Mavic 3 primary camera has lens distortion

[Darkabaz]

If it was as bad as the OP suggested, you'd expect it would be easy for him to be able to provide at least one example where the issue was obvious.

I have for sure m8. Here is another single sample . Just a image with 1/4000sec shutter speed. Again, very blurry corner on left top. There was no wind.

DJI-0624

Image DJI-0624 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

 

[Meta4]

I have for sure m8. Here is another single sample . Just a image with 1/4000sec shutter speed. Again, very blurry corner on left top. There was no wind.

DJI-0624

Image DJI-0624 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

This is just another shot with no hard detail in any corners, and everything is very distant.
You can't tell if the lens is a problem or not from such a shot.

You need the subject to be much closer and something with hard detail.

 

[Filmarik]

If you look on YT, you'll probably see *many* videos discussing the Mavic 3 and the Cine Model. You'll probably note that the video and photos they post look great, unless they are describing some camera problem they encountered and if no one else or very few are running into it, then there is nothing wrong with the actual model, its just one with an issue requiring repair or replacement.

If you do run into an issue out of the box, chances are it's an unfortunate hardware issue and you could show DJI the issue and they would replace the drone. It happens no matter what the product and it doesn't make the product any less great once you have a fully functional one.. So If you spotted it right away, , you could probably exchange it with the place you bought it from if they were more convenient than to make a call to DJI support for them to manage it.

However, you have to order one to see what happens, chances are, you'll be fine. I've bought 3 DJI drones, never had a problem with any of them, however there could be a future upgrade perhaps that I'll get one that has an issue and I'll never know till I get there...

What you are saying makes lot of sense, though the numerous samples from various owners I have seen so far show perceptible degradation of sharpness in specific region of the frame. This region of blurriness is often on the left side of the frame right next to the sharp central area. Interestingly the sharpness again marginally improves towards the left edge. Sort of like mustache lens distortion but this time sharpness degradation. The right side is mostly less affected by this phenomenon and shows more uniform sharpness. From admitedly very limited sample base I can not say my findings are conclusive in any shape or form but nevertheless they show that some (too many for my liking) M3 units suffer from lens issue affecting sharpness in specific regions of the frame. And that is a worrying thought to have when considering placing an order....

 

[Filmarik]

This is just another shot with no hard detail in any corners, and everything is very distant.
You can't tell if the lens is a problem or not from such a shot.

You need the subject to be much closer and something with hard detail.

To me the photo clearly shows significant degradation of sharpness in corners, mostly near the top edge close to the top left corner and also on right top corner. Not sure what f stop this was taken with. If it was f 4 or 5.6 I'd return the drone. I would consider this to be an unacceptable IQ.

 

[Meta4]

Not sure what f stop this was taken with.

Camera settings were 1/400th f2.8 ISO 110

 

[Filmarik]

Camera settings were 1/400th f2.8 ISO 110

Well, in all honesty, and I said this before, to expect perfectly sharp corners at fully open lens is a bit foolish. Even the very best FF DSLR wide angle lenses (costing as much as this entire drone) won't give you perfectly sharp corners at maximum aperture ( wide open). Stop it down to f5.6 then have a look at your photos to see if the sharpness becomes acceptable for you and your clients and post some well exposed daytime samples for us to be able to evaluate them then.

 

[edcMavicPilots]

Messing with us? What do you think? Do you think i send the drone back for my pleasure? I need it mostly every week for some jobs dude. One of my clients send me an mail after receiving the photos and he said, "mate check your corners they are not sharp. For us it is unusable". I was in shock. I bought a drone for 2000€ +++ and it was not sharp?!
So that is the reason i check all photos carefully and only can say the same about it. I contact DJI and they confirm.
i ask this forum and got replies which telling me the same.
i May send it back and that is what ive done. The reason i upload 3 images from the sides on 100% is because i thought it was easy too see and other owners can compare there images with these. I was not sure if the forum can include full JPEGs without quality lose because it take a lot of space.

The question is because you seem to not want to post a single full size photo that shows all the edges. People post links to full size images all the time.

 

[Darkabaz]

Drone is changed for a new one. DJI inspected it and confirmed the issue with the hasselblad camera. Closed.

