For those who have a Mavic what are the biggest bonuses for you to having this drone compared to a spark?

Contemplating an upgrade.

Had the spark for 10 days, just got a Mavic fly more.

Better camera, better range, better battery, better portability, more configurable, better gumball, better remote.

Its pricey, but do it. It's so worth it.

Oh and its quieter.

Nick779 Posted at 2017-9-13 15:40
Oh and its quieter.

Quieter? the mavic pro or just mavic?

larrymull Posted at 2017-9-13 16:55
Quieter? the mavic pro or just mavic?

The mavic pro is subjectivly quieter than the spark to me. The mavic platinum would be even quieter, but supposedly those propellers will be available for the base mavic pro as well.

There is basically no reason to buy the mavic platinum

Nick779 Posted at 2017-9-13 17:32
The mavic pro is subjectivly quieter than the spark to me. The mavic platinum would be even quieter, but supposedly those propellers will be available for the base mavic pro as well.

There is basically no reason to buy the mavic platinum

If I didn't already own the regular Mavic Pro, I would buy the Platinum. Besides the props, it has the more efficient ESCs, not a huge deal but if you're a have to have the latest thing nerd like me, any little thing adds to the coolness factor.

FatherXmas Posted at 2017-9-13 17:50
If I didn't already own the regular Mavic Pro, I would buy the Platinum. Besides the props, it has the more efficient ESCs, not a huge deal but if you're a have to have the latest thing nerd like me, any little thing adds to the coolness factor.

I hear you, perhaps why I am thinking mavic after playing with the spark.

Nick779 Posted at 2017-9-13 15:40
Oh and its quieter.

im guessing mine is defective.. but my mavic pro is loud enough i can hear it upwards of 800 feet AGL (if its quieter out) and over 1700 feet away (over a valley off edge of a mountain) my spark was at most half of those value before it wasn't audiable

here is my legit take on this:

mavic pro is better because wireless range is the best out of all the dji products (unmodified), and allegedly lowest latency (though that maybe les so today)

mavic pro has better battery life, about double that of the spark per battery, real world usage, spark i was pulling 9-12 minutes and my mavic i'm getting 18 - 25 minutes

mavic has a subjectively better camera, and manual controls

mavic has a lot more modes for better "professional shots" giving you more options to trim speeds and acceleration and reactions of many more things.

mavic has a vastly superior obstacle avoidance system (but flawed), it will stop on a dime from 22mph for things and it can see things upwards of 40 feet (or 31 feet in my testing) but dont expect it to see thinner things, like some powerlines..

mavic is far more resilient if you get yourself in a bit of tangle, it tends to be harder to take it out of the sky even if you smash off one of the blades on a prop off it can stay up but it wont like it..

mavic can hold up to impacts batter as well, i had a bird strike today i think, and only sign of it may have happened was it paused and didn't move for 2 seconds and camera jolted. otherwise it stayed up and came too after a moment,  and it safely returned to me...  i cannot confirm it was or wasn't a bird strike, just a loose theory nothing else at 220 feet AGL at the time i hope.

but i do miss the spark for its size, and aspirations to be a mavic pro.  i do plan on getting another spark in the future if DJi improves on it.. or ill wait till gen 2 when they finally unlock things.  

I have both.  I like them equally, but I honestly find myself flying the Spark more often because it's so easy to throw up in the air and attracts a lot less unwanted attention.  I mostly fly line of sight and think the Spark's range is more then adequate.  It's also a lot quieter at height then the MP.  

Oracle Miata Posted at 2017-9-13 20:42
I have both.  I like them equally, but I honestly find myself flying the Spark more often because it's so easy to throw up in the air and attracts a lot less unwanted attention.  I mostly fly line of sight and think the Spark's range is more then adequate.  It's also a lot quieter at height then the MP.

absolutely one thing i miss about the spark is the lack of setup time.    just pull it out turn it on and away you go..so effortless.   mavic pro has little more involved.. well.. lot more.   but not terrible.  

however given the strengths of the mavic pro i feel like mavic pro is worth the extra effort to get up in the air.  

as for range, i wish i could agree, but wifi in the spark needs some better self tuning.  it isn't bad, actually pretty fantastic given its size and distance.. but its still unnecessarily gimped by Dji right now.

