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DJI’s New Mini 5 Pro Drone

DJI has officially announced the Mini 5 Pro, the newest model in its compact drone lineup. While the Mini series has always focused on portability and ease of use, the Mini 5 Pro introduces a number of upgrades that push it closer to the company’s higher-end offerings. The headline changes include a larger image sensor, a reworked gimbal system, improved obstacle sensing, and a notable jump in flight time.

At the centre of the new model is a Type 1, 50-megapixel sensor, replacing the smaller 1/1.3-inch chip found in the Mini 4 Pro. That’s a fairly significant change for a drone in this size class. A bigger sensor typically means better low-light performance and more detail, though just how much of a difference it makes will only become clear once real-world results start circulating. DJI has also added a new 48mm “Med-Tele” mode, which aims to provide a higher-resolution zoom option, and a portrait optimisation feature designed to handle skin tones and contrast more naturally when filming people.

On the video side, the Mini 5 Pro can record 4K HDR footage at up to 60 frames per second, with DJI claiming around 14 stops of dynamic range. There’s also the option to capture 4K slow-motion at 120 fps, and the drone supports 10-bit H.265 recording with both D-Log M and HLG colour modes. The camera has a maximum ISO of 12,800, though the higher-end recording options are capped at ISO 3200.

The gimbal now supports 225 degrees of roll rotation, which not only allows for proper vertical shooting but also enables more dynamic movement, including a new “QuickShot Rotate” mode. DJI has paired this hardware with an upgraded ActiveTrack 360° system, which is meant to improve subject tracking and keep footage steady even during complex movements.

Safety and navigation features see an upgrade, too. The drone now includes forward-facing LiDAR in addition to multiple vision sensors. DJI says this improves performance in low-light situations and makes the Mini 5 Pro better at avoiding obstacles when flying at night. It also contributes to more reliable return-to-home functionality, which has long been an important feature for DJI users.

One of the most practical improvements comes in the form of longer flight times. The Mini 5 Pro is rated for up to 52 minutes on a single charge, compared to 36 minutes with the previous Mini 4 Pro. This also raises the drone’s maximum takeoff altitude from 4,000 meters to 6,000 meters, expanding its usability in more demanding environments.

Despite all these changes, the Mini 5 Pro keeps to the series’ signature lightweight design, weighing in at 249.9 grams, just under the 250-gram limit that triggers licensing requirements in many regions. The DJI Mini 5 Pro is priced at €800.

A few sample shots:

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Interview with Sinya Pic

This week’s Interview with Sinya, a talented street photographer from South Korea. I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to interview him!

You can find him on Instagram as: @sinya_pic

Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a photographer captivated by the rhythm and geometry of the streets and the people who inhabit them. My work is not merely about documenting reality; it is about interpreting the subtle structural patterns and visual language embedded in everyday scenes. Using black and white allows me to explore the essence of light and shadow, while seeking moments where lines, planes, space, and contrast intersect to form a coherent visual composition. My approach is not about capturing a pre-existing “perfect balance” in the world, but rather discovering geometric rhythm and structural tension within an imperfect and unpredictable reality. Photography is both a tool for observation and a medium for translating intuition and perception into a tangible visual language.

How did you first get into photography?

My introduction to photography was simple. I wanted to hold onto fleeting moments. As I walked through the streets with a camera in hand, this desire evolved into a deeper engagement with visual structure. Lines of streets and intersections, planes of walls and facades, and the subtle interplay of shadows with the movement of people drew me in. Some days, the simplest street lines would reveal themselves as a structural pattern, and at other times, light hitting a window would create unexpected geometric formations. These moments taught me that photography is not merely a pastime, it is a language for reading and interpreting the world around me.

Why black and white photography?

Black and white is not merely the absence of color, it reduces the scene to its fundamental elements. Without color, light, shadow, line, plane, contrast, and space are magnified. While color conveys direct sensory stimulation, black and white encourages the viewer to engage with the image and interpret it for themselves. It allows me to cultivate a disciplined eye, perceiving tension and rhythm in forms, and reveals the flow of light and shadow in its purest form. Black and white photography is a tool to observe, analyze, and translate the street into a visual composition.

