Right here now we have it. One of many most cost-effective DJI drones, an entry-level method that appears glorious for many individuals who wish to get into this interest.
As a result of the query is, why not? You’ll hardly discover something higher round this value level when it comes to efficiency and even picture high quality.
And DJI is broadly often known as one of many high drone firms on this planet for creating high-quality and long-lasting drones; you’re off to an excellent begin.
Up to now, so good, however the principle purpose anybody would wish to purchase a drone, together with the DJI Mini 2 SE, is to {photograph} or movie with it. So, how does this drone maintain up on this space?
Let me take you on a journey by way of the Florida vibes with a collection of images taken by certainly one of our fellow writers and an expert photographer, Dan Bayne, with the DJI Mini 2 SE.
DJI Mini 2 SE digicam sensor
The DJI Mini 2 SE comes with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS digicam mounted on a 3-axis gimbal.
By way of the sensor dimension, the Mini 2 SE’s sensor is equal to the one present in DJI FPV and the older model of this drone, the DJI Mini 2.
On this situation, we are able to see an improved CMOS on account of developments in drone expertise and digicam high quality, so, in actual phrases, the digicam present in Mini 2 SE is best than the older one present in Mini 2.
However by at present’s requirements, 1/2.3-inch CMOS is just too little for any type of skilled images.
Don’t anticipate a lot of it. In the event you’re aiming for a professional-level digicam, look for a minimum of a drone with 1/1.3-inch CMOS however ideally 1-inch or the Mavic 3 Professional‘s Hasselblad 4/3-inch.
Observe: A 1-inch sensor is greater than 4 instances greater than a 1/2.3-inch one.
To grasp it higher, a sensor dimension will immediately contribute to how a lot gentle the sensor can register in a brief time frame, which immediately impacts the dynamic vary and high quality of the picture (distinction between the highlights and the shadows)
With bigger sensors, we get extra pure pictures, clearer and with significantly better dynamic vary, so even photographing in daylight, the shadows received’t be too darkish, and the brights received’t overexpose the whole picture.
However what we get with the DJI Mini 2 SE is a bit low. That’s what now we have with an entry-level drone, and but, it’s not that dangerous if you happen to simply wish to get into the interest, particularly in images.
You’ll merely should bear in mind that the Mini 2 SE’s sensor will fall behind if you happen to’re aiming for low-light images.
By way of pixel density, this digicam sensor has 12 million. In brief phrases, it could {photograph} at a decision of 12 Megapixels, which is beneath at present’s requirements, however not too far.
In actuality, if we publish images on social media or take some trip pictures, 12 Megapixels is greater than sufficient.
Let’s take a look in any respect the specs behind the DJI Mini 2 SE digicam and its true high quality.
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DJI Mini 2 SE for images
Strictly when it comes to images, the DJI Mini 2 SE is first rate. In reality, it’s greater than first rate for on a regular basis sorts of images, however if you happen to’re aiming towards skilled captures, it falls quick.
The digicam aperture of f2/8 is common for many drones available on the market. Nevertheless, with a bigger aperture, we might be capable of take higher low-light and night time images, together with long-exposure pictures.
Identical with a bigger sensor.
However you’ll see that the DJI Mini 2 SE can’t do a lot of that.
On the opposite facet, now we have an higher restrict of ISO to 3200. The ISO is the digicam sensor’s sensitivity to gentle, the place the picture sensor will increase its sensitivity with a view to expose the picture correctly in low-light eventualities at the price of inducing picture noise.
Nonetheless, it will immediately contribute to the standard of low-light images.
What now we have as a bonus with the DJI Mini 2 SE is that it could {photograph} in RAW.
Because of this you’ll be capable of post-process your pictures additional in packages like Lightroom to regulate the shadows and highlights, publicity, colours, temperature, and way more.
Behind each nice {photograph}, there’s quite a lot of post-processing to enhance the standard of the picture.
As a disclaimer, all the pictures you see listed below are post-processed, so the sky’s the restrict. And that’s regular. However if you happen to’re seeking to see what sort of picture high quality you possibly can take with the DJI Mini 2 SE immediately with out enhancing (nonetheless RAW model), right here now we have two pictures to check.
