Just when you thought your chequebook was safe from a seductively tempting new tech purchase, DJI casually releases a new teaser for what looks to be its next drone. Rumors claim that at its ‘Explore Vivid’ event, a more affordable DJI Mavic 3 will be introduced.
On November 2 at 9 AM EDT/1 PM GMT, the so-called DJI Mavic 3 Classic is set to debut (which works out as 12am AEDT on November 3). The camera lens in the teaser is another major indicator that it might be a new Mavic.
With the exception of the telephoto lens and branding, it has the exact same appearance as the Hasselblad camera on the DJI Mavic 3. Along with an earlier FCC filing, fresh photo leaks from WinFuture(opens in new tab) indicate that a DJI Mavic 3 Classic is soon to be released, giving drone enthusiasts a more inexpensive way to own a flying Micro Four Thirds camera.
This worries me as the owner of a DJI Mini 3 Pro. The Mavic series is now DJI’s premium line, but the Mini series delivers a taste of its capability in a sub-250g bundle that fits nicely inside a tiny camera bag. However, this is not to say that my little drone and a DJI Mavic 3 Classic would be in any way direct competitors.
But if the Mavic 3 Classic is offered at an affordable price, it might ascend to the top of our list of the finest drones. After being introduced almost exactly one year ago in very rudimentary form, the DJI Mavic 3 has undergone a number of firmware changes to fulfil its early promise as an aerial powerhouse with few rivals.
Excellent and far larger than the 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor in my Mini 3 Pro is its 20MP Four Thirds camera. That means it effectively manages noise at higher ISO settings, making it suitable for photography in overcast conditions (which is typically the case in the UK). Additionally, the Mavic 3’s camera has a movable aperture that makes it convenient to alter exposure while shooting.
Despite all of this, the DJI Mavic 3’s high pricing put me off when it first became available. Its normal model costs US$2,199, £1,879, or AU$3,099, however the Fly More Combo cost US$2,999, £2,549, or AU$4199 at the time, which was more expensive than the full-frame Sony A7 IV. Although not exorbitant for a professional aerial cameraman, it might be a bit much for an amateur who is struggling to make ends meet.
The DJI Mavic 3 Classic’s price isn’t yet known, however reports from sources like DroneXL(opens in new tab) have stated that it might sell for as little as ₹115437.35 (about ₹114340.34 or ₹3.35). Some drone purchasers might be put off by the DJI Mini 3 Pro’s RC Smart Controller bundle’s ₹74955.00 / ₹81859.56 / ₹68068.17 price tag because it eliminates the requirement for smartphone flight control.
However, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is anticipated to carry a reduced price tag because it is most likely to be devoid of one of its sibling’s most intriguing characteristics.
WinFuture(opens in new tab), @DealsDrone(opens in new tab), and @JasperEllens(opens in new tab) have all reported leaks that indicate the Mavic 3 Classic won’t have the telephoto camera found on DJI’s current consumer flagship. This indicates that for both video and still images, DJI will only provide a single 20MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor.
Given that the DJI Mavic 3’s performance was “nothing short of amazing,” this is not a catastrophe. Even though it is vastly inferior to the primary camera, the Mavic 3’s 162mm telephoto zoom lens now allows you to take raw photographs. Some of the more intriguing drone films I’ve seen this year have been made possible by this lens’ capacity to compress your image while adding a dramatic background “parallax effect.”
Zoom and gloom
A DJI Mavic 3 Classic, if that’s what DJI announces next week, would therefore unquestionably be an improvement over my Mini 3 Pro, but it would not be a game-changing one in terms of the kinds of aerial photographs and movies I could shoot. However, it will undoubtedly be worthwhile to hold off on making a decision until next week to see what additional aircraft DJI adds to its fleet if you’re still considering between a Mavic 3 and an Air 2S.
Of course, it’s possible that DJI’s launch is actually for a completely different device, such as a DJI Pocket 3 with a Four Thirds camera. That’s another item I’d really want to have offered by DJI. However, there haven’t been any leaks for a new Pocket yet, and all indication points to a new drone.
Why DJI’s launch teaser has the slogan “Explore Vivid” is still a mystery. Could that be a nod to the flexible Hybrid Log Gamma upgrade for the Mavic 3, which provided the drone an HDR format that is also compatible with most displays? Potentially, but fortunately we still have less than a week till DJI’s final launch of the year, which will undoubtedly reveal the answer.
