DJI Mini 3 Auto Focus

Blaszman

Currently have a Mini 2, but borrowed a friends Mini 3 to see if the new sensor is a big improvement over the Mini 2 and would improve results for mapping missions.  Flew them back to back with Dronelink in the same light and same altitude and with the way I did things most of the Mini 2 12MP jpg photos actually looked sharper than the Mini 3 12 MP jpgs.  Surprisingly!  After I gave the Mini 3 back to my friend I did a bit of digging on the interwebs as it just seemed odd, and it seems the Mini2 has a fixed focus whereas on the Mini 3 apparently in DJI Fly either you have to tap the screen and tell it where to focus, or set the AF to infinity, which would then make it similar to the Mini2, but the default is just AF.  Could also be the jpg processing on the Mini3 is different than the Mini2.

How does Dronelink handle the Auto Focus on the Mini 3? Does it set it to infinity for mapping missions, or is it left to sort it out itself?  Thinking this might explain the less than stellar results I was hoping for from the Mini 3.  Depending on who you want to believe on the internet, the Mini3 should be an upgrade on the Mini2, but I wasn't seeing it.

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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • Comment author
    Barry Houldsworth Dronelink Expert Dronelink Expert

    There is a focus setting in the mapping component that you should set - either to auto or to continuous.

    Here's a video that might help with some additional settings.

    https://youtu.be/dtZKGRSAuNs

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  • Comment author
    Blaszman

    Thank you so much for the info, very useful.  That likely explains the less than stellar photos I took, it was probably a focus issue.  Looks like I will need to borrow that drone again to try it again!

    For high resolution mapping, have you or anyone found the Mini3 Pro to be a big improvement over the Mini 2?  For dimmer days, with the bigger sensor you would think it would, but also a bit concerned about full sun days and perhaps the mini2 would handle that better? Like the fact that Dronelink works with iOS on the Mini2, so it would have to be worth it to move to the Mini3.

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  • Comment author
    Martin Reading Dronelink Expert Dronelink Expert

    I fly mini2 for mapping, with everything set to auto, and am quite happy with the results, and have never really seen the need to get a mini 3, as it doesn't really give much extra over the 2 that I would use.

    I try to shoot my mapping missions on slightly overcast days for the best results

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