How to take pictures on a smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: from basic settings to pro-tech

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have long ceased to be β€œbudget” in terms of photo quality, even entry-level models like the Redmi. 12C Redmi Note 13 is equipped with multi-module cameras with support AI-optimization, laptop mode and the possibility of shooting in RAW. However, without knowing the nuances, even the flagship camera will not save you from blurred frames, over-lit faces or β€œsoap” night shots.

In this guide, we'll take you through all the steps of Redmi photography, from camera preparation to post-processing, and learn how to use hidden features. MIUI, What settings to include for portraits or landscapes, and why it's sometimes best to turn off auto mode, and also unique life hacks for models with a sensor from Sony. IMX766 (Redmi K50, Note 12 Pro+), which the manufacturer does not advertise.

1.Preparation of the camera: what settings to include before shooting

The first thing you need to do is reset the camera to the factory settings, and that's going to remove the randomly altered settings that are spoiling the footage.

  1. Open the Camera app.
  2. Touch the gears (βš™οΈ) top-right.
  3. Select Restore the default settings.

Now, set the basic parameters manually:

  • πŸ“Έ Photo resolution: Select the maximum (for example, 50 MP for Redmi Note 13 Pro)+). On models with 108 MP (for example, Redmi) K60 Ultra) use 108 MP only in good lighting, otherwise the pictures will be noisy.
  • πŸ”„ The aspect ratio is 4:3 for print, 16:9 for social networks.
  • πŸŒ™ Night mode: turn on the car (camera decides when to activate it).+ Gen 2 Night Mode Works Better If You Manually Set Shutter Speed for 1-2 Seconds.
  • 🎯 Focus: Turn off the car-HDR, If you shoot in dynamic scenes (sports, children) – it will speed up the shutter speed.

πŸ’‘

On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ And newer to the camera settings, there's a hidden Ultra Resolution option (in the Additional section) that you turn on for 200 MP -- but remember, these photos weigh up to 40MB!

Don't forget to clean the lens. Even discreet fingerprints or dust can create glare in the images. Use microfiber (like glasses) and avoid alcohol-containing wipes - they will damage the protective coating of the lenses.

2. Shooting modes: which to choose for different scenes

The Camera app on Xiaomi Redmi offers over 10 modes, but 80% of users use only Photo and Portrait.

Regime.When to useTips for Redmi
Photo (Auto)Universal mode for quick picturesOn the Redmi. K50 and hold the shutter button for serial shooting (up to 20 frames / sec)
PortraitPeople, Pets (Blurred Background)Step 1.5-2 meters away from the object for a natural bokeh. on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ Turn on natural light in the portrait settings
Night.Shooting in the Dark (street, restaurants)Use a tripod or put your phone on a hard surface. K60 night-time maintenance RAW β€” turn on for post-processing
ProfessionalLandscapes, architecture, creative photographyInstall. ISO higher 800 In daylight, for moving objects, select shutter speed. 1/500shorter
DocumentsScans of papers, checks, pages of booksEnable Smart Alignment in Settings – the camera will automatically correct the perspective

The Cloning Mode is a standalone feature (available on the Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ It allows you to take multiple shots of one object in different poses, and then combine them in one frame, so for example, you can take a picture of yourself in three places in the park at the same time:

  1. Select Cloning mode.
  2. Take the first picture (the object must remain stationary).
  3. Move the object and take a second picture.
  4. Repeat up to 4 times, then press Ready.
πŸ“Š What camera mode do you use most often?
Auto (Photos)
Portrait
Nighttime
Professional
Other

3. Lighting: how to avoid overlights and shadows

The main problem with smartphone photos is the wrong lighting, and even the most advanced Redmi camera can be tricked into contrasting light.

  • β˜€οΈ Bright sunny day:
  • πŸŒ₯️ Cloudy weather:
  • πŸŒƒ Night photography:

⚠️ Warning: If you see purple spots in your photos when shooting against the sun, it's a lens flair, not a camera defect. To reduce the effect, cover the sun with your finger or a piece of paper (without covering the lens!).

For shooting in rooms with artificial light:

  • πŸ’‘ Turn off white balance and set the value manually:
  • πŸ”¦ Use external light sources: an annular lamp or even another smartphone flashlight (point at an angle of 45).Β° object-bound).

