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

Poor image quality

2 original jpegs. ok i am attaching them again here
Looking at your two complete images and the metadata that is available, there are a few things we can see.
The two photos might have been shot in the same place but they aren't comparable ... you aren't comparing apples with apples.
The older shot has a bright sky and a well lit foreground (mostly).
The shot from the newer drone has a section of bright sky, some well lit leaves and a lot of the image is darker or in shadow.

Your Mini 4 photo was shot in program auto where you just left everything to the camera and we can only guess that you probably did the same for the older photo ?
Given a high contrast image (bright and dark areas in the same image) in the newer image, your camera hasn't been able to expose all of the image perfectly and has come up with a solution that's overexposed the bright areas slightly and underexposed the shadows slightly to give something that averages out to be properly exposed.
An experienced photographer would have had to use his skills in post production to do better with the problem you set for the camera.

You cannot compare the two images because they have significant differences in the bright and shade areas.

I suspect there's nothing at all wrong with your new camera at all and it's quite capable of delivering images at least as good as your previous camera.
But a better understanding of some simple photographic principles would help you to use the Mini 4 to its potential.
 
sorry but i consider myself an advanced amateur photographer and i can see when images are bad. yes i left the camera in auto and only sometimes adjust the EV little bit up or down. actually one does not need to even compare to another image to see if an image is bad it speaks for itself. i am not talking so much of over and underexposed, that is a different point. in each image you can find an ideally exposed area and even there the mp4 looks worse.
can anyone please send me your m4p image file recorded with 12MP so i can evaluate it. thanks
 
sorry but i consider myself an advanced amateur photographer and i can see when images are bad. yes i left the camera in auto and only sometimes adjust the EV little bit up or down. actually one does not need to even compare to another image to see if an image is bad it speaks for itself. i am not talking so much of over and underexposed, that is a different point. in each image you can find an ideally exposed area and even there the mp4 looks worse.
can anyone please send me your m4p image file recorded with 12MP so i can evaluate it. thanks
When you leave everything to the camera, you have no idea what's going on with the ISO value.
If you think you can compare those two images and make a determination about your new camera, I still think your issue is not the camera, but the way you use it.
Your expectations are unrealistic, just like your comparing completely different images.
 
Are both cameras on the same settings? It doesn't appear so. If you have identical settings on identical subjects (or as close as possible), then maybe there is an issue.
I did notice that the mini 2 pics were shot 4:3 and the mini 4 appear to be 16:9, so there may be a crop with the sensor. Otherwise, I'd tend to agree that the M4 tree shots in particular **look as though** one of those godawful 'artistic' filters has been applied in post. With respect, have you altered the sharpness and noise reduction settings in the FLY app?

Couple of suggestions if you're interested. First, alter your capture options to JPG+DNG then use the DNG for the editing and output to final JPG workflow.

Second, try using the 48mp shot option (with JPG+DNG still selected) and take a comparison pixel-peep at both the DNG and JPG results in your picture editor.

With the RAW(DNG) format: you avoid all the usual baked-in image modifications that the camera software slaps all over your JPG shots, the result will be the image you shot: not the image the camera has been programmed to spit out.
 
I did notice that the mini 2 pics were shot 4:3 and the mini 4 appear to be 16:9, so there may be a crop with the sensor. Otherwise, I'd tend to agree that the M4 tree shots in particular **look as though** one of those godawful 'artistic' filters has been applied in post. With respect, have you altered the sharpness and noise reduction settings in the FLY app?

Couple of suggestions if you're interested. First, alter your capture options to JPG+DNG then use the DNG for the editing and output to final JPG workflow.

Second, try using the 48mp shot option (with JPG+DNG still selected) and take a comparison pixel-peep at both the DNG and JPG results in your picture editor.

