When I tested the Mini 5 Pro for photography, I was impressed by the quality of the images produced by the new 1” sensor and by the 48mm Med Tele mode
In this video, I will focus on the quality of the footage and the main functionalities for filming
Here you find the updated prices for the different configurations of the Mini 5 Pro. It is an affiliate link, so I receive a small commission in case of purchase
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Video Specs
In the new model, DJI has finally managed to integrate a 1” CMOS sensor into a lightweight model, a major achievement, unthinkable only a few years ago
This is a crucial update compared to the 1/1.3” sensor of the previous lightweight model, the Mini 4 Pro, and should allow an excellent performance in low light and high dynamic range, and deliver footage with optimal detail
The field of view is equivalent to 24mm, and the aperture is f1.8, slightly smaller than the Mini 4 Pro. This should not cause any issue, as the larger sensor should be capable of collecting more light
The maximum video resolution is 4k with frame rates of up to 120 fps for super slow motion, an improvement over the 100 fps of the Mini 4 Pro
The camera specs are the same as the wide-angle lens of the Air 3s, including HRD recording with 14 stops of dynamic range, thanks to the Dual Native ISO Fusion, which works by recording each frame at two different ISO values, resulting in an underexposed and an overexposed one
The two frames are then blended to increase the dynamic range. The Dual Native ISO Fusion only works when recording footage in Auto Exposure mode
I normally prefer to use manual exposure to avoid shift of luminosity when the light changes, but in high dynamic range situations, it is worth switching to auto exposure to take full advantage of the ISO fusion
I suggest always using manual White Balance to avoid shifts in color when the luminosity changes. I find the optimal value with this model to be around 5300 Kelvin
Unlike the Air 3s, the camera on the Mini 5 Pro can rotate vertically to shoot footage in portrait mode, maintaining a 4 K resolution. This is important for users active on social media
The gimbal also offers continuous 225 degrees roll rotation for dynamic and creative camera movements. The gimbal rotation can also be applied to intelligent flight modes like Quickshots, Hyperlapse, Spotlight and Waypoint
Like the previous model, the Mini 5 Pro has omnidirectional obstacle sensors. A forward-facing LIDAR has been added to detect obstacles in low light. A powerful LED can be switched on when bringing the aircraft home at night. I find it very useful
The announced battery life is 36 minutes, a slight improvement on the 34 minutes of the Mini 4 Pro. This is handy when shooting hyperlapses
If the budget allows for it, I suggest purchasing the Fly More Combo with the two extra batteries and the fast charging hub, as charging the battery mounted on the aircraft is painfully slow
The algorithm of the O4+ video transmission has apparently been improved for stronger anti-interference feeds. I have tried it in the area with strong interference where I perform my signal transmission tests, and so far, I have not encountered any disconnections
Med Tele Mode
A major new feature of the Mini 5 Pro is the 48mm Med Tele Mode offering higher image resolution than the digital zoom of previous models
Thanks to the larger sensor, the Med Tele mode of the Mini 5 Pro can apply a 2x zoom with hardly any loss of detail and resolution, very close to an optical zoom
The presence of a second telephoto lens was for many users the main reason to purchase an Air 3s over the Mini 4 Pro
With this new Tele Mode, we can get closer to targets that cannot be reached, increase the parallax effect when different layers are present in an image, and obtain better separation between a target and the background
In Med Tele mode, the frame rates available are limited to 30fps; therefore, slow motion is not available
As you can see from these clips, the footage produced by the Med Tele lens is excellent, very close to a real optical lens
In the Camera tab of the settings, there is a Style option to modify the Sharpness and Noise Reduction values applied to the footage. In all the examples shown in this video, I have applied a value of -2 for Sharpness, as I find that the default value of 0 has too much detail, as you can see from this clip
Normal Mode
Normal mode is the one that can be used just out of the camera without any editing, although a touch of extra contrast and saturation is often beneficial
In previous models, Normal used to be an 8-bit profile, thus limited to 16ml colors; however, in the Mini 5 Pro, it is 10-bit when used at 4k resolution, producing over 1bl colors
In easy light conditions, the rendition is excellent, with rich colors and excellent detail. I remind you that I am using a Sharpness value of -2. I suggest trying different values between 0 and -2 to find the one you prefer
Turning the camera down for a bird’s-eye view, we take the sky out of the equation to focus on the detail in the vegetation and the architectural features. The result is flawless both with the normal mode and with the Med Tele one
And now some high dynamic range clips, with a big difference in luminosity between the highlights and the shadows. Normal profile handles the difficult situation quite well, but this is an area where D Log M performs much better, as we will see later on
Low-light footage is an area where the Mini 4 Pro performs extremely well, thanks to the very wide aperture of its lens. The bigger sensor of the Mini 5 Pro gathers plenty of light, and the results are again outstanding; it is often hard to believe that the footage was taken in very dark conditions. The ISO can be set at very low values, and noise is practically absent
The Mini 4 Pro has a specific Night Video Mode for filming in low light. I never use it as I find that the footage looks artificial and plasticky. I am glad to notice that this mode is not present in the new model; there is simply no need for it
D-Log M
D-Log M is a 10-bit flat profile with reduced contrast to minimize the difference in luminosity between the highlights and the shadows
It requires a good dose of post-processing and the use of LUTs to bring back the shadows and highlights to their optimal level, thus reducing the risk of overexposure or underexposure. DJI has already published a free specific LUT for the Mini 5 Pro
When using this profile, the image appears very flat on the screen, but in DJI Fly app, below the profile selection, it is possible to activate Color Display Assist for an improved visualization
In this model, D-Log M is particularly well implemented. In easy light conditions, the files respond extremely well to post-processing, and it is easy to modify the footage to fit the color scheme of a specific project. The quality of footage taken with the Med Tele mode is also excellent
I use D-LOG M on most occasions, but the situation where it clearly outclasses Normal is high dynamic range conditions, as you can see from these clips. The footage retains plenty of information and contrast in the shades while avoiding overexposure in the highlights. The structure of the sky is excellent, with practically no noise
The mini 5 Pro has a third colour profile, HLG. It is a 10-bit one and is designed for use with high-definition display units, such as a few recent TVs. This profile can be used on regular display units, but it is more complex to post-process and requires a specific color space
The majority of users should focus on Normal and D Log M
Summing Up
The larger 1” sensor and the Med Tele Mode are two major appealing features for users who are serious about videography
There are also several other interesting improvements described above, although not as crucial as the two main ones
Since the footage quality is practically identical to the main lens of the Air 3s and very close to the Mavic 4 Pro, the Mini 5 Pro can also be a good choice for professional users who already own a bigger model and need a second one for urban shooting or for travelling