Thinking of buying the Classic 3

[GadgetGuy]

how about:

buy the refurbished Mavic 3 from DJI for $1639 (with RC-N1, 65W charger, accessories)

use your $300 credit at B&H to buy a 2nd Mavic 3 battery for $209. That would leave you $91 credit for a 3-way charging hub ($82); or use the $91 credit balance and kick in $60 for an ND Filter set. Personally, I'd get both the charging hub and filter set as I think always charging the two batteries in the drone would be awkward

but if you were ok with that than for $1700 you could get the M3+RC-N1+2 Batteries+ND Filters+65W charger+accessories

That's exactly what I would do, and exactly what I just did for a second Mavic 3. The hub is essential if you have more than one battery, and a best practice to use even with one battery. Charging in the drone is just awkward, and unnecessarily puts the drone at risk for drops and spills during charging. You have to remove the battery anyway to get at the microSD card. Can't charge one battery while flying with the other without a hub.

 

[moldorf]

That's exactly what I would do, and exactly what I just did for a second Mavic 3. The hub is essential if you have more than one battery, and a best practice to use even with one battery. Charging in the drone is just awkward, and unnecessarily puts the drone at risk for drops and spills during charging. You have to remove the battery anyway to get at the microSD card. Can't charge one battery while flying with the other without a hub.

yeah, I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a refurb Mavic 3

I get that for some people, new vs refurbished is a significant factor. From what I know though, I think it's much less a factor for refurbished-by-DJI products. And if you rate refurbished close to the same level as new, as I do, then the M3 Classic looks way over-priced to me

I'm sure DJI knows the market better than me so they can gauge where the most effective price point is to maximize their sales. But for me, when I do any apples-to-apples comparison I come up with the reurbished Mavic 3 only being 30-40 dollars more than the M3 Classic. That make the M3C look like a real rip-off to me. Now, if somebody assigns no value to the 7X camera, then they'd probably have a different equation.

but there's no way I'm buying a Classic package when an equivalent Mavic 3 package is only $30-40 more. In fact that M3 FMC is only 30 dollars more an includes and ND filter set. The Classic FMC doesn't. So, apples-to-apples, the Mavic 3 FMC is actually 80-100 dollars less than the Classic FMC....yikes!

 

[DanJ]

yeah, I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on a refurb Mavic 3

I get that for some people, new vs refurbished is a significant factor. From what I know though, I think it's much less a factor for refurbished-by-DJI products. And if you rate refurbished close to the same level as new, as I do, then the M3 Classic looks way over-priced to me

I'm sure DJI knows the market better than me so they can gauge where the most effective price point is to maximize their sales. But for me, when I do any apples-to-apples comparison I come up with the reurbished Mavic 3 only being 30-40 dollars more than the M3 Classic. That make the M3C look like a real rip-off to me. Now, if somebody assigns no value to the 7X camera, then they'd probably have a different equation.

but there's no way I'm buying a Classic package when an equivalent Mavic 3 package is only $30-40 more. In fact that M3 FMC is only 30 dollars more an includes and ND filter set. The Classic FMC doesn't. So, apples-to-apples, the Mavic 3 FMC is actually 80-100 dollars less than the Classic FMC....yikes!

You're lucky to have the option on the DJI store.
Here in Canada there are no refurbished units. Prices are in dollars US and Visa puts a percentage on the conversion.
Paypal accepts interest free payments on the US site but not in Canada.
I've been in touch with DJI about them having all of their prices in US dollars on a Canadian website. They claim that they cannot do that but yet the Apple Canada store has prices in Canadian dollars.
They promised me a $50 credit to help out with the conversion but have yet to deposit that into my account.

 

[manowar_gub]

some inquisitive minds disassemble the mavic 3 classic, and found hardware similar to mavic 3 cine, but without ssd ;D

 

[GadgetGuy]

some inquisitive minds disassemble the mavic 3 classic, and found hardware similar to mavic 3 cine, but without ssd ;D

You mean exactly like the regular Mavic 3, just minus the 7x telephoto camera?
That's what it is supposed to be.

 

[manowar_gub]

the regular Mavic 3, just minus

I mean, jji take mavic 3 cine body, removed ssd (but all connectors still there), replaced camera module, upload new 508 firmware. And called them "mavic 3 classic"

 

[GadgetGuy]

I mean, jji take mavic 3 cine body, removed ssd (but all connectors still there), replaced camera module, upload new 508 firmware. And called them "mavic 3 classic"

Are you sure that isn't exactly what a regular Mavic 3 looks like inside, with SSD connectors there, but just no SSD inside? Certainly would make sense to make them all the same. SSD connectors can't be that expensive to include in all three, even if only used for the Cine version.

 

[manowar_gub]

Are you sure

This is information from the person who install antennas boosters, and he knows exactly how each jji drone look inside

To help you match the facts: jji take unsold m3cine and rebuild them to m3classic

 

[GadgetGuy]

This is information from the person who install antennas boosters, and he knows exactly how each jji drone look inside

To help you match the facts: jji take unsold m3cine and rebuild them to m3classic

That's a nice story, but your basis for trusting your source for it is suspect, and
makes no sense. Why would anyone who is installing antenna boosters onto the RC have any insider knowledge of the inside of the drone guts, when their antenna booster installation business never touches the drone at all? The drone isn't even sent in! Besides, who needs an antenna booster for the Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Cine, or Mavic 3 Classic ? It has the best stock range of any DJI drone at 15km, especially with the RC Pro or the RC-N1.

