How to take the perfect photo on Xiaomi: from basic settings to professional techniques

Xiaomi smartphones are no longer a “budget compromise” — even mid-range models now have cameras that can compete with other brands’ flagships — but even the most advanced matrix doesn’t guarantee great shots without the right settings and shooting techniques. This article will help you understand how to maximize the potential of your Redmi camera, POCO Mi, whether you are taking pictures of landscapes, portraits or macros.

We won’t list obvious things like “keep your phone straight” — instead, we’ll focus on hidden features. MIUI, Optimal settings for different scenes and errors that spoil 90% of the images on Xiaomi, and you will also learn how to get around the limitations of software processing and why sometimes it is better to reset the camera settings to the factory.

1.Preparation of the camera: what settings to include before shooting

Before you click on the descent, check the basic settings. Many users take photos with default settings for years, without even knowing that the camera settings in the camera settings are in the right place. → Additionally, there are hidden options that radically improve the result.

Let’s start with the most important thing: resolution and aspect ratio. Most Xiaomi defaults to 4:3 with a resolution of 9-12 MP (depending on the model). This is a universal option, but for social networks it is better to switch to 16:9 or 18.5:9 to avoid trimming when downloading.

• 📸 File format: HEIF (saves space) or JPEG (It's better for editing. On the flagships, it's available. RAW — Turn it on only if you can process pictures in Lightroom.
• 🔄 Automobile-HDR: Always keep it on. On Xiaomi, the algorithm HDR It works better than many competitors, especially in contrasting scenes (e.g., a sunset against a dark tree).
• 🎯 Grid: activate the Rule of Thirds or Golden Triangle – this will help to correctly construct the frame.
• 🌙 Night mode: set the Auto or On for low light. POCO F5 The newer night mode works even for video.

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The camera began to “soap” the photo, reset its settings in Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clean up the data. Often, it solves the problem with the software processing.

2. Shooting modes: which to choose for different scenes

MIUI It offers over 10 camera modes, but most users are limited to Photo and Portrait, while the right mode can save a shot in difficult conditions:

Xiaomi with Leica cameras (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra or 14 Ultra) has professionally unique color profiles: “Leica Authentic” (natural colors) and “Leica Vibrant” (juicy, contrasting). Switch them depending on the scene – for portraits better Authentic, for sunsets – Vibrant.

Make sure the lens is clean (wipe with microfiber)

Turn off digital zoom (use optics only)

Check the remaining space on your phone (minimum 1GB)

Activate the grid for the composition-->

3. Portrait photography: how to avoid "plastic" faces

Portrait mode on Xiaomi is often criticized for excessive smoothing of the skin and unnatural blurring of the background. The problem is not the hardware, but the processing algorithms – they can (and should!) be adjusted.

The first thing you should do is turn off the beauty, and even at a minimal level, it spoils the texture of the skin.

1. Open Portrait Mode.
2. Touch the icons ✨ Beauty on the top menu.
3. Move the slider to 0 or select Naturally (if available).
4. Click Additional and turn off Eye Improvement, Face Shape Change.

For realistic bokeh (blurring the background), use these techniques:

• 📏 Distance to object: Hold your phone 1 to 1.5 meters away from the person. The closer you get, the more distortions you get.
• 🌟 Lighting: Natural light on the side (window) gives volume, and the front flash “flattens” the face.
• 🔍 Focus: Touch the model’s eyes on the screen to make the camera focus accurately.
• 🎨 Leica Mode (if any): Select 50mm Portrait for Classical Focus Distance.

⚠️ Note: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) 12C) Portrait mode uses software blur that looks unnatural, and in such cases, it is better to take a picture in normal mode and blur the background later in Snapseed or Lightroom.

4. shooting in difficult conditions: night, contrast light, movement

Even Xiaomi’s top-end cameras can fail in extreme scenes, but knowing a few tricks will help you get a decent result.

Night Mode on Xiaomi works better than many competitors, but requires proper application.

• 🌃 Stabilization: without tripod use Night mode → Manually and display exposure no more. 1/4 sack.
• 💡 Light sources: If the frame has lights or neon signs, try Light painting mode (available on the screen) POCO F4/F5 flagship).
• 📱 Color Temperature: Manually lower white balance to 3,500–4000K, to remove the yellow tint from street lighting.

Contrast scenes (sunset, window in the room): Here it will help HDR, If the sky is overlit and the shadows are too dark:

1. Touch the screen and record the exposure across the sky (swipe down after focusing).
2. Turn it on. HDR+ in the settings (if any).
3. Take two shots – one with normal exposure, the other with a low exposure. -1.5 EV, Then combine them into Photoshop or Google Photos.

Moving objects: Use for sports or children:

• 🏃 Serial shooting: press the down button or enable Continuous shooting in the settings.
• 🎯 Mode "Movement": on Xiaomi 13T and newer choose Freeze for sharp shots or Long Shutter for creative effects.
• 🔄 Pre-capture: Turn on in settings so that the camera saves frames 1-2 seconds before pressing the button.

5. Photo processing: what can be fixed after shooting

Even a perfectly shot shot shot often requires rework. MIUI gallery → Edit offers basic tools, but for serious edits it is better to use third-party applications:

• 📱 Snapseed: Free, with Support RAW. Use Selective Correction to Lighten Shadows on Faces.
• 🖼️ Lightroom Mobile: the best choice for color correction. Xiaomi Leica Presets can be downloaded online.
• 🎨 VSCO: Convenient for fast tinting (filters) A6 or HB2 It works well with Xiaomi cameras).
• 🔍 AfterFocus: if you need to refine the background blur in portraits.

Typical Photo Problems with Xiaomi and How to Fix Them:

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If Xiaomi photos look plastic, try turning them off AI-Xiaomi algorithms often overdo it with noise cancellation and sharpening, which kills naturalness.

6. Hidden Xiaomi camera chips you didn't know about

MIUI It hides a few useful features that are not obvious at first glance:

• 🔍 Lossless magnification: on models with a telephoto lens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) use 2× 3.2× zoom is an optical step, not a digital approximation.
• 🎬 Video with photo: while recording the video, press the down button - the camera will take a photo in a resolution of 8-12 MP without stopping shooting.
• 📐 Horizon level: Enable the grid settings → Level to avoid curved horizons in landscapes.
• 🔄 Double pressing volume: set in Settings → Buttons and gestures: Quick camera opening with a double click on the volume button.
• 🎭 Real-time filters: Swipe left/right in Photo mode to apply the filter before shooting (e.g. High Contrast for black and white shots).

On flagship models (Xiaomi) 13/14 Series) additional options available:

• 📸 Leica Watermark: Adds Leica logo to photo (included in Settings) → Watermark).
• 🌌 Astrophotography: Special mode for shooting stars (requires a tripod).
• 🔎 Macro from telephoto lens: 13 Ultra can be shot macro 3.2× zoom with better detail than the main camera.

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On Xiaomi with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or Xiaomi) POCO F5 Pro: turn on 8K Video only in good lighting – in the dark, the camera will make a lot of noise.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes that spoil photos.

• 📵 Dirty lens: greasy prints or dust on the lenses lead to blurring and glare.
• 🔋 Low battery power: At levels below 15%, the camera can automatically turn off power-intensive functions (e.g. night mode).
• 📱 Digital zoom: Anything above 2× On most Xiaomi, it's a software zoom that kills the parts.
• 🌡️ Overheating of the phone: after 10-15 minutes of video shooting 4K The camera can start to triple. Let the phone cool down.
• 🎯 Autofocus on background: The camera often focuses on the background if it is more contrasting than the object. Always check the focus before shooting!

Another typical problem is recycling. AI. Xiaomi's default aggressively algorithms increase sharpness and saturation, leading to artifacts:

1. Turn it off. AI-camera.
2. In professional mode, reduce Contrast and Saturation by 10-15 units.
3. Take it down. RAW (if available) and handle manually.

⚠️ Attention: POCO X3/X4 and other budgetary models when shooting in RAW You can see purple spots in the corners of frames. This is a software processing defect -- try updating the firmware or shooting in the frame. JPEG.

8.Accessories to improve photos on Xiaomi

Even a great camera can sometimes be used without additional equipment.

• 📸 External lenses: Macro lenses (like the Xenvo Pro Lens) for small objects. Wide-angle lens (but remember, it degrades quality around the edges).
• 💡 Lighting: Neewer 18" LED The ring lamp is for portraits and macros. L7 — compact flash.
• 🎥 Stabilization: DJI OM 5 is an imbalance stabilizer for video and photo. Joby GorillaPod Mini State for long exposure shooting.
• 🔋 Powerbank: shooting in 8K Or the night mode puts the battery down quickly. Take Xiaomi Power Bank 3 with you. 20000mAh.

For a serious photo, it is worth considering:

• 📱 Gamepad for camera: Xiaomi Bluetooth Shuttle allows remote control of the descent, avoiding the movement of the phone.
• 💾 External drive: adapter USB-C → microSD for writing directly to the card (useful when shooting video in the video) 8K).

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If you often shoot videos, install the Filmic Pro app (worth it). ~10$, It gives you complete control over bitrate, focus and color profile, and it works better on Xiaomi than many other brands.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions