As is customary before a big DJI launch, a deluge of leaks has just revealed most of the specs and pricing for the incoming DJI Mavic 3 Pro – and they've revealed a few surprises about the flagship consumer drone.
The Mavic 3 Pro is expected to officially arrive at DJI's event tomorrow (that's April 25 at 9am EDT / 2pm BST / 11pm AEST), and perhaps the biggest surprise from the leaks is the drone's pricing.
According to the reliable DJI leaker @JasperEllens, the Mavic 3 Pro will cost the same as the current DJI Mavic 3. While the Mavic 3 Pro's cheaper bundles can't be directly compared to the Mavic 3 due to their different controllers, the Mavic 3 Pro Cine Premium Combo has an identical price tag to the Mavic 3 (€4,799, which should work out as $4,999 / £4,279 / AU$7,199).
Fortunately, that won't be the cheapest version of DJI's new drone. The leaks suggest you'll also be able to buy a Mavic 3 Pro without a controller for €1,799 (around $1,799 / £1,549 / AU$2,699), or with a DJI RC controller for €2,199 (around $2,249 / £1,899 / AU$3,299). Fly More Combos containing your choice of either the DJI RC or RC Pro controller will apparently also be available.
While the official pricing could vary from these leaks, it does all suggest that a price drop for the current DJI Mavic 3 could be on the cards. And that's not the only good news for drone fans. Some separate leaks from @Quadro_News and @JasperEllens suggest that the Mavic 3 Pro will have an almost identical 20MP Four Thirds CMOS camera to the original Mavic 3, only with a different Sony sensor.
Perhaps more importantly, we'll also apparently get an improved telephoto camera, alongside that new mid-telephoto 70mm lens. According to the rumors, the Mavic 3 Pro's telephoto will have a slightly longer focal length of 166mm and a brighter aperture of f/3.4 (compared to f/4.4 on the Mavic 3). This should lend a helping hand to the image quality for long-distance shooting, which will still look best in good light due to the small 1/2-inch sensor.
That new mid-telephoto lens could also provide a handy alternative to using digital zoom on the Mavic 3's main camera, apparently offering a 1/1.3-inch sensor with a 48MP resolution. Those specs mean it could well have the same sensor as the main camera we've seen in the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
So what else do the leaks tell us about the Mavic 3 Pro? In slightly worse news, another surprise is that the drone will apparently be in Europe's C2 class weight category, tipping the scales at 958g (or 963g in its Cine version). That's a slight shame, as the Mavic 3 just about qualifies as a C1 class drone, which means it can fly over people (if not over 'assemblies of people', according to EU drone laws).
Still, professionals should be able to get around this with the right permissions and approvals, and the Mavic 3 Pro is otherwise shaping up to be an excellent all-around flying camera. Elsewhere, the leaks suggest it will have a 43-minute flight time and the same O3+ transmission as the Mavic 3, which means it can theoretically be flown from up to 15km away (in the US) or 8km in other regions.
Analysis: A shake-up for the Mavic 3 series
The two current models in the DJI Mavic 3 series are among the best drones you can buy, but this new third model could give drone fans a dilemma.
If the Mavic 3 Pro does cost the same as the DJI Mavic 3, that should theoretically push the price of the latter down a bit. And this could make the Mavic 3 more appealing than its new sibling, despite the latter's triple-camera setup.
But the promise of having three cameras, with that new mid-telephoto in between the wide-angle and telephoto, could also be too difficult to ignore. In camera terms, that would effectively make the DJI Mavic 3 Pro a flying flagship smartphone, helping it offer some unique aerial perspectives for photos and video.
👉I think the specs will be posted by the others. So I'll leave you with a fresh DJI Mavic 3 Pro promo. Frank(@DJIGlobal ), thanks for the game. 👨💻#dji #mavic3pro pic.twitter.com/fFfsbzxOPZApril 23, 2023
On the other hand, that rumored extra weight – which could crucially push the Mavic 3 Pro into Europe's C2 class – could nudge drone buyers back towards the DJI Mavic 3 or the more affordable DJI Mavic 3 Classic.
Either way, tomorrow's launch on April 25 – which is due to kick off at 9am EDT / 2pm BST / 11pm AEST – will bring all of the official answers to these questions and help you decide which flying camera to take on your next big trip.