Not so spectacular, proper? That’s nice as a result of even if you happen to seize images with an expert DSLR digicam or high-end drone, the pictures will nonetheless endure a bit until improved by way of post-processing strategies.
However now let’s see how this drone does at completely different instances of the day.
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Daylight images
That is the place the DJI Mini 2 SE shines probably the most, with pictures taken in full daylight.
Your ISO doesn’t have to extend its worth to compensate for gentle to show the picture correctly, so the pictures will probably be at their peak high quality.
The digicam’s aperture (lens opening) is ideal for photographing in daylight and doesn’t have any damaging affect on it.
The white steadiness does an excellent job of offering the proper ambient colours in full sunny daylight.
Shutter pace can also be inside vary, so there is no such thing as a fuss round right here.
All these situations are met to seize the perfect images you are able to do with this drone.
Though many different drones could be higher at images than the Mini 2 SE, for this value, it does excel, particularly after we evaluate it with the Holy Stone HS720E or some other related drones.
Your greatest digicam settings for good pictures in daylight could be as follows:
ISO: Locked at 100
White Stability: Auto or 5600K
Shutter Pace: Auto
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Low-light images
The DJI Mini 2 SE’s picture high quality falls behind drones with bigger sensors.
That is the place the Mini 2 SE digicam begins to not shine, however it nonetheless can do okay.
Let’s take a look on the above picture comparability taken through the morning, with each the edited and non-edited variations.
For such pictures to look higher, you should apply some post-processing to extend shadows and possibly alter the colour temperature, cut back the picture noise, and presumably enhance the sharpening a bit.
With out some changes, particularly if you wish to {photograph} the dawn, there will probably be an excessive amount of of a distinction between the highlights and shadows.
If photographing in full solar at dawn, the ISO will probably be decrease. But when not, you’ll most likely have to extend it to be appropriately uncovered (if not on auto mode)
On this situation, to take the perfect low-light pictures, whether or not dawn, sundown, or an overcast afternoon (and even to a storm), we’ll should manually deal with locking the ISO at a particular worth.
That’s provided that we can not take any pictures with the ISO100 with out counting on a long-exposure course of.
So, listed below are some settings I like to recommend:
ISO: Lock it between 100 and 400, but when wanted, go as much as 800.
Shutter Pace: Depart it to auto
White Stability: 3500K to 4500K for dawn or 5600K for an overcast day. Or depart it on auto and additional alter it in post-process.
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Night time images
The DJI Mini 2 SE isn’t meant for night time images.
The picture sensor is just too small to seize any night time images. On this case, the ISO must be pushed to its higher limits, and quite a lot of picture noise will probably be launched within the footage.
To not point out, the ISO max worth may be very low in comparison with different drone cameras.
On the identical time, the Mini 2 SE digicam will try to compensate with longer exposures to get sufficient gentle to the digicam sensor for better-exposed pictures. However with drones, we don’t have a lot of that.
With the Mini 2 SE, we are able to expose the picture for a most of 4 seconds.
The DJI Mini 2 SE is not going to do dangerous if you happen to’re making an attempt to {photograph} an illuminated downtown or areas at night time with quite a lot of synthetic gentle. Nevertheless it doesn’t do a wonderful job both.
You’ll even have to recollect the drone legal guidelines of capturing night time images with a drone and flying the DJI Mini 2 SE at night time.
Due to this fact, the Mini 2 SE is NOT my advice for night time images.
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Recording movies with DJI Mini 2 SE
With recording movies, we are going to benefit from the identical digicam specs as with images.
The Mini 2 SE sensor dimension can have probably the most affect on video high quality, and, as with daylight, low-light, or night time images, filming will probably be principally the identical however will endure much more.
Earlier than that, we should do not forget that the DJI Mini 2 SE can movie solely in 2.7k at 30 frames per second or FHD at 60 fps.
When filming at 30 fps, extra gentle will come into the digicam sensor, which is ideal once you’re recording in decrease gentle situations. However at 60 fps, you are able to do it solely in full daylight with out shedding picture high quality, inflicting movies to be underexposed or inflicting an excessive amount of picture noise within the movies.
Skilled videographers will all the time attempt to set the shutter pace to double the framerate for easy and cinematic movies. That will require ND filters if you happen to’re filming in full daylight.
