DJI Mavic 3 Pro with three cameras: full review

With the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, DJI delivers a new version of its high-end consumer drone to all aerial imaging fans. If the first Mavic 3 was already equipped with two sensors, this new version now includes a pod with three lenses. So, what is this new model worth? What are all these cameras for? And most importantly, is this the right drone for you? All the answers in this article!

DJI Mavic 3 Pro: features and comparison with other Mavic 3

Let’s start by taking a look at all the main features of this new DJI Mavic 3 Pro, compared to its predecessors, the original Mavic 3 and the Mavic 3 Classic :

	DJI Mavic 3 Pro	DJI Mavic 3	DJI Mavic 3 Classic
Camera 1	Hasselblad CMOS 4/3 20MP camera 24 mm equivalent Aperture f/2.8 to f/11	Hasselblad CMOS 4/3 20MP camera 24 mm equivalent Aperture f/2.8 to f/11	CMOS 4/3 20MP 24 mm equivalent Aperture f/2.8 to f/11
Camera 2	1/1.3 inch 48 MP CMOS medium format camera Equivalent 70 mm Aperture f/2.8	1/2 inch 12 MP CMOS camera Equivalent 162 mm Aperture f/4.4	–
Camera 3	1/2 inch 12 MP CMOS camera Equivalent 166 mm Aperture f/3.4	–	–
ISO range	Video: Normal and Idle: 100- 6400 (Normal) 400-1600 (D-Log) 100-1600 (D-Log M) 100-1600 (HLG) Night : 800 to 12800 (Normal) Photo: 100 à 6400	Video: Normal and Idle: 100-6400 (Normal) 400-1600 (D-Log) 100-1600 (HLG) Night mode: 800-12800 (Normal) Photo: 100 à 6400	Video: Normal and Idle: 100-6400 (Normal) 400-1600 (D-Log) 100-1600 (HLG) Night mode: 800-12800 (Normal) Photo: 100 à 6400
Photo resolution	Hasselblad Camera: 20MP Average telecamera: 48MP Telecamera: 12MP	Hasselblad Camera: 20MP Remote camera: 12 MP	20 MP
Video resolution	Hasselblad Camera: 5.1K up to 50 fps 4K up to 120 fps Medium telecamera : 4K up to 60 fps Telecamera: 4K up to 60 fps	Hasselblad camera: 5.1K up to 50 fps 4K up to 120 fps Telecamera: 4K up to 50 fps	5.1K up to 50 fps 4K up to 120 fps
Digital Zoom	1 to 3X (Hasselblad camera) 3 to 7X (medium telecamera) 7 to 28X (telecamera)	3X (Hasselblad camera) 4X (telecamera)	3X
Video formats	MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) Cine version only: MOV (Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT)	Hasselblad Camera: MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) Telecamera: MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265)	MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265)
Max. ascent speed	8 m/s	8 m/s	8 m/s
Max. descent speed	6 m/s	6 m/s	6 m/s
Max. horizontal speed	21 m/s	21 m/s	21 m/s
Max. wind resistance	12 m/s	12 m/s	12 m/s
Battery capacity	5000mAh	5000mAh	5000mAh
Maximum flight time	43 minutes	46 minutes	46 minutes
Video transmission	O3+	O3+	O3+
Maximum transmission distance	FCC : 15 km CE : 8 km	FCC : 15 km CE : 8 km	FCC : 15 km CE : 8 km
Internal storage	8 GB (standard) 1 TB (Cine)	8 GB	8 GB
Dimensions	231.1 x 98 x 95.4 mm (folded) 347.5 x 290.8 x 107.7 mm (unfolded)	221 x 96.3 x 90.3 mm (folded) 347.5 x 283 x 107.7 mm (unfolded)	221 x 96.3 x 90.3 mm (folded) 347.5 x 283 x 107.7 mm (unfolded)
Weight	958g (standard) 963g (Cine)	895g (standard) 899g (Cine)	895g
Price	2099€ (with DJI RC remote control) 2799€ (Fly More bundle with DJI RC radio control) 3499€ (Fly More bundle with DJI RC Pro radio control) 4599€ (Cine Premium Bundle)	1929€ (with DJI RC-N1 radio control) 2629€ (Bundle Fly More)	1499€ (drone only) 1599€ (with DJI RC-N1 remote control) 1749€ (with DJI RC remote control)

DJI Mavic 3 Pro: the design

Weight	Mavic 3 Pro: 958 g Mavic 3 Pro Cine: 963 g
Dimensions (folded, without propellers) (L x W x H)	231.1 x 98 x 95.4 mm
Dimensions (unfolded, without propellers) (L x W x H)	347.5 x 290.8 x 107.7 mm

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is equipped with the same chassis as its predecessors, the Mavic 3 (standard version) and Mavic 3 Classic. So we find the same fuselage, the same engines, the same battery and the same obstacle detection system.

