Mavic 3 color shifting in white balance / color tint

[GtoJon]

These kind of defects always show up in low contrast situations, that's logical. Caused by the fact that the contrast in these scenarios is low, and this low contrast is 'boosted' to get a pleasant looking image. When contrast gets boosted, color shifts get boosted to (become more contrasty = visible).
DJI's story of fixing this in a firmware update is BS; if the they would do this, the non-affected M3's would start showing a green color cast left and right.

I think you are right ... I think it is hardware. One is a processed DNG & the other is the jpg right out of the camera. I tried cranking it up to get magenta to show & there is none there. My other 2 M3s would have been almost hot pink on both sides.
Edit added one from today:
Cheers, Jon

 

[JustName]

Looks good... but! There is a strange Santa on your pic

 

[Kimblah]

I think you are right ... I think it is hardware. One is a processed DNG & the other is the jpg right out of the camera. I tried cranking it up to get magenta to show & there is none there. My other 2 M3s would have been almost hot pink on both sides.

Cheers, Jon

What is the manufacturing date of this unit?

 

[Point Zero]

Some hints for not comparing apples to oranges:

Like other camera manufactures DJI is compensating lens issues with so named "Opcodes" within their DNG files. This was already the case with the previous M3 firmware. And every software wich uses Adobe Camera RAW is using these compensation instructions for converting RAW images, to correct some of the lens issues like color and distortion correction, or to compensate for bad Pixels. You can't switch this off in Lightroom or Photoshop.

So to really inspect or compare lens problems or verify any changes or improvements with the internal processing of the drone, you have to use a RAW converter that does not take Obcodes into account, for example RAW Therapee (free), Capture One or Affinity Photo.

Besides that it's very likely that these problems are related to the lens, not to any software, profile or Opcode quirks. Which means that while these problems can be concealed with internal JPG processing and modified profiles or Opcodes in the RAW conversion process, it can still lead to problems elsewhere, for example overall color rendition.

Thanks for a very informative explanation as to what we might be seeing here. Looks like the answer is not going to be a simple one. Still I have confidence that DJI will make it right at some point. As problems go for cameras, this must rank up there with the worst of them (for all those effected)

 

[Kimblah]

Some hints for not comparing apples to oranges:

Like other camera manufactures DJI is compensating lens issues with so named "Opcodes" within their DNG files. This was already the case with the previous M3 firmware. And every software wich uses Adobe Camera RAW is using these compensation instructions for converting RAW images, to correct some of the lens issues like color and distortion correction, or to compensate for bad Pixels. You can't switch this off in Lightroom or Photoshop.

So to really inspect or compare lens problems or verify any changes or improvements with the internal processing of the drone, you have to use a RAW converter that does not take Obcodes into account, for example RAW Therapee (free), Capture One or Affinity Photo.

Besides that it's very likely that these problems are related to the lens, not to any software, profile or Opcode quirks. Which means that while these problems can be concealed with internal JPG processing and modified profiles or Opcodes in the RAW conversion process, it can still lead to problems elsewhere, for example overall color rendition.

But wouldn't this have to mean that every Mavic 3 out there would have to perform somewhat equally? If they are not performing equally and DJI changes the way RAW files are processed to say reduce the magenta on the sides. Then those units without it wouldn't behave correctly anymore.

 

[mischakeijser]

But wouldn't this have to mean that every Mavic 3 out there would have to perform somewhat equally? If they are not performing equally and DJI changes the way RAW files are processed to say reduce the magenta on the sides. Then those units without it wouldn't behave correctly anymore.

Exactly. That is why you cannot fix this hardware problem in a fimware update.

 

[RocketBrew]

While watching the hyperlapse video by @vicvideopic a great example of the magenta-cast showed up at 6:37

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[Point Zero]

While watching the hyperlapse video by @vicvideopic a great example of the magenta-cast showed up at 6:37

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Wow! Well spotted sir.

How did Vic not spot this in his own videos?

Can I just add to his commentary at that point...

