DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mini 2: Full Comparison and Which Should We Buy

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is the successor to the DJI Mini 2, which was released in 2020. It's a simple-to-use drone because the sub-250g design eliminates the need to register it in most countries, and the lightweight has other advantages. We had a team discussion a few months ago about what we wanted to see in the DJI Mini 3 Pro while staying within the realm of possibility. DJI hasn't let us down, introducing and upgrading features and functionality in nearly every area where we felt it was necessary.

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is equipped with a comprehensive object detection system. Its camera has a bigger sensor than the Mini Pro 2's, and it can capture 4K video at 60 frames per second with a Full HD 120fps slow-mo option. Fast charging has increased greatly, there's a new DJI RC controller, and there's even an option to significantly increase run time with a new 'Plus' series battery, which we weren't expecting to see (for those who live outside the EU, at least). The Mini 3 Pro is certainly a more capable drone, but these advancements come at a cost. So, which one should you purchase? Let's go into the specifics.

DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mini 2: Price

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is substantially more expensive than its predecessor, with prices starting at $669 / £649 / AU$989 if you don't need a remote control and $759 / £709 / AU$1,119 if you do. This is about $300 more than the current DJI Mini 2 price, which is roughly $450 / £420 / AU$750. When you consider the new features of the DJI Mini 3 Pro, though, the disparity makes sense. It's more than just a software upgrade to bring the fundamental components up to date for the year 2022.

The improved obstacle detection technology alone makes it deserving of the 'Pro' label, which isn't always the case with tech products, with monikers like 'Pro' and 'Plus' getting thrown out like candy. When it comes to purchasing, you have a lot of alternatives. The Mini 3 Pro comes without a remote control in the base $669 / £649 / AU$989 box. The regular remote control costs $759 / £709 / AU$1,119, while the new higher-end DJI RC remote with a built-in display costs $909 / £859 / AU$1,299. For an extra $189 / £159 / AU$259, each of these packages can be combined with the popular Fly More Kit. Two more batteries, a travel case, a charging dock, and spare rotor blades are included. A Plus Fly More pack with higher-capacity batteries is also available in the US and Australia for $259 / AU$359.

DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mini 2: design and controller

Although we're speaking as individuals who spend a little too much time looking at photographs of drones, the DJI Mini 3 Pro appears to be significantly different from the DJI Mini 2. It's essentially the same tiny drone design as before, with a few new visible features and some weight-saving improvements from DJI. The DJI Mini 2, for example, features stabilizer legs at the end of each rotor arm to ensure that it can sit on the ground without falling over.

These have been tucked under the DJI Mini 3 Pro's belly button. Less plastic means less weight, right? Sure, but the DJI Mini 3 Pro is substantially larger than its predecessor, both with and without the propellers. The new drone's full ready-to-fly dimensions are 251 x 362 x 70mm, up from 245 x 289 x 56mm for the DJI Mini 2. The folded-away measurements for the DJI Mini 3 Pro are 145 x 90 x 62mm, whereas the DJI Mini 2 is 138 x 81 x 58mm. It's encouraging to see the drones' sizes shrink as they're packed away for storage and transportation.

The new obstacle detection cameras on the front of the DJI Mini 3 Pro are the most noticeable visual difference between the two. The nose on the DJI Mini 2 resembles that of a whale shark, while the new design is more insect-like. DJI has also unveiled a new remote control for the DJI Mini 3 Pro, the DJI RC, which is befitting of its higher-end status.

The DJI Mini 2 comes with a remote that connects to your phone's screen, but you can now acquire one in this familiar style or the DJI RC. The new controller boasts a 5.5-inch screen with 700-nit brightness, which is comparable to that of a smartphone, and weighs just 390g, which is the same as the standard remote. It's essentially a less expensive version of the DCI RC Pro, which came with the DJI Mavic 3 and is even brighter at up to 1000 nits, but costs a small sum.

DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mini 2: specs and features

New obstacle detection sensors distinguish the DJI Mini 3 Pro from the DJI Mini 2 in an area that first-time drone consumers may overlook: intelligence. The DJI Mini 2 only has sensors that face downward, allowing it to see impediments below. The DJI Mini 3 Pro boasts a large number of sensors, especially for such a little drone. Downward-facing sensors are still there, but forward- and backward-facing sensors are new, allowing the drone to automate its movements while being considerably more aware of its surroundings.

DJI's forward-facing sensors provide a horizontal vision of 106 degrees and a vertical vision of 90 degrees. Because the camera sensors are arranged in a line, the width of their vision is extended but not the height. The effective window of rear obstacle sensors is 58 degrees horizontal and 73 degrees vertical. Despite this enhanced knowledge, the pre-programmed Quick Shot flight mode lineups remain substantially unchanged. Dronie, Helix, Rocket, Circle, and Boomerang modes are available on both drones, but the DJI Mini 3 Pro includes Asteroid, which employs an ultra-zoomed-out effect to turn the ground into a miniature planet.

These abilities are particularly prominent in the FocusTrack features. The two ActiveTrack 4.0 modes track the topic at a side angle or in a normal 'follow' pattern, while Point of Interest 3.0 circles around it. These are variations of the 'follow me' option, which is one of the DJI Mini 2's primary capabilities. The DJI Mini 3 Pro also includes a MasterShots mode, which allows the drone to do a series of moves while maintaining the subject in focus.

With a DJI Mini 3 Pro, getting those professional, dramatic-looking YouTuber B-roll pictures will be much easier than with a DJI Mini 2. That's perhaps the most crucial feature of this new drone, as it brings its core flexibility closer to that of a DJI high-end drone. DJI has also pushed battery life to its limits, ostensibly through weight minimization rather than dramatically increased aerodynamics or engine efficiency. The DJI Mini 2 has a 2250mAh battery that can last up to 31 minutes in the air, while the DJI Mini 3 Pro has a 2453mAh battery that can last up to 34 minutes in the air. That's a 9 percent boost in battery capacity and a 9 percent increase in battery life.

DJI has upgraded the DJI Mini 3 Pro's wireless transmission standard to DJI O3, as planned. The maximum range varies in every country, but in the United States, it's 12 kilometers, up from the DJI Mini 2's 10 kilometers. When utilizing one of DJI's remote controllers, the maximum wireless transfer bandwidth jumps from 8Mbps to 18Mbps, giving you a much better preview picture. Instead of the 720p/30fps live view of the DJI Mini 2, the DJI Mini 3 Pro enables a 1080p, 30fps live view. The latency has been lowered from 200ms to 120ms.

DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mini 2: Image and video quality

The DJI Mini 3 Pro has several key image quality enhancements, but the new vertical shooting option is the most interesting. This features a revolutionary gimbal design that rotates the camera 90 degrees, allowing the drone to record vertical video without cropping into the image. This is a clever new feature that appears to be in lockstep with all those content makers who will frequently prefer to record video in portrait mode rather than landscape mode. The DJI Mini 3 Pro includes a brand-new sensor as well. Although this is almost certainly a quad Bayer array sensor meant for 12MP capture, the resolution has been increased from 12MP to 48MP.

But there's more fantastic stuff to come. The sensor size has been enlarged from the 1/2.3-inch action camera standard found on the Mini 2 to 1/1.3-inch. It has a bigger sensor, which improves dynamic range and low-light capabilities. The Mini 3 Pro's new lens will also help: its aperture is f/1.7, which is far faster than the DJI Mini 2's f/2.8. It's all good news: a larger sensor and a 'faster' lens. The advantages of the new shooting modes are easier to calculate. The DJI Mini 3 Pro can take 4K video at 60 frames per second, whereas the DJI Mini 2 can only capture 30 frames per second at that resolution. It also gets a real slow-mo option, capable of recording Full HD video at 120 frames per second. If you're okay with a 30fps final frame rate, the DJI Mini 2 can handle 60fps at 2.7K resolution for a tiny 2x slow-motion effect in the edit.

The DJI Mini 3 Pro also features an HDR setting, which the DJI Mini 2 does not have. This is described by DJI as a natural dual-ISO functionality, implying the use of DOL-HDR. This is a sensor-level function that allows a camera to shoot two exposures simultaneously by reading each line of sensor pixels twice for darker and lighter photos; combining the two increases the dynamic range of the final movie. Enabling this function reduces the maximum frame rate to 30 frames per second, but it eliminates the ghosting problem that plagues HDR images. The bit-rate ceiling naturally rises from 100Mbps to 150Mbps in higher-quality top capture modes. We also receive a D-Cinelike setting, which is a 'flat' preset designed to give the most dynamic range for individuals who would grade color in the edit themselves.

The Final Word

We couldn't have hoped for much more from the DJI Mini 3 Pro. DJI has added a slew of new capabilities, including 120fps slow motion, HDR, and a proper object detection system; the latter makes the drone significantly more usable as a camera for content makers and film projects that can't afford one of DJI's high-end drones. The new DJI RC remote adds to the Mini 3 Pro's legitimacy as a 'Pro' drone by allowing you to take off immediately without needing to pair your phone with the controller. The only big stumbling issue is its cost. The DJI Mini 3 Pro is far less approachable than the DJI Mini 2, which has long been one of our favorite "first drone" suggestions. $759 / £709 / AU $1,119 to learn how to fly a drone? For many people, that may be too much.