Xiaomi 12T Professional Overview – 200MP too far?

The Xiaomi 12T Professional is a mid-range smartphone, and is one in all only a few smartphones that supply a 200MP fundamental digital camera, because of using the Samsung ISOCELL HP1 sensor, which gives 16-in-1 pixel binning to present 12.5MP photos.

Key Options

• 200MP fundamental digital camera, f/1.69, AF, OIS, 1/1.22inch sensor
• 16-in-1 pixel binning (12.5MP), or 4-in-1 pixel binning (50MP)
• 8MP ultra-wide, f/2.2 unspecified sensor measurement
• 2MP macro, f/2.2 unspecified sensor measurement
• 6.67inch AMOLED show, 1220×2712 pixels, upto 120Hz, DCI-P3, HDR10+, Gorilla Glass 5
• 8GB/256GB storage
• Snapdragon 8+ Gen1
• Android 12
• 163.1×75.9×8.6mm, 205g

Xiaomi 12T Professional Options

Beginning with the primary digital camera unit, the 200MP sensor provides a 16-in-1 pixel binning, and that is the default mode, with a 12.5MP picture the decision you get from nearly all of the modes. You’ll be able to, if you’d like, swap to a 50MP 4-in-1 pixel binning mode for larger decision photos, and even swap to 200MP photos, however these resolutions are solely out there in particular “UltraHD” modes, fairly than being out there in all of the totally different picture modes.

Along with the 200MP digital camera, you’ll discover an 8MP ultra-wide digital camera, and an virtually totally pointless macro digital camera, with a really low decision of 2MP. You’ll additionally discover a 20MP f/2.2 selfie digital camera with fastened focus.

There are a selection of lengthy publicity modes out there with six “results” (Shifting crowd, Oil portray, Neon trails, Mild portray, Starry sky, Star trails). The oil portray possibility can be utilized for slow-motion waterfalls and comparable.

The cellphone gives extremely quick charging, as much as 120W, with the supplied charger and USB cable, in addition to a flagship stage fundamental processor, with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1.

4K video may be recorded at 60fps or 30fps, and there’s additionally an 8K video recording possibility, in addition to ultra-high-speed video recording as much as 1920fps (at a decreased decision).

Xiaomi 12T Professional, Picture: Joshua Waller

Dealing with and Design

There are closely curved corners may be discovered on the display screen within the 4 corners, nonetheless it’s price noting that the display screen doesn’t have curved edges like some flagships.

The 12T Professional smartphone is comparatively skinny, aside from the cameras which jut out of the again of the cellphone not simply as soon as, however twice, with the 200MP digital camera unit protruding even additional once more. Whether or not this is a matter or not, solely time will inform. It does make the smartphone wobble once you place it down on a desk or flat floor.

Xiaomi 12T Professional, Picture: Joshua Waller

As talked about earlier, the cellphone gives extremely quick charging, as much as 120W, nonetheless, that is solely out there with the 120W charger included within the field, together with the particular USB cable within the field. Use different, decrease energy chargers and also you received’t get this velocity, and equally in the event you lose this USB cable, then you definately’ll not be capable of profit from the high-speed charging.

The Android expertise will not be too totally different from different smartphones, and it doesn’t take too lengthy to get used to the structure of apps and settings. It’s additionally simple to seek for settings when wanted, making it even simpler to make use of. It’s about time a search operate was added to straightforward cameras.

Bear in mind that a few of the taking pictures modes have to be downloaded earlier than you should utilize them, that is high-quality in the event you’re someplace with a cell sign, however could possibly be awkward if you end up with out cell sign or sufficient knowledge to obtain the taking pictures mode(s).

Xiaomi 12T Professional, Picture: Joshua Waller

Xiaomi 12T Professional Efficiency and Picture High quality

Basic picture high quality is middling, with considerably washed-out colors relying on the taking pictures circumstances. There are additionally inconsistent outcomes from shot to shot, with the digital camera typically producing HDR photos, and different occasions giving a washed-out sky. Focus struggled at occasions, significantly when making an attempt to {photograph} topics nearer to the digital camera.

Taken close to the Shard, in good gentle, color is enjoyable. Picture: Joshua Waller

“UltraHD” 50MP + 200MP photos

In the event you shoot utilizing the 50MP possibility then you possibly can see extra element in photos. Sadly, the identical can’t be stated for once you shoot utilizing the 200MP possibility, with the picture merely providing you with a extra pixelated view and an unmanageable file measurement (each in megapixels and megabytes). So for essentially the most half, you’re merely going to be higher off utilizing the usual picture modes, with 12MP photos, as this allows you to entry all of the totally different taking pictures modes out there, similar to portrait, and so on.

Xiaomi 12T Professional Pattern picture utilizing the extensive digital camera (12MP)

Xiaomi 12T Professional Pattern picture utilizing the extensive digital camera (50MP mode)

Xiaomi 12T Professional Pattern picture utilizing the extensive digital camera (200MP mode)

Extremely-wide angle 8MP digital camera

The ultra-wide-angle digital camera provides you 8MP photos that aren’t significantly spectacular, however ought to suffice when used on social media websites similar to Fb and Instagram the place photos are proven at a decrease decision. In the event you view the photographs intimately, there are smooth corners, with clear distortion, and low ranges of element. There’s additionally, every now and then points with dynamic vary when utilizing this digital camera.

Taken with the 8MP ultra-wide digital camera on the Xiaomi 12T Professional. Picture: Joshua Waller

2MP Macro digital camera

The devoted macro digital camera on the 12T Professional has a hard and fast focus, and produces 2MP photos. That is, as anticipated, pretty poor, and you will get noticeably higher outcomes just by utilizing the primary digital camera and utilizing 2x digital zoom, and then you definately get a 12.5MP picture with higher bokeh, and noticeably extra element.

Devoted 2MP macro digital camera

Utilizing the primary digital camera, and a few zoom provides higher outcomes (and a 12MP picture)

Movement mode(s)

Water smoothing works nicely, providing you with management over how lengthy the publicity is when utilizing the “Water portray” mode, which creates smoothed over water. That is an enchancment over another cellphone cameras that don’t offer you management over how lengthy the publicity is.

Blurred waterfall taken with the Xiaomi 12T Professional

The entrance going through 20MP f/2.2 selfie digital camera provides good outcomes so long as you don’t spend your time ‘pixel peeping’, with outcomes wanting good on display screen. Because the lens has a hard and fast focus level, at roughly arms size away from the cellphone, there’s a candy spot for focus, and this provides a barely blurred background, which may be elevated by deciding on the portrait mode.

Xiaomi 12T Professional selfie digital camera, commonplace settings. Picture: Joshua Waller

Video efficiency

Video recording in 4K enables you to use 60fps or 30fps, however doesn’t give the choice of 25 or 24fps which is pretty frequent for many smartphones.

Video recording provides good outcomes, though care must be taken when panning to assist hold video wanting clean.

Worth for Cash

The Xiaomi 12T Professional is accessible for £635 to 699 sim-free, this places it up in opposition to numerous different smartphones round this worth level, though it’s price noting that the 12T Professional comes with 256GB storage, which is greater than most different smartphones at this worth level.

Taken with the primary extensive digital camera on the Xiaomi 12T Professional utilizing the evening mode. Picture: Joshua Waller

Options embrace the Google Pixel 7 – with full-resolution ultra-wide (12MP), and wide-angle (50MP) cameras, with a 2x digital tremendous decision zoom, which is cheaper at £599. There’s additionally the Samsung Galaxy S22 – once more with full-resolution ultra-wide (12MP), wide-angle (50MP), and telephoto (10MP) cameras, with a worth of round £590-£730 (relying on model). Another choice is the OnePlus 10 Professional, with 50MP ultra-wide, 48MP extensive, and 8MP telephoto cameras, out there for £649.

Xiaomi 12T Professional Verdict

The Xiaomi 12T Professional has quite a bit going for it, for the worth, with a flagship stage processor, ultra-fast charging, and an incredible wanting display screen. Sadly within the digital camera division, it looks like Xiaomi spent nearly all of their cash on the 200MP digital camera, after which needed to in the reduction of on the opposite cameras, with an 8MP ultra-wide digital camera, and the virtually totally forgettable 2MP macro digital camera.

The 200MP sensor appears to serve little or no function, aside from being a advertising and marketing instrument. You’ll be able to shoot 50MP or 200MP photos if you’d like, however as that is solely out there in a selected “UltraHD” or “Professional” mode then you might be pressured to shoot at 12.5MP within the overwhelming majority of taking pictures modes.

Will probably be fascinating to see how the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely, with a 200MP fundamental digital camera performs as compared, though it’s price noting that that is roughly twice the worth of the 12T Professional.

One other subject is that the 200MP digital camera doesn’t match the low-light evening efficiency of the Google Pixel 6, or Pixel 7, that are each cheaper (at RRPs), though this may also be stated about many different smartphones.

This picture took many makes an attempt to get the main focus proper, regardless of the squirrel staying nonetheless. Picture: Joshua Waller

Which brings us again spherical to the conclusion that there’s no actual purpose for this smartphone to have a 200MP digital camera, over a extra regular 48/50MP digital camera. Maybe in the event that they did use a 50MP fundamental digital camera, they might have included a greater ultra-wide digital camera, as a substitute of an 8MP unit, and maybe we may have seen a telephoto digital camera?

Sadly for the 12T Professional, in the event you purchase a Google Pixel 7, Samsung Galaxy S22 or OnePlus 10 Professional, you’re going to get a greater all-round digital camera system, or perhaps a digital camera with a telephoto digital camera unit.

General, it’s a really good smartphone, with a greater than common quantity of storage (at 256GB), nonetheless, if digital camera high quality is your highest precedence, then there’s a significantly better digital camera steadiness to be discovered on different (typically cheaper) smartphones such because the Google Pixel 7 and Samsung Galaxy S22, with the S22 providing a triple digital camera setup which incorporates ultra-wide, extensive and telephoto cameras.

Discover extra smartphone choices in our information to the very best digital camera telephones for images. What number of megapixels do you want anyway?