so ive been going back and forth on this for like two weeks now and i cant make up my mind. currently flying a mini 2 SE which i got as a starter drone last year and honestly its been great for learning but im starting to feel limited by it, especially in wind and when i want to do any kind of tracking shots.

the mini 3 pro feels like the obvious next step price wise but every time i look at the air 3 i think okay the dual cameras and the omnidirectional obstacle avoidance are genuinely hard to ignore. like the mini 3 has front/back/down sensors but the air 3 just feels more complete as a package. the thing is thats also like a $400 difference depending on where you buy and whether you get the fly more combo.

i mostly shoot outdoor stuff, some hiking videos, bit of real estate on the side for a friend. nothing super professional but i want stuff that actually looks good. anyone made this jump or gone from mini series to air series and have thoughts on whether it was worth the money

honestly the air 3 is where im glad i landed, came from a mini 2 as well. the dual camera thing sounds gimmicky until you actually use the 3x medium tele and then you wonder how you ever lived without it for real estate stuff especially. compression looks so much better on architectural shots than trying to get in close with a wide lens.

the omni obstacle avoidance also just makes you more confident flying in tighter spaces, i dont rely on it as a crutch but knowing its there means i push a little further sometimes and get shots i wouldve chickened out on before. wind resistance is noticeably better too, i flew in some pretty gusty conditions in the mountains last fall and it held position way better than i expected. if budget is tight the mini 3 pro is still a great drone but if you can stretch to the air 3 i dont think youll regret it

for real estate the mini 3 pro is probably fine tbh, lots of people shoot professional stuff with it. but yeah the air 3 sensor coverage is just better and if youre flying around buildings that matters. one thing nobody mentions enough is the battery life difference is real too