Hello there, and welcome to this evaluation and comparability of the DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional.
The Mini drones are a pilot favourite, as they need to be! They’re versatile, light-weight, moveable, and prepared for something.
DJI frequently equips them with state-of-the-art cameras and expertise to make them enjoyable and rewarding to make use of, but they’re beginner-friendly in flight and worth (nicely, more often than not).
Being caught between these drones is an unenviable place to be in, however don’t fear. I’m not going to go away you hanging. Fairly the opposite!
As a long-time Mini lover and flier, I’ve explored the Mini 3 to its fullest when it got here out, then did the identical when the Mini 3 Professional hit cabinets.
I’m right here to disclose the very best (and worst) of those drones that can assist you along with your decision-making.
This information will look at the 2 drones within the Mini 3 sequence in areas like efficiency, flight instances, cameras, video and picture high quality, and Clever Flight Options primarily based on my expertise with each drones. You’ll quickly see why I declared the Mini 3 Professional the winner.
Let’s put you on the trail towards discovering the fitting drone for you by uncovering each nook and cranny of those drones and studying what makes them tick.
You’ll really feel readier and extra assured along with your buying choice.
Transient overview
DJI Mini 3
The Mini 3 was like an early Christmas current from DJI, releasing in early December 2022.
Its low value instantly drew me to it, as did my loyal love of the Mini drones that had come earlier than this one.
The Mini 3 checks so many packing containers for what an amazing drone ought to be, particularly with its well-established and beloved predecessors.
This drone accommodates mind-bending options (particularly for its dimension!), resembling:
- Light-weight at 248 grams, permitting you to forego FAA drone registration if flying in the USA recreationally.
- The choice to increase the drone’s battery life to 44 minutes with the Clever Flight Battery Plus. Whereas this does make the drone heavier, it additionally will increase its effectivity, a should for social media stars obsessive about footage high quality and professional drone pilots making financial institution.
- Vertical Capturing, one other favourite of social media stars and influencers who solely take footage on this orientation. The Mini 3’s three-axis gimbal helps horizontal and vertical pictures.
- 4K HDR video and 48 MP picture high quality, because of the 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor. That high quality is loopy good for a drone of this worth!
- 4x zoom, so that you’re at all times near the motion, even when you’re not bodily as close to as you appear.
» MORE: DJI Mini / Mini 3 Professional – The right way to Reside Stream on YouTube (Video)
DJI Mini 3 Professional
The Mini 3 Professional got here out just a few months earlier than the Mini 3, in Could 2022, so it’s about six months older.
This drone could have the phrase Professional in its identify, however it’s not solely geared towards industrial pilots.
It’s beginner-friendly for a lot of causes, resembling its weight of below 249 grams, freedom to fold its wings, Vertical Capturing, and Clever Flight Modes.
Let’s evaluation what else acquired folks speaking about this drone a lot:
- Its nice battery proper out of the gate is actually value mentioning. The Mini 3 Professional has a baseline flight time of 34 minutes, upgradable to 47 minutes when you purchase the Clever Flight Battery Plus.
- The 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor shoots photos in 48 MP and 4K HDR video for crystal-clear readability and high quality when planning leisure and particularly industrial videography and pictures initiatives.
- Included tri-directional impediment sensing (downward, backward, and ahead) with APAS 4.0, making for safer flights and an amazing set of options for inexperienced persons.
- A set of Clever Flight Modes, together with 4x Digital Zoom, Hyperlapse, FocusTrack, Panorama, and MasterShots. These modes facilitate extra easy {and professional} flights and pictures.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional: One-12 months Evaluate (Video)
Fast verdict
Choosing between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional is like selecting a favourite baby.
Okay, so it’s not fairly that severe, however it’s undoubtedly tough, contemplating these drones are the spitting photos of each other in myriad methods.
Video high quality? Examine.
Picture high quality? Examine.
Weight? Virtually equivalent.
The checklist goes on.
Nonetheless, you’re solely searching for the very best, and that’s what we do right here at Droneblog – advocate the very best. Though it wasn’t a straightforward selection, I’m assured with what I picked.
Right here is your winner.
The DJI Mini 3 Professional edges out the Mini 3 due to its impediment avoidance system. Though it’s not essentially the most superior impediment avoidance DJI gives in drones within the early 2020s, it’s higher than the Mini 3, which has no impediment avoidance by any means, solely imaginative and prescient programs.
However to advocate the Mini 3 Professional can be to advocate the Mini 3 in a method since these drones share a lot in frequent.
And if it weren’t for the dearth of impediment detection, I really feel just like the Mini 3 might have gained this.
It’s nonetheless a nice drone when you’re not as new to flying and may confidently maneuver your method round a drone.
Nonetheless, much more skilled pilots profit from impediment avoidance.
You possibly can’t at all times see all the things round you, and realizing your drone can do this for you prevents you from needlessly spending $400+ on a substitute.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 vs. DJI Air 2S (Which One is Proper for You?)
What are the principle variations?
I like an excellent comparability, however the variations between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional are onerous to come back by, as I’m certain you’ll be able to in all probability guess.
Nonetheless, in my many hours of flight time having fun with these two drones to the fullest, I found sufficient variations to show how distinct every entry of the DJI Mini line is.
- Gimbal: DJI remade its gimbal between the discharge of the Mini 3 Professional and Mini 3. The newly improved gimbal offers low-angle videography and pictures a wider vary of rotation. It additionally helps True Vertical Capturing, however each drones have that.
- Impediment avoidance: The Mini 3 may need a downward imaginative and prescient system, however there’s a distinction between detecting obstacles and avoiding them. The Mini 3 can’t do the latter. The Mini 3 Professional has tri-directional impediment sensing by comparability. This isn’t DJI’s most refined impediment avoidance system, however it’ll do for inexperienced persons. The drone additionally has APAS 4.0 – once more, not the latest, however greater than ample.
- No MasterShots: MasterShots are one in every of DJI’s main Clever Flight Options. It’s an automatic capturing characteristic that may function in Portrait, Panorama, and Proximity modes, taking nice automated movies after you select a topic. It’s a superb characteristic, however one the Mini 3 is unfortunately lacking. It comes normal within the Mini 3 Professional.
- No FocusTrack: The Mini 3 Professional additionally has FocusTrack, a characteristic that’s conspicuous in its absence within the Mini 3. The FocusTrack suite included with the Mini 3 Professional is Level of Curiosity 3.0, Highlight 2.0, and ActiveTrack 4.0 for precisely locking onto topics.
- Richer colours: The Mini 3 Professional boasts D-Cinelike Colour to crank up the rainbow of magnificence that exists in on a regular basis life with out making your images oversaturated. This characteristic applies to your images and movies and offers them that particular one thing. Your competitor’s pictures will look boring and lifeless by comparability. Sadly, the Mini 3 doesn’t have such colour richness.
- Gradual movement: You can also’t obtain your slo-mo aspirations when flying the Mini 3. This can be a characteristic reserved for the Professional. You’ll really feel like a grasp cinematographer deciding on when to decelerate the drone versus flying it at regular velocity.
» MORE: DJI Mavic 3 Traditional vs. Mini 3 Professional (Right here’s My Alternative)
DJI Mini 3
The Mini 3 is a number one drone from DJI and one in every of its finest sellers.
Following within the proverbial footprints of the Mini 2 (you recognize, as a result of drones don’t have footsteps or toes to comply with in), the Mini 3 raised the bar in some ways, particularly picture high quality (12 MP within the Mini 2 versus 48 MP within the Mini 3).
That main picture high quality is one characteristic of many who caught my eye and impressed me to purchase the Mini 3.
Its 1.1/3-inch CMOS sensor additionally amazed me, particularly relating to pictures.
That sensor is phenomenal at daylight and nighttime pictures alike. You possibly can’t at all times legally take nighttime images, however when you can, that is the drone digital camera to have by your facet.
The diploma of element you’ll obtain by day is one thing else, and it’s all because of the digital camera’s HDR and twin native ISO.
Its four-in-one pixels don’t harm, nor does the f/1.7 aperture.
You possibly can’t alter the aperture to the identical diploma you’ll be able to different DJI drones, however it’s in a adequate spot as it’s.
The 4x zoom is a good characteristic, particularly when you’re into wildlife, actual property, or land surveying drone pictures.
Drones are already such a security profit in these conditions because you needn’t get too shut, however with 4x zoom, you’ll be able to stand even additional away and nonetheless seize immersive pictures.
The Mini 3’s refined gimbal swaps between vertical and horizontal capturing modes. In the event you’re within the influencer and social media crowd, you’ll love how one can shoot vertically.
The extra old-school of us will recognize horizontal capturing. I simply love how you are able to do each!
» MORE: The right way to Join DJI Mini 3 / Mini 3 Professional to Wi-Fi (Step by Step Information)
I do know the Mini 3 lacks the identical Clever Flight Modes the Mini 3 Professional has, which is unquestionably a bummer.
Nonetheless, it’s unfair to gloss over these it does have.
It might probably use all the fundamental QuickShots options you want, together with Rocket, Dronie, Circle, and Helix.
Every sends the Mini 3 by itself distinctive (however predictable) flight path, whether or not it ascends quickly, then descends almost as quick, or strikes circularly.
Rookies profit most from QuickShots and different automated options, as they take the problem of studying to maneuver a drone out of your arms.
You possibly can work your method as much as that time by flying, however till you are feeling like a professional, you’ll be able to look like a professional, and aren’t appears to be like all the things as of late?
QuickTransfer is DJI’s useful mode for getting your footage able to share. All of us reside on the web as of late, and with the Mini 3, you’ll be able to sustain with the competitors.
DJI Mini 3 (DJI RC)
Light-weight and Foldable Mini Digicam Drone with 4K HDR Video, 38-min Flight Time, True Vertical Capturing, and Clever Options.
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11/11/2023 03:47 pm GMT
DJI Mini 3 Professional
Though the Mini 3 Professional is the older of the 2, it’s the higher all-around drone.
With a reputation like Professional, it’s designed for a barely completely different viewers. Informal pilots and inexperienced persons can simply decide this one up, however extra skilled pilots additionally profit from this selection.
The Mini 3 Professional is just about $200 costlier than the Mini 3, but it crams in so many extra options that you just gained’t consider it doesn’t value thrice or 4 instances extra.
Sharing the identical light-weight profile because the Mini 3 (below 249 grams) and taking photos and movies in equivalent high quality, the Mini 3 Professional is something however a replica.
DJI renovated greater than its gimbal however modified the blueprint for what Mini drones would change into going ahead.
For instance, DJI reduce the majority from the Mini 3 Professional. That’s to not say the Mini 3 is heavy, however the Professional is even much less so. It’s additionally designed for higher flight security and aerodynamics.
Oh, and DJI boosted up the scale of the props to enhance efficiency, as a result of why not?
Regardless of this, the Mini 3 Professional can nonetheless fold and stow in your pocket!
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional – The right way to Manufacturing unit Reset (Step-by-Step Information)
Just like the Mini 3 after it, the Professional has the potential to shoot seamlessly by day or evening.
It guarantees to seize extra of the immersive, wealthy particulars of the world round you whereas slicing down on the noise that so usually plagues images and movies after the solar goes down.
You gained’t consider what you spent on the Mini 3 Professional, contemplating there are some cameras on the market throughout the similar worth vary that don’t excel as a lot at noise discount.
There’s far more in retailer with the Mini 3 for photographers. Its HDR and twin native ISO set the stage for the options the Mini 3 would provide.
This drone has slow-mo video, which is so cool! It experiences a video high quality discount when in that mode, swapping to 1080p at 120 frames per second, however that’s okay.
You gained’t use slow-mo your entire time you’re capturing, solely to emphasise particular moments and make your footage extra memorable.
Gradual-mo is an epic characteristic for differentiating your footage from others, whether or not you’re rising your drone enterprise or YouTube channel.
APAS 4.0 and tri-directional impediment sensing offers you peace of thoughts, particularly as a more recent pilot afraid of hitting the management stick the fallacious method and borking your drone.
Rookies additionally gained’t thoughts that this isn’t essentially the most up-to-date APAS and impediment avoidance DJI has ever launched.
Extra skilled pilots would possibly take umbrage with that, however hey, that’s what the Mini 4 Professional is for. It has omnidirectional impediment sensing.
You may also take your pictures additional with 4x digital zoom (sure, it beats the Mini 3’s zoom, though not by a lot), Hyperlapse for ultra-fast pictures and videography, three Panorama modes, and DJI’s esteemed QuickTransfer.
DJI Mini 3 Professional (DJI RC)
Light-weight and Foldable Digicam Drone
- 4K/60fps Video
- 48MP Picture
- 34-min Flight Time
- Tri-Directional Impediment Sensing, Built-in RC and display screen
We earn a fee when you make a purchase order, at no extra value to you.
11/11/2023 01:36 pm GMT
Head-to-head comparability
Digicam system
Winner: Tie
Normally, there are sufficient disparate parts between two drones to assign a winner, however not a lot on this battle of the Mini 3 versus the Mini 3 Professional.
They’ve the identical high-quality picture decision at 48 MP and promise 4K HDR video.
That picture decision is among the many finest DJI gives for its client drones and greater than lets you seize each unimaginable element for all of your drone initiatives.
The 4K HDR video is excessive for DJI drones and likewise guarantees unyielding element and high quality for increasing your portfolio.
These drones have the identical sensor dimension, horizontal and vertical capturing modes because of the mechanical three-axis gimbal, aperture dimension, and pixel assist.
I’m considering this class is a toss-up.
» MORE: Pictures with Mini 3 Professional (For Rookies)
Efficiency
Winner: DJI Mini 3 Professional
This class, alternatively, was not.
The Mini 3 Professional excels in a single main performance-driven space the Mini 3 doesn’t: impediment avoidance.
The Mini 3’s lack of an impediment avoidance system isn’t that shocking, contemplating DJI has applied this characteristic inconsistently throughout the Mini line.
Nonetheless, it feels particularly egregious for a drone touted as being so beginner-friendly. New pilots profit most from impediment avoidance, in spite of everything!
The Mini 3 Professional, alternatively, has a strong impediment avoidance system. It’s not the latest or finest from DJI, however it will get the job carried out, particularly for inexperienced persons.
These drones each have Stage 5 wind resistance, and since they weigh about the identical, I discovered that in winds of round 25 miles per hour, they nonetheless carried out unobstructed.
Nonetheless, in heavier winds, these Mini drones change into extra unstable.
The Mini 3 Professional has the sting in Clever Flight Modes, providing an expansive library of choices, from Digital Zoom to MasterShots, Hyperlapse, FocusTrack, and Panorama.
The Mini 3 has fewer.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional and How Effectively It Handles Winds
Portability
Winner: Tie
These two ultra-foldable, light-weight drones each dodge leisure registration necessities with the FAA, though you need to register them for industrial operation.
With barely a gram’s distinction in weight between them, I couldn’t assign a winner on this class both.
Nonetheless, that’s not essentially a foul factor. Whether or not you personal the Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional, you’ll be able to relaxation assured you’re touring with the most effective DJI drones for all of your private {and professional} adventures.
You’ll have a dependable drone digital camera for capturing once-in-a-lifetime reminiscences, streaming reside to your social media viewers, and modifying on the go. What might be higher?
» MORE: Drone Half 107 Vs Leisure Guidelines: Right here’s What You Want To Know
RC compatibility and flight vary
Winner: DJI Mini 3 Professional
Each drones can use the DJI RC controller or, within the case of the Mini 3 Professional, additionally the DJI RC-N1.
The DJI RC makes use of O3+ transmission for the most effective transmission programs DJI has obtainable as of this writing.
The controller weighs 390 grams, making it good to hold with the Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional for light-weight adventuring and backpacking.
It encompasses a 5.5-inch FHD display screen (non-touch) with as much as 700 nits of brightness and may function for 4 hours at a clip.
So, taking into account that these two drones use the identical distant, why did I give this class to the Mini 3 Professional?
Effectively, for one, it has extra distant controller compatibility than the OG Mini 3. It additionally has a better transmission distance, 12 kilometers versus the Mini 3’s 10 kilometers.
Is it a groundbreaking distinction?
No, and I can’t see a situation through which a social media influencer or skilled pilot would clamber for two further kilometers particularly.
That stated, the Mini 3 Professional is simply that significantly better.
Battery life
Winner: DJI Mini 3
Flight time is a serious figuring out issue when looking for any drone.
These two Mini drones are comparatively evenly matched in battery life, no less than if we examine the fundamental batteries the drones are geared up with.
The Mini 3 Professional flies for 34 minutes initially, and the Mini 3 for 38 minutes.
Nonetheless, when you improve to every drone’s respective Clever Flight Battery Plus, the Mini 3 positive aspects about 13 minutes of flight time for an general time within the sky of 51 minutes.
The Mini 3 Professional goes from 34 to 47 minutes, a 13-minute improve.
I’ve used each these drones with their normal and upgraded batteries, and so they didn’t fly precisely so long as marketed.
These numbers aren’t set in stone, and also you’ll at all times get a number of minutes much less in real-life purposes.
That stated, even flying near 50 minutes with a client DJI drone is unimaginable! You should have greater than sufficient time to deal with your workload with confidence.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 / Mini 3 Professional Battery (All You Must Know)
Conclusion
With so many similarities between the DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional, it was onerous to slim it right down to a definitive winner.
The inimitable Mini 3 Professional may need come first, however it perfects what a Mini drone of as we speak ought to be, with superior battery life, high-res imagery and videography, Clever Flight Modes, an amazing transmission vary, and impediment avoidance.
It’s not solely the best of the 2 however one in every of DJI’s general finest!
» MORE: Greatest DJI Options – What Drones Are Higher Than DJI?
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