How to take pictures of the starry sky on Xiaomi: the full guide 2026

Starry Sky is one of the most exciting stories for a photographer, but it seems almost impossible to shoot it on a smartphone, especially when it comes to budget or mid-budget Xiaomi models, where the camera does not always cope with the extreme conditions of night shooting. However, with the right settings, technique and little tricks, even the Redmi Note 12 or the Redmi Note is a good choice. POCO X5 can surprise with high-quality images of the Milky Way, star clusters or satellite tracks.

In this article, we will analyze not only the basic principles of astrophotography on a smartphone, but also specific firmware chips. MIUI, Hidden camera modes and accessories that will turn your Xiaomi into a near-professional tool, from location selection to post-processing, you’ll learn everything to make your night shots look like blurry spots.

Spoiler: You don't have to have a flagship like Xiaomi 14 Ultra to shoot stars. 9T or Redmi K20 Pros, if you do the right thing, will do the right thing, and the key is to understand the limitations of technology and use them to your advantage.

Why Xiaomi Smartphones Are Right for Shooting Stars (and Where to Go)

Many people think that astrophotography requires a SLR camera with expensive optics. But modern Xiaomi smartphones — especially with Snapdragon processors. 8 Gen 2/3 or Dimensity 9000+ — We can do more than we think:

• 📱 Large Matrix: Models like Xiaomi 13 pro 12S Ultra is equipped with sensors 1" or 1/1.28", They capture more light than standard ones. 1/2.55" public-sector.
• 🌙 Night modes: Night mode algorithms in MIUI Optimized for shooting in the dark, automatically reducing noise and increasing detail.
• ⚙️ Manual settings: There are hidden options in firmware to manage ISO, White balance and exposure critical for astrophotography.
• 🔭 Support RAW: Ability to save pictures in format.DNG It allows you to flexibly process photos in Lightroom or Snapseed.

But there are limitations, and even the top Xiaomis are losing out to cameras in three key ways:

⚠️ Warning: Smartphones are physically unable to shoot deep space (nebulae, galaxies) due to the lens' small focal length.

Bottom line: Xiaomi is good for wide-angle astrophotography (star fields, the Milky Way), but not for detailed pictures of the moon or planets. If you want beautiful landscapes with the sky, your smartphone will do it. If you want to shoot the Crab Nebula, you need a telescope.

Preparation for shooting: location, weather and equipment

Even the most advanced camera can’t save a shot if you’re shooting in a city with a full moon. 90% of success in astrophotography depends on preparation – and here’s what to consider:

1. Selection of location

The ideal place to shoot stars should meet three criteria:

• 🌆 Minimum illumination: Use a light pollution map (lightpollutionmap.info).Gray/blue areas (Bortle 1–3) are best suited.
• 🏔️ Open horizon: Mountains, forests or buildings should not cover the view. Especially important for the image of the Milky Way (it is visible low above the horizon).
• 🚗 Affordability: If you drive 3 hours one way, you're unlikely to be home before dawn.Find a balance between sky quality and logistics.

2.Weather and Moon phase

Check the forecast for three parameters:

• ☁️ Cloud: Even 20% of clouds will ruin the frame. Use Windy or Clear Outside.
• 🌕 Moon Phase: The Best Time is the New Moon (±With a full moon, the stars will be barely visible.
• 💨 Atmospheric turbulence: Strong winds or high humidity blur stars. Check the seeing index in astro applications.

To plan a survey of the Milky Way, use applications like PhotoPills or Stellarium to show where and when the galactic center will be visible.

Equipment (minimum set)

You don’t need a telescope, but a few things will improve the results.

• 📱 Smartphone: Any Xiaomi with manual mode (see compatibility table below).
• 🔋 Powerbank: Cold eats charge. Take 20,000 mAh for the night.
• 🎧 Remote or timer: To avoid shaking your phone when you shutter (or use headphones with a button).
• 📐 Tribute: Definitely! Even a small Joby GorillaPod is better than hand-held shooting.
• 🔦 Red flashlight: To adjust equipment without eyelight (saves night vision).

