I appreciate that you wanted to compare the apertures the same because of the fixed on air 2s, but the air 2s has been configured for its best aperture which happens to be 2.8, if the Mavic 3 classic is optimal at 5.6 or 6, then you should compare at its best aperture as well. Just a thought I have
I have both the air2s and mavic 3 classic. The Classic has tons of features vs my air2s.. worth every penny👍 its a no brainer to me..if you don’t own or had never tested a mavic 3 classic then your missing a lot i mean a lot of features that the air 2s lacks..just the long flight time alone is just awesome..i just got another battery and skipped the fly more to save money..
I have both drones, and both are great! For me, the m3c is better due to the variable aperture, which makes a big difference shooting sunrise or sunset, because you get the most beautiful sun starburst seen on a drone. The bigger sensor (as shown in the comparison) will give you less noise in the blue hour on top. So if you´re a landscape photographer, the m3c will be the better choice, regardless if you take photos and/or video.
I think a test showing the best video and best photo each can do given the tools each has built into them might be a better representation of their capabilities.
As a Mavic Air 2 owner I was seriously tempted to upgrade to the Mavic 3 Classic but in the end couldn’t justify the price and opted for a refurbished Air 2S to tide me over until the Mavic Air 3 releases. Not only is the drone itself higher, but the batteries are double the price, as is the DJI Refresh.
4 months later if you don’t mind me asking. How is the refurbished item doing. I’m really considering buying an air 2s refurbished but skeptical about it.
@@coreyblalock1062 Couldn’t tell it wasn’t new. I also purchased refresh coverage. I accidentally crashed it a few weeks ago and sent it in for repair. They sent me what appears to be a brand new drone!
Love my Air2S! Love your comprehensive review! Love your Part 107 course! Keep up the good work. I'm keeping my Air2S as my workhorse for now. Cost for a small operator are important.
I own air2 and the m3 classic is tempting. M43 is about 8x larger area, so it should be much better in low light and have more dynamic range for shooting sunsets in raw mod/format. I haven't looked for such comparisons yet. I only care about still images.
I have the mini 3 pro which I like a lot, the quality of this drone is insane. The only downside is that it is more fragile and more sensitive for heavy wheater conditions. Therefore I decided to buy me a second drone, a bigger one. First I was looking for the mavic 3 classic, but at the end I took the Air 2S. The reason for this is that in my opinion the mavic 3 Classic is to big to carry it with you. And if I compare them, the Air 2S does it's job very well compared with the Mavic 3 classic.
From the comparison it looks like the 3 Classic at F6.3 shows significantly less detail than the 2S at f2.8. The trees at 11:46 in the 3 look complitely smudged, I can't believe it's that bad. Looks like the MA2 or worse. Am I missing something? Thanks for video Greg.
NOPE! Air 2S reigns supreme! Best bang for the buck. I think a lot of the shots looked better with the Air 2S but that aside, it's more about the price vs quality. The Mavic 3 Classic is just not that much better but quite a bit higher in price. Not to mention the batteries are a lot more expensive, care refresh is a lot more expensive. At that point if I wanted better than the Air 2S then I would buy a much more expensive one that's worth the extra money.
I think a fair comparison should also include what is the BEST quality each drone can produce and compare those! Here you compare the Air 2S in its best setting with the Mavic 3 Classic in "shackles". If you use each and every option the Mavic 3 offers in its settings I am sure the Air 2S can´t keep up in quality.
I appreciate the apples to apples photo comparison showing both drones at the same aperture f/2.8. I would love to see another apples to apples comparison: the sharpest each one can be, showing the Air 2S at its only available aperture and the Mavic 3 at one of it sharpest apertures, around f/5.6. The video briefly mentions that the Mavic 3 can be sharper in that aperture range but doesn’t show examples to compare. I think it would also be good to compare how clean twilight video is with each drone. With its new Night Mode, the Mavic 3 is cleaner by far.
I love my Air2s. If I was to go with a larger drone, I’d probably shoot for the Mavic Cine pro…not the classic. I think the price point for the air2 is spot on for a drone with a 1” camera sensor, so the mavic classic wouldn’t really be a big upgrade for me. Now compare the Mavic Cine pro to the Mavic classic, and people would see what spending a little more could get you. Great video BTW.
@@thepoorboychannel Mavic 3 Enterprise with hard case, one year of DJI care and the new RC Pro Enterprise, built in strobe light and many cool features is only $3,600 vs the Mavic 3 Cine is about $5,000
@@hernandez-perezandroid5983 WOW! I didn’t even realize. Thanks a bunch, but I’m not in the market to upgrade just yet. The AIR2s is still fairly new to me. However I will keep it in mind. Thanks again.
Very well-done comparison! I would also love to see a comparison (when doing the resolution comparisons with the line charts) of what the Mavic 3 could have produced if the aperture was stopped all the way down. I know the ISO's might need to be tweaked to get it to work, but I'd love to see what's possible with the Mavic 3 that's not possible with the Air 2s?
@@CNY_AP I didn’t know that was a thing - I googled it and saw that indeed the effective resolution of a system is maximized at the largest aperture. Huh. Thanks!
Thanks to the Pilot Institute; I passed my FAA Part 107. Went to "my guy" at B&H who demonstrated them in flight, in the store. I have been a photographer for decades and they know/sold me my gear, we went with the Mavic 3.
Hi there, thank you for bringing this to our attention. Noticed your comparison of the cameras, we checked the video description but did not find the link to the original files, could you please help to export the original files from the Mavic 3 Classic for us? You can upload the video to Dropbox or Google Drive and send the link here, we would love to forward your feedback to our engineers. Look forward to your reply.
