Drones

DJI redesigns camera drone from tip to tail for Hasselblad-packin' Mavic 3

View 10 Images
The DJI Mavic 3 features a customized L2D-20c dual- camera array, developed in partnership with Hasselblad
DJI
The DJI Mavic 3 features a customized L2D-20c dual- camera array, developed in partnership with Hasselblad
DJI
The dual-camera array comprises a 20-MP 4/3 CMOS sensor paired with a 24-mm prime lens, and a 28x zoom with a 1/2-inch image sensor and a 162-mm tele lens
DJI
Pilots can look forward to more time in the air thanks to 46-minute per-charge endurance
DJI
The Mavic 3 (including the Cine edition) can record 5.1K video at up to 50 frames per second
DJI
The Cine edition includes ProRes encoding, 1 TB of internal storage, and comes with a new RC Pro flight controller
DJI
The Mavic 3 sports a more streamlined form than previous family members, and benefits from high-efficiency motors and props
DJI
ActiveTrack allows the drone to fly around or alongside the subject
DJI
Six fish-eye sensors and two wide-angle sensors feed obstacle data to the drone's pilot assistance system
DJI
The Cine version comes supplied with a 10-Gbps data cable for fast data transfer
DJI
A 65-W portable charger is available as an optional extra
DJI
View gallery - 10 images

Three years after collaborating with Hasselblad for the Mavic 2 Pro's camera module, DJI has pushed the envelope further for the launch of the Mavic 3 by mounting a dual camera setup to the stabilized gimbal comprising a Four Thirds main camera capable of 5.1K video and a 12-megapixel telephoto shooter.

As with the Mavic 2 Pro, DJI has joined forces with Swedish high-imaging house Hasselblad for the Mavic 3. The resulting dual-camera setup is mounted to a 3-axis motorized gimbal and sports a Four Thirds CMOS camera with a 24-mm prime lens and a 28x digital/optical hybrid zoom camera with a 162-mm f/4.4 telephoto lens.

The main camera is capable of shooting 20-MP stills in 12-bit RAW format, 5.1K (5,120 x 2,700) video at 50 frames per second (fps), and 4K (3,840 x 2,160) at up to 120 fps. Up to a billion colors can be captured thanks to 10-bit D-Log recording, 12.8 stops of native dynamic range should help find detail in the shadows, the camera module taps into the drone numerous vision sensors to help with fast focus, while that prime lens has a variable f/2.8-f/11 aperture and 84-degree field of view.

The zoom unit features a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor for 12-MP stills, 15-degree field of view, 4x digital zoom, and is able to record 4K or Full HD video at up to 30 fps.

Pilots can look forward to more time in the air thanks to 46-minute per-charge endurance
DJI

DJI has also launched a Cine edition of the Mavic 3, which shares most of the same specs as the standard offering but benefits from ProRes 4:2:2 encoding for a data rate of up to 3,772 Mbps and 1 TB of SSD storage instead of the standard edition's 8 GB, with the company including a new 10 Gbps data cable for fast data transfer.

Naturally, the new drone comes packing a bunch of intelligent flight modes, with DJI highlighting the inclusion of MasterShots from the Air 2S that "lets users create high-quality content more easily and quickly," Panorama Mode that stitches and processes images directly in the drone, and QuickTransfer that allows users to wirelessly transfer images and footage from drone to mobile device over Wi-Fi 6.

A new O3+ transmission system is reported to deliver "stable, smooth, and clear video" up to a range of 15 km (9.3 miles) and at a low lag live feed resolution of up to 1080p at 60 fps, even in challenging conditions. And users can look forward to up to 46 minutes in the air between charges of the 5,000-mAh battery (in ideal flying conditions), helped along by a more streamlined drone shape, a lowering the weight of the Mavic 3's structure and components (the standard drone weighs in at 895 g/31.5 oz, while the Cine is a little heavier at 899 g/31.7 oz), and the employment of high-efficiency motors and props.

The Cine edition includes ProRes encoding, 1 TB of internal storage, and comes with a new RC Pro flight controller
DJI

DJI says that the drone can lock on to signals from GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou satellites for improved positioning, while also catering for improved hovering stability and making it less likely to drift in the air.

An omnidirectional obstacle sensor system made up of six fish-eye and two wide-angle sensors, supplemented by an IR sensor, feed the latest flavors of the company's Advanced Pilot Assistance System and ActiveTrack with detection data. The latter allows the drone to fly around or alongside a moving subject, as well as forward, back, left, right or diagonally in relation to that subject, and if the subject goes out of frame, the visual system will continue tracking to quickly pick up where it left off.

Onboard safety systems will alert pilots if they fly near sensitive locations, allow the authorities to identify and monitor drones in such areas, make users are aware of any local restrictions on altitude, and issue warnings if nearby aircraft are sending out ADS-B signals.

DJI has updated the return-to-home feature that flies the drone back to its starting point when running low on juice or if it goes out of range. Improvements see the Mavic 3 now able to automatically take the shortest and safest route home, while also checking wind speed to ensure it has enough power for the return journey.

ActiveTrack allows the drone to fly around or alongside the subject
DJI

"Mavic 3 enables users to effortlessly make epic shots without compromising on small size, stunning performance, pervasive flight safety, and dazzling image quality," said DJI's Ferdinand Wolf. "We are confident that this drone will astonish videography and photography enthusiasts, as well as professional production houses and media workers around the globe."

And that pro focus translates to a rather high starting price of US$2,199, but that's peanuts compared to the Cine version which flies in for $4,999 (though this option does come with more goodies in the package, including a new RC Pro flight controller and three batteries). The video below has more.

Product page: DJI Mavic 3

View gallery - 10 images
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
4 comments
guzmanchinky
The image quality is incredible, but one of the best things about a cheap drone is that you're willing to fly it into the kinds of situations that produce really amazing video, but which also are very dangerous for the drone! At that price I would be scared to fly it through a window or near trees or cliffsides...
christopher
@guzmanchinky scared why? You know it *automatically* avoids obstacles, right?
BlueOak
Beautiful machine, but as a non-professional, the licensing requirements of it still steer me to the Mini.
guzmanchinky
christopher, yes, but I've had plenty of drones that automatically avoid obstacles (like the Skydio 2) and they have all run into something at one point or another. And another problem is that when you want to film flying between two trees or through a window in a castle, all the drones need obstacle avoidance turned off or they will simply stop on a dime.