Is the Mavic Air really that good? A photographer's opinion.

[Meta4]

I’m still shaking my head regarding the 12mp Mavic Air...12mp!!! Comon dji you’ve just made another hobby craft.

There's nothing wrong with releasing a hobby craft.
There are a lot more customers for a cheaper hobby craft than a Phantom 4 pro.
So it makes commercial sense.
And whatever machines they are working on a releasing, it's all good technology they are developing.

 

[DELTwith]

What if there is no Phantom 5?

Have you researched their higher tier products?
They make more than hobby drones.

I like the phantom image quality/size and price so whatever drone comes next with that or better I will be going for. 12mp just does not cut it for the work I do...20mp is good but it will get better in time!

I do like the air but if I had spare cash I would use it as a hobby craft cause it’s beautiful pocket size.

Hoping for phantom 5, smaller with retractable legs would be great, Waterproof, 20+mp, 4k, 35min flight...all those specs would be great...fingers crossed!

 

[African wildlife]

My original post above was to challenge the launch presentation's impression/claim that this was a drone for working "adventure" photographers. By implication, if true, it would likewise be desirable for mainstream consumers. A clever sales pitch, yes, but actually misleading.

But, to repeat, it's another (small?) step in the DJI technological journey.

I'm not sure if we will see a huge breakthrough in drone technology until graphene becomes commercially widespread and batteries significantly evolve. When these two changes happen - and they will - the step forward will be drastic.

As previously said, I'm not too bothered about a P5 or P5P unless the added advantages are geared towards photography. This would probably have to be centred around different/optional lenses so as to come more into line with mainstream photography. Will this happen with the Phantom range? I'm not sure. But the P4P is definitely a great tool.

 

[Tomas Wangen]

My original post above was to challenge the launch presentation's impression/claim that this was a drone for working "adventure" photographers. By implication, if true, it would likewise be desirable for mainstream consumers. A clever sales pitch, yes, but actually misleading.

But, to repeat, it's another (small?) step in the DJI technological journey.

I'm not sure if we will see a huge breakthrough in drone technology until graphene becomes commercially widespread and batteries significantly evolve. When these two changes happen - and they will - the step forward will be drastic.

As previously said, I'm not too bothered about a P5 or P5P unless the added advantages are geared towards photography. This would probably have to be centred around different/optional lenses so as to come more into line with mainstream photography. Will this happen with the Phantom range? I'm not sure. But the P4P is definitely a great tool.

Current expectation for p5 is interchangeable lenses (with 3 available from launch). We should also expect improvements to the sensor, but how much is a good question.

 

[hit-n-run]

The best camera is the one that you have on you, and you could have the air in your possession all the time.
4k @ a higher bitrate than the mavic pro in a smaller package is awesome.

 

[OOO]

The best camera is the one that you have on you, and you could have the air in your possession all the time.
4k @ a higher bitrate than the mavic pro in a smaller package is awesome.

It is my iPhone

 

[African wildlife]

Current expectation for p5 is interchangeable lenses (with 3 available from launch). We should also expect improvements to the sensor, but how much is a good question.

Tomas: If the P5 has three interchangeable lenses, then that will be a significant step forward worthy of an upgrade - assuming it included a 50mm option which would open up the scope for aerial landscape photography.

Is this just speculation? Has feedback been sent to DJI about this desirable photography requirement?

 

[Tomas Wangen]

Tomas: If the P5 has three interchangeable lenses, then that will be a significant step forward worthy of an upgrade - assuming it included a 50mm option which would open up the scope for aerial landscape photography.

Is this just speculation? Has feedback been sent to DJI about this desirable photography requirement?

Leaked technical drawings / sketches from same source that leaked x7 have been posted here earlier. So it is high-quality rumours but no guarantee.

【LV的灵魂手绘】Phantom5耀世登场，再一次给你震撼 – KANZHAJI 看炸机-无人机炸机资讯站

 

[Vind]

for a pro it would be a step backwards , wait for the new P5 , for the rest of us it's better than the current mavic or the P3S which I own , I would definitely consider a mavic air as my next purchase !

Do you think a p5 will come out it looks like dji have been going in the direction of the mavic I have a p4a but having something small that I can sneak out since there are more and more restrictions in my area

 

[Mix_]

I totally agree, I also am a professional photographer/filmmaker and for me image quality is #1 in priority. I use an inspire 2 and p4p and would never want to step below those, and while I can see this mavic being the only choice sometimes, I will pass. It would work great for many others of course. Just the fact we have so much to choose from is a gift indeed.

