DJI Air 3 vs DJI Air 3S
Every published spec side by side, with today's lowest prices for the market you've chosen.
Key differences
- Announced: Oct 2024 on the Air 3S, against Jul 2023 on the Air 3.
- Sensor size: 1" on the Air 3S, against 1/1.3" on the Air 3.
- Resolution: 50 MP on the Air 3S, against 48 MP on the Air 3.
- 4K frame rate: 120p on the Air 3S, against 100p on the Air 3.
- Flight time: 46 min on the Air 3, against 45 min on the Air 3S.
- Weight (with battery): 720 g on the Air 3, against 724 g on the Air 3S.
Air 3 or Air 3S: which should you buy?
Choose the Air 3 for its flight time and weight (with battery).
Choose the Air 3S for its sensor size, resolution and 4K frame rate.
On paper the Air 3S wins more rows (3 to 2); if the Air 3's strengths are the ones you shoot with, and its price is lower where you buy, it can still be the better buy.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price today | $849 new $979.95 used | $1,099 new |
| Overview | ||
| Type | Camera drone | Camera drone |
| Announced | Jul 2023 | Oct 2024 (best) |
| US launch priceUS list price when announced, body only. Today's prices are in the offers table. | $1,099 | $1,099 |
| Lens | 24mm (35mm eq.) f/1.7 | 24mm (35mm eq.) f/1.8 |
| Sensor & image | ||
| Sensor size | 1/1.3" | 1" (best) |
| Sensor type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Resolution | 48 MP | 50 MP (best) |
| Native ISO | — | — |
| In-body stabilisation | — | — |
| Speed & autofocus | ||
| Burst (mechanical) | — | — |
| Burst (electronic) | — | — |
| Fastest shutter (mech.) | — | — |
| Fastest shutter (elec.) | — | — |
| AF pointsMakers count points differently, so this is not ranked. | — | — |
| Subject detectionMakers group subjects differently (Canon's "animal" includes birds), so only having it is ranked. | — | — |
| Video | ||
| Max resolution | 4K | 4K |
| 4K frame rate | 100p | 120p (best) |
| 10-bit internal | Yes | Yes |
| Internal raw video | No | No |
| Mic input | No | No |
| Headphone jack | No | No |
| Viewfinder & screen | ||
| Viewfinder | None | None |
| Rear screen | None | None |
| Screen articulation | No rear screen | No rear screen |
| Touchscreen | — | — |
| Flight & wear | ||
| Flight timeThe maker's maximum, standard battery, in still air. | 46 min (best) | 45 min |
| Video rangeThe maker's maximum transmission range (FCC), unobstructed. Local rules are far shorter. | 20 km | 20 km |
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | Omnidirectional |
| Body & battery | ||
| Weight (with battery) | 720 g (best) | 724 g |
| Dimensions (W×H×D) | — | — |
| Weather sealed | — | — |
| Battery (CIPA shots) | — | — |
| Card slots | 1 · microSD | 1 · microSD |
| USB-C | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in flash | No | No |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth |
Green marks the better figure where “better” is unambiguous. A dash means the maker doesn't publish it or we haven't verified it yet.
Price history: is the newer one cheaper?
Low light & noise
Air 3
1.2 µm pixels
48 MP on a 1/1.3" sensor
Air 3S
1.5 µm pixels
50 MP on a 1" sensor
Bigger pixels gather more light each, so they tend to show less noise at high ISO, but sensor design matters as much. For real noise at ISO 6400, these sites measure it:
- Photons to Photos: dynamic range vs ISO ↗Photographic dynamic range measured at every ISO, bodies on one chart
- Photons to Photos: noise vs ISO ↗Read noise at every ISO from lab tests: lower is cleaner in the shadows
- DPReview studio scene ↗The same scene shot by each camera at the ISO you pick, side by side
- DPReview reviews ↗Full reviews with high-ISO samples
- Low-light video tests ↗Real-world high-ISO footage on YouTube
Size, to scale
We don't have the maker's dimensions for the DJI Air 3 or the DJI Air 3S, so there's nothing to draw to scale.