DJI - Mavic 3 Classic

I'd go Air 3S or if you can find one, Mavic 3 Classic but make sure you get the RC Pro with it. The zooms on the 3 Pro are *ok* but going from a 4/3 to a much smaller sensor is kinda jarring. The 3S is at least pretty darn close but man that 4/3 sensor is phenomenal.

Do you want control of the aperture? If so, the most affordable DJI drone with variable aperture is the Mavic 3 Classic.

✅ **Mavic 3 series** (Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Cine, Mavic 3 Classic, Mavic 3 Pro) → D-Log & D-Log M ✅ **Air 3** → D-Log M ✅ **Mini 4 Pro** → D-Log M ✅ **Avata 2** → D-Log M ✅ **Inspire 2** (with X5S or X7 camera) → D-Log ✅ **Inspire 3** → D-Log ✅ **Phantom 4 Pro / Pro V2.0** → D-Log ✅ **Phantom 4 RTK** → D-Log ✅ **Matrice 30 series** → D-Log ✅ **Matrice 300 RTK** (with Zenmuse H20N, P1, or L1 payloads) → D-Log ✅ **Matrice 350 RTK** → D-Log ✅ **Zenmuse X7, X5S** cameras → D-Log Thank God for Chatgpt and here you go!

It really depends on your **rates** and **specialties**, since cinematic FPV fly-throughs and aerial videography/photography give very different looks. Either way, it’s going to be a bit pricey, especially in the U.S. now with the new tariffs in effect (as of May 1st). The **Avata 2** is solid but honestly a bit too big for tight fly-throughs. The **Avata 1** is a better size, but if you’re serious about fly-throughs, I’d suggest looking into a **Cinewhoop** — something like a 2", 3.5", micro, or tiny whoop with an O3 or O4 unit. You can pull off cool, unique shots that ground cameras just can’t match. Just a heads-up though: it’s an expensive hobby. You’ll need the right gear, and I really recommend practicing acro mode on a simulator before flying a real Cinewhoop. Crashes happen, and repairs can add up fast. For aerial photography, the **Mini series** is a good place to start — I started with the first-gen Mini myself and later moved up to the **Mavic 3** when my work picked up. And of course, make sure you’re following the local rules and regs if you’re planning to do any commercial projects!

US RPIC here waiting patiently... I’ve secured all the equipment I need for my business, but upgrading my analog FPV setup to digital has been challenging due to recent tariff and customs increases, which have significantly driven up retail prices. Because of that, I opted for an alternative FPV route and ordered both the DJI Neo and Avata 2 Fly More Combos received them within four days. I also have a Mavic 3 Classic, which gets the job done for now. Once prices stabilize, I definitely plan to upgrade to the Mavic 4!

I picked up a Mavic 3 Classic a few months ago. The files are fairly flexible. Theres not much room to crop, and there’s a bit of chromatic aberration if you’re shooting an object into the light. Iirc the widest lens on the Mavic 3 pro and 4 pro are the only ones that use the 4/3’ed sensor (correct me if I’m wrong). I love it. It opens up a lot of new possibilities. If I need a massive print I’ll just use AI upscaling.

My Mini 2 was really struggling with 25mph wind. Mavic 3 is probably the only one I'd go for if you were really needing stability at 40mph gusts...but honestly that's risking a lot. Wind shear is a drone killer and its unpredictable.

I'd check out the Mavic 3 Classic or 3 Pro. Adjustable aperture is really nice to have the larger 4/3rd sensor is great. Really comes down to your budget.

I’ve been using a DJI Mavic 3 classic for the past 2 seasons and have been happy with it. I will, however, be upgrading to the mavic 3 or 4 for the flexibility of having multiple focal lengths

I live in the USA and already sold my Avata 2 on eBay after having it less than a year. Between congress messing around and the general stupidity I see on a regular basis where people are flying in places they shouldn't be I figured it is just a matter of time before recreational drones are effectively banned. I still have my Mavic 3 Classic, but even that I think I might just sell and move on to a different hobby.

