Mavic Pro or Phantom 4 Pro?

[Wacker2611]

Also, call me a Luddite, but I'm not sure that I want sensors splattered all over my drone. I'm even not sure about the front sensors on the Mavic, having come from a P3A which has none of this obstacle avoidance tech. Part of the fun for me is planning my route/clearances etc and at least having some responsibility for it returning in one piece!


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[msinger]

Also, call me a Luddite, but I'm not sure that I want sensors splattered all over my drone.

You can disable the sensors in the DJI GO app.

 

[Wacker2611]

You can disable the sensors in the DJI GO app.

Yes, sorry, I'm just being playful.


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[stealle]

What is the point of convenience if the video/picture quality is not anywhere near the best it can be?

This argument just doesn't hold up. If it has to be the best it can be, the P4P isn't a viable option. You need the Inspire 2 for that. So, the Mavic wins for portability (and still providing very good quality video) and the Inspire wins for quality and capability. Where does the P4P win? Not the best in portability. Not the best in quality. It only wins for the consumer that doesn't need the best in portability or the best in quality, but is willing to sacrifice a little of both because their budget doesn't allow the purchase of both the Mavic and the Inspire 2. Also, the props are still a problem in the P4P. I couldn't imagine someone wanting the best video quality or someone on the professional level would find this acceptable when the Inspire 2 is an option.

 

[Fireblade]

I'm really wanting that phantom 4 pro, but I'll probably stick to the Mavic for now. And wait down the line when the new lineup for phantom 5 and Mavic 2 comes out, so hopefully the price will come down lol.

Besides, my computer is a bit lagging when it comes to 4k high data rate files. Everytime I play my the 4k files from my Samsung NX, it's very jittery I can imagine it'll do the same with this new format.

 

[No1much]

What is the point of convenience if the video/picture quality is not anywhere near the best it can be?

Even with an old Nokia phone camera you can still take pictures folks can appreciate. Unless high-res beautifulness is required by one's job, it's pretty much a matter of personal discretion what resolution or camera setup one uses.
The P3S would be more than enough for me, as even it takes better pictures than I think my TV can display- the Mavic's portability is its selling point for some of us, and- disregarding their customer disservice reputation, basically everything DJI has ever made has a wonderful camera and is great to fly.

They also seem to love making quads way better than they really need to be to keep a lead on the competition, as we've seen. Honestly, any product of theirs that ships is a good choice. Which choice is not just good, but best, is going to vary by individual user. And like I said, I freely admit I'd be happy with a P3S- but I like the idea of not needing a big pricey backpack and don't have that much storage space at home anyway, so...

Yeah. You see where I'm going. I know not everyone agrees, and that's fine. But for me, and I suspect a bunch of hobbyists out there, anything DJI will be more than enough for our casual purposes.

 

[MacCool]

LOL. So the Mavic Pro is already out dated prior to even being fully released?

No...it was just aimed at a different market segment. For many people, the portability is more important than image quality. Same concept behind Apple having a laptop lineup AND a desktop lineup.

 

[Stefan350]

Not a Phantom hater, but it does look a bit dated compared to the Mavic. The mavic2 will have 4k 60fps and extra sensors next year maybe. It would be great to fly a drone with 360 sensor protection, we are only a year or so away from that.

I don't know if you've ever had the Phantom 4 or not, but the P4 glossy white IMO is one sexy looking drone.
Having compare both side by side, up close the mavic's plastic build actually feels inferior to the P4. And, why can't we have a glossy white mavic?

 

[E92Vancouver]

Seems like they're doing a good job of differentiating the two to me. i.e. if they had put the same camera on the P4P and Mavic then they'd pretty much overlap to the point that most would just buy the Mavic and P4P probably wouldn't do that well. But by keeping the higher quality camera on the P4P you have to pick between super portable or higher quality (or buy both!)

I still think the higher quality camera will eventually make it on to a version of the Mavic, who knows when though

Mavic for super portable
P4P for higher quality amateur / semi-pro'ish shooting where size doesn't matter as much
Inspire 2 for pro shooting

Smart move.

The backlog of Mavic's is really the issue for me.. pretty crappy to release another product before they've at least made significant progress on that

Yes. Mavic is the entry level drone for DJI. Very smart. The Mavic will always have the weakest camera of the line up to maintain the entry level price point.

 

[E92Vancouver]

Im still holding on to my order with the mavic, though im tempted to sell it and get the P4 pro due to the camera quality.. Why DJI why.. then i want the inspire 2 too... lol

LOL. Yes, why DJI, why????? I want it all but that would not be fiscally responsible.

