so ive been going back and forth on this for like two weeks now and i cant make up my mind. i mostly fly on weekends, usually parks and some light hiking trails, nothing crazy. the mini 3 pro is sitting around $630 on sale right now and the air 3 is like $1099 which is a significant jump for me personally.

i know the air 3 has the dual camera setup and better low light but honestly im not sure i need any of that. i mostly just want clean footage for personal use, maybe the occasional youtube video that 3 people will watch lol. obstacle avoidance on both seems pretty solid from what ive read but ive heard the air 3's APAS is noticeably better in trickier environments? not sure if thats actually true or just spec sheet stuff.

anyone actually gone from the mini 3 pro to the air 3 or used both? would love to hear from someone who isnt just reading off a comparison chart

had the mini 3 pro for about a year before i upgraded to the air 3 and honestly the difference is real but whether its worth it depends on what you shoot. for weekend hobbyist stuff the mini 3 pro is genuinely excellent, i got some of my favorite shots ever on that thing. the air 3's medium tele lens though ? that changed how i compose shots way more than i expected. its not just a zoom thing, its a whole different perspective and i use it constantly now.

the low light thing is not marketing fluff either, there's a noticeable difference shooting around golden hour when the light drops off fast. that said if youre mostly doing sunny day park flights i honestly dont know if id tell you to spend the extra $400+. the mini 3 pro would serve you just fine and youd have money left for ND filters and maybe a decent bag.

im kind of in the same boat as you so cant help too much but i went with the mini 3 pro a few months ago and zero regrets so far. the sub-250g thing was actually a big factor for me since i travel a fair bit and not having to register or worry about certain park rules is genuinely convenient. people underestimate how much that matters until youre actually out there dealing with it