Considering the Xiaomi Mi Note as your next phone and wonder how the 13 mega-pixel rear camera performs? Here are some photo samples from my own useage of he phone.
The 5.7-inch Xiaomi Mi Note is the latest flagship phone from the Chinese phone maker, but this time around Xiaomi really have concentrated on producing a high-end phone, even adopting a higher price tag than they have ever asked before.
A beautiful design, and wonderful construction are part of the reason the Xiaomi Mi Note get’s a higher price tag, but the high-end hardware also adds to the overall cost too, and part of the spec is the 13 mega-pixel rear camera which has an f2.0 aperture and OIS (optical image stabilisation). The camera hardware along with the advanced camera features found in MIUI V6 promise amazing performance, but how is the camera on the Mi Note in actual use?
Xiaomi Mi Note camera impressions
First the good. The 13 mega-pixel Sony rear camera on the Xiaomi Mi Note is extremely fast! Snapping away photos in the ‘normal’ camera setting will result in photos caught in and saved in a fraction of a second. The speed is so impressive that I have used HDR on the Mi Note much of the time and it produces photos as fast as some phones take a non HDR photo.
Xiaomi offer the same camera app layout in all versions of MIUI V6 on every Xiaomi phone, however the actual features vary from phone to phone. On the Mi Note there are more HDR options available including ‘normal’, ‘auto’, ‘live’ and of course ‘off’. I found the normal HDR mode produced some of the best results and actually used the phone in this mode most of the time.
MIUI V6 also features manual aperture setting too which really help to fine tune your images. Simply touch to focus then turn the green circle which has located the focus to adjust how much light you want in your photo. It’s a super fast and easy to use manual feature and it’s found even on the Xiaomi Redmi 2.
Xiaomi Mi Note photo samples
The Mi Note is capable of some really great photos in all light conditions. There is a very bright dual LED flash, but I personally prefer photography without the flash and tend to go in to the settings to improve low light images.
Xiaomi Mi Note Photos: Normal
Xiaomi Mi Note Photos: HDR
Xiaomi Mi Note camera: Final words
The camera on the Xiaomi Mi Note is one of the best I have used on any of the 2015 flagship phones so far. It’s fast and is capable of some amazing shots, but it isn’t quite perfect. Focus isn’t as accurate as the Vivo Xshot for example, but I feel this is something that Xiaomi will improve with MIUI updates in the future.
Overall it’s a great camera and a excellent feature to an amazing phone. More Xiaomi Mi Note details in the up coming review.
Thanks to Xiaomishop.com for supplying the Mi Note for review.
nice camera
That looks awesome!
Where are the photographs shot at? Gautemala?
Valencia Spain
Guatemala with the Spanish flag….
Could have been the Spain Embassy in Guatemala or the poster isn’t up to date on the flag of every world country….
“MIUI V6 also features manual aperture setting too which really help to fine tune your images”
Maybe you meant to say manual exposure? I don’t think you can change the aperture on Mi Note camera.
Yes, manual exposure indeed.
Ooo camera looking super sweet, seriously considering the pro when it comes out. Any word on Panoramas, they are terrible on my oneplus.
I took one from my balcony, 180 degrees, for you.
nice camera
That looks awesome!
Focus is problem with all Xiaomi phones so far 🙁
Where are the photographs shot at? Gautemala?
Valencia Spain
Guatemala with the Spanish flag….
Could have been the Spain Embassy in Guatemala or the poster isn’t up to date on the flag of every world country….
“MIUI V6 also features manual aperture setting too which really help to fine tune your images”
Maybe you meant to say manual exposure? I don’t think you can change the aperture on Mi Note camera.
Yes, manual exposure indeed.
Ooo camera looking super sweet, seriously considering the pro when it comes out. Any word on Panoramas, they are terrible on my oneplus.
I took one from my balcony, 180 degrees, for you.
Looks nice! I guess you would rank it higher than MX4/MX4 PRO cameras and behind ViVo Xshot?
I love my camera on MX4, just a bit unhappy with the lack of OIS.
Focus is problem with all Xiaomi phones so far 🙁
Looks nice! I guess you would rank it higher than MX4/MX4 PRO cameras and behind ViVo Xshot?
I love my camera on MX4, just a bit unhappy with the lack of OIS.
Any news about xiaomi mi note pro? When is it possible to buy it?
Thank you
got it, love it, though not that big a difference to the note
Any news about xiaomi mi note pro? When is it possible to buy it?
Thank you
got it, love it, though not that big a difference to the note
I own a Mi Note and I can say indeed that the focus is very buggy. Quite annoying, even in good lighting. It’s the biggest issue with the camera, and it’s most probably caused by software. Other small issue would be the burst speed: 9-10 images/sec, which is nowhere near the 20 images/sec of my previous Meizu MX3 (the Mi Note captures better pictures though).
These issues aside, the photo quality is very good, even in low light. I think it can rival any smart-phone available right now.
The led is also very powerful and accurate. I took pictures of my living room in perfect darkness, and it illuminated perfectly. By far the best led flash I’ve personally seen so far.
I noticed this problem when i first bought my Mi4. I switched to the Lenovo Super Camera and never had a problem with focus again.
Where did you get the APK?
In having the same problems with focus too
I searched on Google and found it on a forum. Was awhile ago don’t remember if it was XDA or Mi Forums.
I’ve found the 4.01 version on XDA but it requires so many permissions that stinks! I was wondering if you knew a more reliable source. I guess I’ll go with that one on XDA.
I found a cracked version that removed all permissions let me take a look and see if I can find it again. I’ll post back here tomorrow.
Thank you sir
I looked around couldn’t find where I got it from but there are apps you can use that can block the permissions.
Thank you for your effort. Too much trouble, I’m going to stay with stock camera for now also because I don’t take many pictures anyway
I own a Mi Note and I can say indeed that the focus is very buggy. Quite annoying, even in good lighting. It’s the biggest issue with the camera, and it’s most probably caused by software. Other small issue would be the burst speed: 9-10 images/sec, which is nowhere near the 20 images/sec of my previous Meizu MX3 (the Mi Note captures better pictures though).
These issues aside, the photo quality is very good, even in low light. I think it can rival any smart-phone available right now.
The led is also very powerful and accurate. I took pictures of my living room in perfect darkness, and it illuminated perfectly. By far the best led flash I’ve personally seen so far.
hi andy
tnx again for awaited topic:
just one question:
in terms of camera quality(&zoom4X):mx4 pro or mi note(pro) or your(our too) beloved xshot??
I noticed this problem when i first bought my Mi4. I switched to the Lenovo Super Camera and never had a problem with focus again.
Where did you get the APK?
In having the same problems with focus too
I searched on Google and found it on a forum. Was awhile ago don’t remember if it was XDA or Mi Forums.
I’ve found the 4.01 version on XDA but it requires so many permissions that stinks! I was wondering if you knew a more reliable source. I guess I’ll go with that one on XDA.
I found a cracked version that removed all permissions let me take a look and see if I can find it again. I’ll post back here tomorrow.
Thank you sir
I looked around couldn’t find where I got it from but there are apps you can use that can block the permissions.
Thank you for your effort. Too much trouble, I’m going to stay with stock camera for now also because I don’t take many pictures anyway
hi andy
tnx again for awaited topic:
just one question:
in terms of camera quality(&zoom4X):mx4 pro or mi note(pro) or your(our too) beloved xshot??
Thank you Andi! I loved all photos except one: the final corridor one with bright lights. Anyway the rest look super high quality!
I adore my cam on MX4, a tad miserable with the absence of OIS. This is China camera?
The Mi Note camera is from Sony not from China.
Thank you Andi! I loved all photos except one: the final corridor one with bright lights. Anyway the rest look super high quality!
I adore my cam on MX4, a tad miserable with the absence of OIS. This is China camera?
The Mi Note camera is from Sony not from China.