Honestly, if you go Mavic 3 Pro, I dunno. Mavic 3 classic or Air 3s should be your internal debate IMO, on budget. A year of flying the classic a lot, and I've wished I had a pro less than five times. Either way, both are phenomenal drones, while the Mavic-3 Pro is AMAZING, it's probably overkill and overspend. FWIW - from a selling footage standpoint, my lowly Mini-3 is the only one that has made money - clearly not as good quality as every other drone I have.

Mini 4k Pro is my recommendation for beginners - I started with a Mini-3 and because of feature gaps, I went to to a Mavic 3 and haven't looked back. I probably wouldn't have a Mavic 3 at all if I got the Mini 4k Pro in the first place. FPV - I love my Avata 2. Neither Mavic-3 (or Mini-4k pro) or Avata-2 suffer from any quality including videography. If your budget is 2.5k, I think you'd be pretty close to a fly-more package for BOTH if memory serves me - if not pretty darn close.

it's not even up for discussion. Without a doubt DJI. For a specific one I'd suggest [DJI mini 3](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL3T49JF/). It's not too expensive but if you want something better there's always the mini 4 pro. Even more professional is mavic 3 classic or even better than that is the Mavic 3 pro.

I use mavic 3 classic, but i think i will buy the 4 pro that can shoot vertical. I’m not so happy about the quality of the mini series.

Huh, this sounds exactly like me a few years ago. I was shooting with a canon 6dm2 and even put it the same way — “get a new perspective.” I didn’t and don’t plan on doing any serious backpacking with mine, so weight wasn’t a leading factor. Sensors were, so that put me in the Mavic line. I didn’t want to overcommit on new gear, so I went with the Mavic 3 Classic. A few years later and I’ve got an r6m2 and wish I went for the Mavic 3 Pro. The Mavic 4 Pro is right around the corner, too…

I intend to keep my Mini 2(non-SE) which I've had for 3yrs now even though I now have a Mavic 3 which is superior in every way by a long shot. The reason- My niche is urban/architectural photography, both with a handheld as well as drones. With most of the ideal places to fly in the city, discretion is key. I can put the Mini in the air and land it without drawing much attention, and it's the perfect size and weight for foot travel. The 12mp camera is sufficient for urban landscapes/skylines given proper composure and editing . The only real downfall would be the lack of collision avoidance , but I dont rely on that anyway. Another reason- Online prints aside, I've printed and framed 6 aerial skyline drone shots that are currently hanging in my home office, as well as another handful I sold to my wife's company's corporate office. All happen to be from the Mini 2, so...

If finances allow, keep the Mavic 2 and shoot for a Mini 4 Pro. If you have the slightest interest in aerial photography/videography, You'll hugely regret trading the Mavic for a M2. I say this as a Mini 2/Mavic3 owner. Mini 4 Pro tech in a Mini package would be sublime. But to be fair, if you're flying just to fly a drone, sure. The price is right.

pretty much the bread and butter for realestate companies the Mavic 3 series

Hard to answer. Fpv I have seen good ones custom made. If you like brand consistency I would say DJI with avata 2 FOR FPV perhaps… but not excellent in camera if you want videography. If you want quality in video I would say mavic 3 or wait a bit I heard mavic 4 is coming. The choice maybe depends on what you want the most while bit of sacrifices on the secondary usage. Curious to hear what others advice tho

I have the mini 3 pro as my main go to right now (so maybe the 4 might be better, but the 4 is still great). I also have the bigger Mavic 3, but the mini is just easy to on carry all the time and get more us out of it.

Fly it a lot, remember the limitations of the obstacle avoidance, learn the flight characteristics, and above all, have fun.  I had the Air2S, then went to the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3E and now the Mavic 3T. Skipped the Mavic 2pro to get newer, as I use these for my small business side job. 

DJI Mavic Mini Pro 4 with RC controller (or refurbed 3 if a better budget fit). These are so small and basically take the place of a lens in your bag. The RC remote means faster time from bag to air rather than connecting up your phone. Also it is underweight for certain legal recreational mandates. You may want to hurry. Serious talk of DJI pulling out of US.

Go for the mini 4 pro. The sharpness can be reduced in the settings page and you can also use ND filters to decrease shutter speed to help make it look more natural. The convenience of having a drone weight <250g esp. when travelling overseas is unmatched. If the weight and needing a higher certification is not an issue, then go with the air 3/3s or Mavic 3 for better cameras.

I think of it as a more wind-capable Neo with a better camera Do a lot of industrial real estate and this would be quicker to throw up in the air and catch some shots than my mavic 3....unfortunately it doesn't support RC Pro

I shoot a lot of large scale panoramas. I have a Mavic 3 that produces excellent results. I use to travel with it but it's just a lot to carry in the already bulked up gear bag. [Example](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tattrat/52411846639/in/album-72177720295759984) Now I only use it when I'm staying local. [Example](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tattrat/51796938182/in/album-72177720295759984) For travel, I have a Mini 4 Pro. I have been consistently impressed with the footage and photos I can get with it. Amazing little piece of kit. [Example](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tattrat/54255392468/in/dateposted-public/) Unless you're really pixel peeping, I think the Mini 4 Pro really holds it's own.

Most capable drone would be probably Mavic 4 Pro but based on your budget, I would say look into used Mavic 3 Pro. Mini 4 Pro is another great option. I do have an extra Mavic 3 for sale if you are in the USA. Let me know.

My current drone is the Mavic 3 and id say it’s the best drone ive ever owned.

Used Mavic 2 Pros can be had for great prices and have a very good camera if you are happy with a 28mm equivalent. Mavic 3 or Mavic Air 3(s) if you’re looking for the option of a longer focal length which can be useful for landscape photography. Mavic 4 if money is no object. The upcoming Mini 5 Pro is going to be interesting as it will combine the IQ of a 1’ sensor and the operational flexibility offered by sub-250g drones.

without question I would get something that had a telephoto lens like an Air 3 or Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Pro. With a wide angle lens like an avata you'll never get closeup that would be the kind of thing you'll want. The 3x tele on the Mavic 3 Pro would be the best lens although the 7x might be excellent if you have room to frame it. Keep in mind you can't fly over people with out special permissions. You'll want to look into those rule and of course you have to have a Part 107 certificate to do this. Don't shoot into the sun or with the sun toward the front and you will be fine with regard to lens flare. If you don't have that Part 107 you'll really need to take some time and get it.

DJI isn't vanishing. Even if the current "ban" goes into affect it only affects new models. Like when the Mavic 4 comes out etc. That being said it is hard to get a lot of DJI through customs right now so some models can be hard to get. However they are so much better than any other alternative is worth it in my opinion. Wingtras are great but multirotors can do videos, oblique stills, and map hilly terrain with a more consistent GSD. Any non-DJI is going to cost you 10 times as much without the same capability and terrible software and even worse radio range to boot. DJI radios dump on anything non-Chinese. Good luck man, but I would just get a Mavic 3, that thing could last you 4+ years. Nothing non-Chinese is going to touch it for years and years.

I have flown an Air 2S, Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, Mavic 3, Mavic 3E and a Matrice M30. I get the best photos with the Mavic 3 and 3E since they both have a 4/3rds wide camera sensor. They are also good at night. The Mavic 3E has a mechanical shutter which none of the consumer drones have. This virtually eliminates rolling shutter effects and makes for sharper photos. The Air 2S has a 1" sensor and can shoot 5.1K video. Still shots are also very good. My Mini 4 Pro takes surprisingly decent video, but still photos have a lot of artifacts due to the compression and the small sensor. If you want DSLR level quality, you will need to go up to an Inspire 3 or an RTK 350 which can mount a number of really high end sensors.

