Best DJI Mavic 4 Pro camera settings for photo and video

The best all-round DJI Mavic 4 Pro video settings are Pro exposure, 6K or 4K in 10-bit D-Log M (H.265) at ISO 100, aperture f/2.8 to f/5.6 on the Hasselblad camera, and a shutter about double your frame rate with ND filters in daylight. For photos, shoot RAW at ISO 100: 25 MP for most scenes and low light, 100 MP when you need maximum detail in good light.

Mavic 4 Pro starting points — Starting points for the Mavic 4 Pro's Hasselblad camera. The 70 mm and 168 mm cameras are fixed at f/2.8, so use ND filters to control their exposure.

Video settings

Setting	Recommendation	Notes
Exposure	Pro (manual)	Lock ISO, shutter and white balance
Resolution	6K at 24 to 60 fps, or 4K	4K/120 slow motion on the 28 mm and 70 mm; 4K/100 on the 168 mm
Color	D-Log M	All three cameras also record D-Log and HLG
Codec	H.265	10-bit; H.264 ALL-I 4:2:2 only on the 512GB Creator Combo
ISO	100 (D-Log M), 400 (D-Log)	See native ISO below
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/5.6 (28 mm)	70 mm and 168 mm are fixed f/2.8
Shutter	1/50 at 24-25 fps, 1/60 at 30, 1/120 at 60	Use ND filters

Max bitrate is 180 Mbps in H.265 and 90 Mbps in H.264.

Mavic 4 Pro native ISO

DJI says that in most modes the sensors use Dual Native ISO Fusion, blending two gain circuits for more dynamic range. Where fusion isn't supported (100 MP, 48 MP and 50 MP photos, slow motion, and 2.7K vertical at 48 to 60 fps), the dual native ISOs are:

Normal, D-Log M and HLG: ISO 100 and 400.
D-Log: ISO 400 and 1600.

In practice: shoot D-Log M at ISO 100 in daylight, D-Log at 400. In dim light, ISO 400 (or 1600 in D-Log) is a clean step up. Video ISO tops out at 6400 in D-Log M on the Hasselblad camera and 3200 on the teles; Normal reaches 12800.

Aperture settings

Only the 28 mm Hasselblad camera has an adjustable aperture, f/2.0 to f/11.

f/2.0 for night and dusk.
f/2.8 to f/5.6 for sharp daylight video and stills.
f/8 to f/11 for sunstars (DJI cites a 10-ray starburst) or when you've run out of ND, accepting some diffraction softening.

Photo settings

25 MP: cleaner in low light, faster bursts, AEB of 3, 5 or 7 frames, and simulated long exposures past 2 seconds (up to 16 s).
100 MP: maximum detail in good light. ISO stops at 3200, AEB is 3 or 5 frames, and HDR processing doesn't apply.
Format: RAW (DNG) plus JPEG at ISO 100.
SmartPhoto is the default in Single Shot. It stacks frames for HDR, but not in Pro mode, with manual white balance, or while moving.

Dynamic Range Expansion

DJI's FAQ says this highlight-protection feature is on automatically in every mode except D-Log, but only when ISO is set to Auto. Setting ISO manually turns it off. For quick clips in harsh sun, Auto ISO with Normal color can look better than you expect.

Night settings

There's no separate Night video mode. Use Normal color at 4K 24 to 30 fps, shutter 1/50 or 1/60, f/2.0, and let ISO rise only as needed. More in Mavic 4 Pro night mode.

Control settings

Set the right dial to gimbal roll if you plan Dutch angles or 360° rolls, and use Cine mode for smooth moves. Turn on the histogram and overexposure warning in the camera settings, and set RTH altitude above every obstacle.

Grading log? See Mavic 4 Pro LUTs. For specs and pricing, read our Mavic 4 Pro guide, or shop the DJI Mavic 4 Pro.