How to set up a camera on Xiaomi 9A: Complete guide to the perfect shots

Xiaomi 9A β€” It's a budget smartphone with a remarkably flexible camera that can deliver high-quality images when set up correctly, and many owners don't even realize that the default settings are far from optimal. This article will help you understand the intricacies of setting up the main and front camera, squeeze the most out of hardware capabilities and avoid typical errors.

We will look not only at basic parameters like white balance or resolution, but also at hidden functions. MIUI, You'll learn how to adjust your camera to different shooting conditions, from sunscreen portraits to nightscapes, and you'll learn how to bypass the limitations of budget optics with software.

Basic camera settings: where to start

Before diving into the fine-tuning, make sure you have the latest version of the Camera app installed. MIUI Updates often bring new image processing algorithms. You can check the relevance in Settings β†’ The phone. β†’ Updating the system.

Open the camera app and tap the gear icon (βš™οΈ) In the upper right corner, you've got the keys here:

  • πŸ“Έ Photo resolution – choose 12 MP for the balance of quality and file size. 48 MP gives more detail, but only in good lighting.
  • πŸŽ₯ Video resolution – optimal 1080p@30fps day-to-day. 4K available, but requires a lot of space and stable lighting.
  • πŸ”„ The aspect ratio is 4:3 suitable for printing, 16:9 for viewing on screens.
  • πŸŒ™ Night mode – turn on the car so that the camera itself determines the need for activation.

An important nuance: in Xiaomi 9A When choosing a 48 MP resolution, optical stabilization is turned off and the work deteriorates. HDR. Use this mode only for static scenes with good lighting.

πŸ“Š What permission do you use more often for your photo?
12 MPs
48 MP
Automatic choice
I don't know.

Optimization of shooting parameters for different conditions

There is no universal setting, the settings must adapt to the scenario.

Filming conditionsPermissionWhite balanceExpositionHDR
Daylight (landscapes)12 MPsAutomobile-0.3 EVOn.
Portraits indoors12 MPsFilament lamp+0.7 EVOff.
Night shooting (city)12 MPsAutomobile0 EVOn (night mode)
Documents/text48 MPfluorescent+1.0 EVOff.

To capture moving objects (children, animals) switch to Sport mode in the lower camera menu. ISO And shutter speed, but it can add digital noise. In the dark, it's better to use Night Mode with manual shutter speeds of up to 2 seconds -- keep your phone as still as possible.

πŸ’‘

To quickly switch between modes, double tap the screen with two fingers – the quick access panel will open.

Xiaomi’s Hidden Camera Features 9A

MIUI hides a few useful options that are not visible in the main menu, so you can activate them:

  1. Open the camera settings β†’ Additionally.
  2. Include Show watermark (useful for proof of authorship)
  3. Activate Shutter Holding – allows you to take serial pictures with one click
  4. In the Video section, enable Stabilization EIS smoothly

Another hidden feature is manual focusing, where in Professional, tap the subject on the screen and hold your finger until the yellow square with the lock appears, and now the focus is fixed at the selected distance.

How to turn on RAW- shooting?
In "Professional" mode, touch the icon. DNG top-right. RAW-file ~25 MB, but give more post-processing options.

Professional Mode (available after Updating to the MIUI 12.5+) manage:

  • πŸ”˜ By excerpt (from) 1/4000 before 32 seconds)
  • πŸ”˜ ISO (100–3200)
  • πŸ”˜ White balance (2500–10000K)
  • πŸ”˜ Focus distance (if there is a telephoto lens)

Make sure the lens is clean.|Check the memory balance (minimum 1 GB)|Turn off energy saving|Activate the composition grid|Select the optimal mode in the table above-->

Setting up a front-facing camera for selfies

8-megapixel frontal in Xiaomi 9A It's more than you think:

1. background blur (portrait mode) works better at a distance of 30-50 cm from the face. Too close - the effect disappears, too far - the edges of objects blur unevenly.

2. For group selfies, use Panorama or Wide-angle (if available after the update) mode. Hold the phone horizontally for better composition.

3. Face correction in the settings of the front camera has 3 levels of intensity, the optimal medium - it smooths out defects without the effect of a "plastic doll".

⚠️ Warning: When shooting video from the front camera, turn off the beauty in real time – it adds artifacts and reduces detail.

For the best low light selfies:

  • πŸ’‘ Use the screen flash (lightning icon in the interface)
  • πŸ”¦ Direct the light source (e.g. window) from the front-side rather than the back
  • πŸ“± Keep your phone at eye level or slightly higher – it visually lengthens your neck

Post-processing photo directly in the gallery MIUI

Don’t rush to install third-party editors – Xiaomi’s built-in Gallery offers powerful tools:

1. AI retouch (magic wand icon) automatically improves contrast, saturation and sharpness. Works better than the Google Photos counterparts for budget shots.

2. Selective correction (hand) allows you to brighten only the shadows on the face or enhance the colors of the sky without affecting the rest of the photo.

3.Bokeh effects can be added post facto to any portrait - the gallery analyzes the depth and blurs the background.

For basic processing, it is sufficient:

  1. Open photo β†’ Edit
  2. Apply Auto Improvement
  3. Adjust the Exposition (+10–15%) and Contrast (+5–10%)
  4. Keep a copy (the source will remain intact)

πŸ’‘

All changes to the gallery MIUI It is not used destructively – the original file can always be restored.

Typical problems and their solutions

Even when you're fine-tuned, artifacts can emerge. Let's look at the most common ones.

1. Blurred night photos

Causes: Long exposure + Hand shakes. Solutions:

Use Night Mode with a timer of 2-3 seconds, resting the phone on a stable surface

Reduce the resolution to 12 MP – pixels will become larger and better capture light

- Manually install. ISO 800-1600 (in pro-mode)

2. Sunlights in the sun

Causes: limited dynamic range of the matrix. Solutions:

- Turn it on. HDR And take a test shot.

Tap the darkest part of the screen to prioritize shadows

- Use a manual exposure (-1.0 EV)

3.Purple glare at the edges

Reasons: cheap anti-reflective lens coverage.

Avoid shooting against bright light sources (sun, lanterns)

In post-processing, reduce the saturation of the purple channel

Wipe the lens with a microfiber wipe - sometimes the glare is increased due to greasy spots

⚠️ Warning: If the camera starts twitching when focusing or gives a green tint in all photos, this is a sign of hardware malfunction. Try resetting the camera to factory settings (Settings) β†’ Annexes β†’ Camera. β†’ Warehouse β†’ If the problem persists, the module needs repair.

Tips for shooting videos on Xiaomi 9A

Video shooting on a budget smartphone requires a special approach.

Stabilization:

- Turn it on. EIS video-setting

Hold the phone with both hands, elbows pressed to the torso

- For movement, use the Video mode 1080p@60fps β€” The frame will be more for smoothing

2. Sound:

External microphone (even budget lavalier) improves quality by 80%

In the video settings, turn off Noise Reduction - it spoils the voice.

Use a directional microphone for interviews (some firmware has a focus option)

Lighting:

- Avoid contrasting light (bright sun) + shadow)

- For interior photography, use two light sources under 45Β° object-bound

- In the dark, take a video in 1080p@30fps night-on

For editing video with Xiaomi 9A fit:

  • 🎬 CapCut – free, with templates for TikTok/Reels
  • 🎬 KineMaster – More Tools, but Watermarked in Free Edition
  • 🎬 Built-in editor MIUI β€” Basic functions without installing applications

FAQ: Frequent questions about camera setup

Can I install GCam on Xiaomi? 9A?
There are ported versions of Google Camera for the Snapdragon 662 processor that runs on it. 9A. However: Night mode in GCam often works worse than native (due to lack of optimization for the sensor) Video shooting may be inaccessible Some features (for example, Magic Eraser) We recommend first to try all the features of the standard camera with our settings, and only then experiment with GCam. Download versions only from trusted sources (e.g. celsoazevedo.com).
Why are photos noisy even in the daytime?
This is a feature of the budget sensor Samsung GM1, Xiaomi-installed 9A. To reduce noise: Turn off digital zoom – it increases noise Remove in 12 MP format instead of 48 MP (less noise due to binning pixels) In post-processing, use moderate Gauss blur (radius 0.3–0.5) Check whether the phone overheats – at temperatures above 40Β°If the noise is critical, try a third-party camera like the Open Camera with manual control. ISO.
How to take a photo with a blurred background effect (boke) without portrait mode?
There are several ways: 1. Hand blur in the gallery: Open the photo β†’ Edit β†’ Effects. β†’ Blurring. The Brush tool allows you to select areas for blurring. 2 Special applications: - AfterFocus (manual marking of the foreground / background) - Fabby (automatic object recognition) - Snapseed (selective blur tool) 3. Shooting with the correct composition: Use objects in the foreground (branches, railings) - Get as close to the main object as possible (but no closer than 10 cm) - Shooting from a low point (from ground level) enhances the effect of perspective
What camera settings are reset after the MIUI update?
Major system updates (e.g., with MIUI 12 on MIUI 13) Reset: User Presets in Pro-Mode Grid and Horizon Level Settings List of Favorite Filters Video (Resolution, Stabilization) Not Reset: Flag on/off HDR Front camera settings (beauty, blur) Watermarks (if configured) We recommend that you take screenshots of current settings before updating or write them down in notes.
How to speed up the camera launch?
If the camera app opens for more than 1-2 seconds: 1. Clear the cache: Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Camera. β†’ Warehouse β†’ Clear cache 2. Turn off power saving for camera: Settings β†’ Battery β†’ Energy consumption of applications β†’ Camera. β†’ No restrictions 3. Use the start gesture: Double press the volume down button (setting is enabled in Settings). β†’ Special facilities β†’ Quick camera start) 4. Remove unnecessary filters: Go to Camera Settings β†’ Filters and leave only 2-3 of the most commonly used, this will speed up the load. If the delays are left, check if the phone memory is overloaded (at least 10% of the total volume should be free).