Camera Settings for DJI Mini 4 Pro

Dialling in Perfection: The Best Camera Settings for the DJI Mini 4 Pro

By John Nickolls, Drone Whisperer & Self-Proclaimed Sky Picasso

Welcome to another thrilling edition of John’s Drones, where the skies are clear, the rotors hum with purpose, and the footage? Cinematic enough to make Spielberg weep.

Today, we’re diving deep into the heart of your aerial arsenal — the DJI Mini 4 Pro. Specifically, we’re zeroing in on the best camera settings to help you squeeze every last pixel of perfection out of this pocket-sized powerhouse. Whether you’re filming the dramatic coastline of Cornwall or just your mate’s shed from 400ft, this guide will sharpen your shots and smooth your footage like a buttery slider shot in a Hollywood trailer.

📸 Camera Specs Recap – Why the Mini 4 Pro is a Tiny Titan

Before we start pushing buttons and sliding exposure dials, let’s remind ourselves what we’re working with. The Mini 4 Pro boasts:

• A 1/1.3” CMOS sensor (dual native ISO, baby!)

• 4K/100fps video and up to 48MP stills

• True Vertical Shooting

• D-Log M & HLG color profiles

• Advanced ActiveTrack 360°

In short, it’s the sort of kit that used to require a helicopter and a mortgage. Now? It fits in your jacket pocket and flies like a caffeinated kestrel.

🌤️ General Setup Tips Before You Take Off

1. Always update firmware – It’s dull. But essential. Just like MOTs and flossing.

2. Check your ND filters – If it’s sunny enough to squint, slap on an ND16 or higher.

3. Calibrate your gimbal – If your horizon looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, do it now.

4. Shoot in manual when you can – Auto is great… until it isn’t. Take control, Maverick.

🎥 VIDEO SETTINGS FOR CINEMATIC GLORY

Whether you’re shooting for Instagram, YouTube, or your Aunt Janet’s WhatsApp group, here’s how to make your footage shine.

1.

Resolution & Frame Rate

• 4K at 30fps or 60fps for cinematic quality

• 4K at 100fps for silky slow-motion — great for surf shots or dramatic dog running footage

• 1080p at 60fps or 120fps for social media reels where file size matters

💡 John’s Tip: Match your frame rate to your region (PAL: 25/50, NTSC: 30/60) unless you’re going slow-mo, then go nuts.

2.

Shutter Speed

Golden rule: Shutter speed = 2x frame rate

• Shooting at 30fps? Set shutter speed to 1/60

• 60fps? Go 1/120

This maintains natural motion blur and avoids that “filmed on a potato” look.

Pro Tip: Use ND filters to help maintain this in bright conditions — it’s like sunglasses for your lens.

3.

ISO

• Keep ISO as low as possible — ideally 100 or 200

• Avoid anything over 800 unless you like grainy footage that looks like it was shot through a sandwich

The Mini 4 Pro handles low light surprisingly well, but low ISO is still king.

4.

Color Profile

You’ve got choices here, and each has its own vibe.

• Normal – For fast edits and casual flying

• D-Cinelike – Flatter profile, great if you do light color grading

• D-Log M – For proper post-production (and people who use words like “workflow” unironically)

• HLG – Great for HDR TVs, not ideal for phones or non-HDR workflows

🎨 John’s Pick: D-Log M – paired with ND filters and a LUT in post, it’s cinematic gold dust.

5.

White Balance

• Never use Auto. It changes mid-flight and ruins continuity.

• Set it based on your light:

  
  

  • Sunny day: 5600K

  • Overcast: 6000–6500K

  • Golden Hour: 4800–5200K

• 
  

6.

Style Settings

Go into the style settings and tweak sharpness, contrast, and saturation:

• Sharpness: +1

• Contrast: -1

• Saturation: 0 (or -1 if you’re grading later)

This avoids overcooked in-camera processing and keeps your footage flexible.

📷 BEST PHOTO SETTINGS FOR CRISP STILLS

The Mini 4 Pro isn’t just a flying video rig — it’s a bonafide stills machine. Here’s how to get the most out of it:

1.

Photo Mode

• Use 48MP RAW for the best quality — loads of detail, great for post-processing

• Use JPEG+RAW if you want quick previews but still want the editing headroom

2.

Shutter Speed for Stills

Keep it above 1/100 for sharpness — faster if it’s windy.

• Shooting landscapes? Use 1/250+

• Moving subjects? Try 1/1000

3.

ISO

• ISO 100 is your friend

• Boost only if absolutely necessary — Mini 4 Pro doesn’t love high ISO for stills

4.

AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing)

Use AEB 3 or 5 shots for HDR images. Combine in Lightroom for wow-factor shots with balanced sky and land exposure.

🌅 Top John Tip: AEB + sunrise over Cannock Chase = jaw-dropping wallpaper.

🕹️ FLIGHT MODE COMBOS FOR BEST RESULTS

• Tripod Mode (aka Cine Mode) – Slows everything down. Perfect for smooth cinematic reveals.

• Normal Mode – Best balance of control and speed.

• Sport Mode – Great for fun, not so much for footage. Like giving a Labrador an espresso.

If you’re filming complex shots, go Cine mode and take it slow. Slow and steady wins the Oscar.

📱 Editing and Post-Processing

Once you’ve got the perfect footage or stills, bring them to life:

• Video editing apps: CapCut, LumaFusion, or Final Cut Pro

• LUTs for D-Log M: Get some free or paid LUTs online, or make your own (John’s LUT pack coming soon?)

• Photos: Use Lightroom Mobile or Pixelmator Pro on your MacBook

🎧 Sync it all to a Depeche Mode track for maximum brooding epicness.

📦 Handy Cheat Sheet (Screenshot This!)

Setting

Video

Stills

Resolution

4K 30fps / 60fps

48MP RAW

Shutter

1/60 (30fps), 1/120 (60fps)

1/250+

ISO

100–400

100–200

Color

D-Log M / D-Cinelike

RAW

White Balance

Manual (5600K+)

Manual

Filters

ND16–ND64 (bright days)

Polarizer/ND

Mode

Cine / Manual

Manual / AEB

🎯 Final Thoughts from the Flight Deck

The DJI Mini 4 Pro is not just a flying camera — it’s a storytelling tool. With the right settings, you’re not just filming — you’re directing.

So experiment, tweak, shoot again. Get weird with angles. Hover near a castle. Track your mate’s camper in full cinematic glide. The world is a film set, and your Mini 4 Pro is the director’s chair… just smaller and with propellers.

🚁

Bonus: John’s Pro Settings for Instagram Reels

• Resolution: 4K 60fps (crop vertically later)

• Shutter: 1/120

• ISO: 100

• Color Profile: D-Cinelike

• White Balance: 5600K

• ND Filter: ND32

• Mode: Cine Mode for slow buttery moves

• Edit with: CapCut mobile, soundtrack: Underworld’s “Born Slippy” for that full 90s rave nostalgia

📥 Want These Settings as a Downloadable PDF?

Coming soon on johnsdrones.net – printable Mini 4 Pro quick cheat cards, LUT packs, and “John’s Top 5 Cinematic Moves” video course. All delivered with a side of Staffordshire sarcasm and pixel-perfect advice.

Thanks for flying with John’s Drones. See you in the sky — just not too close. CAA regs and all that.

🛸 Fly Safe. Film Epic. Nickolls Out.