DAMN! This is far and away the very best comparison video of these two drones. Having them both in the air at the same time removes a lot of variables. The few minutes out takes to land one and launch the other can skew results. Personally I own an A2s and at this point see no reason to upgrade. Apart from price, the picture quality of the A2s is just so good. Liked and subscribed 👍🏿
In some situations the difference is huge. For example check video from MW Technology channel and compare the buildings in the background and trees on both sides at 2:13
What a great comparison. But I think there is some polarization going on the Air2S. There is less reflections on the water (obvious on the 1st scene) and the sky has deeper blue gradients, both clear characteristics of polarizer filters. I assume you have not used any polarizing filter so I suspect DJI has baked in some polarization on the native lens of the Air2s. I have both drones by the way and I had noticed this before, but I had never done such a similar flight over water to confirm.
The first thing I noticed in this video was how well you made this a comparison video as others noticed too. Great job!! Now as far as the quality difference in the two I've already got the 2s and I am happy with it.
Magician's magic - nah. It's the exact same clip made to appear as two different ones. You cannot fly these drones with perfect synchronisation and exact same perspective as is the case here. He's pulling our collective plonkers.
@@VickersDoorter Notice at 2:40 the Air2S oscilates a little more than the Mavic3, resulting in slightly differente camera movements. The Air2S is a little more to the right as well. So these are indeed 2 different drones shot at the same time (waves are unique).
In some situations the difference is huge. For example check video from MW Technology channel and compare the buildings in the background and trees on both sides at 2:13
Wow! Your side-by-side footage is amazing and will no doubt be the envy of the drone content community going forward! I think the dynamic range of the M3 was slightly better, but man, the A2s really held its own and with editing would satisfy 95% of most professional image needs by clients.
Shot with a single drone or drone with an additional camera attached and properly made crop, color, sharpness and 1 second shift in post-production to make a fake second drone video. In both films, the bird flies against the trees in exactly the same place, only with a delay of 1 s. Fake Air 2s 0:17, fake Mavic 3 0:18. If these were two different videos from different drones, the arrangement of the elements in relation to each other would be different. Here, one drone would have to be glued to the other. Nobody will fly two drones next to each other so close and make the exact same movements. One big scam this movie. If I'm wrong, prove it to me and provide a link to RAW footage files with EXIF data from both drones in the description. They mislead people just to add subscribers and viewership.
Here is finally a video that offers an equivalent and informative comparison. The results are so similar, it's amazing. It remains that for my personal criteria, M3 provides, on some occasions, more details in the shadows, I also prefer the colors it provides. As a photographer, mastering the three axes of exposure: shutter speed, sensitivity and aperture remains a very important criteria. If the DJI A2S offered aperture control, I would be annoyed. We can use variable ND filters to compensate, but in flight this is still limiting. For this main reason, I plan to buy the M3 for professional use. It will be my first drone in this category (I use the Mini2 (with ND filters) and I flew the P4 Pro a few years ago). The fact remains that the A2S is a great drone that offers an outstanding price/performance ratio. Thanks for this video, really appreciated.
thank you very much! i love to make side by side video so i can see for myself (and share with others). i am also amazed with how similar the quality looks. both are great drones and I agree with what you said above.
I own P4 Pro V2 and was hesitant to buy Air 2s because of lack of aperture control, BUT….I bought it and realised that in most of drone footage aperture is not a big deal since you shoot mostly from far away….well further than with normal camera. Also I got variabile NDs which are always on AND, if you want motion blur in your footage it’s easily achieved in After Effects and Resolve. So now I’m even satisfied I don’t have to fiddle with aperture when shooting. 😎
@@Belamarimages This is a very interesting trick. There is no doubt, the image quality of the Air2S is fantastic and as you mention, the ND filter is a must in the case of a fixed aperture. For depth of field, the maximum aperture f2.8 is never an issue as long as you know how to exploit it. Obviously, you have created a very profitable formula: the best Bang for the Buck. Let's face it, the gap between the Mavic 3 and the Air2s is thin. Thank you to share it.
@@floatingrabbit3556 It is a drone that can indeed be used professionally. I fully agree, the image quality fully supports it and as @Belamarimages shows us, each one learns to work with his equipment. The cameras are of such quality now that the gains between versions are THIN and more expensive (and there is a marketing component that adds to it). Then, the choice is based on personal preferences and budget management. I like to have control over all three dimensions of exposure (variable aperture). I like to have a little more sensitivity in the shadows (dynamic range). I like the very neutral D-Log and color science of the M3. I will have more continuous flight time (15 min is significant for me). I will be able to make certified flights at temperatures below-zero Celcius temperature. In the end, I will have a SMALL gain in efficiency in the field, a SMALL gain in post production, a SMALL gain in image quality.So I will have more fun at each contract. Does this fully justify the price difference? On a rational basis I have to answer: NO! Can I achieve the same result with the Air2s. I have to reply absolutely!! Will I have the same working pleasure with the A2S? Not sure on this point, this is where the question of preference, pleasure according to personal criteria, comes into play. Also, I'm betting that waypoints will be added to the M3, I also do photogrammetry (ironically, they were added to the Dji Mini S). My decision is not yet final, nothing is urgent. Winter is not a big time for me, no rush.
