DJI Air 3S vs. DJI Mavic 3 Pro - A New King Has Arrived

[@djcrash77]

Watching this while DHL is about 2 stops from my house with my new Air 3s..😍😍

[@billykyle]

Sweet

[@djcrash77]

@@billykyle in your opinion, does the camera on the Air 3s outperform the mavic 2 pro camera? On the fence if I should sell the mavic 2 pro or my Air 3 to keep just one as a backup to the Air 3s.

[@billykyle]

I haven’t done side by side tests, but after making this video I would say yes. More frame rate options are a big benefit.

[@FGitty]

I’ve flown mine at least 5 times in the last two days since I received it lol

[@riccovonteamer]

I got mind shipped to the hotel I’m staying in Hawaii while I’m on vacation. lol😂

[@CLIFFLIX]

It's easy to confuse "sharpness" and "resolution". They are two COMPLETELY different things. The Mavic 3 shoots video at 5120×2700. That equals video frames that each contain 13.8 million pixels. The Air 3S does standard 3840x2160 with frames at only 8.3 million pixels. The Mavic 3 captures frames with over 5 million MORE pixels than standard UHD 4k. What you are seeing is "sharpening" and "micro contrast",...NOT more actual "resolution". Applying DJI's same in-camera sharpening to the Mavic 3 image will give you are MORE detailed "look" on the Mavic 3. Yes,...the Mavic 3 captures MORE "actual" detail than the Air 3S. (5+ million pixels more per frame) It just has "less" micro-sharpening applied in it's processing pipeline. The Mavic 3 was also given a MUCH higher HEVC bitrate. You also did not show the Mavic 3 in it's highest video recording option. (5.1k) You dropped the Mavic 3 down to just 4k.

[@billykyle]

Ok, and your point?

[@CLIFFLIX]

@@billykyle - Oh, sorry,...It's not actual "resolution" you are seeing. It's image processing "sharpening" that you are seeing. Also,...you only compared 4k to 4k and didn't even open up the Mavic 3's highest video mode? 5.1k? Sorry, you made an awesome video, yes,..but in the resolution shootout, you gimped the Mavic 3 down to 4k and knocked 5 million pixels off it's frame resolution before you tested them together. I think a 5.1k to 4k re-test would be more fair to the Mavic 3.

[@StumpyHead79]

@@CLIFFLIX 4k vs 5k is apple and oranges

[@CLIFFLIX]

@@StumpyHead79 8.3mp (4k) and 13.8mp (5.1k) is a significant frame size difference! HD (1080) is 2mp in size. The Mavic 3 has additional 2x HD (1080) worth of image data dumped into it's frame. I just think that you need to compare best mode for best mode on both. It's not fair to drop 5 million pixels from the Mavic 3 and then say the Air 3S has the higher resolution image afterwards. It's the Miami Dolphins beating the New England Patriots....but only because you benched "Tom Brady" just BEFORE the game even started. ;-)

[@sorinsim]

Yes and a thousand dollars more!

[@brookscurran]

The mavic 3 pro image looks so much more pleasing and realistic, and the digital sharpening on the air3s looks pretty surreal... a clear illustration that digital processing isn't a replacement for sensor size if you're looking for a natural-looking image.

[@ILLAILLS]

I currently have the Original Mavic 3 Cine. It’s a work horse just with out the third camera. 1TB Onboard storage is a game changer

[@billykyle]

That is nice for dumping a days worth of photos and video.

[@AtortAerials]

Game changer until it fails on you and you need to off board pro res footage. I crashed mine and DJI literally had to spends weeks recovering for me a total pain in the butt. To me a fail should be removable like the Inspire.

[@alina9757-v2x]

@@AtortAerials Most likely a decision for weight

[@hogangwapa]

I can buy this air 3s soon once i have right amount money. I am still saving, So for now, I am very happy to see reviews like this to know more about the drone. thank you.

[@RMRealEstateProductions]

Thanks Billy! You convinced me to order one, in my case it's an even bigger leap going from an air2s to the air3s. I was thinking of holding off til the next mavic pro but this one does everything i need it to do. For my day to day life what I value most is a longer battery life, ability to move from one location to another for real estate photography, FAST with the ability to zoom in at decent quality (3x) is sufficient for my needs. Got it delivered today, cannot WAIT for tomorrow to try it on a full day of photoshoots. The price was very compelling.

[@CanadianSyed]

Thank you so much. I was waiting for this comparison. I bought my Air 3S 4 days ago and was still deliberating about Air 3S and Mavic Pro 3 without in boxing it as it would incur a 15% restocking fee here in Canada. Now I and A-Ok with this drone and will unbox it tonight :).

[@BenDover-069]

What drone did you get ? The Air 3S or Mavic Pro 3 ?

[@RonaldBrown59]

I agree that video coming out of the both cameras on the Air 3s is amazing. And it flies faster and better than any other DJI consumer camera drone. It's now daily flyer. Great video Billy, thanks for sharing.

[@4q2ube]

You asked for our opinion, so here's mine,,, i'm waiting for the Mavic 4 pro. 😁

[@AllthingsVegas]

Great comparison video. Sounds like a huge upgrade over my Air2s, but with the Mavic 4 potentially coming out soon, it's difficult to pull the trigger. Keep up the good videos.

[@Hsyunē]

First off…Thx for the much needed comparison! Also including footage for your viewers to download is pure amazing. I’m an M3 Pro user…and would strongly advise people who don’t own it…to get the A3S instead. However….your conclusion on the daytime video comparison is not on point. The footage from the M3P has way more highlight recovery and a bit more in the shadows😊 (skyline scene). All subjects looked too sharpened and a bit unnatural (A3S). The night time comparison shows, that you can not change the laws of physics(sensor size M3P). What I hate about the M3P is: 1.time to switch between sensors, 3-4 sec 2. Rear legs, that make it harder to launch from uneven grounds. Overall: I see my self upgrading to an Air 4S when launched.

[@markkempton4579]

Also a Mavic 3 Pro users and no intent to pick this one up. Regarding your "hate"s: 1) someone mentioned to me yesterday that the lag in switching cameras is due to the remote. The RC has the lag, his RC Pro does not. Might be worth looking for someone who is selling their RC Pro. 2) The bottom lights can be toggled. I have it assigned to one of the quick buttons (the other rotates my gimbal between straight down and straight ahead).

[@Hsyunē]

@@markkempton4579thx for your reply…I thought so regarding the stock RC used. But than again…you shouldnt spend more for Basic User experience. 2. toggle bottom lights is available? Might still not be there for EU Firmware….but I Look into it. Cheers

[@Hsyunē]

@@markkempton4579just checked and can confirm…. C1 is now my on/off toggle Switch for the bottom lights. Big 🙏

[@markkempton4579]

@@Hsyunē great news! I did not get a chance to get my controller out. Thanks for letting me know.

[@BryantAvant]

DJI is smart. Baiting everyone to buy the 3s and once they milk it, they’ll drop the 4 Pro. And I believe a firmware update can make the low light a little better on the 3s.

[@fendrou]

Air4 not pro

[@dronetheworld4k67]

Am not sure about that fw...

[@BanffBear_35]

Do you know anything about the problem with dji fly it keeps crashing saying there's a bug and won't work anymore on android 14 KZbin says to uninstall and download it from dji website but when doing that it says it's bad and can get a virus so now I can't use my drone at all it's an air2s and on galaxy s23 :(

[@adriankrolikowski]

set noise reduction and sharpness to minus 2 in Air3s. Low-light will be much better.

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

@@adriankrolikowski I have done that. They are still sharpening it when I blowup the image. I wish zero was zero.

[@VisionCommunications]

Oh man! You killed this review! Thanks for putting in the work. You've made me happy that I have received my Air 3S! I have flown several Mavics, but not the new ones. I still have Air 2S and Air 3. Kept the 2S because of the image quality for photographs. But now I can sell it.

[@josephgutierrez7020]

This solidified my decision to get the a3s. Been holding out to hear an og m3 be a better option but can’t find it. Thank you for spending time on this

[@markthompson7873]

Excellent work, your review seems very honest. Your section of photos is perfect ad the 20 is sharper then 12. But I’m sporting air 2, air 2S . My air 2 is my backup drone. As soon as I can get the 3s .. I’m purchasing. My air 2S become my backup drone up. Clearly this review is excellent. I love your attention to detail your examples. Your energy level… Good job.

[@grzegorzkrajewski1095]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the files! I was deciding between the Air 3S and the 3 Classic for photography. I wasn’t considering the 3 PRO because it creates some legal issues in cities here in the EU. I took two sets of your photos with some shadows to recover. Sharpness was the same on both. When pulling shadows, the 3 PRO had a slight, very slight advantage, but after exporting both to the same JPG dimensions, the difference wasn’t noticeable. I preferred the warmer starting point of the Air 3S. There were no night photos to compare, but despite this, I’ve decided to go with the Air 3S. Thank you again for the perfect files to help with the comparison!

[@michallispl]

Great review! Lots of work went into it! I really appreciate that! Thanks for the downloads!

[@OpenCarryUSMC]

Having learned in the days of actual film, pushing ISO, real D stops, and actual shutters, I’ll take the adjustable aperture over non adjustable. Sure at 300 or 400 feet up you won’t see much impact from aperture size but you also don’t have to change shutter speed and can simply move aperture larger or smaller as lighting changes. On a drone it’s more of an apples and oranges issue.

[@HikeFly22]

Air 3s is looking very good

[@jaredmeche6325]

For my architecture & interior design clients, I still have to go with the Mavic 3's main lens for still photos, usually bracketed. Adjustable aperture on top of true 20MP micro 4/3 sensor is superior for photos. Saying these drones, including M3P, as well as phones saying they are 40-50MP is very misleading when they're really true 12MP sensors. If I was just doing video, I think the Air 3S has closed those gaps and surpassed in some. Really hoping we don't have to wait too much longer for Mavic 4.

