Hi folks,
I recently purchased my first drone - the DJI Mini 2. I've had the unit for about a week and am quite  satisfied, unfortunately with one exception: grainy, noisy footage.

I have tried various manual settings, and also automatic camera modes. I've tried different SD cards, frame rates, resolutions, displays etc, but there is always noticeable noise/graininess in all of the videos I have shot regardless of the amount of light present in the shot.

Is it possible I could have received a drone with a defective camera? Can I exchange the drone for a replacement and if so what is the turnaround time on something such as this?

Thanks

Hello there. I am sorry for the trouble this has caused and thank you for reaching out. Are you able to post a short sample footage showing the said issue for us to see and assist you further? Thank you.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pdw771Uy2IT8Zi--KpBUV7Xc2_tTznXo/view?usp=sharing

Hi there, please see the video linked above. thanks

bump bump bump

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 3-27 19:03
bump bump bump

I watched it on a 55 inch 4K TV.  It doesn't look at all grainy.

unfortunately with one exception: grainy, noisy footage.
Your video is fine for a camera with a small sensor.
There's no problem with grain or noise.

Labroides Posted at 3-27 21:21
unfortunately with one exception: grainy, noisy footage.
Your video is fine for a camera with a small sensor.
There's no problem with grain or noise.

It's ok to say that the image is fine for drone's price and size, but I do not agree that there is no noise problem. I see a lot of noise on all videos produced by MM1 and DM2. It is possible that your TV or player does some grain removal, so it is not that obvious.

Take a look at a 300% zoomed in sequence from OPs video:

https://media.itsinbox.com/uploa ... 9/6772/DJI_0016.mp4

Now try 300% zoom on a clip produced by other better drone and you will see a huge difference.

Tuxtard Posted at 3-29 02:00
It's ok to say that the image is fine for drone's price and size, but I do not agree that there is no noise problem. I see a lot of noise on all videos produced by MM1 and DM2. It is possible that your TV or player does some grain removal, so it is not that obvious.

Take a look at a 300% zoomed in sequence from OPs video:

I see a lot of noise on all videos produced by MM1 and DM2.
Maybe because you are blowing them up to 300% ??
It is possible that your TV or player does some grain removal.
No my computer doesn't do any magic grain removal.
The video I looked at was fine.
In low light I'd expect it to show more grain and noise, but the well lit video looked quite good.

Labroides Posted at 3-29 02:57
I see a lot of noise on all videos produced by MM1 and DM2.
Maybe because you are blowing them up to 300% ??
It is possible that your TV or player does some grain removal.

Normally I never do zoom, I was just trying to point out what was obvious to me even without it. This zoomed in video was even smoothed out a bit during a recode process and the issue is even more evident on the original clip.

What I am trying to point out is that there is a difference between saying that video has no noise and saying that video is good enough for the buck. There are many threads on this forum where users complain about the noise issue and where DJI support asks for original clip and never reports back.

Tuxtard Posted at 3-29 03:25
Normally I never do zoom, I was just trying to point out what was obvious to me even without it. This zoomed in video was even smoothed out a bit during a recode process and the issue is even more evident on the original clip.

What I am trying to point out is that there is a difference between saying that video has no noise and saying that video is good enough for the buck. There are many threads on this forum where users complain about the noise issue and where DJI support asks for original clip and never reports back.

I looked carefully at the video, mutliple times on a 28 inch 4K monitor and it looks fine to me.
I can't see any noise or grain problems to complain about and I reported what I saw..
I have no idea what you are seeing.

Tuxtard Posted at 3-29 03:25
Normally I never do zoom, I was just trying to point out what was obvious to me even without it. This zoomed in video was even smoothed out a bit during a recode process and the issue is even more evident on the original clip.

What I am trying to point out is that there is a difference between saying that video has no noise and saying that video is good enough for the buck. There are many threads on this forum where users complain about the noise issue and where DJI support asks for original clip and never reports back.

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth getting a replacement drone or is the one I have now functioning up to standard?

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 3-29 10:41
I'm trying to figure out if it's worth getting a replacement drone or is the one I have now functioning up to standard?

The video example you gave shows that there's nothing wrong with the camera.

DJI Stephen Posted at 3-24 21:35
Hello there. I am sorry for the trouble this has caused and thank you for reaching out. Are you able to post a short sample footage showing the said issue for us to see and assist you further? Thank you.

hey man, could u take a look at my linked footage and tell me if it looks normal ? is the graininess as it should be? or should I return the drone for a replacement? thx

Tuxtard Posted at 3-29 03:25
Normally I never do zoom, I was just trying to point out what was obvious to me even without it. This zoomed in video was even smoothed out a bit during a recode process and the issue is even more evident on the original clip.

