Great video Jake! You just missed one excellent pro.... . The PRICE! ...YAHOOOOOOOOOOO 🕺🏼🕺🏼 all that goodness and it's almost half the price of the M2P.. and better at some things the M2P does, like you said.. I also have them both so I can confir and agree...👍👍I myself sir, am keeping! Lol. In fact, I bought 2! Lol. Just in case! Lol.. You never know?...... Lol.... thx buddy for another AWESOME VIDEO.. Michael
@@justmicho17 ABSOLUTELY... It has a bigger sensor then all the drones out there other then the MAVIC PRO 2 and the Phantom 4 pro. They have the 1 inch but this one had the 1\2 inch. All the others use a 1 over 2\3rds. The picture and video quality is spot on! 👍👍👍 Mikey
@@CoolStuffOrigami Drone is new so batteries must be good. I fully charged them and I was on Normal mode going to 3800m.. Going back was a mix or normal mode and sports depending on the wind.. Very thrilling!!
Flew a drone for the first time today, then ordered a Mavic Air 2, then found this video! Thanks for all of these great tips. I can’t wait for my new drone to arrive.
10 bit color refers to how many colors are available in the footage. 8bit is 256 for each channel of Red green and blue, 10bit color is 1024 for each channel so you have way more information that is a must if you plan to color grade in post.
Absolute click bait. 10 minute video of him saying hey this drone is great but I'm not keeping it because it doesnt have an extremly niche professional feature that 99.99% of people watching this video will never need.
Hey! Nice review! I myself was able to get a mavic air on black friday for about 500 dollars. I was originally wanting to get the the air 2. But I didn't have enough money since the air 2 was 800 dollars on black friday, and the air was half off and right within budget so I just had to get it. Can't wait to use it! Do you think it was worth buying for 500?
This is my first drone. I look forward to viewing that playlist you spoke of at the end of the video, since I am in Alaska as well I really want to make this thing shine!
I have M2P but I’m debating if I should get the MA2. I’m a minimalist that travels a lot, but make youtube videos about cities so I’d like great quality too. So what do you think.. should I buy the Air instead because of portability but maybe less quality?
I would highly recommend this drone! The only reason I am keeping my Mavic 2 Pro over this is the 10bit color and if I could I would keep this for taking with me places. The Mavic 2 Pro would become my client drone. The Mavic Air 2 is fantastic for anyone who travels and films!
Hey Jake, I am looking to purchase my first drone for general photography and videos but not sure which one would be best. I'm based in the UK so the Skydio2 isn't an option and I'm going to be travelling through Europe so want to make the most of the experience......DJI obviously have a lot to choose from and they all have they're pros and cons so any pointers would be helpful, many thanks
The Mavic Air 2 is a good option but if you want higher quality photos then also consider the Mavic 2 pro. It has a higher quality sensor and camera especially when it comes to photos. Another option is the Parrot Anafi for a small compact portable drone that does well at video and photo but not quite as good as the DJI Mavic Air 2. Cheers!
Thanx for the review. One thing, though. Why doesn't any reviewer want to talk about the fact that you need a phone that is almost as expensive as the drone to be able to fly it? And in the case of the lower priced Mini an even more expensive phone? And that DJI doesn't tell that right away on their Mavic Air 2 page? Just that you need at least Adroid 6 at the Fly app page. And you need to dig REALLY deep to find out that just a few way too expensive telephones with not only a 64 bit structure, but also a 64 bit Android work, and then just a few that are okay with DJI.
@@JakeSloan Yeah, haha, I bought a new phone for it, Jake :-) with A 64 bit structure/processor. With Android 9. Brand new Motorola Moto e6 plus. When I read I needed Android 6... But, after trying to install the Fly app, which didn't work, I started searching the internet even more, and I found it only has 32 bit Android 9, instead of 64. Bummer. I had to save money for that drone. Can't just buy a few hundred euro phone after I just bought a new one while I already had a fine working phone... Greetingz, Wim
it will never have real 20Mpx fotos, 1 Inch sensor and 10Bit Video ...But hopfully DJI fixes a lot of missing features in the FlyApp which even the AIR1 had already! My AIR2 went also unflown back to DJI ...and i will check from the distance if the AIR2 will get the drone it should be in the next mounths .
I just got the Air 2 for like 2 days, and it's gone. A stupid bird hit my drone and they both dropped into the water. I presume the bird was dead as well. I couldn't retrieve it because it's too far away in the middle of the lake and I had no boat.
Not sure if I'd say FIRST drone (the Mini might be better as it's about 1/2 the price), Just keep in mind that if you do sell your drone, as of this writing you are NOT able to wipe the flight logs from the drone. This feature was removed in the latest version of DJI Assistant (which older versions cannot be used, as some people suggest, since they won't detect an Air 2). Just something to think about as this data does have GPS data about where the drone has been flown. You can clear the logs off your smart device, but not the drone (and i found this was not tied to your DJI account but rather is stored on the drone itself).,
Just got the Mavic Air 2 as my first drone over $40. I love every minute it's in the air. Picked it up to fly but the fact that it has a great camera on it is an extremely nice bonus. Not into professional photography but it'll be nice to throw some drone footage on my YT channel!
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!! What drone would you recommend to follow my Jeep above the tree line in Colorado? The Skydio looks great but it looks like most people have the Skydio following them t a close distance. I want the far off shot where the drone can still track me
Great vid, I've had 5 dji drones over the last few years and this is hands down my favourite. I film a lot of wake boarding and lock on subject then just fly the drone and it keeps the boarder in the frame and in 4k60 I've had great results. For youtube vids I think its a no-brainer. As you said for some client work you may need that 10bit of the m2p.
I use the mavic 2 pro, and have also tried out the mavic air 2. It's a good drone in my book, but other than for a paid promotion I can't see why folks keep putting it up next to the mavic 2 pro. It's like stacking a b.b. gun up against an A.K.47.
you are right and the only reason I did was because people want to know. Hopefully they will gain valuable info to make a good decision based on their needs...
I’m looking into getting into real estate photography and when I client needs drone footage of the house which drone do you recommend. You probably will take it on my personal cruise vacations as well.
I would use the Mavic Air 2. Great photo quality and its quieter so it won't disturb people/ neighbors as much. The 48 mp photos are excellent and will certainly satisfy for listings!
I’m a pro real estate photographer, and I just bought the Mavic Air 2. It will be my first drone. Seems like a great a great balance between features and price.
I sold my brand new skydio and just bought a mavic 2 zoom. The skydio was great but I couldn't see any uses for me.. I am 66 years old and don't skate board or bike on hills, so was disappointed after I bought it. I needed to just have a drone to take pics and video. I just felt with all of the accessories I bought I would never use them. I never realized the the obstacle avoidance on the mavic 2 was as good as it is. Just got my mavic zoom haven't even flown it yet but looking forward to it
@@DeafMacBoi hopefully skydio 3 is foldable like skydio x2 enterprise. but I'm sticking with my mavic air because it fits in my small sling bag along with my fuji xt-2
Thanks for the info. I just purchased a MAVIC air 2. I moved up from a spark. I’m working to get my videos as good as yours. You gotta start somewhere right?
Will autofollow modes glitch if there's, say, two people in close proximity? Probably a stupid question, but I'm interested in using this in a warehouse
This is up at Burns glacier (the glacier straight down the end of portage lake) I do go to Byron often though. Arch angle valley and pass is an amazing place! I hear to road is open now and I can’t wait to get back there again. Cheers!!
Great job Jake. I actually replaced my Mavic Mini with this fantastic MA2. I will be watching your playlist as I would love to know how to come with really great scenery shots for family trips 😉. Thank you again & keep it up 👍🏻
hey sir as someone researching the mini as my first drone to take on vacations with my wife over the years. would you say i woulod be fine with the mini or save up and get MA2?
Agreed. The Air 2 has some fantastic usability upgrades, but for me it all comes down to the image. You can’t push Air 2 images in post like you can with the 10-bit files from the Pro. Sure, they’re much higher resolution which helps with scaling, but for me it’s image quality, not size, and in that department the Pro wins. Saving my money for the Mavic Pro 3.
