 7.2 GB)
  Mavic 3 Cine: 1TB (available space is approx. 934.8 GB)

• DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller

At launch, the DJI Fly app doesn't let you do Hyperlapses or panoramic photos, as initially advertised. But the upcoming firmware update in January 2022 *should* add those features. Not a showstopper for now, but for those looking for those features specifically, I'd wait until January before deciding if I'd buy one.

At launch, the telephoto camera can only film in Auto at 30fps. Despite the limited frame rate, such strong zoom capability is a pretty cool feature to have on a drone, especially if your videography use case relies on zooming in to subjects from afar (or if you're James Bond performing covert surveillance. Just sayin'), but it's more a fun feature right now that won't currently satisfy the consumate videophotography professionals that bought this drone just for that.

You've been warned. Even if you're a billionaire and you don't care.

At launch, the DJI Fly app doesn't let you do Hyperlapses or panoramic photos, as initially advertised. But the upcoming software update in January 2022 *should* add those features. Not a showstopper for now, but for those looking for those features specifically, I'd wait until January before deciding if I'd buy one.

At launch, the telephoto camera can only film in Auto at 30fps. It's a pretty cool feature to have on a drone, especially if your use case relies on zooming in to subjects from afar (or if you're James Bond performing covert surveillance. Just sayin'), but it's more a fun feature right now that won't currently satisfy the consumate videophotography professionals that bought this drone just for that.

You've been warned. Even if you're a billionaire and you don't care.

Some people have complained that the Mavic 3 just feels weird to use... I haven't flown one, so I can't confirm or deny these, but I've heard:

• Some buttons are hard to press mid-flight on the DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller. Don't think this can be fixed with a firmware update...

• Some professional videophotographers say the DJI Fly App feels too simple for more complex use cases. But the upcoming firmware update in January 2022 combined with a DJI Fly app software update *should* add features and ability to explore additional settings, so not a big deal.

• You can't change color modes outside of Normal and DLOG, so no sharpness adjustment or contrast. Again, something that could be fixed via a DJI Fly app software update.

Is it overpriced? Here are the prices at time of launch on the DJI Official Store:

• DJI Mavic 3 - USD$2,199

• DJI Mavic 3 Fly More Combo - USD$2,999This combo helps you o explore and shoot in more scenarios and for much longer. On top of the basic DJI Mavic 3 drone, it includes 3× Intelligent Flight Batteries, a Battery Charging Hub, a 65W Portable Charger, a convertible carrying case, a ND filter set (ND4/8/16/32), a pair of DJI Mavic 3 Low-Noise Propellers, and a DJI Mavic 3 Storage Cover.

• DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo - USD $4,999This is meant for professional photo/video content creators and includes a DJI Mavic 3 Cine drone that supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ and built-in 1TB SSD as well DJI RC Pro controller with a high brightness display (no need to use your phone as a display during flight). It also includes everything in the Fly More Combo, an extra set of ND filters (ND64/128/256/512), as well as a couple of USB Type-C and 10GH Lightspeed data cables.

I wish I could buy the Mavic 3 Fly More Combo, but I don't have the budget (or justification) to buy it right now. I'd buy the Cine Premium Combo without hesitation if I was a billionaire right now, but let's stay grounded for a moment (pun intended)...

But it's definitely not overpriced...

First off, the gimbal-mounted hyperlapse-making Hasselblad camera alone justified the price; I mean it shoots RAW photography as well as 5.1k Apple ProRes and 120fps 4K!

Hi-end film cameras are super expensive. Hell, try finding a sub USD$3k DSLR camera that's capable of such specs, and then we'll talk... So for what this does, it's a bargain for most serious professionals. If anything, it's slightly underpriced (DJI, don't let this get to your head)!

If you're just a hobbyist drone amateur like me, DJI gives you plenty of other more affordable and similarly-capable options:

1. USD$1250 Mavic 2 Pro (now that everybody's abused that crazy low price, they feel entitled to more features for the same low cost)

2. USD$1000 Mavic Air 2S (5.4K for sub USD$1k and that still wasn't enough for some people)