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Image Quality - Paint Brush Effect

Jon6565

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Jun 29, 2017
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I'm on day 2 of owning my Mavic and I'm a little perplexed at the image quality. To be clear I am a fairly accomplished photographer and I have a business where I have sold many images as a side line. I know about sharpness, ISO yada yada. I have read a few posts relating to similar issues and the answers to date are not conclusive.

To clarify, I have set the video and photo settings according to popular settings from users on YouTube - that makes sense.

What don't yet understand is where different versions of the image are stored and what those settings are. I also have a 3DR Solo which gave me the option to record to the camera roll as well as the SD card on a GoPro. I realise there are images stored on the SD card and would expect these to be the RAW file or at least the files with the slected setting (cinelike for example). My footage has the washed out paintbrush effect from the SD Card file. Admittedly, I have filmed at either end of the day but it was not dark. Even with a 3200 ISO the result should not be like a Van Gough!

The attached is actually a photo from the SD but is the same as the video. Look at the dirt piles...

Q.

  1. What if anything am I doing wrong?
  2. Where are the different files stored as I am also able to download an original from my login on the App...
 

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It looks quite dull and low contrast day in your example.
The JPG Mavic produces will look like this though not bad in good light.
RAW files are generally much better.
You can try camera reset, it sometimes seems that NR setting can get 'stuck'.
 
The JPGs out of the mavic are pretty much useless. You'll have to use the raw images. Terrible terrible jpg compression algorithm.
 
The JPGs out of the mavic are pretty much useless. You'll have to use the raw images. Terrible terrible jpg compression algorithm.
I have now set the images from JPG to JPG + RAW. I will see how that goes tomorrow, however it doesn't explain video quality which is exactly the same - if I take a still from the video at the same point - its exactly the same and it is the file from the SD at 1920 x 1080.

My only hunch is that given the low light is has set the ISO to 3200. My Canon 5D Mk III has spoilt me with regard to hi ISO quality
 
You've made the mistake of believing everything on YouTube.
D-Log is crap, use cinelike and don't use negative sharpening.

There are a number of threads here discussing this.
 
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Firstly never ever use JPG. DNG is the only way to get a decent image (RAW generally on any camera, forget jpg).
Don't use D-log as it alters the RAW file seemingly due to a bug.
The mavic camera like most tiny sensor action cams is terribly noisy on even low ISOs. Unless you really can't help it, don't shoot higher than ISO 100 for stills.

As far as video goes, the mavic compression on 1920 x 1080 HD is terrible. Use 2.7K or 4K. Then never use sharpening of 0 or lower as it dials in noise reduction.

Also remember to get the pictures from the directory on the mavic SD card not the low resolution live download the app stores on your tablet or phone.

FWIW ISO3200 produces unacceptable images even on most dslrs. For action cams usually 400 or above is unacceptable. The mavic having a fairly poor camera requires an even lower ISO.
Even on my Canon DSLRs id never consider shooting at ISO higher than 1600 unless i was prepared to do a lot of extra post production work on it.
 
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