DJI Mini 3 Pro with DJI wide-angle lens. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
The DJI Mini 3 Pro is a great drone. It’s a flying wonder under 250g with a 4K HDR camera and nearly half an hour of battery life, keeping you on track for all your adventures.
The camera may be small, but it’s very capable. And it can be made even better by adding filters. Have neutral density (ND) filter act as sunglasses for your drone, allowing you to take cinematic shots or take amazing long exposure shots, or have wide angle lens allows you to capture even more scenes.
Also: 5 best surveillance drones
However, installing the filters is quite difficult and the camera is relatively flimsy, so you should shoot everything slowly and carefully.
And to know what you are doing.
I’ve heard from quite a few Mini 3 Pro owners find this difficult. Some people have also given up fearing that they might damage the camera.
How to change the filter on your DJI Mini 3 Pro without damaging your drone
First, turn off the drone. You can change the filter while the drone is on (or even running), but that is not recommended.
The next thing you need to know is which part of the camera you are removing. A big mistake many people make is thinking they are trying to get rid of this section underneath.
No, this is not the part you are trying to remove. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Remove this bit by twisting it out in a counter-clockwise direction.
The best way is to use one hand to hold the camera and use the other to grasp the filter housing. Then you gently turn it counterclockwise a few degrees and turn it off.
The bigger your hands and fingers, the more complicated this is. See the pictures below for how to screw on the filter housing.
This is the bit that needs to be removed. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Hold onto the camera body with one hand. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Next, take the filter housing with the other hand. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Gently twist the filter housing counterclockwise. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
To refit the filter (or the lens protector that comes with the drone), line up the filter with the camera body.
Line the filter with the body. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Once it’s lined up, gently rotate the filter clockwise, wait for a subtle click and you’re done.
Always refit the gimbal cap when the drone is not in use – this protects the camera and gimbal from damage.
Always replace the gimbal case. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
Oh, and I like to keep the props safe and out of the way using a stand. This makes packing the drone a lot easier. Here Skyreat Mini 3 Pro RC . propeller holder is one of the best $11 drone accessories you can buy.
The Skyreat Mini 3 Pro RC Propeller Holder is a must-have accessory.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / ZDNET
