The DJI Phantom 3 is an Aerial Photographers Dream Rig - 5 Reasons I Am Buying This Drone

The Phantom 3 Looks Amazing

I just ordered the DJI Phantom 3 directly from DJI.  I will be able to directly compare the Phantom 3 to my Inspire 1 and hopefully help everyone with questions.  I have obviously not flown the Phantom 3 yet but on paper this is the drone to get for aerial photography and aerial photography businesses.  Before this was released, I would always get so many questions about where to start and what to buy but now the answer is now easy and simple:  The Phantom 3 is the drone you should buy.  There are only a few situations where you might actually want the Inspire 1 but the cost difference is so extreme I think most people will just opt for the Phantom 3.    

5 Reasons The Phantom 3 is Awesome for Aerial Photography

• Control the camera from the remote control easily with dedicated shutter and start / stop buttons This is my favorite feature on the Inspire 1 and it makes taking aerial pictures SO EASY!  You basically get the same remote control that the Inspire 1 has (I love this controller!)
• The Built in Camera has a much better Field of View (FOV) than the GoPro for aerial pictures This means that you will not have to mess with software to fix that curved horizon, warped view that the GoPro generates.  The pictures will look normal!
• LightBridge is included and is AWESOME!  You do not need to buy an extra monitor or goggles because you can use your iPhone / iPad or Android phone as your display and you can view a real time feed in 720HD.  This makes it so easy to frame your shots!
• The Same Camera as the Inspire 1 The camera shoots amazing 4k and 1080p video and takes 12MP pictures
• Functionality of the Inspire 1 for 1/3 the cost  The Professional is $1259 and the Advanced is $999.  The only difference between the two is 4k video.  Only the Phantom Professional can shoot in 4k.  Everything else is the same. 

How is the Inspire 1 Better Than the Phantom?

• The Inspire 1 is faster The new Phantom 3 will ascend and descend faster than the Phantom 2 but the Inspire 1 is significantly faster.  You might want this extra power and speed if you are filming fast moving subjects.
• The Inspire 1 has retractable landing gear This is a nice feature to have because it helps keep the legs and props out of your shots.  Again, this is important only if you are filming fast moving action.
• You can use 2 remotes with the Inspire 1 The ability to have someone fly and someone control the camera can be useful in certain situations, especially more professional filming situations like commercials and music videos. 

Phantom 3 Professional vs Phantom 3 Advanced

Not sure if you need to pay for the extra $259 to get 4k video?  Let me help you make the decision.  The more expensive Phantom Professional is your choice if you must film with 4k.  Filming with 4k at 30fps looks great for real estate videos and slow moving fly overs.  It really doesn't look that good if you are trying to fly really fast and chase something that is moving quickly.  Working with 4k video is also cumbersome and you need good software.  For someone strictly taking pictures for real estate, the Phantom Advanced is a good choice and you can invest the savings into an extra battery or two.  It still films in 1080p at 60fps (they both do) and would be great for someone only interested in pictures and fast moving subjects. 

The Choice is Easy: Buy the Phantom 3

To sum all of this up, you need help choosing which drone to buy for your aerial photography business.  I think the choice is now easy and simple.  The original Phantom was ahead of every other drone when it came out.  I was really impressed with the Phantom 2 when it came out too because it had so many innovations and thoughtful features.  With the Phantom 3, I expect to have all of the functionality and features from the Inspire 1 in a much smaller and cheaper package.  

The Phantom 3 is a third generation product and should hopefully avoid the new product hiccups that I experienced with my Inspire 1.  Regardless, I decided to buy directly from DJI this time to make dealing with any potential warranty or repair issues easier.  

If you found this post helpful in making your decision to buy a Phantom 3, consider clicking any of these links as I get a little bit of a referral.   As always, I am here for your questions and comments about this!  


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