Will DJI ever upgrade the Air 3 to 12x total zoom?

[solidhouse]

Does anyone think DJI will ever roll out a firmware update to allow zoom on the Air 3 to go 12x total zoom?

It seems that the Air 3 could easily push digital zoom up to 4x which would bring the tele-camera up to 12x. They already do 4x digital zoom on the Mavic 3 for a total of 28x and 8x on the Mavic 3 enterprise for a total of 56x. Any thoughts?

 

[GadgetGuy]

Does anyone think DJI will ever roll out a firmware update to allow zoom on the Air 3 to go 12x total zoom?

It seems that the Air 3 could easily push digital zoom up to 4x which would bring the tele-camera up to 12x. They already do 4x digital zoom on the Mavic 3 for a total of 28x and 8x on the Mavic 3 enterprise for a total of 56x. Any thoughts?

Unlikely. The 4x digital zoom on the Mavic 3 is really only useful for identification. After an early a FW update, DJI left 4x digital in on Explore mode, but reduced it to 3x in Normal mode on the main camera. For best quality, all video and stills should be limited to 2x digital, or, preferably, no digital at all.

For surveillance and SEO, identification is all that is necessary. Quality doesn't matter, so they are willing to give up a lot of quality to get 8x digital on the Enterprise drones.

 

[izometric]

You can do whatever digital zoom you want, in post.

 

[shb]

Does anyone think DJI will ever roll out a firmware update to allow zoom on the Air 3 to go 12x total zoom?

It seems that the Air 3 could easily push digital zoom up to 4x which would bring the tele-camera up to 12x. They already do 4x digital zoom on the Mavic 3 for a total of 28x and 8x on the Mavic 3 enterprise for a total of 56x. Any thoughts?

They should of made the second camera 7x. That would of been a big improvement.

 

[GadgetGuy]

They should of made the second camera 7x. That would of been a big improvement.

That would just be a Mavic 3 with a much smaller primary sensor. The 3x camera on the Mavic 3 Pro was a hit, so, for the new Air 3, they removed the 7x from the Mavic 3 camera combo, and substituted the new 3x, and did it on two 12MP cameras.

However, getting rid of the 7x and the Explore mode really limits the usefulness of the Air 3. It's a poor man's Mavic 3 Pro, without the 4/3 sensor, and without the 7x and without Explore mode!

 

[Anthony Ivory]

That would just be a Mavic 3 with a much smaller primary sensor. The 3x camera on the Mavic 3 Pro was a hit, so, for the new Air 3, they removed the 7x from the Mavic 3 camera combo, and substituted the new 3x, and did it on two 12MP cameras.

However, getting rid of the 7x and the Explore mode really limits the usefulness of the Air 3. It's a poor man's Mavic 3 Pro, without the 4/3 sensor, and without the 7x and without Explore mode!

Sounds like someone needs to by the mavic 3 pro

 

[davedrone 178]

That would just be a Mavic 3 with a much smaller primary sensor. The 3x camera on the Mavic 3 Pro was a hit, so, for the new Air 3, they removed the 7x from the Mavic 3 camera combo, and substituted the new 3x, and did it on two 12MP cameras.

However, getting rid of the 7x and the Explore mode really limits the usefulness of the Air 3. It's a poor man's Mavic 3 Pro, without the 4/3 sensor, and without the 7x and without Explore mode!

I bet a firmware update will give us the explore mode.

 

[Droning on and on...]

However, getting rid of the 7x and the Explore mode really limits the usefulness of the Air 3.

For you.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Does anyone think DJI will ever roll out a firmware update to allow zoom on the Air 3 to go 12x total zoom?

It seems that the Air 3 could easily push digital zoom up to 4x which would bring the tele-camera up to 12x. They already do 4x digital zoom on the Mavic 3 for a total of 28x and 8x on the Mavic 3 enterprise for a total of 56x. Any thoughts?

No reason for any digital zoom on either camera.That was one reason for the secondary camera
is to have a clean 3X,and not digital.I have up to 16x digital zoom on one of my drones,the Autel
Lite+.Anything over 2x digital zoom is crap.And this drone has a great 1" sensor.

 

[Droning on and on...]

No reason for any digital zoom on either camera.

