Which Phantom 3 Drone Is Best For You: Guide for Beginners

Keith Ericksen 356 0

So you came here because you want to know which Phantom 3 drone is the best? Like many aerial photographers and beginners who want to have their hands on these professional camera drones. The Phantom 3 drone was released in 2015 and is still a strong competitor among popular camera drones. In case, you are wondering what version of Phantom 3 drone is the best fit for your everyday flying needs.

There are three different versions of the Phantom 3 drone that is available for sale right now: Standard, Advanced, and Professional. Before we dive into the comparisons, I want to mention that these Phantom 3 drones are still the best camera quadcopter for those who are budget-tight. They are great alternatives to recently released drones such as the Mavic Air and Phantom 4. Even though with fewer features, the Phantom 3 drones still possesses amazing camera quality.

In this case, beginners who are looking to have their hands on a brand new Phantom 3 drone will want to know the difference between these versions. Like I said in every other guide, what drone you want to choose ultimate boils down to your preference. But by all means, if you want the best of best. You are going to have to spend at least an extra just to compete on the same level as other professional-grade camera drones.

Why Phantom 3 Drones Is Still Worth It?

As some of you might wonder why the Phantom 3 drones are still worth buying nowadays. There are simple answers to this question. First of all, because the best version of the Phantom 3 drone has the latest camera upgrade. It can capture stills and produce videos up to 4K at 30 frames per second. Furthermore, they are cheaper compared to the recently released Phantom 4 drone. You are looking at approximately $400 to $500 difference.

If you consider the quality of the camera, Phantom 4 drones have a slight advantage over the Phantom 3 drones. But it doesn’t matter as long as you practice and hone your aerial photography skills. I have seen some experienced aerial photographers producing masterpieces stills with Phantom 3 drones. How you capture stills and videos largely depends on your skills, lighting quality, angle of perspective and of course, the scenic.

It only makes sense to buy one of these Phantom 3 drones if you are new to the world of quadcopters. These drones are a perfect choice for entry-level beginners who wants to be able to take pictures and produce videos from the skies. While learning how to fly a drone. Not to forget to mention that the Phantom 3 drones are among one of the first quadcopters to feature obstacle avoidance detection systems.

What Is The Difference Between Phantom 3 and Phantom 4?

While I mentioned Phantom 4 drones recently, I want to point out the difference between Phantom 3 and Phantom 4 quadcopters. As to explain why Phantom 3 drones are still worth investing your money into. First of all, the Phantom 4 drones are inherently better compared to Phantom 3 drones in every bit of senses. They have more features, better flying time and longer remote control distance. But, honestly, are these worth paying extra money?

Most of us won’t be flying at maximum remote control distance, let’s alone for some hardcore aerial photographer professionals. So if you don’t take advantage of what the Phantom 4 drones have to offer, you are going to waste its potential advantages. It is nice that Phantom 4 drones come with extra tidbits like improved obstacle avoidance detection systems and the like. But the Phantom 3 drones is still a better choice if you are going to become a good remote pilot.

If you are a skilled remote pilot, you probably won’t need obstacle avoidance detection systems at all. After all, it is just an extra layer of protection and will not fully protect your drone. That’s what makes the Phantom 3 drones very popular among beginners because they are inexpensive. So, without further ado, I am going to talk about which Phantom 3 drone is best for you. Let’s take a glimpse at what each Phantom 3 version has to offer.

Which Phantom 3 Drone Is Best For You?

In this part of which Phantom 3 drone is best for you, I am going to do an in-depth comparison guide between these three version of drones. We will talk about every details that these drones bring to the table. Plus, what makes them especially so popular for beginners and entry-level aerial photographers? If you only want to look at the comparison chart, click here to jump to. Otherwise, we are going to discuss each drone in details.

For your convenience, you can click on the version of Phantom 3 drones that you are interested in learning more about.

Standard Version
Advanced Version
Professional Version

Phantom 3 Standard

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The Phantom 3 Standard usually go for $579 or less, depending on the market value (Check Price). This is one of the most affordable and inexpensive optional to get into aerial photography. It comes with a 12MP camera mounted on a 3-axis gimbal systems which eliminates the vibration for smooth aerial footage. Which makes the Phantom 3 Standard a very strong starter drone for beginners.

In addition to that, it can Livestream video from the camera to your smartphone or tablet in 720P HD quality real-time. This lets you see what the drone sees in real-time right on your mobile device. Making it the perfect choice for FPV mode. However, it uses Wi-Fi signals which opens up to potential interference is a minor downside feature. Compared to the Advanced and Professional which features Lightbridge technology for enhanced transmission frequency.

But, what makes the Phantom 3 Standard especially a very popular starter drone for beginners? Simple, it comes with a built-in GPS module that assists you with commanding the drone. Thanks to integrated intelligent flight modes, you can focus on getting beautiful aerial shots while the drone flies autonomously. This allows you to achieve advanced camera perspectives with simple flight modes like Point of Interest and Follow Me.

Furthermore, a battery will last for 25 flying minutes per charge. Not to forget to mention that the Phantom 3 Standard comes with an 8GB micro SD card to help get you started with taking pictures and videos from the skies. The quality of the camera that Phantom 3 Standard has to offer however can take stills up to 2.7K resolution and record videos at 1080P HD / 30 FPS. It is not a bad start for beginners.

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Phantom 3 Advanced

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The Phantom 3 Advanced typically go for $679 or less, depending on the market value (Check Price). This drone incorporates most of what the Standard version has. But it also comes with a multitude of upgrades that is suitable for aerial photographers who needs a drone with extended range and live HD view capabilities. With a powerful built-in 12MP camera mounted on a fully stabilized 3-axis gimbal, you can easily produce smooth and flawless video quality.

One key feature that makes the Phantom 3 Advanced especially very popular among beginners and aerial photographers is the integration of Lightbridge technology. This feature allows live streaming of 720P video while it is being recorded at the same time on the micro SD card. This means you will have a copy of a video on your smartphones or tablet while having the true format stored on the micro SD card.

Not just only that, the Phantom 3 Advanced also comes with visual positioning systems that allow for a stable flight indoors. Thus, making it a perfect choice for an indoor flight that requires careful precise positioning. Such as close-quarter buildings and the like. In addition to that, the Phantom 3 Advanced is enhanced with better remote control distance up to 3,500 meters. That is about 7 times longer than Phantom 3 Standard. At the cost of having 23 minutes of flying time.

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Phantom 3 Professional

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However, if you definitely want the best of the best Phantom 3 drones. This is the one you should be checking out. The Phantom 3 Professional drone usually go for $779 or less, depending on the market value (Check Price). It comes with the same features that the Phantom 3 Standard has. However, the Phantom 3 Professional drone is the best mainly because it is equipped with obstacle avoidance detection system. Which makes it overall one of the safest drone for beginners.

Not just only that the Phantom 3 Professional is the beginners’ favorite drone. It is equipped with a 12MP camera mounted on a stabilized 3-axis gimbal system that can capture stills and record videos at a stunning 4K resolution setting with 30 frames per second. Aerial photographers who have demand for a high-quality camera that can take ultra-high-definition resolution video capabilities will love this drone.

Hence its name “Professional” is made for serious aerial photographers. But beginners definitely should still check this drone out. Plus, the Phantom 3 Professional drone encompasses Lightbridge technology that provides amazing transmission range up to 3,500 meters away. In addition to that, it can easily transmit aerial footage from the camera to your mobile devices at a 720P HD resolution setting without any interference. The only downside is that it has approximately 23 minutes of flight time.

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Phantom 3 Drones Comparison Chart

	Standard	Advanced	Professional
Image
Minutes	25 Minutes	23 Minutes	23 Minutes
Distance	500 Meters	3500 Meters	3500 Meters
Lightbridge	No	Yes	Yes
Quality	1080P HD	1080P HD	4K UHD
GPS Pos.	GPS	GLONASS + GPS	GLONASS + GPS
Visual Pos.	No	Yes	Yes
Price	Check Price	Check Price	Check Price

Phantom 3 Accessories and Recommendations

Now that you have decided which Phantom 3 version is the best drone for you. I have several add-on modules to share with you. They are completely optional, but they can enhance your drone’s performance in several ways such as camera filter set and additional protections. If you do want to get the bang out of these Phantom 3 drones and use them to their potential, I suggest you to grab at least some of these add-ons. Remember, they are optional… except for travel case which is mandatory by any means!

Travel Cases

Lykus DBP-100U (Check Price)
ProCraft (Check Price)
HUL Premium Aluminum Case (Check Price)

Add-on Modules

Camera Filters Set (Check Price)
Range Extender (Check Price)
High Altitude Propellers (Check Price)
Extra Battery (Check Price)
DJI Goggles (Check Price)

These accessories are important enough that you should grab them. Keep it in your mind that these are completely optional, however, if you want to maximize your flight experience every session. Then I strongly recommend you to check these add-on modules out and see for yourself.

Drone Tips & Guides

I hope you found our guide on which Phantom 3 drone is best for you helpful and insightful. As I stated before, we do have drone tips and guides for you to check out on how to become a Part 107 certified remote pilot and such. If you read our article on which Phantom 3 drones are best, but you prefer something different. Be sure to check out our other buying guides, perhaps you will find the drone that you are looking for.

Still don’t find the drone that you are looking for? Check out our best buying guides:

That’s all I have to share with you. If you have any questions regarding the Phantom 3 drones. Please feel free to drop a comment in the comments section below. We will answer back to you as soon as possible. Again, we hope you found our guide on which Phantom 3 drone is best for you helpful and insightful. Happy flying and fly smart!