DJI Mavic 3 Pro: Review

• The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is DJI's latest aerial filmmaking drone;
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro features a triple-camera system: 4/3 Hasselblad camera and dual Tele cameras - all with varying focal lengths; 
• Shoot up to 5.1K video, or 4K/60fps on the Tele cameras;
• Launching alongside the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine, engineered for pro-filmmakers with tri-camera Apple ProRes support and built-in 1TB SSD;
• Other highlights include up to 43 minutes of flight time, omnidirectional object sensing, and DJI O3+ transmission for more stable feeds.

DJI has unveiled the DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone - with stand-out features including an integrated triple camera set up.

Engineered for high-quality aerial photography and videography, the Mavic 3 Pro has a top-class 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera which can shoot at up to 5.1K/50fps, as well as dual Tele cameras, offering 4K/60fps.

Alongside the Mavic 3 Pro, DJI has launched the Mavic 3 Pro Cine, which affords tri-camera Apple ProRes support and built-in 1TB SSD, making it a suitable option for professional content creators.

And with a maximum airtime of 43 minutes, a range of intelligent flight and camera features, and omnidirectional object sensing, the Mavic 3 Pro is a serious bit of kit.

Its foldable, lightweight design make it perfectly suited for capturing breath-taking aerial content on-the-go.

This blog takes a look at the new Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine and highlights their key features.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine: The Cameras

The triple camera design is undoubtedly the biggest talking point on these new-release drones.

By integrating three cameras, DJI has unlocked new possibilities for aerial content creators, helping them benefit from multiple focal lengths and a richer camera language, which in turn opens up multi-scenario capabilities.

In a nutshell, the three cameras offer:

• 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Camera: 24mm eq; f/2.8-f/11; 20 MP.
  
• 1/1.3-inch CMOS Medium Tele Camera: 70mm eq; 3x Optical Zoom;
  f/2.8; 48 MP.
  
• 1/2-inch CMOS Tele Camera: 166mm eq. 7x Optical Zoom; 28x Hybrid Zoom; f/3.4; 12 MP.
  

To add to this, all three cameras on the Mavic 3 Pro Cine support Apple ProRes 422 HQ, Apple ProRes 422, and Apple ProRes 422 LT encoding. This places the Mavic 3 Pro Cine into the realms of professional content creators.

So, let's look at each of the cameras in more detail.

4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Camera

Shoot up to 5.1K/50fps or DCI 4K/120fps. For the record, DCI stands for Digital Cinema Initiatives and is an agreed-upon standard of the film industry for 4K movie production.

The Hasselblad camera supports shooting 12-bit RAW photos with a native dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops, presenting unforgettable image details. And the Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution (HNCS) achieves impressive colour details without requiring heavy post-production or complex colour pre-sets.

It also features a new 10-bit D-Log M colour mode, delivering natural colour gradations, as well as Night Shots, Hyperlapse, and HLG (retains more colour information).

70mm Medium Tele Camera

Shoot up to 4K/60fps with the Medium Tele Camera.

Just like the Hasselblad sensor, this Tele camara supports 10-bit D-Log M, HLG and Hyperlapse. The Medium Tele Camera can also achieve 3x optical zoom. 

166mm Tele Camera

This Tele Camera has been upgraded from the one found on the original Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine - thanks to its higher resolution and wider f/3.4 aperture.

It supports shooting 4K/60fps video with 7x optical zoom and 12MP photos. The hybrid zoom reaches up to 28x.

Intelligent Shooting Modes

To complement the triple-camera array, Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine are packed with intelligent shooting modes to help capture iconic imagery - easier.

These features are:

• FocusTrack: The Hasselblad camera and the Medium Tele Camera support FocusTrack, which includes ActiveTrack 5.0, Spotlight, and Point of Interest, enabling stable tracking shots in multiple directions.
• MasterShots: Tap to enable MasterShots, and the drone will automatically shoot, edit, add soundtracks, and generate cinematic footage afterward.
• QuickShots: QuickShots empowers the Mavic 3 Pro series to perform diverse camera movements like Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Helix.
• Panorama: Directly compose a 100MP lossless panorama photo to capture a more breath-taking landscape.

It is worth noting that MasterShots, QuickShots, and Panorama are only supported by the Mavic 3 Pro's Hasselblad camera. 

Aside from these intelligent shooting features, Mavic 3 Pro streamlines the editing process, thanks to High-speed QuickTransfer and compatibilty with the LightCut app.

• High-speed QuickTransfer: Quickly transfer photos and videos to a smartphone without linking the remote controller.
• LightCut: Connect Mavic 3 Pro wirelessly to the LightCut app on your phone for quick previewing of clips and AI-based One-Tap Edit without downloading the footage, saving storage on your phone. Also benefit from  templates made especially for MasterShots.

Performance 

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine are reliable and powerful performers.

Highlights include:

• 43 minutes of flight time
• Lightweight, foldable, and compact - Mavic 3 Pro (958g); Mavic 3 Pro Cine (963g)
• Omnidirectional obstacle sensing and APAS 5.0 - precisely senses obstacles in all directions and plans a safe flight to avoid them
• DJI 03+ video transmission: Up to 8km (CE) and transmit 1080p/60fps HD live feed. 

The Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Pro Cine also feature a suite of intelligent features to automate flights and make them safer. 

These features include:

• Waypoint Flight: Automatic flight route planning, based on the pre-set waypoints and can precisely repeat routes.
• Cruise Control: Fly in any direction without continually pressing the control sticks. This makes long-distance flight effortless and helps reduce shaking during manual control for smoother camera movement.
• Advanced RTH: Auto-return function enables the drone to automatically determine a safe and efficient flight route back to its home point, including  bypassing obstacles on the RTH path. 

Mavic 3 Pro: What's In The Box

Multiple combos are available for the Mavic 3 Pro, enabling you to pick a package which best suits your needs.

The packages available are:

• DJI Mavic 3 Pro (DJI RC)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo (DJI RC)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo (DJI RC Pro)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine Fly More Combo (DJI RC Pro)

The difference between these options is what is included in the box. The table below highlights these differences.

Featuring more accessories, the Fly More Combos present better value for money compared to buying the basic package and adding the extra accessories later.

One of the big differences between the packages is the type of controller that is included, ie the DJI RC or the DJI RC Pro.

In a nutshell, the DJI RC Pro is an upgraded version of the DJI RC, featuring a brighter built-in screen, which performs better in brighter conditions, and has some extra features, such as a Mini-HDMI port and 32GB internal storage.

For a more immersive experience, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro and the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine are compatible with the DJI Goggles Integra and DJI Goggles 2, as well as the DJI RC Motion 2 which allows operators to control the drone with wrist movements. The goggles and motion controller are available separately.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro: Summary

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a seriously exciting drone for content creators.

Its triple camera array offers plenty of scope for aerial photography and filmography and ushers in a new era of camera drones, unlocking new shooting perspectives.  

And the fact that the Mavic 3 Pro Cine supports the Apple ProRes codecs across all three of its cameras - coupled with the built-in 1TB SSD - makes it a seriously attractive proposition for professional filmmakers.

Its compact size provides the added advantage of portability, as well as suitability for shooting dramatic sequences in tight spaces, for instance.

The original DJI Mavic 3 built on the solid foundations of the Mavic 2 Pro/Zoom to take drone content creation to the next level - and the Mavic 3 Pro continues this evolution.

Contact heliguy™ to start or scale your aerial photography/filmmaking with the DJI Mavic 3 Pro or Mavic 3 Pro Cine.