 

[E92Vancouver]

I don't know if you've ever had the Phantom 4 or not, but the P4 glossy white IMO is one sexy looking drone.
Having compare both side by side, up close the mavic's plastic build actually feels inferior to the P4. And, why can't we have a glossy white mavic?

So true. I am a fan of the glossy white. But matte black would be boss too but hard to see in the sky. White is easier to see in the sky than grey.

 

[Stefan350]

So true. I am a fan of the glossy white. But matte black would be boss too but hard to see in the sky. White is easier to see in the sky than grey.

Actually, it's the opposite for me..
Below tree lines, I can maneuver my P4 around a lot better because of the color. I have good eye sight, but the mavic tends to blend in more unless it's in the sky.

 

[Mako79]

So true. I am a fan of the glossy white. But matte black would be boss too but hard to see in the sky. White is easier to see in the sky than grey.

They should have made the quads fluro orange - it would look flamboyant.
If they wanted it look classy, they should have made the lower half black and top white. This will solve the sky and tree top issues.

Anyways... P3 had Std/4K/Adv/Pro. DJI flipped us on the P4 launch with only a single line up. Months later, I had assumed the P4 line will remain just the P4. Wow I was wrong. DJI knows how to take our money.

 

[phneeley]

From a marketing standpoint, I'd be surprised if they did this. It seems with Mavic, P4P, and I2, DJI is being very strategic in establishing a differentiated, three tier product lineup targeting the widest range of consumers/price points/intended uses possible.


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Only problem is: I can't get DJI to respond to my email requesting cancellation. Any tips on how to get through/cancel an order myself?


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[raberrio]

I only hope the Mavic get an update in the future with the new intelligent flight modes

 

[nocaps]

I don't really get the 'setting up a Phantom for flight is an event' line. You install the props, set it on the ground, and fly. Also anywhere the Phantom will collect unwanted attention the Mavic will too. The portability improvement in the Mavic is undeniable, as is the fact that the P4P's camera and object avoidance are simply in a different league (in addition to the extra flight modes.) I also like the dedicated display available on the P4P, I'm tired of squinting at the screen in daylight or wondering what background process is causing latency or slowdowns. A made-for-purpose display makes much more sense (albeit more costly) and using a cellphone or tablet has always felt a little toy-like to me.

It really comes down to how often with the smaller size of the Mavic will really make a difference in usability and that answer will be different for everyone. It was a really hard call but I cancelled my Mavic order(s) and am going with the P4P. If the next iteration of the Mavic includes some of the improvements in the P4P (and it probably will) I will be temped to switch, but we won't know that for a while. Lastly, I can't help but be suspicious about the continuing shipping debacle and DJI's lack of communication (the P4P is shipping next week and the Mavic is still out to Dec or Jan?) Brand-new designs tend to have problems and I think I prefer to go with a more mature product and let the first-generation Mavics get some flight time and debugging. If I determine that the Mavic's portability is really a critical factor for me then there will always be Gen 2.

 

[WolfgangStiller]

Actually, it's the opposite for me..
Below tree lines, I can maneuver my P4 around a lot better because of the color. I have good eye sight, but the mavic tends to blend in more unless it's in the sky.

I'd prefer a color which would make it easier to spot in either the sky or in a green/rock background such as when I launch from the mountain or ridge top and fly below my elevation. I had a drone crash below me (this was a non-DJI drone and the firmware turned off the motors due to a faulty fail-safe). It took me a long time to find even though I had the GPS coordinates. A bright color would really help for both spotting from the air and locating if something should go wrong.

 

[WolfgangStiller]

No...it was just aimed at a different market segment. For many people, the portability is more important than image quality. Same concept behind Apple having a laptop lineup AND a desktop lineup.

For me size and weight are not just important, they are critical. The Mavic is a total game changer for me! . It's my first DJI drone and I ordered right after the announcement. (Normally, I'd wait for all the bugs to be sorted out but I knew that I had to order right away) When hiking for 12+ hours to remote locations and carrying a lot of required gear (e.g., climbing gear, food, water, clothing), it's just an option to lug along a P4 size drone. Combine that with the fact that half the time or more, conditions prevent me from flying the drone.

 

[Mako79]

I don't understand... Do DJI teams talk to each other??? It would have been great to make the props on the P4Pro folderable like the Mavics and their much larger s1000 rigs. Folding props would make launching quicker and prevent less injuries as they are collapsible on impact. I looked at the motor designs on both P4 and Mavics and they are somewhat similar.

 

[J3ffrey]

You guys must all be made of money, the 1000 dollar difference forces me to go with the mavic...surprised I'm the only one.