Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro camera review: Here’s how the 48-megapixel phone performs

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is among the best camera phones in India right now. Here’s a closer look at its camera performance.

By: KUL BHUSHAN
| Updated on: May 14 2020, 17:11 IST
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is the most affordable smartphone in India with a 48-megapixel camera.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is the most affordable smartphone in India with a 48-megapixel camera. (HT Photo)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is the cheapest smartphone in the country to offer a 48-megapixel rear camera. Powered by Sony's IMX586 sensor, Redmi Note 7 Pro also houses a 5-megapixel sensor on the back. The smartphone also uses machine learning algorithms to optimise the images.

Apart from dual-rear cameras, Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro also supports 4K video recording at 30fps, which is quite high for an under 15,000 smartphone. Before we hold forth with the camera review, here's something you need to know about the much-hyped 48-megapixel camera.

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The smartphone by default uses 12-megapixel sensor and you need to manually enable the 48MP mode to get started. Also, the camera app switches back to 12-megapixel mode once you've closed the application.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro comes with a bunch of modes such as Portrait, Night, Time lapse, Slow motion and Pro among others. Under the in-app settings, you can find some nifty features such as ability to scan QR codes, fingerprint shutter, and pre-set contrast, saturation, and sharpness levels.

Default 12-megapixel camera mode

Even as the 48-megapixel camera is the highlight of the phone, the default 12-megapixel mode isn't a slouch either. Photos taken in the default mode with AI mode on deliver quite impressive results in daylight. There's minor degradation in the quality in lowlight but is good enough for sharing on social networking platforms. With the 48-megapixel camera, you get richer details while contrast and saturation levels appear more or less the same.

Default 12MP mode delivers balanced colours and depth (image resized for web)
Default 12MP mode delivers balanced colours and depth (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
Default 12MP mode delivers balanced colours and depth (image resized for web) (HT Photo)

48-megapixel camera

After having enabled the 48-megapixel camera, you'll notice a slight delay in image processing. The shutter button becomes unresponsive for a fraction of second, especially when the image is still under the process. This probably is a deliberate move from Xiaomi to prevent the app from crashing. The results, however, are quite impressive and worth the wait. The 48-megapixel photos are super rich in details which you can easily determine by zooming in on the photo. Some results might even surprise you with the sharper focus even after ultra zoom.

A shot with 48MP mode under direct sunlight (image resized for web)
A shot with 48MP mode under direct sunlight (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
A shot with 48MP mode under direct sunlight (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
Comparison between lowlight photos with different modes (image resized for web)
Comparison between lowlight photos with different modes (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
Comparison between lowlight photos with different modes (image resized for web) (HT Photo)

Daylight

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro does really well in daylight condition. You'll love taking the camera outdoors to capture landscapes and even a few macro shots if you love close-up photography.

A macro shot from Redmi Note 7 Pro. The photo has been taken in the default 12MP mode. (Image resized for web)
A macro shot from Redmi Note 7 Pro. The photo has been taken in the default 12MP mode. (Image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
A macro shot from Redmi Note 7 Pro. The photo has been taken in the default 12MP mode. (Image resized for web) (HT Photo)
Another photo taken in good light condition (image resized for web)
Another photo taken in good light condition (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
Another photo taken in good light condition (image resized for web) (HT Photo)

Night Mode and lowlight

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 7 Pro delivers pretty decent results in lowlight condition. It struggles with focus at times, especially when the subject has multiple light sources. But this is the case with the most of the mid-range and budget smartphones.

Without night mode (image resized for web)
Without night mode (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
Without night mode (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
Redmi Note 7 Pro delivers brighter photos with night mode (image resized for web)
Redmi Note 7 Pro delivers brighter photos with night mode (image resized for web) (HT Photo)
image caption
Redmi Note 7 Pro delivers brighter photos with night mode (image resized for web) (HT Photo)

The dedicated night mode is quite impressive, though. It enhances brightness without losing clarity. It does oversaturate photos which Xiaomi would like to fix with its future software updates.

 

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First Published Date: 10 Mar, 17:48 IST
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