 

[Filmarik]

Drone is changed for a new one. DJI inspected it and confirmed the issue with the hasselblad camera. Closed.

I'd like to see a few samples from the new one when you get it. This time full frame photo, sun daylight, well exposed at f5.6 and f4, ISO100, thank you very much.
The frequency of occurances of this M3 main camera having lens issues is concerning. I understand that this forum is not representative enough to draw any definitive conclusion but the sheer fact that DJI admitts that there are issues with sharpness uniformity is telling...

 

[Meta4]

the sheer fact that DJI admitts that there are issues with sharpness uniformity is telling...

DJI never admit there are issues with any of their products.
But they often replace things just to satisfy complaining customers.

 

[Filmarik]

DJI never admit there are issues with any of their products.
But they often replace things just to satisfy complaining customers.

Isn't that an admission? They would not replace a drone if the complaint was unfounded.

 

[Meta4]

Isn't that an admission?

No

They would not replace a drone if the complaint was unfounded.

You'd think so, but there are many cases where they have just replaced when not necessary.
EIther just to get rid of the complaining customer, or because their repair centre people are just slack.

 

[JoshC]

No

You'd think so, but there are many cases where they have just replaced when not necessary.
EIther just to get rid of the complaining customer, or because their repair centre people are just slack.

If they refurb it, do a lens calibration and send it out to a DJI Care replacement customer it's probably pretty close to cost neutral

 

[Filmarik]

If they refurb it, do a lens calibration and send it out to a DJI Care replacement customer it's probably pretty close to cost neutral

I am not sure if lens calibration is even possible on this camera. This is not a DSLR lens where individual lens elements can be minutely adjusted for optimal performance. Here the entire camera body including the lens is likely assembled by robots and sealed, not to be opened and repaired. If the optics are off due to whatever reason, it might be cheaper for DJI to simply swap the entire camera or simply replace the entire drone hoping it would be better optically than the one the customer has returned. Who knows...

 

[dfross]

The primary camera from my Mavic 3 has some distortion on the border and corners. On the corners i also see 'double' details... Is there a way to fix this? I contact DJI and they not gave me some helpfull information.
Why is there so much distortion on a drone from this price category? Mini 3 does have a lot less distortion.

Ciné or basic version? I have the basic. A1-sharpness and clarity across the visual field. I’m hearing about quality assurance issues and wondering if it’s both versions that suffer or just the Ciné?

 

[Meta4]

Ciné or basic version? I have the basic. A1-sharpness and clarity across the visual field. I’m hearing about quality assurance issues and wondering if it’s both versions that suffer or just the Ciné?

The internal storage is the only difference between the models.
They have identical cameras (and everything else).

 

[Filmarik]

The internal storage is the only difference between the models.
They have identical cameras (and everything else).

True, though we do not know if the camera components ( lenses) for both of these two versions come from the same source or from the same stock. It could well be that they are not and that could make the Cine line experiencing the problematic sharpness issues at the moment. All a pure speculations off course.

 

[Meta4]

True, though we do not know if the camera components ( lenses) for both of these two versions come from the same source or from the same stock. It could well be that they are not and that could make the Cine line experiencing the problematic sharpness issues at the moment. All a pure speculations off course.

As the cameras have exactly the same specifications, there's no reason to guess that DJI might use different components.
For manufacturing simplicity and economy it would be extremely unlikely that the two drones would use different parts.

 

[Filmarik]

As the cameras have exactly the same specifications, there's no reason to guess that DJI might use different components.
For manufacturing simplicity and economy it would be extremely unlikely that the two drones would use different parts.

Just trying to build up my case in hope of having perhaps a better chance of getting a good one if I ask my supplier for the non Cine this time round. As the saying goes once bitten twice shy. In my case twice bitten with Cine, so what is there to loose by trying the third time the non Cine, me thinking...

 

[flyingdutchman3]

For what it's worth, I've noticed the my M3, purchased in March 2023, also has blurring of the photos in the lower left corner. The rest of my shot is pretty sharp, but the lower left corner of each is not sharp at all. I am contact my my retailer, then DJI if necessary, to obtain a fix or replacement. I'm a commercial users and I don't believe we shouldn't have this issue with a $2K+ drone.