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Dji Has seem changing on the 7x tele lens of mavic 3 recently !!

The lens itself is not oval. The lens is the small round circle in the middle of an oval housing. The housing has no impact on the imaging capabilities of the round lens in the center.
Anything that the light itself, OR the amount of light (being greater), having to pass through, would affect the light beam (direction) reaching the image sensor, thus the image itself. An oval-shaped aperture allows more light than a round aperture of the same diameter. To me, this change appears to allow more light to reach the smaller telephoto sensor vice the "older" design. And if the oval aperture is using a parabolic centering of the incoming light, that in itself would also change the image quality. Just my 2 cents.
 
This appears to be the real deal:


Screen Shot 2022-03-08 at 12.45.34 PM.png
 
Anything that the light itself, OR the amount of light (being greater), having to pass through, would affect the light beam (direction) reaching the image sensor, thus the image itself. An oval-shaped aperture allows more light than a round aperture of the same diameter. To me, this change appears to allow more light to reach the smaller telephoto sensor vice the "older" design. And if the oval aperture is using a parabolic centering of the incoming light, that in itself would also change the image quality. Just my 2 cents.
So how does it transfer light evenly on the sensor, is shutter also a different design. Looking at that lens cover “thats all I can call it” you cannot see through it, yet the photos of the round lens we can. Surely seeing through the lens is paramount to getting clear photos. To me it looks like looking through a marble.
 
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I wrote to the official dealer in my country about this. They wrote back that it was normal that the manufacturer could slightly change the appearance of the product over time. However, this does not affect the correct operation of the device.
 
So how does it transfer light evenly on the sensor, is shutter also a different design. Looking at that lens cover “thats all I can call it” you cannot see through it, yet the photos of the round lens we can. Surely seeing through the lens is paramount to getting clear photos. To me it looks like looking through a marble.
I'm not privy to DJI proprietary technology, I'm speaking in generalities based on my decades of experience in the semiconductor manufacturing industry where the folks in photolithography had amazing technologies to aim and "print" the transistorized circuits exactly and precisely, and the circuits were measured in nanometers. They used mostly Nikon equipment and any error in the "straightness" of the beam hitting the wafer would completely ruin the circuit. Similarly, I performed work in Ion Implant and utilized Ultra high power sources to bend Ion Beams with huge magnets, again for ultra high precision placement. None of that is really in play here to that degree of course, my point being, technology exists to put the beam of light exactly where DJI wants it, so to me it looks like they're refining their processes. I would surmise to obtain a higher definition of light reaching the image sensor.
 
My guess is that the image circle from both lenses is bigger than needed for the tele-sensor, and so they may have shifted the optical formula based on availability of parts. Results in a different lens appearance, but no impact to the image itself.
 
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Given the amount of variation seen between even lenses from exactly the same line I think there would have to some difference good or bad in changing manufacturers? If they managed to have the exact same quality would be incredible. Someone will do a test soon and confirm. But yes as I think someone has already said a change like this isn't going to materially change the lens to what many hoped it would be, that might be reserved for (dare I say it) the Mavic 4! :)
 
I bet in a few days or maybe a week or two all of this will be confirmed, so be ready to exchange or return your drone if you want the best DJI has to offer for the same price! (who wouldn't want to upgrade?)
 
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The Dji admin posted in the forum that due to shortages in supplies some drones come with this oval shaped lens.
Yes, I agree. People here have reported receiving the oval lenses.

I was asking about whether the oval lens give superior results. I've seen only that one post in the Chinese forum that suggests that it is.
 
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Yes, I agree. People here have reported receiving the oval lenses.

I was asking about whether the oval lens give superior results. I've seen only that one post in the Chinese forum that suggests that it is.
I don't think it does make a difference, looks to be just a cosmetic change.
 
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Yes, I agree. People here have reported receiving the oval lenses.

I was asking about whether the oval lens give superior results. I've seen only that one post in the Chinese forum that suggests that it is.
Someone has done a test apparently using two drones on the ground side by side and those results posted here. To my eyes the oval does appear more detailed especially when you look at the original jpegs but it's like a lot of things on the internet I guess and you can't be 100% sure until you see it for yourself. But if you didn't have a Mavic 3 yet I would be trying to get an oval model as any improvement on that lens is going to be welcome. It has my interest as using that lens in a grid pattern can potentially give you a much higher resolution image than what the main camera delivers (after quite a bit of work) but to my mind could provide DSLR quality from the sky!
 
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Someone has done a test apparently using two drones on the ground side by side and those results posted here. To my eyes the oval does appear more detailed especially when you look at the original jpegs but it's like a lot of things on the internet I guess and you can't be 100% sure until you see it for yourself. But if you didn't have a Mavic 3 yet I would be trying to get an oval model as any improvement on that lens is going to be welcome. It has my interest as using that lens in a grid pattern can potentially give you a much higher resolution image than what the main camera delivers (after quite a bit of work) but to my mind could provide DSLR quality from the sky!
Yes, that's from the Chinese drone forum. There is a discernable difference in those two sets of photos. But, there's little information on how the comparison was done or whether the two sets of photos are comparable in other ways.

I'm hoping to find something more concrete from a known source before I conclude that the oval aperture version of the M3 is worth looking for.
 
Yes, that's from the Chinese drone forum. There is a discernable difference in those two sets of photos. But, there's little information on how the comparison was done or whether the two sets of photos are comparable in other ways.

I'm hoping to find something more concrete from a known source before I conclude that the oval aperture version of the M3 is worth looking for.
Same boat as you :)
 
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Same boat as you :)
some day we will all know. On average.... is the oval 7X lens an improvement over the round version. By the way. the drone date being made is on the box. I think the earliest would be October 2021. (i know November 2021 was round in my case)
 
That's a good point supplier in NZ said they couldn't confirm which type you will end up getting. If oval becomes standard type wouldn't they have to update the picture on the box? But yes if we know the date after which the ovals were manufactured then could just rely on date.
 
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