[@chrisduden7382]

Great clean production - Very organized - Thank you.

[@billykyle]

Thanks for watching!

[@joesjourney145]

As someone that owns a mini 3 and was wondering what the photography differences between the air 3s and the mavic 3 pro were, I can confidently say that the air 3s is good enough. Thank you for the video I was waiting for.

[@Philonic]

It’s interesting to me that you seem to be the only KZbinr complaining about the night mode on the Air 3S. Not saying you’re wrong. My Air 3S arrives on Friday so I’ll be able to see for myself. I just find it interesting that everyone else seems to be raving about the night mode

[@ZIGZAGBureauofInvestigation]

Hope it comes in [ let us known ] talked with DJI a few days ago [ air2s tec question ] and they said if ordered from DJI it would come in on 23 Oct .

[@Philonic]

@@ZIGZAGBureauofInvestigation the USPS has mine now from DHL, so just waiting for it to arrive

[@ZIGZAGBureauofInvestigation]

@@Philonic 👌

[@billykyle]

From the examples shown in this video, what do you think about the night video? Especially when comparing it to the Mavic 3 Pro?

[@ZIGZAGBureauofInvestigation]

@@billykyle Pro looks better but is it any better than my Air2s cam? Mr BK / Since dji hasnt add an true lowCost NightVision Camera sys for its *AIR series* of drone [ maybe an Mini Drone ] mounted Black&White Day&Night Vision Camera only would be a Great Start & price.

[@SmallTownView]

I feel like a lot of the pros the Air has over the Mavic, as presented in this video, simply comes down to the warmer color tones. It's not the end all be all of everything, but it's a major contributor. I find warmer tones really bring out the separation of the trees more than cooler tones do. However, the M3P seems to saturate blues more than the A3S, as seen by the sky shots.

[@cristhiandanielagudelomart3596]

Hi, there’s a the DJI magic 3 pro new almost at the same price than the DJI Air 3s, Considering that they have very similar prices (friends) which one is better for me? I want to buy the best of the two with the best quality (it's my first drone)

[@CaptureLifeConnection]

Very informative video. Thank You 🙏. I will be investing in Air 3s. I usually film video more than capturing pictures 🎞️. ✌️😎

[@ctdrone]

Perfect comparison, thanks! I wonder if you dropped the f stop on the M3P to 2.4 so it was closer to the 1.8 on the A3S, it would have changed the details in the shadows. IMHO, you need to have the f stops close for a fair comparison. And I'd do it without the ND filters for a true light to sensor comparison. I also think the footage looks better on the M3P using the zoom (13:04) over the A3S.

[@tarrda]

Hello, I'm new to Drone photography but I still want the best available. I also just like flying one....I recently purchased a Air 3 and got iit on sale then I discovered the Air 3s,,,ordered one from DJI and after a few days in customs It was delivered 2 days ago. I am very happy with the Air 3 flying and am looking forward to using both drones as a hobby. I intend on getting a license and have learned a lot about the dos and don'ts of flying. Your channel is very informative I will be watching a lot. Thanks

[@MauroTandoi]

I reviewed your clips and noticed that you consistently used ND32 filters on the Air 3S, which resulted in a noticeable warm reddish color shift. Many other users have tested with and without filters, and found no color shift with the ND8, while the ND32 shows a strong red tint. In all the tests, I see you used DJI’s ND32 filters, which seem to have this particular shift (unlike the ND8). A comparison without filters would have been useful as well.

[@samueldickes]

Great video, with lots of interesting information. I’ve seen a few other comparison videos, where reviewers also confirm the sharper image on the Air 3s, but think that it looks partially oversharpened and prefer the softer look from the Mavic 3 Pro, where they can decide by themselves, how much they sharpen the image in post production. You speak so fast that I have to watch your video on 0.75 speed in order to take the stress out 😜

[@captraykelly]

Great video! Guess I will be keeping my Mavic 3.

[@CraigAndrew-s7b]

I own the Mini 2 and looking at upgrading to a bigger/better drone. After seeing your video, i'm now leaning to the Air 3S. I'm not worried about what the photos look like at night, because in Australia it's illegal to fly at night. and i'm not into videos, it's all about photos for me. Thanks for the comparison.

[@JamalienN]

Thanks for including the uncompressed files

[@billykyle]

You’re welcome 👍🏼

[@dinodenton1223]

I'm still running an Air 2S and I love it. The difference between these 2 compared to the price difference makes it a no brainer A3S all the way. But it does make it blatantly obvious that they are dropping the Mavic 4 soon and then it will be followed by the Air 4 and eventually the Air 4S. Makes one wonder what they are currently developing and holding back.

[@dinodenton1223]

Also. Just because it can go to 6400 ISO does not mean you should push it that far. I limit the iso on all my cameras to where I feel its comfortable limit is. Great video though. I think the A3S will be my next purchase.

