DJI Air 3S - Does it beat the Mavic 3?

Tom Whazzup
15 Oct 202408:24

Summary

TLDRIn this video, the presenter compares the DJI A3S drone with the A3 and Mavic 3 Pro, focusing on the A3S's new 1-inch sensor and enhanced camera capabilities. The analysis includes blind testing of wide-angle footage, revealing significant improvements in image detail, dynamic range, and noise performance. While the Mavic 3 Pro has a larger sensor, the A3S excels in overall footage quality and transmission reliability. The video highlights areas for improvement, such as the lack of a variable aperture and true LOG profile, concluding that the A3S is currently the best option for high-quality drone footage.

Takeaways

  • 😀 The DJI A3S features a 1-inch sensor that promises significantly better low-light performance compared to previous models.
  • 🎥 A blind test compares the footage quality of the A3S, A3, and Mavic 3, highlighting the upgrades in the A3S.
  • 📸 The A3S has improved image detail over the A3, making the upgrade worthwhile, especially for the wide-angle camera.
  • 🌅 Dynamic range performance shows the A3S excels in midtones and deep shadows compared to the A3, while the Mavic 3 slightly edges it out overall.
  • 🪂 The A3S includes enhanced obstacle avoidance capabilities in low-light conditions, contributing to safer flights.
  • 🔋 A3S batteries come with Bluetooth wakeup functionality and are backwards compatible with A3 batteries.
  • 🌈 The A3S supports 10-bit color profiles for better flexibility in post-production color grading.
  • 🖼️ Improvements in photo quality and an 8K photo mode are significant advancements in the A3S.
  • 🛩️ The A3S features a reliable O4 transmission system, offering better signal strength than the Mavic 3's O3+ system.
  • ⚙️ The A3S is recommended for those seeking high-quality footage, though it lacks a variable aperture and true D-Log color profile.

Q & A

  • What is the main upgrade featured in the DJI A3S compared to the A3?

    -The main upgrade in the DJI A3S is the introduction of a new 1-inch sensor for the wide-angle camera, which enhances low-light performance and overall image quality.

  • How does the footage quality of the A3S compare to the Mavic 3?

    -While the A3S's 1-inch sensor offers significant improvements in image detail over the A3, the footage quality difference between the A3S and Mavic 3 is minimal, with both drones delivering high-quality results.

  • What kind of color profiles are used in the footage comparisons?

    -The A3 and A3S use the DLog M color profile, while the Mavic 3 Pro uses the D-Log color profile, which is a real log profile providing better flexibility for color grading.

  • What features were added to the A3S regarding battery functionality?

    -The A3S batteries now come with Bluetooth wakeup functionality and are backwards compatible with A3 batteries, allowing users to use their old batteries.

  • In terms of transmission strength, how does the A3S perform compared to the Mavic 3?

    -The A3S offers significantly better transmission strength with its O4 transmission system, making it more reliable than the Mavic 3, which operates on the older O3 Plus system.

  • What is the advantage of the A3S’s 3x zoom camera?

    -The A3S’s 3x zoom camera delivers cleaner images with better detail in high dynamic range situations compared to both the A3 and Mavic 3, which shows higher noise levels.

  • What were the results of the dynamic range comparison among the drones?

    -The A3S exhibited a significant improvement in detail and noise performance in shadows compared to the A3, while the Mavic 3 marginally outperformed the A3S in detail across dynamic range.

  • What is one feature that the reviewer felt was missing from the A3S?

    -The reviewer noted the absence of a variable aperture in the A3S, which would have enhanced creative control over exposure.

  • What did the reviewer conclude about the overall footage quality of the A3S?

    -The reviewer concluded that the A3S is currently the best choice for footage quality due to its superior wide-angle camera and better performance of the 3x zoom camera compared to the Mavic 3.

  • How were the footage clips prepared for comparison in the video?

    -All clips were recorded in the highest resolution with noise reduction and sharpening set to the lowest levels, using the flattest available color profiles to facilitate fair comparison.

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DJI DronesCamera ComparisonDrone TechnologyImage QualityVideo PerformanceAerial PhotographyDrone FeaturesSensor PerformanceFilmmaking ToolsTech Reviews