Question for P4 to Mavic Owners

jamiemink · Jan 5, 2017

So... I have an entry level P3S and have outgrown it in no time flat. I'm a passionate photographer, and as a result I'm torn between purchasing the P4 now while it's on sale for $995 or wait until Feb/Mar for the Mavic to hit the shelves (I'm hostage to purchase at Best Buy due to having a fistful of gift cards!).

Can people who have gone from a P4 to a Mavic chime in and help my decision? I've read tons and watched many videos on the technical comparisons and fully understanding them all, so knowing the science between the two isn't my conundrum. I'm looking for first hand user experience of both drones and the tidbits they can offer.

Thanks!

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BladeFartz · Jan 5, 2017

So I went from the P4B (black edition) to the mavic. Honestly I think in the long run the mavic is the better option as it has more flexibility and flight modes. Yes the camera isn't "as good" as the P4 but really who cares? The benefits of the mavic will outweigh the P4. I did love how solid the P4 felt and the ease of use with the stock controller and my iPhone 7+. The mavic controller is still a little funky for me since it doesn't fit my phone properly so I just use a mav mount. Not the best of solutions. Also the mavic gimbal just feels a little delicate and not as sturdy as the P4. I'm still getting used to the focus on the mavic as it seems slow to react sometimes, but could prove itself to be beneficial as more software becomes available.

So in short:
The Mavic is the leader in flexibility and options, the P4 is more "refined" (for the time being) and will probably do better for more windy/sunny (filter options) /harsh environments.

ElGuapo · Jan 5, 2017

I currently own both drones (P4 and Mavic).

* The controller on the Mavic is much smaller than the one on the P4, this could be good and bad. Good because it is small enough to fit in one of the pockets of my jacket. And bad because you need to use an adapter to mount an iPad. I use an iPhone 7PLUS and that is just fine for me. For some people it is much more comfortable to use an iPad.

* The Mavic seems to hover better than the P4.
* In terms of the camera the Mavic has a narrower field of view (FOV). The shots taken with the Mavic look like were taken with a 28mm lens on a full frame camera. Not bad in my opinion. I can still get amazing shots with the Mavic
* I love the portability factor. I have a backpack for the P4 and the 3 batteries. I have to admit that it is bulkier if you are comparing it to the Mavic. Before the Mavic came out I did not know any better and that was fine.
* Fly time is about the same Mavic vs P4. Maybe it is just me but I thought the Mavic's fly time is a bit more thatn the P4.
* One thing I never liked about the P4 is that sometimes I see the propellers in the pictures or videos. With the Mavic if you point the camera up when hovering you hardly see the propellers at all. The Propellers also seem to show up less in forward flight.
* One thing to keep in mind abouthe Mavic's camera is that it does not have a fixed focus like the P4. So when you fly you have to focus the area you want to photograph otherwise you are going to end with blurry shots, not a deal breaker for me.

Since I receive my Mavic I have not flown the P4, it has been sitting in the backpack for the last month or so. Reason for it is because it is much easier to carry the Mavic than the P4.

Ask yourself a question, is portability important to you?.

The Mavic is way easier to carry if plan to travel with the drone.

SNew76 · Jan 5, 2017

jamiemink said:
So... I have an entry level P3S and have outgrown it in no time flat. I'm a passionate photographer, and as a result I'm torn between purchasing the P4 now while it's on sale for $995 or wait until Feb/Mar for the Mavic to hit the shelves (I'm hostage to purchase at Best Buy due to having a fistful of gift cards!).

Can people who have gone from a P4 to a Mavic chime in and help my decision? I've read tons and watched many videos on the technical comparisons and fully understanding them all, so knowing the science between the two isn't my conundrum. I'm looking for first hand user experience of both drones and the tidbits they can offer.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

I doubt that the P4 price is going back up. That said I was so looking forward to snatching up a P4 (already owned a P3A) but when the Mavic came out I couldn't resist. I love it. I don't know how much better the camera really needs to be. Made this playing around last weekend.

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insainflow · Jan 5, 2017

SNew76 said:
I doubt that the P4 price is going back up. That said I was so looking forward to snatching up a P4 (already owned a P3A) but when the Mavic came out I couldn't resist. I love it. I don't know how much better the camera really needs to be. Made this playing around last weekend.

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What all did you do to the video? It looks great. I have a P3S and a Mavic ordered. I can not wait for it!

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SNew76 · Jan 5, 2017

insainflow said:
What all did you do to the video? It looks great. I have a P3S and a Mavic ordered. I can not wait for it!

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Not too much other than throwing a stock filter on it in iMovie. I did it in about 5 mins.

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insainflow · Jan 5, 2017

So I could take my iPad Pro and my Mavic and edit and create stuff like that on the go? I am going to make a whole hell of a lot of money with this thing.

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SNew76 · Jan 5, 2017

insainflow said:
So I could take my iPad Pro and my Mavic and edit and create stuff like that on the go? I am going to make a whole **** of a lot of money with this thing.

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Yes technology is a wonderful thing. I can't wait to see what I can make with a bunch of time.

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Mako79 · Jan 5, 2017

P4 vs Mavic? I would go Mavic. Now if you asked me P4Pro vs Mavic then I would struggle to answer. The P4Pro's camera is amazeballs.

chazzm · Jan 6, 2017

jamiemink said:
So... I have an entry level P3S and have outgrown it in no time flat. I'm a passionate photographer, and as a result I'm torn between purchasing the P4 now while it's on sale for $995 or wait until Feb/Mar for the Mavic to hit the shelves (I'm hostage to purchase at Best Buy due to having a fistful of gift cards!).

Can people who have gone from a P4 to a Mavic chime in and help my decision? I've read tons and watched many videos on the technical comparisons and fully understanding them all, so knowing the science between the two isn't my conundrum. I'm looking for first hand user experience of both drones and the tidbits they can offer.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

I have both and the P4P as well, I can say if you travel a lot and don't want to carry the P4 go with the Mavic, but if you want quality photos or video go with the P4 my own opinion is the P4P is the best for photography and video!!!

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