Dear Helpers,

I've only had my DJI Mini 4 about 3 weeks.
It worked fine at first.
Now however it cannot focus (except on closeups).

PLEASE NOTE:
1. There is no damage to the gimbal or camera.
2. The lens is perfectly clean.
3. I have the latest firmware.
4. I am aware this is a known issue with some Mini 4 drones.
5. I have been very gentle and careful with this drone.

The following (drone landing) video demonstrates the problem.
Note that at first the footage is out of focus, but close to landing good focus is achieved.
Nearly all the time the footage is out of focus.

https://youtu.be/e1sP6rhp_HY

Please replace drone with a correctly functioning aircraft.

-- Douglas Colman.

Hi there, may I ask if you've tested with another environment/object? Please note that the cameras may not focus correctly in the following situations: https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/ ... _User_Manual_EN.pdf

DJI Mindy Posted at 2-21 00:05
Hi there, may I ask if you've tested with another environment/object? Please note that the cameras may not focus correctly in the following situations: https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/DJI_Mini_4_Pro/20240115/DJI_Mini_4_Pro_User_Manual_EN.pdf
[view_image]

Hi DJI Mindy,

Thankyou for your reply to my forum post regarding the focusing issue with my Mini 4 Pro.

I carefully read the sections from the Mini 4 Manual as you recommended, especially page 72 of DJI_Mini_4_Pro_User_Manual_EN.pdf. I carefully considered the conditions that are mentioned that might lead to poor focusing. I also carefully checked my saved drone footage. The lack of focus is not happening due to the conditions mentioned in the manual.

Please note that I own a Mini 3 Pro as well as a Mini 4 Pro. Therefore, I have had a good chance to compare the performance of these two aircraft in similar environments. The Mini 3 Pro has never shown the problems with focusing that I am getting with the Mini 4 Pro.

I will attach an image showing the lack of focus of the Mini 4 Pro. The subject/scene had ample areas of contrast that should have allowed the drone camera to focus correctly.

As I stated clearly in the forum:
1. There is no damage to the gimbal or camera.
2. The lens is perfectly clean.
3. I have the latest firmware.
4. I am aware this is a known issue with some Mini 4 Pro drones.
5. I have been very gentle and careful with this drone.

Thankyou for your help.
-- Douglas Colman.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-21 11:50
Hi DJI Mindy,

Thankyou for your reply to my forum post regarding the focusing issue with my Mini 4 Pro.

Hello Friends,

As a side issue please let me mention that I have a software engineering and image processing background. I know you have an excellent team there but sometimes another opinion can be useful. I noticed in one of the blurry images that there were certain components (eg tree trunk) that had a distinct double exposure look. Now, with the [HD] setting on the video I believe that two frames are captured (one lower exposure and one higher exposure) that are combined into a single output frame (with superior shadow and highlight detail). It looks like these 2 frames are not matched exactly, creating the resultant blurring. I am not in a position to know if this matching and combining happens in firmware or other lower level software. Your engineers will know of course. But I just thought I would mention this observation. Please pass it on to the relevant engineers. Thank You.

Regards,
Douglas

Sorry for this issue, please also try to refresh the latest firmware via DJI Assistant 2, and replace the SD card to see if that could be related. If the issue is the same, there is no filter used on the camera, you may consider sending the drone back to our service for further testing.
Please fill out the online repair request on our official web and send it back. Here is the link: https://www.dji.com/support/repair
We will do our best to help this out.

Hi Friends.
Hope you are all going well.
Unfortunately, the focusing problem is a known issue with this model (the DJI Mini 4 Pro), as clearly indicated in this entire forum thread: https://forum.dji.com/thread-302642-1-1.html
I would like to know if I seek a replacement whether such a replacement would also have the same issue.
I need to identify the cause of the issue (if you know) so that I can take appropriate action, perhaps avoid this model altogether.
I do have a Mini 3 Pro and I'm very happy with it.
It would be good to know the bad Serial Number range if you are not intending to do a recall (on a certain batch of Mini 4 Pros).
I am a software engineer. This is NOT an SD card problem.
I have the latest firmware, I DO NOT have a lens filter attached (as I said, the last few seconds of the flight were perfectly in focus).
I have been patient and clearly indicated the problem. Please now give me a satisfactory solution.
This problem is occurring with other Mini 4 Pro owners!
Therefore a return for "repair" is NOT a satisfactory solution.  
Unfortunately, I am getting entire flights that are out of focus!
Please address the issues I have raised.
Thankyou. Have a good day.
-- Douglas.

DJI Susan Posted at 2-22 03:53
Sorry for this issue, please also try to refresh the latest firmware via DJI Assistant 2, and replace the SD card to see if that could be related. If the issue is the same, there is no filter used on the camera, you may consider sending the drone back to our service for further testing.
Please fill out the online repair request on our official web and send it back. Here is the link: https://www.dji.com/support/repair
We will do our best to help this out.

Hello Friends.
I'll try doing flights without the [HD] Video Mode, which appears like it could be related. I'll report back as to how it goes. If you are aware of any other "work arounds" please let me know. Many thanks. I will also replicate any Mini 4 Pro out of focus flights with my Mini 3 Pro. Are they the same camera?
Kind Regards,
Douglas.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-24 18:30
Hello Friends.
I'll try doing flights without the [HD] Video Mode, which appears like it could be related. I'll report back as to how it goes. If you are aware of any other "work arounds" please let me know. Many thanks. I will also replicate any Mini 4 Pro out of focus flights with my Mini 3 Pro. Are they the same camera?
Kind Regards,

May I ask if you've tried to test in a different environment to see if the issue still exists? To better help you solve the problem, would you mind also providing us with another sample video?

DJI Mindy Posted at 2-25 00:53
May I ask if you've tried to test in a different environment to see if the issue still exists? To better help you solve the problem, would you mind also providing us with another sample video?

Here is my recent DJI Mini 4 Pro flight that produced almost entirely out of focus video:



Please note that the entire video is out of focus until near landing. There are many areas of good contrast which should have allowed the drone camera to focus correctly. The video clearly comes into focus at 53 seconds (just before landing), and the difference is quite dramatic. My DJI Mini 3 drone (different drone) has been quite OK with its focusing during similar flights. Thanks for your help.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-25 02:26
Here is my recent DJI Mini 4 Pro flight that produced almost entirely out of focus video:

https://youtu.be/Nd5SdMrlCfM

May I ask if you've tested it in a different environment? Does the issue also exist? If so, please also provide us with a video in a different environment. We will forward it to our engineer for further checking.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2-27 00:08
May I ask if you've tested it in a different environment? Does the issue also exist? If so, please also provide us with a video in a different environment. We will forward it to our engineer for further checking.

Hi Friends.
Thankyou for your help.
Here is another video from a different environment showing the focus problem with my DJI Mini 4 Pro.

Many thanks,
Douglas.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-27 07:24
Hi Friends.
Thankyou for your help.
Here is another video from a different environment showing the focus problem with my DJI Mini 4 Pro.

Thanks, we will forward it to the appropriate team for further review and confirmation.

DJI Mindy Posted at 2-28 01:44
Thanks, we will forward it to the appropriate team for further review and confirmation.

Thankyou for your help.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-28 21:41
Thankyou for your help.

No worries. If you have any further inquiry, please feel free to let us know.

DJI Thor Posted at 2-28 22:28
No worries. If you have any further inquiry, please feel free to let us know.

Sorry, I was NOT implying that the problem had been solved/fixed. Please let me know when you have results from your examination of the several videos that I have already provided of my DJI Mini 4 Pro out of focus problem. Have a good day.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 2-29 01:10
Sorry, I was NOT implying that the problem had been solved/fixed. Please let me know when you have results from your examination of the several videos that I have already provided of my DJI Mini 4 Pro out of focus problem. Have a good day.

Got it! Don't worry, we are still following up on your case. Our engineer team has provided us with an update, and since you have already tried updating the firmware and other methods which didn't work, we suggest you try the following:

1. Keep the shooting target within the focus point. We recommend that you fly your aircraft to a location where the shooting target is within the focus range (such as 1m - ∞ for the DJI Mini 4 Pro), shoot, and then view the footage again.

2. Reset the camera parameters in the app and try again.

If the problem persists, you can provide us with a new original footage to double-check, or send it back to our service center for a comprehensive diagnosis.

DJI Thor Posted at 2-29 02:53
Got it! Don't worry, we are still following up on your case. Our engineer team has provided us with an update, and since you have already tried updating the firmware and other methods which didn't work, we suggest you try the following:

1. Keep the shooting target within the focus point. We recommend that you fly your aircraft to a location where the shooting target is within the focus range (such as 1m - ∞ for the DJI Mini 4 Pro), shoot, and then view the footage again.

Hi Friends.
Thankyou for your help.
I did the things that you suggest.
And took some more footage.
Here is more out of focus original video from my Mini 4 Pro when set at AF.
I guess I would be happy to always run at manual focus and have some compensation.
Unless you have identified the cause of this issue (that other users are experiencing) I would rather not seek a "fix" or "replacement" and then still experience the same intermittent issues. Do you think it is a hardware or firmware issue?
Thanks again. Have a good day.
--Douglas.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 3-1 11:45
Hi Friends.
Thankyou for your help.
I did the things that you suggest.

Thank you for your feedback. We forwarded the video to our engineer to further check.

DJI Thor Posted at 3-1 23:11
Thank you for your feedback. We forwarded the video to our engineer to further check.

Thanks so much !!

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 3-1 23:17
Thanks so much !!

No worries. It's our pleasure.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 3-1 11:45
Hi Friends.
Thankyou for your help.
I did the things that you suggest.

Hi there, may I confirm if you toggle to MF mode and slide the MF module, will the picture become clearer or still blurry?

DJI Mindy Posted at 3-4 06:29
Hi there, may I confirm if you toggle to MF mode and slide the MF module, will the picture become clearer or still blurry?

Hi Friends. I just re checked the functioning of the MF mode. It works perfectly OK, with the full range of focusing available, and working correctly. Thanks.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 3-4 13:14
Hi Friends. I just re checked the functioning of the MF mode. It works perfectly OK, with the full range of focusing available, and working correctly. Thanks.

In this case, please use AF mode in an environment with good lighting(apart from the situations below). Tap the center point of the screen in AF mode. Check whether it focuses. (There is an effective focus area in the app. If the boundary edge of the app is tapped, AF is invalid. Please keep the shooting target in the center of the picture as much as possible.)

DJI Mindy Posted at 3-6 00:08
In this case, please use AF mode in an environment with good lighting(apart from the situations below). Tap the center point of the screen in AF mode. Check whether it focuses. (There is an effective focus area in the app. If the boundary edge of the app is tapped, AF is invalid. Please keep the shooting target in the center of the picture as much as possible.)
[view_image]

OK I will try this. Thanks for your help.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 3-6 08:42
OK I will try this. Thanks for your help.

You're welcome. Looking forward to your update.

Will try this again, last attempt said that I don't have permission to post YouTube link. How does one get permission to post a link to YouTube?

This is an example of a focus issue that I had yesterday with my DJI Mini 4 Pro. The focus finally corrects itself about 12 seconds into this clip.

PuebloSam Posted at 4-25 07:49
Will try this again, last attempt said that I don't have permission to post YouTube link. How does one get permission to post a link to YouTube?

This is an example of a focus issue that I had yesterday with my DJI Mini 4 Pro. The focus finally corrects itself about 12 seconds into this clip.

Hi. I didn't get any special permission. Perhaps they have started stripping out youtube links. You could try some stills.

I tried still too...maybe it's because I'm new.

PuebloSam Posted at 4-25 12:16
I tried still too...maybe it's because I'm new.

You could ask them.

djiuser_4vYEQqU5qqwW Posted at 4-25 12:28
You could ask them.

Trying again...
https://youtu.be/YVlanwUMmJI
You can see the shot snap into focus about the 12 second mark.

PuebloSam Posted at 4-26 13:31
Trying again...
https://youtu.be/YVlanwUMmJI
You can see the shot snap into focus about the 12 second mark.

I went through this battle with them. Now I just use infinity focus permanently (mountain icon on the RC/RC2). Your subject is great for this. There are times when autofocus does not work as we would hope (on all sorts of cameras, not just your drone). I love my drone and just work around these issues. At first, cos you paid a lot of money, you want everything to be perfect. You have to work with the technology. They have got themselves "covered" and do mention (in the manual etc) that there are autofocus issues under certain conditions. Your subject is very nebulous and non contrasty. All the best. Enjoy your aerial photography/videography!