DJI Mavic Pro Review – Hands on Review
At Moves Media, our goal is to make videos that tell a story. This is how we run our business. I shoot projects for destination marketing organizations, ski hills, and many other outdoor experience brands. Whether I’m shooting from the ground, portside, or from high in the sky, I have found that more often than not, the best shots are the candid ones. The shots that tell a story, the ones that blow me away, are the ones that capture the feeling. I find that this occurs most naturally when the imagery is allowed to define the experience and not the other way around. In order to achieve that, I rely on a few key pieces of equipment. For a few reasons, the DJI Mavic Pro drone has become one of my personal favourite pieces of equipment in my collection.
First, the Mavic is compact. In order to get the shots that define a story, I need equipment that is easy to transport and maneuver. This is especially true for expedition related projects where you only take the gear that you can carry on your back. I’m sure every film maker can relate to the frustrations of set up time and bulk when trying to capture moments on the fly. The Mavic and its gimbal fit into a small bag that drops easily into a backpack leaving room to spare for personal belongings and additional camera gear (it could squeeze into a big pocket if you really wanted it to). Other drones that fit into a small backpack which isn’t helpful when you need to carry additional camera gear or personal belongings.
The Mavic is a small drone, but the video that it captures is anything but. Initially, I assumed that because the Mavic was so compact, that there may be hints of diminished video quality – there was not. The Mavic takes steady video from high above and despite its size, I can always rely on this machine to capture quality shots at the right time. It offers customization of filming in both conventional and raw formats offering professionals some great flexibility for post production.
Using the DJI GO App you can guide the Mavic into the right spot, and ensure that the camera is focused on exactly the right things. The physical remote offers technical indicators ranging from airspeed to altitude while your smartphone connects as your viewfinder with additional technical information and focus features. There have been times when I have needed to test the limits of Mavic’s max flight time. On a clear day, the Mavic has been able to fly up to 27 minutes. When comparing the Mavic to DJI’s Phantom 3 Professional it’s difficult to find elements of noticeable difference. The massive size advantage of the Mavic really doesn’t seem to jeopardize any quality when comparing the output of these two drones.
The only time that I have encountered an issue, is when I have had to shoot in the cold of winter. British Columbia’s winters are beautiful, but the Mavic is not recommended for use in sub-zero temperature. The drone seems to fly just as well in the icy cold of the Canadian winter (tested in -5 to -10 °C). The problem I ran into was the attached Iphone 6 device being used as the visual display died from the cold within 2 minutes of lifting off. I have used my Phantom 3 Pro in similar cold temperatures and didn’t run into this problem because I was using an Ipad Mini with a protective case that seemed to handle cold much better than the Iphone 6 can. I have recently purchased a Mophie external charging case that I am hoping will assist the Iphone’s weak battery in cold temperatures.
A lot of my work is shot in and around British Columbia. Shooting from high above is the only way to capture the vast beauty of this province’s spectacular scenery. I have tried a few drones in this pursuit, and it’s comforting to know that I can rely on my equipment. The DJI Mavic Drone has changed the way that I shoot my videos. Quietly, it has become the workhorse of my collection because of its incredible compact size and performance capabilities allowing me to easily bring it with me anywhere I go.
Blaise Sack, Owner of Moves Media