DJI Mini 4 Pro vs. DJI Mini 3 Pro—What Are the Biggest Differences?

DJI recently launched the Mini 4 Pro.

By definition, all the drones in the Mini series weigh less than 250 grams, the minimum weight threshold for registering your drone with the FAA.

But how is the Mini 4 Pro different from the Mini 3 Pro?

Here’s a chart highlighting the key specs for the two drones:

However, these specs don’t really do the difference between the two drones justice, since the Mini 4 Pro has a range of new photo and video features that let it shoot professional-grade media.

Also, it has a pretty incredible obstacle avoidance system, making it one of the safest drones you can buy right now for less than $1,000.

Keep reading for more information on all of the differences between the Mini 4 Pro and the Mini 3 Pro.

A Quick Note on Pricing

The intro package for the Mini 4 Pro is the same price of $759 as the intro package for the Mini 3 Pro.

And with that price, not only do you get the newer drone, but you also get the newer controller—the DJI RC-N2. (The Mini 3 Pro comes with the DJI RC-N1 controller.)

So if you’re reading this post to choose between the two drones, you can probably cut to the chase and go straight to the DJI website to see if the intro package suits your needs. (After the intro packages, you do start to see higher prices between the two models.)

Video/Photo Differences Between the Mini 4 Pro and the Mini 3 Pro

The Mini 4 Pro comes with the same camera as both the Mini 3 Pro and the Mini 3—a 1/1.3″ CMOS sensor with 48MP image resolution.

But the Mini 4 Pro can shoot much better pictures and videos than either of its predecessors. And that’s because it comes with several new features and upgrades they didn’t have.

Here’s a list of the top ones:

1. High Resolution Video

The Mini 4 Pro’s camera has a higher resolution than the Mini 3 Pro’s, shooting 4K HDR video at 100fps (the Mini 3 Pro shoots 4K HDR video at 60fps).

2. Slow Motion

The Slow Mo specs on the Mini 4 Pro have been upgraded from 1080p to 4K/100fps, letting you capture slow motion shots in even higher quality.

3. Night Shots

The Mini 4 Pro comes with a new and improved noise reduction algorithm that lets you capture clearer, cleaner footage in low light conditions than you can with the Mini 3 Pro.

4. 10-bit D-Log M and HLG Color Modes

The Mini 4 Pro’s 10-bit D-Log M and HLG Color Modes help you create incredibly high quality images in post-production, letting you capture images in 1.07 billion colors.

5. SmartPhoto and RAW

Credit: DJI

The Mini 4 Pro has a next-gen SmartPhoto algorithm made to let you significantly improve photo quality. Combined with the 48MP RAW, SmartPhoto lets you shoot photos that pop.

6. Digital Zoom

The Mini 4 Pro lets you capture photos with up to 2x zoom and videos with 4x zoom, so you can get great footage of the action even if you can’t get close to it.

7. True Vertical Shooting

8. Large-Angle Tilt

Here are some other key differences between the two drones.

1. Much Better Obstacle Avoidance

The Mini 4 Pro’s obstacle avoidance system is one of the single biggest upgrades from the Mini 3 Pro to the Mini 4 Pro.

The 4 Pro comes with omnidirectional obstacle detection and avoidance, which is a first for any drone in the Mini series.

To enable this advanced obstacle avoidance, the Mini 4 Pro has four wide-angle vision sensors and two downward vision sensors. Another key safety feature on the Mini 4 Pro is its Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS), which facilitates automatic braking and bypassing during flight.

If you’re a newer pilot, these features alone could be a reason to opt for the Mini 4 Pro.

2. (Potentially) Longer Flight Time

The Mini 4 Pro comes with the same flight time as the Mini 3 Pro, which is 34 minutes.

However, with the Mini 4 Pro you can buy an upgrade to the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, extending the drone’s battery life to 45 minutes. The only caveat is that adding the upgraded battery will push the drone over the 250 gram weight threshold.

3. Increased Transmission Range

The DJI Mini 4 Pro comes with OcuSync 4, DJI’s latest transmission technology.

O4 provides a video transmission range of 1080p/60fps FHD live feeds for a distance of 12.4 miles. The Mini 3 Pro, on the other hand, comes with O3, which provides a range of 7.5 miles.

4. New Shooting Modes

The Mini 4 Pro comes with some new shooting modes, which aren’t a game changer on their own but are worth calling out as yet another upgrade you find in the newer model.

The most significant new mode found on the Mini 4 Pro is ActiveTrack 360°, which supports enhanced subject tracking.

Learn more about the DJI Mini 4 Pro.