Bring the world closer with the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom quadcopter, which comes standard with a 2x optical zoom lens. Give the command, and your Mavic 2 Zoom goes from its 35mm-format equivalent 24mm to 48mm. The camera on the Mavic 2 Zoom captures still photos at a clear 12MP and video in 4K, 2.7K or Full High Density (FHD).
Mavic 2 drones are the new flagships of the DJI consumer line of proven, capable, highly portable folding quadcopters. The Mavic 2 Zoom is packed with pilot and photographer aids that facilitate obstacle avoidance, timelapse, hyper-lapse, subject tracking, and images recording during aerobatic maneuvers. Flight time is a long 31 minutes, and high-definition live video streams interference-free over 5 miles, the longest distance yet for a Mavic and unmatched in the consumer drone market. In addition to the Mavic 2 Zoom, there’s also a Mavic 2 Pro, which has a fixed-lens Hasselblad camera for stunning stills and videos.
Mavic 2 Zoom features:
- Zoom lens: Switchable between 24mm or 48mm focal lengths (35mm format equivalent), dolly zoom effect
- Sharp imagery: 12MP stills; 4K, 2.7K or FHD video at 100Mbps
- Lightweight: Under 2 lb.
- Foldable: Body, propellers, remote controller
- Compact: 8.4 x 3.6 x 3.3 in. (folded); 16.7 x 9.5 x 3.3 in. (flight mode)
- Fast: 44.7 mph top speed
- Long-range: 5 miles
- Stabilized: 3 axis mechanical gimbal
- Versatile: JPEG, DNG (RAW)
- Fully controllable: DJI Go 4 with built-in navigation programs
- Safe: Omni-directional obstacle avoidance, Return to Home
Mavic 2: A More Capable Drone
Mavic 2 drones boast many improvements over the original Mavic Pro and Mavic Platinum, many of them subtle but effective.
Start with the aircraft itself. It has a sturdier build, noticeable the moment you unfold the arms and click them into place. They are more solidly built than the arms on earlier Mavic drones.
The gimbal hangs from the nose of the aircraft as before, but it doesn’t extend as far below the body. That better protects the gimbal and camera during landings and in the event of mishaps. The gimbal cover is one piece and easily removed/replaced.
Ten sensors are distributed across all surfaces, not just some, enabling Omni-directional Obstacle Avoidance. (More on that below.) You’ll also find a built-in light on the bottom, which helps fly and land in low-light situations, including indoors.
The motors are more powerful than on the original Mavic Pro, and the propellers are quieter than even the low-noise props designed for the Mavic Platinum.
The remote controller also folds, so it’s easy to carry in a pocket or purse. The joysticks unscrew for extra portability.
A Mavic Lens that Zooms
The camera is the biggest news. The Mavic 2 Zoom camera, as the name implies, has an optical zoom lens with two focal lengths.
The Mavic 2 Zoom camera has 2x magnification. Give the command, and the focal length of the lens changes from the standard 24mm to 48mm. Bring objects visually closer. Create stunning visual effects with the longer lens, including with the use of the dolly zoom program, which gradually changes the focal length as the drone moves toward or away from the subject.
New on Mavic 2: Hyperlapse
Mavic 2 is the first Mavic with Hyperlapse capabilities. The drone’s camera shoots quality aerial photos and automatically edits them together into a timelapse with a twist: The drone can move while shooting and not just hover. Pre Programmed modes help.
The Free setting lets you control the drone manually. Circle lets you draw a circle around your subject can follow that course after determining the interval of shots and the duration of the shoot. With Course Lock, select a point on the map, fly to it automatically and make adjustments you may want along the way. Using Waypoint, designate multiple points on the map, and the Mavic 2 flies to each, making a timelapse of each and of the whole flight.
If you’re concerned that you’re too low on power to complete the task, relax. OcuSync 2.0 warns you as you set the program if you won’t have enough power to take the shots and complete the flight.
Super Resolution, Enhanced HDR, HyperLight
DJI software upgrades improve the quality of imagery on the Mavic 2 Zoom.
Super Resolution creates a 48MP image using the 24mm focal length. Enhanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) creates 13 exposure values in each image and results in greater contrast. HyperLight optimizes HDR in low light.
3-Axis Gimbal
DJI’s high-performance gimbals cancel out drone movement, mechanical vibrations and wind effects, and the Mavic 2 gimbal is no exception. Go into difficult situations with confidence that the 3-axis mechanical gimbal will provide stable, shake-free video, even though conditions prevent smooth flight.
Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance
The Mavic 2 Pro has sensors on every surface for advanced obstacle avoidance: front, back, top, bottom, and both sides. The Mavic 2 Pro thoroughly avoids obstacles while flying forward or backward by using the sensors and Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems. The drone doesn’t sense obstacles over a complete 360 degrees, and the right and left sensing to operate only in ActiveTrack and Tripod modes. Still, the obstacle avoidance on the Mavic 2 Pro performs at a level you might expect only on much more expensive drones. And for low-light situations, including indoor flight when GPS is not in use, bright built-in lights assist downward sensors. The lights are visible during flight, even in daytime.
Powerful Video Transmission, Long Range
The Mavic 2 Pro’s live video transmission is beamed at 1080p from as far as 5 miles, which is full range, using OcuSync 2.0. It delivers strong signals, avoiding interference with automatic switching between 2.4 and 5.8 GHz frequencies.
Complete Control, Pilot Aids
Mavic 2 provides the pilot with navigation and photography/videography aids to make flying and operating the drone easier.
First, there’s satellite positioning—GPS and GLONASS are recognized—so that you can send your drone back to a precise spot to resume a shoot. The Task Library allows you to save a shoot so that you can repeat it almost exactly—the route is flown, the altitude, the drone movements, and the photos/videos recorded.
The Advanced Pilot Assistance System augments obstacle avoidance when flying forward and backward. Once an object is sensed, the Mavic 2 flies over or around an object in its path without stopping.
Point of Interest, Tripod, Waypoint 2.0, Asteroid, Helix, Dronie and Boomerang enable the Mavic 2 Pro to perform preprogrammed flights and aerobatics while filming points designated onscreen by the pilot. ActiveTrack 2.0 allows the drone to lock on and follow subjects, now including fast-moving subjects, such as cars. It has trajectory assistance to help determine where the subject is heading, then follow it.
Mavic 2 Pro also has programs to shoot time-lapse photography and hyper-lapse, which allows the drone to move while shooting and automatically processing a time-lapse sequence.
Battery, Charger
The Mavic 2 is powered by a DJI Mavic 2 Intelligent Flight Battery, with spares available from Drone Nerds. The battery delivers the longer flight time of Mavic 2 and fits the new Mavic’s sleek body. It has four LEDs to indicate battery reserve, although the DJI Go 4 app also displays battery reserve onscreen.
DJI Go 4 Flight App
DJI Go 4 is downloadable online. The most capable flight system yet for a DJI consumer drone, DJI Go 4 operates without the need for a WiFi signal, making it more responsive.
In addition to packing all the special effects and pilot/photographer aids mentioned above, DJI Go 4 makes it hard to lose your Mavic 2—especially important with the extended 5-mile range. If Mavic 2 loses command signals, it automatically turns around and returns to a point within range. If battery reserve becomes critically low, it activates Return to Home, turning the drone around and retracing its safe route until it reaches its takeoff point, where it lands. There’s also a Find My Drone function in the highly unlikely event that the Mavic fails to return.
