Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Camera Performance Review InDepth

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3, Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Features, Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Price, Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Review, Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Specs
December 24, 2025
Shweta Sharma

Introduction of Xiaomi Mix Fold 3

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 is Xiaomi’s latest premium foldable offering, and one of its biggest promises is camera performance that rivals traditional flagship smartphones. Co-engineered with Leica optical lenses, the Mix Fold 3 redefines what a foldable camera setup can achieve on a device with such a unique form factor. In this extensive review, we’ll explore every aspect of its camera system — from hardware specs and real-world shooting performance to night photography, zoom capabilities, video quality, software features, and how it stacks up in everyday usage right here in the UAE.

Camera Hardware: Quad-Lens System with Leica Co-Engineering

At the heart of the Mix Fold 3’s camera performance is its quad-lens rear camera system, designed to deliver versatility and quality across multiple shooting scenarios. The setup consists of:

50 MP Main Wide Camera with Sony IMX800 sensor, large pixels, and OIS for steady shots.
12 MP Ultra-Wide Camera for expansive landscape and group shots.
10 MP Telephoto Lens with 3.2x optical zoom for detailed portraits and mid-range shots.
10 MP Periscope Telephoto Lens with 5x optical zoom for distant subjects.

This combination of lenses — all paired with optical image stabilization (OIS) — provides flexibility rarely seen on foldables, and the Leica-tuned glass ensures colors, contrast, and overall imaging aesthetics feel more natural and striking.

Daylight Photography: Clarity, Detail & Colours

Main Camera Performance

Under bright daylight — typical of UAE environments — the main 50 MP camera excels. It captures highly detailed images with accurate colors, excellent dynamic range, and minimal noise. Thanks to pixel-binning and a large sensor, the Mix Fold 3 handles highlights and shadows well, preserving sky details without making landscapes look washed out.

The OIS also helps in maintaining sharpness, even in handheld shots. Photos look crisp and vibrant with natural-looking skin tones for portraits.

Ultra-Wide Camera

The 12 MP ultra-wide camera lets you capture more in frame — great for skyline shots of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or desert landscapes. While it doesn’t match the primary sensor’s level of sharpness, it still produces impressive images with good edge-to-edge clarity and consistent color reproduction compared to the main camera.

Zoom Capabilities: Optical to Digital

3.2x Telephoto Zoom

Portrait shots taken at 3.2x optical zoom are impressive. The Mix Fold 3 isolates subjects cleanly and adds subtle background blur, making it suitable for portraits without needing dedicated depth sensors. Zoomed shots maintain good details and balanced color tones.

5x Periscope Zoom

With the 5x periscope lens, shooting distant subjects — such as architectural details at Burj Khalifa or wildlife from afar — becomes possible without significant quality loss. At this range, images remain reasonably sharp, and the OIS helps reduce shake. However, once you push beyond 10x digital zoom, image quality begins to degrade with noticeable softness and noise — a limitation common to most smartphones.

Night Photography: Low Light Performance

Night or low-light photography is typically the Achilles’ heel for many foldables, but the Mix Fold 3 manages to perform admirably. Its wide aperture and pixel-binning technology allow more light to be captured, resulting in brighter images with less grain even at night.

When shooting scenes like city lights on Sheikh Zayed Road or nightlife around The Dubai Mall, the phone handles contrast well, retains detail in darker areas, and showcases controlled highlights with minimal blown-out lights. Using Night Mode dramatically improves clarity and reduces noise, though long exposures sometimes introduce slight blur if not held steady.

The ultra-wide camera in low light is slightly weaker — a bit softer and noisier — but still usable for casual night photography.

Selfie & Portrait Capabilities

The 20 MP front camera (on the cover display) produces solid selfies that are rich in detail with smooth skin tones. Portrait mode works well for single subjects, and edge detection stays accurate even in challenging lighting conditions. It’s ideal for UAE selfie scenes — whether at brunches, desert safaris, or street photography around old Dubai.

The camera also supports HDR and panorama modes, enhancing selfie versatility. However, in very low light, selfies can show some softness compared to flagship-class phones.

Video Recording: Resolution & Stabilisation

The Mix Fold 3’s video capabilities are equally robust:

8K video at 24fps for cinematic high-resolution recording.
4K video at up to 60fps with good stabilization and color fidelity.
Slow-motion options at lower resolutions.

In real-world usage, 4K at 60fps offers the best balance between smooth motion and usable footage quality, especially when capturing fast-moving city scenes or family moments. The mixed optical + electronic stabilization keeps video smooth even when walking or shooting on the move — a boon for vloggers and travel content creators based in the UAE.

Software & Camera Features

Xiaomi has built a comprehensive camera app with plenty of modes:

Pro Mode with manual control over ISO, shutter speed, focus, white balance.
Night Mode for brighter low-light shots.
HDR & Panorama.
Leica Authentic & Vibrant filters for stylistic photography.
ProFocus and AI scene detection that optimizes settings.

These tools empower both novice and experienced photographers to tailor shots creatively. While Xiaomi’s default processing leans slightly vivid (which many users in the UAE might appreciate), the Leica filters add pleasing tonal adjustments that feel more natural.

Real-World Usage in the UAE

Living in the UAE means intense sunlight, vibrant cityscapes, night neon, and varied scenes — all perfect for testing a camera’s mettle. The Mix Fold 3 stands out in daylight and everyday shooting, offering images comparable to many flagship phones from competitors. Its zoom and stabilization make it a good choice for travel photographers, content creators, and users who want versatility without carrying multiple devices.

For events, portraits, and street photography around places like JBR, Palm Jumeirah, or Yas Island, the camera delivers reliable results. Its foldable form factor means you can also use the main screen as a viewfinder for creative angles — something regular smartphones can’t match.

Comparisons with Other Foldables

While not always market-leading in raw imaging power (e.g., compared to some Galaxy or Ultra-flagship devices from other brands), the Mix Fold 3 delivers one of the best camera experiences among foldable phones. Its Leica tuning and multiple focal lengths give photographers more creative control than most rivals. However, when pushed to extreme night shots or heavy digital zoom, the image quality trails behind flagship purely camera-focused phones.

Pros & Cons – Camera Verdict

Pros

Versatile quad-lens system with Leica optics.
Excellent daylight performance with rich colors and detail.
Strong zoom capabilities up to 5x optical.
Impressive 4K video with stabilization.
Feature-rich camera software for creative control.

Cons

Ultra-wide and selfie cameras slightly weaker than the main lens.
Image quality drops at high digital zoom.
Night performance good but not best-in-class compared with top flagship phones.

Conclusion of Xiaomi Mix Fold 3

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 impresses with a well-rounded camera performance, especially for a foldable device. Its Leica-co-engineered lenses, multiple focal lengths, and robust video features make it one of the most capable foldable cameras available — particularly compelling for photography enthusiasts in the UAE who value versatility and everyday reliability. Whether capturing vivid cityscapes under the blazing sun or documenting nights out along the Corniche, the Mix Fold 3 stands out as a capable imaging device with unique flexibility you won’t find in traditional smartphones.