Looks like the Mavic 3 Classic is coming, Air2S killer?

[moldorf]

I think a lot depends on the price point.

If the Classic FMC is only 300-400 less than the M3 combo there little reason, in my view, to make the leap. If it's 700-800 less it's a lot more attractive

 

[vindibona1]

Unless Dji releases the SDK or put in waypoints, I doubt Mavic 2 owners will jump at this

I agree. Having Litchi and Maven and DroneVR is something that you just don't get with hot off the griddle drone models. I also think the Mavic 2 controller is head and shoulders better than then RCN1 "standard" controller that is a dumbed down brick in comparison, in spite of Ocusync 2 in the RCN1. I've found no conclusive advantage with Ocu 2 and have had my Mavic2 out 10,000 feet over water with no signal loss. Never had my Mini 2 past 1 mile or so and the Mini 3 can be fussy around 3500 ft, but I haven't tested it where there weren't trees or buildings that can make signal transmission more challenging.

 

[maggior]

I truly don't understand the purpose of the Mavic 3 Classic if the Air 3 is right around the corner. They are cannibalizing their our models. I don't agree with this strategy but what do I know!

The Air 3 may end up being the Mavic 3 Classic. Otherwise , yeah, they would be at odds, unless the Classic 3 is still far more expensive than the A2S.

I long for longer flight time from my A2S, but I can deal.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I agree. Having Litchi and Maven and DroneVR is something that you just don't get with hot off the griddle drone models. I also think the Mavic 2 controller is head and shoulders better than then RCN1 "standard" controller that is a dumbed down brick in comparison, in spite of Ocusync 2 in the RCN1. I've found no conclusive advantage with Ocu 2 and have had my Mavic2 out 10,000 feet over water with no signal loss. Never had my Mini 2 past 1 mile or so and the Mini 3 can be fussy around 3500 ft, but I haven't tested it where there weren't trees or buildings that can make signal transmission more challenging.

From an elevated location, the Mavic 2 is solid out to well over 22,000 feet. Signal range is never really an issue. The limiting Mavic 2 factor is always the battery, which limits flight time to a maximum of 24-25 minutes on a brand new battery, declining to 22 minutes after moderate use.

For me, the decisive factor justifying owning a Mavic 3 is the increased flight time. Completely stock flights are now 32-35 minutes, which is is a huge increase! That's an extra 10 minutes for 360° panos along the way! At 75 seconds each, that's 8 more HiRes panos of 60MB each on every flight! Range is comparable or better, with mildly greater signal stability over the Mavic 2. The 7x telephoto was an unexpected bonus that justifies the purchase all on its own! If you can get the shot from 7x further away, you don't have to fly closer, and you can stay much further away from your subject, which is great for skittish or attacking wildlife, or surveillance! DJI RC is the the way to go, if you don't want the very best in the RC Pro. RC-N1 is lacking the necessary second scroll wheel and dedicated buttons needed for zoom during video with simultaneous gimbal control.

 

[TwoSticks]

The Air 3 may end up being the Mavic 3 Classic. Otherwise , yeah, they would be at odds, unless the Classic 3 is still far more expensive than the A2S.

I long for longer flight time from my A2S, but I can deal.

I would like more time as well as the ability to charge with USB-C. The ability to use a common charger type and fast charge in the car would change the Air for me.

 

[Ralph thompson]

I wonder if they’ll do a CINÉ version, maybe with raw capacity. That would be the perfect replacement for my m2P

 

[vindibona1]

From an elevated location, the Mavic 2 is solid out to well over 22,000 feet. Signal range is never really an issue. The limiting Mavic 2 factor is always the battery, which limits flight time to a maximum of 24-25 minutes on a brand new battery, declining to 22 minutes after moderate use.

For me, the decisive factor justifying owning a Mavic 3 is the increased flight time. Completely stock flights are now 32-35 minutes, which is is a huge increase! That's an extra 10 minutes for 360° panos along the way! At 75 seconds each, that's 8 more HiRes panos of 60MB each on every flight! Range is comparable or better, with mildly greater signal stability over the Mavic 2. The 7x telephoto was an unexpected bonus that justifies the purchase all on its own! If you can get the shot from 7x further away, you don't have to fly closer, and you can stay much further away from your subject, which is great for skittish or attacking wildlife, or surveillance! DJI RC is the the way to go, if you don't want the very best in the RC Pro. RC-N1 is lacking the necessary second scroll wheel and dedicated buttons needed for zoom during video with simultaneous gimbal control.

Nothing to disagree with here. Everyone has different needs. In many ways the DJI RC is better than the RCN1, but for use with a Mavic 3 will cost you another $300. There are no Mavic 3 packages that let you opt out of the RCN1 for the RC or RC Pro... or if you already have an RCN1 from a Mini 2 or Air2. So you end up paying for a dumbed down brick when you might already have it at home. At least with the Mini 3 the increased cost for the DJI RC over "the brick" is only $150, which is what seduced me into bying a Mini 3 when I already had a Mini 2 and a M2P. The one (only?) advantage of the RCN1 over the DJI RC is the ability to connect a phone or tablet with a cable should one ever want to have an FPV experience with VR goggles. It's a shame that DJI didn't provide an option on the DJI RC for a separate device (as there is an included USB-c port, but only for charging), but at the price of $300 or an extra $150 with the Mini 3 but DJI had to do something beyond a bright screen to differentiate it from the RC Pro.

Yes, the increased flight time of the Mavic 3 is really a boon. I have that with the Mini 3 and extended batteries. But if you need multiple batteries for the Mavic 3, it's going to cost you another $400 without a charging hub and $800 if you want the hub, some props and a bag. Marketing geniuses, recognizing that there is no real competition for DJI at this time.

 

[dgibbphoto]

I still have and use my phantom 4 pro. Does the new mavic 3 have a mechanical shutter? DJI PHANTOM 4 PRO does. I also fly an air 2s. I am happy with what I have.

 

[PointG]

Without the SDK the 3 is pretty much useless to me.

 

[canadian drone videos]

Fascinating, an M3 with no explore camera for $500 less. Gotta laugh at that one. This suggests DJI is paying $500 per machine to add that wee camera sensor. In reality I suspect it costs DJI about the same amount to mass produce both the classic or original M3 due to the idea DJI probably pays about $15 for that wee explore sensor… if that. This is like DJI admitting they just ripped us off for $500 when we bought the M3 last year.

 

[TnDronePilot]

I'm not as thrilled as some with the rapidly changing models. If I drop two to three grand on a camera I have something that will last a couple of decades. I will still be able too purchase "disposables" e.g. batteries. With a DJI drone I have about three years before it becomes difficult to source disposables. That's somewhere between $50 and $100 per month for the drone. For a guy that uses a drone mostly for establishing and transitioning footage that's a bit ridiculas. The Mavic 3 camera has a bit better resolution but for a three second clip, who cares?

And if that 3 second clip is getting posted to any social media, it's even more pointless as YouTube and others re-compress that video even more. 99.999% of normal viewers don't even care what drone model shot the video and nearly the same percentage of us pilots who like to pixel peep will be able to tell either.

I'm in the post production business and edit real 4K footage all day long from $80,000+ cameras. When we edit shows with footage from multi-cam shoots, outside of the GoPro footage they send which is very obvious to see, it would be very difficult for me to tell which super-high end camera shot which footage and they all claim to be far superior to each others technology. This is currently how I feel with the entire Mavic series made in the last 2-3 years.

IMHO, all of the Mavic series drones as of late are just too close in video and picture quality no matter the sensor size or megapixel. Yes there are sometimes noticable differences in people's side by side video comparisions but it's still apples to apples and, I get it wrong a bunch of times when they reveal which drone it was and I've been a professional video editor since 1995. When video quality becomes so different that it's like comparing a Mavic to a toy drone bought at the flea market, then yes, it'll be worth the upgrade for that reason.

That being said, I have a serious drone addiction and spent all last night looking at the Mavic 3 Classic that's coming and I have the Air 2s. The video quality difference to me if it ends up being just like the current M3 wide angle camera, isn't night and day difference and worthy of replacement, I'm considering it for the added battery life and all around sensors.

 

[baddog]

This could be good for Mavic 2 pilots who stayed put due to the Mavic 3's huge price bump and controller downgrade. The M3's 7x lens was panned by all. Many, like me, stayed put with the Mavic 2 not seeing enough additional features and benefits to warrant such a big invesment for so little additional practical return. But if the Mavic 3C has the basics of the M3 and is $500 less, that might be an opportunity to buy DJI Pro controller, which would take the sting out of making that move.

Do you mean the Mavic 3E
"But if the Mavic 3C has the basics of the M3"

 

[vindibona1]

Do you mean the Mavic 3E
"But if the Mavic 3C has the basics of the M3"

No.... I was referring to the speculated "Classic" version of the M3, which should sell at a less expensive price point for those who don't want/need a 7x camera or some of the other features that could potentially be stripped out.

I for one don't need to be saddled with having to purchase a RCN1 controller in a bundle as I have RCN1 and a DJI RC controllers already from other drones that I already own. Both now can be used to control the M3. Perhaps if I could buy a M3 ala carte with no controller for $2000 or less I might be tempted to upgrade and I might be able to get away with only one additional battery. DJI has really learned how to "separate and stack and bundle" necessary (and unnecessary) component purchases and build margin, haven't they?

 

[dirkclod]

I’ve read all this and all I wished for is a M2P + with the Go4 app. .
I would buy one as soon as I saw it . But I now it won’t happen so
i,m sad. . Not buying no M3P I’ve read all I need to. Good luck to
all that did and hope you great luck. This is just my thoughts. I hate the fly app and hate I gifted my M2P. Just my thoughts.
Had to chime in now carry on.

 

[SmilingOgre]

And if that 3 second clip is getting posted to any social media, it's even more pointless as YouTube and others re-compress that video even more. 99.999% of normal viewers don't even care what drone model shot the video and nearly the same percentage of us pilots who like to pixel peep will be able to tell either.

I'm in the post production business and edit real 4K footage all day long from $80,000+ cameras. When we edit shows with footage from multi-cam shoots, outside of the GoPro footage they send which is very obvious to see, it would be very difficult for me to tell which super-high end camera shot which footage and they all claim to be far superior to each others technology. This is currently how I feel with the entire Mavic series made in the last 2-3 years.

IMHO, all of the Mavic series drones as of late are just too close in video and picture quality no matter the sensor size or megapixel. Yes there are sometimes noticable differences in people's side by side video comparisions but it's still apples to apples and, I get it wrong a bunch of times when they reveal which drone it was and I've been a professional video editor since 1995. When video quality becomes so different that it's like comparing a Mavic to a toy drone bought at the flea market, then yes, it'll be worth the upgrade for that reason.

That being said, I have a serious drone addiction and spent all last night looking at the Mavic 3 Classic that's coming and I have the Air 2s. The video quality difference to me if it ends up being just like the current M3 wide angle camera, isn't night and day difference and worthy of replacement, I'm considering it for the added battery life and all around sensors.

I suspected much of what you wrote but it is wonderful to have my suspicions confirmed. None of what I produce ends on netflix, lol. Mostly youtube and sometimes for streaming directly to a tv screen.

That being said, I join you in having my interest peaked by the possibilities of the Classic. I don't have 80G cameras but I do have a few Black Magic cameras and I really appreciate the images they produce. During the edit I can see quite a difference between the B-raw and what my Mavic 2 produces. I am being tempted again with the MFT sensor on the Classic. Obviously it won't have the latitude to manipulate that the b-raw has but I'm still finding myself wondering. Maybe it's just my imagination but I think I see a difference in color, clarity, and dynamic range between videos posted here by mavic 2 and mavic 3 drones. Definitely subtle but in my head visable.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Nothing to disagree with here. Everyone has different needs. In many ways the DJI RC is better than the RCN1, but for use with a Mavic 3 will cost you another $300. There are no Mavic 3 packages that let you opt out of the RCN1 for the RC or RC Pro... or if you already have an RCN1 from a Mini 2 or Air2. So you end up paying for a dumbed down brick when you might already have it at home. At least with the Mini 3 the increased cost for the DJI RC over "the brick" is only $150, which is what seduced me into bying a Mini 3 when I already had a Mini 2 and a M2P. The one (only?) advantage of the RCN1 over the DJI RC is the ability to connect a phone or tablet with a cable should one ever want to have an FPV experience with VR goggles. It's a shame that DJI didn't provide an option on the DJI RC for a separate device (as there is an included USB-c port, but only for charging), but at the price of $300 or an extra $150 with the Mini 3 but DJI had to do something beyond a bright screen to differentiate it from the RC Pro.

