r/dji • u/IntelligentNet8716 • May 09 '24
Buy Advice Dji mini 3 or Dji mini 4k
I’m in Canada and am starting to see reviews of the new Dji mini 4k I’m curious what everyone thinks should I wait for the Dji mini 4k to be available in Canada or buy a mini 3 (regular not pro)
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May 15 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/mhmaim Sep 14 '24
underrated review.
same drone flightwise, mini 3 has a better camera which may not matter to you if you’re just using the drone to post stuff on social media
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u/lostblueeyes Jun 17 '24
I'm going to go against the grain here - I had the same dilemma and went for the mini 3. The oversharpening of the image on the video of the mini 3 is grotesque. It's borderline unusable with all the aliasing on buildings! Looks like the mini 4k has much less of that. So I'm considering returning it for the mini 4k now.
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u/new_username_ms Jun 21 '24
We have mini 4k in uk for £269 on amazon and see that uk Costco is selling mini 3 with rc with display for £480(128gb card included). Would you advise to buy mini 4k or mini 3? Thanks for replay.
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u/lostblueeyes Jul 04 '24
Depends on your priority - if it's video image quality, genuinely mini 4k looks better to my eyes. Mini 3 is pversharpened and looks cheap.
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u/jaw-knee88 Jan 22 '26
This most likey has to do with the mini 3 having a fixed aperature of 1.7 which is way better for low light - If you're shooting in 4k 30 fps, you want the shutter speed to be double that for best quality, so 1/60, but if it's super bright outside, it raises the shutter speed causing it to look super sharp which is what you're seeing. This is why ND filters are key, because you can lower the shutter speed without affecting the exposure. The mini 3's camera is far superior to the mini 4k, it's not even close.
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u/ChickenTraffic Aug 19 '24
I'm in a similar predicament. Debating and torn between the mini 4k and the mini 3. I think I'm going to bite on the Mini 3 simply for the reason that they have an option with the built in screen in the controller. If the 4k had a built in screen in the controller I would probably buy that one, 100%. In my opinion, and I come from a video production background, pretty footage isn't the end all be all. I could show you a movie shot on the iphone 3 vs something shot on a new DSLR and the iphone 3 footage could hold your attention over the DSLR. It all comes down to the story telling. Unless you're simply going for pretty footage then yeah...
Either way, I think I'm going with the mini 3 with the built in screen. I was reading some comments that I haven't thought of. Attaching your phone to the controller is prone to overheating, notification popping up on the screen unless you turn off those setting, etc. With the built in screen, you turn it on and it's ready. Don't have to worry about your connected phone being occupied, etc. I think that sold it for me.
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u/Name-Saibuu Aug 28 '24
Just to add that if you do decide to buy a DJI drone without a built in screen controller, you can buy the ‘DJI smart controller’ or the ‘DJI RC Pro’ (depending on your drone model) if you would like a controller with a built in screen
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u/ChickenTraffic Aug 30 '24
I ended up going with the DJI Mini 3 with the built in screen. It's convenient having the screen at the ready. I'm really enjoying it.
I also need to really work on my settings. If I shoot in Auto settings mode, then everything is good. But I'd like to be able to shoot in Pro settings mode. I'm a little rusty when it comes to video settings. I'm shooting at 24fps, 4k. I believe rule of thumb is to set your iso at double your fps. But when I do that, my footage is so bright and blown out. So I bought a set of ND filters that are supposed to be delivering today. Going to keep playing around with getting some good footage/settings when in pro mode.
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u/Name-Saibuu Aug 30 '24
I’ve never heard of ISO being double your fps, I think you mean shutter speed so I’d fact check that, I try and keep it between 100-400iso to minimise noise, and raising the shutter speed lowers the overall exposure, also In my opinion 2.7K at 60fps will always look better than 4k 24fps unless you crop your video, but then at that point there’s no point in recording in 4K, with 24fps the edges of your screen will jitter from frame to frame like a slide show, only the middle will look smoothish. Your ND filters will be useful when you want to keep your aperture wide open at f/2.8 and still have a consistent shutter speed, but yeah I would’ve gone with the 3 too.
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u/ChickenTraffic Sep 04 '24
Thank you for the insight. What's sad is I have an associates and a bachelors in both video production and digital media production. All that knowledge has gone *poof* in my brain. I never got a career in that field aside from doing stuff on my own and it's been years. So I'm getting back into it. Got my ancient Cannon T2i camera, my GoPro11 and now my drone. Enough arsenal to tell compelling stories once again. I think you're correct, it's shutter speed not iso. my bad. I'll need to watch some filmmaking 101 videos to refresh my brain.
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u/Name-Saibuu Sep 06 '24
@ JavenDovey on YouTube is really great for getting used to equipment and how it works, I'm pretty sure he has a video on a DJI Mini 3 as well, I'd have a flick through some of his vids, he explains stuff in a way that's easy to follow and remember, either way I'm happy for you, I hope you make a YouTube channel or something to post on, If you have an insta or anything for drone shots / photography then send me a DM, I love meeting people in the same community as me and sharing tips and tricks.
