DJI Mavic 3 review

DJI has put a premium on its flagship folding drone, but does the DJI Mavic 3 justify its price hike?

DJI Mavic 3
(Image: © Adam Juniper/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The DJI Mavic 3 is a spectacular piece of equipment, seemingly blasting past the limits of battery length, sensor size, safety and more. The lens is sharp across nearly the entire imaging area, and Hasselblad’s guiding hands have ensured imaging is excellent with or without post-processing. Why not 5-stars then? It could be, when next major firmware update comes in January we’ll finally know, but until then it’s an aerial photographer’s dream which does – in some respects – require a slight bet on DJI

Pros

  • +

    5.1K Video

  • +

    Pro Res 422 HQ option on Cine version

  • +

    Dual camera system gives zoom view

  • +

    Energy-efficient return to home

Cons

  • -

    Zoom camera has disappointing sensor

  • -

    Some features due later via firmware update

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    Price bump is significant

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The Mavic 2 series has seemed a little unloved at the top of DJI’s folding drone series, going unchanged while the Mini and Air 2 drones both came along and were refreshed. Indeed the DJI Air 2S swiped a lot of Mavic 2 Pro’s features – especially the 1-inch sensor – and has made a reasonable contender for the crown amongst DJI’s folding drones. Until now, that is.

The Mavic 3, however – as well as bringing a raft of the incremental improvements we’ve come to expect of new editions – has not one, but two, very obvious changes which will stand out for photographers: a four-thirds image sensor and a secondary camera with hybrid zoom. In the same move, the drone abandons the distinction between Zoom and Pro, with every Mavic 3 getting the same camera unit.

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Adam Juniper
Managing Editor

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones. 

Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones. 

He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook