DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Mavic Air 2 Video Settings for Noise

Dedicated12

New Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Messages
1
Reactions
0
Age
39
Location
Maryland
Hi all!

This is my first post in this forum and I hope to enjoy a long run in the Mavic community and thanks in advance for any help offered to this post.

Basic Issue:

When recording, I sometimes get very noisy and grainy footage. I typically record at 4k24fps unless I am aiming to slow the footage.

My thoughts on why this is happening (But I am very much open to welcome the various experienced points of view that I have seen posting on this platform):
I think this is happening because of settings that I have chosen out of inexperience.

I am going to link a video clip I recently made that had plenty of unacceptable amounts of noise in the opening few shots.

Running with an ND16 filter on (I am feeling like it might be a factor in the lower light shots for why it's so noisy)
Shooting at 100 ISO
4k25fps - Shutter speed 1/50
D-Cinelike Profile
H.265

Ultimate Goal:
An experienced drone pilot step up and make a basic tutorial on how to achieve best video output at the various mode/frame rate options within the settings.

I also was hoping someone with experience could enlighten me on 'best practice' settings that have worked for them in relation to negating the effects of video noise in their footage.

 
Hi all!

This is my first post in this forum and I hope to enjoy a long run in the Mavic community and thanks in advance for any help offered to this post.

Basic Issue:
When recording, I sometimes get very noisy and grainy footage. I typically record at 4k24fps unless I am aiming to slow the footage.

My thoughts on why this is happening (But I am very much open to welcome the various experienced points of view that I have seen posting on this platform):
I think this is happening because of settings that I have chosen out of inexperience.

I am going to link a video clip I recently made that had plenty of unacceptable amounts of noise in the opening few shots.

Running with an ND16 filter on (I am feeling like it might be a factor in the lower light shots for why it's so noisy)
Shooting at 100 ISO
4k25fps - Shutter speed 1/50
D-Cinelike Profile
H.265

Ultimate Goal:
An experienced drone pilot step up and make a basic tutorial on how to achieve best video output at the various mode/frame rate options within the settings.

I also was hoping someone with experience could enlighten me on 'best practice' settings that have worked for them in relation to negating the effects of video noise in their footage.


The filter is not only the factor that caused the low light performance but it also interfered in many of the stronger lighting conditions you had.

If i were you , I would set aside the filter , go on auto pilot and reshoot , than post that video in 4K which was welcomed.
Than let the Experts tweak it a bit if it were to need any tweaking at all as your lighting conditions were fine all the way thru.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic Air 2 in the Rain.
Coal
 
The issue cant be related to filter. Noise level is related to light quantity, accepted by sensor. If ISO100 enought to get normally exposed frame - light is enought.
After investigation some DNGs (in very sunny conditions), I confirm that our sensor is very noisy.
 
most of your video is under exposed. Use the histogram, and get it as far to the left as possible without stacking up there. I find that the MA2 zebra striping is too sensitive, and will show even when I'm not close to blowing the highlights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phantomrain.org
I have a lot of noise to...
Here an example...
Filmed today. Full bright day.
no Filter
HDR
srt File says:
Iso 100
Shutter 1/350.0


I think my drone is defect....
 
Last edited:
I have a lot of noise to...
Here an example...
Filmed today. Full bright day.
no Filter
HDR


I think my drone is defect....

I dont see a defect but I do see your exposure and camera working to hard.
Try to film something to show the strengths of your camera as that shot is very difficult to get without a lot of manual configurations as you need better exposure , iso ect.

Try to just film the tops of the building as that was looking good , clear and clean.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic in the rain.
Coal
 
I have a lot of noise to...
Here an example...
Filmed today. Full bright day.
no Filter
HDR
srt File says:
Iso 100
Shutter 1/350.0


I think my drone is defect....

The footage looks fine on my screen here. The HDR mode is a bit of a hack, its using the smaller photo sites on the sensor, which will naturally result in more noise. I have found that the HDR mode goes out of its ways to protect the highlights, almost too much so, and then prefers to boost the shadows rather than try and pull the hightlights back a bit.

For less noise, fly without HDR mode, manual settings, with the appropriate ND filter and try to get your shutter speed as close to double your framerate to make the exposure right.

Turn on the histogram, and get it as close to the left without stacking up on the side.

With a small sensor, you are going to have to make a call as the cinematographer, which do you want to favour, protecting the highlights at the expsense of the shadows, or vice versa. Time of day you fly and the angle that the sun is at has the biggest effect on what kind of exposure you are going to get in your video.

sunrise +2hrs and sunset -2hrs are good rules of thumb. fly with the sun out of frame etc and you'll get a bit more tonal range (ie: not bright sky and dark trees).

Hope thats helpful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oakley75
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,592
Messages
1,554,167
Members
159,594
Latest member
mini2+