While the 16MP front-facing camera with selfie flash is its USP, the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 come with decent overall specifications. It features a 5.5 inch display, Snapdragon 435 processor, up to 4GB RAM with up to 64GB storage. Here in this article, we will talk in-depth about the selfie camera on the Xiaomi Redmi Y1.
Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Selfie Camera Samples
Natural Light
We took our Xiaomi Redmi Y1 outside to test the selfie camera and here are the results we got. The phone comes with a variety of filters to choose from. Under natural light, the Redmi Y1 performed well in our tests.
The first selfie we took was without any filters. While the image retained its quality even at maximum zoom, we noticed an exposure imbalance here. The phone managed to retain detail and colors of the subject, the background colors seemed compromised. We can say so as we had a clear blue sky which was overexposed by the Redmi Y1. Clearly, this exposure issue can be polished in future.
This sample here is with the tunnel filter. While the background exposure is evident here too, the results were pretty close to the preview. Subject details are crisp while the tunnel filter made a nice effect. When this overexposure gets fixed, the white spaces in the tunnel would fill up with background colors.
Finally, the last natural light sample we took was with the monochrome filter. We loved the way the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 applies this filter to an image. The detail and shade retention was done well by the phone. While the background got compromised, there was still enough detail recorded by the camera to complement the image.
Artificial Light
After playing with the camera in natural light, we brought it indoors to test how it performed in artificial lighting. We can say that the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 is good with facial retention. The phone captures the subject in detail and the background just right enough for the image.
In the above photograph, we took a selfie opposite to a tube light. While my face was retained well, the overall exposure was not balanced as the light above the subject scattered. Also, the laptop screen behind the subject also contributed to the imbalance.
Low Light
Finally, we tested the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 in low light conditions. The good thing here is that the selfie flash automatically activates when it senses low light with the front camera open. This way the camera keeps continuously illuminating your face and the shots are consistent. In the first low light sample, the subject is clear but certain amount of grains are noticeable. In the second selfie we took, we noticed that our little friends in the background were not captured at all. The selfie flash illuminates your face but the overall image captured is not as bright as it should be. Hence, the loss in background details.
Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Rear Camera Samples
Daylight
To test the Xiaomi Redmi Y1, we took the phone under different lighting conditions. The results of the rear camera were not very satisfactory. We took an image with the HDR on but the camera kept blurring out the secondary subject each time we focussed.
Artificial Light
The camera on the Redmi Y1 works well under artificial lighting. While there is no shutter lag or focusing issues, we found that the images were grainy and lacked detail when zoomed in.
Low Light
Since it is a selfie-centric phone, it is not fair to expect much from the rear camera. Under low-light, the camera managed to capture detail with minimal shutter lag, but the flash firing was too strong. In a closed room, there were shadows created in the back that affect the entire image.
Verdict
After testing the cameras on the Xiaomi Redmi Y1, we can safely say that it is indeed a good selfie-centric smartphone. The front camera works well but could use some optimization. The inbuilt filters are also smooth and the camera picks them up well. There is no heating or battery drain during camera usage as well, which means the phone handles heating efficiently. The only downside we found in the Redmi Y1 is the rear camera. The rear camera is not as polished as the front and lacks detail even in images captured in daylight. We can certainly expect future optimizations to make it a better camera.
