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Mavic 2 Pro or Mavic 2 Zoom?

DronesFanatic

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I am considering upgrading my Mavic Pro to a Mavic 2 model. However, I am not sure which model would be a better option. Both models definitely comes with nice number of improvements however, I mainly want to be able to use drone for photography and making videos with special effects. What’s your experience with these Mavic 2 drones and what model do you recommend?
 
I am considering upgrading my Mavic Pro to a Mavic 2 model. However, I am not sure which model would be a better option. Both models definitely comes with nice number of improvements however, I mainly want to be able to use drone for photography and making videos with special effects. What’s your experience with these Mavic 2 drones and what model do you recommend?

Its pretty clear its the Pro
 
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The M2P is definitely better for photography with its 1inch sensor and adjustable aperture. Not to sure about the zoom details but I’m sure someone will help out with some answers for you.
 
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Depends on if the 1" sensor on the 2 Pro is something that makes sense to you. I was willing to sacrifice the optical zoom on the Zoom for the larger sensor on the 2 pro and therefore more information captured. I am old school and would rather move with a prime lens (better glass typically) then twist a zoom manipulating more glass between the image and the film. Yet if you are trying to shoot wildlife or need to stay farther away for some reason the Zoom might make more sense.

Otherwise, they are both great AC in my newer opinion.
 
I have the M2P and love the variable aperture and larger sensor. If I need a zoom of a still pic I crop it from my image in post production.
Both are great birds and of note the M2Z is usually easier on the budget.
 
I was reading an article somewhere and they mentioned that Mavic 2 Pro can zoom up to x2 as contrast to Mavic 2 Zoom that goes up to x4 closer. Is that true?

The Mavic 2 Zoom has an optical 24-48mm (x2) zoom lens and can digitally zoom an additional x2 in camera (x4) total.

However, you’d be better off taking a photo with the M2Pro and cropping it which would leave leave you with a better quality photo then zooming in with the M2Zoom. The zoom is nice if you are using it to explore because you can zoom in on the live view but when you zoom in camera like that it magnifies any shake that is happening with the gimbal and so as far as taking a picture and video is concerned you’d really want to zoom out and then crop in post anyway.
 
I just bought the Pro after going through the same "Zoom vs. Pro" analysis. In the end, it was a very easy decision because I could only come up with a few scenarios where the Zoom created a better result.

Here are the only reasons to get the Zoom, other than the $200 price difference:

1. Dolly Zoom. This Hitchcock effect wasn't even that great when he did it in Vertigo and Psycho. It's a gimmick. Not needed.

2. Fast Zoom. This is probably the only reason you'd want the Zoom, namely when you want to have a shot where the zoom happens really, really fast. For other types of Zoom, you just fly the drone closer and, in Sport mode, you can get close to something pretty quickly.

3. True optical close up. If you want to get a shot that is cropped more closely you can do that optically with the Zoom, but have to use the HQ mode on the Pro. Since the HQ (zoomed in) mode on the Pro actually produces a sharper picture (long story about the lousy in-camera downsampling in the Pro's wide mode), and since the Pro's camera is so much better, I see zero advantage to the zoom.

So for me, it came down to one feature, Fast Zoom, and that for me was amazingly minor compared to the manual control over aperture, ISO, & shutter speed; shallower depth of field from a 1" sensor (as well as being able to force full wide-open aperture); better lens; broader range of filters; and much more.
 
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The Pro is a no-brainer if you can afford it, if your primary interest is still photography. There is an enormous difference in image quality. Also, don't pay much attention to web-sized samples you may see for comparisons between the two. The only thing worth looking at would be the original RAW files if you're trying to get an objective comparison.

The biggest issue with the Zoom in my opinion, other than the tiny 1/2.3" sensor, is that you lose a full stop of light when you zoom in, making zooming during video a huge pain in the @ss. You need to land and swap ND filters, all else equal, if you want to maintain even footage after you zoom without adjusting the exposure triangle in a disadvantageous way. But, the zoom is a lot cheaper, so it's not a totally fair comparison.

The focus peaking and adjustable aperture on the Pro are also things I personally would not want to go without, and the latter gives you the flexibility to buy fewer ND filters if you wish.
 
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Pro all the way.

Spent 20 hours reading about the differences between the two from basic comparisons to technically in-depth articles on sensor parameters, color space, clarity, focus, etc.

The advantages of the 1” sensor coupled with the Hasselblad HNCS color space is simply stunning. I’m still in shock when I see some of the photos that come out of this thing. The level of detail, the sharpness, the depth of field, the low light sensitivity, the latitude in post when editing RAW - absolutely stunning.
 
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Good luck with your purchase, hope you have as much fun with it as we all do.??

Let us know how you get on?
 
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Pro plus purchase Zoom camera/gimbal assembly and swap when desired. If the warranty is of concern then wait till it expires.
 
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