Photography: Mavic 3 vs. Mini 3 Pro

[wco81]

Even 3 to 1 zoom would be great.

 

[Bussty]

My holy grail is a compact, foldable drone with integrated zoom lens, like Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm F/4 IS PRO. I am willing to pay more, and accept a larger, heavier drone, for this ultimate zoom range (24mm-200mm). Call it the next Mavic 4 Pro, or Inspire Mini.


View attachment 148098

That is a killer lens, use it all the time my OM-D EM-1 Mk2 Body. Been my setup almost since it came out. Can you imagine that on a drone!! If they can only keep the quality and knock it down to about 20% of it's size

 

[Ralph thompson]

My holy grail is a compact, foldable drone with integrated zoom lens, like Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm F/4 IS PRO. I am willing to pay more, and accept a larger, heavier drone, for this ultimate zoom range (24mm-200mm). Call it the next Mavic 4 Pro, or Inspire Mini.


View attachment 148098

Get an Inspire 2 although this lens would be too heavy for the gimbal I suspect, i used to balance the gimbal with lead weights and Velcro. But there are several micro 4/3 Olympus lens including zooms that u can use, the quality is superior to any mavics. But it’s a different game lugging an Inspire around And most of the lens’ alone cost more than the basic Mini 3.

 

[UAVquadman]

The Mini 3 Pro with that new controller at $950( with built in screen) is something I would rather own than the Pro Controller for $1200!

 

[SkywalkerFeng]

Get an Inspire 2 although this lens would be too heavy for the gimbal I suspect, i used to balance the gimbal with lead weights and Velcro. But there are several micro 4/3 Olympus lens including zooms that u can use, the quality is superior to any mavics. But it’s a different game lugging an Inspire around And most of the lens’ alone cost more than the basic Mini 3.

I do a lot of aerial photography in the wild. A compact and foldable drone like Mavic 3 is my perfect hiking companion. Inspire series is too big and heavy for that purpose. For the next Mavic (4), I wish DJI could design their own version of the compact zoom lens for M43 sensor, because the existing lens from Panasonic/Olympus are too big and heavy, not optimized for aerial imaging. I believe it is possible for DJI to design a true Pro-grade, compact and foldable drone, with integrated M43 sensor and interchangeable lens, and target at professionals with serious photographic needs. The idea lens selection should include a solid group of fixed (i.e., 12mm, 16mm, 24mm) and zoom lens (16-35mm, 24-70mm, 24-105mm).

 

[Bussty]

I think it's the ne area DJI let's itself down..... the lens quality. I guess on a sub 250 gram drone you can't have a super heavy quality glass lens but on their bigger drones they could really up the game there. Fingers crossed!

 

[jeffg53]

I think it's the ne area DJI let's itself down..... the lens quality. I guess on a sub 250 gram drone you can't have a super heavy quality glass lens but on their bigger drones they could really up the game there. Fingers crossed!

I think that the M3 lens is fine. For me, it's just too wide. I have spent a lifetime shooting long, and find it way too wide to work with comfortably but I will persist.

 

[Bussty]

I think that the M3 lens is fine. For me, it's just too wide. I have spent a lifetime shooting long, and find it way too wide to work with comfortably but I will persist.

Have you played with using the Tele lens to grid stitch and get almost any focal length between the two lenses?

 

[jeffg53]

Have you played with using the Tele lens to grid stitch and get almost any focal length between the two lenses?

I haven't considered it for a number of reasons. Digital zoom is the work of the devil, and JPG just makes it worse. No amount of magic would rescue that combo. In my non-drone life I have a D850 with a slew of Zeiss and adapted Leica R lenses, along with an Olympus EM1 II and Oly lenses. I bought the M3 as it was the first drone that has a decent sensor and lens.

 

[Bussty]

I haven't considered it for a number of reasons. Digital zoom is the work of the devil, and JPG just makes it worse. No amount of magic would rescue that combo. In my non-drone life I have a D850 with a slew of Zeiss and adapted Leica R lenses, along with an Olympus EM1 II and Oly lenses. I bought the M3 as it was the first drone that has a decent sensor and lens.

