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, transportable, and prepared for something.
DJI regularly equips them with state-of-the-art cameras and know-how to make them enjoyable and rewarding to make use of, but they’re beginner-friendly in flight and worth (properly, 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 one of the 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 occasions, cameras, video and picture high quality, and Clever Flight Options based mostly 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 appropriate 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 awesome drone ought to be, particularly with its well-established and beloved predecessors.
This drone incorporates mind-bending options (particularly for its dimension!), corresponding to:
Light-weight at 248 grams, permitting you to forego FAA drone registration if flying in america 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 photographs.
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 in case you’re not bodily as close to as you appear.
» MORE: DJI Mini / Mini 3 Professional – Methods to Reside Stream on YouTube (Video)
DJI Mini 3 Professional
The Mini 3 Professional got here out a couple of 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 title, nevertheless it’s not solely geared towards industrial pilots.
It’s beginner-friendly for a lot of causes, corresponding to its weight of below 249 grams, freedom to fold its wings, Vertical Capturing, and Clever Flight Modes.
Let’s evaluation what else bought individuals speaking about this drone a lot:
Its nice battery proper out of the gate is actually price mentioning. The Mini 3 Professional has a baseline flight time of 34 minutes, upgradable to 47 minutes in case you purchase the Clever Flight Battery Plus.
The 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor shoots photographs in 48 MP and 4K HDR video for crystal-clear readability and high quality when planning leisure and particularly industrial videography and pictures tasks.
Included tri-directional impediment sensing (downward, backward, and ahead) with APAS 4.0, making for safer flights and an awesome set of options for rookies.
A collection of Clever Flight Modes, together with 4x Digital Zoom, Hyperlapse, FocusTrack, Panorama, and MasterShots. These modes facilitate extra easy {and professional} flights and photographs.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional: One-12 months Overview (Video)
Fast verdict
Selecting between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional is like selecting a favourite youngster.
Okay, so it’s not fairly that critical, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly troublesome, contemplating these drones are the spitting photographs of each other in myriad methods.
Video high quality? Examine.
Picture high quality? Examine.
Weight? Virtually similar.
The record goes on.
Nevertheless, you’re solely searching for one of the best, and that’s what we do right here at Droneblog – advocate one of the best. Though it wasn’t a straightforward alternative, 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 probably the most superior impediment avoidance DJI provides in drones within the early 2020s, it’s higher than the Mini 3, which has no impediment avoidance in any respect, solely imaginative and prescient programs.
However to advocate the Mini 3 Professional can be to advocate the Mini 3 in a manner since these drones share a lot in widespread.
And if it weren’t for the dearth of impediment detection, I really feel just like the Mini 3 may have gained this.
It’s nonetheless a superb drone in case you’re not as new to flying and may confidently maneuver your manner round a drone.
Nevertheless, much more skilled pilots profit from impediment avoidance.
You may’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 alternative.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 vs. DJI Air 2S (Which One is Proper for You?)
What are the principle variations?
I really like a very good comparability, however the variations between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional are exhausting to come back by, as I’m certain you’ll be able to most likely guess.
Nevertheless, 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 might need a downward imaginative and prescient system, however there’s a distinction between detecting obstacles and avoiding them. The Mini 3 can not do the latter. The Mini 3 Professional has tri-directional impediment sensing by comparability. This isn’t DJI’s most subtle impediment avoidance system, nevertheless it’ll do for rookies. The drone additionally has APAS 4.0 – once more, not the most recent, however greater than enough.
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 wonderful characteristic, however one the Mini 3 is unfortunately lacking. It comes customary 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 Shade 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 photographs will look boring and lifeless by comparability. Sadly, the Mini 3 doesn’t have such colour richness.
Sluggish movement: You can also’t obtain your slo-mo aspirations when flying the Mini 3. It is a characteristic reserved for the Professional. You’ll really feel like a grasp cinematographer choosing when to decelerate the drone versus flying it at regular velocity.
» MORE: DJI Mavic 3 Basic 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 greatest sellers.
Following within the proverbial footprints of the Mini 2 (you recognize, as a result of drones don’t have footsteps or toes to observe 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 in terms of pictures.
That sensor is phenomenal at daylight and nighttime pictures alike. You may’t at all times legally take nighttime images, however in case 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 as a result of digital camera’s HDR and twin native ISO.
Its four-in-one pixels don’t harm, nor does the f/1.7 aperture.
You may’t regulate the aperture to the identical diploma you’ll be able to different DJI drones, nevertheless it’s in a adequate spot as it’s.
The 4x zoom is a good characteristic, particularly in case 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 photographs.
The Mini 3’s subtle gimbal swaps between vertical and horizontal capturing modes. For those who’re within the influencer and social media crowd, you’ll love how one can shoot vertically.
The extra old-school of us will admire horizontal capturing. I simply love how you are able to do each!
» MORE: Methods 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 certainly a bummer.
Nevertheless, it’s unfair to gloss over these it does have.
It could actually use all the essential 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 practically as quick, or strikes circularly.
Freshmen profit most from QuickShots and different automated options, as they take the issue of studying to maneuver a drone out of your arms.
You may work your manner as much as that time by flying, however till you are feeling like a professional, you’ll be able to appear like a professional, and aren’t seems to be all the things nowadays?
QuickTransfer is DJI’s useful mode for getting your footage able to share. All of us reside on the web nowadays, and with the Mini 3, you’ll be able to sustain with the competitors.
DJI Mini 3 (DJI RC)
Light-weight and Foldable Mini Digital camera 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 totally different viewers. Informal pilots and rookies can simply choose this one up, however extra skilled pilots additionally profit from this alternative.
The Mini 3 Professional is simply about $200 costlier than the Mini 3, but it crams in so many extra options that you just gained’t imagine it doesn’t value thrice or 4 occasions extra.
Sharing the identical light-weight profile because the Mini 3 (below 249 grams) and taking photographs and movies in similar high quality, the Mini 3 Professional is something however a duplicate.
DJI renovated greater than its gimbal however modified the blueprint for what Mini drones would change into going ahead.
For instance, DJI minimize 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 reinforce 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 – Methods to Manufacturing unit Reset (Step-by-Step Information)
Just like the Mini 3 after it, the Professional has the aptitude to shoot seamlessly by day or night time.
It guarantees to seize extra of the immersive, wealthy particulars of the world round you whereas reducing down on the noise that so typically plagues images and movies after the solar goes down.
You gained’t imagine what you spent on the Mini 3 Professional, contemplating there are some cameras on the market inside 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 the complete time you’re capturing, solely to emphasise particular moments and make your footage extra memorable.
Sluggish-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 moderen pilot afraid of hitting the management stick the flawed manner and borking your drone.
Freshmen additionally gained’t thoughts that this isn’t probably 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.
It’s also possible to take your photographs 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.
Head-to-head comparability
Digital camera 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 greatest DJI provides for its shopper drones and greater than permits you to seize each unimaginable element for all of your drone tasks.
The 4K HDR video is excessive for DJI drones and in addition guarantees unyielding element and high quality for increasing your portfolio.
These drones have the identical sensor dimension, horizontal and vertical capturing modes as a result of mechanical three-axis gimbal, aperture dimension, and pixel help.
I’m pondering this class is a toss-up.
» MORE: Images with Mini 3 Professional (For Freshmen)
Efficiency
Winner: DJI Mini 3 Professional
This class, however, 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.
Nevertheless, 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, however, has a strong impediment avoidance system. It’s not the most recent or greatest from DJI, nevertheless it will get the job achieved, particularly for rookies.
These drones each have Degree 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.
Nevertheless, 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.
Nevertheless, 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 among the finest 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?
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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 among the finest 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 incorporates 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 larger transmission distance, 12 kilometers versus the Mini 3’s 10 kilometers.
Is it a groundbreaking distinction?
No, and I can’t see a state of affairs wherein a social media influencer or skilled pilot would clamber for two further kilometers particularly.
That mentioned, the Mini 3 Professional is simply that a lot better.
Battery life
Winner: DJI Mini 3
Flight time is a serious figuring out issue when searching for any drone.
These two Mini drones are comparatively evenly matched in battery life, at the least if we examine the essential batteries the drones are outfitted with.
The Mini 3 Professional flies for 34 minutes initially, and the Mini 3 for 38 minutes.
Nevertheless, in case you improve to every drone’s respective Clever Flight Battery Plus, the Mini 3 good points 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 customary 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 functions.
That mentioned, even flying near 50 minutes with a shopper DJI drone is unimaginable! You’ll have greater than sufficient time to sort out your workload with confidence.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 / Mini 3 Professional Battery (All You Have to Know)
Conclusion
With so many similarities between the DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional, it was exhausting to slender it right down to a definitive winner.
The inimitable Mini 3 Professional might need come first, nevertheless it perfects what a Mini drone of at present ought to be, with superior battery life, high-res imagery and videography, Clever Flight Modes, an awesome transmission vary, and impediment avoidance.
It’s not solely the best of the 2 however one in every of DJI’s general greatest!
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