Mavic Pro 2 Importing Dlog-m H.265

[davshev]

I'm using Premiere Pro 2018 and just tried to import .MOV Dlog-m footage I shot with my Mavic Pro 2. At first I got an error message which said I didn't have the proper codec for importing H.265 video. I converted the video to MP4 and dragged it into Premiere and it prompted me to download the H.265 codec plugin. I downloaded the plugin and was able to import the MP4 video. However, when I tried to import the other .MOV files, I still get the error message about not recognizing the codec. I guess I can always shoot in MP4 if I need to. Any thoughts?

 

[Almaz Aswad]

I'm using Premiere Pro 2018 and just tried to import .MOV Dlog-m footage I shot with my Mavic Pro 2. At first I got an error message which said I didn't have the proper codec for importing H.265 video. I converted the video to MP4 and dragged it into Premiere and it prompted me to download the H.265 codec plugin. I downloaded the plugin and was able to import the MP4 video. However, when I tried to import the other .MOV files, I still get the error message about not recognizing the codec. I guess I can always shoot in MP4 if I need to. Any thoughts?

Can you update your software or do you just prefer Premiere 2018? Also, what operating system are you using?

 

[davshev]

Upgrading Premiere Pro is not an option. I'm using OS 10.14.6. Does it make a difference if I'm using MP4 or .MOV?

 

[Almaz Aswad]

Upgrading Premiere Pro is not an option. I'm using OS 10.14.6. Does it make a difference if I'm using MP4 or .MOV?

To my knowledge and experience it should not make any difference. I import both regularly. I only have .mov defaulted on my M2P because I use Apple computers and devices, my Canon DSLRs are set to mp4.

 

[davshev]

Thanks

 

[Dave Maine]

There is general confusion around video files between the wrapper used to contain the video, and the encoded video itself. It may not matter to you, but the post editors and the PC hardware does.

”.mp4” and “.mov’ are container formats. They can contain various video streams within them. These video streams can be compressed with different video codecs - h.264, h.265, avc, etc. Most NLE s read the containers fine, but differ greatly on their ability to handle the codec inside. Particularly with the h.265 codec, pc hardware makes a big difference. Older PCs struggle, with stuttering or dropped frames, or not playing at all being common.

DJI makes this somewhat more confusing by using their own variants of the codecs. Their “raw” format for still images is not a true raw image, but rather a TIFF embedded in something labeled as raw. I have not yet figured out exactly what is going on with the dlog footage, but have had limited success with it, even with a number of third party LUTS.

 

[davshev]

I just started using the Mavic Pro 2 and shot some dlog-m test footage. Even though I've got a pretty new computer with lots of RAM, I'm finding it time consuming to work with. Having to tweak color and saturation, then the added time in exporting the files makes me wonder if it's worth bothering with.

 

[EricJT]

I just started using the Mavic Pro 2 and shot some dlog-m test footage. Even though I've got a pretty new computer with lots of RAM, I'm finding it time consuming to work with. Having to tweak color and saturation, then the added time in exporting the files makes me wonder if it's worth bothering with.

I was at that crossroads about a month ago. I shot the video in Dlog and then was using Davinci Resolve 16 to edit and colour grade it, as well as using the DJI LUT for the M2P.

Rather than reading a manual, I selectively watched YouTube tutorials dealing with what I was trying to accomplish. I have decades of experience with NLE's but colour grading and LUT's were new to me.

Long story short, I am more comfortable now but do want to run some M2P flights using Dlog and standard (i.e. let the DJI M2P algorithm create the video) recording, and then edit the Dlog and do side by side comparisons on my computer monitors and my large screen TV.

 

[davshev]

I'm more of a novice when it comes to the technical aspects of video production, but I suppose I need to play with it some more. I'm using Premiere Pro 2018.

 

[Dave Maine]

My experience with the P4adv was that it wasn't worth the time. I experimented with all the LUTs that were supposed to make it work, and all the color correction tools inside FCPX.

Cinema-D works as well with much less work.

 

[Chicago VisionAiry]

I'm a new MP2 user, but a very experience video editor. I too had issues importing H265 dlog footage into Premiere 2020 version. The file structure was seen by premiere only to the top folder but not within the 100Media. After a couple of attempts, it just worked. Nothing was changed, Premiere just decided to see the files. On my 2016 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM, the files play back pretty well, actually better than my GoPro H264 4K files.
As far as color grading goes, it does take a bit of time to get the Dlog footage to look right. Adjustments to highlights, white, shadows, and blacks and finally saturation usually does it. But Premiere's Lumetri color effect is quite robust and has a large variety to adjust the footage. Once you find a combination you think will work as a starting point, save the Lumetri effect as an effect preset that you can use again and again by just dragging and dropping the preset onto your Dlog clips. Big time saver.

