Why not more BUZZ on the Mavic 3 Classic?

[Rogerc]

Upgraded my Mavic 2 Pro to the Mavic 3 Classic about 10 days ago. Wonderful upgrade and I feel it is better that my trusty M2P, which I loved.
Can't figure out why there is not more discussion and BUZZ about this new drone.
The M3C is solid, takes great pictures, has curise control which really helps while filming.
They have added Waypoints with the firmware update and I am getting a solid 35 minutes flight time!!
What is not to like?

 

[GadgetGuy]

It's identical in every way to the superior Mavic 3, minus the 7x telephoto camera for $50 more than an identically configured Refurbished Mavic 3 on eBay from DJI over the last several weeks . Why does that warrant more discussion and BUZZ? It's a poor man's Mavic 3 for someone who insists upon buying a new Mavic 3 Classic drone when Refurbished Mavic 3's are already available. You could have bought the Mavic 3 instead for less money.

DJI has now since raised the Refurbished Mavic 3 price by $150 to $1699, so it's now only $100 more for a 7x telephoto camera, a locking gimbal, and a much more robust jock strap gimbal holder.

DJI Mavic 3 | 20MP Hasselblad Camera | 46 Minute Flight Time (DJI Refurbished) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DJI Mavic 3 | 20MP Hasselblad Camera | 46 Minute Flight Time (DJI Refurbished) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

By the time you buy the combo kit for $799 and the superior RC Pro for another $1200, you have already spent $1599 + $799 + $1200 = $3598. Why give up the 7x telephoto just to save $100 on a $3600 purchase?

 

[Rogerc]

The reason I didn't get the reburbished is the TAX. I bought my drone from B&H and if you open a credit card NO TAX. This turned out to be the best deal for me. By the time I added up with what I wanted with the refurbished unit it was an additional $500 bucks over the package deal I got with B&H which had everything I wanted.

Regardless of which Mavic 3 you buy with all the firmware updates there should be more BUZZ about this drone.

 

[GadgetGuy]

The reason I didn't get the reburbished is the TAX. I bought my drone from B&H and if you open a credit card NO TAX. This turned out to be the best deal for me. By the time I added up with what I wanted with the refurbished unit it was an additional $500 bucks over the package deal I got with B&H which had everything I wanted.

Regardless of which Mavic 3 you buy with all the firmware updates there should be more BUZZ about this drone.

The buzz occurred a year ago when the original Mavic 3 was first released, and over the last year, as it was embellished. The 35 minutes of flight time on a 4/3 sensor has been out for a year. You are just late to the party. Every feature on the Mavic 3 Classic is also now available on the Mavic 3. You are comparing the M3C to the M2P. The real comparison is the M3C to the M3, and that is only about losing the 7x Telephoto, which is worth far more than the $500 you saved by using PayBoo, especially as a percentage of your total investment to save $500 on sales taxes. The Mavic 3 will also always have significantly higher resale value. It's hard to celebrate a new drone that removes the best feature of the Mavic 3, no matter what the price "savings." It's just a poor man's version of the better drone.

Just google "Waypoints on the Mavic 3" on YT and you'll see the BUZZ you are looking for, along with all the concerns about mandatory RID broadcasting that accompanied it, and Cruise Control. Hang onto your M2P. It still has an SDK that will never be offered on the M3C, so Litchi will unfortunately never be an option on the M3C or the M3.

 

[Starz]

I think the “buzz” moved towards anything with that contains the word “mini“ a few years ago.

 

[1TenaciousG]

Upgraded my Mavic 2 Pro to the Mavic 3 Classic about 10 days ago. Wonderful upgrade and I feel it is better that my trusty M2P, which I loved.
Can't figure out why there is not more discussion and BUZZ about this new drone.
The M3C is solid, takes great pictures, has curise control which really helps while filming.
They have added Waypoints with the firmware update and I am getting a solid 35 minutes flight time!!
What is not to like?

It's a great Drone, regardless of what else is currently on the Market. If it works for You, and Your purposes, go for it!
As for the "Buzz" about it, DJI likes to save all of their Marketing efforts for the products with the highest profitability, like the M3 Cine.
Just skip over all of the ignorant "Poor Man" comments, and enjoy your purchase, for what it is, Brother.

 

[FLDave]

There is generally more BUZZ about what is to come, expected to come, and what is rumored than about what IS.
BUZZ will be about the next new product; it's part of the marketing scheme.

