The Phantom may be DJI’s first imaging drone, but it was the Mavic that truly defines DJI. Mavic range straddles between consumer and commercial segment, and most significantly was, when it was first released in 2016, it was the first-ever folding drone.
It is safe to say it is the de facto flagship drone. However, it was slow to be updated, only getting the second generation in 2018 and the third generation in 2021. In between, there were the Mini and Air models, but we shan’t take those into account since DJI appears to have dropped Mavic naming from those two models.
So yeah, there is finally a new Mavic, aptly called Mavic 3 and it has not one, not two, but three versions. Hmmm, did DJI do it on purpose? I mean, the Mavic Pro was just one version and then the Mavic 2 had two, and now then Mavic 3 has three versions. So, what? Mavic 4 will have four versions? That can’t be right, can it?
Anywho, so yes, there are three versions to choose from depending on your intended use. There is the Mavic 3 Standard version, the Mavic 3 Fly More Combo, and DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo. The latter is a version that has its propellers firmly in the commercial territory with Apple ProRes 422 HQ videoing at 5.1K up to 50 fps and a built-in 1 TB SSD.
The DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo also has a pro price too, at a grand US$4,999 (though it is still significantly less than the actual pro flying imaging rig).
Meanwhile, the Fly More combo is what it says it is: it lets you, well, fly more. It comes with 3 batteries instead of 1, a battery charging hub, and 6 pairs of propellers as opposed to just 3. Plus, it also has an ND Filters Set, along with a Convertible Carrying Bag. All these for US$2,999.
Finally, there is the entry-level Mavic 3 Standard version that has none of the extras; it has the same dual-camera system powered by a 4/3 CMOS sensor, paired to a 24 mm lens, as found in both versions. The sensor is capable of recording 4K videos at up to 120 fps and capturing 20 MP stills. In addition, it has a hybrid zoom lens that boasts 28x digital zoom.
The standard version sells for US$2,199, which is significantly more than the Mavic 2. All three versions are available now from DJI.com.
All images courtesy of DJI.
