Dispelling some myths for clarity

[JamesM]

I've done a lot of work with various types of cameras. I want to bring what I've learned to this thread. Disclosure, I have not used the mavic pro..though I do have one on order.
First I'd like to address dlog-
The mavic pro is an 8 bit camera, typically you need at least a 10bit signal with a 4.2.2 color profile to get usable results from color correction and grading. An 8 bit signal just falls apart when you push it in post, simply stated, there is not enough information to begin with. So far, I've not seen great results from using dlog on any 8bit footage.
I also read a thread where the user stated that one needed to shoot on a gray, or muted day in order to get good results. It is my opinion that nothing could be further from the truth. If the information isn't there to begin with, then you cannot adequately add it in later. The reason dlog footage looks washed out, is because the signal is "flattened" so you have latitude for creative expression, the information is all there, it is just waiting to be brought out per your preferences.
Re shooting 4K - my opinion is that 50mbps is just too little amount of data to get usable 4K footage, perhaps it will look okay on small displays or when scaled to 1080, but on its own, it will fall apart on a big screen at native resolution. The only real advantage I see would be the ability to crop, track and compose.

 

[Kilrah]

I'm happy to watch my (and others') Mavic footage on my 4K 49" monitor.
Bit more noisy than better cams, but still very much worth the extra detail.

 

[JamesM]

Good to hear.

 

[jcross]

Bit of a stuff'tshirt here huh? Even though I h Ave 10s of thousands of $ worth on still photo equipment I couldn't plunk down $6K+ on my first real suav. So you got one just so you could say you did and run it down for all else? Sad there are so many with more money than heart.

Why don't you buy a "real" aerial imaging platform" and share that with us

 

[JamesM]

Bit of a stuff'tshirt here huh? Even though I h Ave 10s of thousands of $ worth on still photo equipment I couldn't plunk down $6K+ on my first real suav. So you got one just so you could say you did and run it down for all else? Sad there are so many with more money than heart.

Why don't you buy a "real" aerial imaging platform" and share that with us

 

[JamesM]

Not my intention to run down anybody or anything. Sorry if your feelings got hurt. Since I decided to purchase a Mavic Pro I thought I'd look at the dlog option, these are my opinions based on what I've learned about digital cinema over the years. I think the Mavic Pro is a great tool that can be used in many amateur and professional applications, but it is, what it is. If I thought it was junk I wouldn't have purchased one. Certainly, 50mbps is enough for 1080p, just very light for 4K. With the older drones such as the phantom 2, I always had to down scale to 1280 x 720 because at some point the props would appear in the footage, I don't think I will have to do this with the Mavic Pro so it ought to shoot some really nice 1080p.

 

[ryo]

I see it this way: looking for ultimate top quality image with the MP is like trying to win a pro race with a steet legal car: it's simply not designed for that purpose. That said, i find many videos shot with the MP just gorgeous and unimaginable just a few years ago.

 

[Domagoj]

Shoot in 4k, watch it on big screen 4k tv then come here and tell us is it falling apart. I can tell you from my personal expirience that it is not. You do not even need to wait. There is plenty of evidence on youtube. No need to make pointless threads about imaginary problems.

 

[JamesM]

I see it this way: looking for ultimate top quality image with the MP is like trying to win a pro race with a steet legal car: it's simply not designed for that purpose. That said, i find many videos shot with the MP just gorgeous and unimaginable just a few years ago.

Agreed. And in some cases you can get top quality footage. Really, the content is what matters most. I'm trying to make a judgment call in whether I should use the log settings or not, so far from what I've seen and read, combined with my observations with using log with other types of cameras, I haven't seen a good enough example to make me want to. My hope is that someone here will prove me wrong!

 

[ICHOTT]

Agreed. And in some cases you can get top quality footage. Really, the content is what matters most. I'm trying to make a judgment call in whether I should use the log settings or not, so far from what I've seen and read, combined with my observations with using log with other types of cameras, I haven't seen a good enough example to make me want to. My hope is that someone here will prove me wrong!

Sorry buts what's your point?
Are you asking for advice or giving it before you've even got a mavic pro?
Why do you live in hope of being proved wrong?
Just enjoy the ****** thing . . .

 

[Mavić_Legenda]

The mavic pro is an 8 bit camera, typically you need at least a 10bit signal with a 4.2.2 color profile to get usable results from color correction and grading. An 8 bit signal just falls apart when you push it in post, simply stated, there is not enough information to begin with. So far, I've not seen great results from using dlog on any 8bit footage.

Yes, if you know how to spot differences between 8-bit and 10-bit signals, different codecs etc. then you will probably be disappointed with Mavic's dlog. I'd say most people on this forum can't do this so they get defensive when you criticise the use of dlog and 4k footage, as above. Try to see the Mavic as a great flying machine with a tiny crappy phone camera stuck on the front and you'll be right!

 

[JamesM]

Shoot in 4k, watch it on big screen 4k tv then come here and tell us is it falling apart. I can tell you from my personal expirience that it is not. You do not even need to wait. There is plenty of evidence on youtube. No need to make pointless threads about imaginary problems.

You ought to brush up on bit rates and pixel sub sampling. I've watched and shot and studied a lot of 4K video, compressed and raw for years. I've seen a lot of YouTube 4K too. You don't know what you're talking about. Try not to get butt-hurt and get off this thread.

 

[Mr. Salty]

You ought to brush up on bit rates and pixel sub sampling. I've watched and shot and studied a lot of 4K video, compressed and raw for years. I've seen a lot of YouTube 4K too. You don't know what you're talking about. Try not to get butt-hurt and get off this thread.

You can either be a pixel-peeper and fret over every perceived imperfection that the vast majority of people would never notice, or you can be a photographer who captures great images.

How is your footage going to be viewed? Are you shooting documentaries for theatrical release? Are you shooting for broadcast television? Or are you looking to capture images that will be watched on YouTube?

I've been a photographer for decades. The Mavic's footage in 4K looks great on my calibrated 55-inch 4K TV. And color correction and color grading work great, assuming you aren't trying to do anything too extreme.

If you want to spend several times more than the Mavic and get an Inspire or a Matrice big enough to lift a DSLR, feel free.

 

[paintball]

You ought to brush up on bit rates and pixel sub sampling. I've watched and shot and studied a lot of 4K video, compressed and raw for years. I've seen a lot of YouTube 4K too. You don't know what you're talking about. Try not to get butt-hurt and get off this thread.

I think you are in the wrong forum. No one here is buying the Mavic to make the next Lord of the Rings movie. How are the bit rates and pixel sub sampling on your phone's camera? If you care about that stuff you need to be looking at a whole different category of drones, not the the $1,000 hobbyist stuff.

Off course if you're just here to show off some technical terms or troll then we took the bait....

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

I
Off course if you're just here to show off some technical terms or troll then we took the bait....

BINGO.

 

[charliesRig]

I LIKE THIS THREAD.!
I don't understand it But I Like IT.!
.
Just would like to add Two things
I'm pretty sure I don't have enough knowledge on this subject to be commenting.!

#1..
this thread today has taught me I'm never too old to learn something new
OP
not ment as a dig to you sir. Your probably on a different level when it come to Video shooting/Editing

#2...
yes the Mavic has some limitation but do you possess the talent to succeed those limitation like so many show us on you tube shooting/editing Glorious video with mavic Pro
.

The saying goes Like this
"You can drive a fast car slow...... But take skill to drive a slow car fast"
.
................C
.
.

 

[JamesM]

BINGO.

Perhaps you should read. If you guys just want to pat yourselves on the back then go for it. I prefer to study my tools so I can find the best ways to do it. If you don't know what your talking about, then you should have some curiosity at least. Try reading this.
BTW it's called a Mavic "Pro"
Mavic 1080p 60fps

 

[Michael Ainsworth]

Joined today, not even a proper intro?
Just bag the camera, tell us what settings we should use?
My breathe is bated.
By the way I don't shoot Dlog as a well experienced photographer just suggested
a few tweaks to the settings and the correct ND filters.
Saying that I shoot to the max my cam allows.
All edits done on computer through Resolve, Lightroom and Photoshop as needed.
I believe 4k is also outdated now, unfortunately I am recently retired so do not have oodles of the green stuff to outlay on next months flavour.
Still remember the Vic 20 as top of line computer.
More isn't necessarily better.
Just revisit the early black and white photographers.

 

[collins]

I've done a lot of work with various types of cameras. I want to bring what I've learned to this thread. Disclosure, I have not used the mavic pro..though I do have one on order.
First I'd like to address dlog-
The mavic pro is an 8 bit camera, typically you need at least a 10bit signal with a 4.2.2 color profile to get usable results from color correction and grading. An 8 bit signal just falls apart when you push it in post, simply stated, there is not enough information to begin with. So far, I've not seen great results from using dlog on any 8bit footage.
I also read a thread where the user stated that one needed to shoot on a gray, or muted day in order to get good results. It is my opinion that nothing could be further from the truth. If the information isn't there to begin with, then you cannot adequately add it in later. The reason dlog footage looks washed out, is because the signal is "flattened" so you have latitude for creative expression, the information is all there, it is just waiting to be brought out per your preferences.
Re shooting 4K - my opinion is that 50mbps is just too little amount of data to get usable 4K footage, perhaps it will look okay on small displays or when scaled to 1080, but on its own, it will fall apart on a big screen at native resolution. The only real advantage I see would be the ability to crop, track and compose.

There are two youtube channels that I follow that produce incredibly high quality videos from the Mavic (especially considering the sensors underlying limitations). If you dont really see the quality of their footage from the underlying videos posted below simply click on one of their other uploads.

Here is their respective videos on the best settings for video on the Mavic

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Note:
Resolution: They both recommend 4k. (I saw a blog by a drone pilot for DJI who says that DJI itself recommends 2.7k because of the higher bitrate.)
Color profile: One recommends D-Log another D-Cinelike. (My view is that D-Log is very difficult to color grade (and it needs grading) given the low underlying bit rate. Obviously these guys are much more skilled than me but if you dont have their skills better not go in that direction.)
Style: One goes for -1,-1,-1 and another +1, -1, 0. Note that neither goes near the flattest style settings (so if you go for d-log with -3 contrast - good luck). The reason one guy goes for a +1 sharpness settings is carefully explained in another video.

 

[collins]

Perhaps you should read. If you guys just want to pat yourselves on the back then go for it. I prefer to study my tools so I can find the best ways to do it....

...Disclosure, I have not used the mavic pro..though I do have one on order.....

Hmmmm.... Perhaps you should listen to your own advice. Go study your tool - when you get one - and then come back with an opinion......