Air 3S vs Mavic 4 Pro at a Glance
Spec | Air 3S | Mavic 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
Price | £911.05 | £1,689.00 |
Cameras | Two (wide + medium tele) | Three (wide + medium tele + tele) |
Main camera | 1-inch CMOS, 50MP, 24mm, fixed aperture | 4/3-inch CMOS, 100MP, 28mm, f/2.0-f/11 variable |
Medium tele | 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 48MP, 70mm, 3x optical | 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 48MP, 70mm |
Tele | None | 1/1.5-inch CMOS, 50MP, 168mm |
Weight | 724g | 1,063g |
Flight time | 45 min | 51 min |
Max transmission range | 20km | 30km (FCC), 15km (CE) |
Obstacle sensing | Six vision sensors + forward-facing LiDAR | Forward-facing LiDAR + six fisheye sensors |
Main camera video | 4K/60fps HDR, 4K/120fps | 6K/60fps HDR |
The Third Camera Is the Headline Difference
The Mavic 4 Pro's 168mm tele lens reaches well past the Air 3S's single 70mm medium tele, covering distant subjects, wildlife or restricted-access sites neither of the Air 3S's two lenses can frame without flying closer. That third camera, not the main sensor upgrade alone, is what separates a two-lens and a three-lens shooting kit in the field.
Variable Aperture Changes What the Main Camera Can Do
The Mavic 4 Pro's f/2.0-f/11 variable aperture gives genuine exposure control the Air 3S's fixed-aperture main camera doesn't have, closing down in bright midday light or opening up as it fades without relying on ND filters alone. Combined with the jump from 50MP to 100MP, cropping and reframing in post retains meaningfully more detail on the Mavic 4 Pro's files.
Range and Flight Time Both Favour the Mavic 4 Pro
51 minutes against 45 is a genuine gap in air time per battery, and the transmission range difference is larger still, 30km FCC on the Mavic 4 Pro's O4+ system against the Air 3S's 20km. Both matter more for anyone working long corridors, distant subjects or extended single-battery sessions than for typical short local flights, where the difference is felt less.
Free Gifts Included
DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo (RC 2)
100MP 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad Camera · F2.0-F11 Variable Aperture Compact High-Res Lens
Common Questions
Both, it's a larger 4/3-inch sensor against the Air 3S's 1-inch, gathering more light, plus a variable aperture the Air 3S's fixed aperture doesn't offer.
Yes, a 70mm 3x optical medium tele, the same focal length as the Mavic 4 Pro's medium tele. It just doesn't have the Mavic 4 Pro's additional 168mm tele lens.
Up to 30km under FCC conditions against the Air 3S's 20km, though CE regions cap the Mavic 4 Pro at 15km.
The Air 3S covers that use case at a lower price and weight, the Mavic 4 Pro's advantages are concentrated in the third lens, sensor size and range, features that only pay off if the work actually needs them.