Honestly I think the Air2s appeared to be equally and even better in some shots. Great video but please do a night test between these two cuz I'm having a hard time deciding which one I want and I love flying at night so that really matters a lot to me oh, I know the mavic three is better at night but the price of the air 2s makes it more convincing and hard to pass up, so please help me make my decision
I know right they are really similar. I always like to see side by side tests. i will do a night test in the next week. hope this helps. I don’t have any promo links so all of this is just for fun honest info.
anyone have both these drones for a real world commentary. i have the air2s and was considering the mavic 3 as on upgrade, but when i factor in the air2s smaller size and what i see here, I'm not convinced?
they really are so close but i agree about the better colors and sometimes better details. it's really hard to beat the price point of the AIR 2S though!!
Really? more detailed w/ better colours? I don't think so~ or maybe it's your own opinions only~ the other TH-camrs tested the M3 VS Air 2S, the M3's 4/3 sensor produced more blurred & noise image output than Air 2S's 1" sensor in the results~
I'd say M3 has a less processed look and retains more shadow and highlight detail and less pop! It's expected as it is more geared to professionals than prosumers.
I know this may sound crazy but the Air 2S is sharper near the edges/corners. I'm really starting to think the main advantage of the M3 is it's low-light capabilities. A couple of stops can really make a big difference. Most of my best shots are during golden hour when I could really use the lower noise of a larger sensor. I'm not ready to sell my A2S yet.
Great comparison! I think the Mavic 3 has the higher quality, the details even far away are sharper. I own a M3 and am looking forward now to getting some 5.1K video in! I am trying to wait for half way decent Chicago winter weather lol!
All I can say is WOW. I bought the Air 2s about a month ago and have not gotten the chance to get out to get some cool footage but after seeing your video, I am really happy I bought it verses spending the money on the M3. I had the Parrot Anafi and the M2s knocked it out just with the solid video transmission and radio connection. Anyway, great comparison video.
Lookin in a computer, both drones looks almost the same. It is almost worth the upgrade? The is no higher video definition on the Mavic 3, just a color grade by Hasselblad. That shows right there that sensor sizes will not always create best picture because the lens are crap. Remember, video definition is the key in photo and video.
This is truly "splitting hairs" here, great video! Recently I paired Video Enhance AI with the Proteus engine to interpolate the A2S from 5.4K to 8K and I can confidently say any difference in IQ in terms of detail / noise is negligible between the A2S and M3. Since noise and detail with Proteus are wiped out of the equation, you're really paying for that half stop of DR and 360 collision avoidance (I turn all mine off). With that in mind, its truly hard to justify an M3 purchase when you pair the A2S with Proteus. Of course, there will always be a requirement to have access to native ProRes for quick deliveries, but if you have the time to process A2S footage to 8K ProRes HQ, then there's really no compelling need to own that M3.
good points. I have Topaz Video Enhance AI but never use it. I’ll have to try it again. the couple times I did use was when I would zoom in on something at 200-400% (like a Kitesurfer or Sailboat) and crop it. then upscale it back to 4K.
Complete noob here, having only done color grading with Davinci Resolve. Would you point me in the direction where I can learn more about this Proteus Engine? Thank you!
Hold on, the image quality between the Air 2 and Air 2 s is said to be indistinguishable during the day, and the airs2s looks better to me than the magic 3,so does that mean the air2 footage is better than the magic 3s,
Great video comparison . The dynamic range on the Mavic 3 is slightly better but not enough to justify the huge price gap. I own the Air 2S and think it's the best drone available at it's price point. The image from the Air 2s is perfectly fine for 95% drone users
It is so marginal and if someone like us isn't pixel peeping like Hawks, most people will not notice a difference if you provide video from either one. Ever so slightly sharper with the M3 but you can always sharpen the MA2S and be that much closer. Color might be slightly better on the M3, esp noticed in the final clips. Is the price difference worth it though? Now add in the Pro Res HQ as a third and then we really can compare the 3 of them again.
Really all it comes down to is that at identical settings the M3 will gatther more light for each exposure of the sensor. Thats it. Not complaining, it's actually very nice to have this. Hence why I got the M3.
I feel like the M3 is more into details and M2s are abit softer for the image quality, but we still can tune that up based on our own preferences. For me personaly, i took the M2s based on value for $. And u still got the 95% of M2 quality… but how about the wind resistance between this two?
Air2s is more detailed as have the extra pixels 5.4 versus 5.1. The size of senzor from M3 is giving more advantage in night, but at sharpness and details is under A2S an far under Evo2 Pro because of number of pixels. That cannot be fixed by soft, as is a hardware limitation. Because of this, will probably be inferior to Autel Evo Lite+ that will have 5.4 but also the newest CMOS based on same tech as Huawei Pro phones for extra sensitivity in night.
Air 2s and Evo 2pro have same number of pixels. Evo 2 pro actually has a max resolution of 5.4k but they market it as 6K. In any case, I agree that Evo 2 pro and Air 2s both seem to provide more detail in normal lighting than Mavic 3 based on all the comparative footage I've seen. Check out Drone X factor's videos.
Image details capture from any cameras comes from first the lens, the quality of the lens, how much the lens can see, how well the lens captures the light light and how the lens capture the light. Sensor size means nothing to video definition or details if a camera has a crap lens. That's why professional lens can cost 1/2 million dollars. Yes, the Evo 2 Pro 6k has a better lens, that's why the image is ways better than the Mavic 3. And if the Nano has the same lens, watch out DJI. Always buy camera in these orders - Lens -> Sensor Quality and Size and only then what compression and codec it has. People are paying for the DJI brand and not for a camera.
