ok so ive been going back and forth on this for like 3 weeks now and i need someone to just tell me which one to get lol. my budget is around $900 and im mostly shooting travel videos, some landscape stuff, occasionally my kids at the park or whatever. i dont do anything crazy technical.

the thing thats killing me is the omnidirectional obstacle avoidance on the air 3 vs the mini 4 pro. like i know the mini 4 pro also has it but i keep reading conflicting stuff about how well it actually works compared to the air 3. and yes i know the air 3 is heavier and i might need to register it depending where i travel but ive already got a drone so i know how that process works.

the dual camera thing on the air 3 is genuinely tempting me because i do sometimes wish i had a medium tele option, but then again i keep reading that the mini 4 pro footage is basically indistinguishable to most people. someone at my local flying club said just get the mini and pocket the difference but another guy said he regretted not going air 3 when he had the chance. so here i am asking strangers on the internet i guess

had both at the same time actually, long story involving a gift card and an impulsive amazon purchase. ended up keeping the air 3 and returning the mini 4 pro but honestly it was closer than i expected. the dual camera thing is real and useful ? i use the 3x way more than i thought i would, especially for b-roll where you just want a slightly compressed perspective without repositioning the whole flight. but if weight and portability are genuinely important to you like you travel carry-on only or hike to spots then the mini makes more sense. the image quality difference in good light is basically nothing, low light the air 3 is a bit cleaner but you'd have to pixel peep to care. i think the honest answer is if you're not going to use that 3x lens you're overpaying for something you dont need

im kind of in the same boat as you so following this thread. one thing i saw mentioned somewhere is that the air 3 handles wind a bit better just because of the mass but i have no idea if thats actually true or just something people say. also the smart controller combo for the air 3 seems like a good deal if youre doing travel stuff so you dont need your phone out