Best Video Settings for DJI Mini 2 SE (Explained for Beginners)

DJI Mini 2 SE. What a drone! If you’re seeking a budget-friendly drone for around $300, there is no better drone that I could recommend.

Still, with all the buzz going around the Mini 2 SE, it has a few downsides. And one of them is the actual camera quality.

In fact, the camera behind it is not bad at all; don’t get me wrong. However, the image sensor or CMOS is relatively small compared to today’s drone standard for professional photography and filming.

However, with the advanced camera technology and video editing software nowadays, you can get some pretty decent recordings with this drone.

That’s why I want to share with you the very best settings for different scenarios to record the best videos possible with the DJI Mini 2 SE.

DJI Mini 2 SE Camera: What do we know?

The camera behind DJI Mini 2 SE has an image sensor of 1/2.3 inch, similar to the one found behind DJI Mini 2 and DJI FPV drones.

Looking beyond that, the camera sensors found on the Mini 3, 3 Pro, and 4 Pro are 1/1.3 inch, much larger than the one in the Mini 2 SE. That’s the point where photographs and videos taken with such drones look more professional, are of better quality, and have a better dynamic range.

But how does the small sensor affect the Mini 2 SE camera?

Well, in photography, the camera sensor or CMOS is the most crucial aspect of capturing fantastic images and videos.

With this drone’s camera, because it’s only 1/2.3 inch, which is relatively small, you’ll struggle to capture any low-light videos, and definitely, the night videos you capture will look terrible.

The dynamic range will suffer, the clarity and vividness of these videos are worse, and if you magnify your final video, you’ll notice more obvious artifacts than a similar video captured with a larger sensor.

That’s because every video detail will be squeezed in this small sensor.

I’m not saying now that it’s absolutely terrible. Believe me, it is not.

But all the aforementioned drones with 1/1.3 inch CMOS and larger would be better for filming unless the drone is super old and part of the older technology where what’s inside matters.

Still, despite all the downsides of this drone’s smaller CMOS, if you tweak a few settings and, understand what to change and respect a few rules in videography, you’ll be surprised at the videos you can record.

» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Camera Quality (With Pictures)

How to access video settings on DJI Mini 2 SE

To access the video mode in the DJI Fly App (live view mode), press the icon above the shutter button on the right side of the screen, and you will see a list of photo and filming options. Choose “video,” and from there, either normal or slow motion shooting mode – but we’ll go with normal.

The next step is to switch to Pro Mode.

To do this, take a look at the camera icon on the bottom right of your screen. You will see written on the camera “Auto,” which is the auto mode. Tap the camera icon, and it will automatically switch to Pro Mode, giving you a series of camera options you can manually change.

Note: Pro Mode is the equivalent of the manual mode on a video camera.

When you have activated Pro Mode, you have access to all the video settings you need to change to improve your filming.

If you’re filming in Auto Mode, the Shutter Speed, ISO, WB, and other settings are automatically set to properly expose the video you’re taking with the Mini 2 SE.

You don’t want this because a simple change in the environment scenery would mess with the highlights and shadows of the video, where the drone will attempt to readjust the exposure, thus making the videos look non-professional.

On top of that, the videos won’t look cinematic at all if you don’t follow any rules of filming. More about that later.

Now with the Pro Mode, you can change all these settings to be able to capture the best videos in the most professional way, even with this drone.

» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Pro – How to Change Video Settings (Video)

Best Resolution and Framerate

Summary: 2.7k at 30fps

The first thing we have to select before filming with our DJI Mini 2 SE is the resolution and framerate. This drone can film only up to 2.7k, but at this resolution, you can set only 30 frames per second.

If you are ever looking to shoot in 60 FPS, you’ll have to drop down the resolution at FHD.

2.7k is okay. In fact, it’s what we are looking for at this time to film with the drone. Don’t go 1080p unless you want to shoot some slow motion.

» MORE: Camera Technology in Drones (Explained)

The Correct Shutter Speed

Summary: Set it to double the framerate you choose.

The DJI Mini 2 SE has an electronic shutter speed with values between 4 seconds and 1/8000 s. That’s super great and diversified; however, you only take advantage of this range in photography.

As for filming with a drone or camera, no matter which one it is, there is a golden rule where you have to set double the shutter speed in concordance with the framerate you choose.

For instance, if you opt to shoot in 60 frames per second, no matter the resolution, you will have to choose the 1/120s shutter speed or the closest value.

When choosing the standard framerate of 30fps, you will have to pick 1/60s shutter speed or the closest value.

This is crucial in order to bring smooth motion blur to the videos resulting from a drone or camera. If not, the videos will look a bit choppy and undoubtedly amateurish for any good use.

But there is a catch. If you’re looking to set the shutter speeds when filming during the day, the videos will look overly exposed.

There are two things to do here.

Drop down the ISO to the minimum, which is 100. If the video still looks overexposed (before shooting), follow step 2.
Use ND filters. These filters that you attach in front of the drone camera lens have the role of blocking a large amount of light simply for this reason.

With an ND filter, you’re able to control the light that comes into the camera sensor and set the proper values following this golden rule in video making.

There are many ND filters, and they usually come in a set for different lighting situations for the environment you’re planning to film.

For instance, you use a denser filter like ND16 or ND32 during full sunlight and maybe ND8 when the lighting is less abundant (overcast). This is just a guideline, though.

If you’re looking to grasp more information about ND filters and their full role in a drone, we recommend checking out the following article:

» MORE: A Simple Guide to ND Filters: What You Need to Know to Shoot Better Drone Video

What ISO to use

Summary: Set the ISO according to shutter speed and framerate to obtain a properly exposed image (100-400)

The ISO should be set as low as possible in order to avoid image noise (grainy appearance) set into the videos. This will have to follow the same rule as in photography.

However, sometimes, you need to adjust the ISO according to the conditions and not set it to the lowest values. That will happen when you set the shutter speed to double the framerate, with or without ND filters.

For instance, if the video will look underexposed at 1/60s shutter speed with an ND filter ND16, one option would be to increase the ISO (or readjust it) to adequately expose the image.

What I love to do in any case is never to get an ISO above 400. In this case, using another ND filter (weaker) and keeping ISO lower would be more effective.

» MORE: Can a Drone Camera Zoom In? (Explained for Beginners)

Choosing a video framerate

Summary: 30 fps for everyday use, 60 fps for slow-motion

24 frames per second are used in cinematography, whereas 30 or 60 frames per second are used for television or online content.

As I mentioned before, with the DJI Mini 2 SE, we only have 30 or 60 fps.

In any case, the most common way to film is by using 30 frames per second. In this case, your shutter speed will have to be 1/60s.

But, if you’re looking for any slow-motion content, film at 60fps in Full HD and then drop down the speed in post-processing, which will result in 0.5x 30fps.

Those are merely guidelines. However, you need to remember that the slower the shutter speed is (lower the FPS), the more light will come into the camera sensor. Therefore, videos will easily get overexposed during the day.

As a rule of thumb, I sometimes film at 60 fps during the day with my drones and cameras (also because I love 60fps videos – pure magic) so I don’t have to drop the shutter speed too much, as many times during decent lighting hours (not too bright nor too dark) I don’t need any ND filters with this framerate.

» MORE: Best Camera Settings for DJI Air 3 (Photo & Video)

White Balance

Summary: 5600K during a sunny or overcast day; 3500-4500K during golden hours.

The video color representation is defined by the white balance. Luckily, we can adjust the white balance from lower Kv values (colder) to higher values (warmer).

Depending on the time of the day, we need to adjust the white balance so the video won’t look too warm or too cold.

Let me say it another way. The auto mode is just fine for those who don’t want to get too much into detail and readjust the white balance. And even if it’s a bit off, you can correct the white balance in post-processing.

But I do prefer to manually set it when I’m shooting longer videos because the environment ambiance will change.

So, what settings do you need here?

When you shoot videos with your DJI Mini 2 SE in the morning or evening, and there’s a very warm ambient color (sunrise, sunset), lower the Kv a bit, usually between 3500K to 4500K. Otherwise, the video will be too warm.

The opposite should happen when shooting either during an overcast day or specifically during a sunny day where you have a cold blue sky – you need to increase the Kv to warm up the video a bit or it will look way too cold (blue-ish).

Note: I annotate Kv as a reference to K, which represents the Kelvin temperature on the white balance scale.

» MORE: Drone Filmmaking Ultimate Guide

Tips for shooting better videos with DJI Mini 2 SE

Now that you have a basic idea about what settings to choose when you’re looking to capture videos with the DJI Mini 2 SE, let’s also dive into some tips and also some basic settings I use when shooting at different times of the day.

Always plan your shots ahead

Wherever you’re planning to travel somewhere with a drone and capture videos of an area or landscape or have a gig, it’s always essential to plan everything ahead and calculate every possibility to avoid disappointments.

One thing I always mention is checking the weather. Let’s assume you already know it’s probably not gonna rain, or you won’t plan this shot, but what about the wind speed level?

The 3-axis gimbal behind DJI Mini 2 SE is extraordinary and does a fantastic job in mechanically stabilizing the videos resulting from this drone. But that’s not the end of the story.

While the Mini 2 SE has a decent wind resistance level of 5 with a max of 10.7 m/s, every wind gust and speed can affect your plans.

And it is not only about the Mini 2 SE not stabilizing itself – it has excellent hovering stability despite being so lightweight, but don’t forget that the flight time can be drastically affected, especially if you plan to fly long-range.

On this topic, we have two fantastic articles we recommend reading if you’re planning to take any videos with the DJI Mini 2 SE, or any other drone for that matter.

Use Intelligent Functions (QuickShots)

While the DJI Mini 2 SE does not have Active Track or Follow-me Mode (that’s a bummer), it does have some intelligent functions like QuickShots, which can be a smart approach to taking some unique shots.