[@VincentMartinFree]

I think I'll wait for the Mavic 4 pro to come out, because I think the upgrades will blow your mind if they combine all what they have implement it all the drones that all out now it will be a Beast. Great information, as always, Billy. I have all of them at this point, accept this new one just came out.

[@gearadventures]

When you say 7 shot bracketing, I still only see 3 and 5 under bracketing. Am I missing something or not understanding what you mean?

[@billykyle]

It will only do 7 shot bracket with 12mp photos. Not 50mp.

[@gearadventures]

@@billykyle okay thanks. That’s what I was missing.

[@jimgiraffe5253]

today billy taught me that adjustable aperature is a crutch and a nd filter is more betterer and he can ride his shutter speed to get perfect exposure. i think i will do this with my other cameras, just disable adjustable aperature

[@billykyle]

I’m happy to hear you watched that far into the video

[@jimgiraffe5253]

@@billykyle it was hard but i perservered

[@jimgiraffe5253]

@@billykyle tbh when i heard you say adj aperature was a crutch , i disregarded everything else you said in this video.. and immediately stopped watching after a massive realisation.

[@billykyle]

That’s fine. If you need to keep using it as a crutch on your drone then maybe you can check out some of my other videos on how to use your drone’s camera better. Adjustable aperture has no impact on depth of field or image quality, so unless you aren’t capable of using a ND filter, it’s not really necessary.

[@jimgiraffe5253]

@@billykyle thanks for the offer billy, but watching moar of your videos is not in my plans. I seen and heard all i need to. I will watch people who know what they are doing, thanks

[@seadogg404]

Excellent comparison; but the adjustable aperture is so important, especially when coupled with ND and CPLs. I get amazing results in video and photography with my Mavic3Pro. The Air3s has me really excited about the Mavic4 tho!

[@proflex310]

Hi Billy, could you compare the new 1-inch sensor of Air 3S with the 1-inch sensor of Air 2S?

[@billykyle]

Have a video coming soon

[@dfwald4657]

I'd love to see this too.

[@damaylaphoenix1155]

no comparison !

[@BrianKerchner]

@@billykyle this is what I am most interested in. Air 3s vs Air 2s when it comes to still photos.

[@roberthansen2498]

Very good lesson. Thank you. Still I am happy with my AIR 3. Greetings from Norway.

[@mickue]

"It's truly a 12mp sensor that is being beefed up with some behind the scenes magic". Why not take half an hour and learn how a quad Bayer sensor works, instead of spreading misinformation? The sensor has a native resolution of 50mp. Aside of any quality rating, that's a technical fact, not magic. 4 Pixel share the same color filter, but this doesn't change the fact, that the sensor has 50mp. If needed, 4 pixels can be binned together. So, it's beefed down. Of course, I agree that those 50mp won't give you the ability to zoom in at 100%, but they will give you more detail than 12mp. Even if it would be a 50mp sensor with a traditional Bayer filter layout, a lens this size weren't able to give the needed sharpness. For video, the quad Bayer sensor makes sense, as it give strong low light performance when the pixels are binned, but also offers the possibility for digital zoom until the tele lens kicks in. From a photography stand point a true 24mp would be better. In my case I am happy with 12mp. I mostly do HDR panoramas and the 12mp makes handling easier because of the smaller file size. The 50mp RAWs aren't perse bad or useless. They just require "deeper" photography and editing skills. For example you shouldn't go beyond ISO200 in dim conditions and expose manually as the drone won't let expose longer than 1/60. Use AEB so don't have to stress the RAWs that hard and you should know about sharpen and denoise techniques.

[@CLIFFLIX]

On a quad-Bayer sensor, it's the amount of color filters that limit it's resolving power. Every photosite under that optical filter spot is getting the exact same voltage reading. What the sensor "can" do is an exposure time-split between two of the four...or...do a gain-split between them. This allows for a "brightness" (bad word to use) difference between the two pairs and allows for an HDR blend. Yes, quad Bayer gives a slight "read-out" advantage but never a "resolution" advantage. The resolution is determined at the color filter "before" it ever gets sampled under it. A sensor with a 12mp color filter is literally 12mp worth of "light" or "optical" or "resolution" quality. (strange way to put it) It doesn't matter how many ways you sample it "under" that filter. The "light" divisions or light "blocks" are only 12mp in quality.

[@mickue]

@@CLIFFLIX no, every photosite does not get the same voltage. That's the point. Although they share the same filter, they can get different voltages and create different shades of that color. And that's why it is a 50mp sensor. A sensor resolution is defined by the smallest possible change that a sensor can perceive.

[@CLIFFLIX]

@@mickue A single color filter dumps the photons over the single cell or cell block it's sitting over. If you have 4 photosites under the exact same same color filter, those four cells are receiving the almost the exact same light intensity. Only ONE general light intensity can pass through ONE color filter square. However!...2 of the 4 photosites can be pre-amped differently from the other two....or...they can be split-exposed and HDR joined inside the same read cycle. It's important to understand that yes, the dynamics of each pair ARE different, they are reacting to the exact SAME light source. A sensor with 12 million Bayer color filters is optically divided into resolution of 12 "megapixels divisions". You can sample as many times you want "under" that color filter. Remember, the sensor has micro lenses that "funnel" the light over each circuit cell to "JAM" surrounding edge light into the cell to "PACK" it as much as possible. That ALONE would distort and blur straight light falling onto the color filter. Even if 2 cells in a 4 cell block "could" manage to get different light from the other two, the difference between it's 2 sister cells would not produce ANY significant image data difference. On a 1 micron cell block, each quad cell is only .020 microns in size? This is why 48mp quad Bayer sensors don't produce any REAL "resolution" advantage over a single cell 12mp chip. They DO however often produce a bit more dynamic range. Quad Bayer is not a resolution boosting tool. It's a dynamic range boosting tool. (although "48mp" is a good marking trick)

[@Glide-vd5we]

Wow what a great video thank you.

[@stoneyridgelights5543]

Your video popped up instantly while searching Air 3S vs Mavic 3 Pro. I'm on the verge of purchasing with a limited budget. I shoot mostly my Christmas light show which is all pixels so the light generated is much more vivid than normal Christmas lights. I was very confident in the beginning of the video with the Air 3S until you got to the low light section. Low light adjustment is crucial. I'm concerned that the Air 3S is not going to cut it for me but the Mavic 3 Pro is outside of my budget. Any insights on this?

[@kristofeight9668]

I won't say much, I just want to say... it's amazing how the footage looks from the 3 Pro, definitely worth a bit more $$ , now i can't even imagine what the image will be like from the incoming 4 Pro, thanks for comparisons, Air looks a bit poor, especially those 60Mbs at 4k 30fps where you don't have much root for color grading

[@kylecouture1917]

Im upgrading from a Mini 3 Pro. Hoping the Air 3s is better in every single way. I mainly take photos and videos of roofs for contractors as a side hustle. Super excited for my Air 3s to come if it ever gets through customs lol

[@richardwalker5906]

Great review thanks 🎉

[@TVNetworld]

i still think the mavic 3 pro is the much better drone - maybe the air 3s has a little bit oversharpening in the software but after editing the 3 pro is a better choice and using the variable average is a must have in pro photography

[@danielgrobe]

Should I upgrade mavic 2 zoom to 3s?

[@deanfordcreative]

Still, waiting for the 4 Pro

[@andre1987eph]

You'll have to travel abroad to buy one. DJI embargo is here.

[@billykyle]

Andre please make sure you put your tin foil hat on today

[@schweizerluchs7146]

​@@billykyle😂

[@albinocurie1920]

@@billykyle😂

[@vervetech9395]

​@@andre1987ephNo embargo yet. And don't worry, it's going nowhere since the Pentagon has no proof to back its allegations.

[@Jjmartin1530]

I got a mini 2 refurbishedd from dgi website as my first drone, awesome little guy btw . Im not sure if its greed or not but m already eyeing that air 3s

[@JinKazama92]

Low light is the ultimate stress test for ANY camera. The Air 3s footage definitely looks like it has digital sharpening going on. Mavic 3 Pro still the more professional choice.

[@MauroTandoi]

yes, The AIR3s was born without an anti-aliasing filter and with the bit rate halved compared to the AIR3, no one tells us, but those who know what the AL filter is for and what impacts a reduction in the bit rate will understand.

[@KenToney]

Would love to see this comparison with video in d-log. I had temp insanity a few months back and sold my M3P but got Air3s Monday, love it!

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

I have the M3 Cine, but I plan to wait for the M4, although I would love to have the 70mm lens since I never use the M3's telephoto lens. In reality, I have a single-lens setup. I like the variable aperture for flexibility, as I shoot 80% photos and 20% video. The feature I miss most from my earlier Mavic is the camera's ability to flip for portrait mode. I shoot a lot of manual panos, and portrait orientation is great for that. With the current setup, I have to create multi-row panos in landscape mode. Billy, great review! I almost went with the Air 3S, but the M4 should be a significant upgrade from the M3. I hope DJI offers an optical zoom, if possible, and a true 50MP or higher sensor. Fingers crossed that the proposed DJI ban doesn't go through.😎🤙

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

@@TheSmartWoodshop do you lose much detail if you crop the footage to 3x equivalent?

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

@ it is only a 20mp camera so a 3x crop would hurt

[@janplexy]

Dude, how do you expect image of the Mavic 3 Pro to be sharp when shooting at shutter speed of 1/60

[@skycam509]

Billy, thanks for the great comparison video. I have a Mavic 3 and a Mini 4 Pro. My primary use-case is still photography. The Mini 4 Pro uses the same quad bayer technology to achieve a supposed 48MP. I have done extensive testing on this, and in my opinion, it is barely worth using, especially if file size is a consideration. In editing, the 48MP does offer a little more resolution, but certainly not quadruple, and there are trade-offs with noise and weird, unfixable coloration on water. For low light, the 48MP is worthless. In either case, I'll take the Mavic 3's 20MP hands down. If video was my primary concern, I think I would like the Air 3s. I really like the lidar for low-light obstacle avoidance and the extra power would probably resist higher winds. (That might be a good test for a video!) For now, I'm sticking with my Mini 4 Pro for its stealth, small size, vertical camera capability, and superior range (compared to the Mavic 3), and the Mavic 3 for its great photos. Both do a good job on video, IMO. Thanks again for all your great content.

[@AerRider]

Nice job as always, Billy.

[@jstoneracing]

Do we know if the new 1" sensor is the same one used in the pocket 3?

[@AtortAerials]

I think the Mavic 3 Pro was way more than a slight refresh it was entirely new drone with refined firmware and was the drone that should have been released initially yet DJI failed with firmware that was so lacking and caused lots of issues for many. That should have been their release period in my opinion it was only by then their firmware was up to speed with their drone.

[@Maximilan20]

I downloaded your videos so thank you for sharing them. After watching a side by side with my Mini 4 Pro I REALLY can't see a noticeable difference between the Air 3s. I mean nobody will be able to tell the difference between the Mini 4 Pro and Air 3s when showing your work. I feel like you sold the Air 3s to be the drone above all drones.

[@johnpftd]

Another solid Billy performance! You should take this piece to America's Got Talent.

[@willardivins3736]

Flying during sunrise/sunset / variable clouds, when lighting is changing by the second, the variable aperture saves the time, energy and missed shots of having to either do the best you can with the ND you installed, or bringing back the drone to install the one you now need. Whether the camera shoots cool, or warm, if it doesn't give the look you want, you adjust settings until it does. The only time a problem arises in that scenario is when the hardware cannot adjust to suit. Neither of these drones' cameras have that problem. For those who already have a Mavic 3 / 3 Pro, Purchasing a 3S for daytime shooting could be a money saver over waiting for what will undoubtedly be a much pricier Mavic 4 Pro. Still waiting for the drone camera that can do it all, which means variable aperture will be necessary. Please cut the condescending comments like "Have you ever heard of a ND filter?" Such comments take away from an otherwise informative and helpful video. Don't marginalize your professionalism with such low brow commentary.

[@solidsteam5634]

I currently have DJI Mini 2 and I love flying it but I don't that much anymore. I want the drone to be able to follow a subject without me controlling it and I want it to be able to completely avoid obstacles, should I go for the Air 3S or the Mavic 3 Pro or wait until next year when newer ones are released knowing that I already have a drone?

[@ReneGamper]

The Air 3s is a great drone, but overall i think the image quality of the Mavic 3 Pro is still better in every way. Also not being able to adjust the aperture on the Air 3s is a big downside when filming video, you can not land the drone to change ND filters all the Time and adjusting the shutterspeed makes the footage look not as smooth as it should be (if you care about that). The main problem I have with the air3s is that, when the light changes quickly, like sunset, sunrise or also just some clouds you don't have any other ways to adjust the exposure except cranking the shutter. The only other solution I come up with is to always fly at higher ISO and stepping that down when there is too much light... But yeah... that will decrease the quality of the image again and introduce noise. But the overall improved hardware and better performance AND better price of the Air 3s makes it still an excellent drone. So yeah, I don't know lol... which one would you buy?

[@jonahkaiguam]

How about Air3s vs the original Mavic 3? Im wondering if the 70mm (3x) 2nd camera at 1/1.3 on the A3S is better than the 165mm (7x) ½ camera. How much "better" is the A3S 1" 24mm to the MTF 24mm on the mavic 3

[@KrisFlix]

I have the Air3. Bought the fly more combo back when it came out last year. I am considering getting the 3s. But I’m not really sure. One option I thought about doing, is getting just the air3s drone just by itself. Since I already have the batteries and remote for the 3. They should be cross compatible right?

[@MauroTandoi]

battery yes, only video transfer with air3s off is not available. but remember : the AIR3s was born without an anti-aliasing filter and with the bit rate halved compared to the AIR3, no one tells us, but those who know what the AL filter is for and what impacts a reduction in the bit rate will understand.

[@MainsOnSight]

Variable apeture isn't merely about bokeh, it's about exposure adjustment... I'd rather have the Mavic 3 pro

[@billykyle]

ND filters also help with exposure control.

[@murmerjangle3016]

@@billykyle agreed

[@seventyone30]

Great video, bro! Should have the 3S today or tomorrow! 🤘🏼

[@flare_nvme]

What if I need it to take images of crop in the farm what’s best in that case?

[@SiteSpecialistsLLC]

Thank you for doing this. I need to upgrade I have the original Autel. it's time to upgrade I have one question about the white balance adjustment you referred to. are you able to make a good judgment from the display on the controller, or do you look at actual footage from a test flight and then adjust the white balance for your final flight?

[@DarR1299]

As an Air 3S owner, I would have to concede that a comparo should be done with the best camera settings of both. Comparing features / price, now that's a different topic.

[@billykyle]

Was this video not done with the best settings?

[@DarR1299]

@@billykyle Yes of course when comparing 4k.

[@mobilesecure]

Many thanks for great video. Just bought Dji Air 3s) What is the best and most common frame rate to shoot in 4k? 24/25, 30 or 60? I was filming today in 4k 60fps active tracking myself while walking from different angles and in cine mode. When i checked video i founded that picture is little unstable and not really smooth.

[@vegasrealestatephotography]

Great video, thanks! I'm deciding which to get, upgrading from Mavic Pro2 & Mavic Pro2 zoom. I'm leaning toward the 3 pro because of the low light advantages. Pretty sure they haven't release Mavic 4 pro yet because they're waiting for me to purchase one of these first.

[@izoyt]

just for fun, any chance to throw m2p or/and air 2s to the mix (photo/video, tracking etc)?

[@kinocchio]

Mavic 4 pro is going to be insane

[@JACro78]

Awesome review mate 👌👌👌 Air3S it is… until the Mavic 4 Pro. Any ideas on that release ?

[@joeychm]

True 12 megapixel photos on the Air 3S. The Mavic 3 Pro, and even the Air 2S, have 20 megapixel photos. For photos, the Air 3S falls way short.

[@K2hydnige4537]

What is the zoom on this Camara like

[@SouthernTexasVaqueros]

That’s my question I need to zoom for detail.

[@kylecouture1917]

I have an Air 3s on order. I heard that the drone can not record in H.264 in 4k and we can only do H.265. That doesnt seem great.

[@Docfly62]

I just checked DJI's spec sheet for the 3s and it's true. But how is that bad? H.265 is smaller file size at same quality. And the fact that it needs a beefier system to edit than H.264 needs is an outdated caveat IMHO😁

[@BrianKerchner]

Thoughts on the Air2s having true 20mp and Air 3s only having a true 12mp

[@TimZarra]

nothing mentions about the software features, are they identical in what they can do in tracking and all that?

[@robertkrein8016]

there is a lot of colour noise on the landscape images from the air 3s. not sure why I have seen it in almost all of the air 3s shots. It could be the quad sensor but i dont like it. This is the reason that holds me back to jump on it and swap from the air 2s

[@BlairAir]

One example of cost considerations: Want a wide angle lens from DJI? For Mavic 3 Pro: I paid $179 for that pleasure. On Air 3S? $69. That is a substantial difference. I have always seen Mavic 3 Pro as a collection of cameras, and in deed they were - having no D log-M on the 166mm equivalent, and a wider aperture, resolved partially by split ND Filters. Interestingly, the Air 3 had MORE equivalent camera's than Air 3S - we are back to different aperture again, arrrgh! The DJI Filters are not split for some reason, but Freewell may step in and resolve that. Anyway, I will take that one step back for the new sensor.

[@solaisa9655]

D log m is on the 3 cameras

[@LittleMountainLife]

Fantastic comparison video!

[@djg1028]

Great comparison, all valid points

[@catalystJJ]

I just got mine!!!!! Sooo excited to fly my air3s. Thank you DHL. Lol

[@Knypsterino]

25:53 How can the speed be different in mph but not in m/s? (Btw here in Europe the Mavic 3 Pro is fastest horizontal.)

[@Avoletta-qs6nf]

@@Knypsterino it depends on regulations of course. In EU C1 drones are limited to 19m/s. Once unlocked they can reach full speed.

[@Knypsterino]

@@Avoletta-qs6nf Yes, I know. It was just to say that the Air 3S does not have that advantage over here.

[@Avoletta-qs6nf]

@@Knypsterino yes and no… mine has it 😂 Had it, actually, as I sold the Air 3 for the ‘s’ but I’m still on the fence since the low bitrate and some evident artifacts are keeping me away from it at the moment. All the non paid comparison have shown marginal improvements or even worse quality respect to Air3 but it’s difficult to find decent reviews from someone both unbiased and expert enough. Definitely someone using 7 aperture and complaining about lack of sharpness compared to a 1.8 it’s not so reliable in its considerations, and even looking at the video files is quite useless if recorded with the wrong settings…

[@steveborghardt]

When you said the Air 3s is basically a 12mp sensor with a quad Bayer sensor... a "fake" 50mp sensor... which should be a 20mp sensor. Maybe I should keep flying my Air 2S and Evo 2 Pro V1 for a while yet....

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

The EVO still has the best images. The Sony sensor is excellent. I shot some video and stills Mavic 3 pro vs the Evo at sunset. The Evo had bettter images even with a smaller sensor.

[@steveborghardt]

@ThePNWRiderWA I agree. I'm never disappointed with the stills I get with the EVO II Pro. I really should fly it more. My Air 2S is just smoother to fly and it's smaller.