⚠️ Warning: Don't use tripods with metal parts in the cold - they will frostbite your fingers when adjusting.Plastic or carbon models are safer.

Location checked by light map|The weather is clear, the wind is weak|The moon is in or close to the new moon|Phone's 100-charged%|The trunk and remote are in the backpack.|Clothing is warm (the nights are cooler than they seem)-->

Xiaomi camera settings for shooting stars

Now, the most important thing is to set up your smartphone, and there are two ways to do this: use the built-in Night Mode or the Manual Mode, the first one is easier, the second one gives you more control.

Method 1: Night Mode (for beginners)

Algorithms MIUI night-time ISO, They extend the exposure and reduce the noise, to maximize the impact:

1. Open the Camera app → Select the Night mode (🌙).
2. Press the badge. ⚙️ (settings) and switch on: 🔄 AI-Optimization (turn off if you want natural colors). 📏 Wide angle (more sky in the frame). 🔍 Improved detail (increases star sharpness).

10-15 sec.

The advantage of the method is simplicity. The disadvantage is algorithms. MIUI They often overdo it by eating faint stars. RAW (If available, then treat them later.

Method 2: Manual Mode (Pro Mode) for Advanced

If your Xiaomi supports Pro Mode (the list of models below), use these settings:

How to set the focus manually:

1. Switch to Pro Mode.
2. Tap the screen so that the focus slider appears.
3. Move the slider to the right to the stop (the icon ∞).
4. Magnify the image 3-5 times and check that the stars have become dots (not blurred circles).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro) reset manual focus after each frame. FV-5 or ProCam X.

Shooting the Milky Way: step-by-step instructions

The Milky Way is the most desirable object for astrophotographers to capture on Xiaomi, follow this algorithm:

Step 1: Find the Galactic Center

The Milky Way is not always visible, and not everywhere. Use PhotoPills or Stellarium to determine:

• 📅 Time: March to October (in the Northern Hemisphere) from 22:00 to 4:00.
• 🧭 Direction: South (in the Northern Hemisphere) or North (in the Southern Hemisphere).
• 🌌 Height: Maximum 30-40° over-the-horizon.

Step 2: Composition of the frame

It's just boring to shoot the sky.

• 🌲 Tree/mountain silhouette: For scale and drama.
• 🏠 Architecture: Abandoned houses, lighthouses, bridges.
• 🚗 Light traces: Machine lights or flashlight (for dynamics).

The rule of thirds works here too: place the horizon on the bottom line of the grid and the Milky Way diagonally.

Step 3: Shooting and Post-processing

Use manual mode with settings from the previous section. Take 10-15 frames in a row (for subsequent addition to Sequator or StarStaX).

Processing at Lightroom:

1. Upgrad the exposure to +1.5–2.0.
2. Increase the contrast and brightness of shadows.
3. Reduce the temperature to 3500K natural-colored.
4. Add Sharpness with a mask over the stars (radius 1.0, threshold 50).

💡

If the Milky Way looks like a gray haze in the picture, try to shoot it in format. RAW and processed in AstroPanel (plugin for Lightroom) - it is specially sharpened for astrophoto.

Shooting Star Trails (Star Trails)

Star tracks are the trail of Earth's rotation, which is produced by prolonged exposure, and it's harder to take this picture on a smartphone than on a camera, but it's possible.

Method 1: One long frame (for flagships)

Some Xiaomi models (like the 13 Ultra) support shutter speeds of up to 32 seconds in manual mode.

1. Install. ISO 100-200 (to minimize noise).
2. Set the shutter speed 30 seconds.
3. Take 50–100 frames in a row at 1 sec intervals (use the Intervalometer app).
4. Put the footage in StarStaX (Lighten mode).

Method 2: Multiple short frames (universally)

If your Xiaomi can’t take long to shoot:

1. Take a series of frames with a shutter speed of 10-15 seconds and an interval of 1 sec.
2. Use StarStaX or Sequator to combine.
3. In addition settings, select Gap Filling to remove the gaps between tracks.

