DJI footage that looks low resolution on your phone is usually a preview, not the real file. DJI Fly can save a cached copy of the live view while you record, and that copy is far lower quality than the original on the drone's microSD card. Footage that looks zoomed in usually has digital zoom left on, a narrower field of view selected, or a mode that crops the frame. Download the originals and check your camera settings.
Cause 1: you have the cache, not the original
DJI's Mini 4 Pro manual explains that with Cache When Recording turned on, the live view on the controller is stored on the controller while you record. That cached clip is the transmission feed, so it's softer than the original. The full-quality file is on the drone.
To get originals:
- QuickTransfer downloads full-quality files straight from the drone to your phone over Wi-Fi. DJI supports it on the Neo, Flip, Mini 4 Pro, Mini 5 Pro, Air 3S, Mavic 4 Pro and others. See DJI QuickTransfer not working.
- microSD card in a card reader on your computer gives you the original files every time.
- DJI Fly's Trimmed Download lets you download just part of a clip. DJI says it isn't available if the cached and original clips differ by more than a second, for example if you left DJI Fly while recording.
More options are in how to transfer photos from a DJI drone.
Cause 2: digital zoom is on
Most DJI drones zoom digitally, which crops the sensor and lowers detail. DJI's zoom limits, for example:
- Mini 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro: up to 3x in 4K video, up to 4x in 1080p.
- Flip: 3x in 4K, 4x in 1080p, and 3x zoom for 12 MP photos only.
- Air 3S: 1 to 2.9x on the wide camera, 3 to 9x on the medium tele.
Zoom back to 1x in the camera view, or press Fn and turn the gimbal dial on an RC-N series controller. See how to zoom on a DJI drone.
Cause 3: field of view or mode
- Avata 2: DJI offers standard, wide-angle and super-wide-angle FOV modes. Standard looks tighter.
- Vertical shooting on the Flip: DJI's zoom notes list vertical modes at 2.7K and 1080p, so check which resolution you picked.
- Air 3 and Air 3S have two cameras. If you're on the medium tele, the view is much tighter.
Cause 4: resolution settings
Check that video is set to 4K, not 1080p or 2.7K, and photos to the full size your drone supports. If settings look odd, reset them under ··· > Camera > Reset Camera Settings.
Cause 5: sharing and editing
Messaging apps and some social platforms compress video heavily. Compare the original on a computer before blaming the camera. Exporting from an editor at a lower resolution than the source also softens footage.
If the original file from the card is soft or blurry too, that's a different problem. Read why are my drone videos blurry.
Related guides
- How to fix jello and vibration in DJI Mini 4 Pro footage
- How to fix jello and wavy lines in drone footage
- DJI Avata 2 night mode and low-light video: what to expect
- DJI error codes explained: what the numbers mean and where to look them up
- DJI Mini 3 night mode and low-light video: what to expect
- DJI Mini 4 Pro night mode and low-light video: what to expect
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