The DJI Mini 2 SE is at present the most effective normal GPS drones round this value level.
It’s a budget-friendly drone that’s inexpensive to many, and it’s a low barrier for many individuals simply moving into the drone pastime.
This stated, as a result of the Mini 2 SE is a less expensive drone, there are lower-quality parts inside it, together with the digital camera, which isn’t the very best within the class.
Nonetheless, photograph and video high quality may be drastically improved should you don’t shoot with the Mini 2 SE in auto mode.
For this goal, I wish to share with you the very best handbook settings for capturing pictures with this drone that can make a dramatic distinction.
DJI Mini 2 SE digital camera – what do we all know?
The digital camera discovered behind the DJI Mini 2 SE just isn’t a high-end one with massive CMOS and excessive video or photograph decision. In actual fact, it’s the reverse – it’s one of the vital budget-level cameras present in a DJI drone these days.
With a CMOS dimension of only one/2.3 inch, that is the equal of the sensors discovered behind DJI FPV and DJI Mini 2 drones. And that’s not rather a lot.
In actual fact, it’s fairly small, and the photographs and movies taken with DJI Mini 2 SE are under common for at the moment’s extra trendy drones.
With the bigger CMOS of a digital camera, whether or not we’re speaking about drones, telephones, or skilled DSLR cameras, the extra mild the sensor can seize in a shorter interval, the higher the picture dynamic vary, much less noise (grain) on low-light or night time pictures, and general, photographs of a better high quality.
On high of that, the DJI Mini 2 SE has a low ISO higher restrict of 3200 for each pictures and movies. With ISO, you improve the sensor sensitivity to mild and digitally brighten the picture at the price of inducing picture noise, which helps seize low-light and night time pictures.
The brilliant facet is that the DJI Mini 2 SE digital camera is mounted on a 3-axis mechanical gimbal, leading to clean video footage and sharper pictures, particularly in greater wind situations.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Digital camera High quality (With Footage)
Greatest photograph settings for DJI Mini 2 SE
Let’s take a deeper have a look at the Mini 2 SE digital camera high quality for pictures. We understand that the sensor dimension and ISO should not the one downsides; this drone can seize photographs at solely 12 Megapixels.
As I discussed, it’s a bit under common however first rate sufficient for social media. Nonetheless, it’s not good should you’re seeking to seize skilled photographs, particularly to print.
So, let’s take a look at what we are able to change when it comes to photograph settings to seize the very best photographs throughout a selected time of the day.
Daylight Pictures
In case you wish to catch some pictures along with your DJI Mini 2 SE through the daytime, we’ve got the benefit of the sunshine being at its peak, so the photographs shouldn’t be grainy so long as we preserve the ISO at 100.
Even with this, the shutter velocity is quick sufficient to snap clear photographs even in greater winds.
However we shouldn’t depart these settings on auto. Subsequently, right here’s what we suggest to alter when it comes to digital camera settings.
Full Solar & Overcast
- ISO: Locked at 100
- White Stability: Auto or 5600K
- Shutter Velocity: Auto
The solar will likely be vibrant sufficient to flood the sensor with daylight, and we’ve got to lock the ISO at its minimal worth, which is 100. On this case, the images can have the bottom noise because the sensor gained’t want to boost its sensitivity to collect further mild.
If we depart the white stability on Auto Mode, that’s okay, however bear in mind that this digital camera’s white stability gained’t be as correct to supply the precise colours you’re seeing with your individual eyes.
Throughout sunny days and even when overcast, the picture temperature must be set at about 5600K for finest replica. However should you really feel your pictures are colder or hotter than the surroundings you seize, then modify the “Kelvin” temperature accordingly.
The upper this goes, the hotter the picture will look (orangey), however the decrease you set it, then the colder the picture will look (blue-ish).
The shutter velocity must be left on auto as you seize photographs, and there’s no want to regulate it for any purpose.
» MORE: Drone Pictures Final Information
Mornings and Evenings (low-light)
- ISO: Lock it between 100 and 400. Go greater provided that wanted.
- Shutter Velocity: Go away it to auto
- White Stability: 3500K to 4500K for dawn or 5600K for an overcast morning.
Images captured throughout dawn and sundown will undergo a bit due to the small dimension of the picture sensor and poor dynamic vary, which is the distinction between highlights and shadows and the way a lot element the digital camera drone can seize.
Whereas the dawn solar will look okay, the timber and buildings’ shadows and blacks will largely look washed-out and present a little bit of noise.
This may be mounted in post-processing, and naturally, relying on the surroundings, many morning or night pictures taken with the DJI Mini 2 SE might be epic.
Nonetheless, not all of them. And right here’s what it’s best to do to enhance your pictures taken with this digital camera drone throughout mornings and evenings.