I think that the Mavic 3 is on paper better, but the Air 2s is just so good and in this test truly an underdog. My complaint with Mavic 3, it's 3x the cost of an Air 2s, but I don't think it's 3x the drone. Sure it is nice to be able to stop down without switching filters, but being that the drone is always some distance from it's subject it really doesn't matter if you deviate from a true 180 degree shutter. So if I can't stop down and find myself filming at 30 FPS on Air 2s at 1/100, the footage basically looks the same. This is a great test and I appreciate that someone did this
Excellent review! I don't know how you are able to get the flight paths so similar but it's important in order to shoot in the exact same lighting conditions so the comparison is fair. Unless you shoot low light, looking on my 5K monitor, I don't see $2000 difference in IQ. However, I feel like the biggest disadvantage for me is lack of variable aperture in the A2s. For now my money was better spent on the new RC-Pro controller. A definite upgrade IMO.
thank you! and very true about the close the day time quality is. i always think that I don’t really “need” the RC Pro and then my phone rings while I’m flying and I think to myself that I wish I had one lol
Other than the 3 having a slightly flatter color profile, the Air 2S is great and there is very little difference. When we see low light and night time this is where you can get the 3 to really shine. Under most conditions the 3 is t worth the extra cash. We are still waiting for usable waypoints like Autel or even FIMI for that matter.
He's what I think. I really wanted the Mavik 3 to win this but I just find it hard at that price point. Dji probably won't make much money with it like the wild with the Air 2S. They may have mistakenly made such a damn good drone in the Air 2S the mavic 3 seems overpriced to the performance you get out of it. To me, for the price of the M3, you get more performance and literally 12 more batteries so you stay up in the air longer.
I have to agree with you. No hype. This WAS the best Mavic 3 vs Air 2s video I’ve seen. Very subtle differences. In some ways, I actually preferred the Air 2S. A bit more dynamic range in the Mavic 3, perhaps. But not twice (or more) the price worth. I think the Air 2S footage straight out off the camera was a bit more pleasing and more true to life. Nice post. Thank you!
To me the Mavic 3 won the first few clips of the speed boats hands down, but then the air 2S won the second set of clips of the beach/bay. I think its just due to auto exposure setting variability. The air 2s looked a bit washed out in the first clips and the mavic 3 looked washed out in the second set of clips. From what ive seen, and from my own experence, where the 3 really starts to pull ahead is in lower light situations. It would be super cool to see a low-light comparison of the two.
Totally impressed with both! The footage and quality are close, I love my Air 2S but I can see the rationale behind upgrading. Thanks for creating this!
thank you!! I was really impressed with how the Air 2S held up. i just posted a night photo comparison video. That’s the biggest difference between the cameras in low light.
@@AerialMotionPhotography , yeah, the larger sensor makes the difference in low light. I still like the 5.4k versus the 5.1k but I do like the slow mo mode on the Mavic 3.
Hi Adam nice vid I have the air2s couldn't afford to trade up up if I wanted to but its nice to know I bought a good one also you seem to be in my age bracket your music choice was horrible oxox lol
Of course, everyone is going to comment on what they believe is the “best” video between the two ; and most are commenting about the “best value” etc. value is so subjective, it’s kind of pointless to debate it. Just from the video here, it’s quite clear that the Mavic 3 “quality” is far superior to the 2S. You only need to watch the ripples of the waves or the beach details missing from the 2S to notice the difference. I’ve encountered this a lot with clients ; the “presentation” of the video is often more appealing to them when there’s less details ; ie, “natural blurring” on the 2S. But I’m talking about “quality.” You can always REDUCE the quality of footage, but you can’t CREATE more details. The Mavic 3 footage is clearly “better quality.” But is the 2S “good enough” for most people? Yes, it is.
Once you reach a certain level, gains are incremental, and boy are they slight in these daylight comparisons! My interest in M3, and why I made the big investment was twofold. 1. Getting into drones less than a year ago Mavic 2 Pro was long due for a refresh, I didn't want to invest in a 3 year old design, in spite of its excellence. Drone tech is maturing fast. I knew the M3 was due, and budgeted for it. 2. The camera is why we are up there in the first place, but there's other factors. Flight times are huge. OA could prove useful if tracking is as good as teased. Wind handling appears improved. The Dual camera is conceptually interesting, but execution is just odd. Night shooting is amazing, and possibly the biggest advantage in output though. Looking forward to those comparisons! I have a Minj 2, & Air 2(not S) my only 1" sesnor is an Evo 2 Pro, as I wanted variable aperture vs constantly swapping ND Filters.
i own both the drone and tin my view the mav 3 is much better in every aspect. Your video comparison is good but then again appearances can be deceiving.
Adam. the fact you have both drones and those boats is impressive ;-) Air 2S footage looks the same to me,, near the end the M3 looked a bit more detailed... thanks for posting,, and yes, I know you don't have those boars
thanks Eddy. you're right they are very similar. i would have thought there would have been a bigger difference in quality. and it was pretty scary having both drones over the water but i really wanted to get some good footage!! i also want to do a night time test with the M3 vs AIR 2S but that will be even more nerve racking haha
not surprised. I knew air2s was best almost beat m2p. now m3p seems a bit better. seriously no suprise. Very close. all in all despite mavic 3 looks a bit softer but at the end (zoomed) it shows finer details (like waves in the lake in wide shot). both great drones. nice comparison - a proper one.