The true story comes out not so much from tools, but from the man behind them - without a great narrative and good cut, even the most expensive tools are worthless.
And, in our particular field, the skill of using those tools is sometime more important than image quality - composition/framing etc. are the thing which create or ruin the story.
Of course, when it comes out of hobby fild to professional one, then yes, you need to use the best tools, rent expensive lenses, cameras lightning sets etc.

Apropos Mavic Air - the point is portability without too much of compromises. -Yes, P4P camera and changeable aperture is better for images and videos, and, when we go further, Inspire and even further - big drones with Red/Alexa with cinema lenses or, for photos, a good Hasselblad/PhaseOne medium format gear.
But, unless you make your living from droning, Mavic Air is a very good oportunity to get a decent gear without breaking the bank.

For me, it’s for joy and inspiration, not for bread and butter.

And yet, we got one more choice to consider, when buying a drone (or second, or third etc).
And that’s great.

 

[YoshiK1]

I’m an amateur photographer, I have just bought the P4P the other week and I’ve just bought the Mavic Air today.

The P4P is awesome but it’s too big and heavy to carry 3kg up hills with me including my camera, lenses, tripod, waterproofs, water and food. That’ll be about 10kg additional weight! Also I don’t just use my drone(s) for videoing and photos but I use them for fun. I’d rather keep the P4P for the good stuff and thrash the Mavic Air around and if I crashed it then it wouldn’t be £1600 down the drain.

Also there’s folk that couldn’t afford or justify buying a P4P so thats clearly the next best thing.

Yes it has its place in the market for specific clientele but not everyone who buys drones is a professional tog with table books. With that all said the P4P IMO isn’t good enough for professional togs that are selling Work on larger prints. The Inspire is where it is at.

If purely you want a drone for excellent video and photos then got for the P4P but if not then just buy what you want and need, enjoy it and have a whirl!

 

[hit-n-run]

I got snowed at first with their Marketing claim of "36MP Spherical Photos" and thinking it was a 36MP camera only to find it was still 12MP in the fine print elsewhere. Someone in Marketing sat around for a few days with that ad "36MP Spherical" assertion.

Same for their claim of the Super 35mm sensor in their first intro of the X7 camera which they showed in a drawing to be larger than a Full Frame sensor and later retracted it. Marketing spew is really something one needs to view carefully with DJI. Then came the I2 overall speed reduction too. It all sounds good, but the reality is often different.

#fakedronenews

 

[hit-n-run]

A first time buyer may consider the Air, but for serious photography you need a P4P or an Inspire.
The Air is inferior to the Mavic pro in 2 very important areas, Wifi not occusync, and much shorter battery life. The price is too close to the MP.
I have an MP and a P4, my next purchase will be the P5, not the Mavic2.
Image quality from the MP can be very good, but you have to work at it, testing all settings,ND filters ,using dlog etc.

I think the air is awesome from what I have seen.
Who cares about wifi vs occusync it still has over 2 mi advertised range. That's about 1.5 miles more than I need.
6 min less battery life is certainly not inferior, it's so much smaller you can carry an extra batteries.
+ the 100 Mbps video dwarfs the mavic pro

Can someone start a new thread to discuss the mavic air and hopefully limit the amount of discussion regarding getting attacked by eagles, or arrested in foreign countries, cultural sensitivity, coffee table books, being an adventurer, comparing to p4, drones that don't exist and the inspire or the drone you use for your "pro" work. And that you are waiting for the p5.

 

[Meta4]

Can someone start a new thread to discuss the mavic air.

Your wish is granted: Mavic Air

 

[African wildlife]

YoshiK1:

The P4P (including battery and props) only weighs 1.388kg. So that amount of weight really isn't a factor on top of much heavier equipment. As for "food and drink", a minimum of three cans of Coke plus ice cubes is part of the essentials, included in what I called "etc". If my wife can carry it all - and she's not exactly built like a Russian shot putter - shame on any other professional who moans "I can't".

Our market in Limited Edition Prints has always been A3 size, with some at A4. The P4P is capable of delivering work at this size, at least with regards to natural landscapes. You would only consider paying several times more for an Inspire 2 if aerial photography was your main focus, which in our case it isn't.

To repeat, my purpose in starting this thread was simply a response to DJI's launch to challenge whether a professional "adventure" photographer would choose a Mavic Air, when a P4P delivers better quality imaging for a similar (albeit slightly higher) price. Slick marketing works, but isn't always honest.

 

[Moonfox]

YoshiK1:

The P4P (including battery and props) only weighs 1.388kg. So that amount of weight really isn't a factor on top of much heavier equipment. As for "food and drink", a minimum of three cans of Coke plus ice cubes is part of the essentials, included in what I called "etc". If my wife can carry it all - and she's not exactly built like a Russian shot putter - shame on any other professional who moans "I can't".

Our market in Limited Edition Prints has always been A3 size, with some at A4. The P4P is capable of delivering work at this size, at least with regards to natural landscapes. You would only consider paying several times more for an Inspire 2 if aerial photography was your main focus, which in our case it isn't.

To repeat, my purpose in starting this thread was simply a response to DJI's launch to challenge whether a professional "adventure" photographer would choose a Mavic Air, when a P4P delivers better quality imaging for a similar (albeit slightly higher) price. Slick marketing works, but isn't always honest.

Same here. As a pro I want a bigger drone and a bigger sensor.

 

[Osmosis]

I've just watched the Mavic Air launch on screen.

I'm an experienced professional, with three of my six titles being coffee-table books. Two are filled with top-quality wildlife and natural landscape images. Whereas I'm not keen on the label of "adventure photographer", I've worked in countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Nepal - plus more common destinations such as Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, India, Australia, and the US - always in remote locations. And you can add five films from years ago (Ethiopia, South Africa x2, Australia, plus the UK).

Today's presentation was slick and well done (with the exception of the "landscape" props which were tacky). And it could have been slightly better if the main presenter had put on an Obi-wan Kenobi cloak/hood for his demonstration of mind/hand control of the drone on stage.

Importantly, this drone is another step forward in technology.

But would someone like myself realistically choose this new drone? "No" is my considered answer, simply because the images/video it can produce are a step backwards when compared to the P4P's capability. We waited until the P4P was released and road-tested before adding a drone as a work tool.

Yes, it's compact. And in a very few situations this would be a decisive factor. But in most situations, the P4P's size and weight is small/light enough. Major film crews carry enormous amounts of equipment, and smaller operators are not shy of packing whatever is necessary to get the job done. I work closely with my fantastic wife. A tough head ranger in the Scottish Highlands affectionately called her "Pack Horse" because of what she was carrying - which included a heavy Manfrotto tripod, two camera bodies, and a big Nikon wildlife lens. Strap on an additional backpack to the front of her body containing the P4P and she wouldn't complain.

When it comes to still images and film, quality matters. The bar is set high and you only accept lower in certain circumstances, such as for inclusion in a here-today-gone-tomorrow news story. I doubt too many Limited Edition Prints will be made and sold, for example, from using a Mavic Air.

I appreciate that many on this forum are drone enthusiasts and I don't want to be offensive in any way. But today's launch featured a young adventure photographer as a selling point. Whereas this was a good marketing ploy, it will be viewed somewhat sceptically by experienced professionals like myself (with the few exceptions as noted above). The P4P is already relative small in size and light in weight compared to other drones able to offer quality output. Why would we want to go backwards?

Completely agree! These things are great for the quick shot here and there but when compared to the larger format cameras and drones there's no comparison.

 

[Zenithman]

I think the main key here is the ease of transport. Not so much an issue for a photographer who is hauling along a bunch of equipment as it is, but rather the weekender who wants to have a sky camera with him when he goes to his cabin or lake. The other draw is the speed which will be appealing to those wanting a sporty little drone that won't fly away to race around.

 

[Yenrab]

"But what I'd really like to urgently see is more of us pushing the limits of using what we currently have. And that boils down to how we use our brains or minds. A Phantom or Mavic drone is simply a tool."
Thank you for this, African Wildlife! I too am of the mind, "Use what you have to the limit." I have friends and relatives who say they wish they had a better dslr like I have so they can take better photos. I tell them like Attila Torunoglu told me in Turkey years ago. Master the equipment you have. It is not the newest and most expensive that you express yourself with, it is your vision and mind. He told me that after I told him I wish I had a Hasselblad 500C like him instead of my twin lens reflex. He then told me one of his photos I really admired was actually taken with the same twin lens camera I had. It is not the best and newest that will help you photograph. It is time, exprience and knowing your equipment. IMHO

 

[Russ43Phantom]

I compare the Mavic Air to my iPhone X and my P4P to my Nikon 750. For more demanding work, I would use the P4P for it’s camera and flight time. BUT ... often, we say the best camera is the one that is with you all the time. I ordered to Mavic Air to be a camera to travel with or keep with me all the time so that special moments aren’t lost because I didn’t have my P4P. The second use of the Mavic Air, at this point, is to have a drone that I am more comfortable when flying in restricted locations. DJI gives you choices so you can have options. The Mavic Air may not be for everyone ... but thank you DJI for providing choice.