 

[Kilrah]

IMO it's not enough of a step up from the M2 to warrant much attention.

 

[GadgetGuy]

IMO it's not enough of a step up from the M2 to warrant much attention.

Indeed. That's why the Mavic 3, with its differentiating 7x telephoto got so much BUZZ! It's basically an improved Mavic 2 Pro and an enhanced Mavic 2 Zoom all in one drone, without ever having to switch cameras!

 

[Skyscope]

IMO it's not enough of a step up from the M2 to warrant much attention.

Can speak for professional filmmaking purposes only:
The M3C is a huge upgrade to the M2P regarding image quality, especially in terms of dynamic range and of course resolution (details). Compare it by yourself, but here are my own results, first row M3C, second one M2P. Note even close:

And the Gamma- and Gamut-Implementation of the D-LOG in the Mavic 3 is similar to Sonys SLog3/S-Gamut3.cine, so not only is matching cameras a breeze now, you can even use the same technical LUTs to transfer footage to Rec.709.

And DJI fixed many of the initial flaws of the Mavic 3 in the last 12 month and the last important ones finally with the release of the M3C (wich are of course fixed for the Mavic 3 as well): Settings for lateral and turning speed in all modes, waypoints, and they gave us the very helpful cruise control mode.
Anyway, not all of the Mavic 2 Pro features made it to the Mavic 3 (Classic) even to this date. Everyone has his own needs and priorizations, but for comparison here are mine:

Regarding the telephoto camera:
Yes, its nice to play with it for several days, but you can't use it for serious production work (sensitivity / dynamic range / details), so it's needless for many professional filmmakers.
But no need to go into that, it's the same boring debate like in the old days with the Mavic 2 Zoom vs. Maviv 2 Pro. For those thinking Zoom or much more focal length in cost of image quality is useful in any means, DJI is happy to sell Mavic 3 Standards.

So, perhaps no big buzz for the Mavic 3 Classic, but who really cares?
The Mavic 3 Classic is not only the best camera drone overall I ever had, including the Inspire 2 X5S, it has all I really need.

 

[Rogerc]

Kilrah,
Agree with you 100%. In my use it has really put a nice drone together that is better than my M2P.
The cruise control alone make setting up shots so much better. I really hated the Fly app when I tried out the Air 2S when compared with GO4. With the upgrades to the App it has gotten A LOT better and is tolerable.
Overall I recommend the M3C for most drone pilots that can afford it. I do no professional work but realy need all that the M3C does for the type of Photos and Videos that I like to make.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Personally, I can't understand why anyone would choose the M3 Classic over the M3, when the only reason to do so is to allegedly save money and because one can't conceive of a reason to have a 7x telephoto camera on the same drone. Yet a DJI Refurbished Mavic 3 was available at the same time for $1549 from DJI on eBay, while the Mavic 3 Classic was simultaneously being sold in the same configuration for $1649! That's paying $50 more to give up a FREE included 7x telephoto camera, a locking gimbal, and a better jockstrap to hold it all together. The Mavic 3 Classic is just a stripped down, poor man's Mavic 3, that doesn't even save money! No one buys just one battery. If you are a serious user, you'll also want the $1200 RC Pro controller, and the $659 Combo Kit, regardless of which drone you buy. So, adding another $1850 in needed accessories to your drone purchase, you are all in for either $3400 on the Mavic 3 or $3450 on the Mavic 3 Classic with both an RC-N1 and an RC Pro. The prices are within $50 on a $3400+ purchase! Why give up the free 7x Telephoto? If nothing else, it will substantially improve resale value, as everyone who has used it finds value in it! The 7x telephoto now even supports Spotlight and POI! The so called Mavic 3 Classic "savings" was really much ado about nothing, except paying more for less!

 

[Skyscope]

Personally, I can't understand why anyone would choose the M3 Classic over the M3, when the only reason to do so is to allegedly save money and because one can't conceive of a reason to have a 7x telephoto camera on the same drone.

And I can't understand, why I should buy a camera which I will never use.
On top of that you can get some intereresting filters for the M3C (which of course are cheeper too), which you can't get with the Mavic 3 Standard, like Polar Pros 3 to 6 Stop VND Filter for example.

Those variable ND-Filters or any other fixed filter with single ND-Values are senseless with the Mavic 3 Standard, because you need different f-stop reductions with both lenses , if you want to match them in exposure without the need of landing, adjusting or swapping out the filter on the ground.
BTW, why should I want the RC Pro if there isn't any SDK to get Third-Party-Apps on it? I have the RC for convenience reasons, and when it gets serious, I fly with the standard remote and an iPad Pro.

