The DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, although significantly cheaper than the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, is virtually the same drone. With its only notable difference being its 2x optical zoom camera, a first in foldable drones.
While the DJI Mavic 2 Pro has a game-changing 20-megapixel, one-inch sensor, and adjustable aperture, you won’t find either of these on the Mavic 2 Zoom. The Zoom has a 12-megapixel 2/3-inch sensor and, yes, that 2x optical zoom lens. This might not sound like much in these days of 125x zoom cameras like the Nikon P1000, but it has a real impact on your creative options for photo and video.
The 24mm widest field of view is similar to what most drone cameras are fixed to, but that tighter 48mm view comes in handy for getting a little closer to subjects that might otherwise endanger the Mavic’s flight worthiness.
General image quality is very good in daylight, too. While the Zoom can’t match the Pro for dynamic range, colour detail, and general clarity, it can still capture fantastically sharp, richly detailed 4K, 2.7K and 1080p footage at a range of frame rates, plus 12-megapixel still photos in JPEG or DNG Raw format. The footage can’t match the revelatory quality of the Pros, but it’s worth remembering that the Zoom costs less.
Powered by a 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel sensor with up to 4x zoom, and including a 2x optical zoom (24–48 mm), the Mavic 2 Zoom is all about dynamic perspectives. You can capture everything from wide-angle, to mid-range shots giving you even more creative freedom.
Unlike a 24mm wide-angle lens, the 48mm telephoto compresses your perspective and enhances the parallax effect for a classic cinematic look. Opening up a whole new world of aerial photography with even more epic, pictorial shots.
When you shoot in Full HD video, 4x lossless zoom (including 2x optical zoom) you have a closer view of faraway subjects, allowing you to capture unbelievable scenes at a safe distance. This option also helps you maintain a safer distance from buildings, vehicles, animals, and people.
The Mavic 2 Zoom also has a brand new Super Resolution feature – allowing you to capture vivid details in your landscape photography. Even when taking a picture with a 24 mm equivalent field-of-view, the camera will stitch nine photos with its telephoto lens, creating 48-megapixel super-resolution photos, whilst retaining the original look of the shooting targets.
Unfortunately, there are quite a few standard features that are missing from the Mavic 2 Zoom edition, making it somewhat out of date when compared to others on the market.
This is not uncommon, as the Mavic 2 Zoom and the Pro are also not waterproof, but it is slightly disappointing as there are many waterproof drones on the market.
It may survive a slight sprinkle, but as it’s not technically water-resistant we probably wouldn’t advise flying it the rain. This is rather annoying as you would have to wait for optimal weather conditions to be able to safely use this drone.
One slightly off-putting feature though is that the side sensors only come into play when you’re in one of the Mavic 2 Zoom’s tracking modes, not when you’re flying with the sticks. This is shown by a small circular icon at the top of the screen surrounded by a series of segments indicating which sensors are active.
Have we piqued your interest? Simply click the links to the right to find out where to buy the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, and if you find it cheaper elsewhere let us know! Your fellow drone enthusiasts will thank you.
Despite a smaller sensor than the Mavic 2 Pro, its video quality is fairly great and footage can shoot up to 4K. The ability to use h.265 codec brings the quality even further than its predecessor. One of the highlight of the drone is the ability to use the Dolly Zoom effect – a method popularized by Alfred Hitchcock where you zoom out while moving backwards, you’ll also have a distortion of perspective while maintaining the foreground size.
The only drawback of the drone’s 2x optical zoom is that its zoom speed seemed quite slow, so don’t expect Bruce Lee-styled dramatic zooms with the Mavic 2 Zoom. Other video shooting features include hyper-lapse video creation and the ability to auto-track a moving subject as you fly.
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