DJI Mavic 2 Zoom: 2x optical zoom that makes the difference

Presentation

Forget the 1 "20 MP sensor of the Hasselblad camera which the Mavic 2 Pro benefits from; the Mavic 2 Zoom retains the smallest 1 / 2.3" and 12 MP sensor of the Mavic Pro, but can count on an optical zoom 2x! Apart from this difference in camera, the Mavic 2 are technically identical, to within 2 grams, and this is why we invite you first to read the test of the Mavic 2 Pro to avoid here an almost complete repetition of the different paragraphs concerning handling, theft and autonomy, practically identical for the two devices. So here we will focus on their differences, especially in terms of image quality.

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Getting started

905 g for the Mavic 2 Zoom, 907 g for the Mavic 2 Pro, we cannot say that this will change anything and we will have to comply with the legislation applied to drones over 800 g (see box)). The two quadrotors are almost identical to their dark gray color, and only their camera changes.

Excellent manufacturing quality, robustness, compactness when folded and small radio control a little improved since the first version ... so many good points that make Mavic 2 devices very convincing.

On the other hand, who says identical technical basis also says the same problems with updates with this Mavic 2 Zoom which has been somewhat recalcitrant with some of our smartphones, requiring to go through a computer to apply the latest firmware of the machine.

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Flight

Again, no change from the Mavic 2 Pro, the device being identical and behaving in exactly the same way. We appreciate the simplicity of piloting and all the security measures implemented by DJI and based on a myriad of sensors. What focus on the framing, which is all the more important here since by using the zoom, we perceive less the environment of the drone on the screen. The application interface is however a little more loaded due to the display of the focal length on the screen (optical zoom).

The first major difference between the Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom is in their flight modes. The Mavic 2 Zoom is indeed capable of automatically achieving a vertigo effect, also called Dolly Zoom. It relies for this on its optical zoom. In practice, all you have to do is select a subject on the screen for the camera to focus on it and start moving away from it while zooming in on it. This creates striking perspective and distortion effects without loss of quality (Ultra HD from start to finish) thanks to optical zoom - the effect can be produced from Ultra HD video by digitally zooming in the image, for example, but at the cost of a reduced final image definition (at Full HD, for example).

If not always have the same automated flight modes as on the Mavic 2 Pro, that is to say a beautiful panel of cinematographic effects at hand, without the need to be an ace of piloting or to leave the commands to a cameraman to realize them.

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Image quality

If we have to choose between Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom, it's really the image quality they produce that can make us lean towards one or the other model. We saw it in the test of the Mavic 2 Pro and our photo Lab news, the Hasselblad camera with CMOS sensor of 1 inch and 20 Mpx allows to obtain beautiful images, well defined and with a fairly clean ISO rise. Obviously, with its small sensor of 1 / 2.3 inch and 12 Mpx, the Mavic 2 Zoom is more difficult in the photo part. We can still capture beautiful images and DJI thought of exploiting the 2x zoom of his device by proposing a "Super Resolution" photo mode which compensates a little for the weaker definition of his sensor.

It is thus capable of creating an image of 48 Mpx from 9 photos taken with the focal length of 48 mm (that is to say with 2x optical zoom), with a framing equivalent to that which one would obtain with the 24 mm focal length ( equivalent to a photo without zoom). Interesting to capture landscapes, for example, provided that there are no moving elements during the capture, as for a panorama.

Despite this, in terms of aerial photography, there is no debate, the Mavic 2 Pro dominates the Zoom of the head and shoulders.

So why choose a Mavic 2 Zoom? For its video qualities, quite simply, and not simply because of its lower price! Indeed, it is really the 2x zoom which gives all its meaning to the Mavic 2 Zoom and allows it to pull out of the game. As we saw during its test, the Mavic 2 Pro unfortunately does not take full advantage of its 20 MP sensor on video, which limits its technical superiority. Indeed, the scaling in Ultra HD is done at the price of a loss of sharpness and only the Ultra HD HQ mode allows to enjoy the best possible sharpness with this sensor (at the price of a drastic restriction of the angle of view). Certainly, the better dynamics and greater sensitivity of the latter have advantages when it comes to filming in difficult light conditions (backlight, sunrise or sunset ...), but the video result remains finally quite close to that of the Zoom in real shooting conditions (in flight and not in the lab).

However, the optics of the Mavic 2 Zoom offer very interesting creative possibilities for a videographer. In addition to its wider field of vision, 83 ° (24 mm) against 77 ° (28 mm) on the Mavic 2 Pro, we of course think of its 2x optical zoom (passing to 4x if we use the digital zoom in going from Ultra HD definition to Full HD), allowing rapid framing changes and avoiding having to get too close to your subject. Very useful to remain discreet with a device which is precisely not because of the noise it emits. By using the zoom, we also gain parallax effects which are very useful for detaching the background from the subject more clearly.

In addition, the Mavic 2 Zoom can count on an automatic focus combining phase and contrast detection and proving to be quite fast. Combined with an optional automatic tracking system, it keeps subjects sharp all the time, which is particularly useful when using the zoom. The focusing can nevertheless be done manually if necessary.

Ultimately, what can still tip the balance in favor of the Mavic 2 Pro on the video front, it is its 10 bit recording capacities in Dlog-M and HDR, as well as its variable aperture which offer more control. on rendering videos.

We were finally able to test the latest DJI drone, the Mavic 2 Pro. And to better analyze the contribution of its larger and defined sensor (Cmos ...

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Autonomy

No really noticeable change in terms of autonomy, the Mavic 2 Zoom also takes almost 25 minutes in "normal" flight. Sufficient to make beautiful shots taking into account the time to return to the initial position.

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Conclusion

Even easier to fly and still easy to transport despite a slightly larger size, the Mavic 2 Zoom easily outperforms the Mavic Pro, our favorite flying camera of 2016. If it does not progress on the strict plan of quality image, failing to take advantage of the new 1 "20 Mpx sensor reserved for the Mavic 2 Pro, it can count on its optical zoom to make the difference in video by offering more cinematographic possibilities. If you make more videos than aerial photos and don't worry about the 10- bit recording reserved for the Pro, so we are more likely to recommend this Mavic 2 Zoom.

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