I am just thinking reading the posts that M3 isn't ready made. I own a M2P that works really (not flawlessly) fine already three years now. I thought I would change to M3, but I think it has so many issues (looked into the posts), that I - at least recently - won't change.  Do you at the Forum think all of the known bugs, issues will ever be repaired? I am not wrong, I'm just asking your opinion in sight of DJI's sometimes meaningless reactions. Seeing, some of you are well posted, perhaps could give positive news of the future development. Anyway I am just waiting to purchase an M3.

It's a personal call, and it depends on what you are willing to tolerate.  My recollection is that the Spark was a more troubled release than the M3.  That doesn't excuse the faults or the release strategy or the release mistakes.  I think that every drone release has not been problem free.  I will also say that if you find 90 second to many minutes wait time to fly intollerable, then you should delay your purchase until that gets worked out.  That seems to be the most prominent issue at this time (there are more, but the other issues don't get as much air time as the gps wait).  I personally am able to live with the current faults, and to work around the current faults.  I'm not an apologist, and I'm not a perfectionist.

Charles Adams Posted at 2-18 05:24
It's a personal call, and it depends on what you are willing to tolerate.  My recollection is that the Spark was a more troubled release than the M3.  That doesn't excuse the faults or the release strategy or the release mistakes.  I think that every drone release has not been problem free.  I will also say that if you find 90 second to many minutes wait time to fly intollerable, then you should delay your purchase until that gets worked out.  That seems to be the most prominent issue at this time (there are more, but the other issues don't get as much air time as the gps wait).  I personally am able to live with the current faults, and to work around the current faults.  I'm not an apologist, and I'm not a perfectionist.

Thank you. I had Spark, Mavic Air, and now have M2P. Yes Spark, was troubled and Mavic Air had some problems as well. I am very satisfied with M2P, but the life doesn't stop and the next step is always important. That's why I am hesitating with this purchase. I have read more existing problems, not only GPS wait time, although these are not really common. Anyway thank you for you time.

To me, this is a controversial drone. There are pros and cons. It is good if you have the opportunity to test it in person before making a decision. I have the following concerns:

Camera: If you try to take a picture in order to test the vignetting of the lens (evenly lit white wall), there is inconsistency in both brightness and color.
GPS: Slow satellite lock
Flight behavior: Not yet perfect
Legal problems in the EU: No C class.

The latter two can be easily solved if DJI wants it. We are waiting for an update for the GPS, after the release of which we will know how much the problem can be solved.
About the camera: If you are a professional photographer, you may notice the problem and it may bother you. I am not optimistic that the situation will change much for her.
I chose between MAVIC 3 and MAVIC 2 PRO. I am still not convinced that I made the right choice with MAVIC 3. Therefore, I would wait in your place. At least in time you will be able to get a more finished drone for less money.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 08:11
To me, this is a controversial drone. There are pros and cons. It is good if you have the opportunity to test it in person before making a decision. I have the following concerns:

Camera: If you try to take a picture in order to test the vignetting of the lens (evenly lit white wall), there is inconsistency in both brightness and color.

I think the EU EASA class issue is almost sorted and its almost certain that a simple relabel will suffice with M3 Air2/Air2s.

Not sure how long the GPS will take
I think the colour problem “may” be software issue and not the mavic. Colour is fine with PS/LR.

Flight behavior in some situations will  need optimization .

kovat53 Posted at 2-18 06:00
Thank you. I had Spark, Mavic Air, and now have M2P. Yes Spark, was troubled and Mavic Air had some problems as well. I am very satisfied with M2P, but the life doesn't stop and the next step is always important. That's why I am hesitating with this purchase. I have read more existing problems, not only GPS wait time, although these are not really common. Anyway thank you for you time.

A direct answer to your question is:  Yes I recommend the drone.  I love this drone.  It's not my favorite yet, but it's gaining fast (that was the Mini).  But I am an early adopter, I'm more forgiving of the flaws, and I'm willing to figure out how to work around the flaws (I find it fun to do so).

If you expect a $3K purchase to be a solid product (reasonable), if you want your drone experience to be hassle free, it's best to wait.  M3 is not yet solid and is not hassle free.

hallmark007 Posted at 2-18 08:26
I think the EU EASA class issue is almost sorted and its almost certain that a simple relabel will suffice with M3 Air2/Air2s.

Not sure how long the GPS will take

Unfortunately for me the effect is real. Two days ago I had some free time and did a test against a white wall. I was interested in how vignetting changes with changing the aperture. Unfortunately, there is also a JPG file from the drone. It is very weak, but it is there. I know that it is not noticeable in a real photo, but ... it's like you have a brand new BMW, but only you know that it has 20 horsepower less



JPG from the drone. Only corrected white balance. I do not want to publish what happens after a sharp increase in contrast. The truth is, I'm trying to convince myself that this is a normal quality for a drone.
I'm just not thrilled with this camera. Let's say I had much higher expectations than a camera branded with the Hasselblad logo. I don't hate. I'm just not 100% happy.

Look  at the drones I have owned. This one is the best by far. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Even Autel admits they can’t compete with dji yet. If you are buying a drone for image quality, you will not have the best unless you have the mavic 3 or something much more expensive. The only issues that have differed from every other release “ I buy them as soon as they come out” is the gps. Mine locks in 60 seconds, it should be 45 consitantly with a clear sky. I am confident this will be fixed. The last thing is waypoints. It took the mavic 2 pro about  8 months to get waypoints. This drone will get them also. Don’t get caught up in the hype.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 08:59
Unfortunately for me the effect is real. Two days ago I had some free time and did a test against a white wall. I was interested in how vignetting changes with changing the aperture. Unfortunately, there is also a JPG file from the drone. It is very weak, but it is there. I know that it is not noticeable in a real photo, but ... it's like you have a brand new BMW, but only you know that it has 20 horsepower less  

[view_image]

The camera is amazing. You probably haven’t mastered aperture and exposure for this camera yet. If you aren’t getting good images, that is not the drones fault. because we have seen it produce stunning images, I haven’t taken a bad image that wasn’t my fault with this drone.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 08:59
Unfortunately for me the effect is real. Two days ago I had some free time and did a test against a white wall. I was interested in how vignetting changes with changing the aperture. Unfortunately, there is also a JPG file from the drone. It is very weak, but it is there. I know that it is not noticeable in a real photo, but ... it's like you have a brand new BMW, but only you know that it has 20 horsepower less  

[view_image]

What kind of pseudoscience is this experiment anyways? Is this a white wall indoors ? In ambient light?

MavicFit91 Posted at 2-18 09:23
The camera is amazing. You probably haven’t mastered aperture and exposure for this camera yet. If you aren’t getting good images, that is not the drones fault. because we have seen it produce stunning images, I haven’t taken a bad image that wasn’t my fault with this drone.

I would not trust your bets.
I am a professional photographer.
I assume you recognize the professional monitors of EIZO and the solution for calibration and profiling of X-rite.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 09:45
[view_image]

I would not trust your bets.

Yes, I believe you. I also notice the white wall behind it. And still confused why you thought taking a picture of a white wall indoors is a good test?

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 09:45
[view_image]

I would not trust your bets.

I think what you see is quite common in many cameras but may take on different guises or parameters. Its now becoming Anal wit photographers hobbyists etc as we all learn more from You tube etc. indeed they’re problems with many cameras if we look hard enough and many cameras and sensors are designed around stretching its features to the very limits of what it actually is. So I wouldn’t get bogged down in all that stuff “end result is paramount” hassleblad in this camera, the hassleblad input is its colour science, the sensor is Sony like most sensors are. I wouldn’t get carried away with that. Dji own hassleblad and the marketing makes great sense. Regarding the  shift or the  in general I believe this will also be optimized as we go. But many Software out there have not implemented lens profiles for M3. This will also play a part .

MavicFit91 Posted at 2-18 09:47
Yes, I believe you. I also notice the white wall behind it. And still confused why you thought taking a picture of a white wall indoors is a good test?

To be honest, at first I had no worries about the picture from MAVIC 3. I expected the quality of the image as from Olympus, even if it was named Hasselblat (or a little more than Olympus, still Hasselblat sounds proud). I'm talking entirely about photography. For videography, I am not the person who can express an opinion. But then one snowy morning I had a case with a photo with a greenish tinge in the center and the mantle on the left and right. It was a complex shot with a filter, HDR and against the sun. I attributed this mostly to the filter and HDR software (HDR technology easily increases over-saturation and contrast). But other images appeared on the web and doubts began to appear in me. So I came up with the idea to do a test with a perfectly white surface. I tried different white surfaces (walls, cardboard, white photographic reflector). I moved every object that was nearby. In a burst of madness I tried 2 photographic lighting with a softbox. I lit up the stage as evenly as possible. In any case, I do not have a uniform white color throughout the frame. At one point, turning the drone, I noticed how this inconsistency shifts on the phone screen. Here I must specify that in the source file the problem is much weaker than on the phone screen. Apparently some correction is being made by the drone at the time of shooting. I don't know if I pulled the short stick. Obviously, being an early adopter has its risks.
I have said this before: This is not a problem that stands out. But it can occur under certain conditions. Personally, I would be careful with saturation and contrast in certain scenarios.
If I say that this is my first photographic product that has a problem, I will be lying. I went through the problem with the Nikon D800 autofocus points, the Nikon D600 matrix oil and a few more. And my opinion is that the discussions in the forums are the factor that makes manufacturers solve problems. That is why I share my fears. To have the best possible product. Guys, we're all in the same boat.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 11:36
To be honest, at first I had no worries about the picture from MAVIC 3. I expected the quality of the image as from Olympus, even if it was named Hasselblat (or a little more than Olympus, still Hasselblat sounds proud). I'm talking entirely about photography. For videography, I am not the person who can express an opinion. But then one snowy morning I had a case with a photo with a greenish tinge in the center and the mantle on the left and right. It was a complex shot with a filter, HDR and against the sun. I attributed this mostly to the filter and HDR software (HDR technology easily increases over-saturation and contrast). But other images appeared on the web and doubts began to appear in me. So I came up with the idea to do a test with a perfectly white surface. I tried different white surfaces (walls, cardboard, white photographic reflector). I moved every object that was nearby. In a burst of madness I tried 2 photographic lighting with a softbox. I lit up the stage as evenly as possible. In any case, I do not have a uniform white color throughout the frame. At one point, turning the drone, I noticed how this inconsistency shifts on the phone screen. Here I must specify that in the source file the problem is much weaker than on the phone screen. Apparently some correction is being made by the drone at the time of shooting. I don't know if I pulled the short stick. Obviously, being an early adopter has its risks.
I have said this before: This is not a problem that stands out. But it can occur under certain conditions. Personally, I would be careful with saturation and contrast in certain scenarios.
If I say that this is my first photographic product that has a problem, I will be lying. I went through the problem with the Nikon D800 autofocus points, the Nikon D600 matrix oil and a few more. And my opinion is that the discussions in the forums are the factor that makes manufacturers solve problems. That is why I share my fears. To have the best possible product. Guys, we're all in the same boat.

Thank you for taking the time to share this information.. This was very helpful! It gives context to your previous comment. We don’t want to talk people out of this drone before they have the full story. It wouldn’t be fair.

The drone itself is a worthy purchase.  I'm moderately annoyed with some of the ongoing challenges, but I do not regret my purchase and would still do it again.  I have full faith that with the corporate power behind DJI that they can and will get it sorted out.

KokoFresha Posted at 2-18 08:11
To me, this is a controversial drone. There are pros and cons. It is good if you have the opportunity to test it in person before making a decision. I have the following concerns:

Camera: If you try to take a picture in order to test the vignetting of the lens (evenly lit white wall), there is inconsistency in both brightness and color.

Thanks for Your advise. I guess I will really wait. Yes, EU laws (I am from Hungary/EU) make it more difficult. without C label it will be very restrictive from 01.01.2023. I can't say I am professional, but DJI's behavior always leave open questions.  All the best.

TonyPHX Posted at 2-18 13:47
The drone itself is a worthy purchase.  I'm moderately annoyed with some of the ongoing challenges, but I do not regret my purchase and would still do it again.  I have full faith that with the corporate power behind DJI that they can and will get it sorted out.

Thanks for your  response. Yes, DJI's corporate power made it possible and the business interest could be a strong motivation.

Charles Adams Posted at 2-18 08:42
A direct answer to your question is:  Yes I recommend the drone.  I love this drone.  It's not my favorite yet, but it's gaining fast (that was the Mini).  But I am an early adopter, I'm more forgiving of the flaws, and I'm willing to figure out how to work around the flaws (I find it fun to do so).

If you expect a $3K purchase to be a solid product (reasonable), if you want your drone experience to be hassle free, it's best to wait.  M3 is not yet solid and is not hassle free.

Thanks for your honest response. And thank you all who took effort to answer. My final decision is to wait a bit and let fly my M2P.

I think @Charles Adams posted what I was trying to say.  I agree with his sentiment on the M3.

MavicFit91 Posted at 2-18 09:22
Look  at the drones I have owned. This one is the best by far. Don’t get caught up in the hype. Even Autel admits they can’t compete with dji yet. If you are buying a drone for image quality, you will not have the best unless you have the mavic 3 or something much more expensive. The only issues that have differed from every other release “ I buy them as soon as they come out” is the gps. Mine locks in 60 seconds, it should be 45 consitantly with a clear sky. I am confident this will be fixed. The last thing is waypoints. It took the mavic 2 pro about  8 months to get waypoints. This drone will get them also. Don’t get caught up in the hype.

I think Autel is gaining some ground,and their two new released models certainly
did not hurt their cause.

To answer your primary question: yes, not there yet, whatever that "there" is.
However...
Is it usable: depends on your needs. Not for advanced programmed flying. Yes for artistics and casual.
Is primary camera better: yes, especially at night
Is second camera useful: depends again.
Is it fun: yes
Does it have bugs/missing features: yes, plenty.
Will it get better, as in more fixes and more features: I sure hope so, but we all can only speculate, as nobody really knows for sure.

Speaking strictly for myself, I got so much desire for the better camera that I jumped the gun and order it the very first night of release.
I had a lot of issues with that first copy and got it replaced. The replacement copy seems to be as good as it currently gets across the board.
This was my first attempt at being an early adopter for DJI. Given my experience with M3, it will probably be the last.
I still love the camera, though, so I am content with the current situation. I even got FAA Part 107 license, since this drone has inspired me so much (previous ones didn't, apparently )
HTH

DarthSLR Posted at 2-19 10:16
To answer your primary question: yes, not there yet, whatever that "there" is.
However...
Is it usable: depends on your needs. Not for advanced programmed flying. Yes for artistics and casual.

Yes, helps pretty much, really thanks for your detailed answer.

kovat53 Posted at 2-19 10:30
Yes, helps pretty much, really thanks for your detailed answer.

To be perfectly frank, my biggest concern is that by the time they make it "fully baked", it will be already 2-3 years old, and new/"better" model will be coming out ;)

DarthSLR Posted at 2-19 11:05
To be perfectly frank, my biggest concern is that by the time they make it "fully baked", it will be already 2-3 years old, and new/"better" model will be coming out ;)

Yes, you are right... there is no "still water". My M2P is three years old now and  obsolete right off. No spare parts, battery as I have read in some posts. Somehow we are pushed toward newer products, that are imperfect in some aspects. When it comes to proper condition we have ( or should have) to change.  

It will take time before M3 will be 'ready' I think .
Just as it has been with previous DJI releases.

Montfrooij Posted at 2-21 02:33
It will take time before M3 will be 'ready' I think .
Just as it has been with previous DJI releases.

Probably yes, or will be constantly developed,  so long the next similar product is coming out, then will be left alone.