In this article I’ll be providing a brief Fatshark Dominator HD3 review and considering whether the HD3 FPV goggles are a worthwhile upgrade. What you are currently using and how you use your FPV goggles will strongly influence this. I started out with the Quanum V2 screen-based FPV goggles and then moved onto the Fatshark Dominator V3, also trying the Dominator HD2 in the process. Having experienced all three of these popular goggle options, it will be interesting to see what first impression the new offering from Fatshark gives. What I’ll be looking at in this Fatshark Dominator HD3 review, is whether the new goggles are worth upgrading to based on your needs and current equipment.
The HD3s are featured in my roundup of the Best FPV Goggles, check it out!
Screen-based goggles are great for a big field of view and are especially good if you wear glasses, because you can leave them on. The downside is that these goggles are big and heavy. During long flight sessions I would find myself with an uncomfortable face because of the pressure the goggles put on my face. They were also fairly inconvenient for me, as the majority of my flying involves a reasonable walk before arriving at the flying spot. If you are using large screen-based goggles at the moment and are thinking of swapping to the smaller form-factor of the HD3, I would recommend trying on a pair before committing. It’s a big change and is not for everyone. For me personally, the more compact Fatshark FPV goggles are much better to suited to how and where I fly, but if you aren’t worried about size I would recommend sticking to the screen-based goggles as this will save you a lot of money!
You can buy the Fatshark Dominator HD3 now on Amazon, Banggood and HobbyKing.
The Dominator V3’s are great goggles and while they have a smaller field of view than the HD2’s, they don’t suffer from the blurry edges. The Dominator V3’s also have a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is great for HD content or video from a 16:9 FPV camera like the Runcam Eagle, but they also work very well with a normal 4:3 feed. This all attracted me to the Dominator V3s initially and is what has made me want to take a closer look at the Dominator HD V3 goggles, so how do the HD3s compare?
Fatshark Dominator HD3 Review – Main Features
- FOV: 42°
- Resolution: 800×600 (SVGA)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 & 16:9 (switches depending on source)
- Mini HDMI input
- Removable foam faceplate
- 59-69mm adjustable IPD Range
- Integrated DVR
- Fan-equipped face plate
Fatshark Dominator HD3 Review – First Impressions
The Dominator HD3 utilise the familiar Fatshark FPV goggle form factor and from a distance, appear much the same as previous models. The HD3’s aim to combine the best of both worlds from the V3 and HD2 FPV goggles, but are understandably more expensive than either of their predecessors. All the features that we are used to seeing are still there, such as inbuilt DVR plus adjustable IPD and a fan-equipped foam faceplate for comfort. The FOV has been reduced from 50° in the HD2 to 42° in the HD3 in an effort to reduce the amount of blurring at the edges of the screen. Unfortunately this has reduced the effective screen size, but based on some user reports the blurry edges are still present. This is disappointing, as a good image is a reasonable expectation when spending large amounts of money on a specialised product such as these. What is good to see is automatic aspect ratio switching depending on whether you are viewing an analogue or digital feed. This will make the goggles better for plugging into your PC and using with one of the popular FPV Drone racing simulators.
Fatshark Dominator HD3 Review – Verdict
As an upgrade to screen-based goggles or for someone with money to use the latest tech, the HD3’s are a good buy and they are currently available on Amazon here. Do bear in mind that you will also need to buy a separate receiver and antenna, as is the norm with the majority of Fatshark goggles. This may just be the tipping point for some, as these are already expensive goggles!
For those considering their budget a bit more, I personally recommend the Dominator V3. These are great goggles at a much lower cost. The FOV is smaller, but then the screen isn’t blurry and you still get all the benefits of the small form factor, comfort and features that come with the Fatshark goggles. As I said at the beginning, what you are currently using and how you use your goggles will strongly influence your choice. Just like everything else in drone racing, your goggles are a personal choice.
If you are considering which camera to use to make the most of your goggles, take a look at my quick Runcam Swift 2 Review.
You can buy the Fatshark Dominator HD3 now on Amazon, Banggood and HobbyKing.
The HD3s are featured in my roundup of the Best FPV Goggles, check it out!
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