Of course there is. How you use your Air 3 is not the definitive way to use it, everyone else's priorities be damned.

I don't have an A3 yet, but when I get it, I know I will be very happy it has digital zoom on both cameras, for exploration as well as capture.

We probably don't agree on the best cut of steak, or flavor of ice cream.

So what? Who's right?

 

[Chrislaf]

For me, I love the Explore mode on my Mavic 3 (original) and use it all the time. I use it to find hard to see objects to photograph with the wide-angle lens or the 7X tele. I do not use the digital zoom to take photos as I can just crop in post if I want to. I also use it to record video to review later on my computer for something I may have missed.

I don't know why DJI doesn't include the Explore mode on all of their drones that have digital zoom but I suspect it is to differentiate the different product lines and maybe some hardware limitations (mini drones). I can understand why those who have bought an Air 3 would find the Explore mode useful if it was included. I wish I had an Explore mode on my Mini 3 Pro because switching to FHD just to get 4x digital zoom on video to 'explore' is a pain.

Chris

 

[Droning on and on...]

For me, I love the Explore mode on my Mavic 3 (original) and use it all the time. I use it to find hard to see objects to photograph with the wide-angle lens or the 7X tele. I do not use the digital zoom to take photos as I can just crop in post if I want to. I also use it to record video to review later on my computer for something I may have missed.

Cropping in post is generally a better idea. It does depend on what the intended use of the photo is.

A tip (that @Chrislaf likely already knows): Use digital zoom to explore, and frame your shot. Then zoom back out to 1x and capture. Zoom back in and reframe in post. Gives you a lot more flexibility.

 

[Wreckhunter]

Of course there is. How you use your Air 3 is not the definitive way to use it, everyone else's priorities be damned.

I don't have an A3 yet, but when I get it, I know I will be very happy it has digital zoom on both cameras, for exploration as well as capture.

We probably don't agree on the best cut of steak, or flavor of ice cream.

So what? Who's right?

No one is really right or wrong with this ,however you can do a better job in post by cropping
as others have mentioned.All up to the individual.I do not have an Air 3 myself,as I am going to wait for the upgrade.Some others I am sure are going to be doing the same thing.

 

[Dave Maine]

Digital zoom in any camera either a DJI or any DLSR is pointless. Using a Topaz AI based enlargement and then cropping it will give much better results.

 

[solidhouse]

I know you can do a better job in post. One of the things I like to do is watch and explorer wildlife. It’s nice to have the real time zoom to scope things out and then get closer when taking some pictures.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I bet a firmware update will give us the explore mode.

Certainly ought to be possible. It would integrate the usefulness of the two cameras together, instead of only separately and individually, with a significant delay when switching between them now.

 

[GadgetGuy]

For you.

Absolutely! I can't speak for EVERYONE else! LOL!
DJI is selling lots of them!
For myself, I already have everything it offers, and more, on the Mavic 3 Pro.
OS4 does offer some appeal though, for better signal strength.
However, I prefer my 360° Panos from 20MP originals and in 75MB HiRes stitches instead of only 30MB from 12MP originals, with poor alignment.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Of course there is. How you use your Air 3 is not the definitive way to use it, everyone else's priorities be damned.

I don't have an A3 yet, but when I get it, I know I will be very happy it has digital zoom on both cameras, for exploration as well as capture.

We probably don't agree on the best cut of steak, or flavor of ice cream.

So what? Who's right?

I have found DJI's digital zoom to be very usable at at least 2x, and depending upon the purpose, it even has utility at up to 4x for identification and surveillance of distant wildlife behavior.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Cropping in post is generally a better idea. It does depend on what the intended use of the photo is.

A tip (that @Chrislaf likely already knows): Use digital zoom to explore, and frame your shot. Then zoom back out to 1x and capture. Zoom back in and reframe in post. Gives you a lot more flexibility.

Exactly! The exploration capability of digital zoom when still "in the field" is often overlooked by those that dismiss digital zoom as crap. Think of it as binoculars for your drone, to scan the field of view for interesting subjects, to fly closer to for photography and video, when you can, or record from where you are, and crop in post.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I know you can do a better job in post. One of the things I like to do is watch and explorer wildlife. It’s nice to have the real time zoom to scope things out and then get closer when taking some pictures.

Precisely!