I think you are the first person who hasn't called me crazy for keeping the pro over the Air due to 10bit color lol. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the Mavic 3 Pro has to offer over the mavic 2 pro. Should be a very very capable portable drone. Cheers!
When I first saw the controller I almost fell in love, having the Mavic mini my only gripe about it is that the controller would die before my second battery because it would be constantly charging my phone. Loving the channel. Straight forward information that's clearly divided as to eliminate bias while also including your professional opinion. Good work!
Jake, awesome video. I have a question for you and anyone else as I consider to purchase this drone soon. My sole use for this drone would be to gather footage while doing backpacking deep into the woods. Absolutely no cell service areas. I realize it has GPS, but is it consistently reliable in the backcountry too? Do you just need location selected to "ON" for your phone and you're good to go? Would love to hear your experiences, as well as, anyone elses.
it works very well in back country situations. You don't need your phone to have connection to use it etc. the drone bases all it's operations off its own internal GPS
Great job Jake very well done review I enjoyed it very much my Friend. I always love watching your review’s very good details and well though out. Take care Jake and God Bless
About the GPS lock, by the time I fire up the Mavic Air 2, get my phone ready and connect, it is set on 16 by maybe 10 seconds.. any location I am in..
hey Jake question, If You could only have one, Which would it be M2A or M 2P or M2Z. This would be my second drone, I Have a MM, I love it, but the wind thing is a lil scary at tymes. thats my only dislike. Thanx.
The M2A would be a substantial upgrade for you. I would wait on the M2P just because I think they will release the Mavic 3 the end of this year or early next year.
They are set to discharge to 50% after 2 days. It’s programmed to do this to extend the life of the battery. Leaving them fully charged all the time shortens their life span a lot.
Hi Jake. Great and honest review ! Yours is the voice of a serious expert ! By the way, very nice footages and background music edition. I never had a drone but as engineer, I'm 100% technical minded. Was looking for a personal drone to carefully learn first and then inspect the progress of my construction sites. Therefore the MA-2 should meet my requirements, with exception of few questions the data sheets doesn't say. 1) I miss on all the tons and hours of reviews I have seen, any mention on WAYPOINTS settings for the MA-2, specially putting in the UTM coordinates of my sites or at least marking the route over a sattelite image (of my locations to be inspected). 2) What is the best APP to get Waypoints too and control that bird, and how much it takes of memory on a cellphone? 3) I do have a CAT S60-Android cellphone, just for its IR cam. It is my rough and loyal 4x4 field phone. Does the suitable app be supported by this phone? (No one can confirm me this...).... or do I need to buy a new cellphone to control the aircraft? THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE for your kind answer.
Unfortunately the Mavic Air 2 does not support waypoints (or at least not yet as of this writing). The Mavic 2 Pro does in the DJI app but you can also use it with mapping software and other third party apps. As far as phone support if you are running android I would think it would be supported but I am not positive.
@@JakeSloan Thanks so much Jake ! Yesterday I found in ytb something like Waypoints on a very clear mexican guy's review over GO-4 app running the MA-2. It seems to work.
as I stated in the video I have used this in pretty heavy wind and it has done fine. like any drone the wind can overwhelm it if its too strong but for its size this drone does great
I am still learning droning with mavic mini - I flew a few sub $200 drones my friends owned so I wanted to get into flying - but decided to pull the trigger on the mini (under 250g means no licence in Canada) - I am absolutely blown away but what that little thing can do. Its my first drone but it doesn't feel like a cheap thing - it's a monster for the price - hoping to upgrade to mavic air 2 later on .
The Mavic Mini is a really capable drone! Great first starting point especially with the licensing requirements in Canada. Enjoy it and capture some great stuff!! Cheers
I was so excited and decided to buy it after watching so many videos about drones, but that one thing about missing 10-bit color depth while it has only 8-bit discouraged me completely 😭
Great video, thank you! I just got the MA2 and my footage is really noisy even at ISO 100. I'm wondering if I should send it back as you mentioned your device was good even in low light. Mine is noisy even in normal lighting!
Either would do well but for the price the mavic air 2 is the best value. Plus they just raised the price on the zoom which makes it less enticing. I would say the only reason to get the zoom now is if you NEED the extra range using the zoom. One example would be filming wildlife and you don’t want to get to close etc. other than that I would get the air 2
Great review Jake. Just discovered your channel. Definitely thinking about getting one of these Air 2's. I have had drones for a few years, both fixed wing and multi-rotor so not too much of a beginner but still very much to learn about photography. I have noticed ever since I started using what I will call a Photography Drone that I can barely see screens in the bright sunlight. I have modified a pair of cheap VR goggles (the type made to hold a phone) to solve this problem. I would like to use these goggles to fly the mavic air 2, so i have a couple of questions, if you don't mind: 1. One method of using my goggles is with an extended USB x lightning cord ( I have apple phone) . Will I still be able to do this? 2. I also use sometimes a "Dongle" that came with my drone to allow wireless connection between controller and phone. Does the Air 2 come with one, or does DJI sell one that will work, that you know of? (I actually prefer this method as no pesky wire hanging from the headset) . 3. If these methods will not work with the Air 2, Do the DJI goggles work with Air 2? Haven't priced DJI goggles ,gulp. 4. One failing of my present drone (which has a really good 3 axis gimbal) is that sometimes horizon will be tilted a little. I have also noticed this in another Air 2 video I was watching. Ever noticed this problem much? Thank you for any guidance ? Just on my lunch hour, I'll be checking out more of your videos when I get back home!! Stay safe!
hey Larry! I believe yo would be able to extend your phone cord without issue however the Air 2 uses the DJI fly app which is different from the Go4 app so it may not work the same with your VR glasses. the Air 2 does not come with a wireless dongle and I am not sure how it would work with one... At this time the Mavic Air 2 is also not compatible with any of the DJI goggles (which is really unfortunate). I have not had any tilting horizon issues with mine (or my mavic 2 pro) however I have seen where a few other people have but it seems to be pretty limited and usually a gimbal calibration fixed it. It seems to happen more on rapid sideways movement like panning or strafing shots. For me I haven't had any issues though
What is 10 bit color? Why does it matter / what is the benefit that must be quite important to not keep that otherwise very good drone. Great review, really well done.
It is important if you need to heavily color grade in the edit process. Color grading is used to match different cameras from different makers and also to stylize the look of the footage to fit the feel being conveyed.
Very informative thanks Jake! Quick question, if I plan on uploading the videos I capture from a drone like this to youtube, do I have to register it with the FAA as "Commercial" and take the knowledge test, or can I just register it as "Recreational"?
If you use the footage to build or further a business in anyway you’ll need to register and get a part 107 license. I’d highly recommend getting one either way. It’s not too difficult and it opens a lot of opportunities to fly areas you otherwise couldn’t.
I'm in the market for either this drone or a Skydio 2. My mission is to make my own music videos (Covid & I could make more videos per dollar with this than paying someone to film me), and possibly to make videos for other people. I'm SO on the fence, which one would you recommend for my objective?
@@JakeSloan Thanks for the reply!!! Aww man, I wanted Skydio at first but I've been leaning to the Air 2 lately. It seems like I'd be able to have better control if I get into doing videos for other people too, so I'd want the best of both worlds. Accurate @ Air2 or no?
Hi Jake, I have been using the Air 2 more lately and have experimented with the hyperlapse feature. Do you know if the hyperlapse images themselves can be recorded in 16:9. I can only seem to get mine to shoot in 4:3 then create a 16:9 video after ... with cropping. Would rather shoot 16:9 from the get go. Any experience with this feature?
I do not unfortunately. I never really messed with the hyper lapse modes while I had it. I have some friends who do and they turn out fantastic but I believe they shoot it and then edit the raw files themselves
@@JakeSloan haha good, That was probably very relieving for him, Do you know if there is a way to replace a camera and wing on the Mavic air 2, because mine just crashed 😥
Can I pull GPS coordinates off a specific frame? If I fly over something, I want to be able to pull the gps info off of the video so I can physically go back to that spot later.
Oh interesting. None of the Mavic series drones have been able to do it. Id be willing to bet the reason the Phantom can is it has the mechanical shutter
@@JakeSloan Don't think that's it as his previous ~$200 beginner drone did it. In fact that's why I watch this video. I thought the "one reason" you was going to return the drone was because of that missing capability lol. Like I said we thought all drones could do that. I was miffed that all the glowing reviews for the MA2 never mentioned that it couldn't take pics while recording video. So when I saw the title of this video I was thrilled that a youtuber finally came clean with a con for the MA2. So now I don't know what to think as you said none of the Mavics can do it. He lost his drone recently and said he is going to wait for the Mavic 3 next yr as that "missing" feature did irk him. Anyway, thanks for replying.
I don’t get the tree penetration that I got with first mavic pro and I don’t like having no goggle support. Otherwise it’s good for cruising like I do.
Sometimes my clients include international news agencies, movie film, tv film or documentary film crews and they want to work with 10bit color so they can color grade in post to match the other cameras they are using to film that tv show, documentary or other kind of film. For them they want to most amount of flexibility with the footage they can get for the post production process... many times they will hire me to film rather than bring in a larger drone (in dangerous situations or small tight areas) to protect their equipment or crew. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Jake! I noticed in the settings that you were filming in H.265. Just wondering your opinion on the quality differential of filming in H.264. Is there really much difference? By the way, this is hands down the most beautifully shot and well put together video I've yet to see on the subject. Thanks for posting!
There isn't really enough difference once the video goes on TH-cam (or other social media) to make it worth it IMO. Plus unless you have a fairly powerful editing computer h.265 takes more processing power to work with. There is def a difference if you need to give the highest quality footage to a client though. Thanks for the kind words! Cheers
Couple of questions for dji drones owners: why would you use 30 fps if you have the options to use 60? And is the obstecale avoid thing active always? Is the drone always avoid obstecals in regular mode or is the drone avoid obstecals only while its following you ? Thanks
Have to say it's incredible that they didn't add tracking of the controller since 3.0 struggles to see the object. Also having to use the controller on a bike is just stupid. I'm tempted to get the Parrot Anafi
Great video Jake! It’s been a year now. Would you recommend this drone as a good 1st drone still? I kind of like the mini 2 but it doesn’t have the follow mode/ active track. The air 2 is more tolerable on price, but is it basically obsolete with the Air2s out there? I won’t be using this for business, just personal use. The 2 S has some nice features, just don’t know if it’s worth the extra for a non-pro.
@@JakeSloan I decided to go for the 2S. Just did a short first flight tonight. Hope to get some stick time this weekend! Thanks for the videos. They were helpful in my decision to purchase.
Pretty set on getting the mavic air 2 the high dynamic range excites me, I sold my spark because I hated the fear of losing it due to occusync I live in Canada and I want to get the mavic mini but if I do the test I might get this, is there any reason to get the mavic zoom? that’s the one I originally wanted. Or is it worth it to save up more for the mavic 2 pro. Really just making youtube videos but I really enjoy flying around the mountains ⛰ my friend lost his mavic mini flying it in the mountain and he ended up buying another mavic mini
I would get this over the zoom for portability and flight time. The zoom would be better if you want to film wildlife and get very close shots using the zoom lens.
I am debating on getting this one or the Mavic air. I really don't want the travel limitations set on me using the bigger drones. I had the Phantom 4 Pro and sold it because of the travel restrictions
Oh get this one. the almost doubling of flight time alone makes a HUGE difference. 3 batteries (get he fly more combo if you can) and you can fly a LOT before you need to recharge. I had the original air and flight time was a serious hinderance. I had to carry 4-5 batteries with me all the time
Hi Jake. Great Video. Love the shots. I have an android phone. I'm assuming there is just a usb port for the charger? I just bought this drone. The site I bought it from didn't have very many specs on it. Thanks in advance
Great video! Can you show a difference between the 8bit and 10bit color please? Was hoping you would cut to a clip to compare when talking about it but didn't.
I can in the future, but for now the difference is: 8 bit color is fine for almost everything unless you want to heavily color grade in post production. It is difficult to show the difference on TH-cam even due to limitations of the TH-cam compression. I use 8 bit for everything unless a client specifically asks me for 10bit which is only occasionally.
@@JakeSloan Unless its a high budget film or the director has decided he/she will edit heavily in post its great for everything else. I've used it on a few music video and short film sets with no issues in post.
Nice video, Jake! Yep, I am the same guy...looking at Lume Cubes and looking at adding my first drone to the photography mix...this review has me leaning towards the Pro version...for the higher quality images...and adding a couple Lume Cubes for night flight...thoughts!!! Again, great work on your videos...thank you!!! Oh, I am seriously considering the Lume Cube Pro Kit with a couple ball heads. I have a couple senior photoshoots coming up that will be a good test for me and the cubes!
Thanks Stu! If you want to do any thing in low light with a drone def get the Mavic 2 Pro. It has substantially better low light performance in both video and photo work. The 20mp photos from the Mavic 2 Pro also give you a much better end result as well. If you decide to get the lume cubes enjoy! Cheers!!
Great review. One thing that people haven't pointed out is how quiet the drone is. I was planning to use mine for weddings and real estate vids. That matters a bit for that. I'm still leaning towards this one. Thanks!
@@JakeSloan Found it. Its not just for Alaska. It is a ground station that provides altitude to augment GPS if the avionics are installed for it. www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/techops/navservices/gnss/library/satNav/media/SatNav_Nov06.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjY2rb588jsAhWVuJ4KHR03CK0QFjABegQIIBAB&usg=AOvVaw1sqeB4XKpNHkbnKSv7vhw5
I personally am loving all the features you mentioned. I don't have clients that request what you stated. But yes I have also noticed the longer GPS timeframe. Other then some features with the Fly More app I've been happy so far.
All the audio in this video was recorded live on site using my custom built Binaural Mic you can see here: th-cam.com/video/IvvENV-_bgE/w-d-xo.html I try not to use stock SFX unless I absolutely need to... Cheers
Same for me with the GPS satellite lock. It’s about the same as a Garmin hand held device, like a Map62. Maybe we are just used to this being fast, rather than the MA2 being slow. Thanks for the video!
You know what causes the drone to go crazy with you in your kayak? The paddle moving up and down. My MA2 goes crazy, side to side, in and out, when I'm paddling in my kayak. I find if I keep the paddle low and don't dig too deep, it tracks me smoothly as if I was walking or in a moving boat or car.
Well thats a good point but I also had it do it when I was walking and having it track me. The only times I have trouble with it are when I match the background too closely. I need to buy a red jacket lol
Hi Jake. Love the content and the drone tutorials. I think the Air 2 is for me (first drone) and I would be using it for activities much like you. My concern, and I can't find much info on this, is do I have enough rear end in my android phone and laptop to be able to run the editing software. In fact, on long cycling trips I would have to quick edit on the phone only and I'm not sure if I need to plan on getting a phone upgrade in tandem with the Air 2. I heard another TH-camr complain about 4K only in H.265 (I frankly don't know much about that stuff) so I'm not sure if my phone would even work with this setup at all. Thanks for your help!!
I use mid shift bags from think tank. This one is the 36l (I did a review here: th-cam.com/video/nWjmE6RU2P4/w-d-xo.html) and I also use the 18L for smaller day carries.
I Jake I need your help. I never used drone before in my life, but I reserved one SKYDIO 2. I like some features of SKYDIO it really has some very intelligent features than other drones. Yet, it doesn't have any night flight mode. I do like solo videos and SKYDIO is very good at it as I have been constantly watching TH-cam Videos. Please, Please, and Please I need your advice. If you feel that SKYDIO is too professional for me as a novice than I will cancel the reservation and buy the MAVIC AIR 2. What do think, which one I should buy? Thank YOU.
I would recommend the Mavic Air 2 to start out with. It's an excellent drone and will do well in many conditions and certainly better for low light than the Skydio. The best lowlight would be the Mavic 2 pro. Cheers!
Depends on your use. For photo work and best video quality overall the mavic 2 pro is best. For the smallest portable package with good video good photos and overall ease of use the mavic air 2 wins.
