Finally bit the bullet and switched off auto mode on my Air 3S yesterday. Shot some golden hour stuff at the local park but I'm not sure if I nailed the exposure. ISO was at 200, shutter around 1/120 trying to follow that 180-degree rule I read about.

The footage looks a bit flat compared to auto mode though. Is this normal for manual? Should I be shooting in D-Log for more flexibility in post?

Any tips for a manual mode newbie would be awesome!

Flat look is totally normal! That's actually good - means you have more room to color grade. Try bumping your ISO to 100 if there's enough light, and yeah, D-Log will give you even more flexibility.

I had the same problem when I started manual! The trick is to slightly overexpose by about 1/3 stop - drone sensors handle it better than underexposing.

Manual mode takes practice but it's worth it. That flat look you're seeing is actually perfect for editing.

Quick tip: use the histogram on your controller to make sure you're not clipping highlights. Much more reliable than just looking at the screen.