DJI invited us to a London event back in July for the launch of its newest drone, but postponed it due to the fact the product wasn’t quite ready for prime time.
In the meantime, details of the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom were leaked, leaving very little for the official launch in terms of new information.
Mavic 2: Pro or Zoom?
So, this is the long-awaited update to the Mavic Pro, but you have a choice of two different models. Check out our in-depth review of the Mavic 2 Zoom.
Their main difference is the camera and the features on offer:
Pro | Zoom | |
Video | Up to 4K @ 30fps, 2.7K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 120fps | Up to 4K @ 30fps, 2.7K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 120fps |
HDR video | Yes | No |
HDR photos | Yes | Yes |
Max. video bitrate | 100Mb/s | 100Mb/s |
Optical zoom | No | Yes |
Dolly Zoom effect | No | Yes |
Photo resolution | 20Mp | 12Mp |
The Pro model has a 1in sensor (like the Phantom 4 Pro) and had been developed in conjunction with renowned camera maker Hasselblad.
The Pro is capable of shooting 4K at up to 30fps and 60fps at 2.7K. It should be a great choice for aerial photography, as well as video. And unlike the bulky Phantom 4 Pro, the Mavic is much more portable.
The Mavic 2 Zoom has a camera with a 2x optical zoom lens and offers a cinematic Dolly Zoom effect, which is where the subject remains the same size but the background either increases in size or decreases depending upon whether you choose to fly forwards or backwards.
It isn’t the first drone to do this: Parrot’s Anafi uses digital zoom to achieve the same effect. But it’ll be interesting to see how much better it is on the Mavic 2 with an optical zoom.
How much does the Mavic 2 cost?
The two drones are available buy immediately from DJI.com and to pre-order from partner sites including Heliguy (which is offering free crash protection) in the UK.
Mavic 2 Zoom: £1,099 / US$1,249 / €1,449
Mavic 2 Pro: £1,299 / US$1,099 / €1,249
For reference, the Mavic Pro Platinum currently costs £1,199 / US$1,099. The Phantom 4 Pro (which has a similar camera to the Mavic 2 Pro) costs £1,589.
Unlike previous Fly More bundles, the Mavic 2’s will be available as a separate purchase for £279 / US$ 319 / €319 and includes:
- Two extra batteries
- Multi-battery charger
- Car charger
- Battery-to-power bank adapter
- Two pairs of propellers
- Carry bag
Mavic 2: New features
- 10 sensors for omni-directional obstacle avoidance
- 1080p video transmission up to 8km
- 31 minutes’ flight time
- 45mph max. speed
- Quieter than Mavic 1
After the cameras, the next most important detail is ‘omnidirectional object sensing’. This means the Mavic 2 gains sensors on the sides, rear and top, allowing it to sense and avoid obstacles in any direction. The original Mavic had forward-facing and downward-facing sensors, but no rear ones.
There are also LEDs underneath to assist in landing in low-light.
What about the cameras?
With the Pro, you get the Hasselblad branded camera with an adjustable aperture from f/2.8-11. It captures 10-bit Dlog-M video, which offers four times as many levels of colour per channel compared to the 8-bit video from the Mavic Pro.
It also records 4K HDR video and supports the HLG standard, offering higher dynamic range and more colours than non-HDR video.
With the Zoom, you’re able to get closer to your subject without distracting them with your drone. The lens is the equivalent of 24-48mm optical zoom, and 2x digital zoom, you get the equivalent of a 96mm lens, but digital zoom is only available in 1080p, not 4K.
Both models shoot in H.265, and have 8GB of on-board memory in case you forget your SD card.
Here’s how their specs compare:
Mavic 2 Pro | Mavic 2 Zoom | |
Sensor | 1” CMOS Effective Pixels: 20 million | 1/2.3″ CMOS Effective Pixels: 12 million |
Lens | FOV: about 77° 35 mm Format Equivalent: 28 mm Aperture: f/2.8–f/11 Shooting Range: 1 m to ∞ | FOV: about 83° (24 mm); about 48° (48 mm) 35 mm Format Equivalent: 24-48 mm Aperture: f/2.8 (24 mm)–f/3.8 (48 mm) Shooting Range: 0.5 m to ∞ |
ISO Range | Video: 100-6400 Photo: 100-3200 (auto) / 100-12800 (manual) | Video: 100-3200 Photo: 100-1600 (auto) / 100-3200 (manual) |
Shutter Speed | Electronic Shutter: 8–1/8000s | Electronic Shutter: 8–1/8000s |
Still Image Size | 5472×3648 | 4000×3000 |
Still Photography Modes | Single shot Burst shooting: 3/5 frames Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7 EV Bias Interval (JPEG: 2-60s / RAW: 5-60s) | Single shot Burst shooting: 3/5/7 frames Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7 EV Bias Interval (JPEG: 2–60s / RAW: 5-60s) |
Video Resolution | 4K: 3840×2160 24/25/30p 2.7K: 2688×1512 24/25/30/48/50/60p FHD: 1920×1080 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p | 4K: 3840×2160 24/25/30p 2.7K: 2688×1512 24/25/30/48/50/60p FHD: 1920×1080 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p |
Max Video Bitrate | 100 Mb/s | 100 Mb/s |
Color Mode | Dlog-M (10-bit), support HDR video (HLG 10-bit) | D-Cinelike |
Supported File System | FAT32（≤ 32 GB exFAT（> 32 GB） | FAT32（≤ 32 GB） exFAT（> 32 GB） |
Photo Format | JPEG / DNG (RAW) | JPEG / DNG (RAW) |
Video Format | MP4 / MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) | MP4 / MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) |
New intelligent modes
In the DJI Go 4 app you’ll find that another update for the Mavic 2 is hyperlapse video. This is possible thanks to the more powerful central processor and lets you shoot aerial hyperlapses using these four modes:
- Free – pilots the drone manually while shooting a Hyperlapse video.
- Circle – automatically flies the drone in a circular pattern around a subject you select to create a timelapse video that captures the action.
- Course Lock – keeps the camera fixed on shooting subject while the drone flies in a straight direction to create a unique perspective.
- Waypoint – plans a complex flight path based on both altitude and GPS coordinates to capture complex shots.
Author: Jim Martin, Executive Editor
Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.