RAW images from the
Mavic 2 Pro are 16 bit, not 10 bit (that's video), but it's the dynamic range that is the limiting factor, not the bit depth. The Sony sensor has a dynamic range of about 12 EV at ISO 100. The JPEG mapping to 8 bits will potentially miss detail in the highlights and shadows, so you can independently tone map a RAW image to pull those out. Every stop change in an HDR RAW sequence adds 1 EV to the dynamic range over and above the sensor's 12 EV.
There is no way
Mavic 2 Pro RAWs are true 16bit - that Sony sensor maxes out at 12bit readout if it's the sensor model I think it is. At an absolute maximum it would be capable of 14bit and I am quite sure it isn't doing that. Also DR does get a measurable improvement with increased bit depth, all else equal.
There's no escaping the fact that the larger the pixels, the better the dynamic range. Large sensors, large pixels, small sensors, small pixels. Large sensors, good dynamic range, small sensors, Ughhh!
The Hasselblad Hasselblad H6D-400c Multi-Shot has a very large sensor with pixels the size of you little finger nail (maybe not quite) but It's 400MP sensor shoots 2.4 GB files and boasts an incredible dynamic range allowing for unprecedented detail capture – from the deepest shadows to the brightest highlights.
Pixel size has no direct correlation to DR. Lots of sensors with smaller pixels have way better DR than sensors with larger pixels. That 1" Sony sensor (equivalent to approximately a 54MP DSLR) has better DR than some full frame DSLRs, such as much of what Canon was producing until recently. There are also lots of medium format cameras that do not have better DR than a full frame DSLR with a much smaller sensor.
The sensor technology, sensor tuning, and overall light collection ability, as well as how the ADC is done has the biggest effect. Also, the more room there is on the sensor wafer to get the electronics out of the way, the better - that is a problem with the small sensors, which is why it's the really small sensors that see much higher performance benefits from BSI and Stacked designs.
For example a 46MP Nikon D850 has some of the highest DR of any camera, and a 20MP Nikon D5 with much larger pixels has way worse base ISO DR because it is tuned for high ISO performance.
Also that Hasselblad H6D-400C has pixels orders of magnitude smaller than anyone's fingernails
The pixel pitch is about 2.4um (a micrometer is 1000 times smaller than a millimeter).
The only way mirror vibration is affecting sharpness is if you are using a very long lens.
Not really an issue for most drones, but It depends on the camera. Mirror vibration almost always plays a factor. It's also not limited to long lenses - macro photography is even more sensitive to it, and really any time you need absolute critical sharpness - even with landscape shots the difference is visible depending on the camera. Electronic shutters are one way around this, and some DSLRs now have electronic first curtain shutters which offer huge improvements for critical work. The other thing many high end camera manufacturers are doing now is using very specialized actuators that gradually accelerate and decelerate the mirror mechanism to reduce vibrations.
and yes I agree with what you say but there's no denying that ('as a general rule') larger sensors have larger pixels and offer better DR.
