primeshooter Posted at 12-10 17:43
Mine was doing this exact thing on every flight. Since repair it no longer does. Scotland is very humid. It can be fixed. Sorry that they have not managed to help you though!

They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......
Damn...if that is how you make a camera work, DJI, go back to stone age....as this is for sure not Mini 3 PRO, is MIni 3 SHXTTY PRO.

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-13 06:40
They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......

Hm not good, odd that they did that fix. Here, they just replaced the camera totally and it went. As yoda would say "A close eye on it, will be kept".

sgfat Posted at 12-12 22:40
I doubt that this is AI )) These are ordinary moderators, they have a work script for answers, like in any other technical support. But here they respond by their script all the time, as if they are not looking at past dialogues.

And no, I don't have filters, I buy only additional set of batteries. There will be no difference with them, some users have already written that it doesn't matter and this is logical. By default, camera has a simple plastic plug without any glass, when you put the filter on camera, it will be just additional glass on the outside. It will not change anything, because the fog is formed from inside of the camera glass.

I'm a bit surprised that as a professional photographer you don't have elementary knowledge of physics. If you knew why fog forms on the inside of the lens, you wouldn't write that the filter won't change anything. The same problem often occurs in astrophotography and therefore sunscreens are worn when photographing stars at night. Fog forms on the warmer side. For the same reason, in a car, fog is inside in winter and outside in summer if the air conditioning is on. The problem occurs because there is a large temperature difference between the inside of the lens and its surroundings. In a relatively small housing there is a large matrix, which gets very hot during operation, and the temperature inside is high compared to the environment. The filter is not supposed to seal the construction, it is supposed to equalize the temperature on both sides of the lens. The filter creates a thermal buffer between the lens and the environment. No ordinary photographic lens is 100% airtight, it's easy to check by dropping it into water, and air is much less dense than water. The air from the outside will sooner or later get inside the lens. The seal mounted in the drone's lens is not designed to seal it 100% against moisture, only against dust. Installing any filter in most cases will completely eliminate fogging or significantly reduce its occurrence. It is worth noting that the Mini 1, Mini 2, Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic, etc...  lenses have an additional protective glass in front of the proper lens and the evaporation effect usually does not occur there. Calling it a design flaw is an exaggeration and making a storm in a teacup. I'm surprised that as a professional photographer, because that's how you define yourself, you didn't perform such a simple action, and you put so much energy into documenting several months of scuffles with the producer. This looks more like an emotional issue than a hardware issue.

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-13 06:40
They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......

DJI looking for solutions on YouTube? It's so stupid!!!
How does a company that makes a lot of quality equipment and has a lot of experience with drones make such stupid decisions in the service?

Bartosz Supcziński Posted at 12-13 08:08
I'm a bit surprised that as a professional photographer you don't have elementary knowledge of physics. If you knew why fog forms on the inside of the lens, you wouldn't write that the filter won't change anything. The same problem often occurs in astrophotography and therefore sunscreens are worn when photographing stars at night. Fog forms on the warmer side. For the same reason, in a car, fog is inside in winter and outside in summer if the air conditioning is on. The problem occurs because there is a large temperature difference between the inside of the lens and its surroundings. In a relatively small housing there is a large matrix, which gets very hot during operation, and the temperature inside is high compared to the environment. The filter is not supposed to seal the construction, it is supposed to equalize the temperature on both sides of the lens. The filter creates a thermal buffer between the lens and the environment. No ordinary photographic lens is 100% airtight, it's easy to check by dropping it into water, and air is much less dense than water. The air from the outside will sooner or later get inside the lens. The seal mounted in the drone's lens is not designed to seal it 100% against moisture, only against dust. Installing any filter in most cases will completely eliminate fogging or significantly reduce its occurrence. It is worth noting that the Mini 1, Mini 2, Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Classic, etc...  lenses have an additional protective glass in front of the proper lens and the evaporation effect usually does not occur there. Calling it a design flaw is an exaggeration and making a storm in a teacup. I'm surprised that as a professional photographer, because that's how you define yourself, you didn't perform such a simple action, and you put so much energy into documenting several months of scuffles with the producer. This looks more like an emotional issue than a hardware issue.

[view_image]

Why are you all so stubborn and consider yourself genius physicists?! Read the topic in full before showing your knowledge of physics! Read above posts Geo_Drone, he has a lot of experience using different drones. Yes, I have emotions, but they are because I bought a drone for $1000, but I can't use it! And I also have to describe the same thing to users every time!

