Xiaomi has presented its new Xiaomi 13 and Xioami 13 Pro terminals in Barcelona. The latter lands with a camera system that is not an exaggeration to describe as revolutionary. Well, the Chinese company has managed to equip an image sensor with a size of one inch. Something that, as we will see, changes the rules when it comes to capturing images. It’s not the first phone to achieve this. The company itself launched a terminal with a similar camera system for the Chinese market, the 12S Ultra, which did not leave its borders. On this occasion Xiaomi has managed to integrate this component without limitations.
When you have the Xiaomi 13 Pro in your hands, it’s hard to believe that such an advanced camera system has managed to fit in discreetly. Although the cameras clearly protrude from the rear, the design is superb and the camera system is no flashier than other phones. The cameras by the way are signed by the German Leica. Although we do not know the scope of this collaboration.
In the test that we have carried out for several days before the presentation of the terminal, the sensations when capturing photos and videos are magnificent. Is the Xiaomi 13 Pro the phone with the best camera system on the market? It is possible, but we will have to wait for the results of the test that we are preparing with similar models from the competition to verify it.
Beyond what the figures say, the truth is that this Xiaomi 13 Pro returns to photography something that was being lost and that is vital: being able to play with the depth of field without software tricks. Or put another way: a sensor of such a large size, and endowed with a lens as bright as that of this Xiaomi, allows us to experiment with the focus in a much more creative way.
We say this because a constant of the phones to date has been that the depth of field, the area that appears sharp in the image, was so great that confusion usually occurs, between the subject or the object that is the protagonist of the photo, and the background.
To alleviate this problem, mobile phone manufacturers integrated the so-called portrait mode, which simulated the blurring of the background that a professional camera achieves. But even in the models where this technology works best, we cannot trust it completely. Well, mistakes are common.
That is one of the reasons why it is important that Xiaomi has managed to integrate this technology into a phone in its main camera. This has a 50 megapixel image sensor.
Being one inch in size using pixel binning technology, large pixels are achieved if we take 12-megapixel photos. With a size similar to that used by professional cameras. Although these can take photos with much higher resolution than 12 megapixels.
If we add to this a stabilized lens with good luminosity, f/1.9, there is no doubt that in theory, and from what we have verified in practice, we are facing a phone that is especially well equipped to capture images in low light without noise. , but also to achieve images with great detail in the brightest and darkest areas of the image. Even shooting with the maximum resolution of 50 megapixels.
This will be very well received by anyone: from those who are just looking for a phone that allows them to take better photos and videos, to those who want to carry a camera at all times that provides results that are even professional in certain situations.
The other cameras that accompany this Xiaomi do not dazzle, but they also stand out. Especially the one that has a 75mm zoom lens, with stabilization and light (f/2). Two qualities that allow you to capture images with a high level of detail. Both this camera and the one with the ultra-wide angle lens, which does not have a stabilizer but does have a lens with f/2.2. of luminosity, they perform excellently, even in low light.
Although these are behind in terms of quality compared to the main camera, with a 24mm wide-angle lens. Well, although these cameras have 50-megapixel sensors, their size is less than that of the star camera of this Xiaomi 13 Pro.
In the video section, it must be said that the Xiaomi 13 Pro also performs excellently, being able to record with Dolby Vision technology in 4K. All cameras allow 4K recording at 60 fps. And there’s even a mode that enables 8K recording at 24fps. In video, optical stabilization is enhanced by HyperOIS technology. There is also a mode called 4K Ultra Night Video that allows for better low-light recording. For its part, we have also been pleasantly surprised by the front camera, which allows you to take good quality selfies even in low light.
Although the cameras take center stage, this Xiaomi has overwhelming power from what we have been able to verify. Carrying out the Antutu test, the phone was the most powerful of all Androids. Something that is due to a sum of things.
The main one is that it has the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. According to Xiaomi, this allows an increase in CPU performance and energy efficiency of 37% and 47% compared to the previous generation. The GPU is not far behind either and has a great role in this terminal in view of the possibilities it allows to improve results in computational photography.
Concurrent High Band Multi-Link Wi-Fi (H85) technology enables multiple, simultaneous 5GHz and/or 6GHz connections, and is capable of speeds of up to 5.8Gbps, along with low latency and high network capacity.
Regarding the memory of the terminal that we have tested, it has 12 gigabytes of ram and 256 gigabytes of storage. Although there is a configuration of up to 512 gigabytes, important for everyone who wants to use it as an advanced camera.
The 6.73-inch screen, somewhat narrow for those who have used an iPhone, is AMOLED. It has a brightness of 1,200 nits, which allows it to be seen perfectly in broad daylight. Supports 10-bit color depth (cameras support taking photos with 10-bit color depth), covering 100% sRGB and 100% P3 color space to display rich colors in high chroma. The display supports Pro HDR, HDR 10, HDR 10 modes. Dolby Vision and HLG. It features AdaptiveSync Pro technology from 1-120Hz and up to 240Hz touch sampling rate.
Available in Ceramic Black and Ceramic White, the device is also designed to navigate various water-resistant scenarios. The new Xioami 13 Pro is accompanied by the Xiaomi 13, which has a lower price. The first is around 1,299 euros, while the second remains at 999 euros. The difference is explained above all because the 13 lacks a camera system like the 13 Pro.
On the other hand, a much more basic cut model has also been presented, the Xiaomi 13 lite, whose price amounts to 499 euros.
