A little (huge) rant about the Mavic 3 Cine...

[Ben_McPhee]

In Australia, the Cine is a $7200 drone. That's $3000 more than the Mavic 3 Pro (combo).

To be honest... I'm kind of pissed that the Cine even exists. A huge chunk of that extra $3000 is there to justify ProRes (So really, most people will see it as paying $3000 for one feature), and the other chunk is there for a controller that should be an optional extra).

And there's no way to NOT get the controller and save some money, or to not buy it in a combo, which effectively adds another $1200AUD to the price.

That's essentially $4200 extra just for Pro-Res - or to put it another way, an entire Mavic 3 Pro Combo.

It's a money grab by DJI pure and simple.

Ignoring extra cables and a few extra filters, for $3000aud more, you get:

RC CONTROLLER - $1529 Value
(Buy DJI RC Pro Controller | Free Shipping

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even though it's "cool" and "convenient", the RC Pro controller isn't strictly necessary to operate the Cine? (Or if it is, it's just designed that way so you "need" it, but it's artificial). I could live without it, and I'd much rather put $1529 towards a new iPhone, or an iPad.

Not only that, but it offers significantly less flying time than the standard controller.

I hear it adds Ocusync 3+? That just means they left out out of the normal controller to upsell the Cine. (And that was in small print too).

INTERNAL STORAGE
A 1TB SSD (which is "necessary" for ProRes), which means DJI value the Internal storage at $682.

This "selling point" is completely unnecessary, and as most of you know is more of a design flaw than anything.

If the Mavic 3 Pro took CF Express type B cards (Fast enough for 8K60 on an R5C, so overkill and future proof for ProRes from a drone), then 2x 512 gb cards would only cost $400. And users could swap them out to offload cards and keep the drone airborne rather than being grounded.

Not only that, but that storage media could be used in other devices, or on other DJI Airframes, and when the next drone arrives, there'd be no need to charge $3000 more for an airframe with internal storage.

A 1TB NVME for a computer costs as little as $100. So if they insisted on including internal storage (which would still be a mistake), it shouldn't add any significant cost, but let's say it's "proprietary" and a bit special. That's $400 extra maybe? Not $700.

Forcing the drone to have internal storage is a HUGE oversight and a design flaw, and it just didn't need to happen at all. It's there intentionally so the Cine could be a thing. (And lets not pretend we believe that DJI spent years designing this thing and nobody there realised that was an issue until it released...)

There's several "low cost" removable cards on the market with more than enough speed for ProRes 422HQ or higher. But internal storage was deliberately included to force anyone who wanted ProRes to overpay significantly for it - even though it is a major design flaw for any pro using it in a fast paced environment.

PRO-RES
Access to ProRes, (Which costs $789 on an Inspire) - Buy CinemaDNG & Apple ProRes Activation Key - DJI Store

So with it established above that Pro Res could have been included with removable media, there's no reason to even have a seperate "cine" model. ProRes could have been built in to all Mavic 3's, and "unlocked" with key - just as they do on the Inspire series.

I would HOPE it would be priced fairly, but I'd rather slightly overpay for that unlock but save around $2200 on the internal storage and the controller I don't really need, not to mention another $1200 or so on the combo I don't really need.

Yes, I'd need to purchase extra batteries, filters and recording media separately, so the final cost wouldn't be "cheap", but I could choose higher quality filters, save money by making do with 2 batteries, and have all the advantages of removable media that isn't tied to one product and can be repurposed for other tasks.

A Mavic 3 Pro V2 that's basically identical to the current (non cine) model with an added CF Express B slot (as well as Micro SD), and that can have Pro-Res added WHEN I feel I need it (So I don't have buyers remorse some day), is all I bloody want. I could think of some more stuff, but just do that and I'm very happy.

Is there ANY hope of an updated version that's basically something along the lines of what I just suggested? DJI used to update their Phantom line with cool little refreshes, and the Mavic Pro "Platinum" got some minor upgrades too.

Could this happen with a "Mavic 3 Pro Platinum"? (Replaces both base and cine version and fixes biggest cine issue).

And if you think there's any chance I'm not crazy, should I hold my breath for it by 2023/24?

I REALLY hope it would have:
- No Internal storage required for Pro-Res (Huge cost saving).

- Ocusync 3+ on the "standard" remote.

- Dual Slots (SD and CF Express type B slots - to enable dual recording, and to allow continued use of "cheap" Micro SD cards when not shooting ProRes)

- 32-64GB Internal storage (Just in case - Even if it's only fast enough for H.265, it's a safety net).

- Improved tele camera and sensor (Also records Pro-Res)

- ProRes as a software unlock (For a reasonable price). AND it's transferable to a different airframe in the event of a crash (or a sale).

- Other ProRes flavours besides 422HQ included.

- Available to buy WITHOUT the combo.

- Little tweaks to minor annoyances. (Feel free to list yours).

Hopefully priced the same as the current base model, (or slightly more to account for it's awesomeness, or slightly less so it's a no-brainer and would fly off the shelves).

The ProRes Unlock (one time fee) adds between $789 and $1000 more (Aussie bucks). And ProRes Raw could even be an option for a higher fee. (Yes, the C-fast B cards can handle that with ease).

I genuinely don't NEED a Mavic 4 Pro any time soon. The 3 Pro is mouth-wateringly good to me. But effectively paying $3000-$4200 extra for Pro-Res, and being forced to buy things I don't need just so I can have it - that's robbery.

---
And DJI if you're listening, I get that it's a business. I get why (as a business) you structured this drones pricing and features this way, and why my dreams for a single Mavic 3/4 with no extra BS will probably never come true.

But if it does, it doesn't have to mean lower profits for you.

- You could UP the price slightly of the base model, and people would pay it because it's a better deal.

- You could UP the pro-res price to squeeze out some extra profit.

- You could get into the Recording Media game. (I'd add Well priced and reliable DJI branded cards into my shopping cart without a second thought, and they wouldn't only be applicable to drone owners. Camera users would also buy them. I hear you make cameras...?

- You could also slightly reduce the combo prices to make them more attractive vs buying separately or 3rd party (I loved My Air 2 combo), and people (me included) wouldn't hesitate to just go with the "easy option". We all know that's basically free money for you, so help us help you by making them a no brainer.

- And if your RC Pro controller is really so good, people will still buy it. (Although... to be honest... $1529 and it has average battery life and only works on one airframe? Lower the price or make it better please, not to mention future proof for upcoming drones. Ocusync should be upgradeable if at all possible - not locked in to what it shipped with for all eternity.

- And while I'm on the subject of product support... make your Mod Removed Langage)Goggles work on everything too. Build a (Mod Removed Language)ecosystem, not a collection of cool products with a limited shelf life.

If you play fair with your customers, you'll sell 5x more of these (and all your products), I assure you. Plus, it means everyone loves you, messages like this one disappear, and we all rush to the store to buy your stuff without a sick feeling that we have a gun to our head).

 

[akdrone]

I think you are spot on with your criticism but no way they come out with your dream drone. I think the only people that should bother buying a Cine version are pro users that need prores, which I think is a very small number. If you don't need prores then there is no reason to buy the thing IMHO. My personal hope in a new drone is optical zoom or a very high quality tele that will do everything the main lens does in everyway so all the footage can be cut the same way. Shooting mostly dlog and then having some jarring tele footage that is not dlog is a pain in the editing rear end.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

The cine has not sold well, this is what they call in the business world throwing Darts to see what sticks. This has been a flop for them.

When DJI is ready and they see the Failure of there ways , they will push the New Mavic 3S with some extra Goodies, such as you requested. Its a process, ..