BIG scam for me! Shot with a single drone or drone with an additional camera attached and properly made crop, color, sharpness and 1 second shift in post-production to make a fake second drone video. In both films, the bird flies against the trees in exactly the same place, only with a delay of 1 s. Fake Air 2s 0:17, fake Mavic 3 0:18. If these were two different videos from different drones, the arrangement of the elements in relation to each other would be different. Here, one drone would have to be glued to the other. Nobody will fly two drones next to each other so close and make the exact same movements. One big scam this movie. If I'm wrong, prove it to me and provide a link to RAW footage files with EXIF data from both drones in the description. And don't mislead people just to add subscribers and viewership. Be fair!
@@AerialMotionPhotography Okay, Adam. If that's true, why do you remove / smooth some of the moves from 2:43 in post-production? And in the description you gave: "* any jitters from the AIR 2S are not a fault of the drone ... just how it was filmed." If you attached one drone to the other, they both had exactly the same movement. Show a movie of how it flew attached to each other, it's really very interesting. And here, just give a download link to RAW files with EXIF data. I still think this movie is a lie, sorry but you didn't convince me. You give the impression of a very nice person as I watched your other movie. But I really don't like someone cheating. Prove to me, I'd love to be wrong.
@@siekoch here is a video of when I was testing polarizing filters with the Mini Mini taped to my Mavic 2 Zoom. th-cam.com/video/aLKhAyh5JgM/w-d-xo.html
@@AerialMotionPhotography This is a really good idea. You didn't fully convince me because you didn't show either the Air 2S attached to the Mavic 3 in flight, or the files from both drones with EXIF data used in this video, but I assume it's actually possible to try to do so. I am curious about the effect. If you ever have the opportunity to repeat it, also record the start of such a construction from another camera. This is when all doubts will be dispelled. I am also very curious about such comparisons between the Mavic 3 and Mini 3 Pro as well as Air 2S and Mini 3 Pro. Please make such films with showing the launch from another camera, I will become your subscriber and delete any unfavorable comments. Peace!
It's the exact same clip made to appear as two different ones. You cannot fly these drones with perfect synchronisation and exact same perspective, as is the case here. He's pulling our collective plonkers.
DAMN! This is far and away the very best comparison video of these two drones. Having them both in the air at the same time removes a lot of variables. The few minutes out takes to land one and launch the other can skew results. Personally I own an A2s and at this point see no reason to upgrade. Apart from price, the picture quality of the A2s is just so good. Liked and subscribed 👍🏿
Thank you very much!! I appreciate the kind words and am very impressed with how well the A2S held up!
In some situations the difference is huge. For example check video from MW Technology channel and compare the buildings in the background and trees on both sides at 2:13
The Mavic 3 has consistently better contrast. But I don't think it's worth an upgrade from the 2S (which is the one I have). Both have insane quality.
That contrasts alone isn't worth $1200 bucks. @@RodrigoMatiasLeote1986
@@jaakkotahtela123 that may be an aperture setting and not lens clarity
What a great comparison. But I think there is some polarization going on the Air2S. There is less reflections on the water (obvious on the 1st scene) and the sky has deeper blue gradients, both clear characteristics of polarizer filters. I assume you have not used any polarizing filter so I suspect DJI has baked in some polarization on the native lens of the Air2s. I have both drones by the way and I had noticed this before, but I had never done such a similar flight over water to confirm.
the Air 2s does not have to be ashamed in front of the Mavic 3, very nice comparison, thank you!
The first thing I noticed in this video was how well you made this a comparison video as others noticed too.
Great job!!
Now as far as the quality difference in the two I've already got the 2s and I am happy with it.
Thanks for the great comparison. The slow motion looked very jerky on playback. Is that the youtube algo or something with the way you processed it?
thank you! i love doing side by side comparisons. i personally don't see much jerky"ness" on the slown down footage.
how do you fly these side by side with identical moves?? Great comparison. My eye was more drawn to the 2s footage, but may be due to larger clip.
thank you!! a magician never reveals his tricks But let’s just say it is very stressful and if they crashed that would be like my life savings lol.
it’s really impressive how well the A2S compares and is 1/2 the price!!!
Magician's magic - nah. It's the exact same clip made to appear as two different ones. You cannot fly these drones with perfect synchronisation and exact same perspective as is the case here. He's pulling our collective plonkers.
@@VickersDoorter I was thinking the same thing.
@@VickersDoorter Notice at 2:40 the Air2S oscilates a little more than the Mavic3, resulting in slightly differente camera movements. The Air2S is a little more to the right as well. So these are indeed 2 different drones shot at the same time (waves are unique).
In some situations the difference is huge. For example check video from MW Technology channel and compare the buildings in the background and trees on both sides at 2:13
Wow! Your side-by-side footage is amazing and will no doubt be the envy of the drone content community going forward! I think the dynamic range of the M3 was slightly better, but man, the A2s really held its own and with editing would satisfy 95% of most professional image needs by clients.
thank you very much!! it really is amazing how well the A2S does!
