How to set up a pro camera on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is equipped with a powerful main camera module 48 MP, which, when approached correctly, is able to produce pictures that are not much inferior to entry-level SLR cameras. Standard automatic mode often takes unnecessary decisions, trying to artificially brighten the shadows or oversaturate the colors, which does not always correspond to the creative intention of the photographer. This is where the PRO mode comes to the stage, allowing the user to fully control the parameters of exposure.

Understanding how shutter speed, sensitivity and focal length interact opens the door to a new quality of mobile photography, so you no longer have to put up with noise in night photos or blurring moving objects, and in this article, we'll take a closer look at each slider so you can make the most of your device.

Before we get into the tricky manipulations, it's worth noting that the MIUI camera interface may seem overloaded, but that's just the first impression. The main feature of the Samsung GM1 sensor in the Redmi Note 9 is its ability to combine pixels for better light transmission, which is critical when manually selecting ISO. Let's move from theory to practice and run the standard Camera app.

Activation and interface of professional mode

To get started, you need to run the standard Camera app, and in the bottom swipe menu to the left, find the item MORE. That's where the PRO icon hides, which switches the interface to manual control mode. Once activated, you'll see that the standard zoom sliders will be replaced by a number of acronyms: WB, F, ISO, S, L.

Each of these characters is responsible for a critical setting, and you don't have to be afraid of the amount of settings, because in most situations you'll only have to change one or two settings, and you can leave the rest in the Auto position unless the scene requires a specific approach.

⚠️ Attention: When switching to mode PRO Many artificial intelligence algorithms are shut down, such as HDR And (Beauty) So what you're going to see is a real image from the matrix without software improvements.

The interface is divided into two logical zones: the viewfinder that occupies the top of the screen and the toolbar at the bottom. The top also displays a histogram that helps assess the distribution of lights and shadows, which is an indispensable tool for professional exposure.

White Balance (WB) setting

The first parameter we'll encounter from left to right is WB (White Balance), which controls the color temperature of the frame and allows you to adjust the shades of white depending on the light source. Smartphone automation often misfires in mixed lighting, giving the skin an unnatural yellow or bluish hue.

In manual mode, you can choose from one of the preset scenarios: sun, cloud, incandescent or fluorescent lamps. However, the most control is given by the Kelvin slider, which allows you to set the temperature in Kelvin by hand. For daylight, the optimal value is considered to be the range of 5000-5500K, and for evening street lighting, 3000-4000K.

• 🌡️ Low values (2000-3000K): make the image “colder” by adding blue tones, which is useful to compensate for the yellowness of incandescent lamps.
• 🌡️ High values (7000-9000K): add warmth and yellowness, correcting excess blue in the shade or in cloudy weather.
• 🌡️ Accurate calibration: Use a gray card or white sheet of paper to benchmark color settings in studio settings.

The correct white balance adjustment eliminates the need for long color correction in post-processing. RAW (about that later, parameter WB You can change it after the shooting without losing quality, but JPEG-This is a critical step.

Manual focusing (F)

The F (Focus) option allows you to turn off autofocus and manually control the lens. In normal mode, the camera decides what to focus on, choosing the object with the greatest contrast. In PRO mode, you get full control, which is especially important for macro photography or creating blur effects.

When you move the slider from the Auto value to the macro (flower) or infinity (mountain), you will notice how the clarity of the image changes. For accurate tipping, it is recommended to zoom the image in the viewfinder to 5x or 10x to see the smallest details.

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Use the “Focus Peaking” feature (if available in your version of MIUI) or simply listen to the sound that the smartphone emits when it hits focus automatically before switching to manual.

Manual focusing is essential when you need to photograph an object through a glass or grid, where autofocus begins to walk, and it is also the only way to make a high-quality macro, since the minimum focusing distance in automatics is often limited by software.

It is worth remembering that the Redmi Note 9 does not have optical stabilization in the classical sense for all modules, so when manually focusing on high shutter speeds, the phone should be absolutely stationary.

ISO light sensitivity and noise level

One of the most important parameters is the ISO, which regulates the sensitivity of the matrix to light. The lower the ISO, the less digital noise (grain) will be in the photo, but the more light is required for normal exposure. The base value for daytime shooting is ISO 100.

When shooting indoors or at dusk, automation starts to raise ISO, which on budget sensors like the one in the Redmi Note 9, results in color noise and loss of detail. In PRO, you decide whether you are willing to sacrifice quality for brightness.

Try to keep ISO as low as possible. If you don't have enough light, you'd better increase your shutter speed (S) than pick up your sensitivity. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, the critical threshold after which quality drops sharply is ISO 800.

• 📉 ISO 100-200: Perfect for a bright sunny day, maximum detail.
• 📈 ISO 400-800: Acceptable for cloudy weather or well-lit rooms.
• 🔥 ISO 1600 and above: Use only in extreme cases when the subject is moving and the shutter speed cannot be extended.

Experiment with this setting by taking a series of shots of one scene with different ISOs to understand the limits of your particular smartphone instance.

Excerpt (S) and Creative Exposition

The S (Shutter Speed) or shutter speed parameter determines how long the matrix will “see” light. This is the most creative tool in the arsenal of a mobile photographer, values are measured in fractions of a second (for example, 1/1000) or in full seconds (for example, 1”, 2, 30).

Short shutter speeds (e.g. 1/1000 or 1/4000) allow you to freeze movement, you can clearly photograph a running child, a dog jumping or a splash of water. Long exposures (1/15 seconds or longer) blur motion, creating a dynamic effect or allowing you to accumulate light at night.

Recommended exposure values:


Sport/Children: 1/500 and shorter




- Landscape (static): 1/60 - 1/125




Night City (with tripod): 1/4 - 4 seconds




- Light tracks: 10-30 seconds

When using shutter speeds longer than 1/60 of a second handheld, there is a high risk of getting a blurred frame due to hand tremors. The rule is that the shutter denominator should not be less than the focal length, but for a smartphone it is better to adhere to a stricter frame.

⚠️ Note: When installing shutter speeds longer 1/30 In a second, using a tripod or a stop becomes mandatory, otherwise instead of artistic blurring, you get a fuzzy, defective shot.

Expocorrection (EV) and histogram

The L or EV (Exposure Value) setting allows you to force the frame to lighten or darken relative to the readings of the camera's exponometer. This does not change the physical ISO parameters or shutter speeds directly if they are in Auto, but gives the algorithms a command to change the final brightness.

In fully manual mode, when you set the ISO and S, the EV slider can be locked or work as a compensation, and the main control tool here is a histogram, a graph showing the distribution of the brightness of the pixels.

If you press the graph to the left, you have a lot of black dips (lights) and if you have a lot of red-lit white spots (overlight) on the right, the perfect shot is usually close to the bell curve in the center, although it's normal to shift left for nighttime shooting.

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The purpose of the exposure setting is to keep the details in the lights, and the red-lit white areas are almost impossible to restore, while the shadows can often be pulled out during processing.

Use this tool when shooting against light or snowy landscapes. Automation often turns snow grey in an attempt to average exposure, so you have to force +EV to be added in such cases.

Preservation formats and additional settings

At the top of the PRO screen, you'll find the settings button (three stripes or a gear) and the most important option for enthusiasts is RAW. Unlike compressed JPEG, RAW stores all the information it receives without compression or noise reduction algorithms.

RAW files take up significantly more space (around 15-25 MB vs. 3-5 MB) and require post-processing in editors like Lightroom or Snapseed, but they offer tremendous flexibility in restoring lights and shadows.

You can also include a 3x3 grid in the settings, which helps you follow the rule of thirds when framing, and turn off the shutter sound if you plan to shoot in quiet places where clicking might not be appropriate.

Remember to clean your memory regularly, as a RAW shoot fills up Redmi Note 9 storage very quickly.

Practical shooting scenarios

The theory is good, but let's build on some examples, and let's look at three typical situations where the automatic mode is over. PRO-regime does wonders.

Scenario 1: Night City with a tripod. Set your phone on a tripod. Select ISO 100. Set shutter speeds for 2-4 seconds. Focus on infinity. You get a clean, detailed snapshot of the lights without digital noise.

Script 2: Flowing water (waterfall, fountain) requires a long exposure to become silk water. It's difficult during the day, so ND-filter (or homemade sunglasses). ISO 100, exposure 1/2 - 1 seconds.

Scenario 3: Insect macro or textures. Switch the focus to the manual position (macro). Bring the camera as close to the object as possible. Use 2x zoom (optical zoom telephoto lens, if any, or digital crop of the main module) for better quality, avoiding wide-angle module at minimum distance.