Footage from 3 grand vacations ruined by DJI [RANT]

[Budge]

This year has been a great year for me and my family as we have gotten to travel quite a bit. We went to Argentina, Costa Rica, and South Africa. And my Mavic Pro went with me everywhere. I set it up to shoot at 1080p/24 using Custom Style and D-Log before the first trip. Then I manually set the iso and shutter speed before each flight using a ND filter and the Polar Pro app.

I don't have any experience with D-Log, and I didn't have a computer capable of color correcting it. But I planned on building a new computer to edit and color grade later. Well, now it's later, and my computer is built. Unfortunately, it looks like ALL of my video is 1080p/60 with Vivid color and no D-Log!

First of all, why on earth doesn't the DJI Go4 app retain it's settings!? That doesn't seem too difficult. Shame of me for not checking, but I treated the Mavic Pro like an aerial camera. The settings in my Canon camera stay the same until I change them, even with a battery swap. Secondly, there seems to be no way to tell which of your videos was shot in D-Log or any other color profile because that information is not recorded ANYWHERE. Again, why is this so difficult?

I hope that somebody reading this learns from my mistakes. DJI needs to decide if the Mavic Pro/Platinum/Zoom/2 are just expensive toys or true aerial photographic platforms. Until they upgrade the DJI Go app to have more professional features, my belief is that it is still just a toy.

 

[Mossiback]

...First of all, why on earth doesn't the DJI Go4 app retain it's settings!?...

This has been a problem with Go 4 for a long time. If you have your device set up for auto-updating (the default), at any time Go 4 could be updated and some settings are changed to the defaults, including RTH height. Unless you turn off auto-updates you will need to check all settings before flight.

My video feed got hosed by an update so I turned off auto-updating, always fly with my tablet in airplane mode, and my settings do not change.

 

[Budge]

I do have auto-update turned off. The app still doesn't retain those settings from flight to flight.

 

[Andy.]

As a photographer, I am now used to checking the settings on my camera every time I go for a shoot. It’s just part of the process that you have to get used to. Dials get turned, buttons presssd etc. I always check and double check.

We all live and learn. I also botched pictures from early photo shoots when I was starting. I don’t think you can blame DJI for it.....

 

[Budge]

I hear what your saying, and I do accept responsibility for not checking that the settings stayed. But for DJI not to retain those settings as a rule is poor form for a $1000+ piece of equipment.

 

[InvisibleName]

I’m sorry for your problems, but I’ve never experienced Go 4 dumping its settings, except for once when I’d done an app update. I didn’t note if you’re using an Android or Apple device? I use an iPad 2018 WiFi only and Go 4 has always updated on demand and performed flawlessly

 

[ac0j]

I know that $1000 seems like a lot of money, but in the scheme of things, as far as professional aerial photography / video is concerned, the Mavic is at best entry level. That being said, if you dont want to have to "set the dials" you need to spend 4 to 5 times more at least. The Mavic is just barely above expensive toy status.

 

[gnirtS]

Same here, sadly i dont see how any of this is DJIs fault. Always check your settings. Always.
I've screwed up plenty by failing to verify what i thought was set. We all do it. But thats not the app makers fault.

Agree with the above, mavic 1 is "expensive toy". Theres no way its a professional photographic platform.