The only real difference on this new “Pro” version is on the side of the basket, which integrates three cameras:

• a Hasselblad 4/3 camera already present on the Mavic 3, with a focal length equivalent to 24 mm.
• a 1/2 inch telephoto lens also present on the Mavic 3 but which has been improved, with a focal length equivalent to 166 mm.
• a new intermediate telephoto lens 1/1.3 inch with a focal length equivalent to 70 mm.

With 3 cameras in 1, the pod is larger and therefore heavier. As a result, the total weight of this new Mavic 3 Pro exceeds the 900 grams mark: 958g for the standard version, and 963g for the Cine version. This will therefore also have an impact on regulations in Europe (see box below).

As far as radio controls are concerned, the Mavic 3 Pro is compatible with 3 models:

• the standard DJI RC-N1 radio control.
• the DJI RC with its integrated screen, which appeared with the release of the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
• the DJI RC Pro, also with integrated screen, released with the first Mavic 3.

And since the release of version 1.10 of the DJI Fly application, all versions of the Mavic 3 can also be controlled in FPV mode with the DJI RC Motion 2 joystick-style remote control, combined with the DJI Goggles 2 or Goggles Integra headset, for a completely different experience.

🚨 Note on regulations: by passing the 900 grams mark, the Mavic 3 Pro also changes class with regard to drone regulations, at least in Europe. Thus, unlike its predecessors the Mavic 3 standard and Classic which are C1 class drones, the Mavic 3 Pro belongs to the C2 category. The regulations concerning the flight over people and houses will therefore be a little stricter. We therefore advise you to find out about the law in your country of residence before using it.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro: features and performance in flight

Maximum speed	21 m/s
Max. ascent speed	8 m/s
Max. descent speed	6 m/s
Max. wind resistance	12 m/s
Obstacle sensors	Omnidirectional detection system + infrared sensor under the drone
Video transmission system	O3+
Max. transmission distance	FCC: 15 km CE : 8 km
Batteries	5000 mAh
Max. flight time	43 minutes
Max. hovering time	37 minutes
Recharge time	65W charger: 96 minutes 100W charger + charging station: 70 minutes

Smart shooting modes

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is, except for the camera block, identical to the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Classic, we find the same features already present on these two models, including the many automated flight modes that allow the drone to perform a predefined flight while taking a picture.

The following functions are available:

• the famous QuickShots modes, such as Circle, Dronie, Helix or Rocket, which make the drone perform a specific movement while taking a video in passing.
• MasterShots mode, which combines several QuickShots and adds music to create a short clip ready to post online.
• the Hyperlapse mode which allows you to create moving and accelerated videos.
• Panorama modes to capture stunning landscape photos.
• FocusTrack modes for automatic subject tracking.

Please note that QuickShots, MasterShots and Panorama modes can only be used with the Hasselblad main camera. On the other hand, subject tracking modes are supported by all three lenses, up to 4K at 60 frames per second.

In-flight features

We naturally find the omnidirectional obstacle detection system already present on the Mavic 3 standard and Classic, and its various sensors spread around the drone. It works in conjunction with the APAS 5.0 obstacle avoidance system to automatically correct its trajectory according to the obstacles it detects in its path.

We also find the Cruise control mode which appeared with the release of the Mavic 3 Classic and which allows to lock a predefined trajectory and a flight speed. Very useful, it allows you not to have to press continuously on the handle in a direction and thus to concentrate only on the shooting and the framing of the image.

Finally, the Mavic 3 Pro is still equipped with the flight route planning functions, which allows the drone to fly automatically by creating predefined waypoints, and of course, the RTH mode of automatic return to the starting point.

Video transmission

No change either on the side of the video transmission and the range in flight, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro integrates, as its predecessors, the transmission system O3+ of DJI. The latter offers a range of 15km in FCC standard and 8km in CE standard.

Autonomy

The battery of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the same as on the previous Mavic 3, with a capacity of 5000mAh.

