How to take good photos on a Xiaomi phone: a complete guide from basic settings to pro tricks

Xiaomi smartphones have long ceased to be a “budget compromise” – modern models like Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ The quality of the shots competes with the flagships from Samsung and Apple, but even top-end technology will not save you if you do not know how to use it correctly. This article is not about abstract “composition tips,” but about specific settings, hidden features, and technical nuances that will turn your shots from “normal” to “wow».

We’ll figure out why your night photos come out noisy (and how to fix it without Lightroom) MIUI You'll also learn which Xiaomi models are physically incapable of quality bays because of the hardware limitations of the camera module -- and what to do about it!

1. Check the basic camera settings: what to turn off and what to turn on necessarily

The first thing you need to do is reset the camera to the factory settings. MIUI It accumulates bugs, and users accidentally turn on unnecessary filters. → Restore default settings. Now we're going to fine-tune:

• 🔍 Turn off "Face Improvement" (Settings) → This algorithm aggressively smooths the skin, turning people into plastic dolls. Better do it later in Snapseed if you need to.
• 🌓 Turn it on «HDR» in Auto mode (Settings) → HDR). It works better on Xiaomi than most Android phones, but don’t forget that it’s a great choice. HDR slows down – not suitable for dynamic scenes.
• 📏 Set the aspect ratio 4:3 (Settings) → This will give the maximum sensor resolution (e.g. 50 MP instead of 12.5 MP in 16:9 mode).
• 🚫 Turn off Watermark and Geotechs – they only take up space in metadata and can cause privacy issues.

Pay special attention to the settings item → Photo quality, supported models 10-bit Color (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro) select High (HEIF)» — This will save more details in shadows and lights, but note that not all programs support such files (for example, Windows Photos won’t open them without converting them).

⚠️ Attention: Redmi Note Series 10/11/12 Settings menu → In addition, the item is hidden: Save the original when shooting in AI. If it's on, the camera saves two files -- processed and raw. This quickly clogs up memory, so turn it off if you're not doing professional processing.

2 Manual control: when and how to use Pro Mode

Pro Mode (or Manual Mode) on Xiaomi is not just a checkmark; it allows you to bypass the limitations of the automatic algorithm, which spoils images in difficult conditions. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra, you can manually set shutter speeds up to 30 seconds (versus 4 seconds in a machine), which is critical for shooting the sky.

Where to find Pro Mode:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Flick the shooting modes left to the point Still (or Add. on older versions). MIUI).
3. Select Pro (some models are called M).

Now let’s analyze the key parameters (relevant for most models of Xiaomi 2020-2026):

On Leica-optics (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra), Pro Mode features unique color profiles: "Leica Authentic" (natural colors) and "Leica Vibrant" (saturated), the former better for landscapes, the latter for portraits, swiping around the screen up/down.

Night photography: how to fool algorithms and avoid soap noise

Night mode on Xiaomi (Night Mode) uses multi-frame fusion technology — when the camera takes several pictures in a row and glues them together into one.

• 🌃 On the Redmi Note. 10/11 night mode only works until 3 seconds of exposure (against) 6–10 second-on-fly).
• 📱 The algorithm aggressively “blurs” details if there is movement in the frame (for example, people or machines).
• 🔋 Night shooting discharges the battery 2-3 times faster than daytime.

To improve the outcome:

1. Use Pro Mode with a shutter speed of 1-4 seconds and ISO 800-1600 (instead of the automatic Night Mode).
2. If you’re shooting with your hands, turn on Stabilization in your camera settings (but this will reduce the detail).
3. In the models with OIS (Optical stabilization can be taken and shuttered to 1/2 tripodless.

Xiaomi. 12S Ultra and newer night mode feature available «AI Light Flare, which adds artificial light highlights (e.g. from flashlights) that turn on automatically, but you can turn it off in Settings. → Additionally. → The effects of night photography. It's good for art shots, but it spoils realism.

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If the night photos are too dark, try to shoot them in format. RAW (If supported, and increase exposure in Lightroom Mobile +1.5–2.0 EV. This will make less noise than the increase. ISO film-making.

4.Portrait Mode: How to Avoid "Circumcision" of Hair and Unnatural Bokeh

Portrait mode on Xiaomi uses dual cameras (on budget models - software simulation) to create the effect of blurring the background.

• 👱 On Redmi without a telephoto module, the algorithm often eats away at the hair or edges of objects.
• 🎨 Boque looks unnatural if the background is too close to the object (less than 1.5 m).
• 🔄 In some models (POCO X3, Redmi 9 Portrait Mode only works on the main camera, not the front camera.

How to improve the outcome:

1. Step 1.5 to 2 meters away from the object, and the closer you get to the object, the worse the blur algorithm works.
2. Use Pro Mode with an open aperture (if there is manual setting) – for example, f/1.9 instead f/2.4.
3. On models with ToF sensor (for example, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra) enable Improved Bokeh in the Portrait Mode settings.

To check the quality of bokeh, take a test shot with small details against the background (for example, tree branches). If the blur looks like "drawn" - it is better to shoot as usual and add bokeh later in Focos or Photoshop Express.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with MediaTek processors (e.g. Redmi Note 12) 5G) Portrait mode can "hang" when shooting in RAW. It's a bug. MIUI, Solution: Remove in the JPG or update the firmware.

5. Macrograph: how to shoot small details without a special lens

Even without a dedicated macro module (as on Xiaomi 13 Ultra), you can shoot small objects from a distance of 3-5 cm.

• 🔍 Use Pro Mode and manual focus (stick on the subject and hold your finger until the focus lock appears).
• 💡 Light the object with side light (not top!) for this will fit the flashlight of another phone or natural light from the window.
• 📱 On models with ultra-wide camera (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) Macro photography works better than the main camera – switch to it manually.

Challenges and solutions:

• Darkness: Boost ISO 800-1600 or use an external light source.
• Blurrency: Shooting from your hands at this distance almost always gives you a stir, the solution is a tripod or a support (for example, put your phone on a stack of books).
• Incorrect colors: Include RAW And fix the white balance in the editor.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra and 14 Ultra have dedicated 5x magnification Macro mode. To activate it, select the camera menu More → Note: this mode turns off autofocus -- focusing only manually!

Secure your phone on a stable surface|Turn on manual focusing.|Use side lighting.|Take it off. RAW post-processing|Check the sharpness on the screen (enlarge the image after shooting)-->

6. Videotaping: 4K, Stabilization and why you don’t always need to shoot at maximum resolution

Xiaomi smartphones support video in resolution up to 8K@24fps (on flagships) or 4K@60fps (But high detail doesn't always equal good video. Here's what you need to know:

• 🎥 4K@30fps — Optimal balance between quality and file size. 60fps It gives smoothness, but worsens detail due to compression.
• 🔄 On the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and newer hyperstabilization available (video settings) → Stabilization → Hyper), but she cuts the edges of the frame.
• 🎤 The external microphone is connected through USB-C, But only on models with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8xx. MediaTek may not work without OTG-adapter.

To capture dynamic scenes (sports, dancing), use Short Video (in some regions called Vlog) mode, which automatically stabilizes the video and adds transitions, but is limited by resolution. 1080p.

If you need a professional video, shoot in Pro Video Mode (available on Xiaomi) 12/13/14 You can manually set it up there:

• Bitrate (up to 100 Mbps in) 4K).
• Color profile (DCI-P3 cinematographically).
• Focus and exposure in real time.

⚠️ Attention: POCO F4/F5 video-shot 4K@60fps It turns off autofocus. It's the hardware constraint of the Snapdragon processor. 870/8+ Gen 1. Solution: Take it down in 4K@30fps Or use manual focusing.

7 Post-processing: which apps work best with photos from Xiaomi

Even the perfect shot can be improved, and the key is not to overdo it with filters. Here are the tools optimized for photos from Xiaomi:

If you filmed in RAW, Import the file to Lightroom and adjust it first:

1. White balance (the Pipetka instrument on the gray object in the frame).
2. Shadows and Lights - Raise Shadows on the +30–50 and lower the lights on -10–20 repair.
3. Noise suppression (Details) → Noise reduction, but no more than 30–40, otherwise you will lose textures.

For quick processing directly on your phone, use the built-in editor MIUI Gallery. He can:

• Automatically improve photos with one tap (Edit) → AI-improvement).
• Remove objects (Edit → The magic eraser, it only works on MIUI 14+).
• Add the bokeh effect after the fact (Edit → Portrait).

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Always save the original photos before processing! MIUI Gallery does this automatically if you enable Settings → Backup → Save the originals when editing.

8 Hidden chips and life hacks for advanced users

Xiaomi smartphones have features that are not written about in the official instructions.

• 📸 Double pressing the power button: turn on Settings → Buttons and gestures → It's a quick start, and it'll open the camera in 0.5 seconds, even from a locked screen.
• 🔄 Shooting in RAW + JPG Simultaneously: available on flagships (Xiaomi) 12/13/14) In Settings → Photo format → RAW+JPEG. It is convenient for processing, but takes up in 2 more.
• 🎭 Hidden mode "Document": in the camera menu, scroll left to More → It turns off all the processing, makes the colors as natural as possible, and increases the contrast of text -- perfect for scanning pages.
• 🔍 Manual setting AI: In Settings → AI You can turn off individual effects like "Improving the Sky" or "Perspective Adjustment," which is useful if the algorithm spoils the frames.

On models with an infrared port (for example, the Redmi Note 11), you can use the camera as a thermal imager.

1. Download the app IR Camera from Google Play.
2. Point the IR port to the object (for example, the laptop battery).
3. The app will show the temperature with an error ±2°C.

Another secret: If your Xiaomi supports Google Camera (GCam), install a modified version (e.g. from a developer). BSG It's a Shamim:

• More natural processing HDR+.
• Astrophotography mode for shooting stars.
• Best noise cancellation in night shots.

You can download it on the forum. XDA Developers (Look for a thread for your model).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions