Many Xiaomi smartphone owners mistakenly believe that high-quality astrophotography requires an expensive SLR camera, but the current flagship and even mid-budget models of the Chinese brand are equipped with sensors that can capture the beauty of the night sky.
The secret lies not only in the hardware, but also in the software processing offered by the shell MIUI or HyperOS. Built-in mode “Night vision” and manual settings allow you to turn a regular frame into a masterpiece.
In this article, we will explore the technical nuances of preparing a gadget, choosing a location and adjusting the exposure correctly. You will learn to take pictures that previously seemed impossible for mobile photography.
Selection of suitable equipment and preparation
The first step to success will be to choose the right device. Older single-camera models may not be able to cope with the task due to the small amount of light that enters the matrix. The best choice will be the Xiaomi 13 Ultra series, Xiaomi 14 Pro or the more affordable latest generation Redmi Note with support for night modes.
A critical element for shooting stars is stabilization. Because the shutter speed will be 10 to 30 seconds, you can't hold your phone in your hands -- you can't have lubrication. Use a compact tripod or securely enclose the device against a stationary object, a rock, a parapet or a sandbag.
You also need to take care of energy saving. RAW-Files and low temperature sensors quickly land the battery. Charge the battery to 100% before exiting and, if possible, take an external power bank, although with active flight mode, the consumption will be minimal.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use the built-in flash when trying to capture the sky. It will only light up the dust in front of the lens and completely spoil the exposure of the frame, making the stars invisible.
To protect the optics from fogging in the cold season, it is recommended to warm up the phone in your pocket before shooting, and wipe the lens cloth before shooting. Fat spots from the fingers in the counterlight of the stars will create unpleasant glare.
Finding the perfect location and time
City lighting is the astrophotographer's biggest enemy, and even the most powerful sensor can't get through the light pollution of a metropolis. 15-20 The miles where the sky looks really dark.
Use specialized light pollution maps available as web services or apps, look for areas with Bortle class 4 or below, and consider the phase of the moon: the ideal option is a new moon or days when the satellite is below the horizon.
The season also plays a role. In the northern hemisphere, the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way, is best seen in the summer months, and in winter, you can focus on the bright constellations and the North Star.
Check the weather forecast. Clouds should be completely absent, but high humidity can lead to dew on the lens. Dry and frosty air often gives a clearer picture than a warm summer night.
Camera setup: Long Exposure mode
In the standard Camera app on Xiaomi smartphones, there is a special mode, often called Night Sky or Long Exposure, which is designed for our task: switch the mode wheel to the right end or select More to find the desired item.
Once you select the mode, a timer and a grid will appear on the screen, and the phone will suggest setting it to a flat surface, and tap the settings icon (three dots or a gear) to access additional settings.
You can activate the grid mapping to align the horizon, and this is an important point: the blocky horizon in the starry sky is immediately striking and spoils the impression, and you should also turn off live photos and beauty filters, which can add noise.
☑️ Checking before the shutter is released
Some models allow you to manually choose the exposure duration. If the automation offers 4 seconds and the stars are barely visible, try to increase the time to 8 or 16 seconds, but watch for noise.
Manual settings: PRO mode
For those who want to gain full control of the process, the manual PRO mode is designed to ignore the artificial intelligence algorithms that sometimes “strangle” stars, mistaking them for noise.
In this mode, you have to adjust three basic parameters. The first is focus. Switch MF (Manual Focus) and slide into infinity. This is usually the far right position, but it's better to do a little backsliding so that the stars become clear points, not blurred circles.
The second is shutter speed (S or Shutter), set the value in the range of 10 to 30 seconds. Remember that when you shut down for more than 25 seconds, because of the rotation of the Earth, stars can turn into short tracks, which is not always the desired effect.
The third is ISO sensitivity. Don't set the maximum value, otherwise the photo will be in the snow. The optimal range for modern Xiaomi sensors is from 800 to 1600 units. Try to take a test frame at ISO 1000 and evaluate the result.
⚠️ Attention: When using the mode PRO Turn off image stabilization if the phone is on a tripod. Mechanical or electronic stabilization may try to compensate for non-existent movement and lubricate the frame.
The best save format is RAW if your model supports this function manually, which will give you a huge amount of dynamic range for later processing.
Comparison of surveying modes
Understanding the differences between automatic night mode and manual control will help you choose the right strategy in the field. Automation is good for fast shooting, but manual settings give predictable results.
| Parameter | Automatic Mode (Night) | Manual mode (PRO) | Long Exposure Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO control | Automatic. | Full handheld | Partial |
| Excerpt. | Algorithmic (Series of frames) | Fixed by the user | Long-term (up to 30c) |
| Processing | Aggressive noise cancellation | Minimum | Specialized |
| Format | JPG / HEIF | RAW / DNG | JPG |
As you can see from the table, PRO mode provides the most flexibility, but requires knowledge. Automotive mode often glues multiple frames with different exposures, which can lead to artifacts around bright stars.
Xiaomi’s Long Exposure mode is often hybrid: it does long shutter speeds and imposes software noise cancellation.
Why do stars sometimes look colorful?
Image processing and editing
Right after you take a photo, it can look dark or noisy. That's OK. A raw file requires a development. Xiaomi's built-in gallery editor has the basic tools, but for serious work, you'd better use Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed.
First, adjust the exposure and contrast. Raise the shadows a little bit to show the foreground details if you have them. Be careful with the brightness: too high will make the sky gray.
The key is to work with color and noise, increase saturation and vibration in blue and purple, and the Noise Reduction tool will help to remove graininess, but don't overdo it to keep the details of the stars.
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Use the Curves feature in the editor to make the black color deeper. Lower the left point of the curve a little lower, this will give the sky a noble depth.
If you're filming in RAW, You can adjust the white balance precisely. For the night sky, it's often about 3500-4000 Calvins, which emphasizes the cold glow of stars.
Frequent mistakes and their solution
Even experienced users make mistakes on the first try, the most common is the phone shaking when you press the down button. Always use a delay timer (3 or 5 seconds) or voice.