Two years after the launch of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, rumors and leaks suggest that DJI might be preparing to launch a successor to its high-end camera drone. A purported leak posted to Weibo, a social media network popular in China, suggests that the DJI Mavic 4 Pro could be coming before the end of April with a 100MP Micro Four Thirds camera.
The leak indicates that the DJI Mavic 4 Pro could have a 100MP main camera with a 28mm lens, along with a secondary 70mm 1/1.3-inch sensor and a 168mm 1/1.5-inch sensor-lens combo.
The rumor also claims that the drone will have 6K 60p video, with 4K 120p slow motion and 14 stops of dynamic range. The current DJI Mavic 3 Pro has a similar three-lens array, but the main camera tops out at 20MP and 5.1K 50p video, and the telecamera is a 1/2-inch type.
The information is, thus far, only a rumor that hasn’t been validated by the company. But, I suspect if the upcoming drone does, in fact, offer 100MP, it will be the Quad Bayer design that gives pilots two different resolutions to choose from. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro’s main camera doesn’t use the Quad Bayer design, but the drone’s smaller medium and tele cameras do.
Like the DJI Mini 4 Pro, those Quad Bayer cameras allow pilots to shoot in either a 12MP or a 48MP mode. The Quad Bayer sensor design means that four pixels can be treated together as one, allowing for less noise in limited light when working with that 12MP mode.
That 100MP spec is a lot of resolution to cram onto a Micro Four Thirds sensor. The highest resolution Micro Four Thirds handheld camera to date, for example, is the 25.2MP on the Panasonic GH6. Bringing the resolution up to 100MP would introduce quite a bit of noise, which is why I suspect that such a change would also mean using the Quad Bayer in the main camera as well as the secondary cameras.
If DJI continues its Quad Bayer design, aerial photographers could have the option to choose between low noise or high resolution from that main camera. Quad Bayer sensors divide that top resolution by four to get the low-resolution mode, so a 100MP sensor would also have a 25MP mode, which is still a slight boost from the Mavic 3’s specs.
Besides the noise, there are other downsides to DJI’s 48MP mode, which I suspect could be exaggerated if the rumored Mavic 4 Pro does have 100MP. The higher resolution mode is also slower, requiring a much longer pause between shots when compared to the 12MP mode. A 100MP image is a large file, especially when shooting RAW, and such large files will introduce delays.
I hope if the 100MP rumor is true, that DJI is planning that with a Quad Bayer sensor. I love having the option to get that high resolution or prioritize low noise when flying near dusk. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, and a 100MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, I suspect, would have quite a bit of noise if it didn’t come with a 25MP shooting mode.
The DJI Mavic 4 Pro leak also points to a more rounded body design with a gimbal that can rotate 360 degrees, including vertical video. The rumors also point to a longer 52-minute battery life, which is quite excellent for a drone.
As with any rumor, those early leaked specifications could be incorrect – and there’s always the possibility that a DJI Mavic 4 Pro isn’t going to be announced. Pilots should wait for the full announcement before making any key decisions, but if the rumors are true, the next DJI launch could be a major jump forward in drone technology.
You may also like
Did the DJI Mavic 3 Pro make our list of the best camera drones? Or, compare the best drones for beginners.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
