How to use Xiaomi camera: from beginner to pro

Modern smartphones from Chinese giant Xiaomi, as well as sub-brands Redmi and Poco, are equipped with advanced photo modules that often outperform competitors in the same price segment. However, many owners use only a small part of the device’s potential, relying solely on automatic mode, which does not always correctly handle complex scenes.

In this detailed guide, we’ll take you through how to use Xiaomi’s camera as efficiently as possible so that your photos always look professional, and we’ll not only touch on the basic settings, but also delve into the intricacies of manually controlling exposure, focus, and white balance, which is critical for creative photography. Understanding these principles will transform your smartphone from a simple document scanner into a powerful creative lab.

Interface and basic viewfinder settings

The first thing that a user encounters when running the Camera app is a clean and minimalist interface, which, however, hides a lot of useful features. At the top of the screen, there are usually flash, timer, filters and HDR settings, as well as a frame aspect ratio switch, the bottom part is reserved for the latest pictures gallery, the shutter button and a zoom slider that allows you to quickly change the focal length without losing quality in digital mode.

To access the extra settings, you need to click on the icon with three horizontal lines in the upper right corner of the screen. This is where key options that affect the final image quality, such as the inclusion of framing grid, shutter sound and geotagging, are hidden. The grid is an indispensable tool for building composition according to the rule of thirds, helping to align the horizon and correctly position objects in the frame.

💡

Turn on the grid display in the settings so that your horizons are always flat, and the frame composition follows the classical rules of photography.

Special attention should be paid to the resolution and save format settings. By default, the camera can use an effective number of megapixels (for example, 12 MP with a 48 MP sensor) to improve detail through pixel binning technology. If you want maximum detail for subsequent printing or crop, you need to manually switch the mode to high resolution, but remember that the file size will increase significantly.

• 📸 Side ratio: Choose 4:3 for standard no edge trimming shots or 16:9 for modern screens.
• ⚡ Outbreak: Auto mode often works incorrectly, it is better to use manual selection or even disable it in favor of night mode.
• 📍 Geolocation: Enabling this feature adds coordinates to the photo metadata, which is convenient for sorting, but may not be safe when published in the public domain.

Shooting modes and use cases

Swipe your finger across the viewfinder from left to right or right to left (depending on the version of the MIUI shell or HyperOS), you will open the menu of shooting modes. The standard Photo mode is suitable for 90% of situations where you just need to point and shoot. However, for specific tasks, Xiaomi offers a number of specialized algorithms that radically change the approach to image processing.

Portrait uses telephoto lens data or artificial intelligence algorithms to create a bokeh effect, blurring the background and focusing on the person. In this mode, a choice of virtual apertures that mimic the optics of professional cameras is often available, allowing you to adjust the degree of background blur after shooting. Artificial intelligence also automatically determines the gender and age of the model, applying appropriate skin enhancements.

For extremely low light, Night Mode is designed to be used, and its principle of operation is based on a series of fast shots with different exposures, which are then programmatically combined into one frame with minimal noise. Importantly, when using this mode, you need to keep the smartphone still for 2-4 seconds while the processing is underway, otherwise the picture will be blurred.

Professional mode and manual settings

For those who want to have full control over the image creation process, Xiaomi’s Pro mode is available in the camera, which provides access to manual control of the main exposure parameters: shutter speed, ISO, focal length and white balance. Using these tools requires understanding the basics of photography, but produces results that are not available in automatic mode.

ISO is responsible for the sensitivity of the matrix to light. The lower the ISO (e.g., 50 or 100), the cleaner the picture, but the more light is required for proper exposure. The higher ISO allows shooting in the dark without a tripod, but inevitably leads to digital noise that can destroy the detail of the texture.

⚠️ Note: Do not set the shutter speed longer 1/30 And if you shoot with your hands, you'll almost guarantee the lubrication (1/2 second or longer) be sure to use a tripod or solid support.

Manual focusing (MF) is particularly useful when shooting through glass or macro, where autofocus can “walk” or cling to foreign objects. By switching the slider to manual mode, you can choose the focal point precisely, which is critical for creating art shots with selective sharp focus.

Video and stabilization

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are capable of recording video in resolutions up to 8K, but for most users, the optimal choice is 4K at 30 or 60 frames per second. High frame rate (60 fps) provides smooth motion, which is especially important when shooting sports, children or animals, while 30 fps give a more cinematic picture.

A key feature for video bloggers is electronic image stabilization. In the video settings menu, you can activate Super Steady mode, which uses the crop of the frame and the gyroscope algorithms to compensate for the shaking of the hands. Stabilization works wonders when walking, but it's worth remembering that it significantly trims the camera's viewing angle.

When recording low-light video, automation often tries to compensate for the lack of light by raising the ISO, which leads to the appearance of a grain. In professional video mode, you can fix the ISO at a low value, sacrificing brightness for the sake of clarity of the picture, which can then be improved in post-processing.

• 🎥 Permission: Choose 4K for detail, if memory permits, or 1080p save space.
• 🎤 Sound: In windy weather, use windscreen or cover the microphone with your finger (with caution) to avoid noise.
• 🔒 AE/AF Lock: Blocking exposure and focus prevents brightness from blinking when camera moves.

Secrets of Artificial Intelligence and Processing

In the top corner of the viewfinder, there's often an "AI" icon that's activated by default, and this module recognizes over 200 scenes: food, plants, sky, documents, pets. When you recognize a scene, the camera automatically tweaks saturation, contrast and sharpness, making the picture more "selling" and bright immediately at the time of shooting.

However, AI algorithms are not always predictable. Sometimes the camera can over-saturate the colors of the grass or sky, making them unnatural. In such cases, it is recommended to turn off artificial intelligence or use Master Cinema mode (if available in your model), which offers softer and more professional color correction.

The Documents mode, which when activated, automatically aligns the perspective of the piece of paper taken, removes shadows and increases text contrast, turning the photo into a full scan, eliminates the need to search for a scanner or use third-party processing applications.

Advanced functions and hidden capabilities

Not everyone knows that there is a Long Shutter speed feature in More mode, where you can take light traces from cars, freeze the movement of water in a waterfall or create the effect of silky water on the sea. To implement these effects, the smartphone takes a series of pictures and folds them, simulating the operation of a neutral gray filter (ND) on professional optics.

Another powerful feature is Clone or Multi-Exposure, which allows you to take multiple shots of a moving object in one frame, creating the effect of having multiple copies of a person, and it's a great tool for creative photography without using Photoshop.

⚠️ Warning: When using long exposure or cloning modes, make sure the background is static. Any movement of the background (rocking trees, clouds) can lead to artifacts in the final image.

Don't forget voice control, you can activate the "Shoot" or "Smile" command in the settings, which allows you to take a photo without touching the screen, which is ideal for group shots when the photographer needs to be in the frame himself, or for shooting from a tripod to avoid micro-shaking the body.

💡

Using a voice control or timer is the best way to avoid lubricating the frame when shooting from a tripod, as it eliminates physical contact with the screen at the time of shutter descent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)