"we have had severe winds and purple clouds for several days"

 

[Skyscope]

But wouldn't this have to mean that every Mavic 3 out there would have to perform somewhat equally?

No, not necessarily. Lenses for such compact camera modules (CCM) are designed in a very special way, like smartphone lenses, but not comparable to regular camera lenses. They aren't made of glass but different types of plastic, and with very unique shaped elements (look at the very right element in the picture below).



This lens element has a convex and concave design at the same time (sorry, can't describe it any better) for reducing diffractions and aberrations, which is necessary in such ultra compact lenses. It has to be made out of plastic because it's simply not possible to be made by grinding from glass. BTW, these elements are also responsible for the unique "Donut" flares and sometimes green spots of smartphone and consumer drone cameras.
For a much more detailed explanation of CCM lens design take a look here: https://lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/ap...design-of-camera-optics-for-mobile-phones.pdf

And like the Mavic 2 Pro in their beginning the Mavic 3 camera seems to have some kind of production spread. Some cameras are less affected by this issue, some more.

If they are not performing equally and DJI changes the way RAW files are processed to say reduce the magenta on the sides....

If you look at the RAW images of the Mavic 3 in RAW Therapee for example, you will see, that the magenta shift isn't only on the sides, but is a slightly darker magenta ring because of this element. (It's only left and right in LR or PS because of the Opcode corrections I mentioned above).

The obvious easiest way for DJI in correcting this magenta circle would be the reduction of saturation of the regarding tones in these areas, and a slight boost of exposure. But like I said, this would be at the cost of overall color reproduction. There is no lossless way to correct lens issues with software or profiles.

For example, there is also an automatic crop going on with converting RAWs in LR or PS, because the Opcodes in the DNG tells them to correct distortion. But the resolution of the file stays the same. So the images out of LR or PS don't have their original sensor resolution any more, there is upscaling in place. Same goes with JPGs out of the M3 camera. But to be fair, this isn't limited to the M3, it's the same with the M2P.

 

[Kimblah]

I have now ordered my fourth Mavic 3. If that has problems then I will give up on the Mavic 3 for some time and see how the situation progress.

 

[Point Zero]

I have now ordered my fourth Mavic 3. If that has problems then I will give up on the Mavic 3 for some time and see how the situation progress.

Fourth time lucky dude!

 

[JustName]

My second Mavic did arrived me.

Here are two RAW files with pics of a white wall from the same position and the same light, before the firmware update and after.

Download

 

[calmar81]

I have now ordered my fourth Mavic 3. If that has problems then I will give up on the Mavic 3 for some time and see how the situation progress.

Good luck!

 

[Kimblah]

My second Mavic did arrived me.

Here are two RAW files with pics of a white wall from the same position and the same light, before the firmware update and after.

Connecting...

Sadly seems to be affected too. Could this affect all units and majority of users just don't see this?

 

[JustName]

And there is a bunch of screenshots for comparison between old and new firmware and also Adobe Photoshop, Luminar AI and RawTherapee.

The worst results are in Photoshop and the old firmware.

Old Firmware...

 

[JustName]

New Firmware..

 

[Point Zero]

Sadly seems to be affected too. Could this affect all units and majority of users just don't see this?

Judging by what's been said, I would say it is a very distinct possibility that all Mavic 3's may be effected but as it only occurs under specific lighting conditions then many users just wont have seen this defect yet.

I am sure we will find out over the coming weeks.

 

[Kimblah]

Can't believe how DJI hasn't noticed this in their own testing??

 

[Point Zero]

I know, its completely bonkers how this was missed...

 

[Skyscope]

Here are two RAW files with pics of a white wall from the same position and the same light, before the firmware update and after.

Download

Thanks, RAW files are appreciated for analysing and comparing with own tools, but they must be completely unprocessed.
Your files were already processed with Adobe Camera RAW, as the XMP and other Metadata within the EXIF data shows.

History When                    : 2021:12:16 22:05:07+01:00
History Software Agent          : Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 14.0.1 (Macintosh), Adobe Photoshop

It would be helpful if you could provide the original files.