DJI Mavic 3 vs. Mavic 3 Classic – The Same Beast For LESS Money!

So this may possibly be the absolute easiest video that I have ever made solely because these drones have so much in common. Like literally, I could probably finish this comparison in under a minute… But there is one big difference, and that is the price which is why this topic is actually worth talking about.

So there are 4 major differences between the DJI Mavic 3 & DJI Mavic 3 Classic. The first is the single camera instead of the dual camera setup that the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine have – so DJI removed the telephoto lens just leaving us with that same primary 4/3 sensor.

Another difference in the camera is that they’re no internal gimbal lock like on the DJI Mavic 3 & Mavic 3 Cine. This kept the camera still while you put the gimbal cover on to protect it.

Speaking of the gimbal cover – that has also changed and to this point, it’s yet to be seen if I like this change or not. I can tell you that the placement of the locking point being on the back is a lot better for sliding in and out of my backpack, but this really isn’t the absolute biggest difference. Both of these covers still accomplish the same thing.

From here – literally, EVERYTHING is the same. The flight time is the same, the performance is the same, the camera quality is the same, even the design of the drone, minus the camera, is the same!

I figured I would make a list for those of you wondering what both of these drones are capable of and as you can tell – it’s much easier to list those differences because there are so few.

DJI made sure that the experience between these drones was as similar as possible, which I think is great. Like the classic here isn’t limited by its feature set just because of the difference in price.

Eventhough it’s less expensive, it can still do all of the great things that the Mavic 3 & Mavic 3 Cine can like hyperlapses, it has omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, O3, compatibility with all three current remote controllers… It is literally a Mavic 3 with no telephoto lens.

On this topic of specs, if I showed you this angle of the DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Classic – you wouldn’t be able to tell me which is which. This is because both drones use the same exact airframe with the same obstacle avoidance sensors looking all around, and an auxiliary light underneath. It’s literally the same drone.

The only difference as I have been hammering home for the entire video is that camera module which is larger on the DJI Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Cine because of the extra telephoto lens.

Speaking of cameras – because I KNOW I am going to get asked about image quality… the shots that I was able to capture between these two drones were literally identical, which is not a shocker at all because they are literally the same camera.

It’s like taking two photos with the Sony A1 and then looking at them side by side to see which is better… you literally wouldn’t be able to because they are the SAME camera.

I have no idea why… but I KIND OF prefer filming with the Mavic 3 Classic. Personally, I think it’s low-key a stress reliever because it’s a much less expensive drone.

Like three times less expensive than my Mavic 3 Cine. Regardless of the drone, you buy…

Are you bored yet? Really I could have just told you that the telephoto camera is gone, and boom! We would have been able to wrap up early… but the most interesting thing about this comparison is the price

DJI Mavic 3

• RC-N1 – $2,049
• Fly More – $2,849
• Cine – $4,999

DJI Mavic 3 Classic

• Drone – $1,469
• RCN1 – $1,599
• DJI RC – $1,749

Price difference

• $2,049 – $1,469 = $580
• $2,049 – $1,749 = $300 (but you get better RC)
• $2,049 – $1,599 = $450

So these are the prices as follows for DJI’s Mavic 3 lineup. The Cine is kind of in a class of its own all the way up at $5,000 for the ability to capture ProRes video and the internal SSD to write that massive video file to.

The real comparison is between the standard Mavic 3 and the Classic. The price difference between the different bundles are as follows with the biggest difference being $580.

This makes the Mavic 3 Classic only $1469 if you chose to by the drone only which means you can just use your own remote controller.

The Mavic 3 series of drones are all compatible with DJI’s 3 remote offerings – the RCN1, the DJI RC, and the RC PRO, so if you are upgrading from an older drone like the Mini 2, the Mavic Air, or any of DJI’s recent releases, then chances are you already have a remote and can save some money.

If you instead need a remote controller, the extra cost isn’t much more expensive, and I would definitely recommend looking into the package that includes the DJI RC. It’s a great little controller that really enhances the flight experience – the built-in screen that is bright it makes a huge difference, and I love the ergonomics of the remote.

This means that you can save between $300-$580 when purchasing a Mavic 3 for just losing that telephoto camera which I personally don’t think anyone needs.

It’s kind of an awkward focal length at 7X zoom, like it’s just way too zoomed in to be used in a functional way. Yes, it’s fun to explore around, zoom in to see things down on the ground, and you can even get some cool parallax shots, but it’s not enough to spend really any extra money on.

And the fact that it can be upwards of $580 just for the feature makes me really happy that they released the classic version of this drone.

I’m just now realizing I guess it’s called the Classic because it’s a classic approach to the camera with only one lens and not two.

Nonetheless, the standard Mavic 3 doesn’t exist to me anymore, it’s only the Mavic 3 Classic and the Mavic 3 Cine.

These two drones really aren’t comparable either – like only a true professional that can take advantage of the pro video recording modes of the Cine version of this drone whereas the Classic still offers the great technology and image quality at a fraction of the cost.

This makes it interesting to compare this drone to the Air 2S as well, with a price point that is much more tight.

Like I loved recommending the Air 2S over the Mavic 3 because it was more than double the price – $1000 for the Air 2S and $2,050 for the Mavic 3.

Now that you can get this great drone for under $1,500… it makes me really think that the extra cost is worth all of the awesome upgrades that this drone introduces. If you want to see a more in-depth comparison between these 2 drones definitely let me know in the comments down below.

So, the difference hardware-wise between the Mavic 3 and Mavic 3 Classic is small – but the price difference is huge!

If you have been waiting to make the upgrade from any previous drone – your Mavic 2, your Air 2, even your old Phantom – this is the drone to get and is the one that I am going to start recommending for those that want a little more drone.

For those that want something smaller and less expensive – I would point them toward the DJI Mini 3 Pro.

That’s it, guys. I will see you in the next one!