When I think of DJI i think of drones and yet < If you really dive deep into DJI the drones are just a fraction now of where there putting there true Genius engineers to capture another market and that is cameras. I was blown away by ads, the banners, and the Mega Flow of new Camera Equipment being released . let alone entering the Cannon Market .

I also would imagine there not to sure what is going to happen with The Drones in the US after being forced to make very small drones to beat the Systems in place .

There the only Company that may be able to enter into the Camera Market , and as we all know they do make some incredible cameras , its a easy fit for them.

I just got my Mini 3 today, Im looking at where they put the Power Button , shaking my head as they had the perfect place on the Mini 2 , out of the way , Rain and snow would be hard to get to it to compromise the battery when it was on the bottom and easy to protect . Perfection

Now the Mini 3 has the Power Button right back on the very top of the battery and the board below. UGH ! Rain and Snow are going to compromise that drone quickly.

So there having DJI meetings , and there all about what can we do to this drone so we can change it next time as a selling point and they pick there points precisely.

DJI - You have put the Power Button everywhere but on the Nose of the Drone thus far, maybe you just throw a Dart at the Picture , pin the tail on the Donkey.

I know DJI does not read this < lol

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 3 in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Ben_McPhee]

I think you are spot on with your criticism but no way they come out with your dream drone. I think the only people that should bother buying a Cine version are pro users that need prores, which I think is a very small number. If you don't need prores then there is no reason to buy the thing IMHO. My personal hope in a new drone is optical zoom or a very high quality tele that will do everything the main lens does in everyway so all the footage can be cut the same way. Shooting mostly dlog and then having some jarring tele footage that is not dlog is a pain in the editing rear end.

I'm sure your right about the reality of that dream drone coming out, because DJI like money.

But... I also don't see how it would be "hard" for DJI to do a refresh at the 2 or 3 mark with most of those changes? Not to oversimplify, but it's literally taking the regular Mavic 3 and adding a 2nd media slot, and then changing the business strategy to make better combo's and make Pro-res a software matter rather than a hardware choice.

And that's the thing that kills me about the Cine actually. It's that if I DON'T get the cine, I can never have ProRes. And $4200 aud is a lot of money to "waste" on the wrong drone, just as $3000 more than that is a lot to pay if I don't really "need" it (even though I really want it and would use it). It shouldn't be a "choice" with a huge financial consequence. DJI already has a path to upgrade the inspire to Pro-res. Just give them money when you're ready.

Besides the card slot that would make this possible though, the only hardware change I asked for was the improved telephoto camera (that could record the same formats as the main camera), which is basically a lot of what you asked for too, and maybe even could be a firmware upgrade? (Although from what I've seen, it's pretty poor quality as it is).

I'm all for the optical zoom you describe, but I feel like it may have an adverse affect on the max aperture (It would either change when zooming, or it'd be fixed at 2.8 or higher), which would make exposure change, and it worse in low light. But if they can pull it off... it would be amazing.

 

[Ben_McPhee]

The cine has not sold well, this is what they call in the business world throwing Darts to see what sticks. This has been a flop for them.

When DJI is ready and they see the Failure of there ways , they will push the New Mavic 3S with some extra Goodies, such as you requested. Its a process, ..

When I think of DJI i think of drones and yet < If you really dive deep into DJI the drones are just a fraction now of where there putting there true Genius engineers to capture another market and that is cameras. I was blown away by ads, the banners, and the Mega Flow of new Camera Equipment being released . let alone entering the Cannon Market .

I also would imagine there not to sure what is going to happen with The Drones in the US after being forced to make very small drones to beat the Systems in place .

There the only Company that may be able to enter into the Camera Market , and as we all know they do make some incredible cameras , its a easy fit for them.

I just got my Mini 3 today, Im looking at where they put the Power Button , shaking my head as they had the perfect place on the Mini 2 , out of the way , Rain and snow would be hard to get to it to compromise the battery when it was on the bottom and easy to protect . Perfection

Now the Mini 3 has the Power Button right back on the very top of the battery and the board below. UGH ! Rain and Snow are going to compromise that drone quickly.

So there having DJI meetings , and there all about what can we do to this drone so we can change it next time as a selling point and they pick there points precisely.

DJI - You have put the Power Button everywhere but on the Nose of the Drone thus far, maybe you just throw a Dart at the Picture , pin the tail on the Donkey.

I know DJI does not read this < lol

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mini 3 in the Rain. Land on the Water.

Just out of curiosity, how do you know the Cine hasn't sold well? That would have been my guess, but have you seen any figures?

And if true, doesn't that make the "Mavic 3 Platinum" I described kind of a bit more feasible for some day? Maybe even "soon"?

Not sure if the Mavic 3 Pro is selling well (It's also priced high, but I get it), I feel like it's entirely aimed at pro's, but falls short for many of them (like me) because the Pro-Res of the Cine should be a feature on a "Pro" Drone. I mean, if Blackmagic can make entire cameras with pro-res for less than the cost of the Pro-res upgrade for the Mavic 3... then DJI is kind of taking the piss.

So to me, if I had any hint that there was about to be a Mavic 3 Platinum for $5200 with Pro-Res (Which is $1000 for the upgrade essentially), I would personally be relatively ok with that. I'd HOPE it was less, but... they'd be tempting me and many others I think. That's still a $2000 saving over the Cine now.

And as for Cameras, I think DJI is honestly killing it. I don't buy their drones for the airframe - I buy for the cameras. And they make a few others I think are incredible too. Which is why them not putting Pro-res in (And making their drone/camera worse as a results) is beyond frustrating.

I know that the "mini" drones are the solution to a problem, but god they're amazing.

Forcing UAV's to be so tiny is going to backfire in a huge way for anyone who thought it was going to slow down the hobby. They're cheaper than ever and incredible quality, and there'll be more of them in the air than ever now. It won't be long before DJO figures out how to put a M4/3 sensor on a <250g drone, and then the Mavic Pro like will kind of die, just like the Phantom before it.

(How are you liking yours? Besides the Power button thing?)

And how do you know DJI doesn't read this! They might?! I swear my rants and suggestions over the years have influenced everyone from Microsoft to Canon.

(I once went for a job at Sony and the people interviewing had found all my posts about them on the Sony Cameras Subreddit!)

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Youtube Influencers dogged the Mavic 3 and the Cine harder than any other drone and they were relentless about it... Many set it packing , The Cine was blasted just as hard as you hit it if not harder

YouTube Influencers stopped making videos on the Mavic 3 because the numbers were so low compared to any other drone video they could make the graph below shows why that is.

I think its fair to say the Mavic 3 had a very slow start , and never really gained its momentum except for those that planned on keeping them. There is stock everywhere today.

I also google those with interest to Determine how many Wet Suits I need to keep on hand per month. These numbers were low for the Mavic 3/Cine




This explains why we sold so many Mini 2 Wet Suits and climbing today as the interest held up nicely and may reach a new high of day , lol






Here you can see the Influencers doing there job as there happy , with the mini 3 and explains
the number of Requests for the Mini 3 Wet Suits coming soon.

Thought you would enjoy seeing this.

Phatnomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water. Capture the Storm.

 

[Ben_McPhee]

Youtube Influencers dogged the Mavic 3 and the Cine harder than any other drone and they were relentless about it... Many set it packing , The Cine was blasted just as hard as you hit it if not harder

YouTube Influencers stopped making videos on the Mavic 3 because the numbers were so low compared to any other drone video they could make the graph below shows why that is.

I think its fair to say the Mavic 3 had a very slow start , and never really gained its momentum except for those that planned on keeping them. There is stock everywhere today.

