Just remarkable how useful these drones are for photography, and now the IQ is becoming comparable in many scenarios (when you use exposure bracketing + image blending).
Outresolve? What is your understanding of that term?
It's a tiny little sensor with a Quad Bayer arrangement.
I think the most significant reason for the popularity of Quad Bayer sensors is fooling ignorant buyers.
Their main advantage, being able to take 2 photos at the same time, each with different exposure, is rarely taken advantage of.
But who cares? It's a 100mp right? It says it right there on the box!
Outresolve? What is your understanding of that term?
In the digital age, it refers to how many alternating black/white lines can be resolved by the sensor + lens combo on a test chart.
If you read the article you would see that he measured the resolution using a test target + camera resolution testing system (that they use for their camera reviews).
It's a tiny little sensor
A 4/3 sensor is not "tiny". It's a bit smaller than the sensors in APS-C cameras, larger than the sensors in 1" compacts like the RX-100s, and far larger than phone camera sensors.
with a Quad Bayer arrangement.
I think the most significant reason for the popularity of Quad Bayer sensors is fooling ignorant buyers.
I prefer a non Quad Bayer arrangement, but quad bayer sensors are still capable of resolving far more than sensors with 1/4 the resolution.
Their main advantage, being able to take 2 photos at the same time, each with different exposure, is rarely taken advantage of.
I believe this is used in video mode on the Mavic 4 Pro to increase DR.
But who cares? It's a 100mp right? It says it right there on the box!
It is 100MP, and according to the tests done in the review it resolves more than the 61MP sensor in the A7RV. That's a very good thing.
No one is claiming the Mavic 4 Pro provider better overall IQ than the A7RV. But it's nice that an affordable drone camera can now provide extremely high resolution images. This is a great thing for all photographers!
Jeffrey wrote:
It must be true because you saw it on the internet.
I read a review whose URL I provided.
He used a resolution test target and measured the resolution of the lens + sensor combo.
I did not make the claim that the Mavic 4 sensor provides overall better IQ than the A7RV (it doesn't), but in measured resolution it appears to do so, based on this review's measurements.
As someone who uses Sony mirrorless cameras (A1, A7R4, A6500) as well as drones I find this news interesting and exciting.
Drones have some capabilities my mirrorless Sony cameras don't offer, and vice versa.
Both tools will have a valuable place in many photographer's equipment bag!
Jun 24, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
lightskyland wrote:
I read a review whose URL I provided.
He used a resolution test target and measured the resolution of the lens + sensor combo.
I did not make the claim that the Mavic 4 sensor provides overall better IQ than the A7RV (it doesn't), but in measured resolution it appears to do so, based on this review's measurements.
As someone who uses Sony mirrorless cameras (A1, A7R4, A6500) as well as drones I find this news interesting and exciting.
Drones have some capabilities my mirrorless Sony cameras don't offer, and vice versa.
Both tools will have a valuable place in many photographer's equipment bag!
It isn't really clear what the resolution test measured. He doesn't label the Y axis (or the X axis, but that is presumably ISO given the values). What is clearly suspect is that resolution doesn't vary with ISO and we know that isn't true with any of the mirrorless cameras (higher ISO means higher noise and therefore less actual resolution), so whatever is being measured it isn't what I would call resolution.
Further for this type of comparison I don't want just charts. I want comparison side by side photos preferably of real world images, but even test charts is better than no actual photos.
So I find the claims that the drone has more resolution suspect both because whatever they are calling resolution doesn't vary with ISO and they don't show actual pictures.
This new Mavic 4 Pro is generating a lot of enthusiasm, and I think for some good reasons. The claims made in the linked review are not always well supported. As noted above, the resolution test is not well documented so it's hard to know what is being presented, but given the large pixel count it is likely that the resolution will be excellent. It is also unlikely that the resolution tests were taken while the camera was in-flight and being stabilized by the gimbal.
The statement that I found incredible is "Amazingly, the drone manages to more-a-less equal the low noise levels from the mighty medium-format 100MP Fujifilm GFX100RF!". By incredible I mean lacking credibility. NFW. Statements like that cause me to take everything else as being suspect.
Regardless, I am eager to get this new drone. Unfortunately it is not available in the US and when it is finally available, the price may be more stunning than the photos and videos.
Steve Spencer wrote:
It isn't really clear what the resolution test measured. He doesn't label the Y axis (or the X axis, but that is presumably ISO given the values). What is clearly suspect is that resolution doesn't vary with ISO and we know that isn't true with any of the mirrorless cameras (higher ISO means higher noise and therefore less actual resolution), so whatever is being measured it isn't what I would call resolution.
Further for this type of comparison I don't want just charts. I want comparison side by side photos preferably of real world images, but even test charts is better than no actual photos.
So I find the claims that the drone has more resolution suspect both because whatever they are calling resolution doesn't vary with ISO and they don't show actual pictures....Show more →
If you look at the resolution graphs for the cameras tested, they do vary with ISO after ISO 3200.
Based on this URL, they use Imatest Master software for the resolution tests:
Personally, I see value in using automated software to analyze the resolution chart images (no personal judgment involved) and I am not surprised to see that measured resolution doesn't start dropping until after ISO 3200. That matches my own experience pretty closely.
The results aren't particularly surprising either. A 100MP camera with a good lens should outresolve a 61MP camera with a good lens. A 100MP medium format digital camera should outresolve a 100MP 4/3" digital camera. And that's what the Imatest results show.
I agree it will be good to see some comparisons made with real live test targets like the DPReview target, assuming the 28mm equivalent lens and minimum focus distance for the M4P doesn't prevent that.
When I get my M4P I will do some same scene / light comparisons and post the RAW files online.
dclark wrote:
This new Mavic 4 Pro is generating a lot of enthusiasm, and I think for some good reasons. The claims made in the linked review are not always well supported. As noted above, the resolution test is not well documented so it's hard to know what is being presented, but given the large pixel count it is likely that the resolution will be excellent. It is also unlikely that the resolution tests were taken while the camera was in-flight and being stabilized by the gimbal.
The statement that I found incredible is "Amazingly, the drone manages to more-a-less equal the low noise levels from the mighty medium-format 100MP Fujifilm GFX100RF!". By incredible I mean lacking credibility. NFW. Statements like that cause me to take everything else as being suspect.
Regardless, I am eager to get this new drone. Unfortunately it is not available in the US and when it is finally available, the price may be more stunning that the photos and videos. ...Show more →
The drone is sporadically available at Adorama, and some of my photographer online friends at Mavic Pilots have gotten it recently. I think around $4700 with the high speed SSD, 3 battery kit and new (rotating) controller.
I agree the "low noise level" comment is problematic and probably is comparing processed JPEG output :/
I've seen some "in flight" images comparing the 25MP to 100MP modes and there is an extremely robust resolution increase visible. I'm guessing this drone will blow away my Mavic 3 in most respects, and the M3 is already capable of very good landscape images in an exposure bracket / merge in post processing workflow.
Here I have posted some comparisons in this thread:
I have the DJI Mini 3 Pro, which has a same kind of quad bayer sensor, switchable between 12MP and 40MP, and it doesn't impress me. I'm basically seeing the same resolution increase in the linked examples - nothing to write home about.
Also the article says that the Mavic 4 Pro has over 16 stops of dynamic range. This would mean that the small sensor inside the camera head would basically have more dynamic range than anything available in the current camera markets, regardless of price, sensor size, technology etc. It fi means via stacking multiple images, then any camera will have the same and more - you just stack more. So, it's a bit sloppy writing, even though the review is good in general
That being said, *I am impressed* how far even the Mini 3 Pro can come when using multiple exposures and combining them. The Mavic 4 Pro will be a very nice drone image quality wise for those who intend to get it - it will be impressive (when stacking multiple images) for those who have not experienced before.
p.1 #13 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
Kalainen wrote:
Also the article says that the Mavic 4 Pro has over 16 stops of dynamic range.
That's the thing. A few statements like this destroys the entire creditability and calls for questions about the competency. There is no point to trust anything else the same reviewer writes. Better to wait for other data.
p.1 #14 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
Kalainen wrote:
I have the DJI Mini 3 Pro, which has a same kind of quad bayer sensor, switchable between 12MP and 40MP, and it doesn't impress me. I'm basically seeing the same resolution increase in the linked examples - nothing to write home about.
The DJI Mini 3 Pro has a very small lens and a sensor less than 1/3 the area of the Mavic 4 Pro.
The resolution increase in the linked images is absolutely huge. Text goes from totally unreadable to readable in several examples. Diagonal lines go from stairsteps to clean.
p.1 #15 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
tctmp wrote:
That's the thing. A few statements like this destroys the entire creditability and calls for questions about the competency. There is no point to trust anything else the same reviewer writes. Better to wait for other data.
I believe he is competent to run Imatest software on an in-focus test target image even if he is regurgitating drone company marketing stats.
p.1 #16 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
Kalainen wrote:
That being said, *I am impressed* how far even the Mini 3 Pro can come when using multiple exposures and combining them. The Mavic 4 Pro will be a very nice drone image quality wise for those who intend to get it - it will be impressive (when stacking multiple images) for those who have not experienced before.
It's imperative with all drones (as far as I am concerned) to use exposure bracketing and combine RAW images in your favorite software package.
I wish I had never used the drone without turning on bracketing. It makes such a huge difference!
p.1 #17 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
lightskyland wrote:
The DJI Mini 3 Pro has a very small lens and a sensor less than 1/3 the area of the Mavic 4 Pro.
The resolution increase in the linked images is absolutely huge. Text goes from totally unreadable to readable in several examples. Diagonal lines go from stairsteps to clean.
To me, this is not a huge difference - very much in the line what I expected and what I've experienced with the DJI quad bayer sensors. My earlier Dpreview Studio Comparison link didn't work (can't figure it out), but comparing 20MP m3/4 to a 100MP Fuji Gfx will show what's the real difference between 20'ish MP vs 100MP looks like.
For me this is 'case closed'. Still the Mavic 4 Pro is great, no doubt about that. I would definitely get it if I had the money.
p.1 #20 · Mavic 4 Pro drone outresolves Sony A7RV!
I have both and no, it doesn’t.
It is super impressive for something so small. The best I’ve seen. I rarely flew my Mavic 3 Pro as my Inspire 3 stomped on it. This is not the case with the 4. While both the Inspire and A7R5 produce files with far more DR and less noise and that means more *usable* resolution, the M4 is actually very very usable for larger prints. I’m still in the testing stage and the weather has been horrid here but so far it’s looking more A7R3 than A7R5, which is still incredibly impressive.
I’ll have to be more careful with DR and noise. Likely more need for HDR blends. OTOH it’s a lot less conspicuous than the Inspire. Certainly there are many occasions where the images might be indistinguishable from each other.
The tester doesn’t say anything about his testing methodology. were they tested side by side on the same day? Is the A7R5 historical data. What lens on the Sony? jpegs or rawls? Which raw processor? Whatever he did his results don’t match mine, so far. But as I said, it’s early day for me.
