Picked Up a Mini Over the weekend. My Thoughts.. Ugh ..

[harleymhs]

Very Low photo seems OK, the higher altitude photos were ALL bad!

 

[sbonev]

The HUB only charges the batteries.. And u can use the HUB as a battery bank when the batteries are fully charged. and use it to charge the remote from the batteries.

Try this out. Plug in hub with 3 empty batteries in the power. Connect the hub to the RC, push our button and hold (not sure of you needed to hold or push twice),RC lights should come on and it should start to charge, leave for a couple of hours and everything will be charger at 100%, that is how I basically charge it the day before I fly ?

 

[mullern88]

Can't charge the batteries in the 3 battery hub and the remote at the same time,

I can charge 2 batteries and the RC simultaneously. 1 battery in the drone, 1 battery in the charger, and with the third charger the RC. Everybody has more than one charger at home these days.

 

[Thomas B]

Very Low photo seems OK, the higher altitude photos were ALL bad!

Lens fogging due to ambient temp changes at altitude?

 

[Ben B]

Are you guys shooing in AUTO or Manual ?

I've just left in auto for now. Will play around with manual some time soon.

 

[harleymhs]

Try this out. Plug in hub with 3 empty batteries in the power. Connect the hub to the RC, push our button and hold (not sure of you needed to hold or push twice),RC lights should come on and it should start to charge, leave for a couple of hours and everything will be charger at 100%, that is how I basically charge it the day before I fly ?

Odd, everyone says the HUB is ONLY a power bank and the USB output will only charge from the charged batteries.

 

[nn666]

Something was definitely wrong with the camera of your drone. I've never had that issue.

As for charging, you receive two cords and one can connect to the hub while it charges to charge the remote also at the same time.

 

[harleymhs]

Something was definitely wrong with the camera of your drone. I've never had that issue.

As for charging, you receive two cords and one can connect to the hub while it charges to charge the remote also at the same time.

Seems like the Remote WILL charge if connected to the hub WHEN all the batteries are charged.
a. Charges up to three batteries in sequence.
b. Automatically charges the connected external device when all batteries are fully charged.
c. Checks the battery level.
d. When it is not charging, you can use it as a power bank to charge mobile devices.

 

[nn666]

Seems like the Remote WILL charge if connected to the hub WHEN all the batteries are charged.
a. Charges up to three batteries in sequence.
b. Automatically charges the connected external device when all batteries are fully charged.
c. Checks the battery level.
d. When it is not charging, you can use it as a power bank to charge mobile devices.

Nope. Just hold the button on the hub and it charges the remote and batteries. I personally just use two chargers but it does work I have done it that way before. I don't really charge the remote as often, maybe once every 3 charges of the batteries.

 

[harleymhs]

UPDATE. I swapped out the mini today for anew one. Once I send it up Ill post a few pics here... and report back here! Does anyone use a LENS hood on the Mini here? Thanks!

 

[Bill Dunnuck]

I thought the same thing, to exchange it today. Im seeing a lot of nice photos from the Mini On line... And here on this thread. I decided to try another one today! Ill report back here once I try the NEW ONE. It was odd the photos on the ground and in my home look fine! Once in the air they were CLOUDY! Thats why I figured it was the nature of the beast . Are you guys shooing in AUTO or Manual ??? Thanks for ALL your replies!!!!!

I have several quality drones and I think my Mini photos are excellent. Something wrong with yours. Give it another shot. I shoot in Auto but sometimes lock EV value. It’s a pretty nice little machine all things considered. The rapid decent has not been a problem on mine so far.