1) When does condensation form? When there is a temperature difference! I have a temperature of +25 outside and +25 at home! Where does the condensate come from then? It occurs not when I took the drone out of the bag, but when it is in flight! How should I get rid of it in flight? This suggests that an unsuitable temperature difference occurs when used in my climate!

2) Condensation disappears when the lens temperature approaches the ambient temperature and I have never in my life, in any lens, had condensation on the inside, and I lived in Siberia, where it is -35 outside in winter! Just wipe the moisture from the outside from of lens and you will see that it is not inside! First of all, fog forms on the outside, and gradually the camera will take on the street temperature. Given that the lens is a small object, this will happen quickly, with a drone camera even faster!

3) If it was my problem, DJI wouldn’t take my drone for repairs! But they knows about this defect! They take drones for repair and replacement! Geo_Drone writed that one of the engineers recognized the problem with the camera, he wrote openly about it on facebook.

Your examples about filters on lenses do not fit here! After all, don't you think it's stupid that I have to buy more filters in order to use the drone? Well, in general, I don’t need them, each filter darkens the picture, and I liked shooting with a drone at night. The drone spec doesn't say that I can't use it without additional filters. And I repeat once again, owners with fog problem checked, and fog appears with the filter, because this drone has a problem with the camera design, but it is not detected everywhere, but under some specific climatic conditions.

Why is it so difficult to accept that if everything is fine with you, this does not mean that the whole world will work the same way? Different climatic conditions, different humidity, in the end, maybe you are really lucky and your drone assembly is the most successful one, which will never have such a problem? I'm not the only one with such a problem, they already wrote to me in a personal, and they wrote in the topic here. Geo_Drone has already made 6 replaces, but you probably think that we are stupid and also does not know physics?

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-13 06:40
They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......

With each of your and my post, I regret that I opened this topic, because every second wants to write what we are stupid and do not know physics. Why the hell do people think that if they don't have problems, then other people can't have them either?

sgfat Posted at 12-13 08:44
Why are you all so stubborn and consider yourself genius physicists?! Read the topic in full before showing your knowledge of physics! Read above posts Geo_Drone, he has a lot of experience using different drones. Yes, I have emotions, but they are because I bought a drone for $1000, but I can't use it! And I also have to describe the same thing to users every time!

1) When does condensation form? When there is a temperature difference! I have a temperature of +25 outside and +25 at home! Where does the condensate come from then? It occurs not when I took the drone out of the bag, but when it is in flight! How should I get rid of it in flight? This suggests that an unsuitable temperature difference occurs when used in my climate!

Why these screams, this aggression is unnecessary, I did nothing wrong. It seems to me that if I am a physicist by education, I can speak on this matter. I will explain to you where the temperature difference comes from in your case. In flight, when the matrix is working, the temperature inside the lens is +60'C, and the ambient temperature is +25'C, and with high humidity inside, condensation occurs. The UV filter will reduce this temperature difference. This will not allow the outside of the lens to cool down. More precisely, it will allow the lens to heat up from the outside, because the environment will not receive heat.

Can you accept the possibility that someone is not your enemy and is giving you good advice, and you don't always have to be right?

Bartosz Supcziński Posted at 12-13 09:30
Why these screams, this aggression is unnecessary, I did nothing wrong. It seems to me that if I am a physicist by education, I can speak on this matter. I will explain to you where the temperature difference comes from in your case. In flight, when the matrix is working, the temperature inside the lens is +60'C, and the ambient temperature is +25'C, and with high humidity inside, condensation occurs. The UV filter will reduce this temperature difference. This will not allow the outside of the lens to cool down. More precisely, it will allow the lens to heat up from the outside, because the environment will not receive heat.

Can you accept the possibility that someone is not your enemy and is giving you good advice, and you don't always have to be right?

I don't scream! I also studied physics, I had an engineering faculty, advanced mathematics, physics, programming, etc. I'm not idiot and studied this problem before creating this topic. If I understood the mistake, I would admit it! I'm just tired of repeating the same thing. I said you in first answer that filters don't help, the owners of drones with this problem tried this and many different solves. Someone tried use filters, someone using anti-condensate stickers inside, someone stores drone in many silica gel, someone additionally treats the o-ring with oil or vaseline, and someone simply wipes fog on lens from the inside and removes o-ring completely, this helps for some period.
At this moment only one user here, has written that the new drone works fine for him, but maybe he will have a problem again. Another user who already had 5 replacements wrote to me in a personal message and his problem didn't disappear. I had "Mini 2" for half a year before "Mini 3" and had no problems with it! The same climate, the same conditions, no fog has ever appeared.

