Xiaomi-Mi-12S-Ultra-vs-Xiaomi-Mi-11-Ultra-Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Camera Comparison | Say NO to DxOMark

To measure the overall quality of a phone people often rely on reviews and analysis from sources such as DxOMark which has become the standard of analysis when it comes to cameras, but this year DxOMark’s. The DxOMark camera analysis has made people question whether the new Xiaomi 12S Ultra flagship is as good as the old flagship or not. According to them, it’s not and they have ranked its performance 2 positions below Mi 11 Ultra (maybe, they are furious that Lei Jun didn’t send them a test unit and instead they had to purchase one).

Jokes aside, we have done our own comparison of the image comparison of both these flagships. Do let’s dive into the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra comparison.

Why Camera Is The the Only Feature Left To Differ Between Mid-End And Flagship Level Phones?

The most focused aspects in phones are SoC, screen, and camera but these days even mid-range phones are coming with flagship-level SoC (Snapdragon 8 Gen1) and screen (Samsung E4 AMOLED panel). What keeps high-end and mid-range phones apart is the camera performance.

Therefore, phones have begun to pay attention to their camera performance, and have included the outsole CMOS+ computational photography technology under their command, hoping to limit consumers of their attention to mobile photography.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Camera Specs

PhoneXiaomi Mi 12S UltraXiaomi Mi 11 Ultra
Camera config50MP Main camera
48MP Telephoto
48MP Ultra-wide
0.3 ToF 3D sensor
50MP Main camera
48MP Telephoto + macro
48MP Ultra-wide
Aperturef/1.9
f/4.1
f/2.2
f/1.95
f/2.4
f/2.2
SensorsSony IMX989
Sony IMX586 Exmor RS
Sony IMX586 Exmor RS
Samsung GN2
Sony IMX586 Exmor RS
Sony IMX586 Exmor RS
TypeCMOS
CMOS
CMOS
Isocell
CMOS
CMOS
Pixel Size1.60 µm
0.80 µm
0.80 µm
1.40 µm
0.80 µm
0.80 µm
Pixel Binning1-2
1-4 (2×2)
1-4 (2×2)
1-4 (2×2)
1-4 (2×2)
1-4 (2×2)
Sensor Size1/1″
1/2″
1/2″
1/1.12″
1/2″
1/2″
Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Camera - Mi 12S ultra rear camera 1

The Sony IMX989 sensor on the Mi 12S Ultra uses the 1-inch photosensitive unit (actually 1.02 inches, with a diagonal length of about 16.32mm). This can output images with a maximum of 8192 × 6144 pixels, about 50.3 million pixels. The single pixel size can reach 1.6μm, the four-in-one pixel can output super large pixels equivalent to 3.2μm.

The main camera on the Mi 12S Ultra uses a full-lens double-sided ultra-low reflection coating, which can be applied on the edge of each lens. At the same time, a new cycloolefin material is introduced, with reflectivity as low as 0.2% and light transmittance as high as 93%. This can reduce glare and eliminate purple fringing. In the following Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra camera comparison, we will also test the performance of the two phones on glare control when shooting street lights at night.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Camera - Mi 11 ultra rear camera

Last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra also adopted the largest photosensitive unit at that time – Samsung S5KGN2, which has a photosensitive sensor of ​​1/1.12 inches and can output a maximum image of 6120 × 8160 pixels, about 50MP. The pixel size can reach 1.4μm, and the use of 4 in-1 pixels can output super large pixels equivalent to 2.8μm in daily shooting.

In terms of ultra-wide-angle lens and telephoto lens, both Mi 12S Ultra and Mi 11 Ultra use a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor, a 1/2-inch photosensitive unit, and a four-in-one pixel output of 12 million pixels by default.

The Current Problem With Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

Since mobile phone manufacturers began to focus on the development of images, you might have heard of the photosensitive sensor. The larger the area, the better the light-sensitive performance, the more light captured, the more information recorded in the photo, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the lesser the noise.

In other words, the larger the photosensitive area, the better the image quality of the photo (good here does not refer to the clarity of the picture, but refers to the better color reproduction of the picture and the more uniform color distribution).

However, there is one thing to note, although the large photosensitive sensor unit can get a higher amount of light intake so that the image quality looks better, it also has some obvious disadvantages, such as the mirror group quality when similar, the large bottom will bring edge image quality deterioration and bulging problems.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

From the above picture, we can see that the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra close-up shooting keyboard is in focus in the middle part, but there will be an obvious virtual focus around the sample, and with the outward bulge, it will affect the whole look of the image.

Sony IMX703 on the iPhone 13 Pro

The above photo was taken by the 1/1.67-inch Sony IMX703 equipped with the iPhone 13 Pro, and the keyboard is much less blurring around the edges compared to the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and the image is relatively flat without distortion.

In addition, in terms of focusing, there is also a problem that needs attention.