Here are the RAW files: www.dropbox.com/sh/uu6g2jak3f2djht/AAC5jKZHxxhGZY31887gFI38a?dl=0 Here are the sample images, zoomed in, for each section of the chart: www.dropbox.com/sh/d40a1ann36ksok5/AABqbU7TGdPRflmVuiWWaBnba?dl=0 Here's the exported video: www.dropbox.com/s/7qjsqpcqib9r8ho/M3CL%20vs%20A2S.mov?dl=0
The difference is not negligible, but the viewer does not have a comparison view (in details furthermore) when he is watching to a video. Save your money and improve your competence in realisations and post production, you will have better results than if you expect better result just by buying a mavic 3 😉
Air2s is very much alive. In the days of M2 Pro and Zoom, I used mainly my Mini 2 and i have both the Mavic 2 drones. Now I use my Air2s and Mini3 Pro and because I hardly used my M2 drones, I have not considered the M3.
Thanks for the comparison.Have Air 2 getting ready to upgrade. I do some government work and I am worried DJI will be obsolete with the stroke of a pen. Looking at Skidoo, but the lower end models are not presently available.
Important note: the Air 2S has SDK access while the Mavic 3 Classic does not. Given DJI’s recent correspondence, they are not prioritizing adding SDK support for non-Enterprise drones. Not important for everyone, but important for anyone who uses a third party app for flight control or automation, such as those who want to do light duty mapping.
@@peacefulthrillseeker SDK is short for "Software Development Kit." To put it in the simplest terms, it is an interface the one company develops to allow a third party to program stuff on their platform. In this case, the DJI SDK allows for other companies (like DroneLink or Litchi) to programs apps that would allow you to control your Air2S from something other than the DJI Fly App--for example, you could use DroneLink to pre-plan a flight for your drone and have DroneLink automatically fly for you. Your drone would fly a pre-determined path without you ever needing to touch the remote control.
@@peacefulthrillseeker No, not necessarily. I do SDK flying all the time and I always do it within VLOS. SDK just allows for more precise control...like flying waypoint to waypoint. A common use case for me is to fly a grid of an area and take multiple pictures that I can stitch into one big picture....like this one: i.redd.it/xp0d5ofurz4a1.jpg
The new price on the air 2s plus the cost of the fly more combo along with being able to use 3rd party software makes me lean towards the Air 2S for now.
Great comparison. I was looking at the Mavic 3 Classic as compared to my Air 2s. Now I am very satisfied with my Air 2s and will not be spending more money for less.
I have the Mavic 3 and Mini 3 Pro, which I consider to be the best pair of drones available today. At times they seem to be a toss up when there is little wind. I prefer the Mini 3 Pro as a stealth drone which is much quieter than the Mavic 3 and the Air 2 which I sold. The Mavic 3 has the best night and straight out of the camera photos and video.
The mini 3pro is one of the best drones out right now in it's category hands down. I love it. The only thing I hate is, they are about to come out with the mini 4 and I just got the 3 so, I don't know what to do now❓But I'm going to enjoy it never the less ‼️✌️
I see you have both drones. I own the Air 2S and MOSTLY really love it. Can you tell me how good the 2x video and photo are at 4k with the Mavic 3 Classic? I would love better quality footage than what I get with my Air2S at 2x zoom that I have to use on occasion when I can't get too close to a structure. I would also LOVE to have the ability for quality photos at 2x that the Air 2s can't do. Thanks in advance for your advice on these questions.
*Is the Air2s dead? Sorry Greg but the answer is No. The Mavic 3 classic may be a nice drone (minus the zoom) but it doesn't appeal to those who can only afford a Chevy, Ford, or GM. Most people do not need the leather stitched upholstery or the Heads Up Display of a Cadillac or Lincoln. If you have unlimited disposable income then by all means go for the M3 classic 😊Keep in mind, the "DJI Refresh" plan for the M3 is steep as well. Otherwise, good information for the tech savvy. As for the controllers, get one of the two newer ones. The older Smart controller has been problematic with range and is outgoing Occusync 2 technology 👍*
This way of thinking isn't a proper justification. You can always complain about a certain thing by brining arguments such as people don't need that, don't need this. By this way of thinking you can also say you don't need an Airbags in your vehicle, which are first life necessity in your vehicle nowadays, and probably don't need ABS braking system, older vehicles were running fine without it, while this is base system nowadays in every car . It's a downgrade of humankind at this moment. Don't confuse, saying most people don't need something, if it's mostly you who don't need a certain option in whatever thing you are talking. Bottom line, I've owned Air 2S, and Mavic 3 i have right now, just destroys Air 2S in every way possible. Battery life alone makes it worth paying extra.. Long story.. People who are complaining about DJI refresh difference, don't forget you are jumping from 2500 pickup to 4500 super duty truck, everything is more expensive but you have a lot more capabilities.
@@Kandalf8989 I've had the Pro model drones up until I purchased the Air 2s. Yes, it is lacking in features I was accustomed too with the pro models. But, it turns out to be my favorite amongst the five drones I own. I stand by my comment. Most people do not need a Mavic 3.
@@DavidLorenzoFlorida I see it the other way. If you can afford the m3 classic. I would no doubt go for it. It's kind of same story with the vehicles, how frequently do you see a petite woman drives a huge chevy suburban, obviously she don't need it, but she enjoying it. Gives a lot more capabilities, safety, and comfort. Same with M3 classic towards Air 2s. Year ago i wish they've released m3 without tele lens with that affordable price.. but you never be happy if you wait for everything newest.
Thanks Greg. As I have Air 2s And Min 3 Pro. I think my needs are met. Not to say I would not pop for the Mavic 3 Classic. Hard to find drone only available. Your reviews are excellent as with all of your work.
I have an Air s2 that I use for drone surveys. Works really well for the job only problem I have is there is no zoom with pictures. Does the new model have zoom for pictures not just video?