What I am trying to point out is that there is a difference between saying that video has no noise and saying that video is good enough for the buck. There are many threads on this forum where users complain about the noise issue and where DJI support asks for original clip and never reports back.

hey man would u say my footage is normal? or should i ask for a replacement?

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 3-30 20:13
hey man would u say my footage is normal? or should i ask for a replacement?

It looks good, it's normal and there's no need to replace the drone.
A replacement would give the same (good) results.

Labroides Posted at 3-30 20:56
It looks good, it's normal and there's no need to replace the drone.
A replacement would give the same (good) results.

He is just going to keep asking until he finds someone who agrees with him.

The subject of "grainy footage" is up to our ears - also the possible causes and how this can possibly be remedied - look for it!
E.g. so that you record the video brighter than the automatic would do and if possible always with ISO100.
Whereby your video only shows a barely noticeable noise in dark areas (forest) - so it is already very good!
The Mini2's camera doesn't get any better, no matter how often you change the drone ....

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 3-30 20:13
hey man would u say my footage is normal? or should i ask for a replacement?

Hey, I would say that your footage looks noisy, but I think that this is normal for this model. It seems that we have different standards on what is noisy and what isn't than the rest of the folks here. I don't think that you will get a better result with the replacement, but if you do, please tell me so that I also replace mine.

Anyway, I am going to try to sum up other related discussions and tips on this topic:

• noise is more noticeable on dark shadowy areas
• noise is most noticeable on grass and gravel like surfaces
• noise it is less noticable on urban and artificial environments
  

There is currently no way to fix this problem, but there are some tips on how to deal with it:

• film in a good light
• do not underexpose
• always use ISO 100
• use ND filters and 180 degree rule to blur the motion and cover up the problem
• use NeatVideo or other noise removal filter in post
  

Ah thanks for the recommendations everyone -
It can be a little hard to accept the noise when I see so many perfectly clear videos on YouTube marked as filmed with a Mini 2.....I suppose what I am seeing is their post processing result ?
Anyway thanks

Video looks fine to me as others have said. You have the entry level drone from DJI. The smallest sensor. You want better quality you have to pay for it. You don't buy the cheapest camera on the market then complain about it not looking like Hollywood quality.

footage looks good for a mini2, I see the "grain" you are talking about, also the lighting is a bit low so the iso might be a bit higher contributing to the "grain". mini 2 is great for the size in the optimal conditions. best of luck!

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 3-31 14:02
Ah thanks for the recommendations everyone -
It can be a little hard to accept the noise when I see so many perfectly clear videos on YouTube marked as filmed with a Mini 2.....I suppose what I am seeing is their post processing result ?
Anyway thanks

Yeah, probably a post processing result. Here's how your clip looks like with a low level noise reduction filter applied:

http://media.itsinbox.com/upload ... 29/6793/denoise.mp4

I just have a difficult time seeing this as not defective.
I keep looking at "unedited" "unprocessed" "raw" 4K footage people post and it looks very clear with little to no noise.
Then I compare my own, and in every portion of the video is much worse grain/noise than what I see in comparable Mini 2 video.
Maybe you guys just need more examples....or aren't viewing my raw footage, maybe its the compressed youtube video you're seeing or aren't looking at it on a large enough display

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 4-1 08:41
I just have a difficult time seeing this as not defective.
I keep looking at "unedited" "unprocessed" "raw" 4K footage people post and it looks very clear with little to no noise.
Then I compare my own, and in every portion of the video is much worse grain/noise than what I see in comparable Mini 2 video.

Found a short clip from my DM2 for you to compare that features a gravel beach.

http://media.itsinbox.com/upload ... 55/229/6802/ada.MP4

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 4-1 08:41
I just have a difficult time seeing this as not defective.
I keep looking at "unedited" "unprocessed" "raw" 4K footage people post and it looks very clear with little to no noise.
Then I compare my own, and in every portion of the video is much worse grain/noise than what I see in comparable Mini 2 video.

I just have a difficult time seeing this as not defective.
You may as well sell your drone because it will never satisfy you.
Then buy something that costs $10K or more and then pay thousands more for a substantial camera for it to carry.
Or ... get your eyes checked and get glasses.

