DJI Mini 3 Pro Review

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DJI’s Mini collection of drones has all the time been about something: retaining the burden beneath 250g. The explanation why for that’s merely to make it imaginable to fly them in many nations with out registration or coaching. You can get them out of the field and fly them legally with out a bureaucracy or further prices, and that’s what shoppers need.

Until now, when you purchased a Mini you needed to compromise on options and – to some degree – high quality. That’s as a result of, till the Mini 3 Pro, there used to be no impediment avoidance and no talent to routinely monitor an issue: usual options on different DJI drones.

But now, you’re getting successfully the options from the Mavic Air 2 (with a couple of enhancements besides) that you’ll be able to fly in lots of extra puts.

The Mini 3 Pro, then, represents a significant improve, however can it justify its ‘Pro’ suffix and is it well worth the considerably increased worth? Let’s to find out.

Features & design

  • 4K60 video
  • Vertical capturing
  • Tri-directional impediment sensors
  • ActiveTrack 4.0

Previously, the Mini 2’s  video crowned out at 4K30 which used to be excellent, however didn’t fit heavier, costlier fashions such because the Mavic Air 2.

Now, the Mini 3 Pro shoots at as much as 4K60, permitting you to decelerate the pictures for an excellent smoother, extra cinematic glance. It too can shoot in HDR as long as you’ve decided on 24, 25 or 30fps in any decision.

Another new function is that the gimbal can rotate the digicam to portrait, which is healthier for taking portait footage and naturally, movies for sharing on social media because it way you’re no longer cropping a panorama symbol and throwing away such a lot of pixels.

The different two highlights are the ahead, backward and downward impediment sensors, plus beef up for ActiveTrack 4.0.

A large criticism of earlier DJI Mini drones has been the loss of sensors which is able to lend a hand save you them crashing into timber and different gadgets whilst you think about capturing. Though there aren’t any side-facing sensors, the six provide quilt a excellent space across the drone and permit the Mini 3 Pro to fly routinely, monitor an issue and steer clear of hindrances on the identical time.

It additionally has the whole supplement of QuickShot modes: Dronie, Helix, Rocket, Circle, Boomerang and Asteroid.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

The Mini 2 didn’t have the latter, which produces a amusing video that begins as a sphere landscape excessive up within the air and flies down to finish centred for your matter.

There’s additionally MasterShots, which plays a sequence of maneuvers whilst retaining your matter within the centre of the body. It’s a very easy strategy to seize a cinematic-looking collection with out first having to grasp the flying talents to take action.

One of the most important gripes from Mini homeowners used to be the shortcoming in their drone to trace an issue, particularly bearing in mind the older DJI Spark may just do that. DJI hasn’t ever formally defined the rationale in the back of this, however the excellent news is that  the Mini 3 Pro has ActiveTrack 4.0.

You can use this in two modes: Trace and Parallel. The first tracks your matter at a continuing distance whilst the second one flies subsequent in your matter at a hard and fast distance and attitude.

ActiveTrack is a part of FocusMonitor which additionally comprises Spotlight 2.0, which assists in keeping your matter within the body when you keep watch over the drone manually, and Point of Interest 3.0 which flies routinely in a circle round an issue.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

In phrases of design, the Mini 3 Pro is totally other to its predecessors. Its entrance hands rotate 180°, and the rear hands turn out horizontally. The battery slots without delay into the rear with out a quilt to open and shut and the gimbal stands proud in entrance of the drone and can also be angled upwards by way of 60° (no longer reasonably the 90° imaginable with the Parrot Anafi), which might be helpful for sure pictures when flying not up to your matter. It’s extra helpful when taking round landscape footage as there’s a lot much less of a blind spot on the best of the picture in comparison to different DJI drones whose gimbals generally tilt upwards simplest 30°.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

DJI says the hands and propellers are extra aerodynamic, and that permits for a relatively longer flight time of 34 mins from the usual battery. In some nations (however no longer the EU or UK), you’ll be able to purchase a ‘Plus’ battery that extends flying time as much as 47 mins, however this does build up the burden past the 250g threshold.

