DJI Mavic 3 Classic review: 20MP 4/3 frame Hasselblad camera and professional aerial experience

In November last year, DJI Mavic 3 drone was released, and its professional-grade aerial photography drone entered the Mavic 3 era. At the end of September this year, DJI launched two industrial drones, DJI Mavic 3E and DJI Mavic 3T, which enriched the Mavic 3 family’s product line. Recently, DJI released a consumer-grade aerial photography drone, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic. Let’s take a look at the new changes in the DJI Mavic 3 Classic launched this time.

DJI Mavic 3 Classic specs and features:

• 4/3 frame 20MP Hasselblad camera
• 5.1K 50P/4K, 120P/FHD 200P video specifications
• 15km image transmission distance, 1080P 60fps picture
• 46 minutes maximum flight time
• Support 10bit D-Log
• $1469 – Check latest price on Amazon US, Amazon Germany, other Amazon countries or AliExpress

Appearance: Consistent with the Mavic 3 series design

The design language of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is consistent with the Mavic 3 series. The biggest difference is the styling of the imaging system.

DJI Mavic 3 Classic continues the protective cover design of Mavic 3, which can protect the entire camera module, obstacle avoidance camera, and restrain propellers at the same time. With this storage protective cover, we don’t have to worry about damage even if we carry the DJI Mavic 3 Classic alone.

DJI Mavic 3 Classic still adopts the folding method, and the size control of storage is better, and it is more convenient for us to travel. After unfolding, the body of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is larger than the Air series, but thanks to its excellent configuration and aerodynamic design, the wind resistance of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is 35% lower than that of the Mavic 2 Pro. This plays a vital role in improving battery life.

Compared with the DJI Mavic 3, the biggest difference between the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is the design of the camera part. DJI Mavic 3 Classic cancels the telephoto lens, which improves the cost-effectiveness, and can better satisfy users who only want to experience the ultra-high-quality Hasselblad camera experience. The imaging system of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic uses a 20MP 4/3 CMOS sensor design, capable of recording video at up to 5.1K 50P and 4K 120P. Native 12.8 stops of dynamic range, support for Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) and 10bit D-Log.

The cooling system of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic

In order to achieve a better flying and aerial photography experience, DJI Mavic 3 Classic provides a lot of thermal design. There are larger air intakes and heat sink designs at the head and tail at the top of the fuselage. In particular, the design of the large-area heat dissipation area at the bottom of the fuselage can better help the drone to cool down during operation.

The DJI Mavic 3 Classic also provides safety propellers, consistent with the Mavic 3 series. Different from the previous drone propellers, the safety propellers are designed with plastic material at the end (the orange part), that is, the end of the propellers is soft. DJI concluded through experiments that during flight, even if safe propellers swipe through objects, they generally only leave scratches, and will not directly split. But even so, it is not recommended that you try it.

The card slot and interface of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic are designed above the battery with a protective cover. DJI Mavic 3 Classic adopts USB-C interface and supports TF card (Micro SD card). At the same time, the drone itself has 8GB of body memory for emergency use.

Imaging System: 4/3 frame Hasselblad camera is very powerful

DJI Mavic 3 Classic inherits the design of this series of 4/3 frame Hasselblad camera, 20 million pixels, equivalent to 24mm focal length, aperture range F2.8-F11. 4/3 frame is what we often call M4/3 frame, However, in order to adapt to the take-off weight and size requirements of the drone, a new design was jointly developed by DJI and Hasselblad. That is to say, this lightweight and compact drone lens can not only meet the image quality and resolution requirements of the 4/3 frame, but also meet the size, weight and power consumption requirements of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic.

The 4/3 frame is currently the largest sensor size for consumer drones. With the blessing of a large CMOS sensor, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic can bring very good photography and video capabilities. Not only the dynamic range performance is better, but the color performance and resolution are also better. At the same time, in the dark light environment, the 4/3 frame can bring better noise suppression effect, so that our dark light video picture can be more pure. The newly added night scene video, constant speed cruise and other functions can better serve users, so that users who have just entered photography can easily complete the shooting of various styles of video.