I perfectly understood your idea with the filter, but for example, how does it work with a camera? You just have condensation on the filter, that's all. Here, if there is a high temperature inside, then it will remain so. Yes, it may slow down the formation of fog, but it will not be able to get rid of it, and during a long flight, condensation may also appear on filter. Plus, any filter darkens the picture and I just don’t want to constantly fly with a filter. I want to use the drone like everyone else!

The problem is rare, and instead of recognizing it and making refunds to the owners, DJI decided to mock with constant replacements and repairs. Why don't they study at what points on the planet the problem occurs, in what temperature conditions, in what humidity? They should look into it and understand the mistake in order to prevent it in the future, and at least make some kind of effective solution, or for example, allow me to wipe the camera myself so that it does not void my warranty, but they don't! Just understand that I had the drone for two months in my hands, and for three and half it was in service. Now they should send me a new drone. I'm waiting news more than month. But even that I had to demand, because DJI wanted me to do another repair for third time, which twice had no result... And I have probably already 5 times in this thread and several times in another, I explained that this is a non-standard situation, everything has already been tried, nothing helps. I have never encountered such attitude towards client, I was surprised when I was openly told that we cannot return money to you. I asked: "Ok. But what should I do now? Everytime send drone for repair?" I was told: "Sorry, the company's sales policy. We will definitely try to solve your problem." That is, they do not promise to fix anything, but they will not return the money. Nice! I don't want everytime run to service, in the end it's just money thrown away. Now when new drone arrives, I will send it to my friend in Europe to sell it there.

sgfat Posted at 12-13 10:24
I don't scream! I also studied physics, I had an engineering faculty, advanced mathematics, physics, programming, etc. I'm not idiot and studied this problem before creating this topic. If I understood the mistake, I would admit it! I'm just tired of repeating the same thing. I said you in first answer that filters don't help, the owners of drones with this problem tried this and many different solves. Someone tried use filters, someone using anti-condensate stickers inside, someone stores drone in many silica gel, someone additionally treats the o-ring with oil or vaseline, and someone simply wipes fog on lens from the inside and removes o-ring completely, this helps for some period.
At this moment only one user here, has written that the new drone works fine for him, but maybe he will have a problem again. Another user who already had 5 replacements wrote to me in a personal message and his problem didn't disappear. I had "Mini 2" for half a year before "Mini 3" and had no problems with it! The same climate, the same conditions, no fog has ever appeared.

To make a long story short,just trash the mini 3 pro and buy a mavic 3 and be done with it.
That would save you a lot of pointless hours typing.

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-13 06:40
They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......

You claimed you fixed one yourself and proclaimed how easy and successful you were. Obviously you spoke to soon, did you use the wrong silicone also , its strange 1000s have perfectly good working units but 6 out of 6 of yours are bad , what are the odds of that particularly considering you have many more problems with your dji drones than most on this forum “such bad luck”

sgfat Posted at 12-13 10:24
I don't scream! I also studied physics, I had an engineering faculty, advanced mathematics, physics, programming, etc. I'm not idiot and studied this problem before creating this topic. If I understood the mistake, I would admit it! I'm just tired of repeating the same thing. I said you in first answer that filters don't help, the owners of drones with this problem tried this and many different solves. Someone tried use filters, someone using anti-condensate stickers inside, someone stores drone in many silica gel, someone additionally treats the o-ring with oil or vaseline, and someone simply wipes fog on lens from the inside and removes o-ring completely, this helps for some period.
At this moment only one user here, has written that the new drone works fine for him, but maybe he will have a problem again. Another user who already had 5 replacements wrote to me in a personal message and his problem didn't disappear. I had "Mini 2" for half a year before "Mini 3" and had no problems with it! The same climate, the same conditions, no fog has ever appeared.

"I had "Mini 2" for half a year before "Mini 3" and had no problems with it! The same climate, the same conditions, no fog has ever appeared."

You haven't had problems, but there is one significant difference in the design of the Mini 2. It has a factory-fitted filter in front of the lens, which you don't want to put on the Mini 3 because it's not included in the kit. The UV filter introduces a negligible deterioration in image quality and is factory-installed in much more expensive drones and no one complains about it there, but for you it is unacceptable. Truth? Although logic, science and the experience of others indicate that the filter can solve the problem.

The second colleague from this forum sends his drone for repair for the sixth time, thinking that he will get a different result than before. Albert Einstein once said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." He was probably wrong too.

Madhouse...

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-13 06:40
They did the following: sealed the chamber with some rubber based silicone.
Unfortunately that rubber silicone is not for outside, so takes little time to make small cracks and we are back at the same shxt.
That was the DJI solution....poor, totally primitive and without any engineered background: FILL IT WITH SILICONE RUBBER ))))))))......

Did you try to use filter to exclude fog?

sgfat Posted at 12-13 19:36
Did you try to use filter to exclude fog?

I took the time and read all the posts on this forum regarding fog on the lens. Not a single person wrote that the problem occurs with the filter in place, although two people directly asked: "Has anybody experienced if the same problem is there with a ND-filter on, or the white angle lens.". Two people wrote that there is fog without a filter, but:

"Fogging not observed when an ND filter was put on the lens (somehow the ND filter seems to do a better job of sealing the lens)"

"What ive found is by adding a filter, any type, this cold surface is moved away from the camera and i see no fogging."

sgfat Posted at 12-13 19:36
Did you try to use filter to exclude fog?

Now he can write anything. He already wrote what he did. If he was installing a filter, he would have mentioned it.

"So...the 6th drone exchanged by DJI....
Yes, is INSIDE.
Yes, I have left it 10 minutes to accommodate.
Yes, was in a bag with 2 silica gel.
Yes, was 8 celsius degrees and sunny, around 70% humidity
Yes, is a DESIGN flaw, and not something that can be repaired."

Bartosz Supcziński Posted at 12-13 19:53
Now he can write anything. He already wrote what he did. If he was installing a filter, he would have mentioned it.

"So...the 6th drone exchanged by DJI....

My friend, is about the flow of air created by design.
I never claimed to be a Genius like you, but for me the fluids and airflows are common works...
So...you put a gimbal in front of an opening that blows air in it's back...as air is from back to front, a vortex is created that will take cold air and smash into the lens. This would create a fog Outside lens usually that would balance in short time.
The problem is that you also get 2 regions INSIDE lens, a cold and hot ones, putting the air trapped inside camera at the point where is condensing on the colder surface = lens inside.
That clears the lesson for you related to airflows and cold/humidity.
Not to mention that there is a lot more to explain related to negative pressure that acts on gimbal, the fact that any lens is not filled with AIR (what objective from Canon, Sony, Tamron and so on you ever seen condensing inside???), so please read more about this then we can talk.

As I have said, DJI tried to impede the negative pressure and air movement inside by sealing the chamber...I have seen it at a repair shop here, as someone smashed the drone and opted to be repaired locally....This WOULD WORK but only IF the sealant would be AllWeather sealant for Outside use, or will develop pores and will not be sealant anymore in short time.

So....i read what you say, is literature but not practice.
Cheers.

ardrijewellery@gmail.com Posted at 12-13 14:56
You claimed you fixed one yourself and proclaimed how easy and successful you were. Obviously you spoke to soon, did you use the wrong silicone also , its strange 1000s have perfectly good working units but 6 out of 6 of yours are bad , what are the odds of that particularly considering you have many more problems with your dji drones than most on this forum “such bad luck”

Is not only O-ring the problem.
Problems are a lot on Mini 3 as depends on region you are living.
In temperate-continental climate seems to be a lot of issues with mist inside, as the climate is having most parameters to get it. In a cold but dry environment will not be this issue so much.

Hello

I am sure if you wait one Year (maybe two...), you will have Mold inside your Camera !!!!
Of Course, at this Time, your Warranty will be ended....
I have had this Problem with a Photo Lens.

weedhopper Posted at 12-14 02:05
Hello

I am sure if you wait one Year (maybe two...), you will have Mold inside your Camera !!!!

I'm not sure if I understood you correctly, but let's say I took a new drone, when fog appear inside, I opened the camera and wiped moisture from the lens myself. Two weeks later, my camera stabilizer broke. I bring the drone to service, and they tell me: "Sorry, but you opened the camera yourself, violated the warranty conditions. We cannot repair the stabilizer for you under warranty."
By the way, I have a 6-year-old Sigma 35mm, I used it in cold and hot weather, I hit it hard twice, now I’m shooting in Bali, and no problems. For a few more years i had Nikon 85mm, there were no problems either.

Geo_Drone Posted at 12-14 00:42
"Inside lens fog is made only when cold outside air enters in sensor area that is very hot, the contact surface being the optics inside, that forms mist/fog."

With all due respect, you are talking such nonsense that goes against the laws of physics that unfortunately I don't see any common ground on which we can discuss further. You create your own laws of physics on which you later base your conclusions.

