The New DJI Mavic 2 - What you need to know

The Mavic 2 just dropped - well, both of them.

DJI has just announced the long-awaited follow up to the original Mavic Pro drone. This is the Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom. Instead of releasing merely one new Mavic, the biggest drone manufacturer on the planet decided to go for a two-tiered approach, much like they have done in the past with their Phantom line.

There are a few key differences between the two new Mavics, specifically focusing on the cameras. Whilst the Mavic 2 Pro has a brand new Hasselblad camera, a world first, the Mavic 2 Zoom features a smaller, more compact unit that includes a zoom lens.

Mavic Pro 2 Camera

The Hasselblad camera used on the Mavic Pro 2, a real evolution of the original 2016 Mavic Pro, uses a huge 20 megapixel 1" sensor. This is much like the one in the older Phantom 4 Pro, but with a fair few extra tricks up its sleeve. Hasselblad was brought onboard for its experience in the photographic industry to make this drone a formidable tool for photographers, a key demographic of DJI's market. The camera therefore has an improved lens definition, better processing and superior image optimization over older DJI drones. Of course, this camera also shoots 4K video in stunning fashion.

Mavic 2 Zoom Camera

When it comes to the Mavic 2 Zoom, or just simply the Zoom (as I'm sure it will be referred to in the future), its camera is more of your run-of-the-mill older Mavic or Mavic Air shooter that many drones have these days. Specifically, it has a standard 1/2.3" 12-megapixel sensor. However, it's the 24-48mm optical zoom lens that makes this Mavic's camera special. DJI says that this consumer drone in the first in the world to have the ability to use optical zoom opening up a world of extra possibilities and "creative opportunities". It also records 4K video, like the Mavic Pro 2.

New Features

The upgrades over the old Mavic Pro don't stop with a couple of new cameras - there are a whole host of impressive upgrades over the 2016 drone. For one, there's an improved ActiveTrack system. The increased processing power of both new Mavic drones has allowed this system to better track objects such as people or vehicles by predicting where they will reappear after disappearing behind another object, such as a tree or wall. Impressive.

There's also a more portable controller which is mostly the same as the original Mavic's controller but with removable thumbsticks. This is much like the Mavic Air. Whilst talking about the controller, it's worth mentioning that the new radio setup makes for greater transmission power. This means that the Mavic 2 can travel over 5 miles away - that's crazy!

Price
The new Mavics aren't cheap, but for a tool like this, they really shouldn't be. The Pro comes in at $1,449, widening the distance from the Pro line and the Mavic Air which currently costs $799. The Zoom comes in at a less expensive $1,249, but it'll still be a tough choice for anyone trying to decide which one is right for them.