Focus and composition: rules for professional personnel

Even with perfect lighting, a picture can spoil a wrong focus or composition. There are several types of focusing available on Xiaomi Redmi:

  • 🎯 Autofocus (AF): touch the screen at the point to be sharpened. K60 Laser autofocus is faster and more accurate.
  • πŸ“ Manual focusing (MF): In pro mode, slider sharpness, good for macro photography, or when autofocus missesΒ».
  • πŸ‘οΈ Object Tracking: Enable Tracking in Settings AF β€” The camera will monitor a moving object (such as a child or animal).

For composition, use the rule of thirds:

  1. Enable the grid in the camera settings (Settings) β†’ Grid. β†’ 3Γ—3).
  2. Place key elements (human eyes, horizon) on the grid intersection lines.
  3. For landscapes, leave. 2/3 The sky or the earth, do not divide in half.

Cleaned lens of dust and prints

The right mode (not the car for creative staff)

Digital zoom is disabled (use only optical)

The composition grid is included

Checked lighting (no contrasting shadows on the face)-->

On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ And the flagships have Movie Frame mode, which mimics the color reproduction of the film, to activate it:

  1. Go to Professional Mode.
  2. Touch the movie icons (🎬) top-right.
  3. Choose a preset (Vivid, Classic or Monochrome).

5. Video Shooting: Settings for Quality Content

Xiaomi Redmi cameras support video recording in resolution up to 8K@24fps (on the Redmi K60 Ultra or 4K@60fps (But by default, the video is shot in the 1080p β€” change that in the settings:

  • πŸŽ₯ Permission: Select the maximum (for example, 4K For the Redmi Note 13 Pro).
  • πŸ”„ Stabilization: Turn on Ultra Steady for hand-held shooting (only works in the Ultra Steady system) 1080p).
  • 🎀 Sound: Use an external microphone (connects via a USB-C Redmi's built-in microphone is good at suppressing noise, but it only picks up sound from the front.
  • 🌟 HDR: turn on for shooting in contrasting conditions (for example, sunset on the beach).

For slow-motion (slow-motion) video:

  • Select Slow Mode for Slow Motion.
  • On the Redmi. K50 and newer options available:

⚠️ Attention: When shooting in 4K@60fps Redmi with Snapdragon processor 7xx The phone can overheat if the temperature goes above. 45Β°C, the camera will automatically lower the resolution. To avoid this, shoot in short segments (by the end of the film). 5–10 minutes) or use a cooling cover.

For timelapses (accelerated video):

  • Select Accelerated Shooting Mode.
  • Set the interval between frames:
  • Fix your phone on a tripod, even a slight tremor will ruin the timelapse.

6 Post-processing: how to improve the photo directly on the phone

Even the perfect shot can be made better with built-in tools. MIUI Or third-party apps. Let's start with the basic features of the Xiaomi Gallery:

  • ✨ Autocorrection: Open the photo β†’ Edit β†’ Auto. The algorithm corrects white balance and contrast, but sometimes it overshoots saturation.
  • 🎨 Portrait retouch:
  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Staffing and perspective:

For advanced processing, install Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed, which can:

  • πŸ“Š Customize curves for accurate correction of shadows and lights.
  • 🎭 Selective correction (e.g., making the sky blue without affecting the rest of the frame).
  • πŸ” Remove noise with Denoise (useful for night photos).
How to save a photo in RAW Xiaomi Redmi
1. Open the Professional Mode in the Cell. 2. Touch the badge. RAW (usually on the top menu). 3. Take a photo – it will be saved in.dng format in the folder DCIM/Camera/RAW. 4. For processing RAW Use Lightroom or Darktable (free analogue).

If you need to remove the background from a photo (for example, for an avatar), use:

  • Built-in background instrument in the gallery MIUI (It only works for portraits).
  • Background Eraser (for complex objects)
  • Online service remove.bg (upload photos via browser).

7. Hidden features of Xiaomi Redmi camera

Firmware MIUI It hides some useful things that aren't in the manual:

  • πŸ” Macro mode on the main camera:

Astrophotography

Redmi K50 Ultra

For the starry sky:

  1. Set the phone on a tripod.
  2. Select the Night mode β†’ Astro (will appear only in the dark).
  3. Press the shutter and don’t touch the phone for 10-15 seconds.
  4. πŸ“± Double press of the volume button:

Boerst-mode

Hold the shutter button or the Volume Up button for shooting up to 20 frames per second. On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ You can choose the best shot right in the gallery (Select the best one).

πŸ’‘

On the Redmi. K60 and newer in pro mode available Double ISO (Dual Native ISO). This technology reduces noise in dark scenes without losing detail, and it's manually enabled in the Professional Mode settings.

Another hidden feature is shooting in ProRAW format (on the Redmi Note 13 Pro).+ This format stores more data than a normal format. RAW, It allows you to edit the photo flexibly, so you can activate it:

  1. Open Professional Mode.
  2. Touch the badge. RAW and hold on for 2 seconds.
  3. Select ProRAW (the file will weigh) ~50MB).

8. Accessories to enhance photos

Even with the great Xiaomi Redmi camera, some scenes require additional hardware.-5 accessories that will really improve your photos:

AccessoryWhat do you need?Recommendations for selection
A tripodStabilization for night shooting, timelapses, selfiesXiaomi Mi Tripod (compact, with Bluetooth remote) or Ulanzi MT-08 (flexible)
Outer flare.Lighting in dark rooms (built-in flash gives hard light)Godox Litemons LED16 (plug-in USB-C, adjustable)
Nozzle lensesMacro, wide angle, fisheyeXenvo Pro Lens (comprised with 3 lenses) + case) 12-in-1 (budgetary)
MicrophoneClean audio for video (built-in microphone picks up noise)Boya BY-M1 (hinge, connected to 3.5 mm) or DJI Mic 2 (wireless, for professionals)
coolerPrevents overheating during long-term shooting 4K/8KBlack Shark Cooling Backclip (with active fan) or Baseus Magnetic Cooler (magnetic, without wires)

If you take selfies often, look for a ring lamp with a mount (e.g. Xiaomi Mi). LED It gives you a soft diffuse light that removes the shadows on your face, and you can use a flexible tripod, a gorillapod, like Joby GorillaPod, that you can wrap around a branch or a railing.

⚠️ Note: When using external lenses, nozzles, turn off Digital zoom in the camera settings. Otherwise, the smartphone will try to β€œimprove” the frame software, which will lead to quality losses.

For underwater photography (such as in a swimming pool), use a waterproof case (such as a waterproof case, JOTO Remember that even with a case, it is not recommended to dive the Redmi deeper than 1 meter - the pressure can damage the microphones or speakers.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

πŸ“Έ Why the photos on my Redmi Note 11 are blurry?
There are several reasons: Dirty lens - wipe it with microfiber. Hand shaking - use a tripod or turn on Night Mode (it reduces sensitivity to jitters). Digital zoom - do not zoom the camera programmatically (use only optical zoom, if you have one). Incorrect focus: tap the screen at the point to sharpen, or switch to Manual focus. If the problem persists, check the resolution settings: go to Camera Settings β†’ Photo resolution and select the maximum value.
πŸŒƒ How to shoot stars on Xiaomi Redmi K50 Ultra?
For astrophotography: Set your phone on a tripod. Select Night mode. β†’ Astro (only at night). Press the shutter and don't touch the phone for 10 to 30 seconds (the longer the shutter speed, the more stars you can see). Use Lightroom to post-process -- increase the exposure and contrast, reduce noise. Important: shoot away from city lights (the sky will interfere with the lights).
πŸ”‹ Why does the camera heat up and turn off when shooting a video?
Overheating occurs due to: Long recording in 4K/8K (Especially on Snapdragon processors. 7xx). Uses HDR Or hot weather stabilization, background activity of other applications (like the navigator). 5–10 Use a cooling case (e.g. Black Shark Cooling Backclip) Close all background applications before shooting. Reduce the resolution to 1080p, if not 4K.
πŸ“± Can you shoot Xiaomi Redmi in the format? RAW?
Yes, but with nuances: On most Redmi models (like Note 10 Pro, K40) RAW Only available in Professional mode (Icon) RAW On the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ And then there's ProRAW, which is an improved version with a lot of dynamic range. RAW We weigh between 20 and 50 MB and require processing in Lightroom or Darktable. RAW, and JPEG At the same time, turn on the option to Save both formats in the setting.