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Mini 3 - 10Bit recording

Sockeye

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I just received my Mini 3, updated the firmware and created some sample footage in d_cinelike. Wondering what the "HQ" means in 24, 25 and 30fps I selected it and checked the files with the astonishing result:

43623884bk.jpg

and

43623536hx.jpg
 
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I'm not sure the data is being captured correctly. DJI continues to state the camera is 8 bit period. The "HQ" refers to the "HDR" (it isn't true HDR) where the camera samples at two separate ISOs at the same time and them combines the image. This is limited up to 30 fps.
 
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Or does the HQ refer to the cropped in 4k FOV as opposed to lineskipping for full as the other drones?
I seriously doubt its 10bit. Might have a 10bit wrapper but only writing 8 bits of data.

Amongst anything else, 10 bit at 90Mbps would be horribly compressed.
 
Or does the HQ refer to the cropped in 4k FOV as opposed to lineskipping for full as the other drones?
I seriously doubt its 10bit. Might have a 10bit wrapper but only writing 8 bits of data.

Amongst anything else, 10 bit at 90Mbps would be horribly compressed.

it's not a cropped in 4K like other drones (Mavic 2 Pro etc.) its actually a native HDR mode that captures two levels of ISO for each pixel on the sensor and then blends the data in theory to improve dynamic range although the first in depth testing of this in some specific reviews hasn't show a tremendous amount of difference. I agree though, its not 10 bit and the software is getting confused by the weird way the Mini 3 Pro is reporting its HDR results.
 
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If you ask me who I trust more... DJI or MediaArea.net...😂

But it could be that the readout is done in 8 bit and then manipulated and saved in the 10bit format. (Btw. Premiere also recognizes it as: Videocodec-Type: MP4/MOV H.264 10 bit 4:2:0 )

But regardless of that, I did some tests and graded the crap out of that footage and did not manage to make it fall apart. So especially this 8-Bit color banding issue in blue skies is definitely not happening when grading this footage.Thumbswayup
 
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May well be the way their SDK wraps the movie file.
In the same way RAW files are recorded as 16 bit but arent.
Just because the metadata claims a specific bit depth doesnt mean all the bits are used and recorded inside that.
Think of it as a "isnt more than" rather than an actual.
 
I posted sample footage here: Sample Footage

The bitrate of 60 fps files is ~150bps and the 30fps ones around 95bps

But the strange thing is the "10bit" footage is also the case with 60fps, where "HQ" cannot be selected. It seems to correlate with the d_cinelike setting.
 
@Sockeye
It's mostly like @Cymru stated, the files are embedded into a "larger container", which could hold 10 bit files too. The footage itself is not that resolved but if you want to edit it, the software at least will calculate internally with 10 bit (which will not render your originals to 10 bit but still better than to retain with 8 bit).

It's the same with RAW photos, which are usually edited in 16 bit even though these pictures don't have that gradation. PS for example still applies any edits on far more steps than choosing a lower bit.
 
Well, this could be the case, but WHY should DJI do this? Just to bloat the files with 2 unused bits/pixel?

It could have made sense for the "HQ" (whatever they exactly do there) to store the additional information gathered. But It also applies to 60fps non-HQ footage.

Additionally, if the IPU can write a 10bit output stream, it usually can also read and process 10bit streams. So why bother converting 8-Bit to 10Bit?

Another point what puzzles me with the 60fps files comparing normal vs d_cine. Both have ~150bps bitrate. Now if Cymru is right, this would mean the 8-Bit "normal" footage has roughly 20% more color information as the 10Bit d_cine.
 
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Well, we will not really know unless DJI tells us. 😆
But space is the cheapest thing today for these electronic devices. Having an extra 2 bits/pixel is largely irrelevant with sizes way beyond 128 GB of interchangeable cards and proper compression algorithms.

I guess, even if 8 bit is sufficient or will save space, they could use a common code basis and just output them like everywhere else in their products, which is currently 10 bit. I am pretty confident DJI tries to rationalise these things.

And these 8 bit files are not converted in my understanding, but just put into a container, that could hold more values but is certainly pretty fine in storing lower numbers too. So there's no need to translate or using processing power to do this in cost of more space.
 
DJI will never tell us anything. I am just remembering their pixel-binning gate of the Mavic 2 "Hasselblad" 😂

Additionally I cannot find any official DJI specs of the Mini 3 stating the 8-bit. Only the "Pre-Testers" spread it.
 
Ähm, "pixel-binning gate of the Mavic 2"? I'm remember only this problem in the Mavic pro.
 
DJI will never tell us anything. I am just remembering their pixel-binning gate of the Mavic 2 "Hasselblad" 😂

Additionally I cannot find any official DJI specs of the Mini 3 stating the 8-bit. Only the "Pre-Testers" spread it.

10 bit is a selling feature. If DJI aren’t mentioning it in their marketing material you can be sure it’s not recording in 10 bit. Companies don’t downplay the abilities of their product when they’re trying to sell as many as possible.
 
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Ähm, "pixel-binning gate of the Mavic 2"? I'm remember only this problem in the Mavic pro.
 
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10 bit is a selling feature. If DJI aren’t mentioning it in their marketing material you can be sure it’s not recording in 10 bit. Companies don’t downplay the abilities of their product when they’re trying to sell as many as possible.
Sure, this is what I would expect. BUT looking at the wave form (99% clear blue sky) footage, it tells me something different.,


43630185zu.jpg


Please check the clear sky footage: https//fam-roesch.net/video/Mini3_Sky.zip
 
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Unused bits wont increase the file size - they'll be zero so removed by the compression.
Wrapper size itself wont affect the file size unless actual data fills it.

True 10bit for 4k/30 at 93mbps wont be great - heavily compressed.
150mbps on the other hand....

I guess the only true test will be to attempt to grade Cinelike fairly severely and see where it starts to fall apart.
 

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