When DJI introduced that their latest drone — the DJI Mini 4 Professional — would characteristic omnidirectional impediment sensing, it rapidly turned among the best (and most secure) drones for most individuals.
The DJI Mini 4 drone was launched in September 2023 as the following version of the DJI Mini line, a line that frequents Drone Lady’s ‘better of’ record very often (see comply with me drones and finest pictures drone).
The DJI Mini 3 Professional and the Mini 3 launched earlier than the Mini 4 Professional.
The Mini 3 is the most affordable of the three, beginning at $559, and is unsurprisingly cheaper given its place sas an older mannequin. What’s weird although is that the brand new Mini 4 Professional begins at $759 — which is identical worth that the Mini 3 Professional remains to be going for.
The Drone Lady workforce expects the Mini 3 Professional to see a steep low cost within the close to future so it might probably stay aggressive regardless of being final 12 months’s mannequin. And when that occurs, wouldn’t it nonetheless be honest to known as the brand new DJI Mini 4 Professional actually the “finest” drone? Significantly in a match between the DJI Mini 4 Professional versus Mini 3, is the Mini 4 Professional well worth the further price?
And if you have already got a DJI Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional drone, do you have to improve? This information to the DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3 illuminates what precisely has been improved on this latest Mini mannequin — and will provide help to resolve should you ought to improve to the DJI Mini 4 Professional.
Evaluating worth and key specs: DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3
Right here’s a rundown of how the DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3 breakdown by specs:
DJI Mini 4 Professional | DJI Mini 3 Professional | DJI Mini 3 | |
$759 | $759 | $559 | |
Takeoff Weight | 249g | 249g | 249g |
Huge Angle Digicam | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 |
Video Decision | 4K/100fps | 4K/60fps | 4K/30fps |
Transmission System | O4 | O3 | O2 |
Max Transmission Distance | 20 km | 12 km | 10 km |
Impediment Avoidance Tech | APAS 5.0 | APAS 4.0 | N/A |
Impediment Sensors | Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing | Tri-Directional Obstance Sensing | Downward Imaginative and prescient Sensing |
Max Flight Time (normal battery) | 34 minutes | 34 minutes | 38 minutes |
Max Battle Time (Clever battery) | 45 minutes | 47 minutes | 51 minutes |
So what do all these DJI drone specs imply in fact? Here’s a deeper dive into the DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. DJI Mini 3 Professional vs. DJI Mini 3 drones:
DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3: the Mini 4 is by far the most secure drone
For anybody buying their first drone, or frankly anybody trying to buy a drone, a major query it is best to ask is: how protected is that this drone?
The DJI Mini 4 Professional drone options Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing — a primary for the Mini line. With four-way directional impediment sensors, the Mini 4 Professional now not has any blindspots — and though DJI received’t promote it as crashproof — it’s protected to say it virtually is.
In case you are a first-time pilot or somebody wanting to make use of their drone as a follow-me drone, then this security characteristic improve is main.
The Mini 3 Professional options Tri-Directional Impediment Avoidance Sensing, which permits the drone to have ahead, backward, and downward imaginative and prescient. In the meantime, the Mini 3 has Downward Imaginative and prescient Sensing which is principally solely sufficient to land safely — however received’t cease the drone from flying proper right into a tree.
DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3 video: Mini 4 stands out with O4 Transmission
The DJI Mini 4 Professional provides O4 video transmission that entails a most transmission distance of 20 km (assuming low interference, comparable to flying at most seashores). Earlier iterations of the Mini line had notably lesser capabilities. The DJI Mini 3 has O2 transmission, providing a stay feed of 720p/30fps inside a spread of merely 10 km. This DJI Mini 3 Professional improved upon this by integrating the upgraded O3 transmission.
Having the O4 expertise elevates the Mini 4 Professional near the higher-end drones just like the Air line, giving videographers the power to shoot from far ranges.
Moreover, the DJI Mini 4 Professional provides 4k video capturing as much as 100 fps. The Mini 3 Professional provides 4k video capturing at 60 fps and the Mini 3 at 30 fps. The variations between the Mini 4 Professional and the Mini 3 Professional are essential if you’re a videographer trying to movie in sluggish movement. That stated, the body fee probably received’t make an enormous distinction in different forms of videography.
DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional vs. Mini 3: evaluating different specs
Digicam Specs: Right here’s one space the place these three drones have the very same specs. The wide-angle digital camera has a 1/1.3 inch CMOS with pictures in 48 MP.
Annoyingly for a lot of although, all three drones depart you caught with a hard and fast aperture. Provided that, extra critical photographers ought to look to the Mavic or Air traces for the finest digital camera drones.
Battery Life: Right here the Mini 3 wins out with 38 minute flight time. The Mini 3 Professional and Mini 4 Professional have a flight time of 34 minutes. It’s not a lot of a distinction, however that further 4 minutes could be what stands between you and the right shot.
Moreover, all three drones have two separate flight occasions. DJI has constructed a very separate battery that it calls the “Clever Flight Battery Plus”. This battery comes with a further price however provides a rise of 13 minutes with the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional and 9 minutes with the Mini 4 Professional.
Weight & Measurement: DJI has caught under 250 grams for the Mini line (and for a lot of good causes), which is crucial as drones beneath 250 grams don’t should be registered with the FAA for leisure operations and don’t should be Distant ID compliant.
The dimensions, form, and total design of all three drones are nearly the identical. They’re all moveable, travel-friendly drones.
New Capturing Modes: Whereas this shouldn’t weigh too closely in your determination of which drone to go together with, the Mini 4 Professional does provide some new capturing modes together with an improve to the main focus monitor suite. If something, this simply makes the Mini 4 Professional a barely safer and higher follow-me drone.
What drone is finest for most individuals?
Given all the brand new specs (and solely a touch larger worth level) the DJI Mini 4 Professional is the very best drone for most individuals.
Regardless of the worth distinction, the DJI Mini 4 Professional comes out the winner primarily as a consequence of one main issue: omnidirectional impediment sensing. Past that, you might be additionally getting higher video transmission, sluggish movement, and sensible capturing upgrades.
For me, the peace of thoughts of realizing my drone is protected and (principally) crash-proof is well worth the nominal worth distinction, particularly if you’re a newbie drone pilot or in search of a budget-friendly follow-me drone.
Buy the DJI Mini 4 Professional:
Then once more, if worth is a very powerful issue, go together with the DJI Mini 3. It’s a strong drone if you’re principally taking drone movies for enjoyable and planning to submit on shops like social media, and should you’re prepared to simply accept the dangers of minimal impediment sensors (and also you’re assured you’ll be able to fly with out crashing even with out them), then the DJI Mini 3 is a superb avenue to get your palms on a DJI drone for lower than $500.
Buy the DJI Mini 3 Professional:
Buy the DJI Mini 3:
Associated learn: DJI Mini 3 vs. Mini 3 Professional: which drone is best?
Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional: do you have to improve to the Mini 4 Professional?
In case you already personal a Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional and it’s working simply nice for you, I wouldn’t rush to buy a DJI Mini 4 Professional. You continue to have a top quality drone, with some spectacular specs. And likelihood is, should you already personal the drone, you are feeling fairly assured in flying with out crashing.
That stated, the digital camera on all three drones is basically the identical, so you aren’t dropping in that regard. In case you are trying to take higher-quality pictures, then contemplate the DJI Mavic 3 Professional reasonably than a drone within the Mini line. Discover a extra detailed look on this information to the finest drones for photographers.
Learn our DJI Mini 4 Professional evaluate right here.
Are you additionally contemplating the DJI Air 3? Take a look at our information to the DJI Air 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional!