Worth Buying Mavic Pro Now?

noahkent · Dec 27, 2017

I'm conflicted on wether or not to purchase a Mavic Pro. I have been reading up, and it seems that there are rumours of a Mavic Pro 2 releasing within the next couple of months. The only thing holding me back from purchasing the current model is the camera quality, and the rumours are pointing toward a larger 1 inch sensor being included on the new model (hinting toward similar quality to the current P4P). Is it worth the wait? (This would be my first drone purchase)

chris wentka · Dec 27, 2017

I just bought one last week. The price was to good to pass up. (899.00 for the fly more combo) I figure since this is my first drone that was about all I wanted to spend to learn it and the new one will be a lot more money and not discounted for a while. as I become better flying it maybe I can upgrade down the road

noahkent · Dec 27, 2017

chris wentka said:
I just bought one last week. The price was to good to pass up. (899.00 for the fly more combo) I figure since this is my first drone that was about all I wanted to spend to learn it and the new one will be a lot more money and not discounted for a while. as I become better flying it maybe I can upgrade down the road

Glad to hear you're enjoying it, I do freelance videography and have a higher end mirrorless SLR that records in 4K (a7sii), and I want to make sure the quality and colours match... You do have a point about the increased price, however.

Robert Mitchell · Dec 27, 2017

Depends on your needs as a videographer. I am using mine professionally, but you need to work within its limitations.

If you can finesse it’s capabilities the existing Mavic will serve you well.

Keep in mind, in the wrong hands, even the best equipment is meaningless.

noahkent · Dec 27, 2017

Robert Mitchell said:
Depends on your needs as a videographer. I am using mine professionally, but you need to work within its limitations.

If you can finesse it’s capabilities the existing Mavic will serve you well.

Keep in mind, in the wrong hands, even the best equipment is meaningless.

I have quite a bit of experience behind the camera and have a great on-ground set up, but have never invested in a drone. I do freelance videography, and I just want to make sure the quality of the drone lives up to my standards. When you say finesse its capabilities, are you talking about low light and sharpening issues?

Robert Mitchell · Dec 27, 2017

noahkent said:
I have quite a bit of experience behind the camera and have a great on-ground set up, but have never invested in a drone. I do freelance videography, and I just want to make sure the quality of the drone lives up to my standards. When you say finesse its capabilities, are you talking about low light and sharpening issues?

Yes.

But regardless of what anyone says, this is a capable camera. I've never had sharpening issues, BTW.

If you’re careful with your ISO setting and don’t try to overexpose the shadows, you can get surprisingly good results. One I did recently...

I find it questionable that DJI would even release a 1" sensor on the Mavic, because it will kill their P4 market, and maybe even some of their Inspire folks would switch for the convenience factor. So I hope I am wrong.

I would probably end up getting both eventually because as a form factor, this thing rocks.

Former Member · Dec 27, 2017

If this is going to be your first drone purchase, DO NOT buy a new release, first generation model DJI product. Rumors are just that, no defined release date or even any leaks. If a new Mav does hit the market, it's going to be $1300 - $1400 if it does have more features such as more OA, better cam, etc. A whole new set of bugs and glitches, not a sound investment for a newbie.

Get yourself a nice cheap Mavic or P4P now. By now, all the bugs are out of both of these fantastic drones, and prices are very reasonable.

Anthony · Dec 27, 2017

noahkent said:
I'm conflicted on wether or not to purchase a Mavic Pro. I have been reading up, and it seems that there are rumours of a Mavic Pro 2 releasing within the next couple of months. The only thing holding me back from purchasing the current model is the camera quality, and the rumours are pointing toward a larger 1 inch sensor being included on the new model (hinting toward similar quality to the current P4P). Is it worth the wait? (This would be my first drone purchase)

If you don't think the current camera quality is good enough for you then don't buy a mavic buy a P4 ....

There will be a Mavic 2 coming out in 2018 but who knows when ....... the Mavic 2 rumours have been kicking around since the summer of 2017.