How do you decide where to go and shoot?

I rarely pre-plan locations. Rather, I let the spatial rhythm of the streets—the way lines, planes, and intersections interact—guide me. Every street has its own order and serendipity. Whether in bustling avenues or quiet corners, my focus is on how the visual elements intersect to create new structural compositions. The location is not chosen by me, it emerges through timing, perspective, and the subtle choreography of the streets. Photography is completed not by the location itself, but by the gaze and the instant.

How does photography mean to you?

Photography is a method for understanding life, a medium for visual thinking. It allows me to detect order and rhythm in fleeting interactions of light, shadow, people, and space. This order is not harmonious in a conventional sense; it emerges from unpredictable and imperfect reality. Photography is not simply recording, it projects my perception and instincts into a visual language. It is a tool for observing structure amid chaos, reflecting on the world, and experiencing life’s textures. This process demands continuous attention and presence, making photography inseparable from my daily experience.

What gear do you use?

I use the Leica M11 Monochrom. Its simplicity complements my approach, and its monochrome sensor heightens sensitivity to light, shadow, line, plane, space, and contrast. Minimal equipment allows for maximum focus on perception and visual awareness.

Do you prefer shooting in busy streets or quieter spaces?

Both have their own value. Busy streets reveal unpredictable timing and the rhythm of people moving, while quieter spaces allow structural lines, planes, and contrast to breathe and create tension. The moments I cherish are where these worlds converge, when randomness meets structure to form unique visual compositions.

What are your favourite shooting conditions?

I do not have a preferred condition. Every scenario has its own meaning and visual potential. Rain creates reflections and heightens contrast; clear days accentuate structural rhythm; dusk stretches shadows and defines space; nighttime amplifies tension through light and darkness interplay. For me, the condition is secondary to how I perceive and capture the moment. Every environment has its own rhythm and structural language, and it is the photographer’s role to discover and interpret it.

Do you see yourself more as a street photographer or architectural photographer?

I exist in the intersection of both. Streets provide spontaneity and the rhythm of people, while structural forms bring balance. My work is completed in the moment these forces intersect, highlighting both human and spatial dynamics.

Do you only shoot black and white or also colour?

I primarily focus on black and white. It emphasizes the tension of light and shadow, line and plane, and invites the viewer to engage with the space and composition. Color can stimulate directly, but black and white cultivates a structural and analytical approach to seeing the world.

How did you find your unique photography style?

Through countless walks, repeated observation, and trusting my instincts, I identified recurring patterns of lines, planes, contrast, and space in my images. Style emerges from choosing what to emphasize and what to leave out, creating a geometric visual identity.

What role does storytelling play in your work?

I do not force stories; the scenes themselves suggest narrative. Lines, contrast, and spatial arrangements provide room for interpretation. Storytelling unfolds in the viewer’s perception, guided subtly by composition and rhythm.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Anywhere light, structure, and human activity intersect. Cities where old and new architectural elements collide, creating tension and movement, are compelling. For me, the location itself is secondary to the moments of interaction between structure, people, and space.

What’s the most challenging thing about photography for you?

Avoiding habitual observation is the greatest challenge. Streets are repetitive, but the gaze must remain fresh. Remaining open to timing, noticing subtle rhythms, and balancing discipline with freedom in perception requires constant attention.

In what photography genre would you place yourself?

Geometric street photography, though labels are merely guides. My focus is capturing moments where people intersect with the spatial rhythm of streets, where structure and human presence create unexpected visual tension.

What is your favourite subject to shoot?

I am drawn to people interacting with the spatial forms of the streets—their presence casting shadows, intersecting lines, or punctuating planes. I focus on moments where movement, structure, and light converge.

Are you a professional or a hobbyist?

