Redmi Note 7: First Camera Samples

Redmi Note 7 is currently the one of the most-talked-about budget phones in the country today because of its cameras.

Dual-cam

It is a good a good all-rounder based on its specs, but its 48MP f/1.8 Samsung ISOCELL Bright GM1 + 5MP f/2.4 dual-camera combo behind is unreal for the PHP 7,990 starting price.

Camera UI

It is a true 48MP 0.8µm sensor that uses pixel binning technology to combines four pixels into 1 larger pixel. The result is a 12MP output with huge 1.6µm.

What does that mean? 12MP photo out will capture more light information and less noise versus the 48MP shot.

True 48MP on a budget!

If you want to use the 48MP, you can still use it. It would be effective if you want to crop in daylight situations. But for low light, the output will not be as good as the 12MP output.

Personally, I will stick with the default 12MP output that will benefit from the combined pixels from the 48MP sensor.

Aiding the main camera is the 5MP secondary sensor with f/2.4 aperture size. It is a depth sensor that helps in bokeh shots.

Tiny notch with the selfie cam

For selfies, it goes with a 13MP f/2.0 sensor with AI portrait.

I'm sure you are excited to see what its cameras can do for photography. Without further ado, here are our first few shots.

Camera Samples

Daylight normal

2x zoom

Bokeh and 100 percent crop

Close-up

Unexposed indoor shot

Overexposed indoor shot

Well exposed indoor shot

Another well exposed indoor shot

Low light normal

Low light night mode 1

Low light night mode 2

Well-lit selfie

Indoor selfie

Indoor dim selfie

Low light selfie

Quick thoughts

Redmi Note 7's 48MP primary shooter takes very good images in daylight with plenty details, balanced colors, and good exposure. Contrast are deep and it has strong dynamic range. Images has decent details even when cropped.

Even when 2x zoomed, details exposure and colors are still okay. Grain is a bit visible, but that's normal.

Bokeh is nice in well-lit conditions with clean edges most of the time. Macro is also possible around 8cm near the subject

Exposure indoors is inconsistent. Sometimes it is underexposed, sometimes it is overexposed, and sometimes it is just right.

The night mode is great, it adds details and corrects the exposure even in low light shots. It also provides better light control. It could look a bit cartoonish at times though. But when it works, it works well.

So far, it is safe to say that Redmi Note 7's 48MP camera is a beast for the price.

Selfies are okay. But there's nothing spectacular about it to be honest. Details are okay in daylight, but it softens the skin by default even without Face beauty on.

Low light selfies are okay, but again details are soft and it is quite grainy.


Fortunately, it has a nice type of screen flash that could correct the exposure in low light.

Watch out for our full review!