Hi Jeff

I think we might be talking about two different things. Have you seen this link??

7x Mosaics

Cheers

Andrew

 

[Meta4]

Have you seen this link??

Have you considered flying closer and photographing your subject with a better camera/lens?

 

[jeffg53]

Hi Jeff

I think we might be talking about two different things. Have you seen this link??

7x Mosaics

Cheers

Andrew

I have now, thanks. I just don't have the strength or need to work on stitches of that magnitude, I have given up printing large a while ago.

 

[Bussty]

Have you considered flying closer and photographing your subject with a better camera/lens?

Is that you Labroides?

Yes but you will know that will only work if a) you can maintain your perspective, often the image you see has the tele perspective and you widen that out if you fly closer potentially ruining the juxtaposition and b) you don't have to fly miles to get close enough and therefore are not wasting time and battery life.

Often when driving I see a great shot in the distance and can't get to it as there's ground based stuff blocking the shot, being able to send the drone up and stitch a grid with the 7x would be a great option plus counterintuitively provide a more high quality shot than a single shot from the M3 wide angle could provide.

 

[Bussty]

I have now, thanks. I just don't have the strength or need to work on stitches of that magnitude, I have given up printing large a while ago.

I get a few requests from people viewing my site so want to make sure they can enlarge to a good size, nothing worse selling an image and the purchaser coming back and saying it didn't look great when the turned it into a canvas. But yes you could be a lot more relaxed if just viewing on laptop/TV.

 

[jeffg53]

I get a few requests from people viewing my site so want to make sure they can enlarge to a good size, nothing worse selling an image and the purchaser coming back and saying it didn't look great when the turned it into a canvas. But yes you could be a lot more relaxed if just viewing on laptop/TV.

That’s interesting. I’ve sold framed prints for years. I print them at the size that I want to and let people decide if they want them. I understand about people being disappointed. I used to get queries about an image of the Anzac Bridge from people who wanted it for splashbacks, It was from an old 35mm film so didn't have the size to do the job. as for laptops and TVs, I edit on a 27" Imac with an Eizo CG monitor. I don't consider that relaxed.

 

[adcimagery]

The new Mini is good. I've been test flying it the last few days. I don't have exact side by sides, but I am confident the Mavic 3 is better, especially on fine detail. The quad bayer sensor layout on the mini struggles with false color on fine details, while the Mavic just looks more natural. Plus better dynamic range.

 

[Bussty]

That’s interesting. I’ve sold framed prints for years. I print them at the size that I want to and let people decide if they want them. I understand about people being disappointed. I used to get queries about an image of the Anzac Bridge from people who wanted it for splashbacks, It was from an old 35mm film so didn't have the size to do the job. as for laptops and TVs, I edit on a 27" Imac with an Eizo CG monitor. I don't consider that relaxed.

Funny you should mention splashbacks, last month had an image of some poplars taken way back when the first Canon digital camera came out, 10D or D10, can't remember and it was 3MP and a couple wanted to blow up behind a splashback but was just not high res enough. You are right that is a pretty impressive monitor!

 

[Bussty]

The new Mini is good. I've been test flying it the last few days. I don't have exact side by sides, but I am confident the Mavic 3 is better, especially on fine detail. The quad bayer sensor layout on the mini struggles with false color on fine details, while the Mavic just looks more natural. Plus better dynamic range.

I'm struggling to find solid stills posted anywhere, seems to be quite a central/edge difference in quality. At fixed aperture of f1.7 I guess that will always be a limitation?

 

[jeffg53]

Funny you should mention splashbacks, last month had an image of some poplars taken way back when the first Canon digital camera came out, 10D or D10, can't remember and it was 3MP and a couple wanted to blow up behind a splashback but was just not high res enough. You are right that is a pretty impressive monitor!

I can provide full rez M3 examples if you are after any. This sort of thing. Tumbarumba Autumn Morning

 

[adcimagery]

I'm struggling to find solid stills posted anywhere, seems to be quite a central/edge difference in quality. At fixed aperture of f1.7 I guess that will always be a limitation?

Yeah, that’s just going to be the nature of a fast lens like that.