With the RAW(DNG) format: you avoid all the usual baked-in image modifications that the camera software slaps all over your JPG shots, the result will be the image you shot: not the image the camera has been programmed to spit out.
thanks all good suggestions and most of them i already did - only thing i have not found a good free DNG viewer
 
thanks all good suggestions and most of them i already did - only thing i have not found a good free DNG viewer
the DNG file is about 20MB and same as the JPG from the 48MP whereas most regular jpg is 5-7MB. IS is about 100-170. mini 2 has only f2.8 vs f1.7 for mini 3 and up. so the DOF for the mini 2 would be naturally larger
 
the DNG file is about 20MB and same as the JPG from the 48MP whereas most regular jpg is 5-7MB. IS is about 100-170.
What's 100-170?

mini 2 has only f2.8 vs f1.7 for mini 3 and up. so the DOF for the mini 2 would be naturally larger
There is no detectable difference in the DoF for those lenses.
Both have tons of DoF, but that's irrelevant to this thread anyway.
 
thanks all good suggestions and most of them i already did - only thing i have not found a good free DNG viewer
According to their on-line bumf: Irfanview does recognise the DNG format, but perhaps take a Dekko at a) Darktable and then b) Rawtherapee. Both RAW editors/viewers, both freeware, both at least as good as proprietary bloat-ware that you'll pay more for the name than you do for the features.

If you want a top-notch RAW 'developer' that will genuinely amaze you and one that you'll pay a one-off lifetime license for: Photoninja.
 
Last edited:
great, can you please attach a 4p image.
I was going to show you the first shot I ever took on my M4P, but on trying to upload the jpeg here it is 36 MB so obviously too large to be an attachment. So here is a reduced version - not sure you can see anything useful or not here, but personally speaking, I am very happy with the quality I am getting out of it.

1718526611134.png

Could you perhaps try and say, precisely, what aspects of your posted photos you are unhappy about ?
 
there are 3 screen captures - name starting with screenshot and 2 original jpegs. ok i am attaching them again here
Your mini4 photo is simply out of focus, The mini 2 has fixed focus so there was no need to care about it, the mini 4 has variable focussing so you need to make sure it's focussed on something appropriate in the field of view. Since you centered your view on empty sky it probably failed to AF. Tap on the leaves on the screen and it'll focus right.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maggior and AeroJ
can please anyone send me a simple 5-7MB JPG from the mini 4 pro. today i shot some more images please see the screenshot and the attached JPEG. looks horrible at 100% zoom (bit by bit). only pics that looked ok at 100% zoom where 48MP shots. i am not sure what i am doing wrong or what is wrong with the mp4 camera. i am using MS photos or irfanview to check imaged
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot (53).png
    Screenshot (53).png
    1.9 MB · Views: 19
  • DJI_20240618093509_0135_D.JPG
    DJI_20240618093509_0135_D.JPG
    5.5 MB · Views: 20
can please anyone send me a simple 5-7MB JPG from the mini 4 pro. today i shot some more images please see the screenshot and the attached JPEG. looks horrible at 100% zoom (bit by bit). only pics that looked ok at 100% zoom where 48MP shots. i am not sure what i am doing wrong or what is wrong with the mp4 camera. i am using MS photos or irfanview to check imaged
ok sorry this was 3x digital zoom, that probable explains that bad quality, here the EXIF data
Filename - DJI_20240618093509_0135_D.JPG
ImageDescription - default
Make - DJI
Model - FC8482
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - 10.08.66.02
DateTime - 2024:06:18 09:35:09
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
Exif-IFD-Offset - 260
GPS-IFD-Offset - 746
XPComment - 0.9.142
XPKeywords - smart
ExposureTime - 1/200 seconds
FNumber - 1.70
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 100
ExifVersion - 0230
DateTimeOriginal - 2024:06:18 09:35:09
DateTimeDigitized - 2024:06:18 09:35:09
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/200 seconds
ApertureValue - F 1.70
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 1.70
SubjectDistance - 0 m
MeteringMode - Average
LightSource - Cloudy weather
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 6.72 mm
MakerNote-IFD-Offset - 890
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 4032
ExifImageHeight - 3024
InteroperabilityOffset - 860
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 3.00 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 24 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
DeviceSettingDescription -
Serial Number - 6TVFL710M2J55M
Lens Info - 24.00 24.00 1.70 1.70