Finally, like I said, different scenarios, different production needs, different gear.

 

[vindibona1]

It's identical in every way to the superior Mavic 3, minus the 7x telephoto camera for $50 more than an identically configured Refurbished Mavic 3 on eBay from DJI over the last several weeks . Why does that warrant more discussion and BUZZ? It's a poor man's Mavic 3 for someone who insists upon buying a new Mavic 3 Classic drone when Refurbished Mavic 3's are already available. You could have bought the Mavic 3 instead for less money.

DJI has now since raised the Refurbished Mavic 3 price by $150 to $1699, so it's now only $100 more for a 7x telephoto camera, a locking gimbal, and a much more robust jock strap gimbal holder.

DJI Mavic 3 | 20MP Hasselblad Camera | 46 Minute Flight Time (DJI Refurbished) | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for DJI Mavic 3 | 20MP Hasselblad Camera | 46 Minute Flight Time (DJI Refurbished) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

By the time you buy the combo kit for $799 and the superior RC Pro for another $1200, you have already spent $1599 + $799 + $1200 = $3598. Why give up the 7x telephoto just to save $100 on a $3600 purchase?

I laid out the financial aspect in another thread. Add tax, extra cost for care refresh on the premium plus deductible should you crash the M3 and the potential costs is far more than$100 difference.all that extra cost to support ONLY the inclusion of a 7x lens? With a extended flight batteries do you need more than 2? Do you need the ther stuff in a very expensive FMC?

If your drone/photography/video business is booming or you’re building then perhaps the extra expense is mitigated by business write-offs.

One thing though… I think in the US with the new omnibus bill just past there may be some changes in the depreciation schedule of equipment. In past years one could deduct equipment in a single year. That may have changed. The Omnibus bill is 4000 pages long and impossible to fully sift through. Check with your accountant to see if there are any pertinent changes in 2023.

 

[GadgetGuy]

And I can't understand, why I should buy a camera which I will never use.
On top of that you can get some intereresting filters for the M3C (which of course are cheeper too), which you can't get with the Mavic 3 Standard, like Polar Pros 3 to 6 Stop VND Filter for example.

Those variable ND-Filters or any other fixed filter with single ND-Values are senseless with the Mavic 3 Standard, because you need different f-stop reductions with both lenses , if you want to match them in exposure without the need of landing, adjusting or swapping out the filter on the ground.
BTW, why should I want the RC Pro if there isn't any SDK to get Third-Party-Apps on it? I have the RC for convenience reasons, and when it gets serious, I fly with the standard remote and an iPad Pro.

Finally, like I said, different scenarios, different production needs, different gear.

Two words: resale value. Mavic 3 resale value will always be $300-500 more, even if you never use the included 7x telephoto camera.

Split Mavic 3 filters are readily available, accommodating the necessary difference in f stops between the two cameras.

Lots of reasons to want the RC Pro over the DJI RC, which is the poor man's RC Pro, independent of any SDK: External monitor support, Moverio BT-40 support, multiple additional dedicated customizable buttons, 1000 nits, 3rd party app installation not requiring an SDK, external antennas, stronger signal, greater range, and less signal directionality, to name just a few.

Mavic 3 Classic isn't different gear. It's the same gear, just missing one of the unique selling points of the Mavic 3: the 7x telephoto camera, which allows one to fly 7x further away with the same field of view in good lighting, so as not to disturb wildlife and not fly over people, and not disturb people either. It has a unique film maker's perspective that would otherwise require a real helicopter, where the compression effect in urban settings is impactful and significant.

 

[Skyscope]

@GadgetGuy
Based on your far-fetched arguments for the RC Pro, it becomes clear that we obviously have very different views and will hardly agree in future either.
I buy exactly what I need on my daily basis, not what would be nice to have. If I occasionally need some other stuff, I'll rent it. This is not only how I handle drones, where I anyway always need at least two of the same ones as a backup, but also for cameras, lights, grip, and so on.
I also don't care about the resale value, because all of my gear has paid for itself several times after its life.

