DJI Mini 3 unlikely to get same sensor as DJIs best drone

Date:
Mon, 04 Apr 2022 10:50:38 +0000

Description:
Fresh DJI Mini 3 rumors suggest the compact drone will come in two versions, with one rocking a 1-inch sensor but that looks unlikely.

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A recent DJI Mini 3 leak spectacularly spilled the beans on the upcoming travel drone, and now fresh rumors have suggested that a second model could have a large, 1-inch sensor. But while the Mini 3 will bring a host of upgrades, a camera boost of that magnitude looks highly unlikely.

Speculation about an additional DJI Mini 3 model that would sit alongside the DJI Mini 3 Pro came from @Dealsdrone on Twitter. The post claimed that
"rumors said there is another version of the Mini 3, its camera is a 1-inch CMOS", which would be the same size as the one in the DJI Air 2S .

It would be strange if the leaked DJI Mini 3 Pro was the only successor to
the DJI Mini 2 in that case, we'd expect it to simply be called the DJI Mini 3. But while it looks likely that we'll see two versions of the new compact drone, a 1-inch sensor would almost certainly be a step too far.

In a follow-up tweet , @dealsdrone stated that the rumors of a 1-inch sensor had come from its source, rather than analysis of the unusual (and possibly broken) gimbal design in the recently leaked Mini 3 videos. However, the account, which has proven to be a reliable source of DJI leaks, did also say it "can't believe" the 1-inch sensor rumors, and there are good reasons to doubt it. Do you think the gap in the Mini 3 gimbal bracket on the leaked photo is too big? Rumors said there is another version of the Mini 3, its camera is a 1-inch CMOS, I can't believe it pic.twitter.com/7NsMIvRBL6 April 3, 2022 See more

Firstly, the DJI Mini 3 is probably too small to be compatible with a 1-inch sensor. A recent video leak revealed that the drone will weigh only 249g; and as noted by regular DJI leaker Jasper Ellens , adding a camera module of that size to the front of the Mini 3 would make it too heavy and unbalanced.

Aside from the physics, there's also the question of model differentiation. The much larger DJI Air 2S arrived less than a year ago, and a DJI Mini 3
with a 1-inch sensor would make that drone virtually redundant. Lastly, the leaked video of the DJI Mini 3 Pro that we have seen shows a smaller camera module than would be required for a camera with a 1-inch sensor' and if any model was going to get the larger sensor, it would surely be the 'Pro' version.

Still, despite the likely inclusion of a smaller sensor (recent rumors
suggest a 1/1.3-inch CMOS chip), the DJI Mini 3 is expected to bring a host
of upgrades that include obstacle avoidance sensors, a lens with a bright f/1.7 aperture, and a larger battery. Given the recent leaks, we're expecting it to land in the next few weeks. Analysis: a mini Mavic Air 2, rather than
an Air 2S The leaked Mini 3 Pro video shows what appear to be front-facing obstacle avoidance sensors and a new gimbal design that supports vertical video. (Image credit: @DealsDrone)

It's difficult to make definitive statements about the DJI Mini 3's sensor, given that it's only appeared in one major leak so far and the DJI Mavic 3
did surprise us last year by packing a Four Thirds sensor into a relatively compact, folding drone. But the chances of a Mini 3 with a 1-inch sensor do look very slim.

The sensor size confusion appears to have stemmed from the leaks of a 'Pro' version of DJI's incoming drone. This could mean one of two things: either
DJI is planning to sell the Mini 3 Pro as a premium alternative to the
current Mini 2, or it's also planning launch a standard Mini 3 model.

The latter looks the most likely, given that earlier leaks revealed that the Mini 3 Pro would come with a new RC controller with a built-in screen. We think this means the Mini 3 Pro might simply be a more premium bundle of a standard Mini 3, with both models sharing similar feature sets (including the same sensor).

This would effectively make the DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro the natural successors to the DJI Mavic Air 2, which has a half-inch sensor, and is currently either discounted or out of stock, depending on which region you're in.

The top model in our guide to the best drones , the DJI Air 2S, will likely remain DJI's top mid-range choice for anyone who wants a relatively compact drone with a 1-inch sensor. But with its new obstacle avoidance tech, battery and camera, the DJI Mini 3 series is certainly shaping up to be an exciting option for anyone who's in the market for a tiny flying camera. Got a new DJI drone? Here's how to set it up to take great photos and video



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/dji-mini-3-unlikely-to-get-same-sensor-as-djis- best-drone/


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