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Goodbye Autel EVO II Pro 6K - Hello DJI Mavic 3 Pro - No Geofencing at Last

herein2021

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DJI did something I never thought they would do, and they removed geofencing from the US version of their drone software. Without hesitation I got the DJI Mavic Pro 3 and was immediately welcomed back to a modern 2025 approach to software interfaces, drone stability, and drone performance. My trusty EVO II served me well, but it isn't even close to the Mavic 3 Pro in any area and there are rumors that the Mavic 4 Pro is coming in April.

I will admit I am not entirely a fan of their new smart controller interface, I like the older version of their software better, but the Mavic Pro 3 is finally a useable drone to me. I am a little surprised that the MFT sensor does not seem to have any additional DR than the EVO II and by the fact it's still just 20MP, but the stability, range, responsiveness, and modern feel to the software continues to prove Autel is around 20 development years behind.

I think the removal of geofencing is the final nail in Autel's coffin, it was a good run, but they really are no match for DJI now.
 
My EVO Pro II 6K v1 has been used a bunch for feature work - plates, establishing shots, and some pretty close tracking shots. 6K in log has been so good for post - edit, grading. Autel will probably stick with zero geofencing no matter what. I’m liking the Mavic 4 Pro but I fear that when someone seriously screws up with their DJI, will they put an end to non-geofencing? Who knows but they’re not the leaders in that harmful restriction - Autel is. It’s a gamble but I’ll prob keep the EVO as backup and try the M4 Pro.
 
I enjoyed your post. I too have been rocking the EVO II Pro 6K v1 since Father's Day 2020 and still using the ol' boy for professional filmwork. Just curious, I know you were sick and tired of the outdated software, but wondering if you might note any other comparisons in video quality besides the DR point you made?

The main reason why I went with Autel in 2020 was due to the extensive research I did which put Autel ahead of DJI back then in terms of video quality. One thing I still appreciate about this model is its ability to shoot 10 bit video. Although in order to get that, you must be shooting in 4K (not 6K per RSands1 above, unless there was a firmware update I missed) and yes, in log profile.

One hiccup I encountered over my five-year run with this was at one point the video started flickering terribly. But I resolved it by unplugging the camera's ribbon cable and reseating it. All has been good since. I also have a Nano+ as a backup which actually has wonderful 8 bit video straight out of the camera.
 
I enjoyed your post. I too have been rocking the EVO II Pro 6K v1 since Father's Day 2020 and still using the ol' boy for professional filmwork. Just curious, I know you were sick and tired of the outdated software, but wondering if you might note any other comparisons in video quality besides the DR point you made?

The main reason why I went with Autel in 2020 was due to the extensive research I did which put Autel ahead of DJI back then in terms of video quality. One thing I still appreciate about this model is its ability to shoot 10 bit video. Although in order to get that, you must be shooting in 4K (not 6K per RSands1 above, unless there was a firmware update I missed) and yes, in log profile.

One hiccup I encountered over my five-year run with this was at one point the video started flickering terribly. But I resolved it by unplugging the camera's ribbon cable and reseating it. All has been good since. I also have a Nano+ as a backup which actually has wonderful 8 bit video straight out of the camera.
Hello wxman! Yes, my v1 has the log option at 6K. However, I never mentioned that it was 10-bit. Another issue I might have with the Mavic is that when shooting with an ND filter (or any filter), the filter would be fairly large so as to have more chance of getting washed/flared by the sun. Guessing any lens shade type of hood would mess with the balance? I guess that’d be a google search for anyone having issues with that. Enjoy!
 
10-4 RSands1, we're on the same page, I was aware you had not brought 10-bit into the conversation, but thought I would include that feature/benefit as yet one more reason why I championed the video quality of the Autel back in 2020. I have no doubt you are still getting excellent results from your approach!
 
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I enjoyed your post. I too have been rocking the EVO II Pro 6K v1 since Father's Day 2020 and still using the ol' boy for professional filmwork. Just curious, I know you were sick and tired of the outdated software, but wondering if you might note any other comparisons in video quality besides the DR point you made?

The main reason why I went with Autel in 2020 was due to the extensive research I did which put Autel ahead of DJI back then in terms of video quality. One thing I still appreciate about this model is its ability to shoot 10 bit video. Although in order to get that, you must be shooting in 4K (not 6K per RSands1 above, unless there was a firmware update I missed) and yes, in log profile.

One hiccup I encountered over my five-year run with this was at one point the video started flickering terribly. But I resolved it by unplugging the camera's ribbon cable and reseating it. All has been good since. I also have a Nano+ as a backup which actually has wonderful 8 bit video straight out of the camera.

To be honest, the video quality in my opinion is no better than the EVO II 6K in 10bit. For a MFT sensor it is quite disappointing even for version 3 of the Mavic Pro. In my opinion, it should at least be equivalent to the Panasonic GH5 since that uses a MFT sensor as well or other MFT mirrorless cameras, but in the real world it's not even close. It makes me wonder if it's even a real MFT sensor or if they just used some funny math to advertise it as a MFT sensor.

I will say when shooting in DJI's DLOG and 10bit the video quality is about even with the EVO II 6K, they have improved their LOG algorithm so that it is more useable than it used to be or possibly the sensor finally has enough DR to make the LOG useable, and Davinci Resolve has a built-in profile for it under managed color, but DLOG-M still has to be graded by hand.

The 3X zoom lens is more useful than I thought it would be, in situations where it is too risky to get any closer with the drone itself, the 3X's footage is useable for short clips especially if it's punched in far enough to capture a low DR scene.

I haven't had time to really compare/contrast all of the features between the Mavic and the EVO, I pulled it out of the box and started shooting jobs daily with the Mavic so I haven't even had time to really learn the software myself. Just the exposure settings but below is what I have observed so far:

  • Video quality - as I previously stated, it's a disappointment compared to the EVO II 6K Pro. Yes, with proper exposure and color grading I do think they are equal, but 4yrs after buying my EVO I expected the Mavic to be much better especially with the alleged MFT sensor.
  • Photo Quality - The photo quality does not seem any better than the EVO II to me either. Yes, it is equal, but 4yrs later it should be exceptional. The sensor just seems to be lacking any additional DR or resolving power vs the EVO II.
  • Zoom Lenses - The 3X has lower DR than the main lens hence it only supports DLOG-M which is a light version of DLOG. It is useable for brief clips if you are pointed at a building or the ground and completely fill the frame with a uniformly exposed scene, it will fall apart quickly if its pointed at a high DR scene. The 7X is really only useable for hobby grade footage.
  • Software - The software is rock solid, much better than the EVO, but they have buried some of the camera settings in sub menus expecting most users to leave exposure in automatic modes which is annoying to me. I liked the original version of their software better in this regard.
  • Smart Controller - I miss my much larger iPad mini, but I will admit it's much faster to pull out the controller, unfold the Mavic and get in the air vs first setting up the EVO's controller and plugging in the iPad. It also means one less battery to charge, it makes the case smaller, and there's no antennas to deal with.
  • Smaller Case - The Mavic Pro 3 with 4 batteries and smart controller is much more compact that the EVO even with a rugged case. I did not mind the EVO's case size, but the smaller case is pretty nice as well.
  • Flight Characteristics - Here is where the Mavic blows the EVO out of the water. The EVO certainly got the job done; but the Mavic is so stable and predictable in the air the only way to describe it is it practically has a clinical feel to it. It feels like you took a tripod and threw it in the air and it stuck there that's how solid it is. Even with the 7x zoom lens punched in to 28x not a hint of drift or wobble....truly impressive. If I ever get the time, I want to try hyperlapses and timelapses with it to see if it can produce commercially viable footage; something I would never try with the EVO.
  • Lens Flare - the EVO II 6K had horrible lens flare in certain angles in relation to the sun and was a huge pet peeve of mine since it ruined many good shots, the Mavic Pro 3 does not seem to have this issue but I need to do more testing.
  • Navigation Lights - One of my favorite features of the EVO was the ability to turn off all of the lights. With DJI, its back to just being able to turn off the front lights....very annoying when you want to attract the least amount of attention.
  • Other - If I get the time, after flying the Mavic Pro some more, I may do a full EVO II 6K to Mavic Pro 3 comparison. Right now I just have too many jobs to have the time to really test out the Mavic's software.
I just got the Mavic Pro 3 but the rumored specs of the 4 may finally push the benchmark forward in terms of video quality. If the Mavic 4 has significantly better video quality vs the 3 I would be interested but the DR would need to improve by at least 2 stops.

Rumored specs are:
  • 100MP camera (more than likely it will be 48MP IMO)
  • Real 6K video (8K could be possible if the sensor is over 48MP)
  • Camera will be able to point straight up (this will be great for equirectangular panoramas)
  • 52 mins flight time
  • etc.
The Mavic 3 is a utter disappointment in terms of video quality, it's widely known.

I concur, surprisingly underwhelming for what is supposed to be a MFT sensor.

Hello wxman! Yes, my v1 has the log option at 6K. However, I never mentioned that it was 10-bit. Another issue I might have with the Mavic is that when shooting with an ND filter (or any filter), the filter would be fairly large so as to have more chance of getting washed/flared by the sun. Guessing any lens shade type of hood would mess with the balance? I guess that’d be a google search for anyone having issues with that. Enjoy!

There is another option - Why I NEVER use ND Filters With Drone Cameras

 
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What a great review, thanks for your time and effort! It certainly calms those of us with FOMO!

I will continue to milk my Autel Evo II Pro 6K for as long as I can especially since it appears the video quality hasn't really fallen behind much. Although your points about the flight characteristics of the DJI models is intriguing.

There are times when trying to get that cinematic shot has been difficult, and I'm always blaming it on my lack of hand-eye coordination which has normally been my strong suit throughout my life. But I'm 64 now, you'd be surprised how you start blaming everything on your age.

But, with your points in mind, if the day arrives where the consensus is DJI has definitely leaped forward and surpassed Autel's 10-bit video quality, I can easily see making that jump, especially to get the extra benefit of more stable and predictable flight characteristics.
 
Yes! Thanks a bunch for those articulations.
The leaks, which there are many, say that there’s a chance of 422HQ, ProRes Quad 4, as well as an internal ND of some sort, which I would have need for. But, just like your questioning some sort of strange MFT data, everything else is a question until we see it 4Sale!
 
What a great review, thanks for your time and effort! It certainly calms those of us with FOMO!

I will continue to milk my Autel Evo II Pro 6K for as long as I can especially since it appears the video quality hasn't really fallen behind much. Although your points about the flight characteristics of the DJI models is intriguing.

There are times when trying to get that cinematic shot has been difficult, and I'm always blaming it on my lack of hand-eye coordination which has normally been my strong suit throughout my life. But I'm 64 now, you'd be surprised how you start blaming everything on your age.

But, with your points in mind, if the day arrives where the consensus is DJI has definitely leaped forward and surpassed Autel's 10-bit video quality, I can easily see making that jump, especially to get the extra benefit of more stable and predictable flight characteristics.

For cinematic shots, the Mavic Pro 3 is actually a little more difficult than the EVO II from what I've seen so far. It is a little "jumpier" with the default settings vs the EVO unless you switch to Cinema mode which is too slow to me. I don't believe in adjusting any of the EXPO or gain settings and mentally adjusted my stick input, but it definitely reacts faster than the EVO II which isn't exactly a good thing if you are trying to shoot slow and steady. Once you mentally dial in the new responsiveness, its fine.

I don't know if the Hasselblad camera is still a Sony sensor or not, but it definitely seems like Sony put some secret sauce into the EVO's sensor that DJI is having a hard time replicating let alone exceeding. If they were to use the GH6's sensor now that would be a leap forward.

Yes! Thanks a bunch for those articulations.
The leaks, which there are many, say that there’s a chance of 422HQ, ProRes Quad 4, as well as an internal ND of some sort, which I would have need for. But, just like your questioning some sort of strange MFT data, everything else is a question until we see it 4Sale!

If they do that it will probably be like the Mavic Pro 3 Cine where you have to pay extra for the ProRes license and internal storage. If the sensor's DR stays the same, that would be a waste of money; raw is noisier than compressed and the DR would actually be even less when shooting raw if the sensor doesn't have much DR to begin with. However, if the sensor is in fact line skipped unless its shooting raw like @rcee mentioned, that would explain a big quality difference between the two models.

MFT is nice for marketing, in real only half the sensor size is used by applying sensor line skipping. DJI's trademark.

That would definitely explain the poor quality. If they are line skipping it could be to prevent it from overheating or to provide clear quality differentiation between the Mavic line and the Inspire line. I don't see them ever letting a $2500 Mavic rival or outperform their Inspire flagship.
 
That would definitely explain the poor quality. If they are line skipping it could be to prevent it from overheating or to provide clear quality differentiation between the Mavic line and the Inspire line. I don't see them ever letting a $2500 Mavic rival or outperform their Inspire flagship.
For that exact reason the investment in a M3 or is a total waste of money if you are a camera type of guy.
 
For that exact reason the investment in a M3 or is a total waste of money if you are a camera type of guy.

I wouldn't call it a total waste of money; it paid for itself on the very first job I used it on and the customer couldn't care less what platform was used. IMO it will suffice for the same types of jobs I used to use the EVO for; but yes, if you are a purist or looking for true MFT DR and quality it will be a disappointment. For that you would need the Inspire or one of the Cine drones like the Cinewhoop drone platform.

I do think paying for the Cine version of the drone would be a waste of money....probably no increase in image quality but having to deal with massive file sizes and the increased cost would make it a waste of money in my book.
 

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