I really don't know why you keep pushing people to a refurbished or used Mavic 3 Standard with its very debatable telephoto camera in the Mavic 3 Classic boards.
You should just accept that different people have different needs and do things differently, and make their own decisions, even if you personally don't understand them.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I laid out the financial aspect in another thread. Add tax, extra cost for care refresh on the premium plus deductible should you crash the M3 and the potential costs is far more than$100 difference.all that extra cost to support ONLY the inclusion of a 7x lens? With a extended flight batteries do you need more than 2? Do you need the ther stuff in a very expensive FMC?

If your drone/photography/video business is booming or you’re building then perhaps the extra expense is mitigated by business write-offs.

One thing though… I think in the US with the new omnibus bill just past there may be some changes in the depreciation schedule of equipment. In past years one could deduct equipment in a single year. That may have changed. The Omnibus bill is 4000 pages long and impossible to fully sift through. Check with your accountant to see if there are any pertinent changes in 2023.

Those financial aspects were unique to you and your purchase. Not everyone needs or buys DJI Care. Tax consequences and Payboo avoidance or store credits are separate issues. Not everyone has to pay sales taxes upon their purchases. Anyone who is serious about their drone photography buys multiple batteries and a charging hub so that batteries can be charged independently of the drone. The fact remains that the a DJI Refurbished Mavic 3 was being simultaneously sold by DJI for $50 cheaper than the new Mavic 3 Classic with the RC-N1, and was a far better value in every way for 99% of those who bought the Mavic 3 Classic, thinking they were doing so to save money, but needing give up the 7x telephoto to do so. They weren't saving money, and they didn't need to give up the venerable 7x telephoto camera, and a fully locking gimbal, and better jock strap with "full coverage.. They could have had it all for less! They just didn't know it at the time! DJI very cleverly sold the Kool-Aid and they drank it as better and new and improved. Once they learn what they are missing, they can't just buy another camera. They'll have to now also buy a real Mavic 3, which they could have bought in the first place for a few dollars less than the new Mavic 3 Classic, paying $1700 more because they didn't know about or fully understand the $1549 DJI Refurb Mavic 3 availability when they bought the "new" Mavic 3 Classic!

 

[GadgetGuy]

@GadgetGuy
Based on your far-fetched arguments for the RC Pro, it becomes clear that we obviously have very different views and will hardly agree in future either.
I buy exactly what I need on my daily basis, not what would be nice to have. If I occasionally need some other stuff, I'll rent it. This is not only how I handle drones, where I anyway always need at least two of the same ones as a backup, but also for cameras, lights, grip, and so on.
I also don't care about the resale value, because all of my gear has paid for itself several times after its life.

I really don't know why you keep pushing people to a refurbished or used Mavic 3 Standard with its very debatable telephoto camera in the Mavic 3 Classic boards.
You should just accept that different people have different needs and do things differently, and make their own decisions, even if you personally don't understand them.

Far-fetched? Have you ever compared the RC Pro to the DJI RC? As a professional, I wouldn’t expect you to buy the cheapest. You can justify the best, as time is money, and better output is worth more. That you have no interest in resale value just because your gear pays for itself is telling. That extra resale value is free profit when you sell it off, and upgrade. Since you always need a backup, with two Mavic 3's, that increase in resale value is doubled. If you, as a professional, can't find any use for an aerial 7x telephoto camera (even a FREE one) says more about your lack of business creativity than the uselessness of the 7x telephoto camera.

The 7x telephoto camera is not "debatable," and a DJI Refurbished drone is not a used drone. If you had used the 7x telephoto camera on the Mavic 3 or ever bought a Refurbished drone from DJI, you would know this. If you had ever had a warranty issue with a DJI drone or used DJI Care, you would also have received the exact same DJI Refurbished drone that you are now calling "used." DJI Refurbished are indistinguishable from new, have the same 12 month DJI warranty, and are also eligible for DJI Care.

If nothing else, maybe you will now realize that you can save money by buying DJI Refurbished, whenever it is available. New isn't better. It's just more expensive.

 

[Skyscope]

Instead of worrying about my business decisions you don't seem to understand much about, you should address some information about defending buying decisions in consumer marketing, especially regarding cognitive dissonance, and ask yourself if you might find yourself there. For starters: Cognitive dissonance - Wikipedia

 

[GadgetGuy]

Instead of worrying about my business decisions you don't seem to understand much about, you should address some information about defending buying decisions in consumer marketing, especially regarding cognitive dissonance, and ask yourself if you might find yourself there. For starters: Cognitive dissonance - Wikipedia

Bit like the pot calling the kettle black, eh?