I am still a hobbyist, though my approach is disciplined and deliberate. While photography is not my profession, I engage deeply with it, striving for the standards of professional practice. I have never considered my work “perfect,” and this openness keeps my engagement alive and my possibilities unlimited.

Are there photographers or artists that inspire you?

I am not guided by a specific photographer or tradition. I trust my intuition and perception, letting repeated observation of streets and people reveal patterns and possibilities. Perfection in photography is not fixed; it evolves with time, context, and audience. I explore my own visual language while responding to the contemporary rhythm of the world.

How do you know when you’ve nailed the shot?

I question the notion of a “perfect moment.” Often, it is the imperfect elements—slightly skewed lines, excess space, or unexpected gestures—that breathe life into the image. Photography is a continuous exploration; the moment is never fully complete. I see infinite potential within imperfection.

How important is composition in photography?

Composition is the structural framework of an image. Lines, planes, contrast, and space determine rhythm, tension, and meaning. It is not a rigid rule; rather, it is an active negotiation between spatial relationships, human presence, and visual tension, resulting in a dynamic equilibrium.

What advice would you give to someone starting monochrome photography?

Focus on perception of structure and space. Imagine the scene in grayscale, and embrace shadows and negative space as active elements. Monochrome is not about removing color—it is about understanding spatial relationships, rhythm, and timing, and perceiving subtle interactions between people and environment. Light conditions are secondary; structure and movement are primary.

How important is lighting in photography?

Lighting is not the ultimate determinant. What matters is the relationship between people, space, lines, planes, and tension. Light may accentuate or soften these elements, but the core of photography is capturing the structural interaction and rhythm of a moment, not the presence or absence of light itself.

Is there a photography genre you haven’t tried yet but would like to explore?

For now, I focus on refining my current work. Eventually, I hope to photograph human emotion and life’s traces in streets, creating documentary-style images where time, feeling, and spatial dynamics converge. I aim to confront people, space, and emotion directly, capturing scenes as if creating a visual chronicle of life itself.

How do you edit your photos, subtly or heavily and why?

The rest, 6 more questions, of this Interview are for Premium subscribers only.

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ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2026

ACD Systems has rolled out Photo Studio Ultimate 2026, the newest version of its photo editing and cataloging software. The update leans heavily on AI-powered tools while also polishing workflow features and expanding support for modern file formats. For photographers already familiar with ACDSee, the core interface will feel recognisable, but the company has added plenty under the hood.

The big additions are the new AI features. AI Denoise is designed to handle high-ISO images by cleaning up noise while keeping detail intact. Portrait specialists will likely notice AI Hair Masking, which makes isolating hair for adjustments far less tedious.

Another new feature, AI Develop Presets, allows you to apply a set of edits across hundreds of photos, but adapts the adjustments to the specifics of each frame. ACDSee has also updated its existing face editing tools, adding controls for hair colour changes and a more refined blemish-removal system that avoids the plasticky look older retouching tools sometimes created.

Beyond editing, ACDSee has given the organisational side some attention. People Mode has been refined for more accurate face recognition, which should help when managing big group shots or event coverage. The Activity Managernow supports multi-threading, so importing, exporting, or resizing can run in the background without slowing everything else down.

A redesigned home page offers quicker navigation, while new JPEG XL support provides smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. Video gets some love too, with expanded metadata support that makes it easier to search and categorise clips alongside still images.

One notable difference from other platforms is that all of ACDSee’s AI features run entirely on the user’s computer, not on remote servers. That means photographers keep full control of their files, and there’s no need to worry about internet access or cloud privacy.

The program still supports over 750 RAW formats and retains previous AI tools like Sky Replacement and Super-Resolution. ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2026 is available for both Windows and macOS, offered either as a subscription, $8.90 a month or $89 a year, or as a perpetual license for $150.

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Photography Tip of the Week

The weekly photography tip is only accessible to Premium Subscribers of The Magazine For Photographers.