@@JakeSloan well it's kind of funny as soon as I commented that I watched your video on the Skydio 2 vs the Air 2. I think the Skydio will be better for me because I want it to track me more so than me have to fly it myself. So I'm actually going to go with the Skydio I believe. Either way thank you for the informative videos!
You’re welcome and as a Skydio user I will say there is nothing on the market that will do what it will do when it comes to tracking and AI powered flying. The downside is the wait to get one but i know they’ve been making progress on catching up as well. Glad I helped you make an informed decision!! Cheers
With respect to the GPS, I live in Panama City Beach FL, and have the same problem. I have the Mini 2, though I understand it has the same controller with Occusync 2.0. I just get mine in the air, and the satellites come in within a matter of seconds.
It's not that I prefer it but that I absolutely have to have it to meet the requirements of clients I shoot for sometimes. Other than that the quality out of the Mavic Air 2 is excellent for everything else!
I have mavic air 2 and I love it but the drone needs more manual options with the camera. Dji used to give u gimbal control and I really don’t like that the 48 mp pics are a standalone feature. I would have liked it to be used on all pics or at least an option. Also, being able to have the option to shoot 4k pics or 2k pics would be nice without having to push the smart photo option to achieve hdr. Outside of those things this drone has set a new standard for price and performance! Thank u
How about the DJI apps performance in android platform compare to iOS platform? I just have bad experienced with insta360 which the android platform apps was so bad!
This is my second drone and I’ve been flying for 4 years now and it’s a great drone! Sure, it’s definitely not as good as the Mavic 2 pro, but when you’re on a budget or you don’t want to spend $700 extra then the mavic air 2 is the best option for you!
Jake...do you have a video strictly for those filters? I haven't used mine (I'm in sunny Arizona)...so what do the filters bring to the table? I'm totally satisfied with my drone in auto mode. Thanks.
Great video, very useful. Since I lost my Mavic Pro in the North Thai jungle 3 days ago, I was thinking of getting this, unaware of the color limitation. I'll probably get the Pro 2 but with the Pro 3 coming out in Jan I'm not sure. hmmm
well so about the color limitation it really isn't a big deal unless you do commercial work with companies that require 10bit color. Usually they want that so they can color grade more effectively in post production. Even on client shoots I regularly do I use regular 8 bit color (which this has) and leave it at that unless they specifically ask for 10 bit color.
Great video Jake! You just missed one excellent pro.... . The PRICE! ...YAHOOOOOOOOOOO 🕺🏼🕺🏼 all that goodness and it's almost half the price of the M2P.. and better at some things the M2P does, like you said.. I also have them both so I can confir and agree...👍👍I myself sir, am keeping! Lol. In fact, I bought 2! Lol. Just in case! Lol.. You never know?...... Lol.... thx buddy for another AWESOME VIDEO..
Michael
Oh man you are right! I didn't even mention price. at under 1,000 USD its probably one of the best values for a drone on the market currently
Can you take really good photos with it? Similar to the pro or 2 pro?
@@justmicho17 ABSOLUTELY... It has a bigger sensor then all the drones out there other then the MAVIC PRO 2 and the Phantom 4 pro. They have the 1 inch but this one had the 1\2 inch. All the others use a 1 over 2\3rds. The picture and video quality is spot on! 👍👍👍
Mikey
DroneViral thank you sooo much man😘💪
JustMicho haha, np
My 1st drone is the mini 2. I love how small yet feature packed it is for a novice. 6 mile range, 30 minute flight time, 4k!
I was able to reach a max distance of 3800m until it said "battery low, please return home" 😌
@@johndizon735 Was the battery fully charged? Or was there
a lot of wind in the area?
@@CoolStuffOrigami Drone is new so batteries must be good. I fully charged them and I was on Normal mode going to 3800m..
Going back was a mix or normal mode and sports depending on the wind..
Very thrilling!!
Awesome. Great first drone!
Flew a drone for the first time today, then ordered a Mavic Air 2, then found this video! Thanks for all of these great tips. I can’t wait for my new drone to arrive.
Awesome!!
Not only do you do an awesome presentation of these drones but you also do it in those fantastic landscapes.
A joy to watch.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much! Cheers
What is 10 bit color?? Why do you need it?? Also south east AK? Not fair with all the gorgeous scenery up there. Incredible.
10 bit color refers to how many colors are available in the footage. 8bit is 256 for each channel of Red green and blue, 10bit color is 1024 for each channel so you have way more information that is a must if you plan to color grade in post.
I had a feeling it was clickbait but my eye is on the MA2 so I was curious to hear what the issue was.
The mavic air 2 is a great drone unless you need 10bit for pro work and slightly higher quality photos.
Absolute click bait. 10 minute video of him saying hey this drone is great but I'm not keeping it because it doesnt have an extremly niche professional feature that 99.99% of people watching this video will never need.
@@katari91 agreed
The mavic air 2 is the best mavic
@@katari91 HE also had a link to buy it anyway lol
Hey! Nice review! I myself was able to get a mavic air on black friday for about 500 dollars. I was originally wanting to get the the air 2. But I didn't have enough money since the air 2 was 800 dollars on black friday, and the air was half off and right within budget so I just had to get it. Can't wait to use it! Do you think it was worth buying for 500?
I think the Air is still a great little drone!
This is my first drone. I look forward to viewing that playlist you spoke of at the end of the video, since I am in Alaska as well I really want to make this thing shine!
Excellent!!!
I have M2P but I’m debating if I should get the MA2. I’m a minimalist that travels a lot, but make youtube videos about cities so I’d like great quality too. So what do you think.. should I buy the Air instead because of portability but maybe less quality?
This one shoots for 4K 60 -- as well as HDR footage -- where as the M2P does not.
Absolutely spot on!
I would highly recommend this drone! The only reason I am keeping my Mavic 2 Pro over this is the 10bit color and if I could I would keep this for taking with me places. The Mavic 2 Pro would become my client drone. The Mavic Air 2 is fantastic for anyone who travels and films!
Hey Jake,
I am looking to purchase my first drone for general photography and videos but not sure which one would be best.
I'm based in the UK so the Skydio2 isn't an option and I'm going to be travelling through Europe so want to make the most of the experience......DJI obviously have a lot to choose from and they all have they're pros and cons so any pointers would be helpful, many thanks
The Mavic Air 2 is a good option but if you want higher quality photos then also consider the Mavic 2 pro. It has a higher quality sensor and camera especially when it comes to photos. Another option is the Parrot Anafi for a small compact portable drone that does well at video and photo but not quite as good as the DJI Mavic Air 2. Cheers!
Thanx for the review. One thing, though. Why doesn't any reviewer want to talk about the fact that you need a phone that is almost as expensive as the drone to be able to fly it? And in the case of the lower priced Mini an even more expensive phone? And that DJI doesn't tell that right away on their Mavic Air 2 page? Just that you need at least Adroid 6 at the Fly app page. And you need to dig REALLY deep to find out that just a few way too expensive telephones with not only a 64 bit structure, but also a 64 bit Android work, and then just a few that are okay with DJI.
I think they assume everyone has a fairly recent phone already
@@JakeSloan Yeah, haha, I bought a new phone for it, Jake :-) with A 64 bit structure/processor. With Android 9. Brand new Motorola Moto e6 plus. When I read I needed Android 6... But, after trying to install the Fly app, which didn't work, I started searching the internet even more, and I found it only has 32 bit Android 9, instead of 64. Bummer. I had to save money for that drone. Can't just buy a few hundred euro phone after I just bought a new one while I already had a fine working phone...
Greetingz, Wim
By the way, I heard from a DJI dealer that in 2019 60 procent of the people that bought a Mini in his store, returned it because of this...
Updates to firmware and app are gonna make this drone just as good as mp2, at half the cost👍
Dwayne Baker yeah it will!
it will never have real 20Mpx fotos, 1 Inch sensor and 10Bit Video ...But hopfully DJI fixes a lot of missing features in the FlyApp which even the AIR1 had already!
My AIR2 went also unflown back to DJI ...and i will check from the distance if the AIR2 will get the drone it should be in the next mounths .
I got the air 2 and I love I but it will never compete with the pro 2 1 inch sensor bri
Keep believing the hype if you want.
What does it change?
I just got the Air 2 for like 2 days, and it's gone. A stupid bird hit my drone and they both dropped into the water. I presume the bird was dead as well. I couldn't retrieve it because it's too far away in the middle of the lake and I had no boat.
Oh no I am so sorry to hear this!
Thank you. I am doing research for a possible future purchase, and this was informative.
Excellent
@@JakeSloan I pictured mr burns when I read that haha
Not sure if I'd say FIRST drone (the Mini might be better as it's about 1/2 the price), Just keep in mind that if you do sell your drone, as of this writing you are NOT able to wipe the flight logs from the drone. This feature was removed in the latest version of DJI Assistant (which older versions cannot be used, as some people suggest, since they won't detect an Air 2). Just something to think about as this data does have GPS data about where the drone has been flown. You can clear the logs off your smart device, but not the drone (and i found this was not tied to your DJI account but rather is stored on the drone itself).,
Oh interesting. Thats very interesting
I just wanna know that where it is, the scenery is so amazing !
Thanks! This is in Alaska near Portage and Burns Glaciers. Cheers
I want to fly my Mavic mini there 100% 😄
Jake Sloan I live in Kodiak, I’m excited to get my drone up and going with some awesome Alaska footage :)
@@JakeSloan thanks for the location, I will be in Alaska this August and will try to visit areas like this.
At 6:59 is that Emerald cove outside of whittier alaska?
Excellent eye! Yes it is!! Cheers
Jake Sloan I’ve kayaked there a bunch of times.
It an incredibly beautiful location. I usually try to hike or kayak out there a few times a year
Just got the Mavic Air 2 as my first drone over $40. I love every minute it's in the air. Picked it up to fly but the fact that it has a great camera on it is an extremely nice bonus. Not into professional photography but it'll be nice to throw some drone footage on my YT channel!
Nice!!! Have fun and enjoy it.
@@JakeSloan Thank! I'll be sure to cycle through your videos... found some interesting content that's going to be a jump start for me.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!! What drone would you recommend to follow my Jeep above the tree line in Colorado? The Skydio looks great but it looks like most people have the Skydio following them t a close distance. I want the far off shot where the drone can still track me
It would be able to the skydio is a lot better at tracking close and medium distance though
@@JakeSloan thanks Jake. I appreciate it. Love your videos
Great vid, I've had 5 dji drones over the last few years and this is hands down my favourite. I film a lot of wake boarding and lock on subject then just fly the drone and it keeps the boarder in the frame and in 4k60 I've had great results. For youtube vids I think its a no-brainer. As you said for some client work you may need that 10bit of the m2p.
its awesome isn't it?
I use the mavic 2 pro, and have also tried out the mavic air 2. It's a good drone in my book, but other than for a paid promotion I can't see why folks keep putting it up next to the mavic 2 pro. It's like stacking a b.b. gun up against an A.K.47.
you are right and the only reason I did was because people want to know. Hopefully they will gain valuable info to make a good decision based on their needs...
I’m looking into getting into real estate photography and when I client needs drone footage of the house which drone do you recommend. You probably will take it on my personal cruise vacations as well.
I would use the Mavic Air 2. Great photo quality and its quieter so it won't disturb people/ neighbors as much. The 48 mp photos are excellent and will certainly satisfy for listings!
I’m a pro real estate photographer, and I just bought the Mavic Air 2. It will be my first drone. Seems like a great a great balance between features and price.
Doug Grosse where are you a real estate photographer. How long have you been a real estate photographer
John Burnett I work in the tri-state area of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. I’ve been in business for three years.
Doug Grosse is that all you do us real estate photography
Should o get this drone. I had the spark but I want something better. The mavic 2 pro is expensive but I like this one. Help me out
Wait a couple more days. DJI is releasing a new mavic mini which should be spectacular
Great review. Just got the Mavic Air 2, haven't flown yet. Now what do think between the Air 2 and the Skydio 2 as far as video quality?
It’s pretty close but I’d say Skydio is slightly better in most conditions. Photos the mavic Air 2 wins due to the 48mp size.
I sold my brand new skydio and just bought a mavic 2 zoom. The skydio was great but I couldn't see any uses for me.. I am 66 years old and don't skate board or bike on hills, so was disappointed after I bought it. I needed to just have a drone to take pics and video. I just felt with all of the accessories I bought I would never use them. I never realized the the obstacle avoidance on the mavic 2 was as good as it is. Just got my mavic zoom haven't even flown it yet but looking forward to it
Skydio 2 is nice but it is not a foldable drone and easy to fit in backpack.
@@DeafMacBoi hopefully skydio 3 is foldable like skydio x2 enterprise. but I'm sticking with my mavic air because it fits in my small sling bag along with my fuji xt-2
Thanks for the info. I just purchased a MAVIC air 2. I moved up from a spark. I’m working to get my videos as good as yours. You gotta start somewhere right?
NICE! and yes we all start somewhere
Clear, concise, and great fluidity of information. Great review!
Thanks so much! Cheers
Concise ? It takes 9 minutes of the 10 minutes video to know why he's not keeping it lol.
Will autofollow modes glitch if there's, say, two people in close proximity? Probably a stupid question, but I'm interested in using this in a warehouse
It will from time to time but I was impressed by how well it did
Is that Byron glacier? I’ve wanted to hike out there. I want to take mine out to Archangel Pass. Some beautiful views out there.
This is up at Burns glacier (the glacier straight down the end of portage lake) I do go to Byron often though. Arch angle valley and pass is an amazing place! I hear to road is open now and I can’t wait to get back there again. Cheers!!
@@JakeSloan I was just out there this past July. Took my Mavic Mini.
Great video 👍 If the Air 2 does not have 10 bit color, what bit color does the Air 2 have? I'm thinking of getting the Air 2 or the pro. Thanks
It has 8bit color which is fine if you don't plan on doing extensive color grading in post
@@JakeSloan Thanks Jake, I want to color grade but not sure if I will need the extra.
Great job Jake. I actually replaced my Mavic Mini with this fantastic MA2. I will be watching your playlist as I would love to know how to come with really great scenery shots for family trips 😉. Thank you again & keep it up 👍🏻
You're welcome thanks for watching!
hey sir as someone researching the mini as my first drone to take on vacations with my wife over the years. would you say i woulod be fine with the mini or save up and get MA2?
The mavic air 2 is not a beginner drone at all its a super good drone.
Agreed. The Air 2 has some fantastic usability upgrades, but for me it all comes down to the image. You can’t push Air 2 images in post like you can with the 10-bit files from the Pro. Sure, they’re much higher resolution which helps with scaling, but for me it’s image quality, not size, and in that department the Pro wins. Saving my money for the Mavic Pro 3.
I think you are the first person who hasn't called me crazy for keeping the pro over the Air due to 10bit color lol. I'm really looking forward to seeing what the Mavic 3 Pro has to offer over the mavic 2 pro. Should be a very very capable portable drone. Cheers!
When I first saw the controller I almost fell in love, having the Mavic mini my only gripe about it is that the controller would die before my second battery because it would be constantly charging my phone.
Loving the channel. Straight forward information that's clearly divided as to eliminate bias while also including your professional opinion. Good work!
Thanks a lot!
Jake, awesome video. I have a question for you and anyone else as I consider to purchase this drone soon. My sole use for this drone would be to gather footage while doing backpacking deep into the woods. Absolutely no cell service areas. I realize it has GPS, but is it consistently reliable in the backcountry too? Do you just need location selected to "ON" for your phone and you're good to go? Would love to hear your experiences, as well as, anyone elses.
it works very well in back country situations. You don't need your phone to have connection to use it etc. the drone bases all it's operations off its own internal GPS
Great job Jake very well done review I enjoyed it very much my Friend. I always love watching your review’s very good details and well though out. Take care Jake and God Bless
Thanks Rick! Blessings back at you!!
About the GPS lock, by the time I fire up the Mavic Air 2, get my phone ready and connect, it is set on 16 by maybe 10 seconds.. any location I am in..
Very nice!
Nice solid honest review, thank you.
Thanks Budd!
Hi mate
Looking at buying a dji mavic air 2. What's the max distance you can fly from the controller And Do You Have To stay In Line Of Sight.
You must stay in line of sight but you can fly quite far much farther than you can see
hey Jake question, If You could only have one, Which would it be M2A or M 2P or M2Z. This would be my second drone, I Have a MM, I love it, but the wind thing is a lil scary at tymes. thats my only dislike. Thanx.
The M2A would be a substantial upgrade for you. I would wait on the M2P just because I think they will release the Mavic 3 the end of this year or early next year.
@@JakeSloan Thanx jake, by the way, great video, lots of good info.
Thanks for the good review, greetings from Belgium.
Greetings! Cheers
Where are you, Jake? Colorado? Canada? Pacific northwest? Somewhere else?
I live in Alaska! Cheers
Has anyone had this issue? I left my battery in Mavic Air 2, for a week and when I went out to fly it. The battery was at 40% and I know it was 100%
They are set to discharge to 50% after 2 days. It’s programmed to do this to extend the life of the battery. Leaving them fully charged all the time shortens their life span a lot.
@@JakeSloan That is very interesting. I need to read the manual again. Thanks for the quality response
@@JakeSloan so i should leave them on when im not planning to use it?? So they empty?
@@JakeSloan Wow
Hi Jake.
Great and honest review !
Yours is the voice of a serious expert !
By the way, very nice footages and background music edition.
I never had a drone but as engineer, I'm 100% technical minded.
Was looking for a personal drone to carefully learn first and then inspect the progress of my construction sites. Therefore the MA-2 should meet my requirements, with exception of few questions the data sheets doesn't say.
1) I miss on all the tons and hours of reviews I have seen, any mention on WAYPOINTS settings for the MA-2, specially putting in the UTM coordinates of my sites or at least marking the route over a sattelite image (of my locations to be inspected).
2) What is the best APP to get Waypoints too and control that bird, and how much it takes of memory on a cellphone?
3) I do have a CAT S60-Android cellphone, just for its IR cam.
It is my rough and loyal 4x4 field phone.
Does the suitable app be supported by this phone? (No one can confirm me this...).... or do I need to buy a new cellphone to control the aircraft?
THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE for your kind answer.
Unfortunately the Mavic Air 2 does not support waypoints (or at least not yet as of this writing). The Mavic 2 Pro does in the DJI app but you can also use it with mapping software and other third party apps. As far as phone support if you are running android I would think it would be supported but I am not positive.
@@JakeSloan
Thanks so much Jake !
Yesterday I found in ytb something like Waypoints on a very clear mexican guy's review over GO-4 app running the MA-2.
It seems to work.
@@JakeSloan
...DJI is fastly updating the firmware as well as the versions for the controlling app
How is this in the wind, can it get lost with RTH in high winds
as I stated in the video I have used this in pretty heavy wind and it has done fine. like any drone the wind can overwhelm it if its too strong but for its size this drone does great
I don't think it lost on wind it has GPS.not sure what happen if wind is so strong it cant fly home.then yes wind will take it lol
I am still learning droning with mavic mini - I flew a few sub $200 drones my friends owned so I wanted to get into flying - but decided to pull the trigger on the mini (under 250g means no licence in Canada) - I am absolutely blown away but what that little thing can do. Its my first drone but it doesn't feel like a cheap thing - it's a monster for the price - hoping to upgrade to mavic air 2 later on .
The Mavic Mini is a really capable drone! Great first starting point especially with the licensing requirements in Canada. Enjoy it and capture some great stuff!! Cheers
Beautiful video I love Dji Mavic Air 2 thank you for sharing. Bye to Sicily
Thank you!
I was so excited and decided to buy it after watching so many videos about drones, but that one thing about missing 10-bit color depth while it has only 8-bit discouraged me completely 😭
Unless you do heavy color grading you do not need to worry about 10 bit color!
@@JakeSloan thank you Jake!
Is this in Banff? Love your vid man! Hope you can tell me how my cinematics look like on my newest vid!
This is in Alaska where I live. Nice job on your video. Looks good
It sure looks like the Lake Louise-Banff natl.park in Alberta CA.
I have to go to Alaska and BC
I like the M2P but my wallet doesn’t !
Great video, thank you! I just got the MA2 and my footage is really noisy even at ISO 100. I'm wondering if I should send it back as you mentioned your device was good even in low light. Mine is noisy even in normal lighting!
wow really? you may need to send it back then
I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and I don't do commercial work. How would you compare the M2Z and the MA2, other than size?
Either would do well but for the price the mavic air 2 is the best value. Plus they just raised the price on the zoom which makes it less enticing. I would say the only reason to get the zoom now is if you NEED the extra range using the zoom. One example would be filming wildlife and you don’t want to get to close etc. other than that I would get the air 2
@@JakeSloan I guess what I am trying to ask is would there be any benefit to upgrading from the Zoom to the Air 2.
Not enough to make it worthwhile imo. I’d wait and see what the mavic 3 series brings. Cheers!
Great review Jake. Just discovered your channel. Definitely thinking about getting one of these Air 2's. I have had drones for a few years, both fixed wing and multi-rotor so not too much of a beginner but still very much to learn about photography. I have noticed ever since I started using what I will call a Photography Drone that I can barely see screens in the bright sunlight. I have modified a pair of cheap VR goggles (the type made to hold a phone) to solve this problem. I would like to use these goggles to fly the mavic air 2, so i have a couple of questions, if you don't mind:
1. One method of using my goggles is with an extended USB x lightning cord ( I have apple phone) . Will I still be able to do this?
2. I also use sometimes a "Dongle" that came with my drone to allow wireless connection between controller and phone. Does the Air 2 come with one, or does DJI sell one that will work, that you know of? (I actually prefer this method as no pesky wire hanging from the headset) .
3. If these methods will not work with the Air 2, Do the DJI goggles work with Air 2? Haven't priced DJI goggles ,gulp.
4. One failing of my present drone (which has a really good 3 axis gimbal) is that sometimes horizon will be tilted a little. I have also noticed this in another Air 2 video I was watching. Ever noticed this problem much? Thank you for any guidance ? Just on my lunch hour, I'll be checking out more of your videos when I get back home!! Stay safe!
hey Larry! I believe yo would be able to extend your phone cord without issue however the Air 2 uses the DJI fly app which is different from the Go4 app so it may not work the same with your VR glasses. the Air 2 does not come with a wireless dongle and I am not sure how it would work with one... At this time the Mavic Air 2 is also not compatible with any of the DJI goggles (which is really unfortunate). I have not had any tilting horizon issues with mine (or my mavic 2 pro) however I have seen where a few other people have but it seems to be pretty limited and usually a gimbal calibration fixed it. It seems to happen more on rapid sideways movement like panning or strafing shots. For me I haven't had any issues though
What is 10 bit color? Why does it matter / what is the benefit that must be quite important to not keep that otherwise very good drone. Great review, really well done.
It is important if you need to heavily color grade in the edit process. Color grading is used to match different cameras from different makers and also to stylize the look of the footage to fit the feel being conveyed.
Very informative thanks Jake! Quick question, if I plan on uploading the videos I capture from a drone like this to youtube, do I have to register it with the FAA as "Commercial" and take the knowledge test, or can I just register it as "Recreational"?
If you use the footage to build or further a business in anyway you’ll need to register and get a part 107 license. I’d highly recommend getting one either way. It’s not too difficult and it opens a lot of opportunities to fly areas you otherwise couldn’t.
What Drone you think is best for a person who just loves to fly drone
With bigger range
And better other things
This is a great one for that
@@JakeSloan Thanks for your Honest oppenion
if you choose the right format(h265) ) then its 10 bit
The Mavic Air doesnt have 10bit color capability. I am glad they put the H265 codec in though. It's an improvement from the h264 codec!
I'm in the market for either this drone or a Skydio 2. My mission is to make my own music videos (Covid & I could make more videos per dollar with this than paying someone to film me), and possibly to make videos for other people. I'm SO on the fence, which one would you recommend for my objective?
if you are going to film yourself then the skydio for sure
@@JakeSloan Thanks for the reply!!! Aww man, I wanted Skydio at first but I've been leaning to the Air 2 lately. It seems like I'd be able to have better control if I get into doing videos for other people too, so I'd want the best of both worlds. Accurate @ Air2 or no?
Hi Jake, I have been using the Air 2 more lately and have experimented with the hyperlapse feature. Do you know if the hyperlapse images themselves can be recorded in 16:9. I can only seem to get mine to shoot in 4:3 then create a 16:9 video after ... with cropping. Would rather shoot 16:9 from the get go. Any experience with this feature?
I do not unfortunately. I never really messed with the hyper lapse modes while I had it. I have some friends who do and they turn out fantastic but I believe they shoot it and then edit the raw files themselves
@@JakeSloan OK. Thanks. I am on the phone with DJI now ....
You said you where not going to keep your drone so what did you do with it?
I gave it to a friend who had recently lost his...
@@JakeSloan haha good, That was probably very relieving for him, Do you know if there is a way to replace a camera and wing on the Mavic air 2, because mine just crashed 😥
Can I pull GPS coordinates off a specific frame? If I fly over something, I want to be able to pull the gps info off of the video so I can physically go back to that spot later.
You could pull gps coordinates off your flight logs after the fact
@@JakeSloan is the log synced to the video? Sorry for the noob questions. I don’t have a drone, but am considering getting one.
It is synced to the video
My friend has the MA2. He says the one big con for him is that you can't take pictures while recording. Is that true?
You can't do that with any drone that I am aware of
@@JakeSloan I do it all the time with my P4Pv2. I thought all drones could do that until he got the MA2
Oh interesting. None of the Mavic series drones have been able to do it. Id be willing to bet the reason the Phantom can is it has the mechanical shutter
@@JakeSloan Don't think that's it as his previous ~$200 beginner drone did it. In fact that's why I watch this video. I thought the "one reason" you was going to return the drone was because of that missing capability lol. Like I said we thought all drones could do that. I was miffed that all the glowing reviews for the MA2 never mentioned that it couldn't take pics while recording video. So when I saw the title of this video I was thrilled that a youtuber finally came clean with a con for the MA2. So now I don't know what to think as you said none of the Mavics can do it. He lost his drone recently and said he is going to wait for the Mavic 3 next yr as that "missing" feature did irk him. Anyway, thanks for replying.
I don’t get the tree penetration that I got with first mavic pro and I don’t like having no goggle support. Otherwise it’s good for cruising like I do.
Agreed!
Can You tell why Your clients need 10-bit? For what purpose? I am just curious... I never heard of such requirement...
Sometimes my clients include international news agencies, movie film, tv film or documentary film crews and they want to work with 10bit color so they can color grade in post to match the other cameras they are using to film that tv show, documentary or other kind of film. For them they want to most amount of flexibility with the footage they can get for the post production process... many times they will hire me to film rather than bring in a larger drone (in dangerous situations or small tight areas) to protect their equipment or crew. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Jake! I noticed in the settings that you were filming in H.265. Just wondering your opinion on the quality differential of filming in H.264. Is there really much difference? By the way, this is hands down the most beautifully shot and well put together video I've yet to see on the subject. Thanks for posting!
There isn't really enough difference once the video goes on TH-cam (or other social media) to make it worth it IMO. Plus unless you have a fairly powerful editing computer h.265 takes more processing power to work with. There is def a difference if you need to give the highest quality footage to a client though. Thanks for the kind words! Cheers
Thank you for very detailed solid information. I was going to get the Air but now I will get the Air 2.
Very good decision! Cheers
Couple of questions for dji drones owners: why would you use 30 fps if you have the options to use 60? And is the obstecale avoid thing active always? Is the drone always avoid obstecals in regular mode or is the drone avoid obstecals only while its following you ? Thanks
it can be always active if you want it to be
Im taking my ma2 to gnp next week. Is that where you are and if so is it difficult to connect on secluded area hikes. Ty sir
I live in Alaska where are you going?
Jake Sloan glacier national park northern montana. Not quite alaska but i wish. One day! Thanks for the replay
oh thats an amazing place as well! have fun. be careful where you fly national parks are off limits and illegal to fly in... cheers
Have to say it's incredible that they didn't add tracking of the controller since 3.0 struggles to see the object. Also having to use the controller on a bike is just stupid. I'm tempted to get the Parrot Anafi
it def works much better if you have more contrast between your subject and background!
Great video Jake! It’s been a year now. Would you recommend this drone as a good 1st drone still? I kind of like the mini 2 but it doesn’t have the follow mode/ active track. The air 2 is more tolerable on price, but is it basically obsolete with the Air2s out there? I won’t be using this for business, just personal use.
The 2 S has some nice features, just don’t know if it’s worth the extra for a non-pro.
If it’s just for personal use then The air 2 is excellent for a first drone.
@@JakeSloan thank you sir!
@@JakeSloan I decided to go for the 2S. Just did a short first flight tonight. Hope to get some stick time this weekend! Thanks for the videos. They were helpful in my decision to purchase.
I dont know if im the only person thats mentioned it at all but....1:01 wheres the owner of the hoodie in the bottom left?🤔🧐
Right? I was wondering the same thing and so far you are the first person to mention it lol
Jake Sloan can you swim around that area? Like a pool or something?
Pretty set on getting the mavic air 2 the high dynamic range excites me, I sold my spark because I hated the fear of losing it due to occusync I live in Canada and I want to get the mavic mini but if I do the test I might get this, is there any reason to get the mavic zoom? that’s the one I originally wanted. Or is it worth it to save up more for the mavic 2 pro. Really just making youtube videos but I really enjoy flying around the mountains ⛰ my friend lost his mavic mini flying it in the mountain and he ended up buying another mavic mini
I would get this over the zoom for portability and flight time. The zoom would be better if you want to film wildlife and get very close shots using the zoom lens.
With the latest update, this has an up to 4 times optical zoom.
I meant the Mavic Air 2.
@@CharlesSmith-sc3oq damn thats insane that literally changed the game for me.
I am debating on getting this one or the Mavic air. I really don't want the travel limitations set on me using the bigger drones. I had the Phantom 4 Pro and sold it because of the travel restrictions
Oh get this one. the almost doubling of flight time alone makes a HUGE difference. 3 batteries (get he fly more combo if you can) and you can fly a LOT before you need to recharge. I had the original air and flight time was a serious hinderance. I had to carry 4-5 batteries with me all the time
You won’t be disappointed with Mavic Mini. So tiny drone for all of your traveling pleasure.
Hi Jake. Great Video. Love the shots.
I have an android phone. I'm assuming there is just a usb port for the charger? I just bought this drone. The site I bought it from didn't have very many specs on it. Thanks in advance
thats correct and it will include cables to attach your phone to the controller.
Great video! Can you show a difference between the 8bit and 10bit color please? Was hoping you would cut to a clip to compare when talking about it but didn't.
I can in the future, but for now the difference is: 8 bit color is fine for almost everything unless you want to heavily color grade in post production. It is difficult to show the difference on TH-cam even due to limitations of the TH-cam compression. I use 8 bit for everything unless a client specifically asks me for 10bit which is only occasionally.
@@JakeSloan Unless its a high budget film or the director has decided he/she will edit heavily in post its great for everything else. I've used it on a few music video and short film sets with no issues in post.
Nice video, Jake! Yep, I am the same guy...looking at Lume Cubes and looking at adding my first drone to the photography mix...this review has me leaning towards the Pro version...for the higher quality images...and adding a couple Lume Cubes for night flight...thoughts!!! Again, great work on your videos...thank you!!! Oh, I am seriously considering the Lume Cube Pro Kit with a couple ball heads. I have a couple senior photoshoots coming up that will be a good test for me and the cubes!
Thanks Stu! If you want to do any thing in low light with a drone def get the Mavic 2 Pro. It has substantially better low light performance in both video and photo work. The 20mp photos from the Mavic 2 Pro also give you a much better end result as well. If you decide to get the lume cubes enjoy! Cheers!!
@@JakeSloan Thanks! The cubes may be fun to use with my Lensball (all the gels and such)...plus drop them in water for astro photos...
If you haven’t checked it out I posted a photo on twitter and Instagram today that shows a single lume cube lighting up a mine shaft i found
@@JakeSloan I saw that...very cool!!! I am on IG as stuartsmith.123!
Great review Jake! I totally agree about needing the 10 bit color, too! Thanks!
Thanks Mark! It's really the only downside of the Mavic Air 2 that I can see right now. Cheers my friend
@@JakeSloan Thanks you too! Waiting to see what the Mavic 3 Pro will be.
What is the best way to keep your drone flying when it goes out of sight googles or your phone.
Like around the other side of a building or hill? You want to keep line of sight for best signal strength with any drone from any manufacturer.
Great review. One thing that people haven't pointed out is how quiet the drone is. I was planning to use mine for weddings and real estate vids. That matters a bit for that. I'm still leaning towards this one. Thanks!
Thats very true!!
Should i upgrade from mini due to range factor?
the difference from the mini to this would be a giant leap in image and capability! Def worth the upgrade IMHO
Does is use Alaskan GPS correction.
You know I am not sure, and I wasn't able to find anything about it
@@JakeSloan
Found it. Its not just for Alaska. It is a ground station that provides altitude to augment GPS if the avionics are installed for it.
www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/techops/navservices/gnss/library/satNav/media/SatNav_Nov06.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjY2rb588jsAhWVuJ4KHR03CK0QFjABegQIIBAB&usg=AOvVaw1sqeB4XKpNHkbnKSv7vhw5
I personally am loving all the features you mentioned. I don't have clients that request what you stated. But yes I have also noticed the longer GPS timeframe. Other then some features with the Fly More app I've been happy so far.
glad to hear it and I hope they continue to update the fly app to give us more features
Is the sound of the environment recorded at the site or did you use stock effects?
All the audio in this video was recorded live on site using my custom built Binaural Mic you can see here: th-cam.com/video/IvvENV-_bgE/w-d-xo.html I try not to use stock SFX unless I absolutely need to... Cheers
Thanks for this good video! I bought a mavic 2 pro because of why you were keeping it and the importance of the 10 bit video.
Thanks a lot!! Glad to hear it, you'd be surprised at how many people told me I didn't need 10bit lol
Same for me with the GPS satellite lock. It’s about the same as a Garmin hand held device, like a Map62. Maybe we are just used to this being fast, rather than the MA2 being slow. Thanks for the video!
good point we are getting spoiled with a few things lol. Cheers mate
This is really dependent on what type chip is used in the drone. It will cost more, if get more out of the drone.
True
You know what causes the drone to go crazy with you in your kayak? The paddle moving up and down. My MA2 goes crazy, side to side, in and out, when I'm paddling in my kayak. I find if I keep the paddle low and don't dig too deep, it tracks me smoothly as if I was walking or in a moving boat or car.
Well thats a good point but I also had it do it when I was walking and having it track me. The only times I have trouble with it are when I match the background too closely. I need to buy a red jacket lol
Time has changed. Just bought the Air 2. Now that Mini 1,2 Se, and Air 1, 2, 2s support 3rd party apps like Litchi and Maven, it's a whole new game.
yes it is
Hi Jake. Love the content and the drone tutorials. I think the Air 2 is for me (first drone) and I would be using it for activities much like you. My concern, and I can't find much info on this, is do I have enough rear end in my android phone and laptop to be able to run the editing software. In fact, on long cycling trips I would have to quick edit on the phone only and I'm not sure if I need to plan on getting a phone upgrade in tandem with the Air 2. I heard another TH-camr complain about 4K only in H.265 (I frankly don't know much about that stuff) so I'm not sure if my phone would even work with this setup at all. Thanks for your help!!
You can use the DJI app to do some basic edits and most phone from the last few years should be able to edit without an issue.
What’s the bag pack that you have in this video?
I use mid shift bags from think tank. This one is the 36l (I did a review here: th-cam.com/video/nWjmE6RU2P4/w-d-xo.html) and I also use the 18L for smaller day carries.
Thanks Jake!
I Jake I need your help. I never used drone before in my life, but I reserved one SKYDIO 2. I like some features of SKYDIO it really has some very intelligent features than other drones. Yet, it doesn't have any night flight mode. I do like solo videos and SKYDIO is very good at it as I have been constantly watching TH-cam Videos. Please, Please, and Please I need your advice. If you feel that SKYDIO is too professional for me as a novice than I will cancel the reservation and buy the MAVIC AIR 2. What do think, which one I should buy? Thank YOU.
I would recommend the Mavic Air 2 to start out with. It's an excellent drone and will do well in many conditions and certainly better for low light than the Skydio. The best lowlight would be the Mavic 2 pro. Cheers!
Is it worth upgrading from a dji spark
YES this would be a huge upgrade for you!
I’m in dilemma... pro or the air? Which is better?
Depends on your use. For photo work and best video quality overall the mavic 2 pro is best. For the smallest portable package with good video good photos and overall ease of use the mavic air 2 wins.
Thank you for this video! I've been trying to decide on a drone to use with filming my farm videos. I think you've sold me on the Air 2. Great video!
Fantastic and it’s a solid drone for most uses!
@@JakeSloan well it's kind of funny as soon as I commented that I watched your video on the Skydio 2 vs the Air 2. I think the Skydio will be better for me because I want it to track me more so than me have to fly it myself. So I'm actually going to go with the Skydio I believe. Either way thank you for the informative videos!
You’re welcome and as a Skydio user I will say there is nothing on the market that will do what it will do when it comes to tracking and AI powered flying. The downside is the wait to get one but i know they’ve been making progress on catching up as well. Glad I helped you make an informed decision!! Cheers
With respect to the GPS, I live in Panama City Beach FL, and have the same problem. I have the Mini 2, though I understand it has the same controller with Occusync 2.0. I just get mine in the air, and the satellites come in within a matter of seconds.
excellent, being this far north it always takes more time
You prefer 10 bit color over 4k60p?
It's not that I prefer it but that I absolutely have to have it to meet the requirements of clients I shoot for sometimes. Other than that the quality out of the Mavic Air 2 is excellent for everything else!
I have mavic air 2 and I love it but the drone needs more manual options with the camera. Dji used to give u gimbal control and I really don’t like that the 48 mp pics are a standalone feature. I would have liked it to be used on all pics or at least an option. Also, being able to have the option to shoot 4k pics or 2k pics would be nice without having to push the smart photo option to achieve hdr. Outside of those things this drone has set a new standard for price and performance! Thank u
I absolutely agree with you. I really hope DJI brings more options to the app in future updates! Cheers
How about the DJI apps performance in android platform compare to iOS platform? I just have bad experienced with insta360 which the android platform apps was so bad!
DJI does pretty well on android but updates sometimes take a bit longer to get made available for android...
This is my second drone and I’ve been flying for 4 years now and it’s a great drone! Sure, it’s definitely not as good as the Mavic 2 pro, but when you’re on a budget or you don’t want to spend $700 extra then the mavic air 2 is the best option for you!
Agreed!!
Jake...do you have a video strictly for those filters? I haven't used mine (I'm in sunny Arizona)...so what do the filters bring to the table? I'm totally satisfied with my drone in auto mode. Thanks.
Thats great if you are happy but yes I do have a video here: th-cam.com/video/tjfEUFmpt8c/w-d-xo.html check it out and let me know what you think!
Does pelican or others make a good waterproof box for the air2?
Not sure about pelican but check out GPC cases: goprofessionalcases.com/dji-mavair2.html they make great stuff for drones. Cheers!
I have the Mavic mini which I really like for a variety of reasons, but I am looking at moving up to this one in the near future.
this would be a great upgrade from the mini
Great video, very useful. Since I lost my Mavic Pro in the North Thai jungle 3 days ago, I was thinking of getting this, unaware of the color limitation. I'll probably get the Pro 2 but with the Pro 3 coming out in Jan I'm not sure. hmmm
well so about the color limitation it really isn't a big deal unless you do commercial work with companies that require 10bit color. Usually they want that so they can color grade more effectively in post production. Even on client shoots I regularly do I use regular 8 bit color (which this has) and leave it at that unless they specifically ask for 10 bit color.