I use a Mavic 3E and before that, a plain Mavic 3 for the 4/3rds 20 mpx sensor for larger files that I can work with in Photoshop. I am a photographer and originally got into drones as a way of having a lens in the sky. You can get Mavic 3's for a good price - they fly great, have long flight times, and have a 7x telephoto that has great reach. If you're on a real budget, for a few hundred dollars, you can get an Air 2S which has a 1" sensor and takes decent photos and videos. Here's an example of what you can get out of the Mavic 3 camera: https://preview.redd.it/466p050jgakf1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e542b8ae43e183dbe29c24d363e0bd958d624acf

You need to provide some more information, but generally speaking: 1) If you are wanting to fly with minimal or no licensing/registration requirements and in neighborhoods (depending where you live), then your only choice is the Mini series. The Mini 5 Pro is expected later this year with a significant upgrade to a 1" sensor, otherwise Mini 4 Pro is the way to go there. 2) If you don't plan on doing much post processing and if your client delivery resolution is 4K or below (I'm guessing it's 1080P or less for real estate work), then you will not be using what you are paying for in the large 4/3 sensor Mavic 3 (Mavic 4 will be announced in April, just around the corner here). In that case, go with the Air 3S for the 1" sensor which also matches the sensor size of your P4P. The Air 3S is the best overall drone on the market right now by far, assuming you do not have very specific requirements and aren't doing advanced editing on 10bit LOG footage needing every last drop of DR. I imagine whatever licensing/permissions you need to fly your P4P in neighborhoods will carry over, so that side of things might not be an issue at all for you. 3) If you are an advanced user doing heavy post processing and extracting every last little bit of detail and dynamic range out of your shots, and always shoot 10bit LOG, then the 4/3 sensor from the Mavic 3 or upcoming 4 might appeal to you. The M3 can also shoot in 5.4K if you need resolution greater than 4K for anything. The stills photos are also better than the quad bayer 1" or 1/1.3" sensors used on the other drones. If you do any travelling to Europe, note that the cutoff there for 'relaxed' drone rules is 900g, and the Mavic series is heavier than that (Air series is below that threshold). It would be helpful to know a little more about your use case, specifically with your delivery requirements and how much post processing you do on both the photo and video side. If the end usage of all your work is web-sized images and low resolution video viewed on platforms that destroy the quality of it anyway, you don't need to pay up for a Mavic 3/4.

I have not used a Mavic 4 but I did use the Mavic 2 Pro before upgrading to the 3, and that was a 28mm lens. I don't think the 4mm difference is huge, honestly. I obviously prefer the 24, but that aspect of the upgrade wasn't nearly as noticeable as the other stuff - namely the battery life and and the descent speed of the drone. IMO, the 28mm is not a dealbreaker if all the other features seem worth it to you. I'm considering this upgrade alongside you...but I'm thinking I may wait until the 5 rears its head.

I got an open box mini 2 SE for really cheap it may have been 250.. It wasn't my first one but once I got that one it changed my thoughts about spending money on drones. I believe 2 days later I purchased the Mini 4 pro brand new and a couple weeks later I think I got Mav 3.. And now I have a bunch of DJI drones new/used and whole bunch that were open boxed drones. They all have the care package on them and started the day I got them. Really a good deal. But I do think it was a mistake for me to keep purchasing drones that were 40 to 230 that were not DJI. Atom and Loheer and maybe Contixo would be okay first drones because you can fly pretty good with those. But nothing like any DJI drones and the photo/video is hands down 100X better with DJI

Buy one on Facebook marketplace. You’ll get a great deal and find one that someone flew 2-3 times. Bought my Mavic 3 that way. Saved over $1000 of what I would have paid retail

I love my Mavic 3 and Avata 2.

The Mini 4K is great and cheap. Maybe do this: - Get the mini 4K fly more combo - In the future if you are hooked into the hobby get a big one like the Air 3S or Mavic 3 I did sort of the opposite. Got the Air 3S as my first drone, then got a Mini 4K.

