Drone enthusiasts and filmmakers alike are eagerly anticipating the release of the newest addition to DJI’s Mavic line, the Mavic 3 Pro. The Chinese drone manufacturer recently unveiled their latest flagship consumer drone, boasting an impressive triple-camera setup complete with a new 70mm lens designed to facilitate “powerful subject framing.”
Aside from the new lens, the Mavic 3 Pro includes a range of advanced features that are sure to excite videographers and photographers alike. These include a 10-bit D-Log M color mode, improved tele cameras, and ProRes capture on the Mavic 3 Pro Cine option.
The Mavic 3 Pro is the fourth in the Mavic 3 line, following the Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic, and Mavic 3 Enterprise models. Like its predecessors, the Mavic 3 Pro is available in regular and Cine models, with the latter offering more advanced features aimed at filmmakers. These include Apple ProRes capture, a 1TB SSD drive, and a 10Gbps lightspeed data cable. However, these advanced features come at a premium, costing nearly $1,000 more than the regular model.
The new 70mm camera has a 1/1.3-inch sensor that’s the same size as the one found in the Mini 3 Pro, and while it is considerably smaller than the 4/3 chip on the main Hasselblad camera, DJI promises that it’s capable of delivering excellent quality, making it suitable for a range of different scenarios, from framing intriguing buildings to capturing cars in commercial shoots. The camera is capable of handling 48-megapixel (MP) high-res or 12MP low light photos, along with 4K/60fps video.
The new log format called D-log M, which is supported by both the main camera and the new 70mm camera, is designed to deliver “natural color gradations with delicate details” even in high-contrast situations like sunsets. It’s also easier to grade than typical log footage, according to DJI. The Mavic 3 Pro Cine model can shoot up to 10-bit 4:2:2 ProRes video, while the regular model can shoot 10-bit 4:2:0 (H.264/H.265) video.
In addition to the new 70mm camera, DJI has also improved the 7x (166mm equivalent) tele camera, boosting the aperture from f4.4 to f3.4, which should make it considerably better in low light. It also offers boosted video specs, up from 4K at 30p on the Mavic 3 to 4K/60fps.
Like the previous model, the Mavic 3 Pro offers up to 43 minutes of flight time, DJI’s omnidirectional sensing and APAS 5.0 obstacle protection, with eight wide-angle vision sensors and a high-performance vision computing engine “to precisely sense obstacles in all directions and plan a safe flight to avoid them,” DJI says. Its DJI O3+ transmission system can transmit a 1080p/60fps HD live feed at high frame rates at a distance of up to 15 km (10 miles), though considerably less in Europe.
The Mavic 3 Pro also offers key AI features seen on the Mavic 3 and other models, including ActiveTrack 5.0, Spotlight, and Point of Interest. It also includes features designed for creators like MasterShots 4, QuickShots 5 with diverse camera movements like Dronie, Rocket, Circle and Helix, and Panorama 6, designed to take a 100 MP photo.
