Among the bounty of gear releases over this past year, two products in particular have caught the eye of the mass consumer audience due to their affordability and relevance in the emerging tech of photography and videography: the GoPro Karma and the DJI Mavic Pro.
[REWIND: GOPRO KARMA VS. DJI MAVIC | SIDE-BY-SIDE INFOGRAPHIC HELPS YOU SEE WHICH IS BEST]
Both the Karma and the Mavic share vital similarities:
- Portability – the most innovative feature in comparison to its predesscors is the compact nature of the drones, making them easy to transport and pack.
- Gimble image stabilization – both have 3-axis stabilization making this a highly anxious element to test against each other
- Camera specs – both sport a 4k, 12 megapixel camera
See this infographic for more info on the specs & features that both drones have to offer.
This is possibly one of the most anticipated gear comparisons considering there is a negligible difference in price between the two drones. Consumers want to know which drone reigns supreme before emptying out their wallets right before the holiday season. YouTuber IphoneDo resolves any doubts that people may have with an extensive 40 minute long comparison and review, taking the Karma and the Mavic head to head in the same terrain and putting them through their paces.
His review delves into the nitty gritty details of each drone as he tests their battery life, stability, drift tendencies, and overall build. The results, although not surprising, are in favor of the Mavic, surpassing the Karma at almost all levels of adequacy. DJI isn’t new to the drone game and thus have an upper hand when it comes to mechanics, performance, and overall quality. Just based purely on stats, the Karma is left in the dust with a measly 1.86 mile maximum distance compared to the Mavic’s 4.3 mile range. You can see in the gifs below the blatant inadequacies of GoPro’s flagship drone from IPhoneDo’s demo:
Watch as the battery life rapidly plummets within a matter of miliseconds, which is worrisome for GoPro seeing as they are already shorting users on overall flight time.
The majority of the Karma’s issues lie in its inconsistent performance abilities, whether it be the short battery life duration that affects flight time, or the clear lack of stability while shooting.
Still not convinced? Wired indulges us with a more concise review of the two drones, leaving us a bit more conflicted by the end of it. In his trials, Brent Rose fines that the Karma falls short in speed as well, reaching a peak of 34 mph while the Mavic speeds off at 40 mph. This shortcoming is due to the heavier build of the Karma prohibiting it from moving with agility.
There is one crucial aspect that GoPro did nail and that’s the actual camera – the Karma is advertised and recommended to be purchased with their new Hero 5 attached and it does not disappoint. It offers a wider angle lens allowing the user to capture expansive landscapes, details that are noticeably sharper, colors that are more vibrant, wider dynamic range, and it adjusts to different lighting conditions better than its competitor. The interchangeable cameras give Karma owners the ability to upgrade and switch out when a new model is released, while Mavic users are stuck with the inferior alternative. This may be GoPro’s only silver lining, but it still isn’t quite enough to salvage dropping a grand for a product seemingly riddled with issues. See his culminating thoughts here:
Source: DIY Photography , IphoneDo, Wired.
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