I'm wondering if the Phantom 4 is worth the extra coin over the Phantom 3? I'm very new to the drones all together. I was going to get the Phantom 3 but now since Phantom 4 was introduced I'm kinda wondering which one is right for me? I really haven't looked into them side by side. I figured I could have the know it alls help me out. I will probably just get confused on what I want or need.

Here is the comparison page, the advantages it has is worth getting it (at least for me)

I have the P3, its sweet. the P4 of course is better is all accounts. its all about what you want to spend. I will say that I could not be any more happy with my P3. when I bought it was full price, and now you can get them for few hundred less. I would buy the P4 without question if buying today. but i will run my P3 for some time , its all about money. if you think you will be happy with the base model they are under 400 now. i bought top of the line because of the better remote system  (RANGE)  not any other reason. i wanted that top performance. the P4 will provide without question the best performance. and its basically same price as the 3 was few month ago. if the money is not the factor then get the top of the line P4. that is my advice.. but you will love the P3 also, they are fantastic copters.

Based on the p3p was $1200-1300 I would have to say yes. P4 will be on sale in a year for $1000 or so. But the price of the p4 will be going up very soon.

Even though the price is quite attractive, I won't be upgrading my P3P for now because of the same exposed ribbon cable on the gimbal. Wish DJI would redesign this on the future P5...

steven888 Posted at 2016-3-2 11:06
Even though the price is quite attractive, I won't be upgrading my P3P for now because of the same e ...

Why would that be a concern unless you crash it.........then you would have more issues than just and exposed ribbon cable

After reading through everything it's definitely worth the extra money especially if your new to the hobby.

I think it depends what you are going to use it for.  I see the P4 as more "action" oriented.  Where as the the P3 can do action, IMO, its more of a slower moving platform for scenery or slower moving subjects like hikers as opposed to say jet skis or motorcycles....   

If money isn't a huge consideration and you aren't in a hurry, I'd wait a month after the first in line people get there P4 and start reporting back.  Then I'd pick up a P4 if reports aren't too bad...

The P4 is a superior platform to the P3. No need to rationalize about what you don't need from the P4 in order to make yourselves feel better about owning a product that is no longer the premier product in its line (P3X).
Look I have a V1 Inspire with the X3 Camera. Not only are there 3 updated camera/gimbals, but there's also a V2 with double the range of my V1. They are clearly better than my V1 but I understand quite well that technology is always progressing so I lose absolutely no sleep over it,

All I've been seeing today on this board and others are a bunch of envious P3X owners. The only ones who didn't seem to be this way where the few that preordered. Instead of appreciating the advances in aerial systems tech people are screaming "gimmick". Then you get chest bumping ego maniac comments with people saying I'm an experienced pilot, I don't need autonomous features. What a fickle community this seems to be...at least from what is displayed on these forums,

Let me be the first to say I appreciate DJI for the technologies brought forth in the P4. It only gives an Inspire owner like myself hope that these technologies will trickle up to the Inspire.

I would love to see the inspire with avoiding system 360 degrees

the thing is it has alot of flying features some might find useful, some may not.  For the P4 to be worth its cost it has to have a camera that would shines the P3P and we do not have side to side comparison video or photos.  I guess its like the saying to each his own.

People are going to be bitching when the P4 price goes up. They will not have enough time to "read the reviews". Its sh t or get off the pot. I think it is more than worth the current price. Any other UAV availabe now that are better for the money?

The price for the Phantom 4 is a STAGGERINGLY cheap price for all the new tech packed inside plus all the other items nobody see's or cares about that much like... Redundancys, dual IMU's and compass's...

If you were looking at a phantom 3 Standard(which is an amazing deal in and of itself) due to budget constraints... not much you can do...  If money is not an issue and your can afford the P4... without a doubt Id go 4, period.

Its almost double the money but does have some improvements. I think it is.
I was going to order a P3 and then I got the e-mail about the P4 and ordered that instead.  By the way I am a former inspire owner .

Whatever you get, make sure it has lightbridge. The Wifi systems on the P2's and P3S have shown to have a lot of issues and will not give you anywhere near the range lightbridge will. Just my thoughts.

