Today’s episode is about the new Mavic 2. Mavic 2 Pro vs Mavic 2 Zoom – Which drone should you buy?

Drone pilots have been asking us a ton of questions pertaining to the new Mavic. Specifically, is the Mavic 2 Pro a better buy compared to the Mavic 2 Zoom? Let us dive into the specifics.

DJI MAVIC  2 Pro vs ZOOM – SPECS COMPARISON

The Mavic 2 comes in three variants: Pro, Zoom, and Enterprise. Each drone has distinct strengths that every drone pilot should be aware of.

While the Mavic 2 Pro comes with the famed 20 MP, 1-inch Hasselblad sensor, the Mavic 2 Zoom is equipped with a smaller 12 MP 1/2.3” CMOS Sensor. The Mavic 2 Enterprise is nothing but an accessorized Mavic 2 Zoom.

The Mavic 2 is foldable and very easy to travel with. When unfolded, the Mavic 2 measures 322×242×84 mm. This further shrinks to 214×91×84 mm when you fold your drone.

Using the Mavic 2 Pro’s Hasselblad sensor, you can capture 10Bit images (the Sony A7 R Mark III is only 8Bit). Whereas, the 4x lossless zoom (including 2x optical zoom) on the Mavic 2 Zoom will help those pursuing creative videography.

DJI has been heavily publicizing the Dolly Zoom feature on the Mavic 2 Zoom – which was made popular by filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock in his classic horror movie, “Vertigo”. Sure, this is a cool little feature. But, certainly not a novel one as buyers are being led to believe. If you own an Inspire 2+Z3 combo, you can very well recreate this same vertigo shot.

The Mavic 2 is also equipped with 10 sensors for obstacle avoidance.

The Mavic 2 is an excellent drone for posting to social media. You can easily download images to your phone, and even Livestream directly from your drone.

READ THIS BEFORE BUYING THE MAVIC 2 PRO OR ZOOM

Let’s talk about the cons now. The Mavic 2 Pro can shoot in 4K30 but not in 4K60. 4K60 is still reserved for Phantom pilots.

We were also disappointed with the lack of Atti mode on the Mavic 2. If you are not a regular Ask Drone U listener, you might not be aware of the many benefits of flying in Atti mode. Atti mode enables gliding motion that can be likened to the movement of a hockey puck on ice. This allows pilots to capture smooth high-grade footage.

Fortunately, we have discovered an excellent Mavic 2 Hack using which you can activate Atti mode in five simple steps.

We were also impressed with the Mavic 2’s low light capabilities. While the Mavic 2 Pro performs better in this aspect when compared to the Mavic 2 Zoom, the Zenmuse X7 is another good option for low light still photography.

Pro Tip – If you are attempting to download images from the Mavic 2 to your phone, avoid using H265 images. 

MAVIC 2 PRO vs MAVIC 2 ZOOM vs PHANTOM  PRO – WHICH IS THE BEST OPTION FOR DRONE MAPPING?

Another question that drone pilots often ask us is pertaining to drone mapping. Can you use the Mavic 2 Pro OR Zoom for drone mapping? Let us talk about the Mavic 2 Pro first. On a recent visit to New York, we attempted to map using the Mavic 2 Pro. While the negative GPS environment could have been a factor, the drone map was far from satisfactory. Point density was low and the images were noisy.

These results were not very surprising considering that the Mavic 2 Pro comes with a rolling shutter and not a global one.

Likewise, when the Mavic 2 Zoom first came out, many industry analysts (including us) were hopeful of generating good quality maps and models, especially for hard-to-reach areas. We tested out this theory using the Mavic 2 Enterprise – which is essentially an accessorized Mavic 2 Zoom.

Compared to the Mavic 2 Pro, we saw a reduction in background noise. However, noise for the main subject was significantly higher.

So, should drone mappers replace their Phantom with the Mavic 2 Pro OR Mavic 2 Zoom? No!

Nevertheless, if you attempt to map with a linear rolling shutter:

• Fly slower to reduce distortion
• Consider flying in Pix4D’s safe mode
• Don’t forget to apply linear rolling shutter correction in mapping software

MAVIC 2 PRO AND ZOOM PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

At the time of publishing this post, the Mavic 2 Pro was available for $1,729 and the Mavic 2 Zoom was available for $1,439 on DJI’s online store.

So, is it worth buying the Mavic 2 Pro or Mavic 2 Zoom? If you are into drone mapping, you are better off using a Phantom or Inspire. However, for professional photographers and videographers, the Mavic 2 is certainly an option worth considering.

HOW CAN YOU LEARN TO FLY THE MAVIC 2?

Drone U members have access to our comprehensive Mavic 2 Don’t Crash Course. Topics discussed in this course include pre-flight instructions, recommended menu options, intelligent flight modes and much, much more.

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

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