Hey, welcome to my overview of the Mini 4 Professional and the Mavic 2 Professional.
Having been within the drone business for some time, one drone that I’ve used extensively is the Mavic 2 Professional.
It really works properly for a variety of economic duties like mapping, filming, and building monitoring, and it has been one of the crucial dependable drones from DJI to this point.
However DJI not too long ago launched a brand new drone, the Mini 4 Professional. Sure, it’s a mini drone, however it comes with options we beforehand solely noticed in additional superior shopper drones. Is the DJI Mini 4 Professional ok to interchange the Mavic 2 Professional?
Learn on to study extra about these drones and why I desire the Mavic 2 Professional.
DJI Mini 4 Professional Overview
Being the most recent child within the block, beneath are some options that make the DJi Mini 4 Professional fairly common.
- Sub-250 gram weight for portability and regulatory exemption.
- Prolonged battery life for longer flights.
- Respectable sensor dimension (1/1.3-inch CMOS) for above-average footage high quality.
- Vertical capturing mode for creating social media content material.
- Improved security options resembling 360-degree impediment detection and avoidance.
- Extra flight modes like Observe Me, Cruise Management, Waypoints, and Night time Mode make filming simpler.
- D-Log M and HLG for higher picture processing.
- DJI Fly app for ease of use.
» MORE: DJI Mini 4 Professional Overview (Is It Value to Improve?)
DJI Mavic 2 Professional Overview
Whereas it was launched in 2018, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional has options that DJI nonetheless consists of within the drones they launched a lot later. These embody:
- 1-inch Hasselblad sensor for high-quality imagery.
- Superior clever flight modes resembling Waypoints to discover varied inventive capturing strategies.
- 2 capturing angles to provide the really feel of a dual-camera setup.
- HLG and D-Log M for added post-processing flexibility.
- Respectable flight time for a variety of actions.
- Respectable vary for a drone launched 5 years in the past.
- DJI GO 4 app presents superior options.
» MORE: DJI Mavic 2 Professional Overview
Fast Verdict
Whereas the Mini 4 Professional is the newer drone, it doesn’t fairly but beat the standard and reliability offered by the Mavic 2 Professional.
The Mavic 2 Professional has a sturdy construct, a bigger sensor, compatibility with some enterprise options, and options we nonetheless see in later drones just like the Mavic 3 drones.
The Mavic 2 Professional was later changed by the Mavic 3 collection, which is one other unimaginable drone collection, however in the event you can’t afford any of the Mavic 3 drones, the Mavic 2 Professional ought to be your subsequent possibility.
The Mini 4 Professional is light-weight, weighing lower than 250 grams, and is interesting to informal customers. In comparison with a drone just like the Mavic 2 Professional, it appears fragile.
Nonetheless, it has many options that Mini lovers adore, making it an ideal backup drone or the best drone for customers who prioritize weight and portability over anything.
» MORE: Mini 3 Professional vs. Mavic 2 Professional (Which is Higher?)
What are the primary variations?
DJI Mini 4 Professional vs Mavic 2 Professional: What’s new?
The Mini 4 Professional packs lots of the options we have now been trying ahead to in Mini drones, however the Mavic 2 Professional already had most of those options, and extra.
Under are some causes that I nonetheless depend on my trusty previous Mavic 2 Professional.
- Bigger sensor – Whereas DJI has included a bigger sensor within the Mini 4 Professional than the one we noticed on its predecessors, just like the DJI Mini 2, it’s nonetheless not as massive because the one you get from the Mavic 2 Professional. A bigger sensor makes all of the distinction within the high quality of footage you get.
- Variable aperture – Many drones, together with the Mini drones, lack this characteristic, so this can be a enormous plus, particularly if you wish to do skilled images.
- Stability – The DJI Mavic 2 Professional is bigger, heavier, and extra secure in robust winds than the light-weight Mini 4 Professional.
- Extra management – The DJI Mavic 2 Professional comes with the DJI GO 4 app, providing you with extra management than the DJI Fly App.
- Two capturing modes – This offers you a sense much like the DJI Mavic 3 or the Air 3, each of which include two cameras.
» MORE: DJI Air 3 vs. Mavic 2 Professional (Right here’s My Selection)
DJI Mini 4 Professional
The DJi Mini 4 Professional is the newest addition to the Mini drone collection. DJI has as soon as once more proved they will match superior options in a miniature drone.
Consequently, you now don’t need to get a heavier drone or threat utilizing third-party apps to entry options like impediment avoidance or ActiveTrack; these options and extra are constructed into this drone.
» MORE: DJI Mini 4 Professional – Preliminary Setup (Unboxing to First Flight with Video)
DJI shocked us with the DJI Mini 3 Professional a 12 months in the past, which was fairly spectacular. Sooner or later, I even thought of the DJi Mini 3 Professional for some business work, and a few individuals have used it for such.
Launched only one 12 months later, the DJI Mini 4 Professional is even higher.
If you’re a traveler, content material creator, or only a informal person in search of their first drone and have the funds for it, the DJI Mini 4 Professional is a really succesful drone.
DJI Mini 4 Professional (with DJI RC 2)
- 4K HDR Video Digital camera
- Below 0.549lbs/249g
- 34 Minutes Flight Time
- 20 km Max Video Transmission Distance
- Omnidirectional Imaginative and prescient Sensing
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11/30/2023 03:46 pm GMT
DJI Mavic 2 Professional
The DJI Mavic 2 Professional was formally launched in August 2018. It was a part of DJI’s Mavic 2 collection, together with the Mavic 2 Zoom.
The discharge of the Mavic 2 Professional marked an improve to its predecessor, the unique Mavic Professional, and introduced a number of enhancements and new options to the desk.
» MORE: EXO Drones vs. DJI (Which Drones Are Finest?)
Listed below are a number of explanation why the Mavic 2 Professional was launched and what it aimed to attain:
- Enhanced Digital camera System: The Mavic 2 Professional featured a collaboration between DJI and Hasselblad, a famend Swedish digital camera producer. The partnership resulted in a high-quality digital camera with a 1-inch CMOS sensor and adjustable aperture, offering higher picture and video high quality, particularly in difficult lighting circumstances.
- Improved Flight Efficiency: The Mavic 2 Professional boasted improved flight efficiency, together with longer flight instances and a extra superior impediment avoidance system. These enhancements had been designed to supply customers with a greater and safer flying expertise.
- Versatility with Two Fashions: DJI launched two variations of the Mavic 2 collection, the Mavic 2 Professional and the Mavic 2 Zoom. This technique allowed shoppers to decide on between a drone with a superior digital camera system (Mavic 2 Professional) or one with superior zoom capabilities (Mavic 2 Zoom), relying on their particular wants and preferences.
- Continuation of Mavic Line: The Mavic collection is known for its compact and foldable design, making it extremely moveable for hobbyist {and professional} drone customers. It set the stage for the Mavic 3 drones, one other collection of high-performance prosumer drones from DJI.
DJI Mavic 2 Professional with Good Controller
Drone Quadcopter UAV with Good Controller with Hasselblad Digital camera 3-Axis Gimbal HDR 4K Video Adjustable Aperture 20MP 1″ CMOS Sensor, as much as 48mph, Grey
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11/30/2023 10:36 pm GMT
Head-to-Head Comparability
Weight and Design
Winner: Relies upon
Each of those drones goal totally different audiences. That’s why you need to take into account what you want the drone for earlier than figuring out if the burden will likely be a problem.
The DJI Mini 4 Professional comes from a collection of drones designed for informal customers, vacationers, and other people in search of light-weight drones that they gained’t need to register with the authorities.
If that’s what you’re in search of, then the DJI Mini 4 Professional is the winner right here.
Alternatively, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional is heavier, weighing 907 grams. As such, it appears perfect for skilled photographers or business customers who prioritize imaging capabilities.
The trade-off in weight is usually acceptable, contemplating you may be getting a bigger sensor, extra management with the app, and better picture high quality.
It’s price noting that developments in drone expertise have led to the event of lighter drones with improved capabilities, as we see with the Mini 4 Professional.
DJI received very shut this time. Nonetheless, we have now but to see a Mini drone that performs in addition to the Mavic 2 Professional.
» MORE: Touring With a Drone (Is It Value It?)
Picture and Video Recording
Winner: DJI Mavic 2 Professional
As I discussed above, DJI received actually shut to creating a Mini drone that would cross for an expert drone, however I’d nonetheless go for the Mavic 2 Professional. Right here’s why:
- Sensor dimension – A bigger sensor provides you higher footage and a wider dynamic vary; the footage you get from a bigger sensor is extra seemingly to offer you better-looking printouts than a smaller sensor. Even after we go right down to the utmost decision, you get 20MP stills from the DJI Mavic 2 Professional, whilst you can solely get 12MP stills from the Mini 4 Professional. In line with {most professional} photographers I’ve come throughout, the 20MP is the naked minimal for skilled work. The DJI Mini 4 Professional does include 48MP, however this isn’t a real 48MP. As an alternative, it’s an enhanced 12MP, which some individuals have complained that it introduces noise and I wouldn’t decide it over a real 20MP.
- Variable aperture – The Mavic 2 Professional presents variable apertures starting from f2.8 to f11. This can be a restricted vary in comparison with a DSLR, however for a drone, it’s one of many largest ranges you’ll come throughout. Coupled with the bigger sensor, variable aperture provides you extra flexibility in adjusting a shot to your liking earlier than resorting to ND filters and polarizers.
- Two capturing modes – The DJI Mavic 2 Professional options two major capturing modes, primarily when capturing in 4K: “HQ mode” and “FOV mode.” The “4K HQ mode” makes use of a pixel-to-pixel readout from a cropped sensor space, delivering the most effective 4K picture high quality with out downsampling. It presents a transformed FOV of 55 levels, doubtlessly enhancing picture high quality and cinematic views, and helps 10-bit video. Alternatively, the “FOV mode” permits customers to regulate the sphere of view for a broader or narrower perspective, offering flexibility in capturing scenes based mostly on particular person preferences and capturing circumstances.
Nonetheless, the DJI Mini 4 Professional just isn’t all that inferior concerning photograph and video recording. It shoots in 4K at as much as 100 fps, which is nice while you need to create the highest-quality footage.
And it additionally comes with 10-bit D-Log M and M, additionally out there within the Mavic 2 Professional, giving extra room for enhancing the footage to your liking.
However the vertical capturing mode is one characteristic that units it other than the Mavic 2 Professional.
This mode means that you can change the gimbal’s orientation from panorama to portrait, permitting you to shoot portrait footage that you would be able to readily use for social media.
You possibly can obtain this with footage from the Mavic 2 Professional by cropping into the footage, however it’s a superb choice to have. Nonetheless, this doesn’t make up for every little thing else you get from the Mavic 2 Professional.
» MORE: Digital camera Expertise in Drones (Defined)
Clever Flight Modes
Winner: DJI Mini 4 Professional
That is one space that DJI has superior over time, making some flight modes that had been beforehand solely out there in bigger, costlier drones now out there in small and cheaper drones.
Whereas the DJI Mavic 2 Professional already has among the flight modes we see within the Mini 4 Professional, these within the latter are extra upgraded. Let’s take a look at them.
- ActiveTrack – The DJI Mini 4 Professional options the newest ActiveTrack 360, permitting you to trace the topic in several instructions. That is not like the earlier ActiveTrack variations, such because the ActiveTrack 2.0 discovered within the DJI Mavic 2 Professional, which lets you monitor the topic in two instructions. Should you love creating lots of follow-me content material, you will get extra inventive with the DJI Mini 4 Professional than with the Mavic 2 Professional.
- Waypoints – This characteristic permits the drone to comply with pre-recorded waypoints mechanically. You need to use this characteristic to get to a degree or to duplicate a shot at totally different instances for a time-lapse. It’s the primary time we’re seeing this characteristic in a Mini drone, however it got here with the Mavic 2 Professional and the Mavic 3 drones.
- Night time mode – Just like the Mavic 3 drones, the DJI Mini 4 Professional now comes with evening mode, which reinforces the ISO and reduces noise to provide higher nighttime or low-light photographs. This barely helps compensate for the smaller sensor. Whereas the Mavic 2 Professional doesn’t have a Night time Mode, it does have a bigger sensor and adjustable aperture that can enable you to obtain virtually the identical outcomes because the evening mode characteristic.
- Cruise Management – This characteristic permits the drone to maintain flying at a continuing velocity with out a lot enter from the pilot. You need to use it to discover an space the place you utilize the gimbal because the drone flies, fly to a particular level, or movie at a continuing velocity, which is usually difficult to do manually. The DJI Mini 4 Professional is once more the primary Mini drone to have this characteristic. Whereas the Mavic 2 Professional doesn’t have the Cruise Management characteristic, it has an identical variation known as TapFly, which works equally.
» MORE: DJI Clever Flight Modes (Together with Quickshots & Mastershots)
Vary and Transmission
Winner: DJI Mini 4 Professional
That is one other space the place the DJI Mini 4 Professional excels, however solely as a result of it was launched a lot later than the Mavic 2 Professional.
The DJI Mini 4 Professional comes with the most recent transmission system, the OcuSync 4.0, which options extra antennas, extra processing energy, and improved transmission efficiency even in superior circumstances.
It guarantees a spread of as much as 12 miles, the longest we have now seen on a shopper drone.
Alternatively, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional options the OcuSync 2.0, which has fewer antennas and a slower working system.
Having used it for a number of tasks, I can attest that I may fly it as much as 2.5 miles away in open areas. However timber or some other buildings decreased that to lower than a mile.
This video exhibits the person pushing the DJI Mini 4 Professional to about 4 miles from the controller.
Extra antennas and an extended vary are good, however the DJI Mavic 2 Professional isn’t that unhealthy, and I wouldn’t commerce off picture high quality for the flamboyant new transmission.
» MORE: DJI Transmission System (All the pieces You Must Know)
Impediment Avoidance
Winner: DJI Mini 4 Professional
This characteristic is new within the Mini drones however has been within the Mavic drone collection for some time, together with the Mavic 2 Professional.
With each drones, you get all-round impediment detection, which makes automated modes like ActiveTrack, Cruise Management, TapFly, and so forth., extra sensible because you don’t have to fret in regards to the drone crashing into issues.
However as I all the time point out, you need to all the time be aware of the realm you’re flying in for the reason that drone might not detect all obstacles.
» MORE: Impediment Avoidance in DJI Drones (Defined for Newcomers)
Flight Time
Winner: DJI Mini 4 Professional
As soon as once more, the DJi Mini 4 Professional wins courtesy of being launched a lot later. It comes with a 34-minute battery and an choice to improve to a 45-minute one, although the latter is unavailable in some areas.
Alternatively, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional comes with a 31-minute battery, which is a bit shorter than the Mini 4 Professional however not insufficient; it’s sufficient for many actions, and you are able to do much more when you may have a number of batteries.
Nonetheless, when speaking about batteries, we should take into account components that have an effect on battery life, resembling battery well being, battery cycles, drone velocity, and environmental components, resembling temperature and wind.
Being heavier and sturdier, when uncovered to excessive wind speeds, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional will maintain its place higher and won’t use extra battery energy than the Mini 4 Professional.
Alternatively, the Mavic 2 Professional is discontinued, so it could be difficult to discover a new one.
Shopping for a used drone means getting used batteries, which can not carry out in addition to they did when new. However if you’re fortunate sufficient to get a brand new or well-maintained drone, you need to have the ability to get probably the most out of it.
» MORE: Flight Time of All DJI Drones (Defined)
Controllers
Winner: DJI Mini 4 Professional
The DJI Mini 4 Professional comes with two controller choices: the DJI RC-N2, much like the RC-N1 you’ll have seen in earlier Mavic or Mini drones, and the DJI RC 2, a extra superior model of the DJI RC.
The DJI RC-N2 upgrades from the RC-N1, which has been the usual controller for many DJI drones, and it requires attaching a smartphone on the prime to be used as a display screen.
It’s one of the crucial ergonomic controllers I’ve used, and it’s simple to arrange and use.
Alternatively, the DJI RC and RC 2 include an inbuilt display screen, so that you don’t want to make use of a smartphone.
This makes it even simpler to arrange, and the newest upgrades remove the lags, connectivity points, and different points individuals have had with utilizing smartphones.
The DJI Mavic 2 Professional additionally got here with two controller variations: one which wanted a smartphone and the DJI Good Controller with an inbuilt display screen.
In comparison with the RC-N2, the Mavic 2 Professional controller just isn’t that ergonomic.
I typically discovered it uncomfortable for the reason that smartphone goes on the backside, not the highest, and it will get even worse when it’s a must to use the cable port on the backside as an alternative of the one on the aspect to hook up with your smartphone.
Alternatively, the DJI Distant Good Controller helped resolve this by eliminating the necessity for a smartphone, providing a 1080p show, a smoother connection to your drone, and an general simpler setup.
Nonetheless, it’s a lot heavier than the DJI RC 2 and has since been discontinued, so it’s incompatible with the later drones.
You possibly can nonetheless get a used one, which brings you nearer to what you’d get with the RC 2.
Alternatively, the DJI Mini 4 Professional comes with the most recent controllers and transmission system, that are incompatible with the earlier drones however could also be suitable with the drones DJI releases later.
» MORE: DJI RC vs DJI RC-N1 (All You Must Know)
Apps
DJI GO 4 and DJI Fly are two purposes developed by DJI for controlling their respective drone fashions, providing distinct options and person interfaces tailor-made to totally different flying experiences.
DJI GO 4, the predecessor to DJI Fly, is suitable with varied superior drone fashions just like the Mavic collection, Phantom 4 collection, and Encourage 2.
Recognized for its complete options, together with Clever Flight Modes and superior digital camera controls, DJI GO 4 caters to lovers and professionals looking for an intensive suite of capabilities.
Alternatively, DJI Fly is designed for newer consumer-focused fashions just like the Mavic Mini and Air collection, together with the Mini 4 Professional. With a simplified and user-friendly interface, DJI Fly is particularly interesting to newcomers.
Its streamlined design and important flight modes present a simple and pleasing expertise for these getting into the world of drone piloting.
It excels in its accessibility, making it a superb alternative for customers who prioritize ease of use and fast setup.
» MORE: DJI GO 4 vs. Litchi vs. Autopilot: Which App is Finest?
Third-Social gathering Compatibility
Whereas it makes use of an older app, the DJI Mavic 2 Professional can also be suitable with third-party apps like Litchi, which assist unlock a fair bigger world of prospects. That is because of the supply of the SDK.
The DJI Mavic 2 Professional can also be suitable with the GS Professional app, a DJI enterprise app that helps create flight routes for mapping, monitoring, inspection, and even search and rescue purposes.
If you’re in any of those industries, with this app, you don’t need to depend on third-party apps like DroneDeploy.
We’re but to see an SDK for the DJI Mini 4 Professional, so you’re restricted to what the DJI Fly App presents, and this drone just isn’t but suitable with any enterprise functionalities.
Conclusion
Whereas the Mavic 2 Professional, launched in 2018, may not be the newest providing from DJI with fashions just like the Mavic 3 available in the market, it nonetheless holds appreciable attraction.
For customers unable to put money into the newest drones, just like the Mavic 3 collection, the Mavic 2 Professional is a compelling different.
It boasts a strong monitor report, a bigger sensor, a variable aperture for inventive management, purposes in varied business industries, and a secure construct that performs properly in difficult circumstances.
The Mini 4 Professional makes a superb case, however it targets a special viewers, prioritizing portability, prolonged battery life, and upgraded clever flight modes.
With options like ActiveTrack 360, Waypoints, Night time Mode, and Cruise Management, this sub-250-gram drone caters significantly properly to informal customers.
» MORE: Autel EVO 2 Professional vs. DJI Air 3 (Which One Is Higher?)
