Xiaomi test 12: small format, short battery life
The Xiaomi 12 is necessarily less equipped than its Pro counterpart. If he keeps the main unit of 50 megapixels, the built-in sensor is different because it is a Sony IMX766 (which is the IMX707 in the Xiaomi 12 Pro). On the ultra-wide angle, a defining point of 50 megapixels. Here, Xiaomi is more classic with a 13MP sensor. Finally, note the absence of a telephoto lens, which has been replaced by a 5-megapixel macro unit.
Main unit: 50 MP, f / 1.8, eq. 24 mm
Among the shot captured in 12.5 MP thanks to technology pixel binning And full frame, no difference. On the other hand, in low light, the 50MP mode is less important. Homogeneity is more evident on our stage. The 12.5-megapixel image provides more sharpness and contrast. As a result it is a favourite.
Against the Google Pixel 6 Pro, the best optical phone in our comparison, the Xiaomi 12 is unmatched. However, it is not bad for all that, as it offers good exposure, a certain level of detail and a slightly higher contrast than the Xiaomi 12 Pro model. However, we do regret the color scale being a bit bland as well as the smoothing on the fringes being somewhat too important.
Unsurprisingly, at night, it’s hard to measure up to the Pixel 6 Pro correctly. The Xiaomi 12 benefits from good colorimetry as well as correct exposure. However, the program’s processing is very powerful, which smooths out the scene a lot and erases details. Digital noise occurs in the darkest parts, where the sensitivity of the smartphone is higher (ISO 2853).
Ultra wide-angle module: 13 MP, f / 2.4, eq. 16 mm
If the Pixel 6 Pro suffers from a major blurring effect, so is the Xiaomi 12 – but in a milder way. The image is a little faded, suffers from chromatic aberrations in some places, but the sharpness is very good.
At night, the picture is somewhat blurred. The Xiaomi 12 has a high sensitivity (ISO 5195), covering the image with digital noise. Details are lacking, but the exposure is absolutely correct.
Front unit, portrait and video position
The Xiaomi 12 is as well presented as the 12 Pro on the front. We find the same 32MP sensor that offers good selfie quality with a high level of detail.
The portrait position is moderately successful, with a near-perfect outline of the subject in each test, both with the front unit and with the wide angle unit. This mode has adjustable background blur as well as a “full body” option for shooting a full subject. Without a 2x zoom lens, you have to get as close to get a shot at shoulder level.
In the video, the Xiaomi 12 can shoot up to 8K at 24 fps and 4K at 60 fps. The smartphone is also compatible with HDR10 +. Up front, video capabilities are limited to 1080p at 60fps.
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