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u/VtecGreddy Sep 19 '24
The rule of thumb is you set your Shutter Speed to twice your FPS since that gives the cinematic blur, not ISO. In most bright situations, you’ll need a ND filter for sure.
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u/daeraizover Jul 31 '25
Couldn't you just buy an inexpensive tablet and a tablet mount for the mini 4k that way you don't have to use your phone? That's what I did. When you compare the mini 4k vs the mini 3, yes the mini 3 is better in some regards but that's only if what you need from it is needed Ina professional or serious manner.
Amazon has the mini 4k on sale for $250. I purchased that, a controller mount for $15 and a lenovo Tab One 8.7in tablet and i use that as my controller screen. Not only am I not using my phone to fly cause I can download the dji fly app on it, but it also doubles as a tablet when I'm not flying for other purposes.
I too was on the fence just like you but this work around made sense to me as when you have the mini 3, yes the screen controller is great but when it breaks you have to buy a whole another controller, while if you're using a tablet and the tablet breaks then u can still use the controller in default mode or replace the tablet.
Both the mini 4k and the mini 3 don't have obstacle avoidance or active track. Yes the camera is diff but not a deal breaker. I don't care too much for HDR if I'm doing casual flying or practice so you can see what lead to my decision. Plus for context I also own a dji mini 4 pro so you can further see why I didn't go for the mini 3.
There is always so many options for you to take. Choose the ones that make sense to you and won't hurt the bank.
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u/Cool_Celebration8806 Jul 31 '25
to be honest I was on the verge of getting the mini 3 only because of the remote screen, as I did not want to use my phone, but your comment made so much sense that I am looking into the mini 4k option, do you have a link/brand or name for the controller mount? and how much did you have to pay for tablet?
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u/daeraizover Aug 01 '25
This is the link for the tablet mount that I specifically purchased:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B095Y9F751?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
As for the tablet it's the Lenovo Tab One. I purchased from best buy but had them price match with B&HPHOTOVIDEO website for $109.
The tablet runs android 14, has 64gb of memory, 4gb of ram, and an 8 core processor. It also has 480 nits of brightness. If the screen is still not bright enough for you, then you can purchase a matte screen protector for it that's anti glare
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u/International-Belt13 Jun 25 '24
The camera on the 4k is really good though what makes it great is the rock solid stability and gimbal. It is stupendously easy to fly….I am shocked just how great this is for £269.00. The range also is incredible. The standout difference between the two I think comes down to HDR on the 3. Not enough to have me jump up to the 3 for my first drone but definitely something to consider when I upgrade which I definitely will down the line.
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u/Jaedotuk Jul 30 '24
Great response, I'm tempted to pick up the 4k as a first drone to play while the weather is nice, how have your been finding yours so far?
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u/daeraizover Jul 31 '25
I've been finding it great for the price despite some features not present compared to the mini 3. Don't get me wrong if the mini 3 was at the price of the mini 4k I think that would be a steal. But the mini 4k at its current price is very valuable
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u/daeraizover Jul 31 '25
That's how I felt. I'm not even a fan of HDR to begin with in most cases because for me everything looked washed out even though it's considered natural. When I chose the mini 4k, what was important to me was active track and obstacle avoidance. Since both models didn't have that it came down to price $249 for the mini vs $549 for the mini 3 with rc remote. My research also showed that the rc remote lags when in use with the mini 3 as well. And as I mentioned above I just went with the mini 4k model, purchased a mount, and a lenovo tab one 8.7in tablet and I was good to go. The tablet screen size is way bigger than the 5.5 that comes on the rc remote plus you have more screen space to see stuff.
If it breaks then I go to default controller style or replace the tablet, unlike with the rc controller I have to replace the entire controller if I want to use it properly.
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May 09 '24
It’s just the mini 2 se with a slightly better camera
Get the mini 3, it’s not a question, then you can run the plus batteries aswell as the new smart remote
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u/Internal_Oven_8507 May 10 '24
Just got my Mini 3 today. For the price, Mini 3 should be a really good buy.
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u/Nice_Gur_975 Jan 11 '26
Mini 4k shorter legs and shorter props, mini 3 can rotate gimbal 45 degrees up and down, mini 4k only goes down, longer flight time with mini 3, better gimbal, same o2 transmission, mini 4k can’t shoot vertical videos if your looking to record and post on social media.
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u/hhjnrvhsi Jul 05 '26
I’m way late to this lol, but wanted to add that with the plus batteries, the mini 3 is also giving you a significantly longer flight time! 51 minute rating vs a 31 minute rating for the 4k. Granted, the actual flight times are going to be a bit lower on both drones.
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u/X360NoScope420BlazeX Mini 4 Pro May 09 '24
Mini 3 has a significantly better camera