Mastershots is a set of automated moves used for two different purposes:
- To quickly gather interesting footage of an unknown location
- To produce automated short movies with music and text
In the Mini 5 Pro, this mode has been improved in several ways. In this article, I will show you how to make the most of it
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Settings
We find Masterhot in the right part of the photo/video menu; it is available only when the drone is flying. Both Auto and Manual exposure are available
During each MasterShot, the aircraft and the gimbal alternate top-down views and others facing forward, including the sky. This leads to important shifts in luminosity. For good results, it is crucial to expose correctly
With Auto exposure, the software compensates for the difference in the intensity of light, creating noticeable shifts in luminosity, a clear sign of an amateur job
It is better to use Manual exposure to control the luminosity and then adjust the shadows while editing
It is suggested to plan the shots to reduce the differences in luminosity. Better results are obtained by shooting around sunrise or sunset, or with the sun covered by clouds. It is also preferable to have the sun behind the camera
For resolution, there is a choice between 4k and 1080p with frame rates of 30 and 60 fps. The 4k resolution applies only to the footage recorded during the different moves, while the resolution of the auto-generated short movies is 1080p
All three color profiles of the Mini 5 Pro can be used: Normal, D-Log M, and HLG. It is also possible to use MasterShots in vertical format, excellent news for users active on social media platforms
A target must be selected by drawing a box around it. If a person or a vehicle is in the frame, it will be automatically recognized as a target and can be selected by simply tapping on the plus sign. In the middle, a small window displays the estimated flight time
By opening it, we can select Small, Medium, and Large for the Range of the moves. The procedure is simplified compared to previous models, where three parameters, Width, Length, and Height, can be set to Small, Medium, or Large to control the distance traveled during the shot
With the Mini 4 Pro and the Flip, the aircraft rises considerably in altitude, so it is better to start from a relatively low altitude; otherwise, the maximum height will be reached, and the Mastershot will be aborted, even if the value Small is chosen for Height. This is very annoying
The Mini 5 Pro analyzes the scene and computes its altitude, remaining always below the maximum height. This is a major improvement
The Mini 5 Pro has an excellent omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system. However, it is better to start at a higher altitude than all surrounding obstacles, as the Mastershot is aborted when an obstacle is detected
If you notice that the aircraft is close to unexpected obstacles, it is possible to exit Mastershots by pressing the Pause button on the remote controller
The Moves
After hitting the shutter, the aircraft performs a series of moves according to the distance from the target and its nature. On the bottom left of the screen, the map displays the expected route
There are three different sets of moves:
- Proximity when the target is relatively close
- Landscape for a target further away
- Portrait when the target is a person
Proximity
The aircraft circles for a few seconds to compute its position, then it performs:
- A Dronie going backward while raising
- A Circle to the left far from the target
- A Pitch Up Fly forward starting the move with the camera facing the ground and gradually tilting it up to reveal the target
- A Circle to the right from a closer distance using the digital zoom
- A Rocket, raising in altitude while keeping the camera on the target
- A camera down while rotating and descending for the famous screwdriver effect
- A Dronie from the opposite side of the target
- A subject-centric revolution, a sort of half ellipse around the target
The camera stops recording, and the aircraft returns to the initial position
The last four moves differ from those of the previous DJI models, and I find them more interesting for collecting footage of an unknown location or showcasing a property for real estate purposes
The moves are very accurate, with the target position perfectly locked, while in previous models, the target tends to drift
Landscape
In Landscape mode, the moves consist of:
- A circle to the left from a distance
- A pitch-up fly forward
- A move forward with gimbal rotation
- A 180-degree orbiting move, which is a bit too fast to be useful
- A sliding view of the area opposite the target
- A circle to the right while zooming in
- An advancing view towards the target, and a dronie
Portrait
Portrait mode is only for dynamic selfies. For best results, the aircraft should be close to the target, so it is better to choose an area without obstacles. The moves are:
- A dolly zoom
- A circle from close distance
- An ascending move in the direction opposite to the target
- A Dronie
- A Circle from far away with progressive zoom
- A diagonal move tilting up the gimbal
- A rocket
- A descending move while rotating
In previous models, the software produces a single video file containing all the different moves; on most occasions, we need to cut each move into a separate clip while editing. With the Mini 5 Pro, there is an individual file for each move, which simplifies the process
The footage produced by the Mini 5 Pro is outstanding, with excellent contrast and detail, and rich colors. On several moves, a good amount of digital zoom is employed, with hardly any loss of detail and resolution, thanks to the wider pixels produced by the larger sensor
Auto-Generated Movies
Mastershots can also be used to produce exciting short movies with music and text. Let’s see how it works
With the RC N3 controller, after turning on the controller and the drone, click on the icon with the small triangle below the shutter to access the Album containing the file on the memory disk and the internal memory of the drone
The files for Mastershots show a small star. The files shot in color profiles other than Normal show the name of the profile, D Log M or HLG
By clicking on one of them, we get a full-screen view. Tap on the playback icon to preview the footage, then tap on Select Mastershot Template
There are five groups for different moods, each containing several templates for short movies of about 30 to 40 seconds with music
Some templates contain text that cannot be modified. The resulting movie will be at a resolution of 1080p
With the RC 2 controller with the built-in screen, the files must be transferred to a smartphone or tablet with DJI Fly app installed to apply the templates and generate the short movie