Xiaomi Mijia 4K Review
Xiaomi has launched into the world of sports action cameras again with the Xiaomi Mijia 4K. It has all the right characteristics to be a great action camera and be a great competition to its competitors.
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.
This camera is for multipurpose beyond only for sports functions, for example, drones. It is able to record up to 4K resolution although this model only reaches 30 fps, unlike the Yi 4K+.
But before we talk about its features and price, what comes in the box of the Xiaomi Mijia 4K? It comes in the classic white cardboard box with pictures of our camera and with the main features and settings on the back and summarized on the sides.
Inside the box, we can find some accessories, a battery, USB microphone, USB cable for charging and data transfer, and some other items.
If you would like to check out our best 10 GoPro alternatives blog check here!
Specs
The Mijia uses the Sony IMX 317 processor chosen by Xiaomi for this Xiaomi Mijia 4K despite having “only” 8 MPixels it does not deface at all compared to the IMX 117 model found in cameras such as Firefly 8S, Thieye T5, and SJ7…
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.
And the Mijia also has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for connection to smartphones using the Mi 4K Action Camera 4K app.
Stabilization
The stabilization works pretty well, in some cases, it may seem a bit fast, but it has the advantage of never distorting the images. It has a 6-axis EIS for decent stable sots, Electronic image stabilization (EIS) is an image enhancement technique that uses electronic processing. The Mijia is attached to Bosch BMI160 IMU with a 3-axis gyro and integrated 3-axis accelerometer to help capture and stable to get clear images.
If you want to record with a very smooth and stable recording we recommend getting a gimbal. The gimbal is the ultimate stabilizer of cameras. So when you are recording a video, it will be perfectly smooth. You can easily move and record without having to worry that the footage obtained will not be stable.
Battery
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 battery is situated at the bottom, where there is a cover that gives access to the battery. You can also always buy separate batteries for it and change them whenever the first one runs out.
Design
The dimensions of the Xiaomi Mijia 4K are 71.5 × 42.7 × 29.5 mm and a weight of 99 grams (3.5 oz), with a single button on the top, like the Yi 4K or Yi 4K+, which is used to take pictures and videos from it, but all the adjustments and controls will be made from the rear touch screen, with a larger screen.
The Xiaomi Mijia 4K comes with a very similar design of the Yi 4K Cam made by Xiaomi, the Mijia is made in completely black color. The right side houses the USB input for the microphone, the left side is free except for a part of the battery compartment that is in the lower profile where we find the essential connection 1/4 inch to connect the camera to a tripod or various compatible accessories.
Photography
The photography on the Xiaomi is pretty decent, it can capture with its f.2.2 sensor 8MP pictures with a 16: 9 format without reaching 4:3, but we can only take pictures up to 8MP.
In bright sunlight, the colors look vivid with the whole picture showing more contrast than the GoPro.
The Xiaomi Mijia has a variety of different interesting features including time-lapse, slow motion, loop record, and burst.
Photo settings
- Proportion Image: to choose between 4: 3 or 16: 9
- Format: you can choose between .JPG or .DNG for RAW
- Trigger: 8s, 4s, 2s, 1s, 1 / 2s, 1 / 4s, 1 / 15s, 1 / 30s and 1 / 60s.
- ISO: auto, 100, 200, 400, and 800.
- Color: with several filters such as Standard, Brightness, Artistic, Film, and Classic.
- Exposition
- White Balance
Video
This camera can record at a 4K video with pretty good quality, with half a dozen video modes and several resolution options. It can record up to 4K with 30fps but you can also shoot at lower resolution with more frame rate, right up to 720p at 200fps (slow motion).
Although the sharpness and contrast are not a setting we can change. The configuration by default is well balanced, the images are sharp enough, the sky does not have the tendency classic towards the too blue. Something to know is that the Mijia doesn’t have video output as mini HDMI or micro HDMI like other action cameras do.
Video Resolutions
- 4K (3840 x 2160p) at 30 fps (native)
- 2.5K (2560 x 1440) at 30fps
- 1080p (1920 x 1080p) FHD up to 100 fps
- 720p (1280 x 720p) up to 200 fps
We can choose from a variety of options and video settings in Xiaomi Mijia 4K as:
- Video quality
- Lens distortion
- Stabilizer or video stabilization (ON / OFF)
- Mute
- Exposition
- ISO
- Balance of Targets
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Native video at 4K at 30fps | Does not include case |
| Lightweight camera | Needs a case for underwater |
| 2.4 “touch screen | Does not allow external micro |
| Decent low light recording | Low-quality stabilization |
| Pretty good battery life | |
| Good Value for Money |
Should you buy it?
The Xiaomi Mijia 4K is an excellent medium-end action camera with great quality on 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 the 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.
We unquestionably recommend the Mijia 4K when just getting started with action cameras or recording in general or if you’re upgrading from one that was worse but being a medium-end action camera, don’t expect to have GoPro quality or high-end brand quality. If you wanna check some other action cameras, medium and high-end click here!
Xiaomi Mijia Compact (Amazon): https://amzn.to/2PkFbPq