Barney

well if you are new to drones, there is nothing wrong to get a phantom 3 instead of 4, i have no experience with the phantom 4 and it will be better for sure in terms of technology and intelligence, but the phantom 3 standard is a good drone to start with, i was surprised and it surpassed my overall expectations. it uses also a dlog profile so you can adjust the image yourself nicely in post production. are you going to use it more professionally than maybe better getting a phantom 3 4k, but in general the phantom 3 gives you beautiful steady cinematic shots, i use also the karma grip for my gopro hero 5 and it seems not that steady anymore after seeing the fluent steady movements of the camera and gimbal from the drone

Lamas Posted at 2017-10-23 21:50
well if you are new to drones, there is nothing wrong to get a phantom 3 instead of 4, i have no experience with the phantom 4 and it will be better for sure in terms of technology and intelligence, but the phantom 3 standard is a good drone to start with, i was surprised and it surpassed my overall expectations. it uses also a dlog profile so you can adjust the image yourself nicely in post production. are you going to use it more professionally than maybe better getting a phantom 3 4k, but in general the phantom 3 gives you beautiful steady cinematic shots, i use also the karma grip for my gopro hero 5 and it seems not that steady anymore after seeing the fluent steady movements of the camera and gimbal from the drone

Well, I would disagree with that. There is little point in getting a P3, given the only offering is the P3 SE. The SE is just a P3 Standard with a 4K camera and vision positioning system. But it still has the crappy WiFi transmission system and all the problems of short range as the Standard. The P4 witrh its many improvements over the P3 is a better investment and will not leave you wanting.

Im new to drones and i bought the phantom3 advance, reason being i could get one a lot cheaper than the phantom4 and i have to say the 3 is fantastic. If you are new to the "sport" i would go with the phantom3 advanced then if you want to upgrade later you can do.

Geebax Posted at 2017-10-23 22:53
Well, I would disagree with that. There is little point in getting a P3, given the only offering is the P3 SE. The SE is just a P3 Standard with a 4K camera and vision positioning system. But it still has the crappy WiFi transmission system and all the problems of short range as the Standard. The P4 witrh its many improvements over the P3 is a better investment and will not leave you wanting.

well the p3 standard have enough reach for me, anyway i don't pass the hight of 120 m, but distance i reached a kilometer with a simple amplifier from 10 doller, ok i mostly fly in mountain areas where you have wide valleys and good open connection. if the drone world is new to you, it's a great value as a consumer drone and it have also a dlog profile which a louts you to do post processing. not the worst to start with

The original question was posed some significant time ago and I am sure OP has made his choice and very happy with it.

For those new on the scene and just picked up reading this thread .... here's my opinion. I have the P3Std and P3Pro ....

The P3S needed work to get best out of it as range was seriously limited. The WiFi system was part of the problem.

The P3P on the other hand was a much better machine all round. I should have bought the P3P without having the P3S first.

I did look seriously at the P4 .... and maybe because I have been flying models for many years including quads / multi's - I not only looked at the functions and capabilities of the model - but also likely flying areas and what I wanted from it.
I actually could not justify the extra money for the P4. Nothing about being biased or protecting the P3P as someone suggested above ... it was a purely practical Pros and Cons selection.
I admit that having the P3S already meant I had P3 batterys - saving me a significant battery cost ...

I never regretted my decision. I would do same again now.  

If I was going to enter into commercial work - then that is a different ball-game and I don't think anything less than the P3P is really professionally viable. The P4 then starts to look better.

As a final opinion ... if I had to compare and put in order of choice .... then it would be :

First : P3P
Close Second : P4
Any other P3
Totally out of the running and would never be on my list : Mavic and Spark ......  

Nigel

interesting

solentlife Posted at 2017-11-22 12:45
The original question was posed some significant time ago and I am sure OP has made his choice and very happy with it.

For those new on the scene and just picked up reading this thread .... here's my opinion. I have the P3Std and P3Pro ....

Regarding the Mavic and Spark non considerations.... maybe I'm butthurt but,
Your loss.
Both Fantastic quads.  

Mavic and Spark are in our club ... owners without exception are not happy and wished they'd bought Phantoms.
On second hand websites here --- Mavics and Sparks are plenty for sale ... but Phantom Adv / Pros are literally sucked of the page moment the ads go up ...

I prefer the larger heavier Phantom as weather here in Latvia is rarely calm ... and the Phantom handles the wind far better.

Nigel

I have a buddy who owns a Mavic and he complains that when the Mavic goes into critical battery auto landing mode and he tries to make it hover and fly a short distance home, the AC is very unstable and crashes.  The P3/P4 Phantoms in the same situation are stable.  

I maybe partial, like yourselves, but I see plenty of Phantoms on craig'slist here in the United States.  It's a hobby, so there are plenty of reasons that people sell their drones secondhand.  Not all of them relate to unhappy customers.  The Mavic is every bit as stable as a P3 in wind.  The P4 is a different animal.  

Mark, your friend is doing it wrong.  It's bad practice to fly to critical battery or being forced to auto land.  I would also wager that's more of a DJI programming issue then an actual trait of the Mavic.  

Recently I had a video incident that illustrated the wind aspect so well ..... during an RC Car race - I was videoing with my P3P .... hovering low over the jump point and another of our club had his Mavic trying to do same ... he couldn't get it steady in the low hover - the wind was of course 'confused' by the terrain being in a hollow with high and low spots. But my P3P sat it out much better - in fact I could go down into the 'pit' where he really had trouble.

The Mavic is of course ideal for backpackers / hikers .... the Spark ? Not really sure what DJI are thinking with the Spark as it doesn't seem to slot into any recognisable position in the market ... I can only assume that DJI think that Phantom Owners may look at it for those jobs in closed areas ? The sales vids definitely focus on the restricted areas - so much in fact - I think they are supporting use in risky situations ...

My own view ... please note.

Nigel

I humbly disagree, but respect your view.  I do agree with your point on the marketing of the Spark.  I love the damn thing but, it will be the drone to screw this hobby up for those of us that are responsible.  

"The Mavic is every bit as stable as a P3 in wind." .....

I cannot agree after flying one myself .... and listening to owners.

Look at the physics ... its like saying a light profile plane flies steady in wind like a moderate sized full fuselage job. Size and weight have a direct effect on flight in air.
Anyway - Thread was about whether 4 was worth buying instead of a 3 .... I just threw in the Mavic / Spark bit because it gets mentioned by others when comparisons are made ..

Nigel

That’s like saying a pelican is more stable in high wind then a seagull.  Profile also has a direct effect on flight in air.  It’s just not that simple.

Oracle Miata Posted at 2017-11-23 11:28
That’s like saying a pelican is more stable in high wind then a seagull.  Profile also has a direct effect on flight in air.  It’s just not that simple.

True about profile .... but a Phantom and Mavic similar : Bulk body, 4 arms.

Phantom does have one advantage that increases stability - weight slung low in form of the gimbal and camera ...

Nigel

solentlife Posted at 2017-11-23 06:30
Recently I had a video incident that illustrated the wind aspect so well ..... during an RC Car race - I was videoing with my P3P .... hovering low over the jump point and another of our club had his Mavic trying to do same ... he couldn't get it steady in the low hover - the wind was of course 'confused' by the terrain being in a hollow with high and low spots. But my P3P sat it out much better - in fact I could go down into the 'pit' where he really had trouble.

The Mavic is of course ideal for backpackers / hikers .... the Spark ? Not really sure what DJI are thinking with the Spark as it doesn't seem to slot into any recognisable position in the market ... I can only assume that DJI think that Phantom Owners may look at it for those jobs in closed areas ? The sales vids definitely focus on the restricted areas - so much in fact - I think they are supporting use in risky situations ...

I agree, I have the P3P, Mavic & P4P, the Phantoms are much better suited for windy conditions, absolutely love the P3P now that DJI has stopped screwing around with updates for it, flies rock solid. I like the Mavic for close in flying ( although it has a great range, just haven't mustered up the courage to send it on it's way ) it's nice to always have it with me, driving, biking doesn't matter it fits onto an old soft Cannon camera bag including a 5.5" CS and 3 batteries and is pretty quiet as drones go.

The P4P's camera is awesome, a lot more versatility shooting and in post edit. Absolutely a drone for every thumb, the biggest con for me is the loudness and high pitch squeal evident on aggressive acceleration.

From a flying point my P4P seems more responsive to controls than the P3P. Agree with QuadKid though it's as noisy as. My, now dead, P3P was great and the P3A replacement is a pretty solid fly. I guess at the end of the day it depends on what you want to do. Up & down or push the technology for all it's worth. One issue is that as DJI releases new models the old one's will drop off. Again not a problem until you want some bits & pieces.

oops original question: was it worth paying more for the 4? My view is 'yes' but to some extent depends on what you want to do & whether you want the extras

Exactly .... its the 'what you want to do with it' .....

The Collision avoidance is not such a great sell in fact despite the hype - great fort solid obstacles IN FRONT ... but not for non-solid stuff or to the sides / rear.

P3P has 4K capability ... usual problem is people not using good grade of SD card... or editing / online hostingh downgrading video.

So at end of day - personally for a sunday user ... I cannot justify the extra cost of the 4

But if you have real work to do - then go for the 4.

Nigel

P4 Pro and Advanced - yes. Original P4 over the P3P or P3A - no, IMO.