DJI Inspire 3: Drone with full-frame camera and 8K
13.4.2023
Translation: machine translated
The Chinese drone manufacturer DJI is launching a new flagship on the market. The Inspire 3 promises very high image quality. With its five-figure price tag, it is hardly affordable for mere mortals.
DJI has unveiled a new drone. The DJI Inspire 3 comes with a full-frame camera with interchangeable lens that can record up to a resolution of 8192 × 4320 pixels. The maximum frame rate is 75 frames per second (FPS) in Apple ProRes format. The drone's target group is professional filmmakers. DJI has set the price accordingly high: the Inspire 3 will cost 16,000 francs at market launch - without lens.
The new drone flies at speeds of up to 94 kilometres per hour. It weighs 3995 grams with two batteries. However, the permissible total weight is 4310 grams. It would appear that the Inspire 3 will therefore receive CE classification C3 - there is no official information on this as yet. In Switzerland, the drone would therefore fall into category A3. In addition to the main camera, the Inspire 3 has an FPV camera with "night vision" and a field of view of 161 degrees. You can fly the drone with either an FPV headset or a normal controller. In both cases, the signal is transmitted in 1080p at 60 FPS.
Here are the most important data of the Inspire 3 in comparison with the Inspire 2 (with the Zenmuse X7, the latest matching camera):
In addition to the resolution of the camera, its dynamic range and noise behaviour are also interesting. In the press release, DJI speaks of "14+ stops" of dynamic range. This would be an excellent value and would enable detailed shots even in scenes with high contrast. Thanks to two native ISO values of 800 and 4000, the sensor should also take very good pictures even in low light. It should even be good enough for professional feature film productions.
Source: DJI
The new camera was designed specifically for the Inspire 3 and is called the "X9-8K". DJI's previous top camera was the Zenmuse X7, which is now five years old. This still came with an APS-C sensor and a maximum video resolution of 6K. The DL lenses with focal lengths of 24, 35 and 50 mm are also compatible with the new X9-8K. Only the DL-S 16 mm has an image circle that is too small for the new full-frame sensor. DJI has therefore announced a new DL 18 mm at the same time. A telephoto lens is to follow at a later date.
Source: DJI
Just like DJI's previous flagship, the Inspire 3 can also tilt its arms upwards after take-off. This means the propellers are never in the way and the gimbal with the camera can be rotated 360 degrees. According to DJI, the drone is extremely stable and precise in the air thanks to the integrated Real Time Kinematic (RTK) antennas. However, this mode requires an RTK base station such as DJI's D-RTK 2 Mobile Station. This allows routes to be planned down to the centimetre, which the drone then flies automatically and repeatedly if necessary.
Source: DJI
In addition to the drone, the controller is also new: the DJI RC Plus has a seven-inch display with a peak brightness of 1200 nits. The remote control also has significantly more buttons than DJI's consumer remotes - for direct access to various settings. External screens can also be connected via an HDMI port.
Source: DJI
The DJI Inspire 3 is now available for pre-order and will begin shipping in mid-May.
Samuel Buchmann
Senior Editor
Samuel.Buchmann@digitecgalaxus.chMy fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
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