The Redmi Note 8 Pro is still one of Xiaomi’s most popular smartphones among amateur photographers, thanks to its 64MP main sensor quad camera and its fine-tuning capabilities. However, even with such a powerful hardware, many users get blurry images, improper exposure or poor video quality – and the camera settings are wrong.
In this article, we will analyze all the key parameters of the Redmi Note 8 Pro camera: from basic modes to hidden features. MIUI, And you'll learn how to set up the products that the manufacturer doesn't advertise. HDR, AI-shooting, manual parameters (ISO, Shutter speed, white balance, and the secrets of low-light photography, and we'll focus on the unique feature of this model, which is that it supports macro photography from up to 2 cm without additional lenses.
The material will be useful to both beginners and experienced users: the first will learn how to take high-quality photos out of the box, and the second will discover professional tricks, for example, how to circumvent the limitations of a standard camera application using GCam or Pro Mode.
1. Basic camera settings: what to turn on right away
Before diving into manual settings, it’s worth optimizing the basic settings of the camera app, many of which are disabled by default or inefficient.
Open the Camera app and tap the icon ⚙️ (Or swipe up from the viewfinder area. There's key options waiting for you:
- 🔍 AI-Camera: Turn on this switch if you want your smartphone to automatically recognize scenes (portrait, landscape, food, etc.) However, for professional photography, it is better to turn off the switch — AI Sometimes it is wrong with white balance.
- 🌄 HDR: Turn on the car.-HDR For better shadow and light work. 8 Pro HDR It works more efficiently than many flagships. 2020 year-end.
- 📏 Grid: Activate the option Rule of thirds - this will help to correctly build the composition of the frames.
- 🔄 Save settings: Enable the camera to remember the last modes used (e.g. Pro Mode or Night Mode).
Note the photo resolution section. The default camera shoots at 16 MP (pixel binning), but you can switch to the full 64MP.
⚠️ Attention: 64 MP photos take up 3-4 times more space (up to 20-25 MB per shot) and require good lighting. 16 MP is better in the dark + Night mode.
2. Shooting modes: when and how to use
Redmi Note 8 Pro offers 7 basic modes of shooting, but not all users understand their purpose.
| Regime. | Appointment | When to use | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo Photo | Standard mode c AI-optimization | For everyday pictures | Turn off AI if colors seem unnatural |
| Portrait | Blurring background (bokeh effect) | To photograph people or objects at a distance of 1-2 m | Use 6x Zum for the best bokeh |
| Night mode. | Improving shooting in the dark | In illumination < 50 lux (evening, room) | Keep your smartphone still for 3-5 seconds |
| Pro Mode | Manual settings (ISO, shutter speed, etc.) | For creative photography or difficult conditions | Start with ISO 100-400 during the day and ISO 800-1600 at night |
| Macro | Shooting from a distance of 2-10 cm | For small objects (insects, textures) | Use additional lighting |
Pro Mode is a special feature that allows you to manually control:
- 📸 Excerpt: From 1/4000(c) (for freezing of traffic) to 32c (for photography).
- 🌡️ White Balance: Choose from presets or set manually on a scale 2500K–10000K.
- 🔺 Focus: Manual focusing is useful for macro or glass shooting.
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To quickly switch between modes, swipe your finger across the screen from left to right (or right to left in horizontal orientation).
3. Video customization: 4K, stabilization and sound
The Redmi Note 8 Pro shoots video in resolution up to 4K@30fps, but the default is Full HD.
- Open the Camera app and go to Video mode.
- Touch the badge. ⚙️ top-right.
- Select Video Resolution → 4K (3840×2160).
- Activate Video Stabilization (only works in Full HD!).
Important nuances:
- 🎥 4K vs Full HD: V 4K There's no electronic stabilization, but the detail is higher. HD + stabilisation.
- 🔊 Sound: In the video settings, enable Sound Improvement to reduce noise. For professional recording, connect an external microphone through the audio. USB-C.
- 🔋 Overheating: During filming 4K For more than 10 minutes, your smartphone can overheat.
⚠️ Attention: When shooting in 4K shut down HDR and AI-Optimization. If the colors seem faded, try manually increasing the saturation in Pro Mode.
Clear the memory (4K-video ~400 MB/min)|
Charge the battery to 100%|
Disable notifications (so that you don’t interrupt the shooting)|
Check the lighting (avoid contrasting shadows)-->
The secrets of macro photography: how to shoot from a distance of 2 cm
One of the "chips" of the Redmi Note 8 Pro is a dedicated 2 MP macro lens that allows you to focus at a distance of 2 cm. However, many users complain about blurry images.
Step-by-step:
- Select Macro Mode (Icon with Flower) 🌸).
- Bring the camera to the object at a distance of 2-5 cm The optimal distance is 3 cm.
- Tap the screen for manual focusing (autofocus in macro mode works poorly).
- Use additional lighting (for example, a flashlight from another smartphone) – the macro lens does not cope well with low light.
- Shoot in 16 MP format - 64 MP macro is not available.
Challenges and solutions:
- 🔍 Blurrency: Reduce the distance to the subject or use a tripod. Hand trembling in macro photography is critical!
- 🌈 Chromatic aberrations (purple halos): This is a defect of a cheap macro lens. Corrected in Lightroom with the tool Elimination of chromatic aberrations.
- 🖼️ Low resolution: It's only 2 MP, so you can't print these photos. Use them on social media.
How to cheat the system and remove macro in 64 MP?
5 Night photography: how to get high-quality photos in the dark
The night mode on the Redmi Note 8 Pro performs better than many of its competitors, but requires the right settings.The rule of thumb is that the darker the scene, the longer the shutter speed should be.
The best parameters for night photography:
- 🌙 Mode: Night Mode (not Pro Mode!).
- 🕒 Shutter speed: Automatic (usually 2-5 seconds). For lighting (for example, tracers of cars) use 10-30 seconds in Pro Mode.
- 📱 Stabilization: Be sure to use a tripod or a stop. Even a slight tremor of the hand will ruin the picture.
- 🔦 Extra Light: In total darkness, turn on the flashlight on another device (but not on the Redmi Note 8 Pro itself – this will cause a relight).
Comparison of low light modes:
| Regime. | ISO | Excerpt. | The result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automobile | ISO 3200–6400 | 1/15 | Noisy, dark shot. |
| Night mode. | ISO 800–1600 | 3s | A clean frame with worked shadows |
| Pro Mode (manual) | ISO 400 | 10s | Maximum detail, but requires a tripod |
⚠️ Warning: When shooting in Night mode, turn off AI-camera - it can misidentify the scene and spoil the white balance. Also avoid moving objects: prolonged exposure leads to "lubrication".
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For best results in the dark, use the combination: Night mode + manual focus + external light source.
6.Advanced Tricks: GCam, RAW and Hidden MIUI Features
The standard Xiaomi camera app has limitations, but they can be circumvented by:
Installation of Google Camera (GCam):
- 📱 Advantages: Best HDR+, More natural color reproduction, Night Sight (similar to night mode, but often better).
- ⚙️ Download the GCam version for the Redmi Note 8 Pro (for example, BSG GCam or Urnyx05). In the GCam settings, turn on HDR+ Enhanced and Sabre Noise Reduction: Use Night Sight with a 3-7 second timer for night shooting.
- ⚠️ Disadvantages: Macro lens does not work, artifacts are possible when shooting video.
Problem 2: Photos are too dark or light
- 🌓 Cause: Incorrect exposure or downed AE (autoexposure).
- 🛠️ Solution: Touch the screen in the area that needs to be properly exposed and fix the exposure (hold your finger). 2 In Pro Mode, reduce the number of seconds. EV (supposition -0.3 for dark scenes or increase the +0.7 too-light.
Problem 3: Video twitches or trembles
- 🎥 Reason: There is no stabilization (in the case of the 4K It is disabled or the processor is not able to handle the encoding.
- 🛠️ Solution: Switch to Full HD and enable video stabilization. Use an external stabilizer (e.g, DJI Close the background apps before shooting (click Clean in the multitasking menu).