Mavic 3 28X Zoom

bkushner · Sep 7, 2022

GadgetGuy · Sep 7, 2022

Hard to keep that fast moving plane centered in the frame at 28x!
Spotlight mode would be so cool on the 7x telephoto camera and in Explorer mode. Unfortunately, Spotlight is currently limited to the main camera only on the Mavic 3, while in Normal mode.

Lets Fly · Sep 7, 2022

bkushner said:
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Well done.

Gary Fisher · Sep 9, 2022

I took this video from a distance that couldn’t possible scare these birds.

GadgetGuy · Sep 9, 2022

Gary Fisher said:
I took this video from a distance that couldn’t possible scare these birds.

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I suggest flying close enough to use the optical 7x telephoto to similarly fill the frame, which also will still not disturb them, but will avoid the pixelation of the 4x digital zoom at a 28x distance.

Basically, shorten the distance between you and the birds by 75% by flying closer. That's the best use of the 7x optical telephoto lens. No need to be quite so far away, when you can just fly a bit closer.

Use the digital 28x to spot the subject.
Then move in for the optical 7x shot.

Nice demonstration though. Just move in after, to show the major improvement of 7x optical only, over the 28x digital.

moldorf · Sep 12, 2022

GadgetGuy said:
Use the digital 28x to spot the subject.
Then move in for the optical 7x shot.

Nice demonstration though. Just move in after, to show the major improvement of 7x optical only, over the 28x digital.

the 7X is an optical zoom?

I thought it was digital

GadgetGuy · Sep 12, 2022

moldorf said:
the 7X is an optical zoom?

I thought it was digital

The 7x telephoto lens isn't a zoom lens at all. It is a fixed optical 7x telephoto, compared to the main lens. Hence, why its image is the sharpest. It also has a 4x digital zoom which can be used for digital zoom from 7x-28x. However, that is just a crop of the 7x telephoto image.

moldorf · Sep 12, 2022

GadgetGuy said:
The 7x telephoto lens isn't a zoom lens at all. It is a fixed optical 7x telephoto, compared to the main lens. Hence, why its image is the sharpest. It also has a 4x digital zoom which can be used for digital zoom from 7x-28x. However, that is just a crop of the 7x telephoto image.

ok...got it now...thanks

so then, you can jump from 1X to 7X quickly...?

and the digital zoom sets are 2X -->4X -->7X-->14X-->28X...?

what has better image quality, the 4X or 7X?

GadgetGuy · Sep 12, 2022

moldorf said:
ok...got it now...thanks

so then, you can jump from 1X to 7X quickly...?

and the digital zoom sets are 2X -->4X -->7X-->14X-->28X...?

what has better image quality, the 4X or 7X?

Unfortunately, to jump from 1x to 7x, you have to be in Normal mode and stop and restart the video. To have continuous digital zoom from 1x to 4x jumping to 7x to 28x, you must remain in the original Explorer mode.

Using the zoom scroll wheel or pinching out on the screen will give continuous zoom, except for the 4x to 7x jump, in Explorer mode. Just edit out the 2x to 7x zoom in Explorer mode in post to have 1x to 7x in video.

4x has the worst image quality, just like 28x, 4x is a 4x digital zoom of 1x, just as 28x is a digital zoom of 7x.

For the best results, don't exceed 2x digital zoom on the main camera and don't exceed 14x on the 7x camera.

Always fly closer, instead of using digital zoom, if you can.

In Normal mode, the 1x video setting can be digitally zoomed to 3x, and the 7x video setting can be digitally zoomed to 28x.

There is no digital zoom when shooting stills in Normal mode. Just crop in post.

moldorf · Sep 13, 2022

GadgetGuy said:
Unfortunately, to jump from 1x to 7x, you have to be in Normal mode and stop and restart the video. To have continuous digital zoom from 1x to 4x jumping to 7x to 28x, you must remain in the original Explorer mode.

Using the zoom scroll wheel or pinching out on the screen will give continuous zoom, except for the 4x to 7x jump, in Explorer mode. Just edit out the 2x to 7x zoom in Explorer mode in post to have 1x to 7x in video.

4x has the worst image quality, just like 28x, 4x is a 4x digital zoom of 1x, just as 28x is a digital zoom of 7x.

For the best results, don't exceed 2x digital zoom on the main camera and don't exceed 14x on the 7x camera.

Always fly closer, instead of using digital zoom, if you can.

In Normal mode, the 1x video setting can be digitally zoomed to 3x, and the 7x video setting can be digitally zoomed to 28x.

There is no digital zoom when shooting stills in Normal mode. Just crop in post.

thanks GG...that's good information

edcMavicPilots · Sep 14, 2022

GadgetGuy said:
The 7x telephoto lens isn't a zoom lens at all. It is a fixed optical 7x telephoto, compared to the main lens. Hence, why its image is the sharpest. It also has a 4x digital zoom which can be used for digital zoom from 7x-28x. However, that is just a crop of the 7x telephoto image.

I'm glad somebody else out there is explaining that zoom and telephoto don't mean the same thing and the difference in this case is more important than it is with a land camera zoom lens. Too many "influencers" have made the water muddier than it needs to be.