How to take pictures of the starry sky on a Xiaomi smartphone: a complete guide from preparation to post-processing

Starry sky is fascinating, but capturing it on a smartphone is not an easy task. Even Xiaomi’s flagship models require the right settings and preparation to get clear pictures of the Milky Way or traces of stars. In this article, we will explain how to make the most of the camera capabilities of your Redmi, POCO Mi for astrophotography without professional equipment.

The main problem with the night sky on smartphones is noise and blur, because the arrays of mobile devices are much smaller than those of SLR cameras, which means they lack the light to make a good shot, but modern processing algorithms (such as Night Mode or Pro Mode) can compensate for this disadvantage, the main thing is to know what parameters to set and how to minimize the tremors of the hands.

We tested several Xiaomi models, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and found universal settings that work even on mid-range devices, you will learn how to choose the right time and place to shoot, which apps will help in setting up, and how to process the pictures to make them look professional. And if you have an old model without manual mode, no problem: we will suggest workarounds.

1.What Xiaomi models are suitable for shooting the starry sky?

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally good at astrophotography, but key factors that influence the result are:

• 📱 Matrix size: The larger the physical size of the sensor (e.g, 1/1.28" Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs. 1/2.76" Redmi 10), The more light it picks up.
• 🔍 The light of the lens: Optimal value — f/1.9 and below, for example, f/1.6 bal POCO F5 Pro).
• 🎛️ Manual mode (Pro Mode): Without it, shooting stars is almost impossible.
• 🔋 Support RAW: Format.DNG Flexibly adjust exposure during post-processing.

The table below is a ranking of Xiaomi models by suitability for astrophotography (from best to worst):

If your model didn't make it to the table, check its specifications on the official Xiaomi website, the main thing is the presence of manual mode and at least the average size of the matrix. 11 Pro with matrix 1/1.52" light-powered f/1.8 It can produce acceptable results with the right settings.

⚠️ Note: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) A1 or POCO M4) shooting the starry sky without additional accessories (station, external lens) is almost impossible due to the weak matrix and the lack of manual settings.

Preparation for shooting: time, place and equipment

Even the most advanced smartphone will not save the shooting if you choose the wrong conditions.

• 🌌 Lunar Phase: It is best to take pictures on a new moon or when the moon is below the horizon. Check the phases of the moon in applications like PhotoPills or Star Walk 2.
• 🏔️ Light pollution level: Use the Light Pollution Map to find places with minimal light exposure (colors from gray to black).
• 🌡️ Weather: Cloudy and humidity spoil the shot. Check the forecast on Windy or Clear Outside.
• ⏱️ Time of day: The best time is from 23:00 to 4:00, when the sky is darkest.

Equipment that will be useful:

• 📸 Tripod: Mandatory for long exposures. even a budget Xiaomi Mi Tripod or a homemade book holder will do.
• 🔋 Power Bank: Cold quickly puts the battery down, and shooting in Pro Mode consumes more charge.
• 🔍 External lens: For example, Xiaomi Lens 2x Telephoto or wide-angle Aukey Ora to capture a larger area of the sky.
• 📱 Remote or timer: To avoid shaking when you press the down button, use a 2–3 second delay as a last resort.

⚠️ Warning: If you shoot in winter, your smartphone battery may shut down at temperatures below -10°C. Keep the device closer to your body or use chemical heating pads.

Before you go to the shooting, check:

Make sure the battery is 100 times charged%|

Clean the lens of dust and prints |

Disable autofocus and stabilization in camera settings|

Install an app to search for stars (e.g. SkyView)|

Bring a red light with you (does not blind your eyes)-->

3. Xiaomi camera settings for shooting stars

Moving on to the most important thing, the camera setup, we'll use the Manual Mode, because the Night Mode is not suitable for shooting stars (it blurs point lights).

Open the standard Camera app, go to More → Pro (or Professional) and set the following parameters:

• 📷 Focus: Put it in mode MF (manual focus and set the value to infinity (∞). On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) You need to manually move the slider to the right.
• ⏱️ Shutter speed: Start with 15-20 seconds. If the stars are too bright (overlight), reduce to 10 seconds. If dim, increase to 30 seconds (maximum for most Xiaomi).
• 🌟 ISO: Optimal range: 1600-6,400. Start with 3200 and adjust to the result. High. ISO It adds noise, but without it, the stars will barely be visible.
• 🔘 White Balance: Set 4000–5000K (Or you can pre-set the incandescent lamp, and the autobalance will give you unnatural colors.
• 📏 Resolution: Always shoot at maximum resolution (e.g, 8000×6000 Xiaomi 13 Ultra).
• 🖼️ Format: If you have the opportunity, choose RAW (DNG). It saves more parts for post-processing.

Example of settings for Xiaomi 13 Pro on a clear night:

Mode: Pro Mode


Focus: MF (∞)




Exposure: 20 seconds




ISO: 3200




White balance: 4500K




Format: RAW + JPEG




Permission: 50 MP

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 11) when the camera is more than 30 seconds, the camera automatically switches to Star Trails mode.

If your smartphone does not support shutter speeds longer than 4 seconds (like on some budget devices). POCO), Use third-party applications:

• 📱 Camera FV-5 (The paid version unlocks shutter speeds up to 60 s).
• 📸 ProCam X (Long Exposure Mode).
• 🌌 AstroCamera (specialized astrophotography application).

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If green or purple artifacts appear in the pictures, reduce ISO Up to 1600 and increase the shutter speed, which is a sign of overheating or heavy noise.

4. Photography of the Milky Way and stellar footprints

The technique of shooting depends on what kind of frame you want to get:

🌌 Milky Way

For the galaxy view:

1. Find a bright band of the Milky Way in the sky (use Star Walk 2 for orientation).
2. Set the focus on infinity and take a test shot with a shutter speed of 15 seconds and ISO 3200.
3. If the galaxy is barely visible, zoom in. ISO up to 6400 or exposure to 25 s.
4. Shoot 10-15 frames with the same settings for subsequent stacking in Sequator or StarStaX.

⭐ Traces of the Stars (Star Trails)

To create the effect of rotation of stars around the Polar:

1. Point the camera at the North Star (find it in SkyView).
2. Set shutter speed to maximum (for example, 30 seconds on Xiaomi).
3. Shoot a series of 50-100 frames at intervals of 1-2 seconds (use the Intervalometer in Camera) FV-5).
4. Process the series in StarStaX (Lighten mode).

Critical detail: to capture the star tracks, the tripod must be perfectly fixed, and even a minimal shift between frames will spoil the final result.

5. Image processing: from RAW before the final result

Raw images of the sky tend to look dull and noisy, and to unlock their potential, it will require processing, and we'll look at two options: on a smartphone and on a PC.

📱 Handling on the phone (Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed)

Steps for Adobe Lightroom:

1. Import. RAW-file and go into editing mode.
2. Increase the exposure to +1.5–2.5 EV.
3. Increase the contrast to +30 and clarity to +20.
4. Reduce the dark tones by -30 for details.
5. In the Details section, reduce the noise to 20-30.
6. Color adjustment: increase the saturation of blue and purple on +15.

💻 Processing on PC (Lightroom Classic, Photoshop)

For more in-depth processing:

1. Open up. RAW in Lightroom and use Preset Astrophotography (you can download free on PresetLove).
2. Manually adjust the curve of tones, raising the average tones.
3. Use a sky mask to selectively increase exposure.
4. In Photoshop, use the Reduce Noise filter. → Noise).
5. To remove light pollution, use the AstroFlat Pro plugin.

Example settings in Lightroom for a picture of the Milky Way:

Exposure: +2.10


Contrast: +35




Clarity: +25




Shadows: -20




Black dot: +10




Temperature: 4200K




Saturation: +15 (for blue only)




Noise suppression: 25 (lumination), 10 (color)

If you have been shooting a series of frames for addition (stacking), use:

• 🖥️ Sequator (Windows, free) – for adding stellar footprints.
• 🖥️ DeepSkyStacker (for deep skies, requires skills).
• 📱 StarStaX (Android/iOS) — mobile-processing.

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Shooting in RAW And the subsequent addition of frames can improve the quality of the image by 30-50%, reducing noise and showing faint stars.

6 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced photographers sometimes make mistakes when shooting the stars, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🌫️ Blurred stars: The reason is too long shutter speed or camera jitter. Solution: use the rule 500 (maximum exposure = 500 / focal length, for example, for the lens 24 mm: 500 / 24 ≈ 20 seconds.
• 🟢 Green noise: Occurs at high altitude ISO on some Sony matrices IMX. Solution: Lower down ISO up to 3200 and increase shutter speed.
• 🌑 Overlight from the moon: The moon lightens the sky, hiding the stars. Solution: film in the new moon phase or point the camera in the opposite direction from the moon.
• 📵 Autofocus works in the foreground: The camera focuses on trees or buildings instead of stars. Solution: Put the focus in manual mode and set to infinity.
• 🔋 Fast battery drain: Cold and long shutter speeds put the battery down.Solution: use external power bank and phone heating pads.

Another common problem is light pollution, and even in suburban areas, lighting from cities can spoil the frame, to minimize the impact of light pollution.

• Take a picture in the opposite direction to the city.
• Use a light filter (like Kase Wolverine) if it’s compatible with your smartphone.
• In post-processing, apply color correction to remove the orange hue.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11) may overheat when shooting in Pro Mode for a long time. If the screen shows a warning about overheating, take a break for 5-10 minutes.

7. Alternative methods: shooting through a telescope or binoculars

If you want to get more detailed images of the moon, planets or nebulae, you can use a Xiaomi smartphone paired with an optical device.

• 🔭 Telescope or binoculars (e.g. Celestron PowerSeeker).
• 📱 Smartphone adapter (e.g. Xiaomi Telescope Adapter or Universal Svbony).
• 🎯 Photography app: Camera FV-5 Or ProCamera with manual settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Fix your smartphone in the adapter and combine the camera lens with the eyepiece of the telescope.
2. Manually focus the telescope on an object (such as the moon).
3. In the camera app, set: Focus: MF (∞) Excerpt: 1/50–1/200 c) ISO: 100–400

PIPP

Example of settings for shooting the moon through the telescope Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ:

Mode: Video 4K


Focus: Manual (∞)




Shutter speed: 1/100 s




ISO: 200




White Balance: Daylight

⚠️ Attention: When shooting through a telescope, even the slightest vibration is amplified by a dozen times. Use a remote control or a delay timer for descent.

8.Astrophotos for astrophotos on Xiaomi

The standard camera app from Xiaomi is suitable for basic shooting, but for advanced tasks it is better to use specialized programs.-5 astrophotography:

For planning the shooting will also be useful:

• 🗺️ PhotoPills – calculation of the time of rising of the Milky Way, the position of the moon.
• 🌠 Star Walk 2 – an interactive map of the sky in real time.
• 🌦️ Clear Outside: Cloud forecast for astronomers.

If you are serious about astrophotography, consider buying Xiaomi Mi. CC9 Pro (108 MP, matrix 1/1.33") Xiaomi 14 Ultra (aperture) f/1.6–f/4.0). These models give the best results among smartphones thanks to large matrices and aperture lenses.

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For shooting star landscapes (stars) + land) use the Camera app FV-5 with a wide angle focal length setting (24-28 mm) to help capture more sky and foreground.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shooting the starry sky on Xiaomi