So, as an illustration, in case your DJI Mini 2 SE is about to movie in 2.7k at 30 frames per second, the shutter pace needs to be manually set at 1/60sec and the ISO to the worth the place you get a correctly uncovered video.
If the video is overexposed even at ISO 100, then you definately want an ND filter or to drop the decision to FHD at 60fps and set the shutter pace at 1/120fps.
These are some settings if you happen to’re aiming to get the perfect movies you possibly can from the Mini 2 SE digicam.
However auto mode is all the time acceptable for a median drone pilot simply eager to take a number of images or movies of touring or in nature.
Nevertheless, you continue to should do not forget that the DJI Mini 2 SE’s small sensor dimension does have an enormous damaging affect on each photographing and filming in low-light eventualities.
Another point out. The DJI Mini 2 SE does NOT profit from D-Cinelike or related flat profiles, so you possibly can’t do a lot video enhancing in post-process software program. It solely has the conventional coloration mode.
Nevertheless it does profit from the implausible 3-axis mechanical gimbal that’s generally discovered throughout (nearly) all DJI drones. This implies your video will probably be extraordinarily easy even when recorded in high-wind situations.
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Edited vs. non-edited Mini 2 SE pictures
In images, to get the perfect pictures we are able to with any drone, not solely the DJI Mini 2 SE, now we have to edit them.
However with a view to do this, it’s a must to set your Mini 2 SE to seize images in RAW format. This fashion, the pictures will not be processed, and also you’re freely in a position to do it your self.
Nevertheless, if you happen to’re not aiming for any semi-professional stage pictures, then taking pictures in JPEG is sweet sufficient.
However when you {photograph} in JPEG, your pictures will already be processed with info, so enhancing such pictures is advanced and with restricted outcomes.
It’s no shock we edit all the pictures we take not solely with this drone but in addition with any DSLR digicam. That’s what photographers do, and most of the people do, to get first rate outcomes.
So, pictures captured along with your DJI Mini 2 SE with out enhancing are okay, particularly if you happen to shoot in full daylight.
However as a result of now we have this feature to shoot in RAW, we should always all the time intention to edit these kind of images to get the perfect outcomes we are able to out of this small sensor drone.
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Is that this drone adequate to begin studying drone images?
To start out studying aerial images? Completely sure. For any sort {of professional} images? No.
All of us took step one into aerial images, and as a photographer, I do advocate utilizing this drone for a number of causes.
Once I began my journey in aerial images, I did it with the DJI Mavic Air. Then I bought my Mavic 2, and the journey continued.
The Mavic Air picture high quality was method beneath that of this drone. It’s an historic drone with an previous digicam and expertise. So, as per at present’s requirements, the Mini 2 SE does higher.
You don’t want a flowery drone to begin studying drone images.
In reality, the DJI Mini 2 SE could be superb, and right here’s why.
It’s low cost, small and transportable. It weighs lower than 250 grams, so it is going to profit from relaxed drone legal guidelines. Fewer complications for newcomers in that space.
Furthermore, you might be able to fly the Mini 2 SE in locations the place you legally can not with different drones.
That may open new alternatives to take all sorts of aerial pictures, from nature to cityscapes and landscapes, and the place the creativeness can take you.
Get this drone. Seize a number of thousand aerial pictures, and after you may have superior sufficient on this area of interest, you possibly can improve to a extra skilled sort of drone.
What sort of images can you’re taking with DJI Mini 2 SE?
There aren’t any limits to how you should use this drone within the images area. Really, there are a number of limits, so what do I do know?
In the event you’re searching for a particular space in images and even video taking, as coming from an expert photographer, right here’s how we are able to classify this drone’s digicam capabilities with completely different eventualities.
✅ Panorama: Good
✅ Overcast Panorama: Common
✅ Cityscape: Good
✅ Morning Pictures: Common
❌ Night time Pictures: Insufficient
✅ Actual Property Pictures: Good
✅ Selfie & Household Photographs: Good
✅ Journey Pictures: Good
❌ Fireworks: Beneath common
❌ Night time Cityscapes: Beneath common
❌ Wildlife Pictures: Insufficient
❌ Mapping: Insufficient
Needless to say this classification can rely on many components, similar to the present lighting situations, wind pace, location, and different points.
All these pictures might be additional improved if captured in RAW and post-processed. So, the sky’s the restrict.
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