DJI Mavic 3 Cine Review: The best drone for videography pros
March 17th, 2023
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If you want professional drone footage, you need the best equipment. And the DJI Mavic 3 drone is in a class all its own.
We reach for this workhorse drone with almost all of our drone projects. If you’re wondering why this drone is our go-to for our drone aerial projects, find key information and specs on the DJI Mavic 3 in the video below — and learn why it's one of the best drones for video and photography.
Mavic 3 Specs
Released in November 2021, the DJI Mavic 3 takes the key features of its predecessors and improves on them.
For example, with the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, you had to choose between either a Hasselblad or zoom camera. The Mavic 3 gives you both options with an integrated dual-camera system (although, we almost exclusively use the Hasselblad system.) You can shoot 5.1k footage at 24,30, or 60 fps and get absolutely stunning aerial shots, further solidifying itself as one of the best drones for video.
The Hasselblad camera also features:
20MP Photos
12.8 Stops Dyamic Range
f/2.8-f/11 Adjustable Aperture
24mm Equivalent Focal Length
VDAF(Vision Detection Auto Focus Technology)
10-bit D-Log color profile that can capture up to 1 billion colors.
Yet despite its powerful hardware, this drone is also deceptively small — it measures 3.6 by 3.8 by 8.4 inches and only weighs about 2 pounds. For comparison, the DJI Inspire 2 drone (another go-to in our fleet) weighs 7.58 pounds.
The smaller size of the Mavic drone makes it super portable and easy for a single pilot to handle. It also includes several bonus features, like the ability to fly in any direction without having to press the control sticks constantly.
It also has a max transmission range of 15 km and can provide live footage in 1080p/60fps, so you can see what you’re doing in HD.
Other Mavic 3 Advantages
Maneuverability
Since this drone is super light and maneuverable, it's perfect for filming in small spaces that bigger drones can’t reach. The Mavic 3 also has a 4-directional obstacle avoidance system. Meaning, it can sense obstacles from all sides and plot a flight path around them.
All these features came in handy during one of our recent jobs when we filmed scenes in a university’s interior. We were able to easily navigate the tight indoor spaces without worrying about colliding with the architecture — and capture some cool footage while we were at it.
Long flight time
Most commercially available drones can handle around 30 minutes of uninterrupted flight time. However, the Mavic 3 can last for around 45 minutes without wind.
While we don’t often get the full flight time due to the windy conditions in Rhode Island, it still gives us plenty of time in the air. Plus, the secondary camera is great for plotting different angles or flight paths with ease. We've been able to take great shots over Block Island with this drone.
Great for steady shots
Speaking of wind, we find that the Mavic 3 can hold steady in the gusts or windy conditions we often encounter here in RI. The three-axis gimbal camera mount helps to keep the lens level while filming landscape shots or overheads. Plus, the recent tripod mode firmware update provides an extra level of smoothness.
Awesome for night filming
If we need to film shots at night, we’ll reach for the Mavic 3 to do the job.
The Hasselblad camera sports a Micro four-thirds (MFD) sensor that performs well in low light. Plus, the night mode firmware update helps when we need to film later in the day or during less-than-optimal lighting conditions.
Mavic 3 Price
The Mavic 3 has two versions, the standard and cine.
The standard model currently retails for $2,049 on the DJI Mavic website and comes with:
1 DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller
1 Pair of Spare DJI RC-N1 Control Stick
USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB Connectors
1 DJI Flight Battery
1 Pair of Low-Noise Propellers
1 DJI 65W Portable Charger
1 Storage Cove
The Mavic 3 Cine comes with everything that the standard model does, plus a few bonus features for professionals —- like support for Apple ProRes 422 HQ. ProRes helps protects the quality of your footage while still compressing it. Meaning, it allows you to capture a maximum amount of detail without overly straining your CPU while editing.
It also comes with an additional 1 terabyte of internal storage, compared to only 8 GB of internal storage on the standard version.
These bonus features drive the price of the cine up to $4,999. But we found the bonus features well worth the investment for the footage we can give our clients.
Conclusion
The Mavic 3’s is by far one of the best drones for videography and photography on the market today. Its small size, maneuverability, and dual-camera system make it a powerful workhorse for filming.
Due to its steep price tag, it may not be the best drone for beginners, however, if you’re a professional (or aspiring pro) looking to upgrade your film reel, we highly recommend adding this DJI drone to your fleet.
Need Drone Photography In Rhode Island?
Want pro footage shot on a Mavic 3 for your next video project? Here at McVeigh Media, we combine over 25 years of experience in the film industry with the top quality footage of the Mavic 3 Cine — and the other premium drones in our fleet, like the DJI Inspire 2.
Plus, not only can we help you capture professional cinematic footage for your next project, but we could also help you edit and market it. Contact us today to learn how we can take your next video project to new heights.
Posted by Sean McVeigh
Sean McVeigh is an award-winning filmmaker and producer with over 25 years of experience. Sean’s work as a cinematographer and editor has been viewed on many of the major TV networks including NBC, ESPN, and the BBC. He has also worked with iconic brands like Apple, GE, Jaguar, Amtrak, US National Parks Services, and AAA.
