DJI Mavic 4 Pro vs Mavic 3 Pro: Worth the Upgrade?

Mavic 4 Pro vs Mavic 3: A Deep Dive Comparison

By Azeem_USA

The drone world is buzzing with the arrival of the DJI Mavic 4 Pro. But with the already formidable Mavic 3 Pro on the market, many are wondering: how much better is the new flagship, and is it worth the upgrade? We're putting these two powerhouses head-to-head to find out.

Table of Contents

• Design and Build: Refinement and Practicality
• Size, Weight, and Flight Performance
• Obstacle Avoidance: Smarter and Safer
• The Game-Changing RC Pro 2 Controller
• Camera System: The Core Upgrades
• Native Vertical Shooting
• The Barrel Roll Feature
• Battery Life and Charging
• Hyperlapse and Onboard Storage
• Low Light Performance
• Signal and Transmission
• Slow Motion Capabilities
• Drone Noise Levels
• ActiveTrack Enhancements
• US Launch Status
• Conclusion: Is the Mavic 4 Pro a Worthy Successor?

Design and Build: Refinement and Practicality

At first glance, the Mavic 4 Pro (M4P) is "definitely reminiscent of the Mavic 3 Pro." However, DJI has focused on refinement. The M4P features a massive, ball-shaped camera unit housing all three cameras, which can spin on its axis – a hint at new capabilities.

The distinctive rotating triple-camera unit of the Mavic 4 Pro. Source: DJI

A much-appreciated design tweak is the folding arm mechanism. Unlike the Mavic 3 Pro (M3P) which required a specific unfolding order, the M4P's arms can be unfolded in "any order," preventing them from knocking against each other.

Size, Weight, and Flight Performance

The Mavic 4 Pro is undeniably a bigger drone: "taller, wider, thicker, and of course, heavier" than the Mavic 3 Pro. This increased size isn't just for show. It accommodates bigger motors and propellers, leading to:

• Better battery life: More efficiency from larger components.
• Improved wind resistance: A more stable platform in challenging conditions. The M4P's "more aerodynamic shell as well as the stronger motors" contribute significantly here.

While direct wind resistance tests weren't performed side-by-side, the reviewer noted the M4P handled windy conditions better. The M4P is also faster overall, capable of reaching approximately 27 m/s compared to the M3P's 21 m/s.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro

DJI Mavic 3 Pro.

The Mavic 4 Pro (left/right) is visibly larger than the Mavic 3 Pro (right/left).

Obstacle Avoidance: Smarter and Safer

The Mavic 4 Pro boasts "a bunch of obstacle avoidance sensors everywhere," including a new LiDAR scanner hidden in a front arm. This LiDAR is particularly beneficial for "better obstacle avoidance, particularly at night."

In testing:

• Mavic 4 Pro: Achieved up to 18 m/s in every direction with obstacle avoidance enabled.
• Mavic 3 Pro: Limited to 15 m/s forward/sideways and 12 m/s flying backward.

The Game-Changing RC Pro 2 Controller

Perhaps the "favorite upgrade" for the reviewer is the new RC Pro 2 controller, which comes standard with the Creator Combo (featuring a 512GB built-in SSD in the drone). Highlights include:

• Large, Bright, Folding Screen: Folds flat, and the control sticks ingeniously fold with it – no more fiddly, losable sticks!
• HDMI Port: A welcome addition for external monitoring.
• Vertical Screen Orientation: The screen can fold fully vertically, and the drone camera mirrors this, offering a full vertical preview – "genius!"

While the Mavic 4 Pro is compatible with the older DJI RC2, the RC Pro 2 is described as "so nice, it's definitely something I would consider upgrading to."

Camera System: The Core Upgrades

The Mavic 4 Pro sees substantial camera improvements across its triple-lens setup.

Main Camera (Wide Angle)

• Focal Length & Aperture: Now 28mm f/2 (M3P was 24mm f/2.8). This is a wider aperture, letting in roughly double the light, but a slightly tighter field of view. The reviewer would have preferred wider (e.g., 21mm).
• Sensor & Dynamic Range: A brand new Micro Four Thirds sensor claiming up to 16 stops of dynamic range (a vast improvement from M3P's 12.8 stops).
• Video Resolution: 6K up to 60 fps (M3P was 5.1K up to 50 fps) – about 32% more pixels.
• Stills: Base resolution of 25MP (up from M3P's 20MP), with a 100MP high-resolution mode available (though best in good light).

Medium Telephoto Lens (2.5x or 70mm)

This lens "remains unchanged" from previous drones like the Air3 and Mavic 3 Pro. However, it now supports 4K at 120 fps and DLOG recording, ensuring better consistency with the other cameras.

