Right here we’ve got it. One of many most cost-effective DJI drones, an entry-level method that appears glorious for many individuals who need to get into this passion.

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 extensively referred to as one of many high drone firms on the planet for creating high-quality and long-lasting drones; you’re off to an excellent begin.

To this point, so good, however the primary purpose anybody would need 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 the Florida vibes with a sequence of pictures taken by one in all our fellow writers and knowledgeable 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.

When it comes to 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 as a result of developments in drone know-how 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 right now’s requirements, 1/2.3-inch CMOS is just too little for any form of skilled images.

Don’t anticipate a lot of it. For those who’re aiming for a professional-level digicam, look for at least 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 occasions larger than a 1/2.3-inch one.

To know 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 a lot 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 we’ve got with an entry-level drone, and but, it’s not that dangerous when you simply need to get into the passion, particularly in images.

You’ll merely should remember that the Mini 2 SE’s sensor will fall behind when you’re aiming for low-light images.

When it comes to pixel density, this digicam sensor has 12 million. In brief phrases, it could possibly {photograph} at a decision of 12 Megapixels, which is beneath right now’s requirements, however not too far. 

In actuality, if we publish pictures 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. 

» MORE: Digicam Expertise in Drones (Defined)

DJI Mini 2 SE for images

Strictly when it comes to images, the DJI Mini 2 SE is first rate. In actual fact, it’s greater than first rate for on a regular basis kinds of images, however when you’re aiming towards skilled captures, it falls quick.

The digicam aperture of f2/8 is common for many drones in the marketplace. Nonetheless, with a bigger aperture, we’d have the ability to take higher low-light and evening pictures, 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, we’ve got 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 to be able to expose the picture correctly in low-light situations at the price of inducing picture noise. 

Nonetheless, this can immediately contribute to the standard of low-light pictures.

What we’ve got as a bonus with the DJI Mini 2 SE is that it could possibly {photograph} in RAW.

Which means that you’ll have the ability to post-process your pictures additional in applications like Lightroom to regulate the shadows and highlights, publicity, colours, temperature, and rather 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 here are post-processed, so the sky’s the restrict. And that’s regular. However when you’re trying to see what sort of picture high quality you may take with the DJI Mini 2 SE immediately with out modifying (nonetheless RAW model), right here we’ve got two pictures to check. 

Not so spectacular, proper? That’s high-quality as a result of even when you seize pictures with knowledgeable DSLR digicam or high-end drone, the pictures will nonetheless undergo a bit until improved by way of post-processing strategies.

However now let’s see how this drone does at completely different occasions of the day.

» MORE: Is the DJI Mini 2 SE Value It?

Daylight images

That is the place the DJI Mini 2 SE shines essentially the most, with pictures taken in full daylight.

• Your ISO doesn’t have to extend its worth to compensate for gentle to reveal 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 adverse influence on it.
• The white stability does an excellent job of offering the proper ambient colours in full sunny daylight.
• Shutter velocity can also be inside vary, so there isn’t a fuss round right here. 

All these circumstances are met to seize the perfect pictures 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 once we evaluate it with the Holy Stone HS720E or every other related drones.

Your greatest digicam settings for good pictures in daylight could be as follows:

• ISO: Locked at 100
• White Steadiness: Auto or 5600K
• Shutter Velocity: Auto

» MORE: Drone Pictures Planning (Defined for Rookies)

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, but it surely 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 have to apply some post-processing to extend shadows and perhaps alter the colour temperature, scale 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 in all probability 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 selected worth.

That’s provided that we can’t take any pictures with the ISO100 with out counting on a long-exposure course of.

So, listed here are some settings I like to recommend:

• ISO: Lock it between 100 and 400, but when wanted, go as much as 800.
• Shutter Velocity: Depart it to auto
• White Steadiness: 3500K to 4500K for dawn or 5600K for an overcast day. Or go away it on auto and additional alter it in post-process.

» MORE: Drone Pictures: Newbie’s Information to Getting Began

Evening images

The DJI Mini 2 SE is just not meant for evening images.

The picture sensor is just too small to seize any evening pictures. 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 photos.

To not point out, the ISO max worth could be very low in comparison with different drone cameras.

On the identical time, the Mini 2 SE digicam will try and 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 when you’re making an attempt to {photograph} an illuminated downtown or areas at evening with quite a lot of synthetic gentle. However it doesn’t do a superb job both.