Firstly, attempt to preserve the ISO at its lowest worth.
This might not be the very best method if it’s an overcast morning or it is rather early and there’s not sufficient mild. On this case, you’ll have to manually modify it, however I say not more than ISO 400, or your picture can have an excessive amount of noise to be usable.
If you happen to set ISO to the bottom worth, then the shutter velocity must be left on auto mode. The shutter velocity will drop considerably (most likely to values between 1 second and 1/100 seconds, however can fluctuate) to let extra mild come into the digital camera sensor.
It’s also possible to create HDR pictures in Lightroom by capturing three footage of the very same surroundings however with totally different publicity values – underexposed, usually uncovered, and overexposed; that might be the reply you probably have a big distinction in dynamic vary in your photographs (shadows too darkish and highlights too vibrant).
As for the white stability, that’s a bit difficult. Throughout sunrises and sunsets, you’ve got a really heat picture that will be tougher to copy. Generally, the auto mode will do exactly high-quality, however you’ll have to seek out the proper values relying on the surroundings perspective (hotter, colder).
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional in Low Gentle (Defined for Newcomers)
Night time pictures
- ISO: Lowest worth to get a correctly uncovered picture
- Shutter Velocity: Slowest shutter velocity to get a pointy picture
- White Stability: Auto
Through the night time, the digital camera behind your DJI Mini 2 SE poses an actual problem to truly {photograph} one thing good.
I imply that as a result of the picture sensor is so small it can fail to collect sufficient mild to seize footage with little or no noise. And that’s an unlucky truth.
Your finest method right here is to closely edit the photographs you took throughout night time flights with this drone in packages like Lightroom or Photoshop. That may take advantage of distinction in mentioning the picture high quality.
As for the RAW photographs captured, they may largely look noisy. It is going to be tough to seize something of top of the range.
Nonetheless, let’s see what we are able to do to at the least enhance slightly the digital camera high quality when capturing pictures with this drone through the night time.
The ISO will go haywire if set on auto. In actual fact, it can go to its most worth to compensate for lack of sunshine. Let’s attempt to keep away from that.
Really, it might be finest to experiment with totally different values like ISO 400, 800, 1600, and so forth and see which might be the very best to seize a picture (on the lowest worth) the place the shutter velocity just isn’t so gradual that it’s getting you blurry photographs.
So, the shutter velocity will decelerate rather a lot. This drone digital camera is ready to take long-exposure photographs of as much as 4 seconds with its digital shutter velocity.
Which means if the situations are okay and no wind is current, your drone ought to be capable of hover stably, and the picture you are taking must be crisp. But it surely’s not all the time the case.
Subsequently, shutter velocity must be adjusted manually on this case. Begin with half a second, 1 second, and drop down and see if, altogether, with the handbook ISO, you’re capable of get any first rate uncovered picture.
Nonetheless, keep in mind that the digital camera behind the DJI Mini 2 SE just isn’t meant for use for night time pictures, and also you’ll wrestle to get any first rate ones, at the least not adequate for skilled use.
» MORE: Can You Fly the DJI Mini 2 SE at Night time? (Defined for Newcomers)
Greatest video settings for DJI Mini 2 SE
Now, we’re largely trying right here for the very best photograph settings to your Mini 2 SE. However perhaps on the identical time, you wish to seize some B-rolls for a YouTube video or beautiful surroundings.
On this case, the values you’ll want to use for capturing movies with this drone could differ from nonetheless pictures.
So, what do you’ve got to bear in mind?
The identical guidelines apply whenever you wish to file movies with the Mini 2 SE – preserve your ISO on the lowest worth to keep away from getting picture noise.
Nonetheless, the ISO additionally must be adjusted (if wanted) with a purpose to set the right shutter velocity.
For cinematic content material and the very best video settings, you’ll all the time need to set the Shutter Velocity to double the framerate you’re filming with this drone (or the closest worth).
As an example, should you’re seeking to movie in 2.7k at 30 frames per second, your shutter velocity must be 1/60. In FullHD at 60 frames per second, the shutter velocity should be across the 1/120 worth.
Now, as a result of through the daytime, there will likely be loads of mild coming into the picture sensor, even with ISO at minimal, the video will likely be overexposed – that’s why it’s essential to make use of ND filters to cut back the quantity of sunshine that comes into the Mini 2 SE digital camera sensor.
If, through the daybreak or nightfall, and even at night time, you don’t get a correctly uncovered video when setting the shutter velocity to double the framerate, then it’s important to modify your ISO manually to match the scene’s brightness.
In videography, it’s best to by no means depart all of the settings on auto, it doesn’t matter what drone you might be filming with.
» MORE: Greatest Picture/Video Modifying Apps for DJI Drones
How one can enhance your DJI Mini 2 SE pictures
As an expert photographer, I’ve captured tens of hundreds {of professional} photographs utilizing my DSLRs, drones, and telephone.
Drone pictures just isn’t that tough. Though capturing photographs in several situations with the digital camera behind DJI Mini 2 SE could also be difficult, usually, if a couple of guidelines are adopted, then you possibly can count on to see fast enchancment.
Attempt to preserve the ISO on the lowest values
The very first thing could be to NEVER elevate the ISO until it’s good to.
At all times preserve it on the minimal worth for this drone, which is 100.
If the shutter velocity just isn’t quick sufficient to seize low-light pictures and also you’re struggling to get both correctly uncovered photographs or sharp photographs due to extended publicity values, then it’s time to improve the ISO little by little.
However by no means earlier than.
» MORE: What Is Drone Pictures? (Defined for Newcomers)
Put up-processing your photographs is essential
Seize in RAW and never JPEG. You’ll have to edit your pictures in post-processing software program like Lightroom.
With RAW, the picture information just isn’t burned into the image and can mean you can tweak a couple of settings, reminiscent of decreasing noise, growing the sharpness if wanted, exposing the picture appropriately (brightness and publicity), including or eradicating shadows, colours, and a lot extra.
Imagine me after I say that there will likely be a big distinction between an edited and a non-edited {photograph} taken with the DJI Mini 2 SE – and the above photographs are good examples.
» MORE: Greatest Modifying Software program for the DJI Mini 2 SE
Selecting the correct climate situations
It could solely be logical to imagine that you just aren’t flying your drone in dangerous climate situations, as this can have an effect on the drone’s flight and might even injury the drone if it rains.
But when it’s windy, your pictures will undergo rather a lot, particularly should you’re capturing photographs in low-light situations. And right here’s why.
All drones have a wind resistance stage. As an example, the DJI Mini 2 SE has a stage 5 wind resistance with most winds of 10.7 m/s. Even decrease winds may be troubling if you wish to seize pictures.
Throughout windy instances, the drone will try to self-stabilize rather a lot, and it won’t be able to hover altogether easily. Even with the 3-axis gimbal straining to stabilize the digital camera when captured in low-light situations, it’s not sufficient to maintain the digital camera in precisely the identical place for a second or two.
Because of this your photographs will likely be blurry and never sharp in any respect.
If it’s a bit windy and also you wish to seize photographs throughout full daylight, that must be okay as a result of the shutter velocity will likely be instantaneous, and it’ll take only some microseconds to seize the picture.
» MORE: Greatest Climate Apps for Drones (You Must Set up)
Shutter Velocity values
When capturing photographs along with your DJI Mini 2 SE, until you’re in search of nighttime pictures, the shutter velocity gained’t matter that a lot to set it manually.
That’s why auto mode must be high-quality.
Simply in case you wrestle to seize any sharp photographs (due to the long-exposure values we talked about earlier and wind), then improve the ISO a bit for the shutter velocity to develop into quick sufficient to seize clearer pictures.
Aside from that, auto mode is okay in pictures – however not when filming with this drone.
White stability
The white stability is a posh setting, and it’ll take a while to know it totally. That’s why the auto white stability must be okay should you’re a really newbie in pictures and also you’re merely seeking to seize a couple of photographs along with your brand-new Mini 2 SE.
The colour temperature, which is measured in Kelvin, goes from decrease values, which replicate very chilly photographs, to greater values, that are hotter photographs.
If the ambient colour you observe open air is colder (e.g., sunny day, overcast through the day), then it’s good to improve the white stability to greater values for the photographs to develop into barely hotter, or they may look manner too chilly (blue-ish).
If it’s morning or night and also you observe a surprising orange sundown, it’s good to lower the white stability values (to colder) for the picture to have a correct colour. In any other case, the images will likely be manner too heat.
The auto mode isn’t a foul factor on this case. In actual fact, I might suggest retaining the white stability on auto more often than not and manually modifying it provided that your Mini 2 SE pictures are too heat or too chilly.
However bear in mind, you can even readjust this in post-processing.
» MORE: Drone Pictures: Newbie’s Information to Getting Began
Conclusion
The DJI Mini 2 SE is a implausible drone. Don’t get me incorrect, for its value, it is likely one of the finest available on the market when it comes to pictures and filming.
However you do need to keep in mind that the digital camera has a small sensor and isn’t meant for skilled pictures or filming.
That’s why adjusting a couple of settings manually will enhance your pictures drastically. Furthermore, post-processing your RAW photographs will take these to the following stage, nearer to professional-grade pictures.
However should you haven’t bought this drone but and are in search of one to seize the very best photographs, I recommend you choose a drone with a a lot bigger digital camera sensor.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE vs. Mini 3 vs. Mini 3 Professional (Right here’s My Alternative)