 

[dan.utinske]

I guess to start with it's important to note that the Mini is made for the new drone pilot; that's me!! The ability to shoot pictures and video is a plus. To learn to fly anything, aircraft, helicopters, hang gliders, paraglider's, or drones the one thing you need more than anything else is time in the air. The mini beats all the other's hands down in cost, flight time and ease of use. A solid 25 minute flight keeping the drone low and slow as I learn increased my abilities 10 fold over the Spark. I love the Spark, I have 3 of them but trying to learn reversed flight controlling, looking at the drone, watching the monitor (iPhone) and all the other nuances that accompany flying a drone is skewed by the relatively short flight time of each flight. I have 5 batteries for the Spark so it's land, change out and relaunch. The mini so far I have 2 batteries (regret not buying the fly more) and with those I realized nearly an hour (rounded up a bit) flight time. If I did have one single complaint it would be that the day I flew last week was a typical cool Pacific North West day with high Cirrus clouds and at a little over 150' the mini blended in so well with the sky I lost sight of it. I had to rely on position indicators on my iPhone to bring it back down so I could see it. From that point on I kept it relatively low as I focused on using the extra flight time to learn my control techniques. Just my .02 from a relatively old aviator!

 

[cyberkatis]

Be very interested in your findings! Good luck!

 

[harleymhs]

OK, Charging everything up this AM maybe I can check the cam before it rains here in NY today... QUESTION : Does anyone that has the Mavic Mini tap the phone screen to Lock the Exposure or do you just hit the shutter button on AUTO to take a Photo? Thank youguys for all your replies! So helpful! Hope this one is good today! UGH

 

[Jet skier]

Hey Guys. This is just my opinion not knocking anyone who is loving their Mavic Mini : With that said ....
I currently own : DJI SPARK , DJI Mavic Pro 2 , Autel Evo ... I wanted to pick up a small capable drone to travel with ... I go to France a lot. The Spark takes great pics and the build quality is on point with DJI. BUT the connection issues are a pain and I don't trust it for a far away photo. That said I watched lots of you tube videos on the Mini and I was hoping DJI put the Spark Camera on the mini. Once I unboxed the Mini right away I felt it was Toyish. Charged it up and took it out Sunday morning.. Nice breeze and clear skies. The Mini handled the wind and the range was on point unlike the spark ... I was impressed... Once I started taking photos that's where this went south! 99% of the photos had lens flare! Now I see why everyone is selling lens hoods for the Mini! Went home and some you tubers said if you update the firmware the photos are better... Did that took it out again to the same parks and they got a bit better but they are horrific compared to the Spark Photos.
On to my other issues... Pain in the butt to put the gimbal cover on, Can't charge the batteries in the 3 battery hub and the remote at the same time, Damm little props are all over the place when putting the Mini back into the case.. All these I would of overlooked if the photos were the same quality as the Spark. Seem to me the Spark is the Winner for now..
Just my thoughts... The Mini is being returned today.. Hoping for a Mini with the Spark Camera and some forward avoidance sensor like the Spark..

I’m glad I haven’t bought a mini yet I have a spark and it takes fabulous photos does the mini have better range than the spark do you think?

 

[Dbez1]

That was the 1st thing I checked when I got back home.. I also made sure there was no protective film on it . Lens was clean and no smudge or film.

You got one with a bad camera. Just return it as defective and try again. Mine takes good sharp photos for the price. Best wishes

 

[Capt KO]

I thought the same thing, to exchange it today. Im seeing a lot of nice photos from the Mini On line... And here on this thread. I decided to try another one today! Ill report back here once I try the NEW ONE. It was odd the photos on the ground and in my home look fine! Once in the air they were CLOUDY! Thats why I figured it was the nature of the beast . Are you guys shooing in AUTO or Manual ??? Thanks for ALL your replies!!!!!

It all depends on the lighting whether to use manual or Auto. Last night at sunset I had to use both. Then I can pick and choose which one to edit. Both stills and video . Good luck on your next Mini.

 

[Dbez1]

OK, Charging everything up this AM maybe I can check the cam before it rains here in NY today... QUESTION : Does anyone that has the Mavic Mini tap the phone screen to Lock the Exposure or do you just hit the shutter button on AUTO to take a Photo? Thank youguys for all your replies! So helpful! Hope this one is good today! UGH

In answer to your question...yes, I lock the exposure, especially when in video mode and when needed in photo mode. If you don’t, a bright sky can result in underexposure of your subjects on the ground. One simple technique I use for video mode is to tilt the camera down toward the ground and lock the exposure if I’m happy with it. At this point I can get as much sky as I want without effecting the exposure. This, however, will not work for sunsets. Another way to control this is the EV adjustment in conjunction with the histogram. You will learn that they both have their uses. Best wishes.

 

[silverdragon]

Hey Guys. This is just my opinion not knocking anyone who is loving their Mavic Mini : With that said ....
I currently own : DJI SPARK , DJI Mavic Pro 2 , Autel Evo ... I wanted to pick up a small capable drone to travel with ... I go to France a lot. The Spark takes great pics and the build quality is on point with DJI. BUT the connection issues are a pain and I don't trust it for a far away photo. That said I watched lots of you tube videos on the Mini and I was hoping DJI put the Spark Camera on the mini. Once I unboxed the Mini right away I felt it was Toyish. Charged it up and took it out Sunday morning.. Nice breeze and clear skies. The Mini handled the wind and the range was on point unlike the spark ... I was impressed... Once I started taking photos that's where this went south! 99% of the photos had lens flare! Now I see why everyone is selling lens hoods for the Mini! Went home and some you tubers said if you update the firmware the photos are better... Did that took it out again to the same parks and they got a bit better but they are horrific compared to the Spark Photos.
On to my other issues... Pain in the butt to put the gimbal cover on, Can't charge the batteries in the 3 battery hub and the remote at the same time, Damm little props are all over the place when putting the Mini back into the case.. All these I would of overlooked if the photos were the same quality as the Spark. Seem to me the Spark is the Winner for now..
Just my thoughts... The Mini is being returned today.. Hoping for a Mini with the Spark Camera and some forward avoidance sensor like the Spark..

I have traveled to BEST BUY several time with the intent to buy the MINI, I would walk upto the Mini's Display case and stare at the Mini and scratch my head and contemplate...I'm here to purchase it, well....am I going to ask for a sales person, no don't. Because I'm going to look around the store a little and maybe buy one..... I then walk out of the store. In a nutshell, I will relish the thought and think later on...so the question is " Will I ever buy one" I may buy the MAVIC MINI 2 when it comes out??

 

[Happyonmyhill]

It looks to me like your lens is smudged, or maybe still has the protective plastic film on it. I haven't seen any other Mini pics that look like that.

Hey Guys. This is just my opinion not knocking anyone who is loving their Mavic Mini : With that said ....
I currently own : DJI SPARK , DJI Mavic Pro 2 , Autel Evo ... I wanted to pick up a small capable drone to travel with ... I go to France a lot. The Spark takes great pics and the build quality is on point with DJI. BUT the connection issues are a pain and I don't trust it for a far away photo. That said I watched lots of you tube videos on the Mini and I was hoping DJI put the Spark Camera on the mini. Once I unboxed the Mini right away I felt it was Toyish. Charged it up and took it out Sunday morning.. Nice breeze and clear skies. The Mini handled the wind and the range was on point unlike the spark ... I was impressed... Once I started taking photos that's where this went south! 99% of the photos had lens flare! Now I see why everyone is selling lens hoods for the Mini! Went home and some you tubers said if you update the firmware the photos are better... Did that took it out again to the same parks and they got a bit better but they are horrific compared to the Spark Photos.
On to my other issues... Pain in the butt to put the gimbal cover on, Can't charge the batteries in the 3 battery hub and the remote at the same time, Damm little props are all over the place when putting the Mini back into the case.. All these I would of overlooked if the photos were the same quality as the Spark. Seem to me the Spark is the Winner for now..
Just my thoughts... The Mini is being returned today.. Hoping for a Mini with the Spark Camera and some forward avoidance sensor like the Spark..

I’m a pretty picky photographer first/drone pilot 2nd. Have been very happy with camera. It’s very capable for its size. Make sure the lens is clean and not in manual either. You might be overexposing. A tap on screen will focus and set exposure. Those don’t look right to me.