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Photo Analysis

Welcome to the new part of the Magazine Issue where we take a closer look at a photo and analyse it so that you can learn and better your own photography from it ;)

Photo by: @knacqua

Let’s Analyse this Image: 

Composition & Framing

What works well:

• The composition works because everything funnels toward the vanishing point in the centre/distance → the tracks, the buildings, the light etc. It is all working together pulling you in.

• The leading lines are excellent, basically everything, from the train itself to the rails, guides you into the distance and into the sunset. Because the rails are glowing with that golden shine, they almost feel like doubled-up leading lines, super strong visually (meaning they are ‘‘double effective’’).

• The train is positioned nicely, just off-center, which balances the scene and stops it from being too rigid + that position gives us more to see of the train itself and it also helps with depth.

• The layering of elements: tracks in the foreground, train in the mid-ground, glowing light in the background, gives the image a lot of depth and creates this nice 3D effect.

• One, let’s say ‘‘unconventional’’ leading line is actually the fact that we can see the train’s red tail-lights, meaning we can see that the train is actually heading into the sunset/distance, which again pulls you in (almost unconsciously).

What could be better:

• The framing is very tight on the buildings. It works to exaggerate the tunnel-like effect, but it also feels a bit cramped.

• Because the photo is so centered, it feels very locked-in. Shifting the frame slightly could have created more dynamic tension and a more ‘‘interesting’’ image.

• The second train in the distance is cool, however it competes a little for attention (especially with the bright headlights). Either waiting for just one train or having them both more aligned might have worked better.

Light & Atmosphere

What works well:

• The light here is obviously the big star here. The golden sunset shining through the canyon of buildings is just incredible, it gives the whole scene a fiery glow and immediately makes the photo stand out.

• As touched on before, the way the light hits the rails is very nice, they catch just enough of the reflection to create glowing lines that, again, pull your eye right into the distance.

• The train itself is lit in a way that feels natural, not overexposed but still catching enough of the golden light to tie it into the scene.

• Again, the buildings on each side frame the sunset, creating that tunnel effect.

What could be better:

• The highlights in the sky and at the end of the street are really intense. They do look great for drama, but they are also a bit too blown out, so you lose detail in the sunset and the surrounding area.

• A bit of subtle detail or texture in that glowing section would make it easier on the eyes while still keeping all the mood.

• The sunset glow is so powerful that it almost overwhelms the sense of distance, meaning —> instead of a gradual fade into depth, you sort of get a hard wall of light, which flattens the atmosphere.

Colour & Tone

What works well:

• The warm tones of the sunset are definitely nice. They dominate and set the mood.

• The contrast between the fiery orange light and the cooler metallic tones of the train and the surrounding buildings etc. works great too + it makes the subject stand out.

• The details and shine on the train itself are really nice, and the metallic textures come out beautifully.

What could be better:

• The photo leans heavily into a duotone look —> basically just gold and silver/steel. It works for impact but risks feeling a little one-note, not everyone’s cup of tea.

• The buildings fall mostly into shadow, which helps the contrast of course, but it also makes them lose texture and detail.

• The mid-tones on the train are a little compressed, pulling out a bit more subtlety there would give it extra depth.

Emotion & Story

What works well:

• There is definitely cinematic vibe here, it feels like a scene from a movie.

• The train as the subject works. It’s relatable, it has movement, and it ties into the city/urban story.

• The overall mood is a mix of energy and calm, energy from the light and city, calm from the fact that it is just one train in focus (and there isn’t much actually going on).

What could be better:

• The story is more about the spectacle of the light than the subject itself. The train becomes secondary, which may or may not be what you want.

• As always, without people visible, it leans more into cityscape than human-centered storytelling. A person in the train window could have added a personal touch.

• The emotional connection depends heavily on how much the viewer cares about the train itself, for some, it will feel powerful, for others just a urban documentary shot.

Photographer of the Week

Photographer of the week goes to: Jonathan Varjabedian

You can find him on Instagram as: @framethestreetsdotcom

A few photos of his:

The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers

The Premium Version of this Magazine is now on a ‘‘Pay What You Want’’ model. Meaning you get to decide the price.