How to set up a camera in pro mode on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: a complete guide with examples

Why you need a pro mode on the Redmi Note 8 Pro and what it gives

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is equipped with a quadrocamera with a main module at 64 MP, but even such a powerful "stuffing" will not save from blurry images in difficult conditions, if you can not manage the settings. Pro mode (or manual shooting mode) allows you to manually adjust parameters that often automatically work "as it turns out": shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. This is especially critical for shooting in low light, when objects move, or when you need to convey the exact color mood of the scene.

For example, have you ever tried to photograph a nightscape in a city, and you get either a dark mess or a noise-filled soap because of too high an ISO? Or have you shot a portrait under artificial light and the skin in the photo has taken on an unhealthy yellow-green hue? All this is solved by literally a couple of moves in pro mode — but only if you know what parameters are responsible for the specific artifacts in the photo.

In this article, we’ll not only explore how to turn on pro mode on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, but also what settings are really important for different scenes and what you can leave to your smartphone, you’ll learn how to balance shutter speed and ISO, when to use manual focus, and why it’s sometimes better to “under-maintain” a frame than to re-light it.

How to turn on pro-mode: step-by-step instructions

By default, pro mode is hidden in the standard MIUI Camera app. To activate it, follow the following steps:

1. Open the Camera app on your Redmi Note 8 Pro.
2. Swipe your finger across the screen from left to right to open the side menu of shooting modes.
3. Find the item Still (or additional functions in some versions of the firmware) and tap it.
4. In the list of available modes, select Pro (or Manual). If not, update the camera app via Google Play.

If you haven't had a pro mode since the upgrade, check the firmware version: this mode is only available on MIUI 11 and later. You can find your version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Make sure your smartphone is charged at least 30 times%|Clean the lens of fingerprints|Shut down. HDR manually|Set the phone on a stable surface or use a tripod-->

Analysis of key parameters of the professional mode

The pro mode interface on the Redmi Note 8 Pro can be intimidating because of the abundance of sliders and icons. In fact, for 90% of scenarios, it is enough to understand only 5 parameters:

• 📏 Shutter speed is the time the shutter opens (in seconds or fractions of a second). The longer the shutter speed, the more light will hit the matrix, but the greater the risk of "grease" when moving.
• 🌓 ISO — Low values (100-400) give a clear image, high (1600)+) — cluttery.
• 🎯 Focus is the distance to the subject, and in manual mode, you can focus on a particular point, even if the autofocus is persistently clinging to the background.
• 🔄 White balance is color temperature correction. Automatic balance is often wrong in artificial lighting (e.g., in restaurants with warm lamps).
• 📐 Exposure is the overall brightness of the frame. The slider allows you to darken or brighten the scene without changing the shutter speed./ISO.

An important nuance: the Redmi Note 8 Pro pro-mode disables multi-camera processing, which means that the images will only be saved from the main module (64 MP), without the use of a wide-angle, macro or depth sensor. RAW-files (if you enable saving in settings) that can be edited flexibly in Lightroom or Snapseed.

Optimal settings for different scenes

There's no universal pro settings, it depends on the lighting, the movement of objects, and your creative tasks, but there are proven combinations of parameters for typical scenarios:

⚠️ Note: When shooting with a long exposure (more) 1/30 seconds, Redmi Note 8 Pro automatically activates stabilization, but it only works to compensate for the slight tremors of the hands. For really sharp shots, use a tripod or a stop (for example, put your phone on a stack of books).

Another life hack: if you're shooting pro video, look at Frame Rate. For slow-motion, choose 60 FPS or 120 FPS, but remember that it will reduce the resolution to 1080p.

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To quickly reset all the settings of the pro mode to the factory, twice tap the gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

Thin tuning: hidden chips of pro mode

Few people know, but in the pro mode of the Redmi Note 8 Pro hidden a few useful features that are not obvious at first glance:

1. Histogram. Included in the camera settings (Settings → Show histogram) Helps estimate the distribution of light and shadows in the frame before shooting. If the graph is pressed to the left side, the frame will be dark, to the right - overlit.
2. Manual HDR. In pro mode, HDR is disabled by default, but it can be turned on manually via Settings → HDR. Useful for high contrast scenes (for example, a sunset against a dark mountain background).
3. Grid and levels: Activate the rule of thirds grid (Settings → Grid) and horizon level (Settings → Level) for the perfect composition.
4. Save to RAW + JPEG. In the pro settings, you can enable simultaneous saving of both formats. This is convenient if you want to share JPEG quickly, but keep RAW for processing.

⚠️ Attention: When shooting in RAW Redmi Note 8 Pro turns off night mode (including its software part).If you want to detail in the dark, try first to take a picture in automatic night mode, and then in pro mode with manual settings for comparison.

Another secret: if you shoot a video in pro mode, you can turn on log profile (Log) in the settings, which allows you to adjust colors flexibly in video editors, but requires color correction.

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Pro mode on the Redmi Note 8 Pro supports shooting in RAW format only on the main module (64 MP). Wide-angle, macro and deep cameras in manual mode do not work.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when working with pro mode, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 📸 Solution: use a tripod or fix your phone on a stable surface. If you're shooting from your hands, the shutter speed should be no longer. 1/30 seconds.
• 🌑 Black footage in the night. Solution: zoom in. ISO 800-1600 or use a shutter speed of 2-5 seconds. ISO 3200 – the noise will become uncontrollable.
• 🟡 Unnatural colors. Solution: manually set white balance, targeting neutral gray objects in the frame (such as asphalt or concrete).
• 🔍 Solution: Step a little further away from the object and use manual focus. Minimum focusing distance for a macro module is 2-4 cm.
• 📱 Overheating. Solution: When you're shooting pro-mode for long periods (especially video), let your phone rest every 10 to 15 minutes. Redmi Note 8 Pro has a tendency to overheat due to the Mediatek Helio processor. G90T.

One of the most insidious mistakes is overexposed sky in daytime landscapes. To avoid "knocked out" white spots, use a spot exposure measurement (stab across the sky in viewing mode, hold your finger for 2 seconds) and reduce exposure by -1...-1.5 EV.

If you shoot a portrait with a blurred background (boke), do not put the aperture at the maximum (f/1.8). With this open aperture, the field becomes extremely narrow, and even a slight movement of the model will lead to blurring of the face — f/2.2–f/2.8.

Post-processing of pictures from the pro mode

Pro-mode photos (especially in RAW) almost always require post-processing, and here is the minimum set of actions to improve the frame:

1. Exposure correction: In Lightroom or Snapseed, raise shadows and lower lights to restore details to the darkest and brightest areas.
2. Noise reduction. Use Reduction Noise, but don't overdo it, aggressive noise cancellation eats away at parts.
3. Color correction: Adjust temperature (to eliminate cold/warm hues) and saturation (increase by 10-15% for brightness, but no more).
4. Sharpness: Apply the field mask (Masking in Lightroom) only to key objects (like the eyes in a portrait) so as not to make noise in the background.

For RAW-Redmi Note 8 Pro files are well suited to Xiaomi Natural Preset in Lightroom, which compensates for the characteristic “coolness” of the color reproduction of the smartphone.

⚠️ Attention: During processing RAW from Redmi Note 8 Pro, don’t use the Dehaze tool in Lightroom – it amplifies artifacts in the pictures from this smartphone due to the processing features of Mediatek.

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For maximum quality, export processed photos in TIFF or PNG format. JPEG compression will add artifacts to already noisy high ISO shots.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions