fbpx

In my Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera Accessories Review I want to focus on available equipment und useful tools for Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera (Here’s the camera review). There are original and 3rd party accessories available, so I also want to take a look if the original parts are worth the extra money.

General mounting info:
The 1/4″ thread on Xiaomi Mijia’s body is a standard photo tripod mount, so you can mount any standard photo gear.
The mount on the underwater case is the standard GoPro mount, so you can use any GoPro mounts (if not limited to the camera’s dimension).

So this post is about specific Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera Accessories, as you can use a ton of mounts for the camera which I featured in specific posts.

 

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera Accessories

Extra batteries

It seems that Xiaomi Mijia uses their own type of batteries, I haven’t seen them in other cams so far. Please be careful as there are many batteries for YI Technology YI 4K camera are labelled “Xiaomi”. Batteries for YI cameras don’t fit!
In general I always have at least one spare battery with me, so I don’t miss a shot if needed. Currently I only found original batteries and no 3rd party products so far. The original battery offers a capacity of 1450 mAh which lasts for about 2 hrs of 4K recording and up to 3 hrs in 1080p. Of course the runtime varies depending on the use of the screen or wifi switched on or off.

Xiaomi Mijia 4K Action Camera - 1450 mAh battery

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera – 1450 mAh battery

Original Batteries

3rd Party

  • Aliexpress: Charger with 2 batteries: 24.53 USD

 

Underwater Case

It seems that in the initial offer the underwater case is not included, but I heard there will be kits available. There are 3rd party cases available, but the original case seems better as an “anti-reflecting” and “anti fogging” lens is promised. Let’s see if it holds up – a comparison will follow as soon. Anyway I recommend using Anti Fog Strips to prevent fogging.

For the extended review please expand:

Xiaomi Underwatercase Review

First of all I’m not quite sure if there is one or many 3rd party cases available. They all look pretty much the same (similar style, also of the screw). My 3rd party case offers a good quality,, but I’ve also seen cases where parts of the body were broken.

The mount on both underwater cases is the standard GoPro mount system, so you can use any GoPro mounts with this camera. The original Xiaomi Mijia underwater case comes with an adhesive mount that also features a 1/4″ standard photo tripod mount. My 3rd party case came with a GoPro quick connector. The screen is visible within both cases, be aware that you can’t use the touchscreen. Therefore Xiaomi Mijia offers an “in housing mode” – available in the device settings – where long pressing the shutter activates a new menu screen as you can see in the images below.

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

 

I really like the closing mechanism of the original case. When the case is closed the lock prevents unintended opening and it seems to be very secure. When comparing with my many other cameras I think the mechanism is one of the best I’ve ever seen (also in quality). The flap of the 3rd party case looks pretty much the same as on most cases.

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

 

Overall I’m very satisfied with the original waterproof case of Xiaomi Mijia and I think it’s worth spending some extra money on it. The higher quality justifies the price and it seems to be more trustworthy. If you just use it for dirty protection or use it in situations where it can easily get damaged, it does the job as well and you can save some bucks.

 

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

Xiaomi Mijia Underwatercase: Original vs 3rd Party

 

Original Underwater Case

3rd Party Underwater Case

Xiaomi Gimbal

Xiaomi created a gimbal exclusively designed for Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera. The camera is secured using the 1/4″ thread on the bottom of the camera and connected with the gimbal using the micro USB port. This way you can take photos, start/stop video recording and change exposure using the buttons on the gimbal’s grip. Xiaomi Mijia camera can also be powered by the built-in 5000 mAh battery of the gimbal to extend recording time.
Xiaomi Mijia 3-way gimbal offers 360° rotation on the pan axis and -35° to +90° on the tilt axis. On the bottom of the grip there’s a 1/4″ thread to mount the gimbal. Xiaomi gimbal weights 340g without camera.

For the extended review please expand:

Xiaomi Gimbal Review

Body, Buttons and Ports

Xiaomi 3-way gimbal for Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera

Xiaomi 3-way gimbal for Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera

On one side of the grip you can find the 4-way joystick (6) to control the gimbal’s head. Below there’s a photo button (8) to take photos based on the settings. When long pressing this button it activates / deactivates camera charging via the gimbal’s battery. Below there’s the power/video button (9). Long press it to turn the gimbal on and off, short press it to start / stop video recording. On the backside there’s a toggle switch to control the camera’s exposure (15). Below is the trigger button to select the different modes (14). On the side of the grip you can find a micro USB port to charge the gimbal which takes about 4 hrs (7).

Xiaomi Mijia Gimbal - Exposure Control

Xiaomi Gimbal – Exposure Control

 

Modes

The modes can be selected with the trigger button (14). The gimbal powers up in Pan-Follow mode, which means the camera will follow the movement once you pan the gimbal. Double pressing the trigger button restores the neutral position.
When you press and hold the trigger button the axes are locked. You can now move the grip and the camera will always face the same direction.
Tripple pressing the trigger turns the camera 180°, in case you want to do a selfie. Do so again and the camera will turn back.