I didn't buy my Mavic for its photo quality I got it because it is a big small drone ... it has the tech of a big drone but in a very very portable format. The image and video quality is OK for me as I am not really a pixel peeper and what I photo and video is for me really, that doesn't mean that when the Mavic 2 does come out I won't look to upgrade

There are some good deals kicking around at the moment and unless you are desperate to get a Mavic then maybe waiting to see if January brings and better price reductions might be worth it.

emonster1 · Dec 27, 2017

Don’t chase technology. You’ll never catch up. Enjoy it today. Mavic is very impressive.

Jarthe3 · Jan 14, 2018

chris wentka said:
I just bought one last week. The price was to good to pass up. (899.00 for the fly more combo) I figure since this is my first drone that was about all I wanted to spend to learn it and the new one will be a lot more money and not discounted for a while. as I become better flying it maybe I can upgrade down the road

Where did you find that amazing deal at?

scoota · Jan 14, 2018

noahkent said:
I'm conflicted on wether or not to purchase a Mavic Pro. I have been reading up, and it seems that there are rumours of a Mavic Pro 2 releasing within the next couple of months. The only thing holding me back from purchasing the current model is the camera quality, and the rumours are pointing toward a larger 1 inch sensor being included on the new model (hinting toward similar quality to the current P4P). Is it worth the wait? (This would be my first drone purchase)

Beware of DJI customer service if you have a problem with a refurbed or new mavic. They take there time to reply.

pixl · Jan 14, 2018

Thunderdrones said:
If this is going to be your first drone purchase, DO NOT buy a new release, first generation model DJI product. Rumors are just that, no defined release date or even any leaks. If a new Mav does hit the market, it's going to be $1300 - $1400 if it does have more features such as more OA, better cam, etc. A whole new set of bugs and glitches, not a sound investment for a newbie.

Get yourself a nice cheap Mavic or P4P now. By now, all the bugs are out of both of these fantastic drones, and prices are very reasonable.

The Mavic 2 - if announced this month -- won't likely be available in sufficient quantities until late Spring, based on prior releases. As @Thunderdrones says, the OS will likely be far from final, and frustrating to use. At least 6 months will pass before everything works well. And I wouldn't be surprised if the early glitches create the need for an upgraded airframe altogether -- this exact scenario happened with the Inspire1 Pro. Being an "early adopter" was painful there.

Meanwhile, the Mavic 1 will start to see price discounting, and a lot of softness in it's used value. This is the way it always goes.

My advice: don't wait. If you do, you'll miss up to 6 months of frustration-free flying, after which you can decide what is the most important thing to you. You may feel that the Mavic 1 is enough. As a pro photographer, if you had told me that I would someday enjoy the pictures from a sensor this small, I would have laughed. But working with the Mavic's strengths, I have gotten some astounding shots that are portfolio-worthy.

There is always a better drone and a better camera "coming soon". But what really matters is the ability of the operator/photographer.

Former Member · Jan 14, 2018

pixl said:
The Mavic 2 - if announced this month -- won't likely be available in sufficient quantities until late Spring, based on prior releases. As @Thunderdrones says, the OS will likely be far from final, and frustrating to use. At least 6 months will pass before everything works well. And I wouldn't be surprised if the early glitches create the need for an upgraded airframe altogether -- this exact scenario happened with the Inspire1 Pro. Being an "early adopter" was painful there.

Meanwhile, the Mavic 1 will start to see price discounting, and a lot of softness in it's used value. This is the way it always goes.

My advice: don't wait. If you do, you'll miss up to 6 months of frustration-free flying, after which you can decide what is the most important thing to you. You may feel that the Mavic 1 is enough. As a pro photographer, if you had told me that I would someday enjoy the pictures from a sensor this small, I would have laughed. But working with the Mavic's strengths, I have gotten some astounding shots that are portfolio-worthy.

There is always a better drone and a better camera "coming soon". But what really matters is the ability of the operator/photographer.