LISTED: Best DJI Mavic 2 Pro Accessories 2018
Every time DJI releases a new drone we’re super excited to see the rush of new accessories that are released next. Because DJI partners so well with 3rd parties, the new drone gear is often ready to release at the same time as the new drone.
Last month DJI released TWO new drones at the same time. A first for DJI. Built on the same Mavic 2 drone platfrom DJI gave us the Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom. We won’t go into a debate on which one is best for you (you can read that here), instead we’ve assembled a list of the best accessories for each drone.
Today, we’re tackling the best accessories for the Mavic 2 Pro.
Without a doubt, extra batteries are the #1 accessory for all drone pilots. The DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom use the same 31-minute, high capacity LiPo batteries. But, both Mavic 2 drones come with just one Intelligent Flight Battery. That’s enough to get you started and do some short practice with your new drone.
But if you want to have all of the flexibility to capture every moment on an important, destination shoot we recommend at least 4 batteries in total. And DJI agrees, since the Mavic 2 charging hub allows 4 batteries to connect for charging at the same time.
Take our word on this. Before you spend any money on anything else for your Mavic 2, start with extra Intelligent Flight Batteries.
In the past, DJI’s own ND filters haven’t toally hit the mark. For those of us shooting 4K cinematic video we need the full range of control over optimal ISO, shutter speed and framerate. That means having an ND Filter set that goes all the way up to ND64 or higher.
With the Mavic 2 Pro, DJI has it’s own ND Filter set that goes all the way from ND4 to ND32, which should satisfy most amateur drone film-makers.
Made specifically for the Mavic 2 Pro. This set includes ND4, ND8, ND16, and ND32 Filters, allowing 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32 of incoming light through respectively, equal to 2/3/4/5-stop filters. These high-quality, light reducing ND filters lower the amount of light coming into the sensor, giving you more control of the camera’s aperture, exposure time, and sensor sensitivity settings…which means more cinematic video without worrying about “jello” effect.
A precise snap-joint design ensures a reliable fit and lens seal during flight and 4 filter options offer you more freedom in controlling aperture and shutter, giving you more exposure choices for your photography.
Related: What You Need To Know About ND Filters To Shoot Better Drone Video
But if you’re uber serious or quasi-pro in your approach to drone video, you’ll want to step up to a more advanced filter kit that extends the range and adds polarizing. For that we recommend adding the Polar Pro Mavic 2 Pro Cinematic ND Filter Set (Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama) to the basic DJI set.
PolarPro’s advanced, high-end professional Cinema Series set of ND Filters for the Mavic 2 Pro covers ND128, ND256, and ND1000. (B&H Photo, $79).
Having control over the brightest conditions (beach and snow) on the sunniest days means you’ll never be wondering ‘what if’ when it comes time to process your drone video.
DJI recommends the SanDisk Extreme 64GB MicroSD card for the Mavic 2 Series of drones. Because the Mavic 2 drones have a 4K write speed of 100 MB/s which is critical to capturing the best video. Don’t be fooled, other DJI drones work will with the SanDisk “Ultra” series of MicroSD cards, but the Mavic 2 need the SanDisk Extreme version.
If you insist on using a tablet to control your DJI drone, we recommend the Apple iPad Pro with Retina Display, but there are many tablets that will work with the Mavic 2 Pro. Regardless which tablet you chose, you’ll appreciate having the screen elevated above your controller and better control over the display angle to reduce glare in bright daylight.
Our pick for best tablet mount for the Mavic 2 is the SKYREAT Foldable Tablet Mount (Amazon, $23.99).
We’ve been using this table mount for years. It fits all of Mavic Pro, Spark, Mavic Air and Mavic 2 series of drones. If you have Amazon Prime it comes with free 2-day shipping. Made from robust aircraft aluminum it folds down in a brilliant design so it uses almost no space in your bag.
But don’t take our word for it…with over 450 reviews and a 4.5 star rating it’s also an Amazon Best Seller.
The Mavic 2 Series is DJI’s first ‘unbundled’ drone as well. Previous drones were sold as a basic kit or as part of a larger, more expensive Fly More Combo. With the Mavic 2, DJI is selling the Fly More Kit as an add-on that you can purchase separately from the drone.
The Mavic 2 Fly More Kit has all of the most important basics you need to be flying like a pro right away. Here’s what DJI packs into the Fly More Kit for the Mavic 2 drone:
- 2 x Intelligent Flight Batteries
- 1 x Mavic 2 Car Charger
- 1 x Mavic 2 Battery Charging Hub
- 1 x Mavic 2 Battery to Power Bank Adapter
- 2 x Mavic 2 Low-Noise Propellers (2 pairs)
- 1 x Mavic 2 Shoulder Bag
Every DJI drone we’ve purchased has been with the Fly More Kit gear…we wouldn’t ever think about buying only the basic drone and neither should you.
If you’re pockets are deep enough, one of the best purchases you can make to go along with your Mavic 2 is a DJI CrystalSky monitor. And the reaon why is just one word: brightness. An iPad Air has 415 of brightness. I usually use an iPad Mini 2 which has 440 nits (cd/m3) of brightness, and on sunny days I struggle to be able to see what the screen is showing me, even with the brightness turned up. The CrystalSky monitor comes in two sizes and two brightness levels that blow an iPad screen out of the sky.
The High Brightness CrystalSky is available in 5.5″ or 7.85″ sizes. With 1000 cd/m3 of brightness it’s more than twice as bright as a typical iPad or iPad mini. The Ultra Bright Crystal Sky has brightness of 2000 nits, making it more than 5x brighter than an iPad.
Related: DJI CrystalSky Now Compatible With DJI Mavic 2
The second benefit of CrystalSky is that it is dedicated to running only the DJI Go 4 app. Unlike your iPhone or iPad, it has no apps running in the background and won’t be getting calls, messages or push notifications during flight that could cause a serious problem with your drone.
The 5.5′ High Brightness is only $469, and just $699 for the 7.85″ version. If you decide Ultra Bright is for you, it’s only available in 7.85″ for $999.
Money well spent if you want to have the best view of your subject.
You’ve heard us mention DJI Care Refresh a lot in our articles. We won’t go into great detail here, but it’s super cheap insurance that replaces your drone twice if you crash it or run into other perils. It costs $119 and you can purchase it when you buy your drone at DJI.com or it can be purchased after.
If you attempt to buy DJI Care Refresh more than 48 hours after you activate your drone, you’ll have to upload some video to DJI to prove your drone is fully functional. Full details on that process here.
DJI Care Refresh is good for one year and is digitally attached to your drone, so if you sell your drone it will transfer to the new owner.
Related: What You Need To Know About DJI Care Refresh
DJI Select is the new membership program for DJI drone owners. After you buy your drone at the DJI Store, you’ll be given the option to also purchase a 1-year subscription to DJI Select.
In a nutshell, DJI Select gives you priority shipping on new products and a sleeve full of discount coupons to use in the future. Think of it as DJI’s version of Amazon Prime.
With Select you’ll get 50% off DJI Care Refresh on your next drone, and several coupons worth 20% off DJI accessories. This will come in very handy as you add to your Mavic 2 kit.
A full FAQ on the DJI Select program is available on the DJI Select page.