LEDs

Above the 4-way joystick there’s an indicator LED light (5). When the blue light is on the camera is connected with the gimbal. During recording the LED flashes red. If the light is red constantly the camera is not connected!
On the bottom of the grip are 4 small LEDs indication the battery status (10).

App

Via Mi Home App you can change the settings of Xiaomi Gimbal. To do so the camera has to be connected to the gimbal and to your smartphone via wifi. Within the “scene settings” you can adjust the follow speed and the headband of the gimbal. There are also predefined selections available.

Xiaomi Mijia 3-way handheld gimbal app settings

Xiaomi Gimbal – App Settings

 

Conclusion

I’m very happy with Xiaomi 3-way gimbal. It’s a great addition to the camera to get smooth videos. The biggest benefit of the Xiaomi gimbal is the option to control the camera (start / stop recording) using the buttons on the grip. This makes the use if the unit very convenient compared to 3rd party gimbals.

Here you can download the full Xiaomi Mijia Gimbal manual.

 

If you don’t want to limit yourself to Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera and use a gimbal for smartphones as well you got other options. Take a look at Zhiyun Smooth Q or Feiyu SPG gimbal which work for a huge variety of action cams as well as smartphones. Here you can find a video where I used Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera with Feiyu SPG gimbal.

Xiaomi Mijia 3-way Handheld Gimbal

Xiaomi Mijia Handheld Gimbal

Retailer / Price Comparison

 

Fame Mount – 3rd party

In case you prefer GoPro mounts over photo gear that uses the 1/4″ thread on the Xiaomi Mijia body, the frame mount is the ideal adapter. It holds the camera very well and you can use any GoPro mount. I prefer the frame over the underwater case in situations where the camera doesn’t have to be waterproof as the lens is not covered by an additional layer.

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera Frame Mount

Xiaomi Mijia Frame Mount

Retailer / Price Comparison

 

Filters

There are several filters available for Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera: CPL (Circular Polarizer) which is used in order to darken skies, manage reflections, or suppress glare from the surface of lakes or the sea. And there is an UV (Ultra Violett) that filters respective light. In terms of digital cameras this filter is mostly used to protect the lens. Another popular type is the ND filter, which darkens the image so the camera can use slower shutter for more cinematic videos.

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera - Filter (CPL)

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera – Filter (CPL)

Retailer / Price Comparison

 

Remote Control / Selfie Stick / Tripod

There is also a selfie stick from Xiaomi with integrated tripod and bluetooth remote controller. You can remove the controller from the stick as well. Good news, with the latest beta Firmware (0.6.14.02) you can use the YI remote controller. Available in our Facebook group.

a smartphone version of this stick is also available (different mount).

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera - Selfie Stick / Tripod / Bluetooth Remote Controller

Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera – Selfie Stick / Tripod / Bluetooth Remote Controller

 

Alternative 1: Smartphone version:
A similar selfie stick / tripod / controller is also available for smartphones. Only difference is the mount on top of the stick. The one for phones has a clamp to hold different sized phones, the one for the camera will have a 1/4″ standard tripod thread to mount the camera. The phone clamp holds the camera so you can use both devices. On the down side the touchscreen is blocked and therefore not visible and not to control. The selfie stick extends to 44 cm and is made of plastic.
Still the remote controller works with Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera and can be removed from the stick.

Short summary:

tripod included
 works with smartphone as well
screen is blocked
loose camera mount

Xiaomi Mijia Selfie Stick for Smartphones

Xiaomi Mijia Selfie Stick for Smartphones

 

Alternative 2: Yi / Firefly Selfie Stick & Remote Controller
2nd Option is to get the monopod / remote that is sold for YI technology or Firefly action cameras. The remote controller works with Xiaomi Mijia Action camera and can be attached / removed from the stick as well. It is available to by without stick. Even tough the remote offers two buttons only the shutter button works. This monopod gives you the option to easily mount the camera with the 1/4″ standard tripod mount. (You can get yourself a smartphone adapter, if you are looking for a stick for both devices). In contrast to both Xiaomi stick version, this one doesn’t have a tripod included, but you can attach one as the loop on the bottom is using a 1/4″ thread as well. Furthermore this monopod is better rugged as it is made out of metal and extends to 70 cm.

Attention! The remote currently only works with Firmware 0.6.14.02 beta! (Find out about the Firmware versions)

Short summary:

secure mount of camera
 rugged design (metal)
 touchscreen fully accessible
 no built in tripod legs

YI / Firefly Monopod & Remote Controller work with Xiaomi Mijia Action

YI / Firefly Monopod & Remote Controller work with Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera

 

Xiaomi Mijia Smartphone Selfie Stick vs YI / Firefly Monopod

Xiaomi Mijia Smartphone Selfie Stick vs YI / Firefly Monopod

Share this post:
Related Posts

Fimi (producer of Xiaomi Mijia Action Camera) released their newest camera Fimi PALM, that looks...

Xiaomi Mitu is a fun toy drone to not only take snapshot photos and videos, but also to perform air...

Feiyu G6 is their latest 3-axis, splashproof gimbal. It can control GoPro Hero6 & Hero5 via the...