The video specifications of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic also inherit the strength of the Mavic 3 series, supporting up to 5.1K 50P and 4K 120P slow-motion video capture. The DJI Mavic 3 Classic supports 10 bit D-Log, which provides the basis for our post and grading space. Support for Hasselblad Natural Color Solutions (HNCS) adds to the color effects it presents.

In terms of focusing, the experience effect of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is the same as that of the DJI Mavic 3. The focusing experience feels great, as if we were using the camera’s focusing system. For users, the focusing can be handed over to the DJI Mavic 3 Classic with more confidence.

In the photo section, you can see that the performance of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is still remarkable. After all, it is a 20MP M4/3 camera that can fly. 20MP is close to the mainstream pixel specifications of the current camera, so the photos brought by the DJI Mavic 3 Classic have delicate resolution performance, which can present the details clearly and completely. The 12-bit RAW format file provides us with a very large space for post-production, which can make the photos more professionally improved. And the drone also supports the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS), the performance of the original JPG image is not bad.

Obstacle Avoidance: Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance allows you to fly with confidence

When the DJI Mavic 3 was launched, an upgrade that surprised users was its obstacle avoidance system, and the DJI Mavic 3 Classic also fully inherited this obstacle avoidance capability. In other words, DJI Mavic 3 Classic supports omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, which is the best performance of consumer drones in obstacle avoidance. What is omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, that is, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic can perceive a 360° spherical range around it. We often say up, down, front, back, left and right, these directions can achieve obstacle avoidance.

Front, top and rear obstacle avoidance vision sensors for DJI Mavic 3 Classic

DJI Mavic 3 Classic’s downward vision obstacle avoidance sensor, ToF ranging sensor and fill light

DJI Mavic 3 Classic is designed with 8 visual sensors. Among them, there are two fisheye cameras in the front, rear and bottom, which provide a 185° viewing angle and can cover a wider viewing area. There are also two wide-angle cameras at the top of the fuselage, and a ToF ranging sensor and fill light below. These designs combine to provide powerful hardware support for obstacle avoidance vision.

On the software side, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic supports the APAS 5.0 obstacle avoidance system. Thanks to the improvement of the system algorithm, it can assist the DJI Mavic 3 Classic to avoid obstacles faster, more dexterously, and more intelligently, and ensure the safe flight and aerial photography of the drone. When flying, DJI Mavic 3 Classic can recognize obstacles and avoid obstacles by itself, even if it only performs the operation of letting the drone fly forward. We can choose emergency stop or detour in the menu. Detours can be safe or radical, and have achieved different effects. The drone will take corresponding measures to avoid obstacles according to our choices.

With excellent obstacle avoidance ability, it can bring users excellent intelligent following ability. When we are outdoors, whether we let the DJI Mavic 3 Classic follow us to walk, run or shoot, or follow us to ride or drive, we all need the drone’s strong following ability and obstacle avoidance ability to work together. The overall performance of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is excellent. Because its obstacle avoidance system is smarter, it will have better path planning when following, and at the same time, the ability to recognize is more stable, and it can keep up and follow well.

Return: Advanced intelligent return to home with high efficiency

The DJI Mavic 3 Classic also has an advanced smart return function. In the past, the drone’s return home was very unintelligent. It needed to fly to a preset altitude, then fly back to the take-off point, and then descend. If you encounter a tall obstacle in the middle, you need to continue to climb the height and then cross the obstacle, which is time-consuming and power-consuming. Therefore, when we experience aerial photography, we will reserve enough power for the drone for return flight. In this way, our experience time of aerial photography and flying will be greatly reduced.

The DJI Mavic 3 Classic return capability is more intelligent, fully inheriting the new skills of the Mavic 3 series. During the flight, the visual processing engine of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic can scan the surrounding environment in real time to build a three-dimensional environment map. In this way, when returning home, the drone will find a safe and efficient path to return by itself.

If it is returning to the field, the performance of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is not particularly outstanding. After all, there are not too many obstacles in the field to prevent us from returning. If you are returning in a city, especially in a city with many high-rise buildings, the smart return performance of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic can be shown. When encountering a tall obstacle, the drone does not climb or leap, but cleverly bypasses the obstacle and continues to return. This can save a lot of time and power when returning, allowing us more time to experience flying and aerial photography.

Image Transmission: The picture is clear and stable

What I reviewed this time is the DJI Mavic 3 Classic RC remote control version, which means that I got the remote control version with the screen. But whether it is the DJI RC with a screen remote control or the DJI RC-N1 remote control without a screen, both have the same image transmission capabilities. DJI Mavic 3 Classic supports DJI O3+ image transmission, which can support up to 15KM image transmission distance, and the transmitted picture reaches 1080P 60fps.

The DJI RC remote is equipped with a 5.5-inch full HD touch screen, and the feedback response of the touch screen operation is almost indistinguishable from that of a smartphone. The remote screen has a peak brightness of 700 nits and provides 4 hours of battery life, and the remote itself supports 15W wired charging, which takes 1.5 hours to fully charge. The joystick for flight control can be stored on the back of the remote control, and there are two physical shortcuts C1 and C2 on the back for custom shooting.

With this image transmission system, our daily experience of using DJI Mavic 3 Classic is directly improved. The first is the improvement of image transmission picture. The 1080P 60fps picture is not only clear but also very smooth, which allows us to better view the flight picture, control the composition and flight. Although it is impossible to reach a distance of 15 kilometers in the city due to serious interference, the image transmission system is still very stable and can ensure our safe flight experience. Even if the connection is disconnected, the aircraft can return to home intelligently, so don’t worry too much.

Battery Life: 46 minutes for aerial photography

The battery of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is the same as the Mavic 3, with a capacity of 5000mAh, 77Wh, and a voltage of 15.4V. The battery offers a maximum battery life of 46 minutes and a maximum range of up to 30KM. In addition, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is equipped with a GaN fast charger with a power of 65W and is compatible with the PD protocol. In addition to charging the battery of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic, it can also charge devices such as laptops, cameras, and more.

The battery life of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is also 46 minutes, which is consistent with the Mavic 3 series. The DJI Mavic 3 Classic (RC remote version) I got will have a battery in it itself, as well as 2 extra batteries in the battery pack and a charging butler. This ensures that we have a super long flight experience and aerial photography time. The 46-minute battery life ranks second among the current DJI consumer drones, and the first is the 47-minute battery life of the DJI Mini 3 Pro with the long-life battery version.

The average battery life of DJI’s previous consumer drones is around 31 minutes. Assuming we fly for 31 minutes, excluding the time for takeoff, composition and adjustment, which is about 10 minutes, and excluding the return time of about 6 minutes, our actual shooting time is only 15 minutes. The battery life of the DJI Mavic 3 Classic is 46 minutes, so the actual shooting time can reach 30 minutes.

Conclusion: Cost-effective flagship consumer drone

DJI Mavic 3 Classic has the same flight ability, obstacle avoidance ability, image transmission ability, endurance ability, etc. as the consumer-grade flagship drone DJI Mavic 3. At the same time, it also has a 4/3 frame Hasselblad camera, providing professional-grade Imaging capabilities, the only difference is the telephoto camera. Of course, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic also has many functions for users, such as time-lapse photography, focus tracking, and more.

Compared with the current DJI Mavic 2 Pro and DJI Air 2S, the DJI Mavic 3 Classic has flagship flight and aerial photography capabilities, which can be described as a comprehensive upgrade. At the same time, it has high cost performance and can fully meet the upgrade needs of users. In addition, based on the functions of the Mavic 3 series, DJI Mavic 3 Classic also adds functions such as cruise control and night scene video, allowing users to achieve more diverse creations.

Check the DJI Mavic 3 Classic price:

• Check latest price on AliExpress
• Check latest price on Amazon US
• Check latest price on Amazon Germany
• Check latest price on other Amazon countries