Shot with a single drone or drone with an additional camera attached and properly made crop, color, sharpness and 1 second shift in post-production to make a fake second drone video. In both films, the bird flies against the trees in exactly the same place, only with a delay of 1 s. Fake Air 2s 0:17, fake Mavic 3 0:18. If these were two different videos from different drones, the arrangement of the elements in relation to each other would be different. Here, one drone would have to be glued to the other. Nobody will fly two drones next to each other so close and make the exact same movements. One big scam this movie. If I'm wrong, prove it to me and provide a link to RAW footage files with EXIF data from both drones in the description. They mislead people just to add subscribers and viewership.
Here is finally a video that offers an equivalent and informative comparison. The results are so similar, it's amazing. It remains that for my personal criteria, M3 provides, on some occasions, more details in the shadows, I also prefer the colors it provides. As a photographer, mastering the three axes of exposure: shutter speed, sensitivity and aperture remains a very important criteria. If the DJI A2S offered aperture control, I would be annoyed. We can use variable ND filters to compensate, but in flight this is still limiting. For this main reason, I plan to buy the M3 for professional use. It will be my first drone in this category (I use the Mini2 (with ND filters) and I flew the P4 Pro a few years ago). The fact remains that the A2S is a great drone that offers an outstanding price/performance ratio. Thanks for this video, really appreciated.
thank you very much! i love to make side by side video so i can see for myself (and share with others). i am also amazed with how similar the quality looks. both are great drones and I agree with what you said above.
I own P4 Pro V2 and was hesitant to buy Air 2s because of lack of aperture control, BUT….I bought it and realised that in most of drone footage aperture is not a big deal since you shoot mostly from far away….well further than with normal camera. Also I got variabile NDs which are always on AND, if you want motion blur in your footage it’s easily achieved in After Effects and Resolve. So now I’m even satisfied I don’t have to fiddle with aperture when shooting. 😎
Who on earth says you can't use an air2s professionally?
@@Belamarimages This is a very interesting trick. There is no doubt, the image quality of the Air2S is fantastic and as you mention, the ND filter is a must in the case of a fixed aperture. For depth of field, the maximum aperture f2.8 is never an issue as long as you know how to exploit it. Obviously, you have created a very profitable formula: the best Bang for the Buck. Let's face it, the gap between the Mavic 3 and the Air2s is thin. Thank you to share it.
@@floatingrabbit3556 It is a drone that can indeed be used professionally. I fully agree, the image quality fully supports it and as @Belamarimages shows us, each one learns to work with his equipment. The cameras are of such quality now that the gains between versions are THIN and more expensive (and there is a marketing component that adds to it). Then, the choice is based on personal preferences and budget management. I like to have control over all three dimensions of exposure (variable aperture). I like to have a little more sensitivity in the shadows (dynamic range). I like the very neutral D-Log and color science of the M3. I will have more continuous flight time (15 min is significant for me). I will be able to make certified flights at temperatures below-zero Celcius temperature. In the end, I will have a SMALL gain in efficiency in the field, a SMALL gain in post production, a SMALL gain in image quality.So I will have more fun at each contract. Does this fully justify the price difference? On a rational basis I have to answer: NO! Can I achieve the same result with the Air2s. I have to reply absolutely!! Will I have the same working pleasure with the A2S? Not sure on this point, this is where the question of preference, pleasure according to personal criteria, comes into play. Also, I'm betting that waypoints will be added to the M3, I also do photogrammetry (ironically, they were added to the Dji Mini S). My decision is not yet final, nothing is urgent. Winter is not a big time for me, no rush.
Great comparison ,thanks!
thank you very much!
Honestly I think the Air2s appeared to be equally and even better in some shots. Great video but please do a night test between these two cuz I'm having a hard time deciding which one I want and I love flying at night so that really matters a lot to me oh, I know the mavic three is better at night but the price of the air 2s makes it more convincing and hard to pass up, so please help me make my decision
I know right they are really similar. I always like to see side by side tests. i will do a night test in the next week. hope this helps. I don’t have any promo links so all of this is just for fun honest info.
@@AerialMotionPhotography thank you I appreciate it and I definitely look forward to your night test
I’d also like to see that. And still photo comparison as I shoot more stills than the video and that it’s important to me thank you
@@jeffellis6544 I have a photo comparison coming up soon too. it’s about 1/2 way edited so keep your eyes out for that.
anyone have both these drones for a real world commentary. i have the air2s and was considering the mavic 3 as on upgrade, but when i factor in the air2s smaller size and what i see here, I'm not convinced?
M3 footage looks more detailed with better colors. But is ist worth twice the price?
you re welcome to find any new drone package with that size sensor on the market for same price. good luck with that, lol.
they really are so close but i agree about the better colors and sometimes better details. it's really hard to beat the price point of the AIR 2S though!!
price wise the AIR 2S totally wins, it's a drone I would use to fly through a waterfall :)
@@mondbedingt 100%
Really? more detailed w/ better colours? I don't think so~ or maybe it's your own opinions only~ the other TH-camrs tested the M3 VS Air 2S, the M3's 4/3 sensor produced more blurred & noise image output than Air 2S's 1" sensor in the results~
I'd say M3 has a less processed look and retains more shadow and highlight detail and less pop! It's expected as it is more geared to professionals than prosumers.
I think so too!
I know this may sound crazy but the Air 2S is sharper near the edges/corners. I'm really starting to think the main advantage of the M3 is it's low-light capabilities. A couple of stops can really make a big difference. Most of my best shots are during golden hour when I could really use the lower noise of a larger sensor. I'm not ready to sell my A2S yet.
