so ive been going back and forth on this for like 3 weeks now and i think im just going to ask because i keep reading reviews that contradict each other. basically i have about $1100 to spend and cant decide between picking up a mini 3 pro with the RC controller or just stretching a bit more for the air 3.

my use case is mostly travel photography, some hiking shots, occasional video for personal projects nothing professional. i dont need to make money with this thing i just want something that actually looks good and isnt a pain to carry around. the mini 3 pro seems like the obvious choice for travel because of the weight but then i keep seeing people say the air 3 dual camera thing is a game changer and now im second guessing everything again.

anyone actually own both or switched from one to the other? would love to hear from people who actually fly these not just youtube spec comparisons

had the mini 3 pro for about 8 months then sold it and got the air 3 and honestly the dual camera thing really does matter more than i thought it would. the 3x medium tele lens on the air 3 just opens up compositions you cant really do with the mini, especially in the mountains where you want to compress distance a bit. that said if youre mostly traveling internationally the sub 250g thing is genuinely useful depending on where you go, some countries have way stricter rules for anything over 250.

for what you described though, travel photography and hiking, i think either would make you happy. the mini 3 pro footage is really solid and people are out here getting stunning shots with it. the air 3 is just more versatile. if the $200-300 difference doesnt hurt too bad id probably go air 3 but its not like youre settling with the mini.

i have the mini 3 pro and honestly for hiking its so nice not having to worry about the weight and pack space. my buddy has the air 3 and yeah his footage does look a bit more cinematic i guess but mine isnt bad either. probably comes down to how much the weight thing matters to your specific trips