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.3.0.0
GPSLatitudeRef - N
GPSLatitude - 39 25 33.6721 (39.426020)
GPSLongitudeRef - W
GPSLongitude - 123 48 18.0662 (123.805018)
GPSAltitudeRef - Above Sea Level
GPSAltitude - 65.35 m

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 7 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 3216
JpegIFByteCount - 17430
 
can please anyone send me a simple 5-7MB JPG from the mini 4 pro. today i shot some more images please see the screenshot and the attached JPEG. looks horrible at 100% zoom (bit by bit). only pics that looked ok at 100% zoom where 48MP shots. i am not sure what i am doing wrong or what is wrong with the mp4 camera. i am using MS photos or irfanview to check imaged
That image looks like mush right across the frame.
The ISO was good as was the shutter speed, so your focus is suspect.
We've seen a different image from your camera that was in focus.
How was this one focused?

You mentioned that 48MP pix looked good, so what's different about them?
Did you use a different method of focusing?
Did you shoot the same image in 48 MP as well as 12 MP for comparison?
 
Say no more.
Digital zoom is junk.
Expect junk images with digital zoom.

Say no more.
Digital zoom is junk.
Expect junk images with digital zoom.
Agreed. As far as I can tell from mine, that camera is superb !

View attachment 175744

100% resolution crop...

View attachment 175745

thanks for sharing yours. they look good but if i read the exif right these are only 1.3MP pictures so you reduced them. what about the full resolution image of the 12MB sensor?
 
one more attempt - no zoom on 12MP mode - look at upper left - all leaves are mushy. here the exif. this is just not a quality image, sorry. ok ISO is 330 which is a little high but the mushiness is not from the ISO it is something else i think

Filename - DJI_20240606061909_0002_D.JPG
ImageDescription - default
Make - DJI
Model - FC8482
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - 10.08.66.02
DateTime - 2024:06:06 06:19:09
YCbCrPositioning - Co-Sited
Exif-IFD-Offset - 260
GPS-IFD-Offset - 746
XPComment - 0.9.142
XPKeywords - smart
ExposureTime - 1/1500 seconds
FNumber - 1.70
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 330
ExifVersion - 0230
DateTimeOriginal - 2024:06:06 06:19:09
DateTimeDigitized - 2024:06:06 06:19:09
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/1500 seconds
ApertureValue - F 1.70
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 1.70
SubjectDistance - 0 m
MeteringMode - Average
LightSource - Daylight
Flash - Not fired
FocalLength - 6.72 mm
MakerNote-IFD-Offset - 890
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 4032
ExifImageHeight - 2268
InteroperabilityOffset - 860
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1.00 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 24 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
DeviceSettingDescription -
Serial Number - 6TVFL710M2J55M
Lens Info - 24.00 24.00 1.70 1.70

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.3.0.0
GPSLatitudeRef - N
GPSLatitude - 37 16 57.191898 (37.282553)
GPSLongitudeRef - W
GPSLongitude - 121 51 34.9464 (121.859707)
GPSAltitudeRef - Above Sea Level
GPSAltitude - 105.27 m

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 7 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 3224
JpegIFByteCount - 15224
 

Attachments

  • DJI_20240606061909_0002_D.JPG
    DJI_20240606061909_0002_D.JPG
    7.8 MB · Views: 23
thanks for sharing yours. they look good but if i read the exif right these are only 1.3MP pictures so you reduced them. what about the full resolution image of the 12MB sensor?
Yeah I had to reduce the first one, obviously, because the original was 34 MB, which is impractical to upload here. Which is why I excerpted you the second shot, so you could see a section at 100%. I don't have any of 12MP pics to hand, alas, so I post mine only as a reference for how good that camera can be with 100% auto settings, and so that you can compare it to yours with equivalent settings (and autofocus) later...
 
one more attempt - no zoom on 12MP mode - look at upper left - all leaves are mushy. here the exif. this is just not a quality image, sorry. ok ISO is 330 which is a little high but the mushiness is not from the ISO it is something else i think
The leaves in upper left are mushy because they are overexposed a couple of stops.
Do you only have two images from the camera to prove the camera is rubbish?
 

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
135,089
Messages
1,602,310
Members
163,575
Latest member
foooz
Want to Remove this Ad? Simply login or create a free account