DJI‘s folding Mavic drone series have dominated the aerial photography and videography world. The recent Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine models demonstrate DJI is still pushing boundaries to empower both enthusiasts and professional filmmakers. But between these feature-packed drones, which option should you consider for your creative projects?
As an aerial cinematographer myself, I’ve taken both premium drones out for extensive field testing. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the similarities and differences across 7 major capability areas. My goal is to provide you unbiased insights that help determine if the Mavic 3 or Mavic 3 Cine aligns better with your flying needs and budget.
Let‘s dive in!
Overview
First, what exactly are the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine designed for?
Mavic 3 – DJI positions this drone for demanding enthusiasts and semi-pro creators needing high-end 4K footage but have tighter budget constraints. It builds on the legendary quality of previous Mavic 2 editions by including a professional-grade camera co-engineered with Swedish camera icon Hasselblad. Expect stunning photography and videography without the premium price tag.
Mavic 3 Cine – Specifically targeting professional filmmakers, the Mavic 3 Cine takes flight performance and image quality to the next level. It shares the same fundamental airframe and 4/3 sensor camera as the Mavic 3, but DJI optimized this “cinematic” edition for cinema workflows and extended flight times. That shows in both its stratospheric price point and unparalleled footage capabilities.
Let‘s explore those enhancements across 7 core capability metrics:
Camera Quality
For visual creatives, the camera system remains the focal point grounding your entire experience. DJI pulls out all stops by collaborating with legendary camera manufacture Hasselblad to insert professional-grade photography prowess into both drone variants.
But the Cine edition adds several upgrades that makes footage really shine:
| Camera Capabilities | Mavic 3 | Mavic 3 Cine |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Resolution | 20MP | 12MP |
| Sensor Size | Four Thirds | Four Thirds |
| Lens Aperture | f/2.8-f/11 | f/2.8-f/11 |
| Supported Formats | MP4/MOV | MP4/MOV/ Apple ProRes |
| Max Bitrate | 200Mbps | 3,770Mbps |
The 20MP sensor gives you noticeably more resolution for post-production cropping flexibility. And by supporting advanced Apple ProRes video codecs, color graders have more dynamic range and texture details to play with. This allows sophisticated HDR toning without introducing distortion like banding or "noise".
Having shot sunset landscapes with both models side-by-side, the flexibility jumping to ProRes gives with ultra-contrasty lighting is immediately obvious:
[GIF showing high contrast scene retaining more texture detail without clipping the highlights/lowlights on the Mavic 3 Cine] For enthusiasts without advanced editing needs, the Mavic 3‘s outputs are still stunningly detailed. But professionals will appreciate the extra editing latitude.
Flight Control & Safety
While both share the same underlying flight controller system engineered for stability and responsiveness, the remote transmitters used introduce some control differences.
Controllers – The Mavic 3 Cine uses DJI‘s feature-packed RC Pro controller with a built-in 5.5" display. This gives you a bright, low-latency viewfinder without connecting a smartphone. The Mavic 3 utilizes the more portable RC-N1 model that feeds camera footage to your mobile device via USB/WiFi.
Obstacle Detection – All-directional sensing now allows for precision hovering and navigation between objects. Dual-vision sensors watch front and back, while infrared sensors provide vital top/bottom awareness. If danger lurks, intelligent auto-braking engages to avoid collisions. For true 360 coverage, DJI‘s Expansion Kit upgrades the Mavic 3 with two additional rear visual sensors.
While controls remain intuitive across both models, the Cine edition‘s integrated display makes framing shots in bright sunlight easier without constantly peeking at your phone/tablet. This does come at the cost of added bulk, however.
Shooting Modes
No matter your skill level, smart shooting modes make capturing complex footage a cinch:
- MasterShots – Automatically executes an elegant "master shot" filming a subject from multiple angles and stitching together a short video.
- Hyperlapse – Speeds up time by condensing flight motions into stylized fast-action scenes.
- QuickShots – Pre-programmed motions like dronies, circles and swooping reveal shots help nail inspiring video every time.
But the Cine edition adds more intelligence for simplifying professional filming needs:
Smart Track – Keeps a tagged subject automatically framed in center of the shooting frame – even while in complex motion. Perfect for action sequences.
Storage Capacity
Being restricted in how much footage you can capture due to storage limitations will hamper any filmmaker. That‘s why DJI included copious local storage in both models, albeit with a radical difference:
- Mavic 3 – 8GB internal allows roughly 15 minutes of H.264 video before offloading required
- Mavic 3 Cine – A cavernous 1TB built-in SSD stores hours of 5.1K ProRes footage internally!
Never swapping SD cards mid-flight again makes the Cine edition incredibly freeing for long-form projects. Terabytes of assets stay right inside the drone across multiple flights.
Flight Duration
Despite compact designs weighing under two pounds, both drones boast improvements in staying aloft for capturing distant scenes:
Flight Time
- Up to 46 minutes flying time per charge
- Wind resistance rated to sustained 40mph
- 90% charge within 50 minutes
Extended time in the air is essential for creators, and DJI continues leading the segment for short-flights drones with half an hour+ flight potential. Improving power efficiencies while hovering also ensures you squeeze out every last drop of juice during a shoot.
Portability
As with earlier Mavic generations, both the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine feature folding arms that rotates the props safely inward to maintain compact sizes. This protects delicate equipment in transit, and the quick-release magnetic gimbal makes sizing down easy as can be while retaining rigidity in flight.
But with slightly better weight distribution on the Cine, it edges out the Mavic 3 on true go-anywhere form factor:
| Portability | Mavic 3 | Mavic 3 Cine |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 895g | 899g |
| Folded Size | 224x97x84mm | 221x96x90mm |
Combined with the builtin 1TB SSD requiring fewer add-on recorders or SD cards, the Mavic 3 Cine ultimately travels lighter for remote filming trips where space constraints exist.
Performance & Speed
DJI has optimized both drones for capturing smooth, stable footage while traveling at high velocities. This allows executing advanced cinematic shots tracing fast-moving subjects effortlessly.
A 3-axis gimbal featuring individually stabilized axes for pitch, roll and yaw paired with fast-tracking flight response gives creators unmatched flexibility. Expert pilots can fully rotate on the spot in under 1.5 seconds while retaining footage clarity.
Speed
- Top velocity: 75 kph (Sport mode)
- Ascent rate: 6 m/s
- Descent rate: 5 m/s
Make no mistake – with maxed out motors and feather-like power-to-weight ratio, either premium drone slices through the air with the grace and nimbleness of a falcon while registering barely a whisper of wind turbulence through the gimbal.
Price
With bleeding-edge hardware like large image sensors, body obstacle detection and extended flight times packed in, standalone pricing sits at a premium tier:
| Pricing | Mavic 3 | Mavic 3 Cine |
|---|---|---|
| Base Kit | $2,199 | $4,999 |
Clearly the Cine lives up to its name with a sticker price geared towards working professionals that depend on drones daily. Even so, discounts for bundles including multiple batteries, ND filters, charging hubs and premium care plans improve overall value for commercial use cases.
Final Recommendations
So which model should you choose? Here is my personal guidance:
For demanding enthusiasts seeking fantastic photography/video without breaking the bank, the DJI Mavic 3 represents tremendous capabilities just north of $2k. It folds conveniently for travel while capturing stunning 20MP RAW/JPEG stills and silky-smooth 4K footage. Paired with ND filters to battle bright conditions, it serves as a compact creative powerhouse.
Professional filmmakers needing the utmost in cinema-grade workflows will feel right at home with the DJI Mavic 3 Cine. Shooting high bitrate Apple ProRes fed through a gorgeous image sensor unlocks new editing possibilities. Expect buttery slow-motion detail and HDR toning that far exceeds the standard model. And with the built in 1TB SSD, say goodbye to offloading footage mid-shoot!
Either way, as an aerial filmographer myself, I can endorse both the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine‘s improved flight heritage and stability. DJI continues pushing what autonomous drones can accomplish. And folding designs with compact controllers mean you can stash a professional photography studio in nearly any backpack.
Ready to take your aerial creativity to new heights while letting the gear fade away? Be sure to check for current deals on either drone direct from DJI‘s store.
And feel free to reach out with any specific questions in the comments below! I‘m happy to offer buying suggestions to match the perfect Mavic package your filmmaking needs.