Wind resistance is relatively advanced from the Mini 2’s 10.5m/s to ten.7m/s, however stays rated at stage 5.

As earlier than, there’s a microSD slot and USB-C charging / switch port. And you get round 1.5GB of interior garage so you’ll be able to nonetheless take footage and file a small quantity of video when you disregard your microSD card.

Remote keep watch over

  • Choice of 2
  • DJI RC has integrated 5.5in touchscreen

The different notable exchange is the advent of a brand new far flung controller. It’s similar to the RC Pro you’ll have noticed to be had with the Mavic 3 and features a 5.5in touchscreen so that you don’t have to make use of your phone and the DJI Fly app.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

It’s principally a integrated Android phone devoted to the Fly app, and it’s surely much more handy to make use of than connecting a smartphone to the prevailing RC-N1 controller (the controller incorporated with the Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2S).

You have a number of each with the Mini 3 Pro as DJI gives bundles which come with each. There’s even a 3rd choice to shop for the Mini 3 Pro with out a controller in any respect and use one you have already got, however the ones are the one suitable fashions: you can not use a DJI RC Pro.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

With a brightness of 700 nits, the DJI RC’s display is usable in maximum prerequisites, however would take pleasure in a hood when you’re confronted with direct daylight. No doubt DJI will promote one as an adjunct.

There are different (programmable) buttons and two jog wheels for controlling gimbal tilt and digicam controls, in addition to devoted shoulder buttons for taking footage or beginning and preventing video.

Regardless of which controller you utilize, the Mini 3 Pro makes use of the O3 video transmission gadget which is able to a 1080p30 preview as much as 12km away, although that’s decreased to about 1.5-3km in city spaces the place there’s robust interference.

If you do purchase the package deal with the DJI RC, then you’ll be able to use the QuickTransfer function to obtain movies and footage in your smartphone (the usage of the DJI Fly app), permitting you to edit and proportion them while not having a PC.

Performance

  • 1/1.3 inch sensor
  • 150Mbps most bitrate
  • f/1.7, 24mm-equivalent lens

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

As neatly as having a redesigned gimbal and the power to shoot in portrait, the Mini 3 Pro has a bigger sensor. Having the figures in fractions of an inch isn’t too useful as most of the people can’t simply perceive the diversities in measurement.

The Mini 3 Pro has a 1/1.3in sensor, which is greater than the 1/2.3in sensor within the Mini 2, and the 1/2in sensor within the Mavic Air 2 (however smaller than the Mavic Air 2S’s 1in sensor).

A far more straightforward comparability is to place the ones into the realm of every sensor. So, kind of talking, right here’s how they stack up:

  • 1/2.3: 28.5 mm²
  • 1/2: 31 mm²
  • 1/1.3: 69 mm²
  • 1: 116 mm²

The higher the sensor, the additional info (the extra gentle) it will get, and this excellent for a few causes. First, it will have to result in higher high quality when within the early morning and at nightfall, or evening and it will have to additionally imply higher dynamic vary, for extra element in highlights and shadows.

Assisting with all that is the f/1.7 lens, which has a bigger aperture than the Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2’s f/2.8 lenses. Focus isn’t fastened, both, as with the Mini 2, so you’ll be able to faucet at the display to concentrate on a specific object, or transfer to handbook focal point.

Getting to the all-important high quality itself, the Mini 3 Pro gives nice 4K pictures with a whole lot of element and, despite the fact that you don’t use the D-Cinelike profile, first rate colors.

There’s nonetheless the opportunity of skies and highlights to blow out in high-contrast scenes, so it’s possible you’ll wish to put money into a collection of DJI’s ND filters. However, shedding from 4K60 to 4K30 way video can also be recorded in HDR and that is helping reasonably a little bit.

Quality in low gentle is superb, and it’s imaginable to get some nice searching footage and video at nightfall specifically.

The 120fps slo-mo mode is amusing to make use of when you’re taking pictures fast-moving topics, however because it’s simplest to be had at 1080p, element takes a noticeable hit.

DJI Mini 3 Pro camera test

In the standard single-shot photograph mode, photographs are recorded at 12Mp. This is similar pixel-binning methodology that many smartphones use, and ends up in completely usable, detailed footage. You can go for the 48Mp mode, and you’ll be able to additionally select to shoot in RAW (DNG structure) for processing in Photoshop later.

But for higher-resolution photographs, the Mini 3 Pro can shoot 180° panoramas in horizontal and vertical facets. In horizontal mode, it takes reasonably a couple of footage and (as with any pano modes) stitches them in combination routinely. It then compresses the picture to round 25Mp, no longer the 100s it’s possible you’ll consider. Pano is a separate mode from footage, and you’ve got to scroll in the course of the listing of modes to seek out it, which is usually a bit complicated for the ones new to DJI Fly.

Flying the Mini 3 Pro is not any other to another DJI drone, which is to mention it’s extraordinarily simple. The DJI RC has a style slider so you’ll be able to briefly transfer between Cinema, Normal and Sport modes. These merely exchange the responsiveness of the sticks, so in Cinema mode, large actions don’t have a lot of an impact, and this assists in keeping video as jerk-free and cinematic as imaginable.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review

ActiveTrack works brilliantly, and the impediment avoidance allows it to observe you (or your matter) whilst averting tree branches and different issues.

Price & availability

As discussed, there are 3 choices when purchasing a Mini 3 Pro. Here’s what you get and what they price:

  • Mini 3 Pro (drone simplest): £639 / US$669
  • Mini 3 Pro + RC-N1 controller: £709 / US$759
  • Mini 3 Pro + DJI RC controller: £859 / US$909

There’s additionally a Fly More package deal, however this doesn’t come with the drone: it’s only a bundle of equipment which incorporates two usual batteries, a three-way charger, shoulder bag and two units of propellers. This prices £159.

You can purchase a Mini 3 Pro from DJI without delay, nevertheless it’s additionally to be had from different outlets together with Apple, Best Buy in the United States, Argos in the United Kingdom and others.

Verdict

If you’re after a succesful drone that has impediment avoidance, the power to trace topics and shoot at 4K60 (or in HDR), the Mini 3 Pro is a brilliant selection. The low weight way you’ll be able to fly it immediately out of the field with out coaching classes or the hassles and value of registration in many nations.

As an advantage it additionally shoots vertical video, which makes it ideally suited for TikTok creators, or the ones the usage of different social media the place vertical video is a should.

The excessive price way it isn’t the most obvious selection or improve from a DJI Mini 2, however when you already personal an RC-N1 controller, with the ability to purchase the drone by itself would possibly end up a tempting choice.

Most shoppers gained’t use the Mini 3 Pro’s RAW or D-Cinelike modes, however they’re a welcome sight for actual lovers and professionals desiring to make use of a light-weight drone.

Specs

DJI MIni 3 Pro: Specs

  • Size folded: 145×90×62 mm
  • Size opened up (inc propellers): 251×362×70 mm
  • Takeoff weight:
  • Max flight time: 34 mins
  • Max flight pace: 16m/s (Sport mode), 10m/s (Normal mode, 6m/s (Cinema mode)
  • Max wind resistance: 10.7m/s
  • Internal garage: 1.5GB (microSD as much as 512GB)
  • Camera sensor: 1/1.3in CMOS, 48Mp (8000×6000 pixels)
  • Camera lens: f/1.7, FOV 82.1°, 24mm equal
  • Gimbal: 3-axis mechanical
  • Photos: 12Mp or 48Mp JPG / DNG (RAW)
  • Video: Up to 4K / 60fps, HDR as much as 4K / 30fps
  • Max bitrate: 150Mb/sec
  • Colour profiles: D-Cinelike, Normal
  • Video codecs: MP4 / MOV
  • H.265 / H.264 AVC
  • H.265 / H.264 HEVC
  • Vision gadget: Forward, backward, downward



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