Mavic 4 Rumors

[VenomXts]

DJI Mavic 4 Pro leaks reveal game-changing drone upgrades

If the rumors and leaked footage are to be believed, DJI Mavic 4 Pro drone promises to raise the bar for aerial photography and videography.

dronedj.com

One of the most exciting upgrades is the camera system. The Mavic 4 Pro is expected to feature three distinct zoom levels: 1x (24mm), 2.5x (50mm), and 6x (145mm). The cameras will likely support D-Log recording for professional-grade footage and perform impressively in low-light conditions thanks to a brighter f/2.0 aperture on the main lens. Additionally, vertical shooting capabilities — similar to DJI’s Air series — will cater to content creators embracing social media formats.

Leaks suggest DJI may announce the Mavic 4 Pro as early as March, with the product hitting the shelves in April 2025. Pricing is estimated to start at $2,800 for the “Classic” version, with the “Cine” version ranging between $4,000 and $5,000. While these price points represent a significant increase over the Mavic 3 Pro ($2,199 with DJI RC), the upgrades could justify the cost for serious photographers and filmmakers.

 

[msinger]

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[VenomXts]

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nice X is blocked at work so will have to look at this later.

 

[Cafguy]

I think 2800 is pretty hopeful! I have been waiting for this Drone as a replacement for my ready to retire Air 2S.
I hope they can intro this at that price point.

 

[Erk1024]

The Mavic 4 Pro is expected to feature three distinct zoom levels: 1x (24mm), 2.5x (50mm), and 6x (145mm)

I saw in another rumor that the main camera was 28mm (like the Mavic Pro 2) and that would give the cameras 28mm, 70mm (2.5x) and 168mm (6x) focal lengths. There are some advantages to 28mm--it should be easier to make a sharp lens, and easier to stitch images (less distortion).

Other rumors also say it would have a built in variable ND filter. I'm not sure that's a good idea. Lowers the light transmission onto the sensor and could have other bad effects. Also if you have variable aperture on the main camera already, then there is less need for an ND.

As for 100 megapixels, rumors seem to indicate that this is a muliti-shot mode similar to how Sony and other cameras move the sensor to get the image on different colored pixels in the Bayer pattern. Then the image is combined for a higher resolution image. Takes a lot of processing though. But ... the Mavic 3 stitches panoramas in the drone while you're flying so, probably doable?

 

[Erk1024]

If it's true about the multi-shot mode, then how are they moving the sensor? With the gimbal? We're talking you have to move the sensor by 2'ish microns which is a very tiny amount. That's usually done with IBIS (in camera image stabilization). So maybe the Mavic 4 has IBIS?

Or does this mean that the Mavic 4 has a quad bayer sensor, like the other sensors in the Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 3 Air, 3S, etc?

 

[RC5728]

Double the price of Air 3S? Seems very expensive for not much improvement over Mavic 3 Pro.

What is the real benefit aside from a few minutes of extra battery life?

 

[GroovyGeek]

Is the classic a single ca.era version like the Mavic 3? If yes $2800 is an extremely steep price.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Is the classic a single ca.era version like the Mavic 3? If yes $2800 is an extremely steep price.

Seems like 2800 is pretty high for a starting price

 

[msinger]

I find it highly unlikely that $2,800 is the starting price unless the base package includes a version of the DJI RC and spare batteries. It would be quite uncharacteristic of DJI to release a starter package like that.

 

[ryguy80]

There has to be some trickery going on with 100 mp photos, because a drone featuring a native 100 mp image sensor would be out of the price range of most consumers.

 

[Mrktn]

Put my money on a quad bayer sensor to deliver 100mp at 25mp

 

[GroovyGeek]

There has to be some trickery going on with 100 mp photos, because a drone featuring a native 100 mp image sensor would be out of the price range of most consumers.

The Samsung Ultra line has had 200Mpx sensors in them for the last 2 years. And I can tell you that they produce very nice 12ish Mpx images, pretty trashy 50 Mpx, and worthless 200 Mpx.

These are the same quad type sensors that the M3P uses in the 7x camera, and the Air 3S has in the main and 7x sensors. The few DNGs from the Air3S I have found were absolutely terrible in terms of image quality.

