DrDrone's Verdict
The DJI Mavic 3 Pro and DJI Air 3S have been difficult to choose between for many of our clients. The new DJI Mavic 4 Pro might make that choice a little bit easier by providing the latest upgrades for the Mavic series for those that want the latest and greatest. However, customers with set budges might still find themselves overwhelmed.
The DJI Mavic 4 Pro is able to get up and flying the quickest because both the drone and the new DJI RC Pro 2 controller will power on when unfolded. Its new Infinity Gimbal provides 360° rotation and 70° upward shots, providing new angles and swivels that will stun your viewing audience. Three different cameras are included: a 4/3 CMOS 100MP Hasselblad, a 1/1.3" CMOS 48MP medium tele, and a 1/1.5" CMOS 50MP tele.
The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is perfect for pilots who are searching for very high image quality at the lowest possible cost. This model was designed with professionals in mind, featuring three sensors and lenses with different focal lengths. The drone's display lets you seamlessly toggle between focal lengths, enabling you to apply diverse composition techniques suited to different shooting scenarios.
The DJI Air 3S is the least expensive of the three, starting at $1,439. This option is best suited for photographers and videographers who travel frequently due to its 724g weight. Both the 1-inch CMOS main camera and a 70mm medium telephoto lens are capable of deliverying up to 14 stops of dynamic range. Additionally, both cameras feature the innovative Free Panorama mode, enabling versatile wide-angle photography with enhanced flexibility.
DJI Mavic 4 Pro
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DJI Mavic 3 Pro
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| DJI Mavic 4 Pro | DJI Mavic 3 Pro | DJI Air 3S | |
| | | | |
| Price | Starting at $2,849 CAD Starting at $6,229.00 CAD / $4,799.00 USD | Starting at $2,559 CAD Starting at $9,439.00 CAD / $7,299.00 USD | Starting at $1,439 CAD Starting at $4,489.00 CAD / $3,628.00 USD |
| Weight | 1063 g | 958 g | 724 g |
| Main Camera | Hasselblad | Hasselblad | Wide-Angle |
| Medium Tele Camera | 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 48 MP | 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 48 MP | 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 48 MP |
| Tele Camera | 1/1.5-inch CMOS | 50 MP | 1/2-inch CMOS | 12 MP | N/A |
| Max Video Resolution | Hasselblad | 5.1K/50fps | 4K60fps HDR | 4K/120fps |
| Gimbal | Infinity Gimbal 360° Rotation | True Vertical Shooting Not Supported | 2.7K/60fps Cropped Vertical Shooting |
| Focusing and Tracking | Subject Focusing Supported | Subject Focusing Not Supported | Subject Focusing Supported |
| Obstacle Avoidance | 0.1 Lux Nightscape | Omnidirectional | Nightscape |
| Max Flight Time | 51 Mins | 43 Mins | 45 Mins |
| Max Transmission | 30 km (FCC) | 15 km (FCC) | 20 km (FCC) |
| DJI Mavic 4 Pro | DJI Mavic 3 Pro | DJI Air 3S | |
| | | | |
| Price | Starting at $609.00 CAD / $439.00 USD Starting at $2,849 CAD | Starting at $249.00 CAD / $199.00 USD Starting at $2,559 CAD | Starting at $1,059.00 CAD / $759.00 USD Starting at |
| Weight | 1063 g | 958 g | 724 g 298×373×101 mm (L×W×H) |
| Main | Hasselblad | Hasselblad | Wide-Angle |
| Medium
| 1/1.3" CMOS | 1/1.3" CMOS | 1/1.3" CMOS |
| Tele | 1/1.5" CMOS | 1/2" CMOS | N/A |
| Max | Hasselblad | 5.1K/50fps | 4K/60fps HDR |
| Gimbal | Infinity Gimbal | True Vertical Shooting Not Supported | 2.7K/60fps Cropped Verticle Shooting |
| Focusing | Subject Focusing Supported Focus Track: ActiveTrack 360°, Spotlight, Point of Interest | Subject Focusing Not Supported FocusTrack: ActiveTrack, Spotlight, Point of Interest | Subject Focusing Supported |
| Obstacle | 0.1 Lux Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing Forward-Facing LiDAR | Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing | Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing Forward-Facing LiDAR |
| Max | 51 Mins | 43 Mins | 45 Mins |
| Max | 30 km (FCC) | 15 km (FCC) | 20 km (FCC) |
DJI’s recent release of the Mavic 4 Pro has yet again upended the world of aerial photography as we know it. Like its most recent predecessor, the Mavic 4 Pro features a triple-camera system that includes the powerhouse Hasselblad camera with even larger CMOS dual tele cameras. With the addition of the brand new Infinity Gimbal with 360° rotation, upgraded 0.1-lux nightscape obstacle sensing, and the powerful DJI RC Pro 2 controller, there’s plenty to appreciate about this new aerial masterpiece.
To help you understand how it compares to similar DJI drones, we’ll go over the common similarities and differences between the Mavic 4 Pro, Mavic 3 Pro, and Air 3S.
Like most DJI drones, each aircraft is designed to be compact, foldable, and portable. The Air 3S is the lightest of the three at only 724 grams, with the dual-camera system contributing to its lighter weight. The Mavic 3 Pro is slightly bigger with a weight of 958 grams, which accounts for the drone’s advanced triple-camera system.
The new Mavic 4 Pro is the heaviest drone at 1063 grams, with the extra bulk taken up by its powerful triple-camera system and numerous smart features. One neat design feature is the Infinity Gimbal, an innovative gimbal structure that enables complete 360° rotation. This extra flexibility allows for countless creative shooting angles throughout flight, from striking Dutch angles to gravity-defying swivels. It also makes it possible to shoot 70° upward shots, capturing the full spectacle of soaring skylines and towering mountains.
The camera system is perhaps the biggest difference between the three drones, with each one offering greater cinematic potential with every lens. The Air 3S has only a dual-camera system compared to the triple-camera system of both the Mavic 3 Pro and DJI Mavic 4, although it’s more than sophisticated enough for most photography needs. The 1-inch CMOS primary camera uses a 24mm lens to capture expansive landscapes with a broader field of view, while the 1/1.3-inch CMOS medium tele camera uses a 70mm lens to shoot close-up portraits or vehicles.
The primary camera captures 50MP stills and records 4K/60fps HDR as well as 4K/120fps ultra-smooth slow-motion video, allowing you to capture the finer details of vast landscapes. The medium tele camera captures 48MP stills and offers 3x optical zoom, honing in on your objects from a safe distance while maintaining sharp, crystal-clear focus. 10-bit D-Log M color mode amplifies the color grading to professional levels, giving you even more real-to-life quality in every shot.
Both cameras feature Free Panorama mode, which creates panoramic shots by combining multiple images into one. ActiveTrack 360° keeps the subject in the center of the frame throughout the flight, ignoring busy backgrounds and maintaining focus even when part of the subject is obscured. The Air 3S also includes popular DJI features such as 2.7K vertical shooting, QuickShots, MasterShots, and Hyperlapse, giving you more than enough tools to generate your cinematic masterpiece.
With the addition of a third lens, the Mavic 3 Pro is a major step up in terms of camera quality and cinematic potential. The first is the 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera, which relies on the patented Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution (HCNS) to generate colors almost exactly as they’re perceived by the human eye. With a 24mm equivalent focal length, f/2.8-f/11 aperture range, and the ability to capture 20MP photos, this camera is ideal for professional creators who want to minimize post-production and color adjustments. Vision Detection Auto Focus (VDAF) uses multiple vision sensors to optimize focusing speed, while the 12.8-stop dynamic range enhances the camera’s ability to capture detail in both highlights and shadows. The 1/1.3-inch medium tele camera is a more versatile lens that captures 48MP stills. It compresses the depth of field to create a visual center of gravity around the subject, giving a unique portrait effect to your shots. The 70mm focal length, f/2.8 aperture, and 3x optical zoom give you a bit of wiggle room to zoom in on faraway details without having to manually adjust the shot.
The last camera is the 1/2-inch CMOS tele camera, which uses a wider 166mm focal length and f/3.4 aperture to capture 12MP stills and 4K/60fps video. The main feature of this lens is the ability to capture 7x optical zoom and 28x hybrid zoom photos, allowing you to observe intimate details from a safe distance without disturbing the scene.
Compared to the other two drones, the Mavic 3 Pro has the fewest intelligent features, as it lacks modes like Free Panorama, MasterShots, and ActiveTrack 360°. However, it does have a Hyperlapse function as well as the optional Mavic 3 Pro Cine, which enables Apple ProRes 422 HQ to expand your video production capabilities.
