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Which Xiaomi Phone Has The Best Camera?
You want a Xiaomi phone but you don’t know which one has the best camera? Well, here’s your answer – and best options for right now
UPDATE: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Launches w/ Bonkers CAMERA
The cat is now out of the bag. The Xiaomi Mi 11 was an impressive phone, bringing together Galaxy S21 Ultra-grade specs for the same price as the standard Galaxy S21.
But Xiaomi has just gone and one-upped that phone with the release of its ultra-potent Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra 
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra 
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
And, as you’d expect, the Ultra bit applies mostly to the phone’s camera – it has truly insane specs and hardware.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Camera Specs
- 50 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/1.12″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS
- 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom
- 48 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
As you can see, unlike most Android phones – and the iPhone – the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has massively powerful camera sensors across the board.
Most Android phones will have one impressive camera sensor and then back it up with a few, lower resolution modules.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 essentially features three flagship-grade camera sensors in its rear camera module, covering off wide, ultrawide, and a periscope telephoto option in one unit.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra even features a view-finder on the camera module, so you can switch the phone around and take selfies with the main camera (and see exactly what you’re shooting).
Add in things like Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 CPU, 12GB of RAM, a gorgeous 6.81in AMOLED display, and a 5000mAh battery (with 67W wired and wireless charging), and you’re looking at one hell of a phone.
You will pay for it though; the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra retails for $1099 which is expensive by Xiaomi’s usual standards but still very cheap when compared to similarly specced phones like the Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Our Original Post Continues Below…
Xiaomi phones are great. They cost less than Apple and Samsung phones, pack in much the same spec and hardware, and they look great.
Xiaomi makes quite a few phones these days. But its more recent, the Xiaomi Mi 11, is the best with respect to overall performance and camera performance.
RELATED: Having Issues With Your Xiaomi Phone? Learn How To Clear Its Cache
But even with all of this in mind, it is important to know which carriers support Xiaomi phones – because without carrier support, your phone is useless.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 has a 108MP main camera that is backed up by the following supplementary camera modules:
Xiaomi Mi 11 Camera Specs:
- 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS
- 13 MP, f/2.4, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06″, 1.12µm
- 5 MP, f/2.4, (macro), 1/5.0″, 1.12µm
For this reason, if you’re looking to buy a Xiaomi phone in 2021, and you want the best possible camera performance, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is the one to go for – it is up there with the best of them.
Is it better than the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s though? It’s close. But Samsung’s new camera system does appear to have the edge over the Mi 11, as you can see in the video below:
However, there is talk about a Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro model dropping in June, just in time for the release of the Snapdragon 888+ release.
This phone, if it is a true Pro model, could address some of the performance issues on the Mi 11’s camera, bringing it more inline with Apple and Samsung’s current ultra-flagships.
Other Xiaomi Phones With Good Cameras?
The Xiaomi Mi 11 isn’t exactly a cheap phone; you’re looking at $699.99 for the phone itself which is only $100 cheaper than the iPhone 12.
It is still a damn-sight cheaper than the Galaxy S21 Ultra, however, which, fully maxed-out, is almost 60% more expensive.
But the #1 reason people by Xiaomi phones is because of the cost – they’re usually super cheap and very good in the specs department.
And right now, next to the Xiaomi Mi 11, your next best bet, with respect to camera tech, is probably the Xiaomi RedMi Note 9 5G – it has a 120Hz display and an amazing 108MP main camera that, when combined with its other modules, listed below, makes it one hell of a setup.
RedMi 9 5G Camera
- 6.67-inch FHD+ Punch-hole 120Hz display.
- Snapdragon 750G 5G SoC processor.
- 108MP+8MP+2MP+2MP rear cameras, a 16MP selfie camera.
- 6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS2.1 flash storage.
- 4820mAh battery, support 33W fast charging.
- MIUI 12 base on Android 10 OS.
And best of all? The Redmi Note 9 5G retails for less than $300.
Or, better than half the price of the $699.99 Xiaomi Mi 11.
The RedMi Note 9 5G, as the name implies, comes with 5G support, the same very-impressive CPU as the Pixel 5, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G, and 33W fast charging out the box.
With RAM, you have options for 6GB or 8GB and with storage, 128GB or 256GB. Battery life is great too, thanks to its 4820mAh cell that, when combined with its 33W fast charge, means you’ll never have to worry about battery life again.
In fact, I’d go as far as saying it is one of the best value phones on the market right now.