There should be nothing that would make the IQ from a quad sensor lower than that of a more conventional sensor with 1/4 the pixels if you just bin the intensity of every quad together and interpret it like a traditional sensor. But all companies seem to be attempting to do computational magic with quad sensors and, for the moment at least, the "equivalent" IQ is lower than a traditional sensor if you look carefully. If all you are doing is posting videos to YT or postage stamp sized stills to IG, none of this matters because the output quality of these platforms is **** anyway.

 

[Sjkieffer]

Is it just me.. or is that round camera head ugly as hell?

 

[Sjkieffer]

The Mavic 4 Pro is expected to feature three distinct zoom levels: 1x (24mm), 2.5x (50mm), and 6x (145mm)

I saw in another rumor that the main camera was 28mm (like the Mavic Pro 2) and that would give the cameras 28mm, 70mm (2.5x) and 168mm (6x) focal lengths. There are some advantages to 28mm--it should be easier to make a sharp lens, and easier to stitch images (less distortion).

Other rumors also say it would have a built in variable ND filter. I'm not sure that's a good idea. Lowers the light transmission onto the sensor and could have other bad effects. Also if you have variable aperture on the main camera already, then there is less need for an ND.

As for 100 megapixels, rumors seem to indicate that this is a muliti-shot mode similar to how Sony and other cameras move the sensor to get the image on different colored pixels in the Bayer pattern. Then the image is combined for a higher resolution image. Takes a lot of processing though. But ... the Mavic 3 stitches panoramas in the drone while you're flying so, probably doable?

I think those **** tiny drone owners are using our acronyms. M4P needs to be Mavic!

 

[GroovyGeek]

Is it just me.. or is that round camera head ugly as hell?

Looks like a fugly bug

 

[gleavitt513]

Seems to be a very different and bold design choice with the camera stuck out the front like that. I'm assuming that will also bring new gimbal angles than before, such as looking up... similar to the parrot anafi maybe?

 

[VenomXts]

Seems to be a very different and bold design choice with the camera stuck out the front like that. I'm assuming that will also bring new gimbal angles than before, such as looking up... similar to the parrot anafi maybe?

I don't give a cr@p what it looks like to be honest as long as it brings new functionality we can use to create, having more motion in the gimble is exciting as hell to be honest.

 

[ryguy80]

For cosmetics, I don't care so much. When the drone is a couple hundreds of feet/meters in the air, you can't tell anyway. When the drone is stored in your case/bag, you don't see it,

If I had a museum for my drone collection, then I would care about looks more.

 

[Erk1024]

The Samsung Ultra line has had 200Mpx sensors in them for the last 2 years. And I can tell you that they produce very nice 12ish Mpx images, pretty trashy 50 Mpx, and worthless 200 Mpx.

These are the same quad type sensors that the M3P uses in the 7x camera, and the Air 3S has in the main and 7x sensors. The few DNGs from the Air3S I have found were absolutely terrible in terms of image quality.

There should be nothing that would make the IQ from a quad sensor lower than that of a more conventional sensor with 1/4 the pixels if you just bin the intensity of every quad together and interpret it like a traditional sensor. But all companies seem to be attempting to do computational magic with quad sensors and, for the moment at least, the "equivalent" IQ is lower than a traditional sensor if you look carefully. If all you are doing is posting videos to YT or postage stamp sized stills to IG, none of this matters because the output quality of these platforms is **** anyway.

Agree. If you increase the megapixels, but use the same sensor size, you're not really gaining anything. The sensor is still collecting the same amount of light, you're just dividing it up into smaller pieces. You have more pixels, but each one is blurrier and noisier and so no real improvement in quality.

If you pair it with a faster lens, then you can get more light to the pixels which does help. The Mavic 3 Pro 24mm lens is not "tack sharp" at 100% already. A faster, sharper lens would help regardless of the sensor used.

The reason full frame handheld cameras can get tack sharp 45MP or 60MP images is that the sensor is 4x bigger (in area) and the lenses are sharper. But it also makes the lens/camera combination quite large and heavy.

But if they go with the "take multiple shots and shift the sensor" then you are gathering *more* light, and that improves image quality. The downside is that it takes more time, and if your subject is moving, then you can have ghosting problems.

Hard to say without more info.