Until someone can show me side by side interior photos of both a Mavic 3 and a Mavic 3 Classic, proving that the Mavic 3 Classic has SSD connectors and the Mavic 3 does not, I'm not yet buying what you are selling.

Photos please...

 

[manowar_gub]

makes no sense

explore it by yourself here -> ️DJI 911 - КАНАЛ️

you are very skeptical person and all your knowledge based on jji ads and their "paper spec". you are perfect target audience

in the real world, jji pilots install antenna boosters, and use custom dual batteries to
1) fly without worries for gps jammers and 2.4/5 ghz interferrencies (especially in cities)
2) fly real 10 km away upto 50 min

 

[vindibona1]

While my situation will remain fluid until it's time to pull the trigger, here is my current analysis:
Drone Nerds as well as DJI has the refurb M3 (with RCN1) for $1750. Add tax and it's $1925.
OTOH B&H has the M3c for $1470, no tax to be charged, free shipping... and I have a $300 credit for the return of the M2 batteries (FMC). Even without the credit the difference would be $450 and it seems that the only missing feature that the M3C has is the 7x camera.

I'm curious to know of the current M3 owners how often you've used the 7x lens? How often has footage from the 7x lens appeared in your projects?

When the M3 came out with it's huge price bump and cheap RCN1 controller I was totally turned off and would make my M2p go as long as it needed to. But at $1470- $300= $1170 to have 95% of the benefits of the M3, almost as little as I spent for my Mini 3, it makes way more sense now. The only question is when to pull the trigger. As I think I said, I'll be waiting so the warranty period isn't wasted over the winter months as I still have 3 other drones to fly.

 

[Starz]

I’ve always liked the zoom option. Certainly comes in handy quite often.
I’m not a pixel peeper, so can’t say much in that regard.

 

[KAOS Imagery]

Thanks to many comments in this thread, I bought and just received a factory refurb M3 from DJI direct for $1639. It took a just under a week to get here - CA to NY - and no sales tax. Cloud City Drones in RI has new M3 batteries for $199, no tax to me. I did have to pay shipping but it was still $10 less than anywhere else I could have gotten it. I'll have to try out the telephoto lens and see if I like it, but for less money than a M3 Classic, I'm glad I have it. BTW, the refurb looks perfect, no imperfections, dust, fingerprints, looks new.

 

[coullit]

If you have an Air2s, I'm curious as to why you would consider the Mavic 3 Classic? What do you percieve as it's practical advantages over the Air2s that would cause you to invest that much to "upgrade", at least at this time?

It's too bad that so much of DJI accessories are not cross compatible with so many of their models, both present and past. Even when they are there is always a question of "will it work with my drone"? You often have to hunt hard to find out if controllers, etc will work with your drones. I don't know what DJI is thinking when they design and market this stuff. Ironically, DJI bought Victor Hasselblad who was notorious for having almost lifetime cross compatibility with their cameras, lenses and accessories [Victor also notorious for being left handed ].

yes Ive got an air 2S and for me a Mavic 3 apart from the high price would be like going backwards as I just fly fpv. with VR Goggles and Litchi and it won't work on the M3, The air's camera is 5.4 k more than the M3 ! and its smaller and lighter to carry when I travel with my rucksack.
Ive just come back from 5 weeks in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and carried it everywhere, flew some awesome coastlines over the sea looking at land

 

[vindibona1]

yes Ive got an air 2S and for me a Mavic 3 apart from the high price would be like going backwards as I just fly fpv. with VR Goggles and Litchi and it won't work on the M3, The air's camera is 5.4 k more than the M3 ! and its smaller and lighter to carry when I travel with my rucksack.
Ive just come back from 5 weeks in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and carried it everywhere, flew some awesome coastlines over the sea looking at land

The big advantage of the M3 and M2 Pro is the variable aperture. Unless flying in low light ISO 100 is presumed. With the M2/M3 we have both shutter and aperture to play with. With a A2s, Mini 2, Mini 3, etc getting stuck on a fixed aperture means that only the shutter is in play and one might have to fiddle with ND filters. To me that is such a bother. But other than that, the only other thing that I hated about that drone, the Mini 2 and even the standard M3 is the RCN1 controller. It is a needless brick that could be much lighter and compact like the Mavic 2 controller. I have no idea why DJI decided on that controller configuration. Carrying your Air2s would have been even easier with a Mavic 2 style controller. I traveled with my Mavic 2 and never thought twice about it as there was a tradeoff in controller weight and drone weight (and power). I would have purchased an Air2s but the timing was off for me, so I have a Mavic 2 Pro, Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro right now. Contemplating a Mavic 3 variation when I go to Florida next month. If I don't go with the M3C and go with a M3 refurb I might even buy it there and save 3.5% in sales tax, $63 in saving just from the tax differential, not including batteries or accessories, which I would probably get from B&H with no sales tax.