These QuickShots are made for filming and will program the drone to follow a preset path and capture some fantastic videos.

From Boomerang, Circle, Rocket, Helix, and Orbit to Dronie, each of these shot modes can easily capture some quite difficult flights with this drone, so you get great videos with very little effort, especially if you’ve followed our settings tips.

But simply be aware that the DJI Mini 2 SE does not have any obstacle avoidance sensors, so plan these modes carefully and make sure there are no obstacles around for the drone to crash into (e.g., trees or buildings).

» MORE: DJI Intelligent Flight Modes (Including Quickshots & Mastershots)

Learn Cinematic Moves

In the world of cinematography, from the legendary drone shots behind Jurassic World to Kandahar, cinematic shots of epic proportions are used to create emotion and send a message to the viewer.

Well, you have a DJI Mini 2 SE. We cannot by any means compare it with any million-dollar cinema drone camera. However, one thing is common: the cinematic shots.

No matter what drone you have, if you learn and master these cinematic moves, you’re off to a great start.

This is probably one of the most important things. This is the difference between capturing mediocre videos and taking epic shots with your drone.

Learning cinematic moves with a drone may seem challenging at the beginning. But I promise you, it is not as difficult as it looks.

I would strongly recommend you watch the following video to better understand where you can improve in this area.

» MORE: 9 Tips to Make Your Drone Footage More Cinematic

Shooting videos during daylight

Let’s focus for a bit on what settings you should use if you’re going to shoot videos with your DJI Mini 2 SE during the day.

Here are some guidelines I use that have proved to be excellent not only with this drone but with other ones as well.

Remember that the settings may differ depending on the landscape and the ambient light where you’re shooting the video.

Mornings & Evenings

Resolution: 2.7k
Framerate: 30 fps
Shutter Speed: 1/60s
ISO: Between 100 and 400, adjust to properly expose the video
ND Filters: None or ND8. Sometimes, you may even need ND16

Notes: You may or may not need an ND filter to obtain the shutter speed of 1/60 with a properly exposed video while the framerate remains at 30 and the ISO between 100 and 400 range. As an alternative to using ND filters, you can increase the framerate to 60fps at 1080p resolution and set the shutter speed to 1/120s

✅ The advantage here is that the ambient light is more than enough, and you may not even need an ND filter. But not always.

❌ The downside is that the dynamic range (the difference between highlights and shadows) will be badly noticeable. Therefore, some shots may not look professional.

» MORE: When is the Best Time to Fly a Drone?

Full Sun & Overcast

Resolution: 2.7k
Framerate: 30 fps
Shutter Speed: 1/60s
ISO: Between 100 and 400 when using an ND filter.
ND Filters: ND16, 32, or even 64 may be needed.

Notes: During the daytime, your sensor will be flooded with light, especially if shooting in full sunlight with the Mini 2 SE. To respect these cinematography rules of filming, you definitely need to use an ND filter of higher strength (blocks more light), and depending on the scenery, it will go between ND16 and 64. Set the ISO manually to expose the video correctly with the appropriate ND filter, but never go above ISO400.

If your video looks overexposed even with ND filters (e.g., you have only ND16 or up to 32 when needing 64), you can drop down the resolution and increase the framerate to 60, where the shutter speed should be set at 1/120s. In this case, less light will come into the camera sensor.

✅ The advantage here is that the video quality should be at its peak, and no image noise should be present; also, with proper ND filters, you can create some epic cinematic shots during most daylight scenarios with this drone.

❌ The disadvantage is that if you’re looking to capture the best shots, ND filters during daylight are kind of mandatory, as long as you want to respect this rule of cinematic filming.

» MORE: Best Drones With the Largest Camera Sensors

Shooting videos at night

Resolution: 2.7k
Framerate: 30 fps
Shutter Speed: 1/60s
ISO: Between 100 and any upper limit, but try to keep it as low as possible
ND Filters: None

Notes: There’s no need for an ND filter at night. Quite the opposite; you’ll be able to capture decent videos only in areas well-illuminated.

The DJI Mini 2 SE was not made for night photography and filming. The sensor is way too small to capture correctly exposed videos, especially following these rules in videography and with a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds.

In areas like downtown, where there’s a lot of light, you’ll be able to do something, but even with that, keep the ISO at the lowest values you can. Otherwise, there will be a lot of noticeable grain in the videos. We don’t want that.

» MORE: Best Drones for Night Time Use (Photography & Video)

Conclusion

According to my own judgment, the DJI Mini 2 SE camera quality is quite decent for capturing videos, but only under proper circumstances.

I don’t recommend using this drone to film during the night or even at dusk or dawn when the lighting conditions are not adequate.

But other than that, you will be surprised by what you can record with this drone, especially if you’re eager to learn cinematic moves and respect those guidelines used in filmmaking to get the best footage you can out of this drone.

» MORE: Best Drones for Carrying Weight

Best Video Settings for DJI Mini 2 SE (Explained for Beginners)

DJI Mini 2 SE Camera: What do we know?