Series: Learn Drones From Zero → Pro
By SpeedyDrone Canada
☀️ 1. Start With These Basic Daylight Settings

If you're flying on a bright, sunny day — and you’re NOT ready for manual settings — just use Auto mode on your DJI Mini.

Auto mode has come a long way. For 90% of casual users, it works great.

But if you want to go just one step further, here’s a super beginner setup that improves footage without overcomplicating things:

🔧 Video Settings:

• Resolution: 4K (best detail) or 2.7K (smaller file size)

• Frame rate: 30 fps (standard)

• White balance: Sunny or Custom (don’t use Auto if colors shift)

• Color profile: Normal (or D-Cinelike if you plan to color grade later)

• Style: -1 sharpness, 0 contrast, 0 saturation (softens the image slightly)

📸 Photo Settings:

• JPEG or JPEG + RAW (if you want to edit later)

• 16:9 (wider) or 4:3 (more vertical space)

• Auto exposure is fine at first

☑️ Pro Tip: Practice flying and framing first. Camera skills come with time.

🧠 2. Understanding ISO, Shutter Speed, and EV (The Super Simple Way)

No jargon. Here’s what you need to know:

📈 ISO = Brightness Booster

• Lower ISO = cleaner image (no grain)

• Higher ISO = brighter image, but more noise

• In daylight, always aim for ISO 100

⏱ Shutter Speed = Motion Sharpness

• Fast shutter (1/1000s) = sharp but can look jittery

• Slow shutter (1/30s) = smooth blur, but needs stability

• For video, a rule of thumb:
  Shutter = 2× frame rate
  → 30 fps → shutter at 1/60s

🌗 EV (Exposure Value) = Brightness Adjustment

• EV +1 = brighter

• EV 0 = balanced

• EV -1 = darker

If your footage is too bright (white sky), drop EV to -0.3 or -0.7.

💥 3. How to Avoid Blurry Footage

Common beginner problems:

❌ Jerky stick movements
❌ Camera not focused
❌ Shaky drone in wind
❌ Wrong shutter speed

✅ Fixes:

• Fly in Cine mode (slower + smoother)

• Always tap to focus before shooting (Mini 3/4/5 Pro)

• Use ND filters for sunny days (more on that below)

• Don’t fly when it's too windy for a lightweight drone

• Review footage on a computer (don’t rely on phone preview)

☝️ If you’re filming in 60fps, play it back at 30fps for a smooth slow-motion look.

🕶 4. ND Filters Explained (Without the Geek Talk)

An ND (Neutral Density) filter is like sunglasses for your drone camera.

Why use them?
→ In bright sunlight, your shutter speed becomes too fast
→ This makes footage look “jittery” or “robotic”
→ ND filters slow the shutter down for smooth motion blur

🎯 When to use:

• Sunny days (especially for video)

• When your shutter speed is 1/1000 or faster

• When you want smooth “cinematic” footage

📦 ND Filter Guide:

☑️ You don’t need ND filters for photos — just for video.

✅ Summary: Start Simple, Then Level Up

You don’t need to become a camera expert right away.
Just follow this rule:

👉 Stable flight + clean image = great content

As your flying improves, you’ll naturally start noticing things like:

• Exposure balance

• Better framing

• Color grading

• Manual control

But for now — fly smooth, keep ISO low, and review your shots.

🔜 Coming Up: Episode 6 — Cinematic Flying Techniques

Learn how to fly like a filmmaker:

• Parallax

• Reveal shots

• Orbits

• Crane-up / down

• How to film your own travel reels

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