Camera comparison: Xiaomi Mi 9T vs Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Redmi K20 Pro
Lo Xiaomi Mi 9T broke into the market creating an enthusiasm rarely seen in the past for a "minor version" that despite sharing the name with the Xiaomi Mi9, brings with it many differences first of all the photographic sector.
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With respect to Xiaomi Mi9, all three sensors (main - telephoto - wide angle) are different, even if in a small part, and even the older brother (Chinese) Redmi K20 PRO which we hope to see in Italy (Mi 9T Pro) shares only one of the cameras.
It is therefore worth examining specific techniques and above all how the three models behave in the shots with different conditions and modes.
| Model | Redmi K20 Pro | Xiaomi Mi 9 | Xiaomi Mi 9T |
|---|---|---|---|
| main | 48MP Sony IMX 586, 0.8µm f / 1.75 | 48MP Sony IMX 586, 0.8µm f / 1.75 | 48MP Sony IMX 582, 0.8µm f / 1.75 |
| Telephoto | 8MP, 1.12µm f / 2.4 | 12MP, 1.0µm f / 2.2 | 8MP, 1.12µm f / 2.4 |
| Wide Attachment | 13MP, 1.12µm f / 2.4 | 16MP, 1.0µm f / 2.2 | 13MP, 1.12µm f / 2.4 |
| Selfie Camera | 20MP, 0.8µm f / 2.2 | 20MP, 0.9µm f / 2.0 | 20MP, 0.8µm f / 2.2 |
In the Xiaomi Mi 9T and in the Redmi K20 PRO we can notice, in addition to the significant decrease in megapixels of the additional cameras (telephoto and wide-angle) and also a different main sensor. Actually the sensor Sony IMX 586 differs from the IMX 582 only for the capacity of record video to 4K 60fps instead of 4K 30fps but it has no differences in the making of photo shoots.
The three smartphones were tested in different scenarios ranging from bright light to low light, as well as a test for each of the secondary cameras. All photos were taken with the same settings, with the AI enhancement turned off, and with the device watermark turned on so you can easily identify them. A tripod was used for the shots except for the selfie shots.
Photo comparison - Daylight conditions
The daytime test was carried out with a sun that started at sunset producing a soft light to see how much detail the 3 cameras were able to capture. It is interesting to see how, although sharing the same software and probably the same algorithm, the Xiaomi Mi9 produces an image with less sharpening effect and therefore is more natural.
Photo comparison - Low light conditions
In the photographic test in low light conditions, instead of a completely dark scene one was preferred with lights and shadows in which only the subject is illuminated from above. Thus a contrast was created that allowed us to see how the cameras measured and exposed the different parts of the scene. All three phones displayed the image almost identically - especially between the K20 Pro and the Mi 9T. The result of the Mi 9 has a significantly lower contrast, therefore more soft and natural than the K20 Pro and the Mi 9T.
The same photo was taken with night mode.
With the night mode active, the images are certainly brighter and the same type of result is obtained, similar to the HDR, typical of night mode. The results are almost identical except for the slightly more saturated image of the Mi 9T.
ZOOM photo comparison
It's time to test the ZOOM: All three phones are equipped with 2X telephoto lenses, so let's see how they behave. The samples are in 1X, 2X and 10X modes.
In this test the Mi 9 wins hands down. With the 2X zoom it produces a much more detailed image than the K20 and Mi 9T, as well as in the 10X mode, albeit less clearly. Strangely, the 9T Mi has highlighted some problems with focusing on the 2X in almost all tests, probably due to the software still not completely optimized.
Photo Comparison - Wide Angle Camera
It's the ultra-wide camera's turn. An interesting thing to note is that the Mi 9T and K20 Pro have a slightly wider focal length, reaching around 12mm (equivalent to 35mm) while the Mi 9 exceeds 13mm (equivalent to 35mm). However, the image of the Mi 9 looks slightly better: a more correct exposure, more details and less distortions on the sides.
In any case, even Mi 9T and K20 Pro give more than appreciable results even in this rather complex scene.
Photo comparison - Portrait mode
One of the most loved and used functions is certainly the "portrait mode" that deserves a dedicated test. At a glance, all three images look identical, but on closer inspection, the skin tone of the Mi 9 looks slightly better. All three images have good edge recognition - an aspect Xiaomi has been working on a lot lately - giving back a nice bokeh effect. It is possible to vary the blur through the app interface but the best results have been obtained between f / 3.2 and f / 4.
Photo comparison - Selfie front room
Finally, the front camera was tested (in beauty disabled mode), in all three models, showing almost identical results or in any case without significant differences.
Photo comparison Xiaomi Mi 9T vs Xiaomi Mi 9 vs Redmi K20 Pro - Conclusions
Considering the technical premises, the conclusions are all in all taken for granted: the Xiaomi Mi9 comes out the winner especially in the telephoto and wide-angle tests. Much less striking are the differences with the main sensor which is basically the same.
But it is not fair to consider it as a defeat that of the Redmi K20 Pro and Mi 9T that are proposed on the market at a significantly lower price and are able to produce excellent photographic results.
Finally, we would like to point out a different and new camera app interface for Redmi K20 Pro and Mi 9T that allows more intuitively switching to telephoto / wide angle
I was de k20 8/256 versão chinesa…. estava em duvida entre o mi 9, porém optei pela canvas sem notch. I experience these goste. assim que chegar… rsrs