Maybe you guys just need more examples.
Well there's nothing wrong with the sample you've already shown.
Perhaps you need to show the ones that are unsatisfactory?

...or aren't viewing my raw footage, maybe its the compressed youtube video you're seeing
Because Youtube compression would make it look better?
Maybe you aren't thinking very clearly?

or aren't looking at it on a large enough display
Or maybe what you are viewing it on is the problem?

Labroides Posted at 4-1 13:11
I just have a difficult time seeing this as not defective.
You may as well sell your drone because it will never satisfy you.
Then buy something that costs $10K or more and then pay thousands more for a substantial camera for it to carry.

Actually, in this case YouTube compression does help. It seems that YT encoder does some basic denoising. Less noise = smaller bitrate for the same quality, so it makes sense that YT would do this.

Would you like a better film quality than the Mini2 offers? Return the Mini2 and buy e.g. the Mavic2: https://www.dji.com/at/mavic-2?site=brandsite&from=nav
But it's three times as expensive ?! Yes ...

I find that noise reduction in Davinci Resolve successfully removes noise and jitter, and also reduces the natural over-sharpness of the M2 camera. I shoot 4K then down convert to FHD for final output.

ozoffi Posted at 4-2 00:36
Would you like a better film quality than the Mini2 offers? Return the Mini2 and buy e.g. the Mavic2: https://www.dji.com/at/mavic-2?site=brandsite&from=nav
But it's three times as expensive ?! Yes ...

... or get FIMI X8 Mini: https://www.fimi.com/fimi-x8-mini.html

Its test footage looks less noisy, but it is still too early to tell since there are no RAW samples out there, just YT clips:

JerryLaurence Posted at 4-2 01:44
I find that noise reduction in Davinci Resolve successfully removes noise and jitter, and also reduces the natural over-sharpness of the M2 camera. I shoot 4K then down convert to FHD for final output.

Glad to hear that. Are you using any special settings?

Guys, can we at least try to determine if quality differs between units? If you are satisfied with the footage your unit produces please post raw unedited clips for us to compare.

Tuxtard Posted at 4-2 02:20
Glad to hear that. Are you using any special settings?

In Colour Correction (Resolve Studio) try Temporal NR (3 frames, Better, Threshold 50).  I think you can start with the rest on default values but let us know how you get on. There’s also Remove Noise in Fusion but I haven’t tried that yet.

I'm probably just going to send back the drone and see what I get as a replacement.
Here is another sample, good lighting conditions, no gimbal movement, cinematic mode, 4k, and I still see graininess on my 32inch display everywhere. Again, I compare against other raw video files and most don't have any noticeable grain..
https://youtu.be/F3X8JFjdIrM

I actually just viewed my recently uploaded youtube vid, and wow it actually looks much less noisy when uploaded to youtube than when viewing the file directly on my pc...hm..

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 4-3 06:39
I'm probably just going to send back the drone and see what I get as a replacement.
Here is another sample, good lighting conditions, no gimbal movement, cinematic mode, 4k, and I still see graininess on my 32inch display everywhere. Again, I compare against other raw video files and most don't have any noticeable grain..

It's hard to tell much for the part of the video that's over ice but when it's over land, the video looks great.
I can't see the problem you are complaining about.

djiuser_iyS0CEz7xqMb Posted at 4-3 08:42
I actually just viewed my recently uploaded youtube vid, and wow it actually looks much less noisy when uploaded to youtube than when viewing the file directly on my pc...hm..

Yeah, Youtube tends to deblock and denoise videos to save bandwidth and space. Did you manage to replace your drone yet?

Tuxtard Posted at 4-7 13:23
Yeah, Youtube tends to deblock and denoise videos to save bandwidth and space. Did you manage to replace your drone yet?

I couldn't bring myself to wait weeks to return the drone to the States, have them examine it, and then ship me another one from China....patience is not my virtue

Tuxtard Posted at 4-7 13:23
Yeah, Youtube tends to deblock and denoise videos to save bandwidth and space. Did you manage to replace your drone yet?

THAT is new to me ... so far the videos on YT look rather worse (more compression artifacts) than the YT improves them ...

ozoffi Posted at 4-7 22:41
THAT is new to me ... so far the videos on YT look rather worse (more compression artifacts) than the YT improves them ...

Well I am not saying that YT improves quality. I am just saying that it remove some of the digital noise generated by DM2, along with some other useful details.

I don't doubt your words - it's just new ... I haven't noticed yet. On the contrary, the compression artifacts are added to the noise.