On the other hand, since the new nacelle and its three lenses increase the drone’s overall weight and certainly require more resources, battery life is slightly shorter than on previous models, with a maximum flight time announced by DJI of 43 minutes, compared with 46 minutes on the Standard and Classic versions.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro : the image

Sensor 1	Hasselblad CMOS 4/3 20MP camera 24 mm equivalent Aperture f/2.8 to f/11
Sensor 2	1/1.3-inch 48 MP CMOS telecamera Equivalent 70 mm Aperture f/2.8
Sensor 3	1/2 inch 12 MP CMOS camera Equivalent 166 mm Aperture f/3.4
Photo resolution	Hasselblad camera: 20MP Medium telecamera: 48MP Telecamera: 12MP
Max. video resolution	Hasselblad Camera: 5.1K up to 50 fps 4K up to 120 fps Medium telecamera : 4K up to 60 fps Telecamera: 4K up to 60 fps
ISO range	Video: Normal and Slow motion: 100- 6400 (Normal) 400-1600 (D-Log) 100-1600 (D-Log M) 100-1600 (HLG) Night : 800 to 12800 (Normal) Photo: 100 à 6400
Photo format	JPEG DNG (RAW)
Video format	MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) Cine version only: MOV (Apple ProRes 422 HQ/422/422 LT)
Max. bit rate	160 Mb/s (H.264/H.265) at 821 Mb/s (ProRes 422 LT)
Color profile	Normal HLG D-Log D-Log M
Digital Zoom	1 to 3X (Hasselblad camera) 3 to 7X (medium telecamera) 7 to 28X (telecamera)

A new three-camera gondola

Finally, we come to what is really THE big news of this new Mavic 3 Pro: its three-camera design, which allows users to enjoy new possibilities thanks to its three different focal lengths.

The three cameras are as follows:

• theHasselblad camera with its 4/3 sensor, already present on the other models of Mavic 3, with a focal length equivalent to 24mm, an adjustable aperture from f/2.8 to f/11, and a resolution of 20MP.
• a second lens with a sensor of 1/1.3 inch, offering a focal length of 70mm for an aperture of f/2.8 and a resolution of 48MP.
• the 1/2 inch telephoto lens, also present on the other Mavic 3, but which has been slightly modified and now offers a focal length equivalent to 166 mm (against 162mm before), an aperture of f/3.4 (against f/4.4 before) and a resolution of 12 MP.

The improvement is clear compared to previous Mavic 3 models, especially when using zoom: image quality appears superior, with finer details.

Use of the three lenses

This new set of three cameras can be used in two different ways:

• in Explorer mode : with the Hasselblad camera zooming from 1 to 3X, the second lens from 3 to 7X and the telephoto lens from 3 to 28x, you can use all three lenses to zoom in on a subject progressively. In this case, the drone will automatically switch from one lens to another as you zoom in or out. This mode will be more useful for inspection or tracking.
• in standard video mode: in this case, you can switch from one camera to another by pressing on the touch screen of the remote control or in the DJI Fly application. However, it will not be possible to switch from one camera to another while capturing a video, it will be necessary to stop the recording beforehand.

Image quality

If the three cameras do a good job, they still deliver quite different image qualities:

• for the main Hasselblad camera, nothing to complain about: the image quality is amazing, rich in colors and details, no surprise there since it is the same main sensor as on other versions of the Mavic 3.
• the intermediate camera also offers a nice image quality, but it remains inferior to the main camera, with less sharpness and detail. However, it can be very useful for some plans.
• the quality of the telecamera is correct, especially when the zoom is used at the minimum (in 7X). But in our opinion, the difference with the two previous ones is more important and it will therefore be more difficult to integrate images taken with this lens in a montage, even if it is possible.

The main sensor is so superior, with such an excellent dynamic range and color rendering, that you can feel the difference in quality with the other two lenses. Indeed, the longer the focal length, the smaller the sensor, and therefore the quality will be less good.

Regarding the image definition, for what is the main sensor, we find the same thing as on the Mavic 3 with a maximum resolution of 5.1K up to 50 fps. The 4K can go up to 120 fps, which offers the possibility of making great slow-motion shots.

One of the shortcomings of the original Mavic 3’s telephoto lens was that its image definition was limited, with a frame rate that was not high enough. Good news on this new Mavic 3 Pro, the 70mm intermediate lens, but also the 166mm telephoto lens, now offers 4K resolution up to 60fps.

Our opinion

Making three cameras available to content creators is an interesting initiative from DJI. With their different focal lengths and zoom ranges, they offer greater versatility: from the same point in the air, you can easily obtain different framing and image rendering.

However, we thought it was a shame that it was not easier to use these 3 lenses together. Indeed, it’s difficult to make the same adjustments from one lens to another: their apertures are different (you have a variable aperture on the main camera but not on the others), and their color profiles aren’t always the same, so it’s sometimes difficult to match the colorimetry of several sequences of the same shot taken with different lenses.