ImHereToCrash Posted at 2017-9-13 20:50
absolutely one thing i miss about the spark is the lack of setup time.    just pull it out turn it on and away you go..so effortless.   mavic pro has little more involved.. well.. lot more.   but not terrible.  

however given the strengths of the mavic pro i feel like mavic pro is worth the extra effort to get up in the air.  

So what is the extra set up requirements with the mavic?

larrymull Posted at 2017-9-13 20:53
So what is the extra set up requirements with the mavic?

have to unfold it, pull off the gimbal globe, pull out the gimbal lock, and waiting for a cold boot GPS lock (like a day or 2 after last flight)  tends to take longer on the mavic pro than it does on the spark.  

if ur into preflight checks few more that spark doesn't have, like checking folding arms and all various sensors and gimbal and props and stuff ....
if you buy both or switch you will see, not terrible involved but more steps..

Palm launches and landings make life super easy with the Spark.  I had to buy a super lame helipad for the Mavic because of it's low nature and super delicate gimbal.  

I am still in doubt weather I am going to buy the Spark, MP or Phantom 4 advanced.
All have their con's and pro's so I am still on the waiting list.
For me the main reasons to buy a Spark would be price (also battery) and size (unfolded) but it lacks in image quality and camera settings.
Mavic seems a perfect 'in between' and has a little bit of both.
The Phantom 4 advanced has the better camera and that would mean a lot to me but is rather big and expensive.

Not sure yet (and still saving money, so I can wait a little)

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-9-13 22:08
I am still in doubt weather I am going to buy the Spark, MP or Phantom 4 advanced.
All have their con's and pro's so I am still on the waiting list.
For me the main reasons to buy a Spark would be price (also battery) and size (unfolded) but it lacks in image quality and camera settings.

Your thoughts are exactly mine when it comes to image quality

Oracle Miata Posted at 2017-9-13 21:29
Palm launches and landings make life super easy with the Spark.  I had to buy a super lame helipad for the Mavic because of it's low nature and super delicate gimbal.

i dont use launch pads, not mentioned, recommended by dji or required.   i put it on the ground/dirt/gravel/grass/etc   had no issues yet...just avoid wet launches.  use sidewalk or something if the ground is damp.  i dont know, but im not planning on using a launch pad.  

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-9-13 22:08
I am still in doubt weather I am going to buy the Spark, MP or Phantom 4 advanced.
All have their con's and pro's so I am still on the waiting list.
For me the main reasons to buy a Spark would be price (also battery) and size (unfolded) but it lacks in image quality and camera settings.

i wont be getting a phantom series.  i dont like the design.  i dont like lightbridge system..  camera is not worth $500 upcharge.  maybe $50 upgrade.   

in terms of how phantom vs mavic handles the wind, phantom isn't more stable in wind the camera is seemingly more stable but that is thanks to the wider FOV.  but it has more power and weight so it tends to manage to pull itself through strong winds a little bit better than mavic pro.

battery life is fairly identical between the P4P and mavic pro (specially the platinum)

the spark is attractive because you can fly it almost anywhere and launching it takes little to no effort and probably the fastest top get up into the air.

Nick779 Posted at 2017-9-13 15:39
Had the spark for 10 days, just got a Mavic fly more.

Better camera, better range, better battery, better portability, more configurable, better gumball, better remote.

I'm glad I bought the Mavic, almost bought the Spark but cancelled the click-and-collect order because I thought I'd get it then have regretted not getting the Mavic instead... And end up buying the Mavic too (and I can't really justify buying both at the moment!).

Reading your post, and that of the OP, I'm glad I did what I did in cancelling and buying the Mavic Fly More instead!

(For the OP - my reasonings were better battery, better camera, 3-axis gimbal instead of 2-axis, and the extra intelligent flight modes (but you do lose some of the Spark's quick shot modes I think.)

ImHereToCrash Posted at 2017-9-13 19:23
im guessing mine is defective.. but my mavic pro is loud enough i can hear it upwards of 800 feet AGL (if its quieter out) and over 1700 feet away (over a valley off edge of a mountain) my spark was at most half of those value before it wasn't audiable

Up close, the sounds tests ive read place the Mavic as being louder, however for whatever reason over 100' the mavic is quieter than the spark in terms of Db.

I will say that Palmlaunch and Palmland were really nice features in bad terrain. I liked the more expansive gestures as well on the Spark.

I think they both have their place in the market, it just depends on what you want to do with it.

The Spark Fly more is a fine first serious cam drone and it did about 85% of what I wanted. Yaw drift from wind was really the only annoyance I had with it.

Can confirm on the quickshot modes, you lose Pano, globe and the ones like helix and dronie, or at least I cant find them.

You can fly waypoints mission with the Mavic Pro and Orbits (litchi software)

GPS waypoints mision,orbit,360 degrees panorama shooting with litchi software

I use the pano on the Spark way more then I should.  Stitching within the app is pretty much the greatest thing ever.  While overall the image quality of the Mavic's camera is better, I find the camera kinda finicky and results vary.  The Spark's camera  while simpler, is far more consistant.  They're both fantastic drones, just different tools for different jobs.  I'm glad I own both.  Just took both of them on a week long trip to Utah's staircases and they both performed flawlessly.

ImHereToCrash Posted at 2017-9-14 02:55
i wont be getting a phantom series.  i dont like the design.  i dont like lightbridge system..  camera is not worth $500 upcharge.  maybe $50 upgrade.   

in terms of how phantom vs mavic handles the wind, phantom isn't more stable in wind the camera is seemingly more stable but that is thanks to the wider FOV.  but it has more power and weight so it tends to manage to pull itself through strong winds a little bit better than mavic pro.

I agree and that's why I have not decided yet.
The main reason for buying a phantom 4 adv. would be the camera (of course).
I have not decided if that is worth the other con's.

Then again, I also carry around a big DSLR with 4 lenses since I really like it's capabilities and handling.
So I'm still in doubt what is more important for me. Portability, cost, image q.

I will figure it out before my bank account allows for the purchage

Jos A Posted at 2017-9-14 03:50
GPS waypoints mision,orbit,360 degrees panorama shooting with litchi software

Does Mavic have 360 pano's (with DJI Go 4 app?)

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-9-14 04:31
Does Mavic have 360 pano's (with DJI Go 4 app?)

No. A glaring omission in my opinion.

larrymull Posted at 2017-9-13 23:00
Your thoughts are exactly mine when it comes to image quality

It all comes down to willing to pay the extra money and carry the extra weight....

Montfrooij Posted at 2017-9-14 04:30
I agree and that's why I have not decided yet.
The main reason for buying a phantom 4 adv. would be the camera (of course).
I have not decided if that is worth the other con's.

i suggest the mavic pro.  , i travel a lot, usually not very far though few hours here and there, occasionally a random trip requires a plane.  i used to travel a lot more at greater distances..  

that being said if you are into going places and traveling and more then cruises, i think the mavic pro is worth it over spark and the phantom 4 pro..   here is my take.  $1500 base cost for the P4P.. vs $1000 for the MP.  apples to apples as it gets.  i suggest spending that extra $500 and investing that into maybe nice gaming laptop so you can edit on the go or put that $500 into upgrades for desktop to edit videos and get a subscription or something to premier..

while i dont own a phantom 4 pro.. i know someone who does, i have flow it, nothing that different about how it flies actually, but the out of box stock unmodded range is noticeably shorter then mavic's, the camera is yes, better but i think most of what makes it seem better is the wider field of view, they both seem to do equally in low light they both fall to sh**t is what i mean, both cameras are best during daylight hours or with a lot of light around where you are using no more than 800 iso.  but the biggest weakness about P4p is you cannot carry it in your bag you already have, for traveling, im sorry, deal breaker for me..  mavic i have several packaging solutions for, including this one https://www.amazon.com/Platinum- ... ssory/dp/B01MZDVTE4  you just pop the mavic in one controler in another batteries in another and use watever one you one for cables, and charger.. love it.  used it on my last trip i wasn't expecting when i had to pop on a plane.. but i also have a shoulder/messenger bag for my mavic for if im going out for a quickie..

They have different market positioning for Mavic Pro and Spark. Spark is smaller and easier to take, it has gesture control etc. As for Mavic, it is also very convenient to bring out for its folding design, you will have more choice for camera settings on it and so on. You can have the comparison on our web if you need: http://www.dji.com/products/compare-consumer-drones
So all in one, I think the personal need is the biggest factor for me to choose a machine, of course as well as the budget. Hope you can find the answers from users replies.

