DJI Mavic Pro Vs Go Pro Karma drone
The DJI launched the Mavic Pro a few days after Go Pro launched the Karma drone. So which one to buy?
GoPro: Karma Drone
There are a few differences between these two exciting drones.
Size:
Both the drones are small size. However, DJI Mavic is smaller of the two and can also fit into a small pouch. So carrying it becomes easier and you don’t need a dedicated backpack. Though some people may buy this because of its tiny size, one should not use size as a differentiator as quality is more important.
Camera:
Mavic has a built in camera. The Karma drone needs the Go Pro Hero 5 Black. The Mavic camera can shoot in DCI 4k (4096×2160) at 24 fps as well as UHD and Full HD. However, the Go Pro can only shoot in UHD. The Go Pro camera has a fish eye, which needs to be corrected in post. There are many plugins for that.
The Hero 5 Black can shoot in 2.7K 50p. For Full HD delivery, I shoot in 2.7k 50p and it is very smooth. However, the DJI Mavic doesn’t have slow motion in 2.7k. So I won’t be too happy with it.
In the 2.7K mode the Hero 5 also can correct the fish eye digitally. I expect a lot of people using the Karma drone to use this mode. One can also while flying change the camera controls ie aperture, shutter speed, ISO manually in the Go Pro. This is a huge benefit for filmmakers.
The Hero 5 also has a software image stabilization. Surprisingly it works well. The Mavic has the built in camera and gimbal, so it doesn’t need it.
Overall, the Go Pro Hero 5 offers a big benefit and controls to the filmmakers, so I would prefer it over the DJI Mavic Pro.
The Karma drone
has an innovative system where you can remove the gimbal and attach it with a supplied handle and you can shoot handheld videos with the Hero 5 Black. This is a huge benefit. So your camera becomes a multi-used tool even when you are not flying. This makes it very versatile. Full marks here to Go Pro Karma design. If you are into handheld shooting of videos you need another 200 usd worth of handheld gimbal stabilizer which is now free in the Karma. So great value for money. You can also use it to mount the Go Pro on your helmet, cycle, bike or on your body and get nice videos. I see this to become a big hit for adventure loving guys, fun loving guys, treks and everywhere.
Range:
The DJI Mavic Pro has a theoretical range of 7kms and the Go Pro Karma has a range of 0.97 kms. I prefer to fly in line of sight. In many countries you can’t fly beyond visual range. So it may or may not be a differentiator for you. Personally it doesn’t make a difference for me. However, I won’t mind having a long range feature when flying. So the Mavic Pro wins here.
Collision avoidance:
The DJI Mavic Pro has collision avoidance system. The Karma doesn’t. So theoretically this is a big benefit. However, practically, if you are into flying, then you would be careful. Nevertheless, it would help in situations and give an assurance that you are not crashing the copter. The Go Pro Karma has a crash detection mechanism which immediately senses and stops the propellers when there is a crash. I wish this technology was there in my 3DR Solo, as several times I had to land in uneven surfaces and crash and the propellers kept on running and got ruined.
Controller:
The Karma controller is a small gaming style controller. You can use the Go Pro app and sync another phone or tab and another person can use it to change the camera settings etc. So the pilot only flies and the other person controls the camera. This helps a lot as for safety reasons, the pilot should only be focused on flying. This is a big benefit of Karma over DJI Mavic.
Price:
The Mavic Pro is costlier than the Karma. DJI Mavic Pro without a controller is 749 usd. However, everyone will buy the controller for the benefits as well as to take the benefit of the OcuSync transmission technology. So at a minimum one has to spend $999 usd for the DJI Mavic Pro. With the Go Pro Karma drone one can buy the drone and the Go Pro Hero 5 Black with the backpack at a price of $1099 usd. Remember you can use the gimbal with a handle, so added functionality. The Go Pro Gimbal with handle bundled with the Karma can be separately bought at $299 usd.
The Go Pro Karma drone appears to be more value for money. One needs to evaluate his/her requirements and buy accordingly.
The Go Pro Karma can be bought from this link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Karma_drone/Ntt/Karma%2Bdrone/N/0/kw/search/BI/19990/KBID/13252/DFF/d10-v1-t12
The Mavic Pro drone can be bought from the following link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Mavic_Pro/Ntt/Mavic%2BPro/N/0/kw/search/BI/19990/KBID/13252/DFF/d10-v1-t12
Sabyasachi is available for Hire as a DP for shoots any where in India.
- GoPro Hero 12 Black - 6 September,2023
- Leopards: The Last Stand - 2 July,2023
- Drifting in the Waters of Sundarbans - 26 March,2023
