Hey Forum. (First Post)

    I am having a very hard time deciding which drone to purchase. The drones I am deciding between are the Phantom 4 Advanced/Pro, Mavic 1 Pro, and Inspire 1 V 2.0. I have been mulling over this decision for at least 3 weeks. I like the Mavic Pro's Portability, but it has an inferior camera compared to the Phantom and Inspire. I know the Phantom and Inspire have a 20 megabit camera, while the Pro has a 12 megabit camera. I am wondering how much of a difference this makes. Also, I'm wondering what the sensors are like in these drones, and if one has a better sensor than the others. A refurbished Phantom 4 advanced is currently out of stock on the DJI website for $959. The Mavic I can get for about $720, and the inspire for about $1,000. I can also knock a few hundred dollars off if I get one of them used. I'm not sure if I want to as it can be a big risk. This is a big decision. Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. Thanks so much!

I don't know the sensor between Mavic and Phantom. I have a P4A, it's 20MP camera, great quality. The resolution only matters for huge and posters photos. But you have to pay attention to sensor, that this improves the photo quality.

allyssongemelli Posted at 5-30 18:26
I don't know the sensor between Mavic and Phantom. I have a P4A, it's 20MP camera, great quality. The resolution only matters for huge and posters photos. But you have to pay attention to sensor, that this improves the photo quality.

Thanks! Yea, I'm leaning toward the advance because it is in between Mavic and Inspire size-wise. I like the Advanced because the pro is only slightly better. And I don't think extra sensors is worth 150 bucks.

I'd recommend the Mavic 2 Pro

A J Posted at 5-31 08:46
I'd recommend the Mavic 2 Pro

Yea. Seems like an incredible drone! But it’s just outside of my price range. I was thinking about that, but I think I can sacrifice a few of the modern capabilities of the 2 pro for a slightly cheaper one. Thanks for answering though!

andrewgquirk Posted at 5-31 11:50
Yea. Seems like an incredible drone! But it’s just outside of my price range. I was thinking about that, but I think I can sacrifice a few of the modern capabilities of the 2 pro for a slightly cheaper one. Thanks for answering though!

Well I wish you luck in your choice. BTW the Inspire 1 V2 with the Zenmuse X3 takes 12mp stills, not 20. It has the same camera specs as the original Mavic Pro and is a HUGE and very powerful drone with limited portability. I would not recommend it as a first drone.

Hey All.
You guys may not care, but I think I have decided to go for the Mavic Pro as I don't need incredible aerial photography. I hope I'm making the right decision and I appreciate all of your guys' replies. Thanks!  

Yikes... I lied. Jut bought the Mavic 2 Zoom! Soooo Excitedddd!!!

The big question here I think is what will you do with the video/photo's your shooting?  If your posting online (YouTube) it then comes down to a decision of the video resolution you'll be uploading (1080P, 2.7K, 4K, etc.).  If for personal or professional use those will impact your decision as well.  For me personally, I love my Mavic Air, but I shoot and upload to YouTube.  I also love the portability of the smaller drones.   If size isn't an issue and your shooting for a client then a Phantom or Inspire is certainly a better option if you'll be giving the footage to a client.  Everyone's needs are different and no right or wrong...it just depends on exactly how your gonig to use the drone and what you'll be doing with the footage.  Not sure that helps...

get the hasselblad

andrewgquirk Posted at 6-3 16:57
Yikes... I lied. Jut bought the Mavic 2 Zoom! Soooo Excitedddd!!!

Many congrats - hope you're enjoying the M2Z

I know that drone purchasing is hard. You have to use your head and your budget. While purchasing refurbished my be an option, you have to make sure it is from someone you trust. Purchasing a new drone may cost more that you budget will allow.  Do your research and make the right decisions based on the information that you have received..

Choosing kit is always difficult. One question that often crops up is 'should I wait until the next, better model comes out'. Of course, there will always be a better one...
I must say, I have learned the hard way about photography kit. In the early days, I went for the top of the line. It is the top, so it must be good. Right? Not very sensible, actually.
Then there was the 'reading the specification' phase and being persuaded by figures and not reality. Even less sensible.
My latest phase is deciding what I want to do with the kit. For example, panoramas and intelligent flight modes have never featured in my photography since 2016, so it is unlikely to do so in the future. When it comes to image sharpness and dynamic range, until there is a sea-change in camera tech, and from the photo and video examples on the forum, I wont be replacing my P3P or Mavic Pro until they fail.  
I bought the Mavic for portability. I travel the world a lot. However, with the restrictions on drones I can't see it going further than the UK. I live on an island FYI. If I replace a drone, then it will be something like a P4. So far, this has proved the best way for me and I have saved money.
So, the sensible way to choose the best drone is to decide what you want it for.