How to take a photo with shutter speed on the Xiaomi phone: the secrets of night and dynamic shooting

Why are Xiaomi smartphones suitable for shooting with long exposure?

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are no longer just bell ringers, with cameras that are more functional than DSLRs. One of the most creative modes available even on budget models is long exposure, which allows you to capture the light tracks of cars, the blurring of water in a waterfall or the starry sky without professional equipment. But how do you turn on this mode if it is not in the basic settings?

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways Xiaomi can activate shutter speeds, from the built-in Night Mode mode to the manual settings in Pro Mode. We’ll also find out which models support shooting up to 30 seconds (yes, it’s possible!), and how to get around the limitations on older devices. Spoiler: Even the 2019 Redmi Note 8 Pro is capable of more than you think.

Before you get to the instructions, check the Camera app version. Some firmware (like MIUI 14 for the global version) has a deeper shutter speed than Chinese builds. If your model doesn't support manual settings, don't worry: there are workarounds at the end of the article using third-party apps.

Method 1: Night Mode is a simple way to get a long shutter speed.

The most affordable way to take a shutter speed photo on Xiaomi is to use the built-in night mode, which automatically increases exposure time in low light conditions, mimicking the long shutter speed effect. Here's how to turn it on:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Fly through the shooting modes left to the point Night (or Night on English firmware).
3. Press the badge. ⚙️ (settings) in upper right corner.
4. Activate the manual shutter slider (if you have one in your model).
5. Hold your phone as still as possible or use a tripod.

In this mode, the camera will select the optimal exposure time (usually 1/4 to 4 seconds).

• 📱 It works only in the dark (the day is blocked).
• 🔋 It drains the battery due to long-term processing of the image.
• 🖼️ The final photo may be too “smoothed” due to aggressive noise cancellation.

⚠️ Attention: On models POCO X3 Redmi 9 Night Mode cuts the resolution of the shot to 12 MP, even if the main camera supports 48 MP or 64 MP. To avoid losing details, use Pro Mode (about it in the next section).

Method 2: Manual settings in Pro Mode – full control over shutter speed

For advanced users, the best option is the Pro (or Manual) mode, which is available on most Xiaomi models starting with the Redmi Note 7 (2019), where you can manually set shutter speeds from 1/4000s to 30s, as well as adjust ISO, white balance and focus.

Instructions for activation:

1. Launch the Camera and select PRO (or M on some models).
2. Tap the S icon (suspension) in the bottom panel.
3. Move the slider to the right to increase exposure time: 🌑 1/4c – to capture movement (for example, water blurring). 🚗 1–4c - light tracks of machinery. ⭐ 10–30c - the starry sky (a tripod is required!).

100–400

don't move the phone.

Important: on budget models (e.g. Redmi A1), the maximum shutter speed in Pro Mode is limited to 4 seconds. To get around this, you will have to use third-party applications (see section 5).

Set the phone on a tripod or stable surface |

Charge the battery at least 50% |

Turn off stabilization (if shooting from a tripod)|

Select the RAW format for post-processing (optional)|

Check the space available (long exposure photos weigh 10–50 MB)-->

Xiaomi Model Comparison: What Shutter Speed Is Available on Your Smartphone?

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally good for long exposure. Flagship models (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra) support shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds and have optical stabilization, while budget ones are limited to 1-2 seconds.

If your model is not in the table, test the maximum shutter speed experimentally: open Pro Mode and try to move the slider to the right until the end. On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 for Redmi Note 10) after the update, you can shoot up to 8 seconds, even if it used to be only 4.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with Snapdragon processor 4xx (Like Redmi. 9A) You can have a lot of heat noise when you're shuttered for more than 2 seconds, like purple or green pixels in your photos. ISO up to 100 and use external cooling (e.g. fan).

Method 3: Shooting Light Painting without third-party applications

One of the most spectacular effects of long exposure is light painting, which can be done even without Pro Mode on Xiaomi, if you use Night Mode or Post-processing Video correctly, and here is a step-by-step guide to taking light tracks from cars or flashlights:

1. Preparation: 📍 Choose a location with moving light sources (road, rides, fireworks). 📱 Secure the phone on a tripod or place it on a flat surface (such as a bridge parapet). ⚙️ Turn off autofocus in camera settings (if you have an option).
2. Shooting settings: 🌃 Use Night Mode with manual shutter speed (if available) or Pro Mode with shutter speeds of 2-10c. 🔄 Install. ISO 200-800 (the darker the scene, the higher the scene) ISO). 🎯 Focus manually on a static object (such as a road sign).

Descent and handling:

• 📸 Press the shooting button and don’t touch the phone while the exposure is going on.
• 🖼️ To enhance the effect, use applications like Snapseed or Lightroom (increase contrast and saturation).

Example of successful personnel:

• 🚖 Light traces from headlights on the highway (exposure 5-10c).
• 🎡 Blurred carousel lights (exposure 2-4c).
• ✨ Inscriptions or drawings with a flashlight in the air (exposure 8-30c, complete darkness is required).

Method 4: Third-party applications for long shutter speed (if built-in ones do not fit)

If your Xiaomi doesn’t support manual shutter speed or is limited to 2 seconds, third-party apps will come to the rescue, allowing you to bypass firmware restrictions and shoot with shutter speeds of up to 60 seconds (and even more on some models).

• 📷 Camera FV-5 — full control ISO, It's a little bit of a focus and a little bit of a focus. RAW, but requires root rights to hold. >30C on some devices.
• 🌌 NightCap Camera is a night photography and light painting specialty. There's a Star Trails mode for star photography.
• 🎥 ProCam X is an alternative to the standard camera with support for long shutter speed and timelapse. the free version is limited to 10c.
• 🔦 Slow Shutter Cam - optimized for light tracks, allows you to superimpose multiple frames in one (multiple exposure effect).

How to set up Camera FV-5 for 30+ seconds:

1. Install the app from Google Play.


2. Launch and give access to the camera.




3. Go to Mode M (Manual).)




4. Touch the S icon and move the slider to the right to 30" (or enter the value manually).




5. Set ISO to 100-400 and RAW format (if necessary).




6.Push the down button and wait for the end of the exposure.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi with MediaTek Helio processors (e.g. Redmi 9) apps like Camera FV-5 It can be unstable due to the limitations of the camera drivers, and in this case, try Open Camera, which is better compatible with budget chipsets.

💡

If the app doesn’t save long shutter speed photos, check your storage settings: some programs save frames to their own folder (e.g. /DCIM/CameraFV-5/) by default, rather than a standard gallery.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with the right settings, long exposure photos can be blurry, noisy or over-lit, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to correct them:

Another common question is why Xiaomi can't do a shutter speed longer than 30 seconds, because most smartphones use an electronic shutter that is limited by the time it reads data from the matrix. Longer exposures require a mechanical shutter (like in DSLRs) that doesn't exist in phones, and you can get around this only by pseudo shutter speed: take videos and fold the frames in post-processing (like StarStaX).

💡

For a perfect long exposure shot, Xiaomi needs a tripod, low ISO (100-400) and manual focus, and even a slight shaking of the hand will ruin a shot with a shutter speed of more than 1 second.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions