The DJI Mavic 3 leaks keep coming ahead of its likely launch later this week – and we now have a clearer idea of how much the drone is going to cost. If you were hoping for DJI Mavic 2 Pro prices, you may want to cover your eyes.
Regular DJI leaker @OsitaLV has revealed what look like the Chinese prices for the three versions of the DJI Mavic 3: the standard bundle, the Fly More Combo and the high-end 'Cine' version.
So how exactly do these prices convert? There's some variation in the interpretation of how these price tags will translate into other currencies, but in short – the DJI Mavic 3 is expected to be well over twice the price of the DJI Air 2S ($999 / £899 / AU$1,699).
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According to @OsitaLV, these Chinese prices for the DJI Mavic 3 mean the standard bundle will cost $2,299 (around £2,049 / AU$3,549). The Fly More Combo, which usually includes an extra battery, low-noise propellers, a shoulder bag and a battery charging hub, is expected to cost $2,799 (around £2,399 / AU$4,399).
Those prices aren't a patch on the predicted price for the Mavic 3 Cine, though, which is expected to have a 1TB internal SSD and a new version of DJI's Smart Controller, called the DJI RC Pro. According to @OsitaLV, that bundle will come in at a whopping $5,199 (around £4,299 / AU$7,749). That isn't far off the price of the 6K version of the incredible DJI Ronin 4D ($7,199 / £5,999 / AU$10,699).
Something you cannot afford! pic.twitter.com/FeB5z3nJxHOctober 30, 2021
It's possible that the DJI Mavic 3 could come in slightly lower than those estimates, with @JasperEllens (who's revealed many of the Mavic 3 leaks so far) suggesting that the breakdowns will instead be $2,000 (standard bundle), $2,800 (Fly More Combo) and $4,800 (Cine version).
But either way, we're looking at a considerable increase on the DJI Mavic 2 Pro's launch price. That drone arrived in 2028 for $1,599 / £1,349 / AU$2,499, so it seems a price bump of at least 25% (based on the more conservative estimates) is on the cards.
Analysis: Mavic prices fly to higher altitude
If these rumored prices for the DJI Mavic 3 are true, the drone will have flown up to higher price bracket than its predecessor. While that's a slight shame and would make the DJI Air 2S even more appealing, there are a few likely reasons for this.
Firstly, the leaks and rumors suggest the DJI Mavic 3 is, tech-wise, a level above its predecessor. We're expecting to see a relatively compact, folding drone with a 20MP Four Thirds camera – that would be a huge upgrade on the Mavic 2 Pro's 1-inch sensor. That camera is also expected to include a 12MP telephoto lens with 7x optical zoom.
In theory, then, the Mavic 3 is a combination of the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom, even if its telephoto focal length is expected to be fixed at 160mm, rather than offering the true 24-48mm optical zoom seen on the latter. The Mavic 3 is also expected to have a far larger battery than any other drone in the Mavic series, taking its flight time to an impressive 46 minutes.
But there are also other likely factors involved in this predicted price rise. DJI hasn't been immune to the challenging tailwinds of the pandemic and its effect on supply chains and chip shortages. The Chinese company has also had to deal with being added to the USA's trade blacklist last year, a situation that continues to rumble on.
This backdrop means the DJI Mavic 3 moving to a more premium tier wouldn't exactly be surprising. And it'd be far from the only photographic product to do this recently – the Sony A7 IV, for example, recently launched with a 25% price hike from its A7 III predecessor.
But this does mean that drone fans will likely have a tricky decision to make. The DJI Mavic 3 will likely be one of the most powerful compact drones ever made and offer the camera performance of a flying interchangeable lens camera. But at only £899 / $999 / AU$1699, the DJI Air 2S will surely remain the sweet spot for most amateur fliers.
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