DJI Mavic 3 Pro with three cameras - more possibilities
In April 2023, the DJI company presented a new product - the DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone. This is the third model in the Mavic series – small, light drones, maneuverable in flight and capable of taking photos and videos in high quality. The main difference between the three Mavic variants was the number and characteristics of the cameras. The latest Mavic surpassed its predecessors in many ways.
What were the first Maviks remembered for
The first in the line was the DJI Mavic 3 with a dual camera: a Hasselblad main camera with a large matrix of 4/3 size at 20 MP and an additional long-focus camera with a small matrix of ½ inch size. The second camera optically magnified the image object seven times. This drone conquered many users, but some time ago DJI Mavic 3 was discontinued, as it was replaced by a new model - DJI Mavic 3 Pro.
The second in the line was a simplified drone model - Mavic 3 Classic. It had only one main camera of 20 MP.
DJI Mavic 3 Pro has become the most advanced version of the line. Its main difference from its predecessors is the presence of three cameras at once. The unit includes the main camera and two television cameras.
Hasselblad camera
Hasselblad's main CMOS camera has a resolution of 20 MP (5280×3956), the size of its matrix is 4/3 inch, the aperture is adjustable from F2.8 to F11. The camera transmits photos in JPEG and RAW (DNG) formats, the shutter speed range is from 1/8000 to 8 seconds. The equivalent focal length is 24 mm, shooting from a distance of 1 m to infinity.
This camera was also present in the Mavic 3 model, but in the new incarnation it became the next step on the way to the class of professional cameras. The Hasselblad camera supports 12-bit RAW photography with its own dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops, delivering incredible image detail. The Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) system reproduces colors accurately, so images do not need serious processing after shooting.
As for video recording capabilities, the main camera of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro shoots video with a maximum resolution of 5.1K (5120×2700 pixels), frame rate up to 50 fps. Moreover, it is possible to increase the quality to 4K or FullHD and receive video with a frequency of 60 fps.
There is a slow motion function at 120 fps for 4K and 200 fps in FullHD. By the way, in addition to the usual 4K UHD with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, there is also a wide-format DCI 4K with a resolution of 4096x2160 pixels, which is most often used for cinematographic shooting.
According to the color rendering capabilities of the main camera DJI Mavic 3 Pro vary depending on the selected video recording mode. In Normal mode, the camera records 8-bit video, and if you enable the D-Log logarithmic profile or HDR video in HLG format, the color depth increases to 10 bits. D-Log M mode allows you to record up to a billion colors.
All three cameras Mavic 3 Pro support Apple ProRes 422 HQ, ProRes 422, ProRes 422, ProRes 422 LT encoding. In addition, the drone is equipped with a built-in SSD storage with a capacity of 1 TB and a cable for data transfer at a speed of 10 Gbps, which significantly facilitates shooting with it.
Medium Tele Camera
The first of the additional CMOS cameras has a moderately long focus at 48 MP. The size of its matrix is 1/1.3 inch, the equivalent focal length is 70 mm. The aperture of the camera is constant, with a value of F2.8. It can be assumed that for the sake of this camera DJI released an updated drone, since the request to add a camera with such parameters was made by many users of the previous model.
The matrix allows you to take photos with a resolution of both 48 MP and 12 MP. The camera creates photos in RAW (DNG) and JPEG format. The shutter speed range of this camera is from 1/8000 to 2 seconds.
The video capabilities of this TV camera are a little weaker than in the main one. The maximum video size is limited to 4K UHD (3840x2160 pixels), and the frame rate is up to 60 fps, there is no slow-motion video here. It is possible to record both 8-bit video and 10-bit in D-Log and HLG.
A feature of the camera is the ability to compress the depth of field and focus to highlight the subject and create a strong visual center of the frame. Thus, the camera is able to reproduce a unique feeling of space on photo and video materials. In Night mode, the camera allows you to take bright and clear shots, without blurring.
Second TV camera
The third camera in the DJI Mavic 3 Pro unit is a long-focus camera, capable of taking photos with a resolution of 12 MP, with a matrix of 1/2 inch. This camera is an improved version of the similar camera in the DJI Mavic 3. It is distinguished by a higher resolution, a longer focal length of 166 mm and a wider aperture of f/3.4 (in the DJI Mavic 3, the camera had a focus of 162 mm and an aperture of f/4.4). The camera supports 4K/60fps video recording with 7x optical zoom. Shutter speed from 1/8000 to 2 seconds. The hybrid zoom reaches 28x, which allows you to shoot high mountains or animals in the wild at a safe distance in excellent quality. Like other cameras in the block, it can take photos in both JPEG and DNG.
The video recording capabilities of the second TV camera are largely the same as those of the 70 mm TV camera. With it, you can record 8-bit videos with the H.264 or H.265 codec.
And what else is in the DJI Mavic 3 Pro?
All three quadcopter cameras support Apple ProRes 422 HQ, Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 LT encoding. In addition, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is equipped with a 1 TB SSD and a 10 Gbps data transfer cable. For storing photos and videos, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro has 8 GB of built-in memory and supports the use of a microSD card for storing photos and videos. To store high-resolution photo and video data, you need a microSD SDXC or UHS-I card with high read and write speeds.
The general characteristics and flight parameters of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro are optimal for shooting by novice users and professional content makers. The maximum flight time is 43 minutes, the range is up to 15 km. During video recording, the footage is transmitted to the pilot in 1080p quality and at a speed of 60 fps.
The housing, batteries, screws and sensors in the DJI Mavic 3 Pro are exactly the same as in the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Classic.
Functional flight
A number of protective functions and special features of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro ensure an easy and peaceful flight. With Waypoint Flight, Cruise Control and Advanced RTH return-to-home functions, DJI Mavic 3 Pro can fly for a long time on a pre-built route, shoot smoothly, and you don't have to worry about keeping the drone safe: Advanced Pilot Assistance System APAS 5.0 and the Advanced RTH function will help the drone to bypass any obstacles and return home in case of loss of communication with the remote control.
Ease of shooting is provided by several useful programs, such as FocusTrack, MasterShots and QuickShots. With them, the shooting of moving objects will be high-quality and smooth, without unnecessary obstacles. The MasterShots program, which independently shoots, edits and adds music, will help you shoot the intended or already shot video. And you can add special effects during shooting with the help of six QuickShots flight patterns.
If desired, DJI Mavic 3 Pro can be connected to the LightCut application on a smartphone for viewing and quick editing of material. Moreover, in this case, the filmed material does not need to be downloaded - it remains in the drone's memory and does not fill the phone's memory.
Undoubtedly, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a new step in the creation of drones in the Mavic series. Both advanced users and future professionals will be delighted with it.