Customization of shutter speed on Xiaomi Redmi 5: the full guide

Xiaomi Redmi 5, released in late 2017, became a hit in the budget segment due to its metal body and the aspect ratio of the screen 18:9. Despite the fact that the device is in the entry-level price class, its camera is able to take quite decent pictures with the right approach. Many users do not even suspect that inside the standard camera application hidden powerful tool for creative shooting.

The key to taking professional photos is the ability to manually control exposure settings. The standard automatic mode often fails in difficult lighting conditions, making the shots too dark or overexposed. Understanding how to adjust shutter speed will allow you to capture beautiful landscapes, night lights or freezes motion objects.

In this guide, we will take a detailed look at the process of manual activation and setting the shutter opening time interval, how to compensate for the lack of optical stabilization with software methods, and what ISO values are best suited for different shooting scenarios on that particular device.

Technical capabilities of the Redmi 5 camera

Before settings, it’s important to understand the limitations of your device.The Redmi 5 camera features a 12MP core module with f/2.2 aperture and phase autofocus.The sensor is not flagship, so it has a limited dynamic range and is prone to high ISO digital noise.

The MIUI software shell installed on Redmi 5 is Android-based and provides access to advanced features through an embedded application. However, image processing algorithms often aggressively suppress images, which is why switching to manual mode becomes necessary to control the final result.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi camera 5 It has no optical stabilization (OIS). When using long exposure (longer) 1/30 The slightest shaking of the hands will lubricate the frame. Use a tripod or wrap the phone against a stationary surface.

The shutter is electronic, which means that the matrix reads the information for a given time, and the maximum shutter speed available in standard software is limited to a few seconds, which is enough for most amateur tasks, including shooting the sky or light trails.

Activation of manual shooting mode

By default, the camera app runs in Photo mode, where all decisions are made by artificial intelligence. To access the shutter speed settings, you need to switch to a professional interface, this is done through the top menu or swipe by shooting modes.

Find and select PRO mode (sometimes referred to as "Manual"). In this interface, sliders and numerical values for focus, white balance, ISO and most importantly exposure time appear on the screen. The interface may vary depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same.

When you activate the mode, you look at the bottom of the screen, and there are icons in the form of the letters AF, WB, ISO, and an icon that resembles a fraction or stopwatch, which is responsible for the shutter speed, and pressing it puts the parameter into manual adjustment mode.

• 📸 AF: Autofocus switch (Macro, Infinity, Manual).
• 💡 ISO: Sensor sensitivity to light.
• ⏱ Shutter: Shutter setting (from 1/4000 few seconds).
• 🌡 WB: Balance of white.

Customization shutter speed: step-by-step instructions

The process of setting a specific exposure time value on Xiaomi Redmi 5 is intuitive, but requires accuracy. Once you enter PRO mode, click on the shutter speed icon. A scale with fractional values (for example, 1/100, 1/50) and integers for long exposures will appear on the screen.

Move the slider left or right to change the setting. When moving towards large values (for example, from 1/100 to 1), the smartphone screen can darken in the viewfinder, simulating a future shot, which helps assess the exposure before the shutter is lowered.

If you're shooting a moving object, like a running child or a car, you're going to need a short shutter speed, set it 1/250 seconds or shorter, and this will freeze the motion, keeping the details of the object clear. Static scenes indoors usually only take 1/60 to 1/100 of a second.

⚠️ Note: When installing shutter speeds longer 1/30 seconds, for example, 1", 2", 4") There's a tripod warning on the screen, and ignoring that recommendation is guaranteed to lead to marriage.

To capture the night city or car headlights, switch the value to seconds. Redmi 5 has up to 30 seconds available in some firmware versions, but most often the limit is 8-15 seconds, which is enough to create a Long Exposure effect without using neutral filters.

Relationship between exposure and ISO

Shutter speed isn't the only parameter that affects the brightness of a frame; it's inextricably linked to the sensitivity of a matrix, or ISO. On budget sensors like Redmi 5, raising ISO above 400 leads to a noticeable deterioration in image quality.

If you've increased shutter speed to make the frame lighter, but it's still dark, don't rush to pick up the ISO. Better to increase the exposure time a little bit more if the plot allows. Noise added to the high ISO is almost impossible to remove software without losing detail.

The golden rule for Redmi 5 owners is to keep ISO at a minimum (usually 50 or 100) by sacrificing shutter time. Since the phone is on a tripod, time is irrelevant, and a low ISO ensures the picture is clean. Use high ISO only as a last resort when the subject is moving, and you can't extend the shutter speed.

Low-light shooting

Night photography is the ultimate test for any camera, and Redmi 5 shows its limitations here. A small sensor can't physically capture much light in a short time, so long exposure becomes your main ally.

Find a stable place. This could be a parapet, a stone, or a specially purchased mini-station. Set a self-start timer for 3 or 5 seconds to avoid concussion from pressing the screen. Turn on PRO mode, set ISO to 50-100 and shutter speed for 4-10 seconds.

If you have moving objects (people, cars), they can either blur or disappear if you've moved fast, and you can use this creatively, for example, if you take a busy area with a shutter speed of 10 seconds, you get clear buildings and ghostly silhouettes of people.

• 🌃 Use the regimen. HDR in conjunction with manual shuttering for the balance of the sky and the earth.
• 🔦 Turn on another phone’s flashlight to illuminate dark areas of the object (painting with light).
• 📱 Turn off the flash, it is useless for landscapes and will only illuminate the foreground.

Creative effects with different exposures

By controlling time, you control reality. By short exposure, you can see what's hidden from the human eye. You can take pictures of a splash of water from a fountain or a wave breaking at 1/1000th of a second, and you get crystal clear droplets hanging in the air.

On the other hand, long exposure smooths the movement. Remove a flowing river or waterfall with exposure in the 1-2 The water will turn into a whitish, silky mass, creating a sense of softness and dynamism. 5 for this you will have to tighten the aperture (software) or use ND-filter if your software allows you to simulate its effect.

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To create the effect of "silk water" on Redmi 5 without ND-Try shooting at dawn or dusk when there is less natural light and use minimal light. ISO.

Another interesting effect is shooting fireworks. Set the shutter speed for 2-4 seconds. Press the trigger button when the fireworks are fired. You capture several rockets taking off and exploding in one frame. Experiment with different values to find the perfect tail length.

⚠️ Warning: When shooting with very long exposure (over 10 seconds) in warm weather, the phone battery can get significantly warmer.This is normal, but can lead to a temporary decrease in the performance of the image processing processor.

Advanced capabilities: third-party applications

Xiaomi's regular camera app is functional but sometimes limited. If the built-in interface seems inconvenient or doesn't provide the right shutter speed range, look for third-party solutions. Cameras with Camera2 API support can unlock the full potential of Redmi 5.

One of the best solutions is the Open Camera app, which is free, open source, and allows you to flexibly configure all settings. Once installed, go to settings, enable support for the Camera2 API, and select manual exposure control, where you can set shutter speeds to millisecond accuracy.

Open Camera setup for Redmi 5:




1. Settings -> Camera API -> Camera2 API (Enable)




2. On the main screen -> N (Manual Control) -> Enable




3. ISO and Exposure Time are now available in widgets

Using third-party software also allows you to save pictures in RAW (DNG) format, which has huge benefits in post-processing, you can pull shadows and lights in the editor without losing quality, which is critical when working with manual exposure settings.

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Third-party apps like Open Camera often give you more precise control over shutter speed and let you shoot in RAW, which greatly expands the possibilities of editing photos with Redmi 5.

Frequent errors in setting up exposure

Beginner photographers often make the typical mistakes of trying to adjust the shutter speed on a smartphone, the most common of which is ignoring focus. Remember, changing the shutter speed does not affect focus. First sharpen, focus (lock icon), and only then change the exposure settings.

Another mistake is hand-held "borderline" shooting, 1/30 or 1/15 seconds is a risk zone. You might think you can hold your phone, but you'll still have micro-grease, and it's better to artificially raise your ISO to 400 than get a blurred frame to ISO 100.

Remember to wipe the lens before shooting. On Redmi 5, the camera is in the corner, and the finger often covers part of the lens. At long exposure, the greasy fingerprint from the finger will turn into a flash or a blurred spot that will spoil the entire frame.