I’m far from an expert in the drone arena.  My first drone was a used Mavic Pro I took a chance on buying back in 2019:

I learned a lot with it, but I suspect the previous owner was less than honest about the condition of the unit – particularly the camera.  I could never get it leveled properly.  It got destroyed when my basement flooded a few years ago and not long after than my drone journey continued with the DJI Mini 3 Pro.

Like many, I’m currently considering the recently released DJI Mini 5 Pro – largely because of how good the DJI Mini 3 Pro has been.  But between US tariffs on China and the fact that DJI is being targeted by the US government as a potential security threat due to their ties to the Chinese government, there are significant barriers to buying DJI products in the United States.  These barriers have really had me taking a second look at my Mini 3 Pro.

I placed my pre-order and received one of the first that was available in the United States back in May 2022.  I want to say I paid ~$1300.00 for the drone along with the “Fly More” kit.  Here are the specifications:

As I mentioned above, I purchased the version of the Mini 3 Pro which came with the “Fly More” kit and accessory RC Controller that had a built in screen.  The kit also came with a total of 3 batteries, a charging caddy for the batteries, and a handy carrying case:

One of the things I liked about the Mini 3 Pro was its size – not only was it below the magic 250g weight requirement for FAA registration, but it was easier to pack and travel with than my old Mavic Pro.  Folded down, it was roughly the same size as a compact camera like the Fujifilm X100VI:

Here are the specifications of the camera on the DJI Mini 3 Pro:

Sensor & Lens

• Sensor: 1/1.3-inch CMOS  
• Effective Pixels / Photo Resolution: 48 MP  
• Lens / Field of View: 24 mm (35 mm equivalent); ~82.1° FOV  
• Aperture: f/1.7 (fixed)  
• Pixel Size: ~2.4 µm  

Video / Recording Spec

• Maximum Video Resolution: 4K @ 60 fps  
• HDR Video: 4K HDR @ 30 fps  
• 1080p Recording: Up to 120 fps  
• Max Video Bitrate: 150 Mbps  
• Video Formats / Codecs: MP4 / MOV using H.264 (AVC) or H.265 (HEVC)  

Stills / Photo Modes & Extras

• Photo Formats: JPEG, DNG (RAW)  
• ISO Range (Photo & Video): 100 – 6400  
• Shutter Speed Range: 2 s to 1/8000 s  
• Gimbal: 3-axis mechanical stabilization  
• “True Vertical” / Portrait Mode: Supported (camera + gimbal can rotate for vertical without cropping)  
• Gimbal Tilt Range: approx. –135° to +80°  

48 megapixels?  Even three years later that’s more resolution than any of my “professional” cameras- including my Fujifilm X100VI or my Canon R5 Mark II.  4k @60FPS?  That’s perfect and continues to be perfect for any video work I’d need to do with a drone.   Best of all, photos can be saved to a RAW file format (.dng files) and videos can be recorded in a flat “D-Cinelike” file format.  Not quite the D-Log color profile you’d find on DJI’s latest “professional “ drones, but it provides a flatter, lower-contrast image ideal for color grading in post-production while retaining more highlight and shadow detail.  There at LUTs out there that allow for easy grading of the D-Cinelike video files

Here’s some sample photos I’ve taken with the Mini 3 Pro:

These are fantastic photos for such a small sensor.  I’m particularly impressed by the colors and the dynamic range.  I’ll provide sample video footage in the below linked supplemental video review.

COMPLAINTS

Honestly, I do have few complaints with the DJI Mini 3 Pro.

Range:  Then range I get with the Mini 3 Pro is pretty poor.  I can only get between 1 and 2 miles before the signal starts getting shaky and I have to “return to home.”  I used to get 30-50% more from my old  Mavic Pro.

Run Time:  I have three batteries that came with the “Fly More” kit I purchased.  Each gives me about 15-18 minutes of run time.  That gives me about 5 minutes to fly to my destination, about 5 minutes to get photos/videos, and about 5 minutes to get back.  Now, given the limited range, 5 minutes or less is normally sufficient.  But once I miscalculated my remaining flight time and the drone had to land before it could get home.  Fun fact:  when the drone depletes its battery and shuts down, you can’t locate its exact position.  After searching for about an hour I finally found it about 3 feet on the other side of the city pool fence where it would have been difficult to retrieve.

Where I found my Mini 3 Pro after a forced landing.

I’ll add that the three-battery caddy that comes with the Fly More kit is incredibly slow to recharge the batteries due to its sequential charging limitation.  When all three batteries are in the caddy, only one battery is charged until reaching full capacity, then moving on to the next battery.

Controller:  The DJI RC Controller came with the Fly More kit that I purchased.  In most respects I like using it, and it’s an improvement over the controller that came with my Mavic Pro that required an iPhone or iPad be connected in order to see a screen.  The problem is that even set to maximum brightness, the 700 nits screen on the RC controller just can’t be seen in bright, direct sunlight.  That’s a serious hamstring to using and enjoying the Mini 3 Pro.

Now let’s take a look at the specifications of the recently released DJI Mini 5 Pro as compared to the DJI Mini 3 Pro:

Looking at these specifications, you’d think this was a year over year spec bump, not two generations separated, spanning almost four years.  Looking at what my major complaints are about the Mini 3 Pro, the Mini 5 Pro does little to help.  Range is probably the biggest improvement.  The claimed 7.5 miles range of the Mini 3 Pro must only be realized if you’re standing in the middle of a flat desert.  In an urban environment with lots of radio interference, I’m experiencing maybe 30% of the stated range – maybe two miles.  That means I might see a 3 mile range with the Mini 5 Pro and the RC 2.  More is always better but it’s not significantly more.  The worst part?  The RC 2 available with the Mini 5 Pro is rated for the same 700 nits brightness as the RC I currently have.

SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER?

Clearly just upgrading to the DJI Mini 5 Pro isn’t the answer for me to have a more enjoyable and productive drone experience.  So what is?  In short…the DJI RC Pro 2.  The RC Pro 2 has a sustained 1600 nits of brightness.  The RC Pro 2 also has upgraded radio hardware / antenna design.  I’ve not seen any direct range comparisons of the Mini 5 Pro comparing the RC 2 and the RC Pro 2, but I’m guessing you might see 10-20% increased range with the RC Pro 2.  The only problem with the RC Pro 2 is that it currently costs about $1300.00 and it’s not easily found.  That’s more than I paid for my Mini 3 Pro.  But even if I accept the price of admission of the RC Pro 2, I can’t simply buy it and use it with my Mini 3 Pro – it’s not compatible.  I’d had to also purchase the Mini 5 Pro, which as near as I can determine would be about a $1400-$1600 purchase…and while I can get find it from US based vendors, DJI no longer supports their products (including warranty support) in the US.  So I’d essentially be purchasing $3000.00 of “gray market” gear and hoping I don’t ever require support.

For me, I think the best answer is to wait.  A year…maybe two.  Assume DJI drones aren’t outright banned in the US (it’s been discussed…) then maybe I can pick up a good condition pre-owned Mini 5 Pro and an RC Pro 2 from a reputable US based vendor.  I’m sure at some point in the future the tariffs will end or maybe some manufacturer outside of China will step up to challenge DJI’s dominance in the consumer drone market (which would be great).  I’m just happy I’ve got the fantastic DJI Mini 3 Pro in the interim.