been trying to nail those smooth orbit shots you see everywhere but mine always look jerky or the subject drifts out of frame. using a mini 3 pro and trying to do it manually since i dont trust the automated modes yet. im keeping the camera pointed at my subject (usually trees or buildings) but something always feels off about the movement. speed seems right, maybe 5-8mph circle but the footage just doesnt have that buttery smooth look

anyone got tips for manual orbits or should i just bite the bullet and use the quickshot modes

manual orbits are tough man, even after 3 years i still mess them up sometimes. the key thing is your pivot point - you need to pick something specific to orbit around, not just a general area. i usually zoom in on my target first to really nail the framing then zoom back out to start the orbit

also try slowing down more than you think. what feels slow while flying usually looks perfect in post. and make sure your gimbal isnt fighting you - sometimes the tracking gets confused

honestly the quickshot modes have gotten really good, especially on the mini 3. ive been doing this for like 6 months and still use them half the time because they're just more consistent than my manual attempts. you can always adjust the speed and distance in the settings to get different looks