ImHereToCrash Posted at 2017-9-14 18:56
i suggest the mavic pro.  , i travel a lot, usually not very far though few hours here and there, occasionally a random trip requires a plane.  i used to travel a lot more at greater distances..  

that being said if you are into going places and traveling and more then cruises, i think the mavic pro is worth it over spark and the phantom 4 pro..   here is my take.  $1500 base cost for the P4P.. vs $1000 for the MP.  apples to apples as it gets.  i suggest spending that extra $500 and investing that into maybe nice gaming laptop so you can edit on the go or put that $500 into upgrades for desktop to edit videos and get a subscription or something to premier..

Thanks for your experience. Like to take different perspectives into account.
That case I have seen on youtube indeed. Looks very handy.
I will dive into the real world camera differences to see which suits me best.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-9-14 21:28
They have different market positioning for Mavic Pro and Spark. Spark is smaller and easier to take, it has gesture control etc. As for Mavic, it is also very convenient to bring out for its folding design, you will have more choice for camera settings on it and so on. You can have the comparison on our web if you need: http://www.dji.com/products/compare-consumer-drones
So all in one, I think the personal need is the biggest factor for me to choose a machine, of course as well as the budget. Hope you can find the answers from users reply.

Thanks for your input Thor, what do you think the chances are of DJI adding RAW capabilities to the spark?

I crossed-over from Spark to MP and I haven't regretted it or looked back again.  
For me it wasn't a difficult decision but rather a simple one.
1.) Better battery life.
2.) Better camera
3.) 3 axis Gimbal
4.) Also portable
5.) Able to store a bigger SD card
6.) Better distance range
7.) More setting options8.) Better stabilization in windy conditions

Never owned a Spark but can say you cant beat a MP for me its a no brainer
Upgrade

Nick779 Posted at 2017-9-13 15:39
Had the spark for 10 days, just got a Mavic fly more.

Better camera, better range, better battery, better portability, more configurable, better gumball, better remote.

I need to check my Mavic for the gumball.  I think mine is missing that feature.  

Sportbike_Pilot Posted at 2017-9-15 05:07
I crossed-over from Spark to MP and I haven't regretted it or looked back again.  
For me it wasn't a difficult decision but rather a simple one.
1.) Better battery life.

That is a clear list of reasons to choose the MP. Thanks for that

larrymull Posted at 2017-9-14 22:11
Thanks for your input Thor, what do you think the chances are of DJI adding RAW capabilities to the spark?

We don't have any news about adding the RAW format on Spark. Appreciate your attention.

DJI Thor Posted at 2017-9-16 02:31
We don't have any news about adding the RAW format on Spark. Appreciate your attention.

And 25fps maybe?

If you're going to upgrade. Upgrade to the mavic pro platinum. Longer flight time, 60% quieter than the mavic pro & more durable for the cost of $100 more. Mavic is way better than the spark: camera, flight time, flight distance. If I'm not mistaken spark flight time is 16-18 mins as oppose to the MP Platinum which is 30 mins longer.

Jon_ny23 Posted at 2017-9-16 10:00
If you're going to upgrade. Upgrade to the mavic pro platinum. Longer flight time, 60% quieter than the mavic pro & more durable for the cost of $100 more. Mavic is way better than the spark: camera, flight time, flight distance. If I'm not mistaken spark flight time is 16-18 mins as oppose to the MP Platinum which is 30 mins longer.

I meant 30 mins flight time for mp platinum not 30 mins longer than the 16 min flight time from spark.

Jon_ny23 Posted at 2017-9-16 10:00
If you're going to upgrade. Upgrade to the mavic pro platinum. Longer flight time, 60% quieter than the mavic pro & more durable for the cost of $100 more. Mavic is way better than the spark: camera, flight time, flight distance. If I'm not mistaken spark flight time is 16-18 mins as oppose to the MP Platinum which is 30 mins longer.

You realize that most of those gains are from the new propellers (which will be available for all Mavics next month) right?

the ESC upgrade will bring very minimal gains.

Hardly worth $100
And real life flight times for both Quads are:

Spark - ~11 minutes to 35%  12-13 to 20-25%
Mavic, I havent really needed to drain the entire battery, but its typically around 22-24 minutes when I do down to 20%