 

[davshev]

My experience with the P4adv was that it wasn't worth the time. I experimented with all the LUTs that were supposed to make it work, and all the color correction tools inside FCPX.

Cinema-D works as well with much less work.

P4adv ???

 

[davshev]

I'm a new MP2 user, but a very experience video editor. I too had issues importing H265 dlog footage into Premiere 2020 version. The file structure was seen by premiere only to the top folder but not within the 100Media. After a couple of attempts, it just worked. Nothing was changed, Premiere just decided to see the files. On my 2016 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM, the files play back pretty well, actually better than my GoPro H264 4K files.
As far as color grading goes, it does take a bit of time to get the Dlog footage to look right. Adjustments to highlights, white, shadows, and blacks and finally saturation usually does it. But Premiere's Lumetri color effect is quite robust and has a large variety to adjust the footage. Once you find a combination you think will work as a starting point, save the Lumetri effect as an effect preset that you can use again and again by just dragging and dropping the preset onto your Dlog clips. Big time saver.

I'll have to experiment....and practice. I also just ordered some ND filters, as I've finally learned of the relationship between shutter speed and frame rate for video. If I understand this correctly, you want the shutter speed to be about double the frame rate. I've read that if it's too slow there will be blur, and if it's too fast it can look choppy/sputtery.

 

[Chicago VisionAiry]

Double the frame rate is the standard approach to shutter speeds in film/video. That is not to say you can't have a higher or slower shutter speed. Too high and it will look unnatural, think the D-Day landing scene in Saving Private Ryan... it becomes hyper-real. For drone footage, any slower than 2x your frame rate will leave a lot of motion blur in foreground elements and look like a smear. So, if you're going with 4K at 30fps, target a 1/60sec exposure. That means using a pretty low ISO, and using ND filters will allow that f2.8 sweet spot with that relatively slow shutter speed. I think getting up to about 1/125sec looks fine too, but foreground elements at lower altitudes will look a bit too clear (little motion blur). It's a judgement call really, but go with the 2x formula and see how you like it.

 

[davshev]

Double the frame rate is the standard approach to shutter speeds in film/video. That is not to say you can't have a higher or slower shutter speed. Too high and it will look unnatural, think the D-Day landing scene in Saving Private Ryan... it becomes hyper-real. For drone footage, any slower than 2x your frame rate will leave a lot of motion blur in foreground elements and look like a smear. So, if you're going with 4K at 30fps, target a 1/60sec exposure. That means using a pretty low ISO, and using ND filters will allow that f2.8 sweet spot with that relatively slow shutter speed. I think getting up to about 1/125sec looks fine too, but foreground elements at lower altitudes will look a bit too clear (little motion blur). It's a judgement call really, but go with the 2x formula and see how you like it.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Dale D]

I'm using Premiere Pro 2018 and just tried to import .MOV Dlog-m footage I shot with my Mavic Pro 2. At first I got an error message which said I didn't have the proper codec for importing H.265 video. I converted the video to MP4 and dragged it into Premiere and it prompted me to download the H.265 codec plugin. I downloaded the plugin and was able to import the MP4 video. However, when I tried to import the other .MOV files, I still get the error message about not recognizing the codec. I guess I can always shoot in MP4 if I need to. Any thoughts?

The present version of Premier Pro is 13.1.5. I subscribe (at a 40% discount deal) to Creative Cloud and all updates are included. I just checked my version for you and that is what I got. So your version may be out of date as far as the codecs. I've been avoiding Dlog and shooting H.264 and the premiere pro handles everything fine for me. ( I am using Mavic 2 Pro and Premiere Pro CC 2020).

 

[davshev]

The present version of Premier Pro is 13.1.5. I subscribe (at a 40% discount deal) to Creative Cloud and all updates are included. I just checked my version for you and that is what I got. So your version may be out of date as far as the codecs. I've been avoiding Dlog and shooting H.264 and the premiere pro handles everything fine for me. ( I am using Mavic 2 Pro and Premiere Pro CC 2020).

Thanks.

 

[Paci Fista]

On PC, it's now 14.0.0 , updated last month in Creative Cloud. Not tried H265 yet.