How to set a long shutter speed on a Xiaomi smartphone: from basic settings to advanced techniques

Long exposure on Xiaomi allows you to create professional photos with blur effects, light trails or nightscapes with minimal noise. However, many users face difficulties: where to find this setting, why it is not available on some models, and how to circumvent the limitations of the standard Camera application. In this article, we will analyze everything from built-in modes to manual settings in Pro mode and third-party applications like Google Camera.

It’s important to understand that the long exposure options depend on the smartphone model. Flagships like Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pros support shutter speeds of up to 32 seconds in manual mode, while budget devices (such as the Redmi Note 12) can be limited to 4-8 seconds. Also, the result is affected by image stabilization, the level of illumination and even the ambient temperature - at sub-zero values, the matrix can overheat.

If you've never used long shutter speed, start with basic modes like Night Mode or Motion, which automatically pick up parameters, but don't give you complete control, you'll have to master Pro mode or install alternative software to make creative shots, and then you'll have detailed instructions for each method.

1. Standard modes with long exposure in MIUI Camera

In most Xiaomi smartphones, the long shutter speed is hidden under streamlined mode names. Their main advantage is automatic frame processing, which compensates for hand tremors and noise.

Where to look:

• 🌃 Night Mode – available on all models MIUI 10 and newer: In the dark, automatically increases the shutter speed to 2-6 seconds. 12S Ultra) time can reach 10 seconds.
• 🚗 Motion or Light Trails is a specialized mode for shooting light paths (cars, starry sky). → Motion. Shutter speed is fixed (usually 2-4 seconds).
• 🌌 Sky - only available on top models (e.g. Mi 11 Ultra) uses shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds to capture the Milky Way.

How to activate:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Fly the modes left/right or press More (three dots).
3. Select the desired mode (for example, Night mode).
4. Point the camera at the object and hold the smartphone still. The countdown timer will appear on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: In Motion mode, the smartphone can overheat during long shooting (more than 5 frames in a row). If the warning "Camera overheated", let the device cool for 2-3 minutes.

2. Manual control of shutter speed in Pro-mode

Pro-mode (or Professional mode) is the only way to manually set the shutter speed from the 1/4000 before 32" (on flagships) or 8" (You can control all the parameters here: ISO, White balance, focus and, of course, exposure.

How to set up:

1. Open the Camera and select Pro (or M on some models) mode.
2. Tap the S icon (suspension) in the bottom panel.
3. Move the slider to the right to increase the exposure time: 📱 Budget models (Redmi) 10/Note 11): before 4" or 8". 📱 Mid-segment (Poco) X5 Pro, Xiaomi 11T): before 16". 📱 Flagships (Xiaomi) 13 Pro, Mix Fold 3): before 32".

Lock your smartphone on a tripod or stable surface.

Press the down button. A timer will appear on the screen.

On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13), an artifact in the form of a green stripe can appear when the shutter speed is longer than 10 seconds. MIUI or use third-party software.

Install your smartphone on a tripod or stable surface|

Turn off autofocus (use manual focusing)|

Close the lens from direct light sources (to avoid illumination)|

Use a timer or remote to release the shutter|

Check the battery (long-term shooting consumes up to 15% of the charge per hour)-->

Party of the long exposure annex

If you don't like embedded modes, look at third-party apps that offer advanced settings, format support. RAW and even filming in HDR+ long-exposure.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📸 Google Camera (GCam) – Ported versions for Xiaomi support Night Sight with a shutter speed of up to 6 seconds and manual mode up to 30.
• 🎥 Manual Camera - a simple interface with a slider shutter speed up to 60, support RAW And a histogram (≈300₽), without advertising.
• 🌌 NightCap Camera specializes in night photography, there is a Star Trails mode for photographing stellar tracks (survey up to 1 hour!).

How to install GCam on Xiaomi:

1. Download. APK-file from a verified source (e.g. Celso Azevedo) for Xiaomi BSG Shamim.
2. Install. APK (Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Annexes → Special access).
3. Download config (.xml) for your model (see forums) 4PDA or XDA).
4. In GCam, tap the black area next to the down button twice, select the downloaded config.
5. Go to Night Sight or Pro Mode and set up shutter speed.

⚠️ Note: Some versions of GCam are in conflict with MIUI Camera, causing the "failed to connect to the camera" error Solution: disable the standard camera app in the settings or use Magisk to mask root rights.

4. Photography of light trails and the starry sky: practical tips

Long exposure is most often used for two scenarios: light trails (cars, fireworks) and astrophotography (stars, the Milky Way).

Light trails:

• 🚦 Use the Motion or Pro mode with a shutter speed of 2-8".
• 📍 Take the picture from the bridge, parking or roadside (important: do not violate traffic rules!).
• 🔦 Additionally, illuminate the foreground with a flashlight for exposure balance.

Starry sky:

• 🌠 Choose moonless nights and terrain away from the city (check out light pollution on the Light Pollution Map).
• 📱 Set shutter speeds 20-30", ISO 3200–6400, Focus on Infinity.
• 🔋 Use an external battery – shooting can take several hours.

Example settings for Xiaomi 13 Ultra when shooting the Milky Way:

Mode: Pro


Excerpt: 25"




ISO: 5000




Focus: Manual (infinity)




White balance: 4000K




Format: RAW + JPEG




Stabilization: Off.

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Use the light trails in the city ND-filter (for example, a nozzle with a blackout of 3-5 stops), this will increase the exposure to 10-15 seconds even during the day without overshine the frame.

5. Errors and problems in shooting with long exposure

Even on Xiaomi’s flagship smartphones, the long shutter speed can be unstable. Consider typical errors and ways to fix them.

After the update MIUI Pro mode is missing or maximum shutter speed is limited, try it:

1. Reset the camera settings (Settings) → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data).
2. Install an older version of the Camera app (download) APK You can use APKMirror).
3. Turn on Camera2 API via Termux: su setprop persist.camera.HAL3.enabled 1 reboot Root Required!

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On Xiaomi smartphones with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi Note 12), the long shutter speed in Pro mode often performs worse than on the Snapdragon, due to poor noise processing.

6. Comparison of long exposure capabilities on different Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally good at long exposure.Flagships are equipped with optical stabilization (OIS), Large matrices and powerful processors, allowing you to shoot at a shutter speed of up to 32" without much noise. Budget models are limited to 4-8" and often suffer from overheating.

Comparative table:

If you are interested in shooting with a long exposure, when choosing a smartphone, pay attention to:

• 📱 Presence OIS (optical stabilization).
• 📱 The size of the matrix (the larger, the less noise).
• 📱 Support Camera2 API (The application is controlled by Manual Camera Compatibility).

7. Alternative methods: shooting long exposure videos

Few people know, but you can simulate long exposure through video on Xiaomi.

1. Take the video in mode 4K 30fps or 1080p 60fps.
2. Use a frame-up app (e.g. StarStaX for star tracks or Adobe Premiere Rush for light tracks).
3. Export the final frame as a photograph.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ There is no time limit (you can take at least an hour).
• ✅ Less noise due to staff averaging.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Requires post-processing on PC.
• ❌ Large volume of source files (1 minute) 4K-video = ~400MB).

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To capture star tracks with video, use 30 seconds interval timelapse. Then fold the footage into StarStaX with Lighten settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about long exposure on Xiaomi