DJI Announces Mavic 3 Drone with 4/3" Hasselblad Camera

DJI just unveiled its latest flagship drone, the highly anticipated Mavic 3. Credited with putting “Imaging Above Everything,” the Mavic 3 features a dual-camera setup that includes a massive 20MP 4/3" Hasselblad sensor capable of shooting up to 5.1K video, as well as a 12MP tele lens that shoots 4K video and offers up to 4x digital zoom. Those impressive camera stats, combined with an overabundance of flight features and modes, hint that DJI’s newest flagship might just be the greatest prosumer drone ever made.

One Drone, Two Models

Like its predecessor, the Mavic 2, the new Mavic 3 comes in two different flavors: a base model and a “Cine” version. However, unlike the Mavic 2, which made users choose between two distinct models, the differences between the Mavic 3 variants aren’t nearly as dramatic—no flight FOMO here. In fact, the only conspicuous distinctions between the two models are that the Cine supports an additional video format, Apple ProRes 422 HQ, and comes with 1TB of internal storage, versus the base model’s 8GB.

Imaging Above Everything

Although the Mavic 3 boasts some of the most impressive performance specs we’ve ever seen in a consumer flyer, there’s no question its most eye-catching feature is the camera. Sorry, make that cameras—plural. The Mavic 3 is the first Mavic drone to feature not one, but two cameras. The primary shooter is a 20MP 4/3" Hasselblad sensor, with an adjustable aperture and the ability to capture video up to 5.1K/50 fps. The secondary camera is a 12MP telephoto that shoots in 4K/30 fps and supports up to 4x digital zoom and 28x “hybrid” zoom.

Now, the fact that the Mavic 3 features two cameras instead of one is a big bombshell. However, what really has us excited is the size of the Mavic 3’s primary sensor. In 2018, when we first tried the Mavic 2 Pro, we were blown away by the footage we captured using its excellent 1" CMOS sensor. The Mavic 3’s 4/3" CMOS is bigger and presumably better—a prospect that has us dying to test it.

The Better You Look, the More You See

Along with the new camera setup, the Mavic 3 also features several software and design enhancements that boost its performance capabilities across the board. Included in those enhancements is the Mavic 3’s omnidirectional sensor array, which allows the Mavic 3 to see its environment better and ensure a collision- and crash-free flight—even in environments with lots of obstacles.

Speaking of improved vision: the Mavic 3 is the first DJI drone to feature a 1080p/60 fps live feed—meaning what you see on your display is nearly identical to what the Mavic 3 records in real time.

And So Much More

The Mavic 3’s long list of flagship-worthy features doesn’t stop with its camera or vision sensor array. Additional standout features, such as an extended 46-minute flight time and nearly 10-mile video transmission range, all but guarantee the Mavic 3 will soon take over as the world’s preëminent RC plane.

You can pre-order the base model and the Cine version of the Mavic 3, along with all of the Mavic 3’s flagship-worthy accessories, at B&H.

Questions or comments about the new Mavic 3? Let us know in the Comments section, below.