Having spent so much for a Smart Controller a few years back makes me want to stick with my Air2s especially since what I mainly do with it is shoot stills of engineering projects. I wish I could use that controller with new drones.
Excellent comparison. I just got my Part 107 certificate and am eager to purchase my first drone, strictly for landscape photography. For that, I would prefer the variable aperture of the Mavic 3 Classic, but for the price difference and smaller size (to carry in my camera backpack), I want to go with the Air 2S. I am waiting for an Air 2S and RC controller bundle - any idea when DJI might put them together? Do you think DJI-refurbished are a safe bet?
Variable aperture IS a big deal. By shooting both at f2.8 you are dumbing down the Classic 3 and while that may be "apples to apples" it doesn't show the Classic 3 at it's best.
I have Air 2S and wanted another drone. So bought a used M3 on ebay with only 2 flights on it for 1600. I wanted the explorer zoom and the cruse control.
That last take, the Classic version, that tree in the middle was ALL BLOCKED UP. NO details WSE. I have the Air2S and love it. I just wish it had a longer flight time and a controllable aperture. Convince them to add 'cruise control' to the Air2S & Mini 3...please.
I am quite content with my Air 2S, primarily for still photos. The Classic is a bit pricy. The accessories cost can be a factor. $209 for a Classic battery versus $115 battery for the A2S.
Does anyone have issues with the lack of manual aperture on Air2s? My main concern is trying to hit the 1/60 shutter speed without manual aperture. If I’m putting an ND16 or ND32 filter over camera and one is a little over exposed, other one slightly exposed, is there going to be an issue? That’s where I can see the mavic 3 having quite an advantage. If anyone has experience getting the right shutter speed with air2s, please let me know here if it ends up working out well!
I seen advantages and disadvantages on both. But, i'm sticking with the Air2s Air2s is the best bang for the buck. Nice Video Greg you had me compelled to watch from start to finish.
As a professional photographer the FIRST thing I want to know is a comparison of the camera sensor size between the two cameras and price and transmitter range and max flight time. I can make a purchasing decision from there.
I personally love the A2S because it's mostly compatible with the MA2. and for that reason I have them both. I'm not that kind of person that buys every drone that comes out every year? I do like that Mavic 3 Classic? I think it's nicer than the first one that came out with the two or double camera's? Thanks for sharing Greg. I thought it was a great, and interesting video. 👍👍👍
Please give us dropbox link with original DNG's, that will help so much! And thank you for this amazing work you do, that very much appreciated and the only resource in web who do real chart based test for drone cameras!
Love the video... I currently fly the Air 2S as my main drone but looking to either get another like it for a spare or a Mavic 3 Classic. I saw your 400x comparison. I shoot various structures and for safety have to use the 2x on Video with the Air 2s. It is usable 4K video but I would love to have better quality and still be able to zoom that little bit. How does do the two compare at 2x and 4x with video? Same question with photos. The Air2s can't zoom in photos. Can the Mavic 3 zoom even to 2x with good quality photos? I have not found someone to compare both of those two things or least update me on how well the video/audio looks at 2x on the Mavic 3 Classic. Thanks again and keep up the awesome work!!!!
Cropping isn't zooming and doesn't bring any new details. If you need smaller details you need another longer focal length lens (like tele camera in Mavic 3) or optical zoom. Only exception is if you're making output material in some low resolution unable to store information of original image.
Air 2S is far from dead. When the RC smart controller was added it extended the "sales" life of this fine drone. Mini 3 is another winner without breaking the bank.
Unfortunately the air 2s doesn’t get 30 minutes of flight time. I get much less flight time with the air 2s than I do with the air 2 using the same battery. Not sure why that is unless it’s the extra sensors that the air 2s has over the air 2. Which is disappointing because the air 2s is supposed to get 12 kilometers in range distances and the air 2 is only supposed to get 10 kilometers but the battery goes dead faster on the air 2s and because of that i can get further out with the air 2 I also have the mini 3 and the mini 3 pro and the same results with both of them. The mini 3 lasted longer in flight time allowing me to get further distances with it over the mini 3 pro. DJI should’ve added the better ocusync with the drone that has better flying time.
8000 feet above sea level. We live at high altitude. The numbers we provide are called "density altitude" which is the equivalent performance altitude calculated based on temperature and pressure reports for the day we did the testing.
@@PilotInstitute Hey I know what that means because I took your course! Haha. It's pressure altitude plus temperature factored in relative to a standard day at MSL which in this scenario means your drone flies as if it is 8k feet msl. Which would be "80" on the airport maps. 💪
For a drone that is more than a thousand dollars less in comparison, I think that Air2S is a better drone. Don't get me wrong though, having omnidirectional capabilities along with a few more perks as the Mavic 3 classic does, makes it a more dynamic drone over the Air2, but even at that, I think the price is just too high and will be a little biased because I am awaiting the delivery of the Air2S and can't make it look bad at the moment; should I?😆 I think Greg would agree with me here; just watch and see what he says about where I find myself on this issue.
I'm not sure I'd take the comparison too seriously if one drone has ISO100 and the other has ISO400. You're already losing detail on the ISO400 drone. I can't imagine the Air 2S would outshine a Hasselblad lens. My Air 2S doesn't even come close. It's way too soft.
NIce, but Greg you make the same mistake that so many do. Micro four-thirds is a camera system that, besides having a 4/3" sensor also keeps the same lens mount, so any micro four-third system lens can fit on any body, regardless of the manufacturer. The Mavic 3 Classic (and original) do not have interchangeable lenses, so they by definition are not micro four-thirds. Here you go with the complete definition en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system
Nice comparisons but How is it possible Mavic 3 with bigger pixel size 3,3 vs 2,4 bigger sensor in real photos or videos is much better in real colors and quality and detail Here in Your tests looks worst I cant understand this. Same with Mavic 2 Pro. Also Smart photos have both. As for Mavic 3 Normal photo is smart too.
