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DJI Mavic 3 roars to the scene with dual-cam Hasselblad camera

Patrick Hearn
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DJI has long been one of the foremost names in the drone world with its Mavic lineup. The cutting-edge technology put into its drones make them the primary choice among enthusiasts. The company has now announced the Mavic 3, the latest and (so far) greatest drone in its lineup. Featuring a better sensor, dual-camera system, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, smarter flight modes, and longer flight times, the DJI Mavic 3 is one of the best consumer drones yet.

The new Mavic 3 is available in three different pricing points: the Mavic 3 Standard version ($2,200), the DJI Mavic 3 Fly More Combo ($3,000), and the DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo ($5,000).

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Mavic 3 technical overview

DJI Mavic 3 flying in a forest.

The Mavic 3 is an impressive feat of engineering. The Mavic 3 retains the folding body that DJI is known for, but incorporates a dual-camera system into its build that allows for higher-quality photographs than ever before. The L2D-20c aerial camera has a professional-grade 4/3 CMOS sensor with a 24mm prime lens in a sleek and compact form. It can shoot 20 megapixel still images in 12-bit RAW and videos in 5.1K at 50 frames per second or 4K at 120 fps. It can even handle slow-mo video at 120 fps.

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These visual standards apply in almost any lighting situation, thanks to a larger image sensor. The Mavic 3 has a native dynamic range of 12.8 stops and can retain more detail in both brightly lit and dim environments. The adjustable aperture ranges from f/2.8 to 4/11.

Despite all of this technology, the lens weighs just 12.5 grams. It has an 84-degree field of view. The second camera has a 162mm tele lens with a 28x Hybrid Zoom that combines digital and optical zoom, as well as an aperture of f/4.4. Combined with the new Vision Detection Auto Focus technology, the Mavic 3 can focus its shots more quickly without sacrificing quality.

Closeup of camera on DJI Mavic 3.

The camera isn’t the only section of the drone to see an upgrade, either. Its navigation utilizes six fish-eye vision sensors and two wide-angle sensors to detect obstacles in all directions and plan safe flight routes, even in chaotic and complicated environments. These sensors make the drone’s ability to track subjects even more effective, too.

The upgraded ActiveTrack 5.0 lets users maintain a lock on a subject even in Normal mode. The drone will move with the subject, even if it manages to move out of the camera frame. Secondary sensors on the Mavic 3 will kick in and continue to track the object until the camera can once again focus on it.

The Mavic 3 can lock onto GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou satellite signals for more precise positioning. In addition, it uses geofencing to alert pilots if they fly too near sensitive areas, and has altitude limits to keep pilots aware of altitude restrictions.

Battery life

Previous maximums for flight times hovered around half an hour, but the Mavic 3 utilizes new designs to maximize its power for flight times up to 46 minutes in ideal conditions. The streamlined shape and outline of the Mavic 3 reduces drag by as much as 35% for faster top speeds.

Drone bag for DJI Mavic 3 worn by motorcyclist.

The Mavic 3 also uses a new Return to Home (RTH) system that allows it to calculate the fastest, most direct route back to its home base should the battery begin to run low or if it loses connection.

New usage modes

In addition to improvements across nearly all aspects of the drone, the Mavic 3 also sports several new usage modes:

  • MasterShots: Users can create high-quality content quickly and easily through automatic editing and dubbing in-app.
  • Panorama Mode: Images are stitched and processed by the drone, allowing for quick capture of landscapes without sacrificing details.
  • QuickTransfer: Users can transfer materials on their mobile devices without the use of the remote controller.

DJI Mavic 3 Cine

The Mavic 3 Cine is an upgraded version of the Mavic 3 that utilizes Apple ProRes 422 HQ encoding for a maximum data rate of 3,772Mbps. This version of the drone is designed for professional use. It’s capable of handling large amounts of data from the ProRes codec and higher video frame rates, and also comes with a built-in 1TB SSD. It also uses the new DJI 10Gbps Lightspeed Data Cable to transfer larger data files more quickly.

The Mavic 3 standard version will retail for $2,200 and include the Mavic 3 drone, one Intelligent Flight Battery, one RC-N1 remote controller, three RC-n1 cables, one battery charger, one storage cover, three pairs of propellers, and other essential items.

The DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo will retail for $5,000 and include the SSD, the Mavic 3 Cine drone, three Intelligent Flight Batteries, one DJI RC Pro, one battery charger, one battery charging hub, one storage cover, six pairs of propellers, an ND filter set (ND4/8/16/32), an NDS filter set (ND64/128/256/512), one convertible carrying bag, the DJI 10 Gbps Lightspeed Data cable, and other essential items.

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