The low light/night is where you can really see the biggest difference. i still is my A2S a lot because I keep crashing my M3 🙈
@@AerialMotionPhotography best way to help low light conditions on the air 2s?
Great comparison! I think the Mavic 3 has the higher quality, the details even far away are sharper. I own a M3 and am looking forward now to getting some 5.1K video in! I am trying to wait for half way decent Chicago winter weather lol!
awesome thanks for the kind words! I hope you get some great shots!!
@@AerialMotionPhotography Thanks!
All I can say is WOW. I bought the Air 2s about a month ago and have not gotten the chance to get out to get some cool footage but after seeing your video, I am really happy I bought it verses spending the money on the M3. I had the Parrot Anafi and the M2s knocked it out just with the solid video transmission and radio connection. Anyway, great comparison video.
thank you! it’s crazy how well the Air 2S compares to the M3.
Lookin in a computer, both drones looks almost the same. It is almost worth the upgrade? The is no higher video definition on the Mavic 3, just a color grade by Hasselblad. That shows right there that sensor sizes will not always create best picture because the lens are crap. Remember, video definition is the key in photo and video.
very true and they look so similar. to me it was worth the upgrade and i have my fingers crossed that the new firmware will help all around.
Did you make the same test with manual settings and dlog?
i didn’t but that could be a good future test 👍🏼
This is truly "splitting hairs" here, great video! Recently I paired Video Enhance AI with the Proteus engine to interpolate the A2S from 5.4K to 8K and I can confidently say any difference in IQ in terms of detail / noise is negligible between the A2S and M3. Since noise and detail with Proteus are wiped out of the equation, you're really paying for that half stop of DR and 360 collision avoidance (I turn all mine off). With that in mind, its truly hard to justify an M3 purchase when you pair the A2S with Proteus. Of course, there will always be a requirement to have access to native ProRes for quick deliveries, but if you have the time to process A2S footage to 8K ProRes HQ, then there's really no compelling need to own that M3.
good points. I have Topaz Video Enhance AI but never use it. I’ll have to try it again. the couple times I did use was when I would zoom in on something at 200-400% (like a Kitesurfer or Sailboat) and crop it. then upscale it back to 4K.
Complete noob here, having only done color grading with Davinci Resolve. Would you point me in the direction where I can learn more about this Proteus Engine? Thank you!
Hold on, the image quality between the Air 2 and Air 2 s is said to be indistinguishable during the day, and the airs2s looks better to me than the magic 3,so does that mean the air2 footage is better than the magic 3s,
it’s crazy how close they are in the day! i would have thought it would have been a larger gap.
Amazing side-by-side review. Keeping fingers crossed for night time (low light conditions) review :)
thank you very much!! i will have a low light video when the weather clears up. it’s been really foggy lately.
The 4/3 sensor in mavic 3 will preform better at night. It's simply a larger sensor. But for most anyone the air 2s is more than enough
Great video comparison . The dynamic range on the Mavic 3 is slightly better but not enough to justify the huge price gap. I own the Air 2S and think it's the best drone available at it's price point. The image from the Air 2s is perfectly fine for 95% drone users
thank you!! very true!
It is so marginal and if someone like us isn't pixel peeping like Hawks, most people will not notice a difference if you provide video from either one. Ever so slightly sharper with the M3 but you can always sharpen the MA2S and be that much closer. Color might be slightly better on the M3, esp noticed in the final clips. Is the price difference worth it though? Now add in the Pro Res HQ as a third and then we really can compare the 3 of them again.
I think there both beautiful,, both have ups and downs where 1 is better than the other which makes then evenly matched I feel... Just my opinion...
i think so too. especially in the day time they are very close!
Well,,, I now know what my 3d drone will be...,,, uhh ,,4th I meant,,, got to get that Mini 3...
@@KNIGHT-FLIGHT I’m excited for the Mini 3 too!
Really all it comes down to is that at identical settings the M3 will gatther more light for each exposure of the sensor. Thats it. Not complaining, it's actually very nice to have this. Hence why I got the M3.
I feel like the M3 is more into details and M2s are abit softer for the image quality, but we still can tune that up based on our own preferences. For me personaly, i took the M2s based on value for $. And u still got the 95% of M2 quality… but how about the wind resistance between this two?
I find them both to be great but the M3 does seem to have more power when flying into the wind!
Air2s is more detailed as have the extra pixels 5.4 versus 5.1.
The size of senzor from M3 is giving more advantage in night, but at sharpness and details is under A2S an far under Evo2 Pro because of number of pixels. That cannot be fixed by soft, as is a hardware limitation.
Because of this, will probably be inferior to Autel Evo Lite+ that will have 5.4 but also the newest CMOS based on same tech as Huawei Pro phones for extra sensitivity in night.
Air 2s and Evo 2pro have same number of pixels. Evo 2 pro actually has a max resolution of 5.4k but they market it as 6K. In any case, I agree that Evo 2 pro and Air 2s both seem to provide more detail in normal lighting than Mavic 3 based on all the comparative footage I've seen. Check out Drone X factor's videos.
Image details capture from any cameras comes from first the lens, the quality of the lens, how much the lens can see, how well the lens captures the light light and how the lens capture the light. Sensor size means nothing to video definition or details if a camera has a crap lens. That's why professional lens can cost 1/2 million dollars. Yes, the Evo 2 Pro 6k has a better lens, that's why the image is ways better than the Mavic 3. And if the Nano has the same lens, watch out DJI. Always buy camera in these orders - Lens -> Sensor Quality and Size and only then what compression and codec it has. People are paying for the DJI brand and not for a camera.
no sideways sensors in the air 2 s is a big deal, i had a close call..
Nice footy here. Did you zip tie the Air2S to M3?? 🤣🤷♂️
maybe 🤣🤣😉
@@AerialMotionPhotography Wow!
If this was the only deciding factor, I will stick with my A2S.
in the price range air2s is the best
The difference isn't worth the upgrade cost. A2S proformed just as well.👍
crazy how similar they are!!
Purely an opinion, in this video the Air 2S footage looks better to me.
it’s crazy how similar they look. when I was editing I would.go back and forth in my head what looked better.
Well done for making this comparison. My choice, the Mavic 3.
Thank you!
Thanks for the really good comparison, you just saved me $ 1,000 😀👍
Awesome!! Thank you
Nice video man! This is the answer if rhe sir 2s is a professional drone!
thank you! it’s so crazy how similar they are!
I’m glad I keep my air 2s and cancel my order for mavic 3
it’s crazy how well the A2S keeps up
I think that the Mavic 3 is on paper better, but the Air 2s is just so good and in this test truly an underdog.
My complaint with Mavic 3, it's 3x the cost of an Air 2s, but I don't think it's 3x the drone. Sure it is nice to be able to stop down without switching filters, but being that the drone is always some distance from it's subject it really doesn't matter if you deviate from a true 180 degree shutter. So if I can't stop down and find myself filming at 30 FPS on Air 2s at 1/100, the footage basically looks the same.
This is a great test and I appreciate that someone did this
thank you very much! and I agree it’s so impressive how the A2S holds up! and I am with you on the shutter speed not having to be exactly at 180 👍🏼👍🏼
Excellent review! I don't know how you are able to get the flight paths so similar but it's important in order to shoot in the exact same lighting conditions so the comparison is fair. Unless you shoot low light, looking on my 5K monitor, I don't see $2000 difference in IQ. However, I feel like the biggest disadvantage for me is lack of variable aperture in the A2s. For now my money was better spent on the new RC-Pro controller. A definite upgrade IMO.
thank you! and very true about the close the day time quality is. i always think that I don’t really “need” the RC Pro and then my phone rings while I’m flying and I think to myself that I wish I had one lol
What an experienced pilot !!!! Damn those boat shots are really awesome and that too in both of them in same angle… amazing job.. subscribed.
Other than the 3 having a slightly flatter color profile, the Air 2S is great and there is very little difference.
When we see low light and night time this is where you can get the 3 to really shine.
Under most conditions the 3 is t worth the extra cash.
We are still waiting for usable waypoints like Autel or even FIMI for that matter.
nice video😀liked & subscribed, thanks for sharing✌
Thank you I appreciate that!! Cheers!!
He's what I think. I really wanted the Mavik 3 to win this but I just find it hard at that price point. Dji probably won't make much money with it like the wild with the Air 2S. They may have mistakenly made such a damn good drone in the Air 2S the mavic 3 seems overpriced to the performance you get out of it.
To me, for the price of the M3, you get more performance and literally 12 more batteries so you stay up in the air longer.
Do the test at night, is where the sensor works different between both!
thanks I want to do that test next
I have to agree with you. No hype. This WAS the best Mavic 3 vs Air 2s video I’ve seen. Very subtle differences. In some ways, I actually preferred the Air 2S. A bit more dynamic range in the Mavic 3, perhaps. But not twice (or more) the price worth. I think the Air 2S footage straight out off the camera was a bit more pleasing and more true to life. Nice post. Thank you!
thank you very much!! it will is crazy how similar the footage is! I want to do a night test next.
both look good
I agree thank you!
Well done
thank you very much!
To me the Mavic 3 won the first few clips of the speed boats hands down, but then the air 2S won the second set of clips of the beach/bay. I think its just due to auto exposure setting variability. The air 2s looked a bit washed out in the first clips and the mavic 3 looked washed out in the second set of clips. From what ive seen, and from my own experence, where the 3 really starts to pull ahead is in lower light situations. It would be super cool to see a low-light comparison of the two.
i want to do a night test but we have had the foggiest nights lately. so keep your eyes out for a low light test!
Totally impressed with both! The footage and quality are close, I love my Air 2S but I can see the rationale behind upgrading. Thanks for creating this!
thank you!! I was really impressed with how the Air 2S held up. i just posted a night photo comparison video. That’s the biggest difference between the cameras in low light.
@@AerialMotionPhotography , yeah, the larger sensor makes the difference in low light. I still like the 5.4k versus the 5.1k but I do like the slow mo mode on the Mavic 3.
Hi Adam nice vid I have the air2s couldn't afford to trade up up if I wanted to but its nice to know I bought a good one also you seem to be in my age bracket your music choice was horrible oxox lol
haha thank you!
The water seems less turbulent on the air 2s
I didn’t notice that until you mentioned that. Thanks!!
Just wish the AIR 2S had a variable aperture....
That would have made the A2s perfect!
Of course, everyone is going to comment on what they believe is the “best” video between the two ; and most are commenting about the “best value” etc. value is so subjective, it’s kind of pointless to debate it. Just from the video here, it’s quite clear that the Mavic 3 “quality” is far superior to the 2S. You only need to watch the ripples of the waves or the beach details missing from the 2S to notice the difference. I’ve encountered this a lot with clients ; the “presentation” of the video is often more appealing to them when there’s less details ; ie, “natural blurring” on the 2S.
But I’m talking about “quality.” You can always REDUCE the quality of footage, but you can’t CREATE more details. The Mavic 3 footage is clearly “better quality.” But is the 2S “good enough” for most people? Yes, it is.
very true!
Once you reach a certain level, gains are incremental, and boy are they slight in these daylight comparisons! My interest in M3, and why I made the big investment was twofold. 1. Getting into drones less than a year ago Mavic 2 Pro was long due for a refresh, I didn't want to invest in a 3 year old design, in spite of its excellence. Drone tech is maturing fast. I knew the M3 was due, and budgeted for it. 2. The camera is why we are up there in the first place, but there's other factors. Flight times are huge. OA could prove useful if tracking is as good as teased. Wind handling appears improved. The Dual camera is conceptually interesting, but execution is just odd. Night shooting is amazing, and possibly the biggest advantage in output though. Looking forward to those comparisons!
I have a Minj 2, & Air 2(not S) my only 1" sesnor is an Evo 2 Pro, as I wanted variable aperture vs constantly swapping ND Filters.
very true! thanks for leaving this comment!
The comparison should've been done in lower light otherwise it looks nearly the same.
The best comparison so far,Air 2s wins
thank you!
I feel so violated now.... Lol!
🤣
@@AerialMotionPhotography well done! 😄
@@paulhendershott667 thank you!
Excellent presentation as usual. Appreciate all you put into these videos.
thank you!! i love making these comparison videos. Thanks for your support!
AIR 2S
i own both the drone and tin my view the mav 3 is much better in every aspect. Your video comparison is good but then again appearances can be deceiving.
thanks. I’m definitely a big Mavic 3 fan!
M3 reveals more colour detail and dynamic range... hands down... but the A2S is holding its own.
totally!!
굿~~
😲 wow
thanks!
Adam. the fact you have both drones and those boats is impressive ;-) Air 2S footage looks the same to me,, near the end the M3 looked a bit more detailed... thanks for posting,, and yes, I know you don't have those boars
thanks Eddy. you're right they are very similar. i would have thought there would have been a bigger difference in quality. and it was pretty scary having both drones over the water but i really wanted to get some good footage!! i also want to do a night time test with the M3 vs AIR 2S but that will be even more nerve racking haha
@@AerialMotionPhotography you did an excellent job
@@BjEddy1 thanks buddy!!
not surprised. I knew air2s was best almost beat m2p. now m3p seems a bit better. seriously no suprise. Very close. all in all despite mavic 3 looks a bit softer but at the end (zoomed) it shows finer details (like waves in the lake in wide shot). both great drones. nice comparison - a proper one.
BIG scam for me! Shot with a single drone or drone with an additional camera attached and properly made crop, color, sharpness and 1 second shift in post-production to make a fake second drone video. In both films, the bird flies against the trees in exactly the same place, only with a delay of 1 s. Fake Air 2s 0:17, fake Mavic 3 0:18. If these were two different videos from different drones, the arrangement of the elements in relation to each other would be different. Here, one drone would have to be glued to the other. Nobody will fly two drones next to each other so close and make the exact same movements. One big scam this movie. If I'm wrong, prove it to me and provide a link to RAW footage files with EXIF data from both drones in the description. And don't mislead people just to add subscribers and viewership. Be fair!
soooo my trick is that I zip tied the A2S to my M3. that’s how I do most of my side by side video comparison.
@@AerialMotionPhotography Okay, Adam. If that's true, why do you remove / smooth some of the moves from 2:43 in post-production? And in the description you gave: "* any jitters from the AIR 2S are not a fault of the drone ... just how it was filmed." If you attached one drone to the other, they both had exactly the same movement. Show a movie of how it flew attached to each other, it's really very interesting. And here, just give a download link to RAW files with EXIF data. I still think this movie is a lie, sorry but you didn't convince me. You give the impression of a very nice person as I watched your other movie. But I really don't like someone cheating. Prove to me, I'd love to be wrong.
@@siekoch here is a video of when I was testing polarizing filters with the Mini Mini taped to my Mavic 2 Zoom. th-cam.com/video/aLKhAyh5JgM/w-d-xo.html
@@AerialMotionPhotography This is a really good idea. You didn't fully convince me because you didn't show either the Air 2S attached to the Mavic 3 in flight, or the files from both drones with EXIF data used in this video, but I assume it's actually possible to try to do so. I am curious about the effect. If you ever have the opportunity to repeat it, also record the start of such a construction from another camera. This is when all doubts will be dispelled. I am also very curious about such comparisons between the Mavic 3 and Mini 3 Pro as well as Air 2S and Mini 3 Pro. Please make such films with showing the launch from another camera, I will become your subscriber and delete any unfavorable comments. Peace!
@@siekoch sounds good thank you!
The boats are more iterating that the video. Yawn.
It's the exact same clip made to appear as two different ones. You cannot fly these drones with perfect synchronisation and exact same perspective, as is the case here. He's pulling our collective plonkers.
you have to open your mind and anything is possible. I think someone below mentioned how it was done.
the Air 2s does not have to be ashamed in front of the Mavic 3, very nice comparison, thank you!
thank you!