DJI Mini 3 – How to Adjust Camera Settings

The recently released DJI Mini 3 is the perfect budget drone for beginners who want to get started in drone photography.

You can get some magnificent shots with this drone, which features 4K at 60 fps resolution, 12MP still photos, a larger sensor and aperture, and HDR.

However, it’s not that straightforward. You must know how to adjust the camera settings to achieve the desired results.

How do you adjust the camera settings on the DJI Mini 3 Pro?

You can adjust the DJI Mini 3’s camera settings on the screen in the main settings. The resolution, exposure, modes, and switching between manual and AUTO can be made when in camera view, but advanced settings like smoothness, histogram, and exposure warning are in the advanced settings.

Please keep reading to learn how to adjust the settings and when to use them!

How to adjust camera settings on DJI Mini 3 #

You can access the Mini 3’s camera settings in two ways: on your screen when in camera view and by clicking the three dots in the top right corner. Let’s look at each.

Camera settings on the screen #

You can find these settings on the far right section of the screen. You will be dealing with this section most of the time as you film.

• Mode – The first setting allows you to switch between photo and video modes. You should see a film strip in video mode, and in photo mode, you should see a camera icon.This setting enables you to access various Intelligent Flight Modes, including Quickshot and Panorama. The photo mode also has other modes within it.For instance, in photo mode, you can take a single shot with Auto Exposure Bracketing, where you shoot in a wide range of exposures, or a Timed Shot, where you set a timer and the drone takes some photos.When you click on Timed Shots, you get another menu that allows you to choose between five-and-60-second intervals.AEB works great when you’re not sure about the exposure to use. It will Auto-Bracket your shots, taking them at different exposures, and you can pick the best one as you edit.

• Shutter button – Below the modes button is the shutter button, which you use to take the shots, start recording or start an Intelligent Flight mode.

• Check your footage – Below is a play symbol that allows you to access the footage or photos you have taken.

More settings next to the shutter button #

Next to the shutter button are three more settings. Here’s what you need to know.

• Shooting modes – The first one allows you to switch between vertical and horizontal shooting. Vertical shooting is a nice feature that DJI added to their drones that enables you to take portrait shots right from the drone without having to crop.

• Zoom – Below the shooting modes is the zoom feature. You have access to up to 4X zoom when filming at 1080p but can only zoom 2X when in 4K.

• AF and MF – Below zoom is the AF (Auto Focus) and MF (Manual Focus) zoom features. You can choose between the two depending on your preferences. At the bottom on the far right is more camera settings.

Bottom-right section #

On the far bottom right is an option to switch between Auto and PRO (Manual).

In Manual Mode, you can manually set the ISO, exposure, and manual metering. In AUTO Mode, the drone will do it automatically. Again, choose one depending on your preferences.

Next to this setting is the EV button (Exposure Value), running from -3 to +3. As I mentioned, when in AUTO, the drone sets your values. EV allows you to add or reduce the Exposure Value assigned by the drone.

Sometimes the drone’s value can give you good footage, and you can leave the EV at 0, but there are times when the image may be too bright or too dark, and you may need to adjust. Next to EV are the resolution and FPS.

You can adjust the resolution or FPS depending on your goal. The DJI Mini 3 shoots in HDR too, but HDR is only available up to 30fps. 

Next to that is the storage. You can view how much storage is left or how much time is left on the SD card. When you switch to PRO Mode, you can set the aperture, ISO, white balance, and Manual Metering.

On the far left, you have the horizontal distance from the controller and the speed you’re traveling horizontally. Next to it is the same information but for the vertical aspect.

Next is the map, where you can view where you are and how to navigate to the Home Point or orient yourself correctly in case you get lost.

Intelligent Flight Modes #

Below are the Intelligent Flight Modes included with the DJI Mini 3 and how they work.

• Panorama – This feature takes photos at different angles and stitches them together. It has several modes:Sphere, which takes photos in a spherical pattern (360 degrees), and a 180-degree mode, which takes photos in a 180-degree line.Wide Angle takes photos along a line horizontally and vertically.

• Quickshots – This feature allows you to film the subject in various patterns, such as Dronie, Circle, Helix, Rocket, and Boomerang.

More settings #

Once you click the three dots at the top right, below are the settings you can access related to the camera.

Control #

Here is where you adjust how to control the drone, and one of the aspects you can adjust for better camera footage is the gimbal and how fast the drone moves when you use the controls.

Below are the settings available in the Gain and Expo sections.

• Max angular velocity – Angular velocity refers to how fast the drone turns along the vertical axis or as you yaw. It ranges from 20 to 120. Generally, a slow angular velocity is preferred when filming.

• Yaw smoothness – You can further smooth the yaw movements for smoother footage.

• Expo – Here you can monitor the amount of input you place on the controls and the output exhibited on the drone and adjust it depending on the intended results on the various drone modes.

• Max gimbal tilt – You can control how fast the gimbal tilts as you use the dial. A lower value is recommended.

• Tilt smoothness – Here, you control the smoothness of the gimbal’s tilt as you use the dial.

• Gimbal Mode – You can choose the Follow Mode, where the drone stabilizes the camera regardless of the drone’s orientation, or FPV, where the camera moves with the drone, like in FPV drones.

• Gimbal calibration – You can calibrate your drone’s gimbal to ensure it’s working correctly. You don’t really have to use it unless you’re sure your gimbal has issues.Below it, you also have the Recenter Gimbal setting that returns the gimbal to its default setting for better orientation.

• Remote Controller – Here, you change the settings of the controller. You can choose a different flying mode, customize buttons, or calibrate.Button calibration is handy since you can assign the activities you do most when filming to the controls.For instance, I always set the C1 button to recenter the gimbal. You can set C2 to switch between portrait and landscape orientation, and so on.

Camera #

Now you have access to all other camera settings that were not on the screen. They include:

• Anti-Flicker – This is a setting you will need when filming in areas with fluorescent lights. You can always leave it on AUTO.

• Histogram – This graph shows how overexposed or underexposed your image is. An ideal graph is one with the graph peaking in the middle, forming a sort of a mountain.If the values are high toward the right or left, the image is underexposed or overexposed, respectively.You have high contrast if you have peaks on both sides and a dip in the middle. It’s best to keep the histogram setting on.

• Peaking Level – This setting ensures your subject is highlighted at all times so you can keep it in the frame. You can switch it on, adjust the intensity, or leave it off.

• Overexposure warning – This feature highlights the areas that are too exposed with lines running diagonally. You can then adjust your exposure to the ideal values. I also prefer to keep this on.

• Grid lines – You can add these lines to help you follow photography principles. I prefer the grid, but you can use either.

• White balance – This refers to your photo’s temperature. You can make it cooler or warmer depending on when in Manual Mode or set it to AUTO, and the drone will decide.

• Storage – Here, you can view how much storage you have left on the SD card. The AUTO Sync HD photos automatically allow you to get the photos you take on your phone.The Cache When recording option allows you to keep a backup of the footage you’re taking, and the Max Video Cache Capacity enables you to determine how much data will be cached.