Yes, the increased flight time of the Mavic 3 is really a boon. I have that with the Mini 3 and extended batteries. But if you need multiple batteries for the Mavic 3, it's going to cost you another $400 without a charging hub and $800 if you want the hub, some props and a bag. Marketing geniuses, recognizing that there is no real competition for DJI at this time.

All true. You get what you pay for with DJI. Mavic 3 was clearly originally intended to be sold with the RC Pro, but the sticker shock would have been too great, so they created a functional version with the $150 RC-N1 for $2300 at release. If they sold it without an RC, it would only be $150 cheaper, so they dropped the Mavic 3 with the RC-N1 price from $2300 to $2050 and now include the RC-N1 for free. $3250 total when you buy the RC Pro separately, and you still get both controllers.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I’ve read all this and all I wished for is a M2P + with the Go4 app. .
I would buy one as soon as I saw it . But I now it won’t happen so
i,m sad. . Not buying no M3P I’ve read all I need to. Good luck to
all that did and hope you great luck. This is just my thoughts. I hate the fly app and hate I gifted my M2P. Just my thoughts.
Had to chime in now carry on.

Not a fan of the Fly app either. Still enjoying the iOS Go 4 app on my full sized iPad when flying the M2P. The superior DJI RC/RC Pro's both are Android Fly only. Can't use an iPad on either of them.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I suspected much of what you wrote but it is wonderful to have my suspicions confirmed. None of what I produce ends on netflix, lol. Mostly youtube and sometimes for streaming directly to a tv screen.

That being said, I join you in having my interest peaked by the possibilities of the Classic. I don't have 80G cameras but I do have a few Black Magic cameras and I really appreciate the images they produce. During the edit I can see quite a difference between the B-raw and what my Mavic 2 produces. I am being tempted again with the MFT sensor on the Classic. Obviously it won't have the latitude to manipulate that the b-raw has but I'm still finding myself wondering. Maybe it's just my imagination but I think I see a difference in color, clarity, and dynamic range between videos posted here by mavic 2 and mavic 3 drones. Definitely subtle but in my head visable.

Biggest MFT difference is found in low light and at night, my favorite times to fly. High noon daylight is terrible lighting, but makes the most of the smaller sensors.

 

[KS-6]

Wow, so much hand wringing, pontificating, excuse making and justifying going on around the Mavic 3, what a polarizing drone, lol!

I still have my M2P but I doubt I keep it after my experience in using the Mavic 3 Cine for shooting a few TV commercials and especially my recent trip to Iceland. Across the board it is a game changer and I am only mildly annoyed at not having SDK support. I have adapted to the Fly app and I am producing seriously good work with both cameras.

Two cameras, pro res 422, 1TB of fast onboard storage, great RC Pro, luxurious flight time and half a dozen batteries later, this thing is a bargain to me and my business needs.

 

[SmilingOgre]

Wow, so much hand wringing, pontificating, excuse making and justifying going on around the Mavic 3, what a polarizing drone, lol!

I still have my M2P but I doubt I keep it after my experience in using the Mavic 3 Cine for shooting a few TV commercials and especially my recent trip to Iceland. Across the board it is a game changer and I am only mildly annoyed at not having SDK support. I have adapted to the Fly app and I am producing seriously good work with both cameras.

Two cameras, pro res 422, 1TB of fast onboard storage, great RC Pro, luxurious flight time and half a dozen batteries later, this thing is a bargain to me and my business needs.

I appreciate your testimony and per a business perspective understand your contention. I have the perspective of a hobbyist. I am retired and staying that way. I've worked with audio recording as a business and the business aspect destroyed the pleasurable aspects of the endeavor. Now doing both video and audio as a hobby it is pure joy. Hence, budget is a substantial consideration. My primary cameras do not exceed 6G. Given drone footage is a very small contribution to what I produce, I am reluctant to exceed 2G for a drone. I am personally not impressed with the resolution of the zoom sensor on the M3 for my purposes. This makes the M3 Classic a possibility. I wouldn't classify my interest and excessive pontification or hand wringing. I don't loose sleep over this possibility and I'm quite sure I can die happily without an M3. It is fun for me to consider the M3 Classic but the interest only goes that deep at this point. The MP2 footage that I blend into my videos is acceptable. If I were to purchase the M3C it would be in the spring. It's cold out there this time of year and I like warm.