	Hasselblad CMOS 4/3 camera	1/1.3 inch medium format telecamera	1/2 inch CMOS camera
Focal length	24mm	70mm	166mm
Opening	f/2.8 to f/11	f/2,8	f/3,4
Color Profiles	Normal HLG D-Log D-Log M	Normal HLG D-Log M	Normal

If you want to shoot the same shot with two or three cameras, you will have to play with the different settings to try to obtain the same colorimetric rendering, or spend time correcting the shot in post-production. You can also shoot everything in normal color profile, the only profile common to all three lenses (because it is the only one available on the 166mm lens), but this will reduce the room for maneuver in post-production.

Despite this, if you get past this color problem that will simply make you lose a little time in editing, having three sensors with three different renders offers great versatility.

You can, for example, use the wide angle to take wide shots, then switch to 70mm or even 166mm, depending on the case, to take tight shots, or when you can’t get closer to a subject, or to create parallax effects. The possibilities are numerous and there is a lot of fun to be had.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro : the price(s)

Standard pack (DJI RC remote control)	2099€	See on Amazon
Fly More Pack (DJI RC remote control)	2799€	See on Amazon
Fly More pack (DJI RC Pro remote control)	3499€	See on Amazon
Cine Premium Pack (DJI RC Pro remote control)	4599€	See on Amazon

The different packs

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is available on the DJI website in 4 different packages:

• the standard version at 2099€, in which the drone is delivered with the DJI RC radio control, 3 pairs of spare propellers, an extra pair of joysticks, a pod protection, battery, charger and data cable.
• the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Bundle with DJI RC remote control for 2799€, including the accessories of the basic pack plus 2 batteries and 3 extra pairs of propellers, a charging station, a set of ND filters and a carrying bag.
• the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Bundle with DJI RC Pro remote control for 3499€, including the same accessories as the previous Fly More Bundle (the advantage here is the DJI RC Pro remote control, the most advanced of the manufacturer’s consumer remotes).
• the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine Premium Bundle with DJI RC Pro remote control at 4599€, which has the advantage of offering the Cine version of the Mavic 3 Pro, which offers some additional functions.

What is the difference between the Mavic 3 Pro and the Mavic 3 Pro Cine?

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine offers the following additional benefits over the standard version of the Mavic 3 Pro:

• it is equipped with a 1TB SSD hard drive (the standard version has 8GB of memory).
• it has the Apple ProRes video formats (Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 HQ and Apple ProRes 422 LT) in addition to the H264/H265 formats

Should I invest in the Cine version? If you are a professional and really need the ProRes format and more storage capacity, then probably.

That’s a big difference in price for not many advantages: when the first Mavic 3 was released, the advantage of the Cine Pack was that it allowed to get the DJI RC Pro remote control. This is no longer the case with this new Mavic 3 Pro, since it can be obtained in the DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Bundle available at 3499€.

But if you ask us, the DJI RC radio control is excellent and more than gets the job done, and with the €2099 and €2799 packages, you’ll get the same image quality at a much better price 😉

Conclusion: should you buy the DJI Mavic 3 Pro?

With the Mavic 3 Pro, DJI offers a new version of its high-end drone with a new three-camera pod featuring different focal lengths and zoom ranges. As we have seen, this design has its small flaws, but it also offers great versatility and new possibilities to videographers and content creators who will take advantage of it.

As complete as ever, with its omnidirectional obstacle detection system and its numerous functions and automated flight modes, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is a master in its field and will delight amateur and professional videographers alike, as well as anyone who wants to take aerial imaging to the next level.

Should I buy it?

If you don’t have a Mavic 3 yet and are seriously considering getting one, it all depends on your imaging needs. If you already see yourself doing some shots with the 70mm and 166mm lenses, or their zooms would be very useful for your inspection missions, then go for it.

If you just need a very good camera and the two telephoto lenses seem to be of little use or even optional, then you can even fall back on a Mavic 3 Classic. Its camera makes the same images as the main sensor of the Pro version and it will save you money.

If you already have a Mavic 3 first of the name, unless you really need this additional 70mm lens, upgrading to the Mavic 3 Pro will not be, in our opinion, essential. If this new version brings some advantages, it also has the disadvantage of putting it in the category of drones weighing more than 900 grams (in any case in Europe) and this adds the constraints of stricter regulations.

Discover our tests of the other Mavic 3 models:
➡️ Complete test of the DJI Mavic 3
➡️ Full test of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic

🛠️ For maintenance and repairs, you can find all compatible spare parts:
DJI Mavic 3 Pro spare parts