Bartosz Supcziński Posted at 12-14 12:28
With all due respect, you are talking such nonsense that goes against the laws of physics that unfortunately I don't see any common ground on which we can discuss further. You create your own laws of physics on which you later base your conclusions.

If Vortex Shedding is against law of physics, maybe you need to go to school again...
I talk based on real things here.

So much stupidity in one post.
This is why morons shouldn’t be allowed to buy technology.

MiamiC70 Posted at 12-17 06:39
So much stupidity in one post.
This is why morons shouldn’t be allowed to buy technology.

Yes, also idiots without drones should be banned.

Umm just flew in -15F weather bringing the drone from warm inside and have zero fogging...   yes some people have this issue, but it does seem to be random.

First of all, I have to say, how is such ignorance and abuse allowed on here?

This user is simply sharing his experience, and unfortunately, I’ve had more less a similar one, where I’m now going to have to send a Mini 3 Pro back for the 7th time due to a manufacture defect, yet I’ve never crashed the drone, simply an experienced customer who highly relies on this equipment for drone work.

I also encountered fog on one of the defective drones I had to send back, but ever since fog hasn’t been an issue due to them being exchanged, I started encountering other defects such as out of focus images and jello/cripple video, I strongly believe the fog issue has been fixed by DJI with recent production dates.

But I also believe that the quality control on this specific drone is non-existent considering my experience, out of 6 drones, all have encountered different manufacture defects, some of you may  begin entering in denial or simply accusing me of lying or being a newbie, but I’m afraid that’s not the case, and I myself still can’t believe this experience I’m having, after 6 months.

I’m not a DJI hater, my first drone was a mini 2 and the experience I had with that drone was simply amazing, I own several DJI products and I’ve also been a loyal customer for a few years now.
Simply put, I pay for what’s advertised, and not for a defective product that can’t meet its standards..

sgfat Posted at 12-14 02:20
I'm not sure if I understood you correctly, but let's say I took a new drone, when fog appear inside, I opened the camera and wiped moisture from the lens myself. Two weeks later, my camera stabilizer broke. I bring the drone to service, and they tell me: "Sorry, but you opened the camera yourself, violated the warranty conditions. We cannot repair the stabilizer for you under warranty."
By the way, I have a 6-year-old Sigma 35mm, I used it in cold and hot weather, I hit it hard twice, now I’m shooting in Bali, and no problems. For a few more years i had Nikon 85mm, there were no problems either.

Yep, they would be well within their rights to decline warranty work, but, if you're in the lens, you might as well seat the o-ring properly and you shouldn't have the issue anymore...

Firstly, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! And wish you good flights! Wish that your equipment always work properly and never fail!

Secondly, I am already very tired of following this topic, because regularly come users who decide that they know physics better, they think that I am an idiot, have wrong nationality, or use drone incorrectly, and so on. I'm sick of reading the posts of these lazy people who can't read the whole thread. This is the last time I say that the temperature difference is indeed the cause, but it occurs in the air during the flight, and not because it is warm at my home and it is cold outside. This does not apply to Bartosz Supczynski, he understood the problem and gave a normal advice to try using filters, but I don’t have them and don’t want to buy, I already lost money with this drone, and someone from the users with the same problem already wrote to me, the filter didn't help.

Thirdly, if you are interested how the repair of my drone is going, then I have nothing to say. Because I sent the drone on November 5th, on the 16th it was accepted and the case number was created, after that no news. Two weeks ago, I wrote to support myself and they answered me: "Regarding the replacement, the drone needs to be sent to the factory in China for diagnosis, if the issue is confirmed, our relevant team will send you a replacement. Our friendly customer has tried to contact you several times, but still do not receive your reply. Please kindly reply our customer with her/him concerns as soon as possible. Thanks for your efforts on this matter."
It's funny, but no one tried to contact me, either by phone or by mail. That is, they can’t tell me any deadlines, and as I understand it, they can still refuse to replace and send me the drone back, but I hope this will not happen. They said to do a check by case number, I just looked there is still no information...  And someone else is surprised that I'm angry with DJI? ))
Ok, I'll wait. Once again, Happy New Year everyone!

Bashy Posted at 2022-12-25 07:45
Yep, they would be well within their rights to decline warranty work, but, if you're in the lens, you might as well seat the o-ring properly and you shouldn't have the issue anymore...

I’m sure that I can replace the o-ring and clean the lens on my own, but if, for example, the camera gimbal breaks after three-four months, then DJI can refuse to repair it. They will say that I damaged it when I changed the ring myself ) I want to avoid this kind of situation.