You’ll even have to recollect the drone legal guidelines of capturing evening pictures with a drone and flying the DJI Mini 2 SE at evening.

Due to this fact, the Mini 2 SE is NOT my advice for evening images.

» MORE: Finest Drones for Evening Time Use (Pictures & Video)

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 essentially the most influence on video high quality, and, as with daylight, low-light, or evening images, filming will probably be largely the identical however will undergo 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 whenever you’re recording in decrease gentle circumstances. 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 velocity to double the framerate for clean and cinematic movies. Which will require ND filters when you’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 velocity must 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, you then want an ND filter or to drop the decision to FHD at 60fps and set the shutter velocity at 1/120fps.

These are some settings when you’re aiming to get the perfect movies you may from the Mini 2 SE digicam.

However auto mode is all the time acceptable for a median drone pilot simply eager to take a couple of pictures or movies of touring or in nature. 

Nonetheless, you continue to should do not forget that the DJI Mini 2 SE’s small sensor dimension does have an enormous adverse influence on each photographing and filming in low-light situations.

Yet another point out. The DJI Mini 2 SE does NOT profit from D-Cinelike or related flat profiles, so you may’t do a lot video modifying in post-process software program. It solely has the traditional coloration mode.

However 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 clean even when recorded in high-wind circumstances.

» MORE: 3 Tricks to Market Your Enterprise With Drone Pictures and Videography

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, we’ve got to edit them.

However to be able to try this, you must set your Mini 2 SE to seize pictures in RAW format. This fashion, the pictures should not processed, and also you’re freely capable of do it your self.

Nonetheless, when you’re not aiming for any semi-professional degree pictures, then capturing in JPEG is nice sufficient. 

However when you {photograph} in JPEG, your pictures will already be processed with data, 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 additionally with any DSLR digicam. That’s what photographers do, and most of the people do, to get first rate outcomes.

So, pictures captured together with your DJI Mini 2 SE with out modifying are okay, particularly when you shoot in full daylight. 

However as a result of we’ve got this feature to shoot in RAW, we should always all the time goal to edit these kinds of pictures to get the perfect outcomes we are able to out of this small sensor drone.

» MORE: Easy methods to Edit Drone Images for Social Media Utilizing Lightroom (Information)

Is that this drone ok to begin studying drone images?

To begin 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.

After I began my journey in aerial images, I did it with the DJI Mavic Air. Then I obtained my Mavic 2, and the journey continued. 

The Mavic Air picture high quality was approach beneath that of this drone. It’s an historical drone with an outdated digicam and know-how. So, as per right now’s requirements, the Mini 2 SE does higher.

You don’t want a elaborate drone to begin studying drone images. 

In actual fact, the DJI Mini 2 SE could be best, and right here’s why.

It’s low cost, small and transportable. It weighs lower than 250 grams, so it can profit from relaxed drone legal guidelines. Fewer complications for freshmen in that space. 

Furthermore, you might be able to fly the Mini 2 SE in locations the place you legally can’t with different drones.

That can open new alternatives to take all kinds of aerial pictures, from nature to cityscapes and landscapes, and the place the creativeness can take you.

Get this drone. Seize a couple of thousand aerial pictures, and after you’ve superior sufficient on this area of interest, you may 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 need to use this drone within the images area. Really, there are a couple of limits, so what do I do know?

For those who’re on the lookout for a selected space in images and even video taking, as coming from knowledgeable photographer, right here’s how we are able to classify this drone’s digicam capabilities with completely different situations.

• ✅ Panorama: Good
• ✅ Overcast Panorama: Common
• ✅ Cityscape: Good
• ✅ Morning Pictures: Common
• ❌ Evening Pictures: Insufficient
• ✅ Actual Property Pictures: Good
• ✅ Selfie & Household Images: Good
• ✅ Journey Pictures: Good
• ❌ Fireworks: Beneath common
• ❌ Evening Cityscapes: Beneath common
• ❌ Wildlife Pictures: Insufficient
• ❌ Mapping: Insufficient

Take into account that this classification can rely on many components, corresponding to the present lighting circumstances, wind velocity, location, and different elements.

All these pictures may be additional improved if captured in RAW and post-processed. So, the sky’s the restrict.

» MORE: Finest Drones for Wildlife Pictures