I used to have a drone and let me give you some insight. DJI was the brand I had, it was a really nice mavic 3. I bought it to use for my photography side hustle, but I should have done more research before buying it. The major brands have their drones so locked down with software and firmware that you have to keep them updated as well as register them with the government. The FAA has the ability to track activities and figure out who drones are registered to. If you also follow the law then you really can't fly drones damn near anywhere. You can't fly them over crowds you can't fly them over roads you can't fly them in parks you can't fly them within a certain radius of an airport above a certain altitude. I was going to work on getting the commercial drone pilot license for my business but then the more I looked into it the more I realized I was just better off without it at least then I had an excuse of ignorance if anything ever happened. The only way I would get a drone for what you were describing is a home-built drone that does not require any kind of registration with a company or the faa. DJI has the ability to Brick all of your drones and any company that cooperates with the FAA would have the ability to just down all civilian drones at their behest

An Air 3s is heavy enough to shrug off a lot of wind, and has sensors in every direction plus lidar for obstacle avoidance. You can also take off inside and fly it out through a doorway to do it's thing then it will RTH by itself through the doorway back to where it took off. The mavic 2/3s would also handle the wind but won't have such good obstacle avoidance. None of them are mini series quiet, my mini 4 pro is like a stealth drone, but they're also not avata noisy and don't get me started on the neo - damn thing is like a chihuahua when it comes to noise per pound. Doesn't sound like quiet is one of your big things though, more OA and wind handling.

If you want a drone just for this, DJI air or magic series will be better than built drones, air and mavic are class 1, which means their default altitude limit is 500m above start point But if you do want to build something, DJI O4 system will give you the best quality and one of the best out of the box range, you can have crazy analog setup, but it's gonna need really good antennas if you want to go further than 1km and still see enough details

I've basically stopped using my Mavic and use my Mini 3 Pro for most things now. Wind resistance isn't quite as good, but image quality is more than good enough and being under 250 g makes flying a lot easier (in Canada, might be different where you are). Some people assume 'bigger is better'. I've seen that in photography, where my Nikon D800 with huge lens gets more respect than a smaller camera. (So sometimes I'll being the bigger camera for show, use it for a few pictures while mostly using a smaller camera, and let people assume that the best pictures were taken with the bigger camera when in reality all the pictures came from the smaller easier-to-carry camera.)

If you want something good and not care about price get the mavic but if you do care about price then get the dji mini 3 or 4 pro remember to ALWAYS do the training flight simulater when you buy a new drone you will need to

Mavics are so good!

Honestly, to the eyes of the public, the Mavic isn't much more impressive than the mini. If you want to look serious, you need an Inspire or an M300. But that's 500% overkill for OP's use cases.

A Mavic isn’t really going all-out. If you had the choice of hiring someone who could only bring a Mini or someone who had a Mavic, who would seem more serious to you? Who would you hire?

It depends entirely on your requirements. While there are some advantages to the better camera on the maverick, unless your client is going to run the video on large screens there may be no practical difference. Your skill as a videographer and editor will make much more of a difference than the camera. As others have pointed out, the Air is a great compromise, but depending on where you need to fly, the Mini 4 Pro may have advantages. One of the challenges in an urban environment is operating over people. Unless you have a category UAV or a waiver, you can’t legally fly over uninvolved people. In an urban setting that can be a challenge. A category 1 drone needs to be under 250g with prop guards and remote ID. The only current option to get there in the DJI lineup is a Neo with an external RID module, but the photo/video quality isn’t as good as the air or mini, and that’s a bit of a limitation for pro photographers. (On a related note, if someone from DJI is reading this, please poke your product management with a sharp stick and wake them up. The new DJI Flip is one firmware change away from being an awesome option that 107 pilots like me — who already own a M4P and Neo — would buy in a heartbeat. Please add the option to turn on Remote ID in the USA so we can fly it as a Category 1 UAV.) Category 2 essentially requires a parachute which right now is stupid expensive. Your other option is to apply for a waiver. I won’t go into all the details in case OOP isn’t important to you. But if it is, an M4P with extended battery, prop guards, and an anti-collision light is still light enough to operate over people and moving vehicles under a 107 waiver without requiring a parachute. Flight times and wind handling will decrease, but in an urban area that might make the difference between being able to legally get your shots or not. Just buy the extended batteries because they turn RID on. On the other hand, if OOP isn’t an issue, then in the USA under 107 an Air is probably a better choice. And, if you have any interest in popping north of the border, do yourself a favour and take an M4P with standard batteries. Being under 250g in Canada will make your life much, much easier. Remember that the best camera in the world isn’t going to help if you can’t get it where you need it.