B&H was already selling the P4A on their DealZone for $829 three months ago. It's now back at $30 cheaper. Not a big change. Just a great deal. Original P4P price is still $1399 for comparison. So, you get the same P4P camera on the 2.4Ghz band, without the 5.8 Ghz band, and without the side and rear OA sensors of the P4P, for $600 less than the discounted P4P price!
It is a great price, but personally I would wait for the M2 and pay ~$1300 and get a smaller, more modern drone, with OccuSync.
I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I doubt the Mavic 2 will have the same 1" sensor. If you want OccuSync and the 1" sensor, it's available now on the newest P4P V2 for $1499. Larger form factor than the Mavic, but same image quality as the Inspire 2 with the original stock lens, at a significantly better price, and much smaller form factor than the Inspire. P4A at $799 is the currently the best value for access to the 1" sensor. Cheaper than the now discounted Mavic Pro.
The difference between the two is marginal, unless you need to fly beyond VLOS, or are really insecure and need rear and side OA sensors, which in a VLOS environment should be moot.
I got one arriving Monday. Love my five Solo's but could not pass this up.
Sign up for B&H's daily DealZone emails with 24 hour price reductions. The P4A seems to show up on it every 2-3 months at a very similar price, along with some other gems, and a lot of junk! Skip the junk, and snag the gems like the P4A!
It's a good deal, I feel that the tradeoff is not insignificant. Even within VLOS, those side sensors have saved my butt. Orbiting and/or sliding sideways for that 'perfect shot'... it's good to have those training wheels (in tripod mode anyway).
Since the side sensors only work in Tripod mode and in Beginner mode, their use is limited, as you describe. Personally, the tradeoff for me is also too significant, because I really need the extended range of the removed 5.8Ghz band in Auto, and prefer a completely stock lightweight setup, where I don't need to add an ITElite DBS 02 antenna, amps, and a supplemental battery for the amps, to the RC, to get the advertised 4.3 mile range on the 2.4Ghz band. However, for most everyone else, those missing features are not worth $600 more ($1399 v $799).