Super Telephoto Lens (6x or 168mm)

This lens receives the "most upgrades":

• Sensor Size: Upgraded from 1/2-inch to 1/1.5-inch (approximately 2.25x larger surface area).
• Aperture: Widened from f/3.5 to f/2.8.

These changes result in a "much better image with better dynamic range, better low light performance." In low light, the M4P's super telephoto is "actually pretty good," whereas the M3P's was "completely unusable" and rarely used by the reviewer. Now, it's "on a level where I would say it's usable."

Native Vertical Shooting

The Mavic 4 Pro supports native vertical shooting, offering 6K vertical shots ideal for social media. However, there's a "big caveat": the camera's tilt range is "pretty severely limited" in vertical mode, which also limits top speed.

The Barrel Roll Feature

A first for DJI, the M4P can perform a "barrel roll," rotating the entire camera unit up to 440 degrees. While novel, the reviewer deems it "a bit of a gimmick" that might lose its appeal quickly.

Battery Life and Charging

The Mavic 4 Pro's battery boasts a ~24% capacity upgrade. DJI claims 8 minutes more flight time, which aligns with real-world tests showing the M3P landing with about 10% less battery than the M4P when launched simultaneously. Average flight time observed was around 40-45 minutes (DJI claims 51 mins).

The new charger is a significant step up, charging at up to 240W and capable of charging all three batteries simultaneously to full in just 90 minutes.

Hyperlapse and Onboard Storage

The Mavic 4 Pro "handles hyperlapses like a champ." With the built-in SSD (on the Creator Combo, now 512GB instead of the M3P Cine's 1TB), it can achieve 1-second intervals. The non-Creator Combo version is believed to be limited to 2-second intervals.

The 512GB SSD allows shooting in an All-Intra codec up to 1200 Mbps for maximum post-production flexibility. However, the reviewer found the file sizes too large for their personal workflow and will stick to H.265, acknowledging its value for other creatives.

Low Light Performance

This is a "big selling point." While the main camera's sensor size (Micro Four Thirds) is the same, the upgraded f/2 lens (from f/2.8) lets in double the light. This translates to "much better low light performance and cleaner images and less noise," even without a dedicated night mode (as of review time).

Signal and Transmission

Thanks to the new O4 Plus transmission system, the Mavic 4 Pro exhibits a "stronger signal," with fewer cutouts when flying further away compared to the Mavic 3 Pro.

Slow Motion Capabilities

All three cameras on the Mavic 4 Pro can shoot 4K at 120 fps. On the Mavic 3 Pro, only the wide-angle lens could do this. The downside for the M4P's wide-angle slow motion is a "pretty big crop" of about 25-30%, which is significant given the lens is already 17% more cropped than the M3P's.

Drone Noise Levels

The drones are "pretty similar" in noise, but the Mavic 4 Pro is "just a little bit quieter," with a lower propeller tone, reducing the "whiny high-pitch sound."

ActiveTrack Enhancements

While not fully tested by the reviewer, DJI claims the Mavic 4 Pro's ActiveTrack can now lock onto birds, which could be a "pretty cool combo" with the super telephoto lens.

US Launch Status

Interestingly, the Mavic 4 Pro will not launch in the US concurrently with the rest of the world, likely due to the "tariff situation." DJI is believed to be waiting to see how tariffs evolve before importing stock to the US.

Conclusion: Is the Mavic 4 Pro a Worthy Successor?

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro introduces a host of refinements and significant upgrades over the Mavic 3 Pro. While individual upgrades might seem small, "when you put them all together, you've actually got a pretty massive upgrade."

Key improvements include the more versatile design, superior obstacle avoidance, the game-changing RC Pro 2 controller, significantly enhanced camera performance (especially the super telephoto and low-light capabilities), better battery efficiency, and more robust transmission.

For serious aerial photographers and videographers, particularly those who can leverage the improved low-light performance, faster workflow with the new controller and charger, or need the versatility of three truly capable cameras, the Mavic 4 Pro presents a compelling case. It appears DJI has "taken their time with this drone to refine it" and deliver a polished, impressive product right from launch.

The decision for Mavic 3 Pro owners will depend on how critical these specific enhancements are to their workflow, but for those new to the Pro line or upgrading from older models, the Mavic 4 Pro sets a new benchmark.

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Tags: DJI, Mavic 4 Pro, Mavic 3 Pro, Drone Review, Drone Comparison, Aerial Photography, Videography, Tech Review, RC Pro 2, DJI Drone, UAV

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