I also google those with interest to Determine how many Wet Suits I need to keep on hand per month. These numbers were low for the Mavic 3/Cine


View attachment 151485

This explains why we sold so many Mini 2 Wet Suits and climbing today as the interest held up nicely and may reach a new high of day , lol




View attachment 151486

Here you can see the Influencers doing there job as there happy , with the mini 3 and explains
the number of Requests for the Mini 3 Wet Suits coming soon.

Thought you would enjoy seeing this.

Phatnomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water. Capture the Storm.

View attachment 151487

Hey thanks for this! Really interesting!

I wonder what it is that causes interest for one item (the Mavic 3 which is the "superior" drone) to be low, while the "cheapie" (Mini 3) is searched so much?

Is it all influencers do you think?

Or is it kind of a bit natural too? (Like... people losing interest in the Cine not because of anything other than it just being so expensive - hence they stop searching it).

And do you think it translates accurately to sales? I'm sure the Mini 3 WILL outsell the Mavic 3 because more people can afford it, but that doesn't make the Mavic 3 a "bad seller" necessarily does it? They probably expected to sell significantly less Mavic Pro's, less Cine's by a wide margin?


Hey, some side questions?

Just out of curiosity, where do you find these graphs? I've seen them before, but not sure if that's a google or YouTube thing, and not sure how to access them?

Do you just use them to anticipate your sales/stock needs? Or are their other uses?

Also... do influencers have any way to directly benefit from a graph like this? (Like getting more money for sponsorships because interest is high and/or because they personally contributed a lot of that interest?

 

[Vic Moss]

Youtube Influencers dogged the Mavic 3 and the Cine harder than any other drone and they were relentless about it... Many set it packing , The Cine was blasted just as hard as you hit it if not harder

YouTube Influencers stopped making videos on the Mavic 3 because the numbers were so low compared to any other drone video they could make the graph below shows why that is.

I think its fair to say the Mavic 3 had a very slow start , and never really gained its momentum except for those that planned on keeping them. There is stock everywhere today.

I also google those with interest to Determine how many Wet Suits I need to keep on hand per month. These numbers were low for the Mavic 3/Cine

I think it's probably a tad inaccurate to judge the popularity of a drone based on how many wetsuits you've sold.

People who would decide to fly in the rain or snow aren't going to be doing it with a Mavic 3, Cine or otherwise. People who fly those are going to be more professional in nature, and not amateurs. We don't fly our gear in the rain anyway, so why would we want to put a skin on them?

Someone who buys one from the Mini series is much more likely to fly in the rain, and/or not understand weather minimums for safe flight.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I think it's probably a tad inaccurate to judge the popularity of a drone based on how many wetsuits you've sold.

People who would decide to fly in the rain or snow aren't going to be doing it with a Mavic 3, Cine or otherwise. People who fly those are going to be more professional in nature, and not amateurs. We don't fly our gear in the rain anyway, so why would we want to put a skin on them?

Someone who buys one from the Mini series is much more likely to fly in the rain, and/or not understand weather minimums for safe flight.

We just use the graphs to determine how many to have on hand , but was showing the OP why I believe the Mavic 3 was not a smash hit out of the ball park as others were. Thus concluding slower sales.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain, Land on the Water.

 

[edcMavicPilots]

In just about every consumer product category, the highest end, most expensive items don't sell as many units as the ones priced for the biggest part of the bell curve. We won't ever know the unit profit but my bet is that from a net profit perspective the Cine>3>2s>3 mini 3, etc. This is all by design.

There is nothing surprising about this at all. The Cine is aimed at a smaller number of buyers than the 3 is and the 3 is aimed at a smaller number of users than the 2s, mini 3, etc.

 

[Vic Moss]

There is nothing surprising about this at all. The Cine is aimed at a smaller number of buyers than the 3 is and the 3 is aimed at a smaller number of users than the 2s, mini 3, etc.

Sums it up perfectly.

Just about every commercial drone pilot I know has a Mavic 3 in their fleet. Most do not have the Cine version, because most don't need the format. DLOG is fine.

And the price point isn't that far out of line either. Does DJI charge a bit much, probably. But the fact that they sell them to more people than those who complain about it means they're on the mark with pricing.

If people weren't buying them in the droves other claim, then the price would drop. And it did for a bit.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I just want to point out the graphs do not represent sales, just Interest in the Drones,
Thus the longer the Interest in a drone , the more sales likely made.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic 3 in the Rain. Land on the Water, Learn about google.

 

[MikeeS]

I have the Mavic 3, not the Cine version. I wanted the RC Pro. In December 2022 DJI came out with the Air 2S Combo package with a RC Pro for $1700 US. I thought that is an RC Pro (retail $1000) plus an Air 2S for $700 so I bought it. The package is now $1500. Got my RC Pro and added another good drone to my kit.

If I have an issue with DJI it would be with the crontrollers not being standardized across a wider set of drones. I would like to have a Mini 3 Pro but it does not work with my RC Pro. Currently only the Mavic 3 and Air 2S work with the RC Pro. Hopefully they add the Mini 3 Pro to the RC Pro controller.

 

[ianwood]

One important thing to note is that features of professional tools will never incur a linear cost increase. Mostly because they will not sell in volume like their consumer variants and professionals have limited options.

The Cine only appeals to a small fraction of the target user base that are willing to pay a premium for the additional functionality. That's me. I bought two. I don't think DJI ever expected it to be a volume seller.

The Cine is not beyond criticism. I have some big issues I need DJI to address urgently, namely flicker. Nonetheless, I have put the Cine to work and they have already paid for themselves. I also had concern about the internal storage but it has turned out to be a non-issue.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I wanted the RC Pro. In December 2022 DJI came out with the Air 2S Combo package with a RC Pro for $1700 US. I thought that is an RC Pro (retail $1000) plus an Air 2S for $700 so I bought it. The package is now $1500.

The current "package" for $1500 is only for the Air 2S Combo and the older Smart Controller, not the new $1200 RC Pro. You got a one time deal last December where no SC's were available, so DJI substituted RC Pro units for the SC's, when purchased as a package with the Air 2S Combo kit. Great deal!

 

[MikeeS]

The current "package" for $1500 is only for the Air 2S Combo and the older Smart Controller, not the new $1200 RC Pro. You got a one time deal last December where no SC's were available, so DJI substituted RC Pro units for the SC's, when purchased as a package with the Air 2S Combo kit. Great deal!

Sorry, my mistake

 

[GadgetGuy]

Sorry, my mistake

Just wanted to clarify that the venerable RC Pro can no longer be bought with the Air 2S. It must be bought separately for $1200, or bundled in the M3 Cine pack.

 

[Dougcjohn]

The M3 vs M3 Cine has pro & cons depending on multiple variables, one being cost / worth judged by the individual and if a specific feature has value. I purchased the M3 & M3Cine, returned the M3. I'm not sure if ProRes is needed but it's like a MacBook Pro... all features are embedded and not able to add later. My 2x I2's came without ProRes or CinimaDNG License options but able to add later, the I2's NVMe SSD Card is also able to obtain later.

Agree on the market view, higher cost simply doesn't sell as much in any market. The Camaro vs Z28, the Z28 was probably more popular and desired, but the LT1 greatly outsold the Z28. Although the technology of the higher end option is what often stimulates the development of the platform and contributes to lower cost volume units.

I have a few lenses for my older Canon and current Sony A7 that are rarely used, that practically equal the additional cost of the Cine. I'm not into a full time position photography or aerial service (pending retirement in future) so none of my photo gear "pays for itself with projects", but like many other serious hobbyist / non-income professionals it's a justified purchase for the tools "desired". Many Inspire 2 kits were purchased by serious hobbyist at a cost greater than the M3Cine several years ago.

