Xiaomi Action Cameras: Review and Comparisons
There are a lot of different action cameras and some of the best ones are from Xiaomi. If you are thinking of buying a Xiaomi sports camera, you have come to the right place, since we have prepared a set of comparisons and specifications, and take a look and analyze these Xiaomi cameras, starting with the most successful action camera model it has at the moment, the Xiaomi Mijia 4K.
Many people still don’t know Xiaomi, Xiaomi brand is a big Chinese company with great potential and success, characterized by its development of mobile terminals, technology, and great 4K sports cameras.
One of the best aspects of Xiaomi sports cams are their prices, Xiaomi thought a lot about the average user, and if you plan to buy Xiaomi Yi Action Camera 4K, you will not have to pay more than 200, a price with which not even GoPro can compete with quality-price ratio.
In this blog, I’ve put together the 5 best action cameras you can find in 2021 from Xiaomi, each camera is different from the other. This guide will help you choose which is the best for you.
With up to 4K resolution, good video quality, and EIS stabilization the Mijia 4K is the most successful sports cam model by Xiaomi
Good video quality with up to 4K resolution, the Fimi Palm comes with third-generation “LOS stabilization” stabilization and up to 12MP pictures
The Fimi Palm 2 is an improved version of the Fimi Palm. With up to 4K resolution and lasting 5 hours recording in 1080p resolution
The Yi 4K+ can record up to 4K with 60fps. Yi 4K+ comes with great features, battery, and image quality. Needs a waterproof case for underwater
The Seabird can record up to native 4K with 30fps. The Seabird can take 13MP pictures and many features. Needs a waterproof case for underwater
Some of the best high-quality product companies are GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 but Chinese companies are the ones who produce most of the action cameras you see on the market. Most action cameras are very similar and low-quality except Xiaomi which produces great sports cams.
If you plan on not using your action camera a lot during the year consider getting a cheaper one such as the SJCAM SJ8 Pro or GoPro’s older model the GoPro Hero 7. Sometimes investing a little more in a higher quality camera can help you in the long run with problems.
If you are interested in making the most out of your action camera consider checking out our Tips page (Click Here). There you will find useful tips that can help you on different types of topics about sports cams.
The Xiaomi Mijia 4K is an excellent medium-end action camera with great quality in its pictures and videos. It can record up to 4K resolution and up to 200 fps for amazing slow motion, along with many other great features.
The price of Xiaomi Mijia 4K is definitely the best aspect of it, it isn’t waterproof without the waterproof case which many sports cams are nowadays.
The Xiaomi Mijia 4K comes with some great specifications that are really impressive, it has a 2.4-inch touch screen and uses the Ambarella A12S75 chip, a very powerful chip combined with a Sony IMX317 8 MP sensor.
It can record up to 4K video resolution and at 30 fps, 1080p Full HD at 100 fps, and 720p at 200 fps. And capture high-resolution photos at 3840 x 2160 pixels.
It has a 7-element wide-angle lens up to 145 ° vision with f / 2.8 aperture and 6-axis electronic image stabilizer and uses the Ambarella A12S75 chip that allows noise reduction in 3D photos and lens distortion correction.
The battery on this camera is really good with 1450mAh, it is superior to other action cameras such as the Yi 4k and Yi 4k+ (1400mAh). The Mijia allows you to record at a 4K video with 30fps for 2 hours, and up to 3, if you opt for a resolution of 1080p Full HD.
The Xiaomi Mijia 4K is an excellent medium-end action camera with great quality in its pictures and videos. It can record up to 4K resolution and up to 200 fps for amazing slow motion, along with many other great features.
The price of Xiaomi Mijia 4K is definitely the best aspect of it, but there are some downfalls, the stabilization could be better but if you are willing to spend a little more and get a gimbal you won’t have any problem. It also doesn’t come with a waterproof case, which means it’s not waterproof, so if you want to go underwater with it you’re gonna need to buy the case for it.
The Xiaomi Fimi Palm is an economic version of the DJI Osmo Pocket since there are many similarities in size, characteristics, and design. It can record in 4K resolution up to 240 minutes.
The Xiaomi Fimi Palm uses 3-axis stabilization to achieve a smooth result. The Fimi Palm is made with a non-slip and sweat-resistant handle, offering a comfortable grip. which provides a fast, one-handed user experience, making it easy to choose modes and adjust settings by hand.
One of the most common problems for all Pocket users was control of the camera direction, The Fimi Palm’s camera can be controlled from the screen or by buying an extra accessory that is attached and allows us to perform this basic function.
The Fimi Palm uses a 128° ultra-wide-angle lens, which provides high-precision sensors, the 128° angle matches the human viewing angle, captures more memorable moments while portraying a bigger picture for you. The size of the Fimi Palm is pretty small, it fits in any pocket, the Fimi Palm measures just 127 x 31 x 23mm and a weight of 120g (slightly higher than the DJI Osmo Pocket).
