Xiaomi Smart Camera 5 Pro sees in color in the dark. The new camera offers 4K, local AI, and a night light

Most cheaper security cameras switch to black and white night vision after dark, and colors disappear. Xiaomi has now introduced a model designed to bypass this compromise – Smart Camera 5 Pro Full-Color Night Vision is the brand’s very first camera that promises color-accurate images even in the dark.

The camera promises color night vision

The key to color images in the dark lies in the optics. According to Xiaomi, the camera combines a main 8Mpx sensor with an auxiliary 4Mpx sensor; the pair of lenses work together and can achieve up to 4K resolution. Enhanced light sensitivity, illumination, and software processing are designed to keep colors close to reality even in low light, instead of the image switching to black and white.

The built-in gentle illumination lamp, which the camera turns on when there is very little light, will also support color images in dim conditions. In addition, the manufacturer adds several night vision modes for various situations – from human motion detection and event-triggered recording to a mode without visible red illumination, which is suitable for checking on a sleeping child at night, for example.

What can the on-camera artificial intelligence do?

The second pillar of the new product is local AI. The camera features a chip with 1.5 TOPS of performance, which can recognize people, pets, and baby cries directly on the device and send notifications accordingly. Because the evaluation happens locally, the footage does not have to be sent to the cloud – which is also a plus for privacy.

A dual-motor pan-and-tilt mechanism handles the view: the camera rotates 360° horizontally and covers 174° vertically, thus encompassing virtually the entire room. The manufacturer targets it for living rooms, children’s rooms, elder care, and pet monitoring.

Connectivity and privacy

The camera connects to the network via dual-band Wi-Fi 6; data transmission is said to be up to 60% faster according to Xiaomi, although we cannot verify this figure ourselves. Two-way voice calls and integration with the Xiaomi smart home ecosystem (HyperOS Connect) are also included. You can save recordings to a microSD card, to the cloud, or to NAS network storage; the AOR continuous recording power-saving mode helps conserve space.

Because such a camera often goes into bedrooms and children’s rooms, the brand also emphasizes privacy – offering lens occlusion, local data processing, and access rights management.

Price and availability of Xiaomi Smart Camera 5 Pro

In China, the camera has entered crowdfunding, where it costs 429 yuan, approximately 1,350 Czech crowns. After the campaign ends, the regular price is expected to rise to 599 yuan, or around 1,880 Czech crowns. However, this is currently purely for the Chinese market – Xiaomi has not announced if or when the Smart Camera 5 Pro will arrive in the Czech Republic.

Would color night vision appeal to you, or is classic black and white sufficient for a camera?

Sources: ITHome, Gizmochina