The 1TB NVMe SSD was a plus to me... when using both M3 & M3Cine, the difference in image write for Bracketed or Pano is substantial. For my personal preference, that was a plus. Non-Removable was a concern, although connected to a new MBP M1max, the write speed is much higher than USB 3.2... not TB3 but substantially higher than 3.2, and huge increase over MicroSD cards or USB 3.2 Card Reader. Writting to MBP internal or Sabrent TB 4TB drives greatly reduces the concern for external NMVe SSD... although would still be my preference.

Minor point... M3 isn't Mavic 3 "Pro". Although a Pro or S may come out later... LOL, that'll ad confusion to the use of the M3P ??

 

[akdrone]

I think it’s great the cine is available but it’s clearly a very specialized drone for serious pros or wealthy folks. It’s of no interest to me but it’s good to have options.

 

[tonybot3]

In Australia, the Cine is a $7200 drone. That's $3000 more than the Mavic 3 Pro (combo).

To be honest... I'm kind of pissed that the Cine even exists. A huge chunk of that extra $3000 is there to justify ProRes (So really, most people will see it as paying $3000 for one feature), and the other chunk is there for a controller that should be an optional extra).

And there's no way to NOT get the controller and save some money, or to not buy it in a combo, which effectively adds another $1200AUD to the price.

That's essentially $4200 extra just for Pro-Res - or to put it another way, an entire Mavic 3 Pro Combo.

It's a money grab by DJI pure and simple.

Ignoring extra cables and a few extra filters, for $3000aud more, you get:

RC CONTROLLER - $1529 Value
(Buy DJI RC Pro Controller | Free Shipping

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even though it's "cool" and "convenient", the RC Pro controller isn't strictly necessary to operate the Cine? (Or if it is, it's just designed that way so you "need" it, but it's artificial). I could live without it, and I'd much rather put $1529 towards a new iPhone, or an iPad.

Not only that, but it offers significantly less flying time than the standard controller.

I hear it adds Ocusync 3+? That just means they left out out of the normal controller to upsell the Cine. (And that was in small print too).

INTERNAL STORAGE
A 1TB SSD (which is "necessary" for ProRes), which means DJI value the Internal storage at $682.

This "selling point" is completely unnecessary, and as most of you know is more of a design flaw than anything.

If the Mavic 3 Pro took CF Express type B cards (Fast enough for 8K60 on an R5C, so overkill and future proof for ProRes from a drone), then 2x 512 gb cards would only cost $400. And users could swap them out to offload cards and keep the drone airborne rather than being grounded.

Not only that, but that storage media could be used in other devices, or on other DJI Airframes, and when the next drone arrives, there'd be no need to charge $3000 more for an airframe with internal storage.

A 1TB NVME for a computer costs as little as $100. So if they insisted on including internal storage (which would still be a mistake), it shouldn't add any significant cost, but let's say it's "proprietary" and a bit special. That's $400 extra maybe? Not $700.

Forcing the drone to have internal storage is a HUGE oversight and a design flaw, and it just didn't need to happen at all. It's there intentionally so the Cine could be a thing. (And lets not pretend we believe that DJI spent years designing this thing and nobody there realised that was an issue until it released...)

There's several "low cost" removable cards on the market with more than enough speed for ProRes 422HQ or higher. But internal storage was deliberately included to force anyone who wanted ProRes to overpay significantly for it - even though it is a major design flaw for any pro using it in a fast paced environment.

PRO-RES
Access to ProRes, (Which costs $789 on an Inspire) - Buy CinemaDNG & Apple ProRes Activation Key - DJI Store

So with it established above that Pro Res could have been included with removable media, there's no reason to even have a seperate "cine" model. ProRes could have been built in to all Mavic 3's, and "unlocked" with key - just as they do on the Inspire series.

I would HOPE it would be priced fairly, but I'd rather slightly overpay for that unlock but save around $2200 on the internal storage and the controller I don't really need, not to mention another $1200 or so on the combo I don't really need.