Example of settings for Redmi K50 Pro:

Mode: Pro Mode


ISO: 800




Exposure: 15 seconds




Focus: Manual (∞)




White balance: 3800K




Format: RAW + JPEG




Interval between frames: 1 sec




Number of personnel: 60-120

⚠️ Warning: When shooting star tracks, turn off autosleep mode in Xiaomi settings (Settings) → Display. → Sleeping mode. → Never, otherwise the screen will go out and the shooting will be interrupted.

💡

For star tracks, it's critical that the phone doesn't move a millimeter. Even a light wind can move a tripod. Use a weighting device (e.g., hang your backpack on a tripod hook).

Photographing the Moon and Planets: Is It Possible on Xiaomi?

The moon and planets (Jupiter, Saturn) are complex objects for a smartphone because of their brightness and small size, but with some tricks you can get an acceptable result.

Luna

Problems when shooting the moon on Xiaomi:

• 🌕 Too bright – the camera will overtake the frame.
• 🔍 Small size – maximum increase is required.
• 📸 Autofocus can't handle contrast.

Decision:

1. Use a telephoto lens (if any). For example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a 5x zoom.
2. Install. ISO 100 and endurance 1/200–1/500 sack.
3. Take it off. RAW Reduce exposure by -2.0 in Lightroom.
4. For more magnification, use digital zoom (up to a maximum of two). 10x), Be prepared to lose quality.

Planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Venus)

Here, Xiaomi is almost powerless -- the planets are too small and dim.

• 🔭 Telescope + Smartphone: Put the telescope lens to the camera (use an adapter).
• 📹 Video instead of photo: Take a video of the planet in 4K, Then choose the best shot in PIPP.
• 🖥️ Post-processing: Increase sharpness in RegiStax (a program for adding planetary images).

Example of shooting Jupiter on Xiaomi 12 Pro + telescope 70mm:

Mode: 4K 30fps video


Focus: Manual (via adapter)




ISO: 400




Shutter speed: 1/30 sec




Processing: 1000 frames stacked in RegiStax

💡

To shoot the moon in the daytime (for example, a sickle above the horizon), use a solar filter on the lens - this will prevent overexposure and protect the matrix.

Applications for astrophotography on Xiaomi

Standard appendix Camera in MIUI For serious star photography, install one of these apps:

For planning the survey:

• 🗺️ PhotoPills – calculation of the position of the Milky Way, the Moon, meteor showers.
• 🌌 Stellarium Mobile – interactive map of the starry sky.
• ☁️ Windy – Cloudiness and Turbulence Forecast.

For post-processing:

• 📷 Lightroom Mobile – exposure correction, color, noise reduction.
• ⭐ StarStaX - the addition of star tracks.
• 🌠 Sequator – Noise removal and detail improvement.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Camera) FV-5) require unlocking the bootloader on Xiaomi for full access to the camera.This voids the warranty and can lead to a brick device.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced photographers make mistakes when shooting stars on a smartphone.

• 📵 Shooting from hands: Without a tripod exposure over 1/10 Use the tools you can use (e.g. folded books).
• 🌡️ Overheating phone: Pro Mode long shooting heats up the processor. pause or cool the phone (don't put it in the fridge!).
• 🔋 Battery discharge: Cold eats charge 2-3 times faster.Take powerbank with Quick Charge support.
• 📸 Automobile-ISO: The camera will oversensitize, and the picture will be noisy. ISO manually.
• 🌃 Shooting in the city: Even if the sky seems dark, the light will spoil the frame.

Another common problem is lens condensation, and when you shoot in cold weather, the warm phone gets foggy.

• Before shooting, put the phone in a silica gel bag for 10 minutes.
• Use fog wipes for optics.
• Don't breathe on the screen and the lens.

If the stars in the picture are not made by dots, but by “crosses” or “comas”, the problem is:

• 🔍 Incorrect focus (set manually).
• 🌪️ Atmospheric turbulence (shooting in windy weather).
• 📱 Dirty lens (wipe with microfiber).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions