Hello there, and welcome to this assessment 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 frequently equips them with state-of-the-art cameras and expertise 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 depart 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 will help you along with your decision-making.
This information will look at the 2 drones within the Mini 3 collection in areas like efficiency, flight instances, 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 correct 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.
Temporary 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 bins for what an ideal drone must be, particularly with its well-established and beloved predecessors.
This drone incorporates mind-bending options (particularly for its dimension!), equivalent 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 Taking pictures, 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, due to 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 all the time near the motion, even should you’re not bodily as close to as you appear.
» MORE: DJI Mini / Mini 3 Professional – Methods to Dwell Stream on YouTube (Video)
DJI Mini 3 Professional
The Mini 3 Professional got here out a number of months earlier than the Mini 3, in Might 2022, so it’s about six months older.
This drone could have the phrase Professional in its identify, nevertheless it’s not solely geared towards business pilots.
It’s beginner-friendly for a lot of causes, equivalent to its weight of below 249 grams, freedom to fold its wings, Vertical Taking pictures, and Clever Flight Modes.
Let’s assessment what else bought individuals speaking about this drone a lot:
- Its nice battery proper out of the gate is actually value mentioning. The Mini 3 Professional has a baseline flight time of 34 minutes, upgradable to 47 minutes should 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 business videography and pictures tasks.
- Included tri-directional impediment sensing (downward, backward, and ahead) with APAS 4.0, making for safer flights and an ideal set of options for newcomers.
- A set 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-Yr Overview (Video)
Fast verdict
Choosing between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional is like selecting a favourite little one.
Okay, so it’s not fairly that critical, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly tough, contemplating these drones are the spitting photographs of each other in myriad methods.
Video high quality? Test.
Picture high quality? Test.
Weight? Virtually an identical.
The record goes on.
Nevertheless, you’re solely in search of one of the best, and that’s what we do right here at Droneblog – advocate one of the best. Though it wasn’t a simple 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 essentially 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 also be to advocate the Mini 3 in a means since these drones share a lot in widespread.
And if it weren’t for the shortage of impediment detection, I really feel just like the Mini 3 might have received this.
It’s nonetheless a advantageous drone should you’re not as new to flying and might confidently maneuver your means round a drone.
Nevertheless, much more skilled pilots profit from impediment avoidance.
You possibly can’t all the time 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 primary variations?
I really like a very good comparability, however the variations between the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional are exhausting to return by, as I’m positive 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 provides low-angle videography and pictures a wider vary of rotation. It additionally helps True Vertical Taking pictures, 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 refined impediment avoidance system, nevertheless it’ll do for newcomers. The drone additionally has APAS 4.0 – once more, not the most recent, however greater than adequate.
- No MasterShots: MasterShots are one among DJI’s main Clever Flight Options. It’s an automatic taking pictures 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 Coloration 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. This can be 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 pace.
» MORE: DJI Mavic 3 Basic vs. Mini 3 Professional (Right here’s My Selection)
DJI Mini 3
The Mini 3 is a number one drone from DJI and one among its finest sellers.
Following within the proverbial footprints of the Mini 2 (you understand, as a result of drones don’t have footsteps or ft to comply with 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 with regards to pictures.
That sensor is phenomenal at daylight and nighttime pictures alike. You possibly can’t all the time legally take nighttime images, however should you can, that is the drone digicam to have by your aspect.
The diploma of element you’ll obtain by day is one thing else, and it’s all as a result of digicam’s HDR and twin native ISO.
Its four-in-one pixels don’t harm, nor does the f/1.7 aperture.
You possibly can’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 should 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 refined gimbal swaps between vertical and horizontal taking pictures modes. In case you’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 taking pictures. 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 unquestionably a bummer.
Nevertheless, it’s unfair to gloss over these it does have.
It may possibly 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 almost as quick, or strikes circularly.
Learners profit most from QuickShots and different automated options, as they take the issue of studying to maneuver a drone out of your arms.
You possibly can work your means as much as that time by flying, however till you are feeling like a professional, you’ll be able to look like a professional, and aren’t seems all the things lately?
QuickTransfer is DJI’s useful mode for getting your footage able to share. All of us reside on the web lately, 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 Taking pictures, and Clever Options.
We earn a fee should you make a purchase order, at no further value to you.
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 completely different viewers. Informal pilots and newcomers can simply choose this one up, however extra skilled pilots additionally profit from this alternative.
The Mini 3 Professional is simply about $200 dearer than the Mini 3, but it crams in so many extra options that you simply received’t imagine it doesn’t value thrice or 4 instances extra.
Sharing the identical light-weight profile because the Mini 3 (below 249 grams) and taking photographs and movies in an identical 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 turn 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 enhance 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 potential 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 usually plagues images and movies after the solar goes down.
You received’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 received’t use slow-mo your entire time you’re taking pictures, 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 provides you peace of thoughts, particularly as a more recent pilot afraid of hitting the management stick the incorrect means and borking your drone.
Learners additionally received’t thoughts that this isn’t essentially the most up-to-date APAS and impediment avoidance DJI has ever launched.
Extra skilled pilots may 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.
DJI Mini 3 Professional (DJI RC)
Light-weight and Foldable Digital camera Drone
- 4K/60fps Video
- 48MP Photograph
- 34-min Flight Time
- Tri-Directional Impediment Sensing, Built-in RC and display screen
We earn a fee should you make a purchase order, at no further value to you.
11/11/2023 01:36 pm GMT
Head-to-head comparability
Digital camera system
Winner: Tie
Often, there are sufficient disparate components 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 finest DJI provides for its client drones and greater than means that you can seize each unbelievable element for all of your drone tasks.
The 4K HDR video is excessive for DJI drones and likewise guarantees unyielding element and high quality for increasing your portfolio.
These drones have the identical sensor dimension, horizontal and vertical taking pictures modes as a result of mechanical three-axis gimbal, aperture dimension, and pixel assist.
I’m pondering this class is a toss-up.
» MORE: Pictures with Mini 3 Professional (For Learners)
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 stunning, 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 any case!
The Mini 3 Professional, however, has a stable impediment avoidance system. It’s not the most recent or finest from DJI, nevertheless it will get the job performed, particularly for newcomers.
These drones each have Stage 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 turn 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 it’s essential to register them for business 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 best DJI drones for all of your private {and professional} adventures.
You’ll have a dependable drone digicam for capturing once-in-a-lifetime reminiscences, streaming reside to your social media viewers, and enhancing on the go. What may very well be higher?
» MORE: Drone Half 107 Vs Leisure Guidelines: Right here’s What You Want To Know
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 best transmission programs DJI has accessible 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 encompasses a 5.5-inch FHD display screen (non-touch) with as much as 700 nits of brightness and might 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 higher 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 through which a social media influencer or skilled pilot would clamber for two further kilometers particularly.
That stated, 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 purchasing 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 geared up with.
The Mini 3 Professional flies for 34 minutes initially, and the Mini 3 for 38 minutes.
Nevertheless, should you improve to every drone’s respective Clever Flight Battery Plus, the Mini 3 beneficial properties 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 enhance.
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 all the time get a number of minutes much less in real-life functions.
That stated, even flying near 50 minutes with a client DJI drone is unbelievable! You’ll have greater than sufficient time to deal with 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 slim it all the way down to a definitive winner.
The inimitable Mini 3 Professional might need come first, nevertheless it perfects what a Mini drone of at present must be, with superior battery life, high-res imagery and videography, Clever Flight Modes, an ideal transmission vary, and impediment avoidance.
It’s not solely the best of the 2 however one among DJI’s general finest!
» MORE: Finest DJI Alternate options – What Drones Are Higher Than DJI?