How to set up a camera on Xiaomi Redmi 8: a complete guide for perfect shots

Xiaomi Redmi 8, released 2019 This year, it is still a popular budget smartphone with a good camera on the 12 MP (main) and 2 But many owners don't even use half of its capabilities to shoot automatically, and the right camera setup can improve the quality of the photos. 30-50% — Especially in low light conditions or when shooting moving objects.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for configuring all the settings of the Redmi 8 camera, including hidden features. MIUI, We're going to talk about manual modes and optimization for social networks. HDR, tune in ISO And you can use manual shutter speed, you can use night mode without losing detail, and you can also give you tips for post-processing right in the Xiaomi gallery. If you want to learn how to shoot Redmi 8 as well as flagships, read on.

1. Basic camera settings: what to turn on right away

Before you dive into manual modes, you should optimize the basic camera settings, many of which are hidden in the menu or disabled by default, but significantly affect the result.

Open the Camera app and do the following:

• 📸 Turn on the grid: go to Settings → Grid and select an option 3×3. This will help to follow the rule of thirds and improve the composition.
• 🌟 Activate. HDR: In the same settings, find the item. HDR And set the Auto value, and that automatically improves contrast in difficult lighting conditions.
• 🔍 Turn off watermarks: by default MIUI Adds the Redmi logo to the photo. To remove it, go to Settings. → Watermark and deactivate the option.
• 📱 Set up the quality of the images: in Settings → Photo quality select High (not Super High, as it takes up too much space without noticeable improvement).

Important: Redmi 8 doesn't have optical stabilization, so for sharp shots, hold your smartphone with both hands or use a tripod. If you're shooting video, turn on Video Stabilization in the settings - this will reduce jitter, but slightly trim the edges of the frame.

2. Shooting modes: which to choose for different scenes

Redmi 8 offers a few pre-modes that are optimized for specific conditions, and let’s figure out when and how to use them:

The most underrated mode on Redmi 8 is Professional, which allows you to manually configure:

• ⚙️ ISO (Light sensitivity: Increase in dark conditions, but remember that high values add noise.
• ⏱️ Shutter speed: to capture water or light tracks use the values from 1/4 seconds (needs tripod!).
• 🎯 Focus: manually adjust sharpness if autofocus fails (e.g., when taking macro shots).
• 🌡️ White Balance: Choose an Incandescent Lamp for Warm Light or Cloud for Cold Tones.

💡

If in Portrait mode the background blurs too much, reduce the distance to the object. - Redmi algorithm 8 Works better at distance 1-1.5 square.

3. Night photography: how to take clear photos in the dark

The Redmi 8's night mode is one of the camera's main advantages, but many users complain of blurry or noisy images. The problem is that the smartphone can't hold the exposure for long without shaking.

Step-by-step instructions for night photography:

1. Secure the phone on a tripod or put it on a stable surface (for example, a stack of books).
2. Open Night mode in the camera app.
3. Click on the screen to focus on the main object.
4. Wait until the exposure timer reaches 3-6 seconds (the darker the longer).
5. Don’t touch the phone until the end of the shoot, the slightest movement will spoil the shot.

If you don’t have a tripod, use alternative stabilization methods:

• 🧘 Put your elbows on the table or knees, hold your breath while shooting.
• 📦 Place your phone on a flat surface and use a delay timer (3 or 10 seconds).
• 🎧 Connect wired headphones and use the volume button as a trigger.

⚠️ Warning: Night mode on Redmi 8 does not work with the front camera. For selfies in the dark, use an external light source (for example, the flashlight of another phone).

4. Video Shooting: Optimal settings for YouTube and TikTok

Redmi 8 camera captures video in resolution up to Full HD (1080p) 30 or 60 frames per second. Social media is better than 30. FPS — This video takes up less space and compresses better when it's uploaded. If you want smoothness (for example, for slow motion), use 60. FPS, But keep in mind that:

• 📉 Low-light quality will deteriorate (matrix does not have time to collect enough light).
• 📱 Stabilization works worse at high FPS.
• 💾 The video will weigh 40% more.

Recommended settings for video:

• 🎥 Permission: 1080p (1920×1080).
• ⏱️ Frequency of frames: 30 FPS universal or 60 FPS dynamically.
• 🔊 Microphone: Turn on Noise Reduction in the settings if you shoot in a noisy place.
• 📐 Stabilization: Activate Electronic Stabilization, but remember that it cuts the edges of the frame on the frame. ~10%.

To capture slow-motion, go to Slow-motion. Redmi 8 supports:

• 🐢 120 FPS permit 720p (4x).
• 🐌 240 FPS permit 480p (8 times slowed down, but very low quality).

Make sure you're free. 2-3 GB memory|Clean the camera lens of fingerprints|Enable the aircraft mode to avoid calls|Check the lighting (avoid contrasting light)|Battery charge at least 50%-->

5. Post-processing photo in the gallery Xiaomi

Even a perfectly shot can be improved with a built-in editor. MIUI. It is inferior to Lightroom or Snapseed, but copes with basic tasks:

The main editing tools are:

• ✨ Autocorrection: simultaneously improves contrast, brightness and saturation. Often overdoses - use as a basis.
• 🎨 Filters: Redmi 8 has 12 pre-installed filters. The most natural filters are Bright and Clean.
• 📊 Curves: allow point-to-point adjustment of shadows, light and contrast (similar to Lightroom).
• 🖌️ Retouch: Removal of stains, lightening of the face, change of eye color. Works only on portraits.

How to save an edited photo without losing quality:

1. After editing, click Save.
2. Select Save as a copy so you don’t lose the original.
3. In the save settings, specify Quality: High.

⚠️ Attention: Editor MIUI Keeps the format changes JPEG, even though the original RAW. If you need it. RAW For further processing, edit your photos in third-party applications, such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile.

6. Hidden features of Redmi 8 camera

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

1. Filming in format RAW

Files. RAW They contain raw data from the matrix, which allows you to edit the photo flexibly later:

1. Open the Professional mode.
2. Click on the icon. RAW in the upper right corner (appears after pressing three points).
3. Take a photo, it will be saved in.dng format.

Pay attention: RAW-file ~20 MB each, so don’t forget to clean your memory.

2. Quick camera start

Twice press the Volume Down button, and the camera will open even from a locked screen, and it works even if the phone is in your pocket.

Voice control

In the camera settings, turn on voice commands. Now you can say,

• 🗣️ "Smile – for self-smiling with a smile.
• 🗣️ "Take a photo" - for shooting without pressing the screen.
• 🗣️ "Take a video” to start recording.

4. Shooting with the screen off

If you take pictures often outside, this trick will save you battery power:

1. Turn on Photo mode.
2. Press the Power button to turn off the screen.
3. Twice press the Volume button down - the picture will be taken with the display turned off.

💡

Shooting in RAW grant 20-30% More details in shadows and lights than in the JPEG, but requires mandatory post-processing.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after you set up the Redmi 8 camera correctly, you can have typical problems.

If the camera doesn’t start or if it gives you an error, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the Camera app cache in settings (Settings) → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
3. Check to see if any application (such as Clean Master or Antivirus) is blocking access to the camera.
4. Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI.

Frequently asked questions