I think your review here is very bias and for some weird reasons you have tried to make it look like these 2 drones are not different. All these differences you mentioned are major, not sure how you can say they are comparable?? They are completely different on every way!! You made photo comparison using lines and stiuf but did not do any real world photos. You made video quality comparison on a Bright day where the quality could be close but you did not provide any low light or night videos where your argument would have fallen apart. I do have both drones by the way, but Mavic 3 beats the crap about of the A2S on every way and that is a fact.
If it works for you, then great. You draw your own conclusions from our data. Both are great drones. Outdoor vs indoors photos should have zero effect. Proper camera testing is done in a controlled environment to compare data. We have low light condition photos in our test.
Just a comment from DP review: “Aperture only makes sense when you compare lens to lens on the same sensor size. It doesn't make any sense at all when you start to compare different sensor sizes.” Sorry to say but I am a bit perplex about your comparison. How a bigger sensor could provide less details…. And on the MAVIC 3 line… in your conclusion the MAVIC Pro will also have less details and more chromatic aberration than the Air 2 S… I think you guys walk in the head sorry to say….😊
Yet DP review allows you to compare lenses quality based on… aperture for each lens. How do you compare image quality if you don’t use similar factors. If we had compared f2.8 vs f5.6, you would have said: it’s not the same aperture, how can you compare the two. Bottom line is, a bigger sensor, even at the same aperture, should perform as well if not better. It didn’t. And even at higher aperture it didn’t.
@@PilotInstitute allow me to tell you that your comparison is very weird... How you can imagine the Mavic series even the pro sensor provides less picture quality than the Mavic 2 pro. I had still the footages from my mavic 2 pro and comparing to the mavic classic.... it is no chance that the mavic 2 pro provides better image quality... For me your result is very weird....
Not a reasonable comparison. You have glossed over a lot of the classic advantages. You used different controllers, to give a larger price advantage. Overall this comparison was cooked badly. I would have to take little or not notice of your review. Kiwi
When you do the video comparison not to be too bias but I think overall except when you run 400% that the Air 2s does a bit better. Not sure why? I am loving my Air 2s! I have done video's even done a few different picture modes and I couldn't be more happy with the results my Air 2s has given me! I have currently the Avata package and the mini 2 package. I started with my 1st drone ever the Mini 2 and it is an amazing starter drone. It is kind of sad I don't really use it much anymore because the Air 2s just does so much better in so many ways and is a lot of fun to fly! I am waiting for a future drone with a much more compatible price tag in a few years and hoping to get a good DJI drone that can do night vision for around $1,500 bucks or so. Call me crazy, but the price of drones with that feature has been coming more and more available at a much better price tag and the idea of having a drone I can use at night not just for fun, but even have it around for emergencies and save a life weather it be human or animal of some sort! Sorry for the long information. Thank you for the video comparison and after watching this, I am completely happy and going to just stick with my Air 2s for a few years and give it the love it deserves!
I appreciate that you wanted to compare the apertures the same because of the fixed on air 2s, but the air 2s has been configured for its best aperture which happens to be 2.8, if the Mavic 3 classic is optimal at 5.6 or 6, then you should compare at its best aperture as well. Just a thought I have
Absolutely agree. This is like a comparison video made by someone who wants to sell their Air 2S!
An interesting comparison would be “best” results possible on the M3C vs best on Air2S…rather than matching aperture
Exactly.....because we don't want apples to apples. We want to know best performance!
I have both the air2s and mavic 3 classic. The Classic has tons of features vs my air2s.. worth every penny👍 its a no brainer to me..if you don’t own or had never tested a mavic 3 classic then your missing a lot i mean a lot of features that the air 2s lacks..just the long flight time alone is just awesome..i just got another battery and skipped the fly more to save money..
I have both drones, and both are great! For me, the m3c is better due to the variable aperture, which makes a big difference shooting sunrise or sunset, because you get the most beautiful sun starburst seen on a drone. The bigger sensor (as shown in the comparison) will give you less noise in the blue hour on top. So if you´re a landscape photographer, the m3c will be the better choice, regardless if you take photos and/or video.
I think a test showing the best video and best photo each can do given the tools each has built into them might be a better representation of their capabilities.
As a Mavic Air 2 owner I was seriously tempted to upgrade to the Mavic 3 Classic but in the end couldn’t justify the price and opted for a refurbished Air 2S to tide me over until the Mavic Air 3 releases. Not only is the drone itself higher, but the batteries are double the price, as is the DJI Refresh.
4 months later if you don’t mind me asking. How is the refurbished item doing. I’m really considering buying an air 2s refurbished but skeptical about it.
@@coreyblalock1062 Couldn’t tell it wasn’t new. I also purchased refresh coverage. I accidentally crashed it a few weeks ago and sent it in for repair. They sent me what appears to be a brand new drone!
Love my Air2S! Love your comprehensive review! Love your Part 107 course! Keep up the good work. I'm keeping my Air2S as my workhorse for now. Cost for a small operator are important.
I have an Air 2 and a 3 Classic. I love them both. Each has a purpose.
I own air2 and the m3 classic is tempting. M43 is about 8x larger area, so it should be much better in low light and have more dynamic range for shooting sunsets in raw mod/format. I haven't looked for such comparisons yet. I only care about still images.
I have the mini 3 pro which I like a lot, the quality of this drone is insane. The only downside is that it is more fragile and more sensitive for heavy wheater conditions. Therefore I decided to buy me a second drone, a bigger one. First I was looking for the mavic 3 classic, but at the end I took the Air 2S. The reason for this is that in my opinion the mavic 3 Classic is to big to carry it with you. And if I compare them, the Air 2S does it's job very well compared with the Mavic 3 classic.
From the comparison it looks like the 3 Classic at F6.3 shows significantly less detail than the 2S at f2.8. The trees at 11:46 in the 3 look complitely smudged, I can't believe it's that bad. Looks like the MA2 or worse. Am I missing something? Thanks for video Greg.
NOPE! Air 2S reigns supreme! Best bang for the buck. I think a lot of the shots looked better with the Air 2S but that aside, it's more about the price vs quality. The Mavic 3 Classic is just not that much better but quite a bit higher in price. Not to mention the batteries are a lot more expensive, care refresh is a lot more expensive. At that point if I wanted better than the Air 2S then I would buy a much more expensive one that's worth the extra money.
I think a fair comparison should also include what is the BEST quality each drone can produce and compare those! Here you compare the Air 2S in its best setting with the Mavic 3 Classic in "shackles". If you use each and every option the Mavic 3 offers in its settings I am sure the Air 2S can´t keep up in quality.
I appreciate the apples to apples photo comparison showing both drones at the same aperture f/2.8. I would love to see another apples to apples comparison: the sharpest each one can be, showing the Air 2S at its only available aperture and the Mavic 3 at one of it sharpest apertures, around f/5.6. The video briefly mentions that the Mavic 3 can be sharper in that aperture range but doesn’t show examples to compare.
I think it would also be good to compare how clean twilight video is with each drone. With its new Night Mode, the Mavic 3 is cleaner by far.
I love my Air2s. If I was to go with a larger drone, I’d probably shoot for the Mavic Cine pro…not the classic. I think the price point for the air2 is spot on for a drone with a 1” camera sensor, so the mavic classic wouldn’t really be a big upgrade for me.
Now compare the Mavic Cine pro to the Mavic classic, and people would see what spending a little more could get you. Great video BTW.
For the price of the Mavic 3 Cine you are much better off with the Mavic 3 Enterprise for the price.
@@hernandez-perezandroid5983 I haven’t priced the Enterprise model. Thanks for sharing.
@@thepoorboychannel Mavic 3 Enterprise with hard case, one year of DJI care and the new RC Pro Enterprise, built in strobe light and many cool features is only $3,600 vs the Mavic 3 Cine is about $5,000
@@hernandez-perezandroid5983 WOW! I didn’t even realize. Thanks a bunch, but I’m not in the market to upgrade just yet. The AIR2s is still fairly new to me. However I will keep it in mind. Thanks again.
Very well-done comparison! I would also love to see a comparison (when doing the resolution comparisons with the line charts) of what the Mavic 3 could have produced if the aperture was stopped all the way down. I know the ISO's might need to be tweaked to get it to work, but I'd love to see what's possible with the Mavic 3 that's not possible with the Air 2s?
Stepping down much will make image softer due to diffraction.
@@CNY_AP I didn’t know that was a thing - I googled it and saw that indeed the effective resolution of a system is maximized at the largest aperture. Huh. Thanks!
Thanks to the Pilot Institute; I passed my FAA Part 107. Went to "my guy" at B&H who demonstrated them in flight, in the store. I have been a photographer for decades and they know/sold me my gear, we went with the Mavic 3.
I used Google to pass. No study.
Hi there, thank you for bringing this to our attention. Noticed your comparison of the cameras, we checked the video description but did not find the link to the original files, could you please help to export the original files from the Mavic 3 Classic for us? You can upload the video to Dropbox or Google Drive and send the link here, we would love to forward your feedback to our engineers. Look forward to your reply.
Here are the RAW files: www.dropbox.com/sh/uu6g2jak3f2djht/AAC5jKZHxxhGZY31887gFI38a?dl=0
Here are the sample images, zoomed in, for each section of the chart: www.dropbox.com/sh/d40a1ann36ksok5/AABqbU7TGdPRflmVuiWWaBnba?dl=0
Here's the exported video: www.dropbox.com/s/7qjsqpcqib9r8ho/M3CL%20vs%20A2S.mov?dl=0
@@PilotInstitute Thank you very much for your prompt response. We have forwarded your feedback to our engineers. Thank you again for your assistance.
Where do you download those luts for the airt2?
The difference is not negligible, but the viewer does not have a comparison view (in details furthermore) when he is watching to a video.
Save your money and improve your competence in realisations and post production, you will have better results than if you expect better result just by buying a mavic 3 😉
Not dead at all!
Air2s is the best bang for sure.
12:09 Air 2S shows more detail in the 400% zoom ! Just look at the tree in the center of the frame.
Air2s is very much alive. In the days of M2 Pro and Zoom, I used mainly my Mini 2 and i have both the Mavic 2 drones. Now I use my Air2s and Mini3 Pro and because I hardly used my M2 drones, I have not considered the M3.
If you had to pick one between mini3p and air2s , which are you going with ?
@@ChuckD05 probably mini3p for convenience. But as I also want that 1inch sensor and ability for 5.4k video I decided to have both. Tough question 😆
Thanks for the comparison.Have Air 2 getting ready to upgrade. I do some government work and I am worried DJI will be obsolete with the stroke of a pen. Looking at Skidoo, but the lower end models are not presently available.
Important note: the Air 2S has SDK access while the Mavic 3 Classic does not. Given DJI’s recent correspondence, they are not prioritizing adding SDK support for non-Enterprise drones. Not important for everyone, but important for anyone who uses a third party app for flight control or automation, such as those who want to do light duty mapping.
What is SDK? I have an Air2S
@@peacefulthrillseeker SDK is short for "Software Development Kit." To put it in the simplest terms, it is an interface the one company develops to allow a third party to program stuff on their platform. In this case, the DJI SDK allows for other companies (like DroneLink or Litchi) to programs apps that would allow you to control your Air2S from something other than the DJI Fly App--for example, you could use DroneLink to pre-plan a flight for your drone and have DroneLink automatically fly for you. Your drone would fly a pre-determined path without you ever needing to touch the remote control.
@@VeloAce is it similar to the idea of flying drones beyond VLOS? Would remote ID be integrated into it?
@@peacefulthrillseeker No, not necessarily. I do SDK flying all the time and I always do it within VLOS. SDK just allows for more precise control...like flying waypoint to waypoint. A common use case for me is to fly a grid of an area and take multiple pictures that I can stitch into one big picture....like this one: i.redd.it/xp0d5ofurz4a1.jpg
@@VeloAce You did this with your Air2S? I am a Civil Engineer and want to do this with my Air2S. I didn't think DroneLink worked with Air2S.
The new price on the air 2s plus the cost of the fly more combo along with being able to use 3rd party software makes me lean towards the Air 2S for now.
Where are the links so we can compare the two without the RUclips compression?
Great comparison. I was looking at the Mavic 3 Classic as compared to my Air 2s. Now I am very satisfied with my Air 2s and will not be spending more money for less.
I had an Air 2s, but sold it when I was gifted a Mavic 3 classic. I kind of regret it, as I liked how the Air 2s flew much better.
Hey Greg, great comparison. I think I'll just grab the RC Controller for my Air2S. Hope your eye gets better Bro.
I have the Mavic 3 and Mini 3 Pro, which I consider to be the best pair of drones available today. At times they seem to be a toss up when there is little wind. I prefer the Mini 3 Pro as a stealth drone which is much quieter than the Mavic 3 and the Air 2 which I sold. The Mavic 3 has the best night and straight out of the camera photos and video.
The mini 3pro is one of the best drones out right now in it's category hands down. I love it. The only thing I hate is, they are about to come out with the mini 4 and I just got the 3 so, I don't know what to do now❓But I'm going to enjoy it never the less ‼️✌️
I see you have both drones. I own the Air 2S and MOSTLY really love it. Can you tell me how good the 2x video and photo are at 4k with the Mavic 3 Classic? I would love better quality footage than what I get with my Air2S at 2x zoom that I have to use on occasion when I can't get too close to a structure. I would also LOVE to have the ability for quality photos at 2x that the Air 2s can't do. Thanks in advance for your advice on these questions.
4K 120P is very significant even if it's already in slow-mo output, you can speed up a little in post-process if you really wanted to.
*Is the Air2s dead? Sorry Greg but the answer is No. The Mavic 3 classic may be a nice drone (minus the zoom) but it doesn't appeal to those who can only afford a Chevy, Ford, or GM. Most people do not need the leather stitched upholstery or the Heads Up Display of a Cadillac or Lincoln. If you have unlimited disposable income then by all means go for the M3 classic 😊Keep in mind, the "DJI Refresh" plan for the M3 is steep as well. Otherwise, good information for the tech savvy. As for the controllers, get one of the two newer ones. The older Smart controller has been problematic with range and is outgoing Occusync 2 technology 👍*
This way of thinking isn't a proper justification. You can always complain about a certain thing by brining arguments such as people don't need that, don't need this. By this way of thinking you can also say you don't need an Airbags in your vehicle, which are first life necessity in your vehicle nowadays, and probably don't need ABS braking system, older vehicles were running fine without it, while this is base system nowadays in every car . It's a downgrade of humankind at this moment. Don't confuse, saying most people don't need something, if it's mostly you who don't need a certain option in whatever thing you are talking.
Bottom line, I've owned Air 2S, and Mavic 3 i have right now, just destroys Air 2S in every way possible. Battery life alone makes it worth paying extra.. Long story.. People who are complaining about DJI refresh difference, don't forget you are jumping from 2500 pickup to 4500 super duty truck, everything is more expensive but you have a lot more capabilities.
@@Kandalf8989 I've had the Pro model drones up until I purchased the Air 2s. Yes, it is lacking in features I was accustomed too with the pro models. But, it turns out to be my favorite amongst the five drones I own. I stand by my comment. Most people do not need a Mavic 3.
@@DavidLorenzoFlorida I see it the other way. If you can afford the m3 classic. I would no doubt go for it. It's kind of same story with the vehicles, how frequently do you see a petite woman drives a huge chevy suburban, obviously she don't need it, but she enjoying it. Gives a lot more capabilities, safety, and comfort. Same with M3 classic towards Air 2s. Year ago i wish they've released m3 without tele lens with that affordable price.. but you never be happy if you wait for everything newest.
The mavic 3 has a 28 xs zoom
Could you do M3 to Autel evo 2 pro 6K V3?
Thanks Greg. As I have Air 2s And Min 3 Pro. I think my needs are met. Not to say I would not pop for the Mavic 3 Classic. Hard to find drone only available. Your reviews are excellent as with all of your work.
I have an Air s2 that I use for drone surveys. Works really well for the job only problem I have is there is no zoom with pictures. Does the new model have zoom for pictures not just video?
Great video! Thanks for helping me to decide to get the Mavic 3 Classic!
Having spent so much for a Smart Controller a few years back makes me want to stick with my Air2s especially since what I mainly do with it is shoot stills of engineering projects. I wish I could use that controller with new drones.
Great video! What brand filter do you have on the Mavic 3 classic in parts you are standing behind both drones?
Excellent comparison. I just got my Part 107 certificate and am eager to purchase my first drone, strictly for landscape photography. For that, I would prefer the variable aperture of the Mavic 3 Classic, but for the price difference and smaller size (to carry in my camera backpack), I want to go with the Air 2S. I am waiting for an Air 2S and RC controller bundle - any idea when DJI might put them together? Do you think DJI-refurbished are a safe bet?
I have air 2s should i change to air 3 or wait
Variable aperture IS a big deal. By shooting both at f2.8 you are dumbing down the Classic 3 and while that may be "apples to apples" it doesn't show the Classic 3 at it's best.
Doomed if you do, doomed if you don't. We would have had comments if we had used a different aperture so...
Great comparison! I would love to see comparison between Mini 3 Pro and Hubsan Zino mini pro or Hubsan Ace Pro Refined
What? No night mode test for photography and video?
There is a night mode. All the tests done at high iso are done in darker environment. That’s what high ISO is for.
Have thought about buying the Mavic 3 Classic, but the A2s works fine for what I am doing.
Nice work on the comparison. Thanks.
I have Air 2S and wanted another drone. So bought a used M3 on ebay with only 2 flights on it for 1600. I wanted the explorer zoom and the cruse control.
That last take, the Classic version, that tree in the middle was ALL BLOCKED UP. NO details WSE. I have the Air2S and love it. I just wish it had a longer flight time and a controllable aperture. Convince them to add 'cruise control' to the Air2S & Mini 3...please.
I am quite content with my Air 2S, primarily for still photos. The Classic is a bit pricy. The accessories cost can be a factor. $209 for a Classic battery versus $115 battery for the A2S.
Well done comparison video Clearly shown the advancement of the new drone vs the Air2S.
It would have been nice to see the same Lut applied to both video samples!
That's not how it works though. DJI provides the LUTs to turn the footage to Rec 709. It would be unfair to use the same LUT to do that.
Does anyone have issues with the lack of manual aperture on Air2s? My main concern is trying to hit the 1/60 shutter speed without manual aperture. If I’m putting an ND16 or ND32 filter over camera and one is a little over exposed, other one slightly exposed, is there going to be an issue?
That’s where I can see the mavic 3 having quite an advantage. If anyone has experience getting the right shutter speed with air2s, please let me know here if it ends up working out well!
Thanks for sharing. For myself, I like the Mavic 3 for what it offers.
I am interested in noise decibels for mini 3 pro?
We recorded 72 dB.
Sorry, cant se thelink of photos in description
I seen advantages and disadvantages on both. But, i'm sticking with the Air2s
Air2s is the best bang for the buck. Nice Video Greg you had me compelled to watch from start to finish.
He discussed prices for a while.
@@CNY_AP I stepped away must’ve missed it. Thank you.
As a professional photographer the FIRST thing I want to know is a comparison of the camera sensor size between the two cameras and price and transmitter range and max flight time. I can make a purchasing decision from there.
We mention that in the video: Air2S is 1" sensor, MAvic 3 is 4/3"
I personally love the A2S because it's mostly compatible with the MA2. and for that reason I have them both.
I'm not that kind of person that buys every drone that comes out every year?
I do like that Mavic 3 Classic? I think it's nicer than the first one that came out with the two or double camera's?
Thanks for sharing Greg. I thought it was a great, and interesting video. 👍👍👍
Please give us dropbox link with original DNG's, that will help so much! And thank you for this amazing work you do, that very much appreciated and the only resource in web who do real chart based test for drone cameras!
Love the video... I currently fly the Air 2S as my main drone but looking to either get another like it for a spare or a Mavic 3 Classic. I saw your 400x comparison. I shoot various structures and for safety have to use the 2x on Video with the Air 2s. It is usable 4K video but I would love to have better quality and still be able to zoom that little bit. How does do the two compare at 2x and 4x with video? Same question with photos. The Air2s can't zoom in photos. Can the Mavic 3 zoom even to 2x with good quality photos? I have not found someone to compare both of those two things or least update me on how well the video/audio looks at 2x on the Mavic 3 Classic. Thanks again and keep up the awesome work!!!!
Cropping isn't zooming and doesn't bring any new details.
If you need smaller details you need another longer focal length lens (like tele camera in Mavic 3) or optical zoom.
Only exception is if you're making output material in some low resolution unable to store information of original image.
Great info Greg, thanks!
so which is better?
All else being equal, I'd still go for Mavic 3 just for the variable aperture and larger battery.
Air 2S is far from dead. When the RC smart controller was added it extended the "sales" life of this fine drone. Mini 3 is another winner without breaking the bank.
you should have released this way back, like a month ago before I picked the mavic 3 classic. Clearly the Air2S is the better bang for photo money.
Unfortunately the air 2s doesn’t get 30 minutes of flight time. I get much less flight time with the air 2s than I do with the air 2 using the same battery. Not sure why that is unless it’s the extra sensors that the air 2s has over the air 2. Which is disappointing because the air 2s is supposed to get 12 kilometers in range distances and the air 2 is only supposed to get 10 kilometers but the battery goes dead faster on the air 2s and because of that i can get further out with the air 2 I also have the mini 3 and the mini 3 pro and the same results with both of them. The mini 3 lasted longer in flight time allowing me to get further distances with it over the mini 3 pro. DJI should’ve added the better ocusync with the drone that has better flying time.
comparing iso 400 to 100 is not fair! You should have shot video in auto mode on both also.
I also wish you would have included samples at f5.6 for the best results on the mavic3. This is just pretty far from reality.
Great unbiased video. However, I did think the Air 2 S had better video quality, as seen by my eyes
how are you able to go up to 8k feet?
8000 feet above sea level. We live at high altitude. The numbers we provide are called "density altitude" which is the equivalent performance altitude calculated based on temperature and pressure reports for the day we did the testing.
@@PilotInstitute Hey I know what that means because I took your course! Haha. It's pressure altitude plus temperature factored in relative to a standard day at MSL which in this scenario means your drone flies as if it is 8k feet msl. Which would be "80" on the airport maps. 💪
For a drone that is more than a thousand dollars less in comparison, I think that Air2S is a better drone. Don't get me wrong though, having omnidirectional capabilities along with a few more perks as the Mavic 3 classic does, makes it a more dynamic drone over the Air2, but even at that, I think the price is just too high and will be a little biased because I am awaiting the delivery of the Air2S and can't make it look bad at the moment; should I?😆 I think Greg would agree with me here; just watch and see what he says about where I find myself on this issue.
I'm not sure I'd take the comparison too seriously if one drone has ISO100 and the other has ISO400. You're already losing detail on the ISO400 drone. I can't imagine the Air 2S would outshine a Hasselblad lens. My Air 2S doesn't even come close. It's way too soft.
NIce, but Greg you make the same mistake that so many do. Micro four-thirds is a camera system that, besides having a 4/3" sensor also keeps the same lens mount, so any micro four-third system lens can fit on any body, regardless of the manufacturer. The Mavic 3 Classic (and original) do not have interchangeable lenses, so they by definition are not micro four-thirds. Here you go with the complete definition en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Four_Thirds_system
Yep, absolutely. We'll fix it in future videos.
Nope..of course NOT. ESPECIALLY if it’s the only drone I have. STILL, a very capable mid, high-quality drone..
We got to see the comparison charts of the cameras for about 1 second for each chart out of a 12 minute video, mainly of your face talking
M3C has C1 sertification, everything is told.
Most of our viewers are based in the USA where C1 cert doesn’t apply.
Nice comparisons but How is it possible Mavic 3 with bigger pixel size 3,3 vs 2,4 bigger sensor in real photos or videos is much better in real colors and quality and detail Here in Your tests looks worst I cant understand this. Same with Mavic 2 Pro. Also Smart photos have both. As for Mavic 3 Normal photo is smart too.
Le pauvre il a un bouton sur la paupière d’un œil 😮
Remember: for the price of 1x battery for Mavic 3 you can buy 2-3x for Air2s, and lets be honest, you can film Sh...T with one battery.
Dead? Nice click bait… kinda expected more from you guys
👍👍✌️
Not a fan of the title....
Air2s looks better!?!?!?!?! What!?
Mavic 3 loses in photos with air 2s and mini 3 pro…I can’t understand how but thats the reality….
Can't compare, because not apple to apple. Mavic 3 classic more expensive than Air 2S
So you can't compare an expensive apple with a cheap apple and see which one is better value?
I think your review here is very bias and for some weird reasons you have tried to make it look like these 2 drones are not different. All these differences you mentioned are major, not sure how you can say they are comparable?? They are completely different on every way!! You made photo comparison using lines and stiuf but did not do any real world photos. You made video quality comparison on a Bright day where the quality could be close but you did not provide any low light or night videos where your argument would have fallen apart. I do have both drones by the way, but Mavic 3 beats the crap about of the A2S on every way and that is a fact.
If it works for you, then great. You draw your own conclusions from our data. Both are great drones. Outdoor vs indoors photos should have zero effect. Proper camera testing is done in a controlled environment to compare data.
We have low light condition photos in our test.
11:48 mavic 3 looks like hot garbage
Just a comment from DP review:
“Aperture only makes sense when you compare lens to lens on the same sensor size. It doesn't make any sense at all when you start to compare different sensor sizes.”
Sorry to say but I am a bit perplex about your comparison.
How a bigger sensor could provide less details…. And on the MAVIC 3 line… in your conclusion the MAVIC Pro will also have less details and more chromatic aberration than the Air 2 S…
I think you guys walk in the head sorry to say….😊
Yet DP review allows you to compare lenses quality based on… aperture for each lens. How do you compare image quality if you don’t use similar factors. If we had compared f2.8 vs f5.6, you would have said: it’s not the same aperture, how can you compare the two. Bottom line is, a bigger sensor, even at the same aperture, should perform as well if not better. It didn’t. And even at higher aperture it didn’t.
@@PilotInstitute allow me to tell you that your comparison is very weird...
How you can imagine the Mavic series even the pro sensor provides less picture quality than the Mavic 2 pro. I had still the footages from my mavic 2 pro and comparing to the mavic classic.... it is no chance that the mavic 2 pro provides better image quality...
For me your result is very weird....
Not a reasonable comparison. You have glossed over a lot of the classic advantages. You used different controllers, to give a larger price advantage. Overall this comparison was cooked badly. I would have to take little or not notice of your review. Kiwi
Controller compatibility dictates what controller we include in the review... With that said, the controller has nothing to do with the image quality.
When you do the video comparison not to be too bias but I think overall except when you run 400% that the Air 2s does a bit better. Not sure why? I am loving my Air 2s! I have done video's even done a few different picture modes and I couldn't be more happy with the results my Air 2s has given me!
I have currently the Avata package and the mini 2 package. I started with my 1st drone ever the Mini 2 and it is an amazing starter drone. It is kind of sad I don't really use it much anymore because the Air 2s just does so much better in so many ways and is a lot of fun to fly!
I am waiting for a future drone with a much more compatible price tag in a few years and hoping to get a good DJI drone that can do night vision for around $1,500 bucks or so. Call me crazy, but the price of drones with that feature has been coming more and more available at a much better price tag and the idea of having a drone I can use at night not just for fun, but even have it around for emergencies and save a life weather it be human or animal of some sort!
Sorry for the long information. Thank you for the video comparison and after watching this, I am completely happy and going to just stick with my Air 2s for a few years and give it the love it deserves!
I hope you start reviewing more American made products. I can't give my money to communist China
What would be an American made drone that could come close, or be better? I’m for real curious. Cause I don’t know if such a drone exists.
I respect your stance but we have a lot of catching up to do
@@thepoorboychannel parrot anafi is way better drone
@@realiouslytv1711 parrot anafi??? I’ve never heard of it. I’ll be looking into it for sure. Thanks!