The Samsung S5KGN2 used in the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra supports an all-pixel omnidirectional octa-core focusing scheme + 8×8 dTof assisted focusing.

Although it is an all-pixel omnidirectional octa-core focus, what Samsung advertises is Dual Pixel Pro, which is an all-pixel dual-core focus pro.

This focusing method is actually a diagonal cut on the basis of all-pixel dual-core focusing, providing a vertical focusing capability that was not available before but also sacrificing the focusing performance in the original direction. This also leads to slower focusing in dark light conditions.

In response, Xiaomi has added an 8×8 dTof focus module to the Mi 11 Ultra in order to improve the focusing ability for night photography.

The Sony Octa-PD phase focus + laser-assisted focus solution is used in the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, which not only brings better focusing performance, but also does not have the interference and loss caused by Samsung’s kind of oblique pixel cutting, and thus can have very fast focusing speed in dark light conditions.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Photo Samples Comparing

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Main Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Main camera
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Main Camera
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Main camera

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

In the greenery sample, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, thanks to the Leica image tuning, presents a greenish image that looks very pleasing and closer to the color seen by the naked eye, with a strong sense of immersion at first glance.

The samples taken by the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra had some problems with the white balance, causing the entire image to be white and look very unnatural.

However, the difference in resolution between the two is not great.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Main camera 2
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Main camera 2

These two photos were taken in a light-facing environment, and the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra appears to be too full of color, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s color reproduction is a bit more accurate, however, it also has the same problem of a whitish color.

In addition, the blur of the background on the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra is more natural than that of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Main camera 3
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Main camera 3
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Main camera 2

Left is the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo

The difference between the two phones can be seen at a glance in a backlit environment, with both pictures being autofocus.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra with higher light intake and algorithm advantage, the overall picture is brighter and more transparent, and the details of the building can be seen more clearly after zooming in.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, on the other hand, is significantly too dark, and we shot it in the afternoon, but it has a twilight feel.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Main camera 4
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Main camera 4

The difference between the samples taken by the two phones under adequate lighting conditions is not very large, the color reproduction ability and resolution can be achieved at a superior level, without the watermark display, it is not even possible to distinguish which phone the photo was taken by.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Ultra-Wide Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Ultra Wide Camera
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera

In the ultra-wide-angle proofs, the shooting angles of the two mobile phones are basically the same. The 12S Ultra has a slight lack of white balance adjustment. The color displayed by the floor tiles is not as pleasing as the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and the colors presented by the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra are more realistic colors.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera

Left is the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo

Zooming in to see the details, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra shows more detail at the edges of the building, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra appears slightly reddish and has more noise.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Ultra Wide Camera 2
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera 2

This set of sample photos was taken on the roof of a building, the overall color difference between the photos is not too big, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra shot in the middle of the building is slightly white, while Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is more able to show the real color.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

Zooming in on the edges, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra’s distortion correction algorithm shows a more normal view of the edges of the building, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra on the right shows a barrel-like distortion, with the image sunken inward, which looks very unnatural.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera 2

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

After zooming in, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample is darker than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and the yellow and green leaves are less saturated than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, while in terms of resolution, there is not much difference between the two.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Telephoto Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra TelePhoto Camera
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera

In backlit scenes, we shot with a 5X telephoto lens and overall there appears to be no significant difference.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo on the left / Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo on the right

However, when you zoom in and look closely, the colors shown in the branches and leaves on the right side of the 12S Ultra are more vibrant, but the resolution is not as good as the 11 Ultra when compared to the leafy bush on the right.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera 2

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo / right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo

In addition, on the left side of the tree branches and light and shadow overlap appears to be relatively vague, in contrast, the 11 Ultra on the branches and leaves of more detailed reproduction.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra TelePhoto Camera 2
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera 2

Under the telephoto lens, the Mi 12S Ultra is more saturated, while the Mi 11 Ultra’s sample is less saturated but closer to the real scene.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera 3

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

Zooming in to see the details, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample shot has a more serious sense of smearing of the words on the plaque and some haziness in the image.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has clear details and a transparent image after zooming in, which is better than the 12S Ultra.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has a slightly better resolution in terms of telephoto image capability.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Night/Low Light

In terms of night scene performance, we set the cameras of both phones to the default state, so that the phones automatically stimulate the night scene mode for shooting.

