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Parafox2000
Parafox2000
Known Participant
April 17, 2025
Question

Struggling with DJI Mavic 3 H.265 video files on new MacBook Pro (2025) in Premiere Pro

  • April 17, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 862 views

Just wondering if anyone else is running into this: I recently got a new MacBook M4 Pro and I'm trying to edit 10-bit H.265 (HEVC) footage from my DJI Mavic 3 in Adobe Premiere Pro. Everything is fully updated—macOS, Premiere Pro, firmware. But playback in the timeline is terrible. Constant stuttering, even with 1/4 resolution and hardware decoding enabled. Sometimes it does not play at all ... (see attached video)

 

These exact same MP4 files play smoothly on my older Windows desktop in Premiere. No proxies needed. Files are UHD (3840x2160), 29.97fps, 10-bit, Rec.709 — standard stuff from the Mavic 3.

Anyone else dealing with this? Is it just Premiere on macOS struggling with DJI’s flavor of H.265? Would love to hear if anyone found a reliable workaround (besides transcoding everything to ProRes).

    3 replies

    Alex_Z.3366
    Alex_Z.3366
    Participant
    June 16, 2026

    I have a similar issue. Mac 4 Pro, 48GB RAM.

     

    There were no issues before, but now if I use footage from a Mavic Air 2S at 4K 50fps, everything is still smooth. However, at 5K 25fps, it doesn't move at all. The scroll bar moves, but the picture freezes. Once I switch to 4K footage, everything is perfect.

    K
    Community Manager
    Kevin-MonahanCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    June 17, 2026

    Thanks for chiming in, ​@Alex_Z.3366.
    The fact that your 4K 50fps footage plays normally while the 5K 25fps footage freezes is a helpful data point.

    A few questions:

    • Which exact version of Premiere Pro are you running?

    • Does the issue occur in both the current release and the Beta version?

    • Is the 5K footage H.265 10-bit, and does it come directly from the Mavic Air 2S?

    • Have you tried clearing the Media Cache and testing the clip in a brand-new project?

    • Do the sequence settings match the clip settings precisely?

    If possible, could you also share a short sample of the affected 5K clip? That would help determine whether this is related to the specific media format or a broader playback issue. I hope we can help you. Sorry for the frustration.

     

    Thanks,
    Kevin

    M
    media_dude
    Participant
    April 21, 2025

    Same exact issue here. I beleieve it started just a short while after the most recent Premiere update, because these files were verified all working fine previous to that somewhere around a week ago as of this post. Again, I was able to edit them perfectly without ay delay around a week ago. The issue is NOT limited to realtime playback. It will render the media the same way if you render it out. Meanwhile PPRO BETA version does NOT have the issue in its current release.   

    My current workaround has been to have to create an HQ transcoding of the file in Media encoder and replace footage in the project andit plays fine.  Ive atatched a small clip in the file format noted from the DJI MAVIC 3 PRO.. using the same codec as the MAVIC 3 uses in this instance.  Wouldbe great if this would get resolved asap because portingthe projects to BETA means I cannot open them in the standard program again until the release version is greater than BETA currently is so they are locked to BETA then 😞

    Parafox2000
    Parafox2000Author
    Known Participant
    April 21, 2025

    Have you tried deleting the Media Cache after closing all projects? This seemed to be the issue with my machine:

    quote

    To delete all media cache, select File > Close All Projects. Now select Preferences (Windows)> Media Cache and Settings (macOS) > Media Cache.

     

    M
    mayjain7130546
    Participating Frequently
    April 17, 2025

    Hi @Parafox2000 ,

    Sorry to hear you're facing this issue. Could you please share some of the problematic media or project files? That would help us recreate the scenario locally and provide more accurate suggestions.

    Thanks,
    Mayjain

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