Yes, I'd need to purchase extra batteries, filters and recording media separately, so the final cost wouldn't be "cheap", but I could choose higher quality filters, save money by making do with 2 batteries, and have all the advantages of removable media that isn't tied to one product and can be repurposed for other tasks.

A Mavic 3 Pro V2 that's basically identical to the current (non cine) model with an added CF Express B slot (as well as Micro SD), and that can have Pro-Res added WHEN I feel I need it (So I don't have buyers remorse some day), is all I bloody want. I could think of some more stuff, but just do that and I'm very happy.

Is there ANY hope of an updated version that's basically something along the lines of what I just suggested? DJI used to update their Phantom line with cool little refreshes, and the Mavic Pro "Platinum" got some minor upgrades too.

Could this happen with a "Mavic 3 Pro Platinum"? (Replaces both base and cine version and fixes biggest cine issue).

And if you think there's any chance I'm not crazy, should I hold my breath for it by 2023/24?

I REALLY hope it would have:
- No Internal storage required for Pro-Res (Huge cost saving).

- Ocusync 3+ on the "standard" remote.

- Dual Slots (SD and CF Express type B slots - to enable dual recording, and to allow continued use of "cheap" Micro SD cards when not shooting ProRes)

- 32-64GB Internal storage (Just in case - Even if it's only fast enough for H.265, it's a safety net).

- Improved tele camera and sensor (Also records Pro-Res)

- ProRes as a software unlock (For a reasonable price). AND it's transferable to a different airframe in the event of a crash (or a sale).

- Other ProRes flavours besides 422HQ included.

- Available to buy WITHOUT the combo.

- Little tweaks to minor annoyances. (Feel free to list yours).

Hopefully priced the same as the current base model, (or slightly more to account for it's awesomeness, or slightly less so it's a no-brainer and would fly off the shelves).

The ProRes Unlock (one time fee) adds between $789 and $1000 more (Aussie bucks). And ProRes Raw could even be an option for a higher fee. (Yes, the C-fast B cards can handle that with ease).

I genuinely don't NEED a Mavic 4 Pro any time soon. The 3 Pro is mouth-wateringly good to me. But effectively paying $3000-$4200 extra for Pro-Res, and being forced to buy things I don't need just so I can have it - that's robbery.

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And DJI if you're listening, I get that it's a business. I get why (as a business) you structured this drones pricing and features this way, and why my dreams for a single Mavic 3/4 with no extra BS will probably never come true.

But if it does, it doesn't have to mean lower profits for you.

- You could UP the price slightly of the base model, and people would pay it because it's a better deal.

- You could UP the pro-res price to squeeze out some extra profit.

- You could get into the Recording Media game. (I'd add Well priced and reliable DJI branded cards into my shopping cart without a second thought, and they wouldn't only be applicable to drone owners. Camera users would also buy them. I hear you make cameras...?

- You could also slightly reduce the combo prices to make them more attractive vs buying separately or 3rd party (I loved My Air 2 combo), and people (me included) wouldn't hesitate to just go with the "easy option". We all know that's basically free money for you, so help us help you by making them a no brainer.

- And if your RC Pro controller is really so good, people will still buy it. (Although... to be honest... $1529 and it has average battery life and only works on one airframe? Lower the price or make it better please, not to mention future proof for upcoming drones. Ocusync should be upgradeable if at all possible - not locked in to what it shipped with for all eternity.

- And while I'm on the subject of product support... make your Mod Removed Langage)Goggles work on everything too. Build a (Mod Removed Language)ecosystem, not a collection of cool products with a limited shelf life.

If you play fair with your customers, you'll sell 5x more of these (and all your products), I assure you. Plus, it means everyone loves you, messages like this one disappear, and we all rush to the store to buy your stuff without a sick feeling that we have a gun to our head).

i mean... ALL products on earth are a 'money-grab'. Its up to you, as the consumer, to decide if a product is worth it. If enough people don't buy it, the company will change strategy.