Xiaomi Mi 12 Ultra Night View Camera default setting
Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera

The first was the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, which inspired the Nightscape 1S in this low-light environment.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera default setting
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, on the other hand, inspired Nightscape 4S.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

After comparison, due to the longer exposure time of Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, the brightness of the image is higher than Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, but the overall sample will look white, the color will look unrealistic, and the view is not as good as Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 2

After zooming in to look at the details, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra on the left has a finer reproduction of the leaves, with better resolution and full color, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s imaging is blurry and still has the problem of whitish color, and the glass near it also shows a bokeh effect.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 3

Zooming in on another spot, it’s the same story. The Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample is able to see clearly the details of the stripes on the top of the pavilion, and the seams of the building’s sticker tiles, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has blurred a piece.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting
Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera 3
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera 3
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 4

Left is the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo

The Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra did not trigger the night scene in this dark lighting environment, and the sky was a bit purple, but the noise control was more in place.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, on the other hand, triggered Night View 2s, and although the image was brighter, the noise was relatively more, but the restoration of the sky was relatively accurate, in line with the actual scene at the time.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting 2
Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera 4
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting 2
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera 4
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 5

Left is the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample photo / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample photo

In another night scene, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra performs a 1-second exposure length, with higher color saturation compared to the 11 Ultra, and more pleasing colors of the leaves and wooden chairs, in contrast to the 11 Ultra, where the 3-second exposure apparently makes the sample a bit overexposed, affecting the display of true colors.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting 3
Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera 5
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera zoom setting 3
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera 5
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 6

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

The Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra triggered the night shot for 3 seconds in a very dark environment without any light interference, showing more details, but with some color bias and even some reddish of the silver laptop surface.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra triggered Night View for 5 seconds, which is the highest gear supported, and produced a sample with more noise but a more accurate color display.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera 6
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera 6

This set of samples shows the anti-glare ability of the two phones, both appear different degrees of glare, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s glare performance is slightly better than Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, but Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra on the edge of the street lamp show relatively more perfect.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Night View Camera 7
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Night View Camera 7

In another set of samples, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra has less control over the halo around the overhead lights than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and the samples are purer, thanks to the all-lens double-sided ultra-low reflection coating on the 12S Ultra, which does reduce glare.

However, the overall brightness and color of the two images do not pull too far apart.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Comparing Macro Camera

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Macro Camera
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Macro Camera
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Macro Camera

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra Macro Camera 2
Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Macro Camera 2
Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Macro Camera 2

Left is Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra sample / Right is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra sample

In macro, the 12S Ultra is closer to the object and the color body fits the real scene, while the 11 Ultra’s sample is still less accurate in terms of white balance.

Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra vs Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra | Summary

The two phones have their own characteristics, pros, and cons, however, it should be clear now that the Mi 12S Ultra isn’t as bad as DXOMark has made it to be. I think in most of the camera samples and picture types, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra is much better than Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.

Here’s the summary:

1. Standard scenes

In the standard scenes, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra’s flower and grass samples are more inclined to the true colors seen after Leica’s tuning, which is visually more pleasing, while the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s samples are whitish, which is very unnatural in appearance.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Macro Camera

In the backlight environment, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra with the advantage of a 1-inch large outsole, the backlit buildings show more details than the 11 Ultra’s picture, and the details show more clearly after zooming in.

Winner: Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra

2. Telephoto capability

In terms of telephoto, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra is tuned to have a higher saturation, visually better than Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, but Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra also wins back a round with better resolution and edge bokeh effect.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra TelePhoto Camera 2

Winner: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

3. Ultra-wide angle

In the ultra-wide angle part, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra still has a more pleasing color display to the eye, and the edge of the picture is still very clear, while Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s picture edge will appear vaguer, and there is a slightly red shade.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera

Secondly, the wide-angle image distortion of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is more severe, and the edge of the image will have the problem of sinking inward, affecting the overall visual effect, while the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra shows a relatively normal picture.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Ultra Wide Camera

However, in the center of the picture, it is Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra’s performance on color is slightly better than Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra.

Winner: Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra

4. Dark light environment

In a dark environment, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra produces a slightly purple sky, which affects the overall look and atmosphere, but in terms of noise control and resolution, it is better than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 4

Meanwhile, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is overexposed, resulting in an overall white picture, although the picture looks more transparent, the loss of detail is also more serious.

So, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra can take sharper night shots than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra with a shorter exposure time.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Night View Camera 6

In extremely dark environments, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra also outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra in terms of detail, but there will be a slight color inclination, and the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has relatively better control of color.

Winner: Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra (barely wins this one because of color inclination

5. Other aspects

In the anti-glare performance, the two phones are comparable, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra is more in place to control the halo.

Xiaomi Mi 12S and 11 Ultra Macro Camera 2

In macro, although both are ultra wide-angle crops, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra focus distance is closer and can show a clearer macro texture, and the color performance of the two is not much different.

Winner: Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra

We know that these camera samples (images) don’t reflect the complete performance of both phones’ cameras since video evaluation is also needed. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra in the telephoto part has a slight advantage. It also wins in some night scenes thanks to the inaccurate coloring of the Mi 12s Ultra, but in other scenes, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra takes the lead. I think it should be a tie between both phones or even Xiaomi Mi 12s Ultra winning by a slight margin. What do you think? Comment.

This article is a translation of a Chinese article and the credits are mentioned below:

Source (Mydrivers)