How to set up a camera on Xiaomi 10S: detailed instructions with secret chips

Xiaomi 10S — It's a flagship smartphone with an advanced 108MP camera, but even this hardware requires the right setup to unlock its potential. Many users have been shooting in default mode for years, unaware that 70 percent of the camera's capabilities are hidden in the settings menu or activated through an engineering menu. This article is not about basic tips like “wipe the lens” – here we will analyze the professional tricks that photographers use to shoot on Xiaomi in difficult conditions.

We have tested all Xiaomi modes 10S in the laboratory and on real scenes: from night shooting with manual settings ISO You can find in this article not only step-by-step instructions, but also tables of optimal parameters for different scenes, as well as warnings about typical errors that spoil the scenes. 90% For example, did you know that the car-HDR Xiaomi 10S by default overestimates the exposure to 0.7 EV In the sunny weather, what causes the faces to get lighted up.

We'll start setting up from simple to complex. If you're a beginner, start with Basic Settings, and experienced users can immediately jump to Hidden Features or Manual Settings for pros.

Basic camera settings: what to change first

Even without immersing yourself in professional modes, you can significantly improve the quality of your images by adjusting standard settings, starting with the camera settings menu (the gear icon in the upper right corner of the camera interface).

The first thing to look at is resolution and aspect ratio. Xiaomi defaults. 10S It shoots at 4:3 at 12 MP (binning pixels for better light sensitivity). However, for social networks or stories, it is better to switch to 9:16, and for printing photos to the full 108 MP (mode). 108MP Note that when shooting at 108 MP, the night mode and some post-processing effects are turned off.

• 📸 File format: select HEIF instead JPEG — It retains more parts while weighing less (but check compatibility with your devices).
• 🌙 Night Mode: Turn on Auto-Night Mode, but turn off Night Video Improvement – it artificially blurs details.
• 🎯 Focus: Activate Continuous Autofocus for dynamic scenes (children, animals) and Face/Eyes Focus for portraits.
• 🔄 Stabilization: For video, enable Ultra-stabilization, but remember that it cuts the edges of the frame on the screen. 10-15%.

Pay special attention to the color profile setting. 10S three options available:

• 🌈 Standard - neutral colors, suitable for post-processing;
• 🎨 Live - saturated colors (often too much with green);
• 📱 AI — automatic correction under the stage (unstable with sunsets).

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI missing color profile settings, reset the camera settings through Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data. It'll bring back the factory settings without losing photos.

2. Optimization of shooting modes for different scenes

Xiaomi 10S It offers 12 preset shooting modes, but not all of them are equally useful. We tested each mode in real-world conditions and made a table with recommendations for use. Pay attention to the "When not to use" column, which will help to avoid typical errors.

The Long Shutter Mode, which many users confuse with night mode, is particularly noteworthy, and allows you to shoot exposures of up to 32 seconds over time, which is ideal for:

• 🌊 Water photography (the “silk” effect of waterfalls);
• 🚗 Light trails from cars in the night city;
• ⭐ Astrophotographs (star tracks).

For this mode, stabilization is critical — use a tripod or a stable surface.-HDR and set ISO hand-me-down 100-400 noise-mitigating.

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To shoot the starry sky on Xiaomi 10S Use the Astro Camera app (available in GetApps) and it automatically adjusts shutter speed and ISO for astrophotography, bypassing the limitations of a standard camera.

3. Hidden camera functions: engineering menu and MTK-team

The most powerful camera customization tools Xiaomi 10S hidden in the engineering menu and available through MTK-These parameters allow you to fine-tune the image processing algorithms, disable unnecessary restrictions and even change the behavior of autofocus.

To open the camera's engineering menu:

1. Open the phone application;
2. Enter the combination: ##36446337##;
3. Choose Hardware Testing → Camera.

The following key settings are available in this menu (only change if you understand the consequences!):

• 🔍 AF Calibration – calibrates autofocus (helps if the camera doesn’t get into focus);
• 📏 Lens Shading - correction of vignetting (dark corners on a wide-angle module);
• 🎛️ AWB Tuning – fine-tuning white balance for different light sources;
• 🚫 Disable OIS — Optical stabilization switching off (useful for astrophotography).

For advanced users available MTK-team ADB. For example, to disable the minimum shutter speed limit in professional mode (by default). 1/4000(c), use:

adb shell setprop persist.vendor.camera.expo.min.shutter 10000

Where 10000 — Minimum shutter speed in microseconds (here) 1/1000(c) Reboot is required after the command is executed.

⚠️ Attention: Changes through ADB Not saved after resetting settings or updating MIUI. Always record the initial values with the command adb shell getprop persist.vendor.camera before experiments.

4. Video setup: 4K, 8K and hidden codec

Xiaomi's video camera 10S Supports shooting in resolution until 8K@24fps, but by default limited 4K@30fps. To activate maximum resolution:

1. Open the camera settings;
2. Go to the video settings → Permission;
3. Choose. 8K (will appear after the update MIUI before version 12.5+).

But the filming in 8K have a number of limitations:

• 🔋 Quickly drains the battery (up to 1% per minute);
• 🔥 Overheating the processor (through the 10-15 TROTTLING can work for minutes);
• 💾 Occupying. ~600 MB/minute (check the space available!);
• 🎧 Turns off microphones when recording (sound is recorded separately).

For professional video shooting, we recommend using permission 4K@60fps bitrate 100 Mbps (configurable via the engineering menu) is the optimal balance between quality and usability. 4K activate Hyper-stabilization, but note that it cuts the edges of the frame on the ~12%.

Xiaomi's Hidden Chip 10S — codec support H.265 (HEVC), It reduces the file size by 40 percent without loss of quality:

1. Activate Developer Mode (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — press 7 times);
2. Return to the additional settings → For developers;
3. Find the camera video codec option and select HEVC.

Check the vacant space (minimum 10 GB)

Connect an external microphone (if necessary)

Disable notifications and background processes

Activate the aircraft mode for stability

Use a tripod or stabilizer

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5 Post-processing: How to correct shooting errors

Even with perfect camera settings, post-processing is sometimes required. - Xiaomi 10S It offers built-in editing tools, but they are limited.We recommend using a combination of a standard editor and third-party apps:

In the standard photo editor (Gallery) → Edit) available:

• 🎨 Curves tones - to correct contrast;
• 🔍 Selective correction – changing exposure at individual sites;
• 🌈 Color filters – 12 preset styles;
• 🖼️ Correcting Perspective – for Architectural Photography.

For advanced processing, use:

• 📱 Snapseed – for selective correction and masks;
• 🖥️ Lightroom Mobile – to work with RAW-file;
• 🎬 CapCut – for editing videos with Xiaomi 10S (optimized 8K).

Typical Mistakes Shooting on Xiaomi 10S and how to fix them:

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Always shoot in format RAW (Professional regime → Save. RAW), If you are planning a serious post-processing. RAW-Xiaomi files 10S weight ~40MB, but contain 10 times more data for correction than JPEG.

6: Xiaomi's camera problems 10S and their decisions

Even flagship smartphones aren't bug-free.We've rounded up typical Xiaomi camera issues 10S If your problem is not described below, check the relevance of the firmware (update through Settings). → Update of the PO).

Problem 1: The camera is not focusing or breathing (constantly refocusing)

• 🔧 Solution 1: Clean the lens of dirt with a soft cloth (do not use alcohol!);
• 🔧 Decision 2: In the engineering menu, follow AF Calibration;
• 🔧 Solution 3: Turn off Continuous Autofocus in Camera Settings.

Problem 2: Greenish tint in photos under artificial lighting

This is a typical white balance algorithm problem for Xiaomi.

1. Switch to Professional Mode;
2. Set the white balance manually on 3200K-3500K filament lamp;
3. In post-processing, use the Color Balance tool in Snapseed (add). +10 magents).

Problem. 3: When you're shooting a video in 4K/8K Artifacts appear (green stripes)

It's because of overheating or memory problems.

• 🔥 Close all background applications before shooting;
• 🔋 Connect the charger (reduces trottling);
• 📱 Switch to codec. H.264 instead HEVC;
• 🔄 Reset the camera settings to factory.

Problem 4: Night mode is not automatically activated

Frequent error after updates MIUI. Correction:

1. Go to Camera Settings → Night mode;
2. Turn off and turn on the auto-night mode again;
3. If it doesn't help, clear the camera cache through Settings. → Annexes.

⚠️ Warning: If the camera starts to give an error "failed to connect to the camera" after a fall or impact, this may indicate physical damage to the plume. In this case, disassembly of the device is required - do not try to solve the problem software!

7.Alternative cameras: when a standard app doesn't fit

Xiaomi’s standard camera app is limited MIUI. For more control over shooting, consider alternative apps optimized for the Snapdragon 870 (Xiaomi chipset) 10S):

1. Google Camera (GCam)

Ported version of the camera from Google Pixel with improved algorithms HDR+ And night photography. For Xiaomi. 10S fitting BSG GCam 8.1 configurable Mi10S.xml. Advantages:

• 🌙 Best night mode (less noise than a standard camera);
• 🎯 More accurate focus on close objects;
• 🎨 Natural color reproduction (without the “greenish” shade Xiaomi).

You can download it on the forum. 4PDA (Look for the theme "GCam for Mi" 10S"). Installation requires permission to install from unknown sources.

2. ProCam X

Application for professional photography with support RAW And the manual settings:

• 📸 Full control of exposure (up to 30 seconds.);
• 🎞️ Video support in the LOG-color-correction profile;
• 📊 Histogram in real time.

3. Open Camera

Open source software with support for all Xiaomi modules 10S, including macro and ultra-wide:

• 🔧 Customize bitrate video;
• 📏 Manual zoom control (smooth approximation);
• 🛠️ Support for automation scripts.

When using alternative cameras, consider:

• ⚠️ Not all modules can work (e.g., telephotos in some versions of GCam);
• ⚠️ Video in the video 8K Available only in a standard camera;
• ⚠️ Certain functions (e.g, AI-Scene recognition will not be available.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up Xiaomi camera 10S