The latest in effortless aerial excellence is coming in for a landing. Numerous upgrades to the latest member of DJI’s Mini series push it to a truly Pro level, while maintaining the critical 249g (0.328 lb) weight of its predecessors.* Could this “little dog” be the perfect companion for your imaging adventures? Read on to find out more!
Pro-level features
The most important aspect of any device designed for photography and videography is always image quality, so let’s start with the Mini 3 Pro‘s optical upgrades. First, the 12 MP 1/2.3″ sensor in the Mini 2 has been replaced with a much-more-robust 48 MP 1/1.3″ sensor. That translates to a new max video resolution of 4K 60p HDR video at 150 Mbps, which is a significant improvement over the Mini 2‘s maximum 4K 30p / 100 Mbps. (High frame-rate lovers will enjoy the 120 fps offered in full HD.) The lens gains a couple stops of sensitivity—f/1.7 vs. f/2.8—and this brighter view works in tandem with the improved, dual-native ISO range of the new sensor to provide unprecedented low-light performance.
The Mini 3 Pro offers both tried-and-true H.264 and magically compressed H.265 encoding options, as well as both “Normal” and “D-Cinelike” color modes so you can record with respect to your own personal workflow.
On the physical level, the drone has been redesigned with a lighter material and a larger, more aerodynamic body. Bigger propellers, the newly streamlined shape, and tri-directional obstacle sensing capabilities enable much longer, much safer flights. In fact, while the regular battery offers up to 34 minutes of flight time, the “Intelligent Flight Battery Plus” offers a remarkable 47 minutes! The only catch is that the larger battery pushes the Mini 3 Pro to over 250g take-off weight, which may put it into a different regulatory class.*
Innovations in creative expression
The gimbal itself has been physically redesigned to offer new creative options: tilt up for unique low-angle views, or rotate the camera by 90 degrees to capture true vertical video… no more need to sacrifice most of your image’s resolution for shareability.
More fan-favorite features from DJI’s higher-end drones are making their way to the Mini line in the 3 Pro:
- APAS 4.0 (Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems, for obstacle avoidance)**
- FocusTrack (including Spotlight 2.0, Point of Interest 3.0, and ActiveTrack 4.0)**
- MasterShots modes give you diverse, dramatic, cinematic results in seconds
- Hyperlapse
- Panorama modes (wide-angle, 180°, vertical, spherical)
- 4x digital zoom
Control + Connectedness
With such a delightful tool in hand, you’re surely going to want to keep a tight leash on it. Thankfully, the Mini 3 Pro boasts transmission range on par with any flagship model, beaming a 1080p 30fps feed up to 7.456 miles (12 km). The aircraft is compatible both with the brand new DJI RC (which is pretty cool—pictured above right) or the RC-N1 (above left), so you don’t have to pay for a new controller if you’re already using that one with a Mini 2, Mavic Air 2, Air 2S, or Mavic 3 series drone.
Footage is stored onboard using the fastest microSD you can find, and can be transferred to your mobile device for instant sharing via WiFi at up to 30 Mbps.
Availability
You’ll be able to get your very own DJI Innovations Mini 3 Pro with or without the DJI RC from a Mike’s Camera near you, or through our website at this link. (Fly More accessory kits will also be available, including three extra batteries, a multi-charger, spare parts, and a custom-fitted bag. These are highly recommended for any flyer! The Fly More kit includes regular, lighter batteries; the Fly More Plus kit includes the longer-lasting, heavier batteries.) We don’t have an exact date of arrival yet, but with the supply issues we’ve seen lately, you’re going to want to get on the list as soon as possible.
Leave a comment below or drop by anytime if you’d like to chat about what aerial photography can do for you. What are you most excited to capture?
*Many countries’ registration regulations, flight limitations, and so on apply to aircraft of 250g or greater, so a 249g drone is both legally more simple to fly and physically easier to pack and carry. Carefully consult the rules for the local jurisdiction every time before you fly to keep aerial photography safe and accessible for everyone.
**Only effective up to 2.7K resolutions.