Mavic 2 Zoom Quadcopter with DJI Smart Controller - Black

The images that can be captured by this device are stunning but they are not easily achieved. The printed instructions that come with the Mavic 2 Zoom are inadequate. The on-line videos provided by DJI are glitzy but lack many necessary details that a novice must know. For instance, you should download the maps of where you will be flying before you are away from a solid internet connection. This drone should be considered a tool - not a toy. It is hard to learn to fly and safely maneuver a quadcopter and to simultaneously and artfully control its onboard dual purpose camera. I recommend it only for serious enthusiasts who are willing to put in a lot of time for a device with a steep learning curve. I can see many people giving up on it after trying to deal with all the initial frustrations. The videos Mavic 2 records are captured at a very high bit rate and use a lot of storage space. A 7 minute video in 1080 x 1920HD @30fps eats up 2GB of storage. Sadly, bit rate is not adjustable.

So the DJI Mavic 2 Pro is my 4th DJI Drone... I started with the original flight-by-sight Phathom 1 - I then bought a Phantom 3, and Mavic Pro. I gotta say that the Mavic 2 Pro knocked my socks off. I am still waiting for the firmware to connect my DJI RE Googles to it, but other than that I am very happy. Why am I happy? I have been waiting for a higher-end camera on a Mavic. Regardless of what people say the original Mavic Pro's camera was minimally acceptable for video. The original Mavic's camera was ok-ish in good light, but it quickly degraded. Combined with its overall lack of sharpness the footage from the Mavic Pro often looked out of place when used as b-roll and combined with pro cameras. What does that mean? I would use my GH4 (and later GH5) cameras for a majority of my footage, and then I would drop a few overhead motion shots from the Mavic Pro. As a viewer, the change in quality was rather striking. The Mavic Pro was essentially GoPro quality. The Phantom 4 has a higher end camera... but it is also a lot bigger drone (not that it matter too much). Enter the Mavic 2 Pro. While the footage shot from the Mavic 2 Pro is still inferior to a GH4/GH5 type of set-up, it does start to bridge the gap. The larger 1" sensor can handle lower levels of light while providing a much sharper lens. The resulting footage (and photos) are sharper and more saturated - this alone made the Mavic 2 a no-brainer for me. So should you buy the Mavic 2 Pro or the Zoom? For me... I would much rather have the larger sensor and higher resolution and just digitally crop the image for a zoom effect. I think it gives me a lot more flexibility. Other notes on the Mavic 2 pro - I am noticing a little better battery life - maybe 5%, but that is a guess - Also noticing more range - I was able to get 300-500 ft further with my Mavic 2. - As always... the Mavic 2 Pro is super easy to fly. It is embarrassingly easy... it is amazing that it is significantly easier to fly this drone than a high-end RC car. - Seems to be a little quieter than the original Mavic. - Loaded with sensors.... which is great... but I am not much of a daredevil when it comes to flying it close to objects. - I am very excited to try some of the new filming modes. They have just been released, so I will have to include my thoughts on an update to this review. However, filming smoot footage is a challenge, so I am intrigued with the new dolly mode and tracking capability. - Without going into a huge amount of detail, the DJI promises a lot regarding color and recording capability. I am still a little skeptical - the camera is again writing to a micro SD card (and not on a high speed external hard drive) so there are limitations to how much data that can be transferred. At some point the data has to either super -compressed or not collected. When you start filming in 4k on a 1" sensor you start to generate some very large files.... something has to give. Other notes... What DJI Drone should you buy? If you are a true professional that needs high-quality footage you probably need the DJI Inspire with the zenmuse X5 (or better) camera. The Mavic 2 Pro camera is a nice upgrade over the original, but don't expect miracles. However, if you only mildly interested in photography or video, the original Mavic or Spark may better (cheaper) option. if you are looking for an easy to fly drone that provides decent quality video and footage... the Mavic 2 Pro is a pretty good option.

Love my drone. hours of fun. Works great. Great pics and videos.

I've had the Mavic 2 Zoom with the original controller and it was always a hassle worrying if my phone had enough battery life and having to take it out of the phone case to fit the controller. I went back to exchange the drone for the smart controller package and don't regret spending extra for it. The smart controller makes it easy to go out and enjoy flying more than before. It's always transmitting HD footage and haven't had any signal loss when flying. It's comfortable to hold and doesn't feel cheap. It's got a decent weight to it and feels well made. This is my first drone and I've enjoyed every second flying it. Currently, there aren't a lot of protective cases to fit the drone and smart controller together but it is a new product and should see manufacturers release products for it as time goes on.

Some reason it comes up as with smart controller. Which is how I should have gotten it. Make sure you get the fly more an the smart controller. It’s worth it all at once. You’ll buy it later anyways. Love this AC. DJI customer service blows rear ends. I should have gotten Best Buy’s version. The unit is beautiful!! Enjoy! Be safe! Follow rules! Learn how to take some great photos and fly in areas never bought of before.

By far the Mavic 2 is the best of the available consumer drones on the market. I have flown/transported/setup almost every flavor. This drone is small to carry, feature packed, RELIABLE, and a complete joy to own and fly. The zoom allows for added capabilities for staying higher above your picture. This means less interference and distraction if the subject. A+++ Smart controller is a game changer. Faster, better screen and no interrupting phone calls.

Use it once and I loved it but it’s too much for me. It’s perfect for someone who does video recording and editing

Flys great, the Smart Controller is worth the extra cost. Would be better if was available with Smart Controller AND Fly More package but that is not BB's fault. Zoom lens is a real plus to the aircraft.