As for the image quality, the Xiaomi Fimi Palm can take pictures up to 12 MP (4290 x 2800p) with pretty good quality and nice colors, the video of the Palm can record in 4K HD (3840 × 2160p) video at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps. All videos are captured in two formats: .MP4 or .MOV, it uses a H.265 codec and with a maximum bitrate rate in 4K video of 100 Mbps.
The Xiaomi Fimi Palm can last about 240 minutes with its 1000 mAh batteries. The Palm adopts professional Hisilicon SOC and smart lithium batteries which have superior power management ability. The Fimi Palm can also be connected to your smartphone via built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. During shooting, remote control and streaming allow for easy preview and smarter gimbal camera control.
The Xiaomi Fimi Palm 2 is an improved version of the Fimi Palm, it can record up to 4K for about 300 minutes. The Fimi Palm 2 uses an improved sensor which allows for a greater dynamic range, making your images remarkably clear.
The Xiaomi Fimi Palm 2 uses 3-axis stabilization to achieve smooth results. The Fimi Palm 2 such as the Fimi Palm is made with a non-slip and sweat-resistant handle, offering a comfortable grip. which provides a fast, one-handed user experience, making it easy to choose modes and adjust settings by hand.
One of the most common problems for all Pocket users was control of the camera direction, The Fimi Palm 2’s camera can be controlled from the screen or by buying an extra accessory that is attached and allows us to perform this basic function.
The design of the Fimi Palm 2 has more rounded shapes, in which plastic materials and black colors are mixed with gray, which perhaps does not quite convince us so much. With compact measurements of 132.5 × 35.5 × 32.5 mm and yes, a weight above the average (which is clearly justified as we will see below) of 145 grams, the heaviest.
As for the image quality, the Xiaomi Fimi Palm 2 can take pictures up to 12 MP (4290 x 2800p) with pretty good quality and nice colors, the video of the Palm can record in 4K HD (3840 × 2160p) video at 30fps and 1080p at 90fps. All videos are captured in two formats: .MP4 or .MOV, it uses a H.265 codec and with a maximum bitrate rate in 4K video of 100 Mbps.
The Fimi Palm 2 can also be connected to your smartphone via built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. During shooting, remote control and streaming allow for easy preview and smarter gimbal camera control. The Wi-Fi / Bluetooth uses built-in 2.4GHz / 5.8GHz WiFi. With an optimized transmission system and faster download speed, you can easily control the device, view and edit images in the app.
Yi was the first sports cam to be able to record in 4K in 60fps, it’s EIS (Electronic Image Stabilization) can support up to 4K resolution and keep it stable.
The Yi 4K+ pictures are great, thanks to its new sensor the Ambarella H2 SOC it can produce good quality pictures up to 12MP. As for the battery, it uses a 1400 mAh which can last about 100 minutes shooting in 1080p, a bit less shooting in 4K.
Voice command, The incredible voice command technology offers you the freedom to enjoy your adventures. Thanks to improved outdoor audio quality, you now have hands-free control of your YI 4K +. Some voice commands include: “YI Action Camera Take Photo”, “YI Action Camera Start Recording” and “YI Action Camera Stop Recording”.
Some sellers might offer the Yi 4k+ without the waterproof case which can be a problem if you want to use it in situations where it will get wet. The waterproof YI housing is rated at depths of 40m (132ft) and at temperatures as low as -22 ° F. The ultra-white B270 glass provides 98.5% of light transmittance underwater.
The Yi 4K+ comes with a powerful interface for its touchscreen, the ultra-sensitive 4.2 “Gorillera touchscreen from YI 4K + offers you a quick and easy-to-use interface for accessing image settings.
The Yi 4K+ is an excellent action camera and one of the best in the market today. It was the first action camera to go up to 4K 60fps even before GoPro. This model has improved its predecessor in many aspects, although it isn’t better than the GoPro Hero 7, it’s still a great option.
The Xiaomi Mijia Seabird sports cam comes from the success of the Mijia 4K. The Seabird is capable of taking 13MP pictures and a native 4K video for immersion in water. It can record up to 4K resolution and up to 120 fps for amazing slow motion, along with many other great features.
The Mijia Seabird comes in 3 different colors: Blue, Green, and Orange. Feel free to pick what color you want. The battery in the Seabird is only 1050mAh of capacity. It can record up to 90 minutes of 4K video and about 150 minutes in 1080p.
The Mijia Seabird uses a powerful Sony IMX258 13MP sensor, as for the chipset or processor it uses the HiSilicon Hi3559 chipset. The Seabird uses a focal length of F2.6 with a field of view (FOV), very similar to the 145º FOV of the Mijia 4K.
This Xiaomi Mijia Seabird dimensions are 60.5 x 42.2 x 29.7 mm, much more compact than the Xiaomi MIJIA 4K, and that will allow us to carry it easily, as well as a weight of only 60 grams. The Seabird has pretty good plastic materials, we find ourselves on the front only with the lens that covers the 13MP sensor, as well as the power button, a nice minimalist design.
As for the photography, the Xiaomi Mijia Seabird can take pictures up to 13MP more than the Xiaomi Mijia 4K but similar image quality, thanks to the higher resolution we get a little more detail in the pictures.
The Seabird is a pretty cheap sports camera, with a minimalist but practical design and above all, it comes with great technical specifications that make it stand out, but one of the best aspects of the Xiaomi Mijia Seabird is it’s quality-budget.
In this blog, we also offer you all the information you need on where to buy a 4K sports camera by Xiaomi, what specifications are exactly, the best camera accessories, more about GoPro’s action cams, and more.
Down below you can see a comparative chart with these 5 action cameras comparing different specifications so you can easily see some differences and similarities between them, keep in mind there are a lot more aspects to keep in mind besides these specifications.
Video Resolution
4K, 2.5K
1080p, 720p
4K, 2.7K
1080p, 720p
4K, 2.7K
1080p, 720p
4K, 2.7K
1080p, 720p
4K, 2.7K
1080p, 720p
Mega Pixels
8 MP
12 MP
12 MP
12 MP
13 MP
Battery
1450 mAh
1000 mAh
2600 mAh
1200 mAh
1050 mAh
Stabilization
EIS stabilization
LOS stabilization
FlowState
EIS stabilization
EIS stabilization
SD Card
128 GB
256 GB
128 GB
128 GB
128 GB
Size Dimensions
71 × 43 × 29 mm
30 x 23 x 127 mm
72 x 48 x 32.4 mm
65 x 42 x 21 mm
60 x 42 x 29 mm
What to look for in an Action Camera
If you are not sure what exactly you want on an action camera this part might be useful for you, there is a lot of different action cameras with different features and specifications, from 360-degree action cameras to 12-hour long-lasting sports cams.
Most sports cams are similar but there are a couple of different categories. Most action cameras record with about a 180-degree lens giving a fisheye look and producing similar footage to most typical cameras.
Another popular category is 360-degree cameras, these sports cams can record and take pictures of every angle and produce very cool looking results. Some other sports cams focus on long-lasting batteries and not on good video quality.
You can also find action cameras from a wide variety of prices, from cheaper low-quality sports cams to high-end action cameras. We can also find action cameras with and without touchscreens, with waterproof case or without, and more.
Specifications of action cameras
In this blog, we talk about action cameras specifications a lot, it’s easy to get overwhelmed if you don’t quite understand what camera specifications are. Camera specifications are important to understand what the camera is capable of and helps when comparing to other cameras.
Even though specifications are important you shouldn’t base your opinion on a camera entirely on its specifications, sometimes different cameras can have the same resolution but one of them might produce better-looking footage.
The Resolution is one of the most important specs of an action camera, the resolution tells us how many pixels a video has for example 4K is (3840 x 2160 pixels) and 1080p is (1920 x 1080 pixels), normally the higher the resolution the higher quality the video will be.
Some cheaper action cameras will claim to have 4K video but they actually use an upscaled lower resolution to appear as if they have 4K video, this is called interpolated which works by guessing or “interpolating” values.
The Framerate or frames per second or FPS is the frequency at which we are shotting in a video. Most videos you see are in 30fps or 24 fps for a more cinematic feel, higher framerates such as 60fps or 120fps can be used for slow-motion slowing down the footage.
Mega Pixels are used for pictures, a megapixel is a million pixels, which are the minimum unit of a color that appears in a digital image.
The Battery is another important part of an action camera, the battery allows you to store energy to prolong the use of the camera. Most batteries are Li-ion and measured with mAH. The higher the mAH the more the battery will last, but there are many things that can decrease your battery life such as screen brightness or recording in 4K.
The Aperture defines the amount of light perceived by the sensor of the camera and allows the picture or video to be more or less bright. The lower this figure, the more light all our images and videos will get. For 4K sports cameras, the average they use is f/2.8.
White Balance is a setting used to balance the levels of the basic colors red, green, and blue (RGB) so that the brightest part of the image appears white and more natural.
The ISO is nothing more than the sensitivity of the sensor when it comes to capturing light. The higher the ISO number, the greater the ability to capture light, the lower the value, the less the ability to capture that light. A con to high ISO is that you produce noise or grain which doesn’t look good so it’s better to leave the ISO low.
WiFi allows a wireless connection from your sports cam to your smartphones and tablets through action camera apps, thanks to the app you can use the camera remotely, and some apps such as the GoPro app allows you to directly edit and upload your pictures and videos to social media.
