Which is better DJI Phantom 4 standard or DJI Phantom 3 Professional

[Recoveryone]

Depending on what your long range goals/plans may be, but if your going the commercial route get both. It's always good to have a good backup bird just incase something happens to the first one. I have both, the P4 fell into my lap on a trade for my Mavic Air and some will say the Air is a better bird, but the Air doesn't do mapping like a P4 can (longer flight times and works with most mapping software). So giving up my Air was down the road upgrade for what I want to do with my part 107. All the above comments have merit, but again it never hurts to have a backup plan on the ready.

 

[Andy9]

Acording to what you've got here I would adviise to buy that one which you like more. !

 

[tabora]

I do like the prop attachment system better on the P4, as well as the longer flight time.

 

[shuggins]

I do like the prop attachment system better on the P4, as well as the longer flight time.

I like the "idea" of the prop attachment on the P4 being quicker and easier. But, its gotten me once. I got the false positive, fired up the quad, the remote, and upon lift off a prop flew 20 feet in the air and 30 feet away...meanwhile p4 went 6 inches up and then flipped over upside down. Now I triple check the props before takoff. I always thought the p3 prop attachment was very easy.

 

[tabora]

I like the "idea" of the prop attachment on the P4 being quicker and easier. But, its gotten me once.

The P3 props can come off, too, particularly when you go from full down throttle to neutral. So far with the P4 I've been careful to double check the prop locks and have not had any issues.

 

[With The Birds]

Slightly OT but I had a P3A for years, great machine and still flying (a friend owns it). I now fly P4P and I would suggest stretching your budget to a P4P if at all possible - the camera is very impressive and the P4P is amazing stable (it's always windy in the UK!)

All my P4 batteries have the clip cracks (thanks DJI!) but that's what you get for recycling yoghurt pots.....

Cant be recycled yoghurt pots- polystyrene isn't recyclable. The battery housing may well be polystyrene though- it's cheap, light weight and easy to injection mould. It is also brittle. I have several dead P3 shells here where the cracks around the motor mount bosses on the arms demonstrate that fact.

 

[solentlife]

The P3 props can come off, too, particularly when you go from full down throttle to neutral. So far with the P4 I've been careful to double check the prop locks and have not had any issues.

P3 props would only do that IF you don't tighten properly ... AND in addition you do a violent stop from fast speed.

IF you did a "full down throttle to neutral" the action in fact would TIGHTEN the prop not loosen it. Unless you meant : "from full speed throttle down to neutral".

 

[solentlife]

I would like to make a comment ...

It is generally the case that a good product will hold a good 2nd hand market price. We know there are exceptions ... but generally this is the case.

The P3P holds good resale prices on the market - and if P4's can be had for similar - then doesn't this indicate something ?
I do admit though - with the P3P vs the P4S - you would likely get more items included such as case, extra batterys etc. with the P3P. They all add up in my mind.

I have to say I am biased because I fly the P3P and I have no reason to go for a P4. Why ? I rarely need 4K video, the photos are crisp and clean, it has more than enough range and flight time. I can get spares and batterys for it easily. The Obstacle avoidance is for me a gimmick as I FLY my P3P ...
My P3 batterys do not have that spring clip that breaks front of P4 batterys.

Yes the P4S is supposed to be better ... I hope it is. But at end of day - it is what is intended use and what extra you get for your money.

 

[PhantomFandom]

I would like to make a comment ...

It is generally the case that a good product will hold a good 2nd hand market price. We know there are exceptions ... but generally this is the case.

The P3P holds good resale prices on the market - and if P4's can be had for similar - then doesn't this indicate something ?
I do admit though - with the P3P vs the P4S - you would likely get more items included such as case, extra batterys etc. with the P3P. They all add up in my mind.

I have to say I am biased because I fly the P3P and I have no reason to go for a P4. Why ? I rarely need 4K video, the photos are crisp and clean, it has more than enough range and flight time. I can get spares and batterys for it easily. The Obstacle avoidance is for me a gimmick as I FLY my P3P ...
My P3 batterys do not have that spring clip that breaks front of P4 batterys.

Yes the P4S is supposed to be better ... I hope it is. But at end of day - it is what is intended use and what extra you get for your money.

We all have our preferences. Respectfully though, you can't really make a fair comparison unless you have owned and flown both. I have and I do. The P3P was my very first drone and I loved it. LOVED IT !! However, when I had the opportunity to purchase a P4P, I did so and never looked back. I have also owned and flown a P4S and I still recommend it over the P3P. It just is a more advanced drone so you get more features without giving up any.

As to resale value, it all depends on who is selling. Perhaps in this case the seller of the P4S was giving a better deal that the seller of the P3P? What I can say is that the resale value on all DJI drones remains excellent, and that includes the Phantom 4 series. If anything the P4P has increased a substantial bump since DJI stopped selling them and also since the tariffs got implemented on Chinese goods.

 

[solentlife]

We all have our preferences. Respectfully though, you can't really make a fair comparison unless you have owned and flown both. I have and I do. The P3P was my very first drone and I loved it. LOVED IT !! However, when I had the opportunity to purchase a P4P, I did so and never looked back. I have also owned and flown a P4S and I still recommend it over the P3P. It just is a more advanced drone so you get more features without giving up any.

As to resale value, it all depends on who is selling. Perhaps in this case the seller of the P4S was giving a better deal that the seller of the P3P? What I can say is that the resale value on all DJI drones remains excellent, and that includes the Phantom 4 series. If anything the P4P has increased a substantial bump since DJI stopped selling them and also since the tariffs got implemented on Chinese goods.

I think you have wrong idea of what I was saying.

I have not derided the P4 in any way. Not only because I have not flown a P4 but also that I am not silly enough to say its not good.

My point is born out by looking at resale pricing vs new ........... even with correction for time since available. The P3P holds its value better than literally any other DJI model. That is my observation ... right or wrong.

 

[shuggins]

Solentlife,

Well said! Ive noticed in the last year the p3pro has increased in resale price. Strange, but it has...a lot.