[@BardhokNdoji]

Yep, a new King for a month or tow. Waiting for the beast, M4P, until then I am fine using M3P

[@anthonygrant4275]

So I am suppose to pay $1600 for a drone that is unusable at night. Or buy a refurbished classic for $1100 that can do day and night operation. Adjustable aperture doesn’t matter anymore just put on nd filter. DJI may as well cancel the mavic line according to you no need for adjustable just put nd filter on.

[@BornIn68]

if you use the drone mainly for photography then an adjustable aperture is a must, if you are mainly doing videos then yes it doesn't matter as much

[@peacefulthrillseeker]

Great Analysis but this is a classic example of the software versus hardware argument. So with that being said, I believe that people should save their 💰 right now and wait to purchase the Mavic 4 (which is dropping soon)because if DJI can make the Air3S look that good with software and a one inch sensor. just imagine that software with a 4/3 sensor and variable aperture! The Mavic 4 will be the greatest foldable Drone ever Created 😳 🚁🎢💯

[@krakow-z-nieba]

you forgot that they exist Inspire 2 / Inspire 3 :) are better, interchangeable optics, etc.

[@peacefulthrillseeker]

@@krakow-z-nieba we’re talking about foldable Drones. The Inspire series are for professional film makers not prosumers. DJI knows not to mess with their flagship

[@blackout19]

Quad Bayer sensors work the other way around. They pixel bin down to 12, they don't upscale to 50. The pixels are there and real, they are laid out differently to assist with pixel binning, but no upscaling is happening.

[@InvincibleStormFilms]

Great companion Billy.. We all have our own opinion 😅 M3P is still the King 👑 in its category 🙏🏾

[@ian4846]

I like the way air 3s footage looks a lot better than mavic

[@geodrone7643]

There is a HUUUGE Chroma aberration in Air 3S. Also before kissing the video of Air3S too much, check the details in a high res like 4K 60FPS DLOGM....You will find out that the bitrate sucks, as the small details are compressed so much that becomes totally wrong in quality and sharpness...and please neglect the fake sharpening from processing, go to real sharpen quality in DETAILS, Billy.... Is easy to manipulate the customers, but let's keep the reality where it is....at this point, Air 3S have a huge handicap: BITRATE.

[@STUDIO89CH]

Underrated Comment. Thats what I thought when I saw the images. Where are the details in the A3S. But I guess DJI Mavic 4 is comming, so quick everyone buy the A3S cause its "better" thant the Mavic 3 and then in 4 months buy the Mavic 4 cause its even better. Thats Marketing 101.

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

@@geodrone7643 I noted the same thing. Strange artifacts

[@geodrone7643]

@@ThePNWRiderWA We all did, only Billy is a little blind....artificially blind :))))))))))

[@ThePNWRiderWA]

@ I usually set the saturation and noise reduction to -2. I work with that in post. On the 3s it’s evident that both lens have baked in sharpness when examined. I suspect that’s why a lot of reviewers are seeing sharper images. Vs the air 3. I don’t have a one of the earlier 1” sensor models but I did compare the autel evo pro 3 and its 1”sensor and the image was much better in stills ve the 3s.

[@ipadmini1874]

Can u explain mbps speeds & how they affect overall for those of us who don't know? Thanks!

[@NakeanWickliff]

I wonder if the pro just has a lowpass filter were as the 3s does not. I can see moire artifacts in the 3s due to the sharpness that I am not seeing in the pro.

[@wargor]

I sold my original Mavic 3 and got the Air 3S. I don't need the Mavic series. Yeah, so I downgraded. I am happy with that. The amount I got for the Mavic paid for the 3S.

[@rogerthompson2005]

I just did the same, its faster, nearly as good quality as the M3 pro, enough IQ enough for my work and photos, cost saving, battery hub transfers power, 2x great lenses, compared to my Mavic 3 which only rally had 1x properly usable lens... no brainer for my uses. Yes new M4 will be amazing, but I didnt need to fly that expense around for my use cases.

[@sussamgt10anos]

The sharpest apture for mavic 3 is 4? Why did u use 7.1?

[@billykyle]

I’d argue the sharpest aperture is 8.

[@marianriabic9573]

Man you need to get the facts right. Statement like this diminishes your reputation. Photos taken at f8 or f11 on M3P are soft like butter due to deffraction!! The best central sharpness is at f 4, optimal edge to edge and corner to corner sharpness is at f5.6. This is factually correct!!

[@billykyle]

Oh no. A comment I left is going to completely put my career on the line 😱

[@marianriabic9573]

​@@billykyle It only makes you look like a fool who does not know what he is talking about. And that is not going to help or advance your career. If that is ok with you it is certainly fine with me.

[@marianriabic9573]

@@billykyle Comments like that are certainly not helping your career. They make you look like a fool who does not know what he is talking about. Being cocky on top of it is not helping either..