Decision tools · Compare
Mavic Air vs 1 J5
Quick take: The 1 J5 has the highest resolution at 21MP; the Mavic Air is the most affordable.
Different kinds of camera — their specs aren't comparable, so read the rows as facts, not a contest.
32 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Mavic AirDJI · 2018 | 1 J5Nikon · 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | — | 20.8MP 1-inch (CX) BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 12.0MP | 20.8MPBest |
| Video | — | 4K UHD/15p, 1080p/60 |
| Autofocus | — | Hybrid AF: 171 areas, 105 with phase detection; face detection, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) |
| Burst Rate | — | 20fps |
| Battery Life | — | ~250 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | — | 265g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | — | 98.3 × 59.7 × 31.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | — | None (rear screen only) |
| Screen | — | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Fixed lens (24 mm-eq f/2.8) | Nikon 1 |
| Memory Cards | — | Single microSD slot |
| Connectivity | — | USB, micro HDMI, Wi-Fi, NFC |
| Take-off weight | 430 g | — |
| Fly without registering | No — 250 g or more | — |
| Flight time | 21 min | — |
| Wind resistance | 10.5 m/s | — |
| Obstacle sensing | Forward, backward and downward | — |
| Video link | Wi-Fi | — |
| Range | 2.0 km | — |
| Top speed | 19.0 m/s | — |
| Cameras | 1 | — |
| RAW stills | Yes | — |
| Vertical shooting | Not supported | — |
| Gimbal | 3-axis | — |
| Intelligent flight | Subject tracking, return-to-home | — |
| Storage | 8 GB built in + microSD slot | — |
| Controller in the box | Standard remote controller | — |
| FPV | Not an FPV drone | — |
| Folds | Yes | — |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Mavic Air
1 J5
Portrait
—
4.3/10
Street
—
6.7/10
Travel
—
6.1/10
Wedding & Events
—
2.9/10
Filmmaking
—
3.2/10
Documentary
—
4.1/10
Sports & Action
—
4.9/10
Landscape
—
3.9/10
Wildlife
—
5.1/10
Casual
—
5.0/10
Food
—
4.8/10
Macro
—
3.4/10
Architecture
—
3.9/10
Astrophotography
—
3.0/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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