Ongoing problem with the Mavic 2 Zoom camera.

Why provide a professional camera output format (DNG RAW) and not provide an accurate correction profile for it for users to deploy in Photoshop/Lightroom/GIMP/DarkTable?

Good question? I think so. One photo-session provided the comparison. Results below.

PROFESSIONAL FORMATS

DNG RAW stills:
Pro's.
Considerably less noise in image. Sharper picture in zoom. Better colour.

Cons.
Unacceptable barrel distortion that is almost impossible to adjust for with accuracy. Worst at 4mm focal length. Slight improvement at 8mm focal length. Using proprietary correction profiles (Photoshop/Darktable) features within pictures remain skewed / off-perpendicular along top and bottom thirds of frame. Effect worsens at outermost corners of frame. Same problem occurs either 4:3 or 16:9.

MOV video (D-Cinelike profile) H264 codec:
Pro's.
No observable barrel distortion - corrected in-camera?

Con's: None observable



AMATEUR FORMATS

JPG stills:
Pro's:
Barrel distortion not evident. All landscape features appear true to perpendicular. Corrected in-camera?

cons:
"Dirtier" image - grain and artifacts. Loss of sharpness in zoom.

MP4 video (D-Cinelike profile) H264 codec:
No observable barrel distortion - corrected in-camera? Still image grabs from footage crisp and produce very good still photos even at 24fps.


Obvious conclusion is that with DNG the still image is captured RAW and cannot be altered or enhanced in-camera and must be manipulated in post-processing. Obvious conclusion is that with the point-and-click AMATEUR FORMAT (JPG) the still can be altered/enhanced in-camera: as can the JPG MP4 video footage.

BUT - the MOV file (professional format?) benefits from lens correction before it is saved into a downloadable format (proof being the fact that the horizon isn't as bent as a banana).

If the correction profile exists for the FC2204 camera lens (it is plainly applied to JPG's: MP4's AND MOV files): then why is there no proprietary lens correction profile produced by DJI that similarly corrects DNG images that can be downloaded for use in higher-end graphics manipulation programs and integrated for use in post-processing?

There are a number that have been produced for the Hasselblad(???) camera on the Mavic 2 PRO as deployed in both Lightroom and DarkTable - but still nothing for the Mavic 2 ZOOM which suffers from this problem far worse than does it's sister.

DJI: this is a huge and barrelling gaffe that you have dropped - and it is one that cuts the legs out from under what is still one of the world leaders in pro-sumer level drones. With the ability to correct the DNG still image ACCURATELY for lens distortion in post : you have a machine that can easily become one of the top choices for users in professional markets - like the ones we specialize in - archaeology and heritage asset photography.

The Mavic 2 series have the extended flight capabilities the Inspire series dreams of. Unlike the Inspire: the Mavics have the ability to get into the tightest of environments. For a company that presses itself as a producer of tools and not toys: DJI are fumbling the ball with fluffing the details. DJI has an ACE series of drones in the MAVIC 2's that will not be surpassed until the AUTEL EVO 2 gets it's feet under the table. DJI needs to consolidate it's advantage by firmware fixing all of the bugs and by producing high-accuracy lens correction profiles to ortho-rectify the lenses installed in their cameras. Put this right: release accurate profiles for use with ADOBE and LENSFUN and DJI will rule the world.