The Mavic 4 Pro takes the triple-lens system of the Mavic 3 Pro to another level, offering improved clarity in every way. The 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Camera has a larger 28mm focal length and a wider f/2.0-f/11 adjustable aperture, allowing for clean low-light filming and rendering dazzling 10-ray starburst effects. The lens has been newly reengineered to capture stunningly clear 100MP photos, 6K/60fps HDR video, and 4K/120fps slow motion video, unlocking new levels of creative freedom in the post-processing process. The Hasselblad camera also boosts the dynamic range up to 16 stops, vastly improving on the 12.8 stops of the Mavic 3 Pro.
Next up is the 1/1.3-inch medium tele camera, which has most of the same specs as the Mavic 3 Pro’s medium tele camera but with a new image processing engine that vastly enhances image quality. Like the other two cameras in the Mavic 4, this lens features 10-bit D-Log. D-Log M, and HLG color profiles to ensure consistent color reproduction. It also offers a dynamic range of up to 14 stops compared to the 16 stops of the main Hasselblad camera.
The last lens is the 1/1.5-inch tele camera, which, in addition to its larger sensor, has a wide f/2.8 aperture that captures 50MP stills from even further away. This camera relies on an optimized gimbal algorithm that greatly reduces depth perception to create a flattened perspective around subjects. The Mavic 4’s Subject Focusing feature makes it even easier to deliver clear shots of faraway subjects, while the 13-stop dynamic range is still even better than the best lens in the Mavic 3 Pro.
Another exciting new feature of the Mavic 4 Pro is the 10-bit 4:2:2 video recording through All-I encoding, which improves the video quality without the need for proprietary codecs like Apple ProRes. This is included in the Mavic 4 Pro 512GB version in the Creator Combo, allowing you to capture even richer color details for a more seamless editing experience.
Like the Air 3S, the Mavic 4 Pro comes with ActiveTrack 360°. This time, however, it’s significantly better at tracking vehicles, detecting them up to 200 meters away with complete directional awareness and enhanced stability. The Mavic 4 Pro also captures excellent time-lapse shots in addition to the versatile Free Panorama mode.
The Air 3S has a maximum flight time of 45 minutes and flight distance of 32km, which is pretty decent for a DJI drone as advanced as these three. Thanks to DJI O4 FHD video transmission technology, the Air 3S can transmit 10-bit video at 1080p/60fps up to 20km away. An optional DJI Cellular Dongle 2 can bridge the gap of any O4 signal interference by switching to 4G connectivity, ensuring the drone stays connected at all times.
As a slightly heavier drone, the Mavic 3 Pro has a 43-minute maximum flight time and flight distance of 28km, relying on O3+ to transmit 1080p/60fps up to 15km away. Like the Air 3S, the Mavic 3 Pro is compatible with the Cellular Dongle 2 to enable 4G connectivity. Both drones offer a wind speed resistance of 12m/s, offering a decent level of protection from the elements while in flight.
The Mavic 4 Pro has one of the longest maximum flight times of any DJI drone, as it can stay in the air for up to 51 minutes thanks to its aerodynamic design, advanced propulsion system, and 95Wh battery. Together with the top speed of 90kph and a range of 41km, you’ll have more than enough time to scout locations, track subjects, and film until you capture the shot you’re looking for. DJI O4+ transmits 10-bit HDR video up to a whopping 30km away, giving you more room to play than ever before. Unlike previous models, the Mavic 4 Pro relies on next-generation proprietary algorithms to unlock greater potential in its video transmission system, allowing for multi-drone flights while reducing the likelihood of disconnection due to interference.
Each drone comes with omnidirectional avoidance systems to detect obstacles in midflight. In addition to six vision sensors, the Air 3S uses Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS), forward-facing LiDAR technology, and downward infrared time-of-flight (ToF) sensors to view obstacles in every direction. Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing and Next-Gen Smart RTH allow you to automatically navigate around obstacles in the dark and memorize flight paths to find the safest path to return home in the dark.
The Mavic 3 Pro uses APAS 5.0 and wide-angle vision sensors to detect obstacles and plan safe flight paths in every direction. While it lacks the radar and nightscape capabilities of the Air 3S, it does have an Advanced RTH feature to help the drone return home safely.
The Mavic 4 Pro takes all the advanced obstacle detection features of the Air 3S and kicks things up a notch once again. The Mavic 4 is equipped with six high-performance, low-light fisheye sensors that have a sensitivity of 0.1 lux, detecting obstacles in incredibly low-light conditions. Using only streetlight illumination, the Mavic 4 Pro can detect omnidirectional obstacles at speeds of up to 18m/s, dodging and braking when necessary. When flying in near-pitch-black environments with brightness below 0.1 lux, the drone relies on forward-facing LiDAR to detect and avoid hidden obstacles. Combined with the Nighttime and Non-GPS RTH features, you can perform night photography with greater peace of mind.
Each drone offers a variety of compatible controller options, giving users the flexibility to choose the one that best suits their needs.
The DJI RC 2 is included with the Mavic 4 Pro and available as part of the Air 3S Fly More combo, featuring a 5.5-inch 1920x1080 built-in FHD display with a brightness of 700 nits and an upgraded processor to improve CPU and GPU performance. It includes two built-in and two external antennas to deliver enhanced signal strength and better transmission performance.
The DJI RC is the standard remote controller included with the Mavic 3 Pro, featuring a built-in screen with the same specs. The DJI RC Pro is an optional accessory that also features a built-in 5.5-inch 1080p screen, although the display is even brighter at 1000 nits. It’s also powered by an upgraded processor that improves CPU performance, although it goes a step further by allowing you to install third-party apps to edit and share content.
The DJI RC Pro 2 is the newest remote controller by DJI, with a powerful 7-inch 2000-nit high-bright Mini-LED display that delivers incredible visuals like never before. Offered as an optional accessory with the Mavic 4 Pro, it includes a rotatable built-in screen, syncing instantly with the drone’s gimbal to allow for vertical shooting. The control sticks are collapsible, allowing the RC Pro 2 to power on when extended and go into low-power sleep mode when collapsed. The built-in mic allows you to capture high-quality audio, while Dynamic Home Point Support lets you control the drone and return it safely to home, even in a moving vehicle.
The RC Pro 2 even comes with a built-in flight simulator to train you on flying conditions and operating interfaces before you even lift off the ground. The new dial comes with five-dimensional buttons on both sides of the controller to help you easily adjust parameters during flight. Thanks to the third-party app support, you can perform projection livestreaming and share footage directly to social media. Lastly, the 4-hour battery life and 128GB capacity make it a breeze to film to your heart’s content without needing to recharge or delete footage.
In order to choose between the three drones, you’ll want to balance budget, camera, and your own individual needs. The Air 3S is listed at $1,439 CAD, making it the cheapest of the three. It has only two camera systems, but plenty of intelligent flight features that make it appealing to less experienced pilots. The Air 3S is designed specifically for travel photography, with the ability to deliver incredible detail in both landscapes and portraits. It excels at nighttime flights, so it’s good for filming bustling cities or nocturnal wildlife. If you don’t need the luxurious Hasselblad camera, this drone would do just fine in capturing footage from the sky.
The Mavic 3 Pro sacrifices some fancy tools for an even better camera. At $2,559 CAD, it’s definitely a much bigger investment than the Air 3S, but the Hasselblad camera is well worth the price. This drone is good for professional photographers and cinematographers who want to capture scenery and videos. Its advanced video capabilities make it more tailored to experienced photographers who want more flexibility with their shots, although the lack of intelligent features may make it harder to operate for inexperienced pilots. This drone is quite versatile, so it’s a good choice for those who want more image quality than the Air 3S can provide but don’t want to splurge for the Mavic 4 Pro.
The Mavic 4 Pro is listed at $2250 USD (around $3100 CAD), making it by far the most expensive option on the list. However, with the incredible upgrades in camera quality, nightscape capabilities, and flight time/range, it’s also the most powerful of the three. The Mavic 4 Pro offers the best of both the Air 3S and the Mavic 3 Pro in one drone. Better at nighttime flying and capable of capturing incredible clarity and color detail in each shot, this drone is pretty much the best that money can buy in terms of aerial photography. You can capture breathlessly realistic details in all sorts of lighting conditions while filming moving subjects with ease. If budget isn’t as important to you as camera quality, then you won’t be disappointed with what it has to offer.
Dr Drone
Author
DrDrone is Canada's leading provider of drone technical services, with over a decade of experience and the distinction of being the first company in the country to offer drone servicing and repairs. As the largest drone vendor in Canada, we are also the primary supplier of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to the Canadian government. Our team members possess extensive knowledge of each drone's technical specifications and have a wealth of hands-on experience. For more than ten years, we have been dismantling and reconstructing drones, ensuring a deep understanding of these systems.