Today DJI has announced the much-anticipated DJI Air 3, and this new drone packs in features that will impress imaging enthusiasts.
The launch teaser hinted at a dual camera set-up and sure enough, it’s been revealed that the Air 3 will feature a wide and tele option as standard. This is a huge step up from the Air 2, which if it wasn’t already, now looks decidedly ancient, so keep an eye out there should be some major bargains on this impressive older drone.
The new DJI Air 3 follows the design lead of the DJI Mavic 3 and 3 Pro with a groundbreaking dual primary camera system. Interestingly, this new system looks set to compete with the original Mavic 3, with a smaller sensor option that is relatively affordable but still offers a high-quality areal solution for photographers and videographers.
Wide-Angle Camera: Expanding Horizons
When it comes to those all-important cameras the first of the two is a wide-angle offering with an 82° field of view and an equivalent focal length of 24 mm. This lens offers a stunning perspective of the aerial landscape. The wide aperture of f/1.7 should ensure exceptional low-light performance, enabling you to capture vivid images even in challenging lighting conditions. A 1/1.3-inch 48MP CMOS sensor backs the lens.
Medium Tele Camera: Focusing on Precision
The Air 3 Drone has a versatile medium tele camera complementing the wide-angle lens. Boasting a field of view (FOV) of 35° and a format equivalent of 70 mm, this lens brings subjects closer with a sense of compression, adding a touch of artistry to aerial photography. The medium tele camera’s aperture of f/2.8 ensures crisp details and smooth bokeh, allowing photographers to isolate subjects and create captivating compositions from above. Again this lens is backed by a 1/1.3-inch 48MP CMOS sensor.
Mastering Focus and Control
Regarding photographic scope, the drone’s camera is packed with some impressive features, with the wide-angle camera having a focal range from 1 meter to infinity, providing sharpness across various distances, from nearby subjects to distant vistas. On the other hand, the medium tele camera focuses from 3 meters to 1000, offering precision for subjects within a medium-range distance.
48MP Photos and 4K/60fps HDR Videos: Elevating Visuals
The wide-angle and medium tele cameras on the Air 3 Drone look set deliver exceptional image quality, capturing 48-megapixel photos and 4K videos at 60 frames per second with high dynamic range (HDR). Combining high-resolution photos and hi-resolution video ensures that every detail of the aerial world is preserved in stunning clarity and vivid colours.
Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing and Extended Flight Time
Safety and convenience are paramount in the Air 3 Drone’s design. Matching the omnidirectional obstacle-sensing systems that make the DJI drones so appealing, the Air 3 can detect and avoid obstacles in all directions.
Additionally, the battery for the Air 3 boosts flight times up to 46 minutes, enabling you to maximise your creative opportunities if your neck can cope.
O4 HD Video Transmission System: Real-Time Creativity
Once again a feature we can’t take full advantage of in the UK, but still, the new O4 HD Video Transmission System boosts this impressive feature’s performance and brings real-time video transmission from the drone to the controller. This means that if you’re flying in a nation where you don’t need to keep your eye on the drone at all times, you can use this feature ensures to compose and frame shots with precision.
Specification
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Takeoff Weight: 720g -
Dimensions: 207×100.5×91.1 mm (L×W×H) Unfolded (without propellers): 258.8×326×105.8 mm (L×W×H) -
Max Flight Time (no wind): Approx. 46 minutes -
Wide-Angle Camera: FOV: 82°, 24 mm, f/1.7, 1 m to ? -
Medium Tele Camera: FOV: 35º, 70 mm, f/2.8, 3 m to ? -
ISO Range video: 100-6400, D-log/HLG: 100-1600, video: 100-12800 -
ISO Range stills: 100-6400 (12 MP), 100-3200 (48 MP) -
Max Image size: Wide-Angle Camera: 8064×6048, Medium Tele Camera: 8064×6048 -
Video resolution Wide-Angle Camera: H.264/H.265, 4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/100*fps, FHD: 1920×1080@24/25/30/48/50/60/100*/200*fps, 2.7K Vertical Shooting: 1512×2688@24/25/30/48/50/60fps, FHD Vertical Shooting: 1080×1920@24/25/30/48/50/60fps -
Video resolution Medium Tele Camera: H.264/H.265, 4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/100*fps, FHD: 1920×1080@24/25/30/48/50/60/100*/200*fps, 2.7K Vertical Shooting: 1512×2688@24/25/30/48/50/60fps, FHD Vertical Shooting: 1080×1920@24/25/30/48/50/60fps
DJI Air 3 price and availability
The Air 3 Drone is a huge upgrade over the ageing Air 2 and starts to nip at the toes of the now ageing Mavic 3, although that drone does have a larger sensor. Still, the Air 3 with those two cameras is a powerful option for anyone looking for an imaging drone.
DJI Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) for the retail price of 962 GBP/ from 1,099 EUR
DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (DJI RC-N2) for the retail price of 1,199 GBP/ from 1,349 EUR
DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) for the retail price of 1,379 GBP/ from 1,549 EUR
For more information and to pre-order the Air 3 Drone, visit https://dji.com/air-3
