Photographing Stars on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide for Beginner Astrophotographers

Starry skies have always fascinated humanity, but to capture its beauty, used to require an expensive SLR camera. Today, even Xiaomi's budget smartphones (including the Redmi line and the Redmi line). POCO) We can take spectacular pictures of the Milky Way, constellations and even meteors, provided you have the right settings and techniques. In this article, we will look at everything from phone prep to post-processing, so that your nightly photos are as good as those from professional equipment.

The secret to successful smartphone astrophotography is the combination of a manual camera mode, long exposure and proper focus on infinity. Even flagship models like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ They can't automatically take the perfect shot, because it's important to understand the physics of light and the capabilities of your device. POCO X5 before 11T Pro) and revealed universal techniques that work even on budget devices.

You will learn what Xiaomi camera settings to use to shoot stars, what applications will help in post-processing, and how to avoid typical errors (blurring, noise, overlight — FAQ answering frequent questions and the table of compatibility of models with Pro mode.

1.Preparation of the phone: what to do before shooting

Before you go out, make sure your Xiaomi is ready for nighttime shooting.

• 🔋 At least 80% charge, long exposure and cold quickly drain the battery. Use the power saving mode, but turn it off for the camera.
• 📱 Clean the lens. Even microscopic specks of dust on the lens can create glare when shooting point lights (stars.
• 📁 Free your memory. Photos in format RAW It takes up to 50MB each. Delete unnecessary files or insert a memory card.
• 🌡️ Check the temperature. -5°C some models (e.g. Redmi Note) 12) They can automatically turn off the camera. Use a heated case or a heating pad.

Pay special attention to firmware updates. MIUI (starting MIUI 14) improved noise reduction algorithm for night shooting to test the relevance of the software:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If a new version is available, install it and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: After the update, reset the camera settings to factory (Camera Settings) → Restore default settings. This will eliminate possible bugs in manual mode.

2. Application selection: Standard camera vs. third-party programs

The standard Camera app on Xiaomi has a Pro (or Manual) mode that is suitable for shooting stars, but it has limitations:

*Requires root rights or special configs for Xiaomi.

For most users, the best choice is the GCam with a config for Xiaomi, a modified version of Google's camera that reveals the module's hidden capabilities. 4PDA or XDA-Developers (look for a version for your model:

• 📸 Extended shutter speed up to 4 minutes (maximum 32 seconds in a standard camera).
• 🌌 Astrophotography mode (automatic processing for the starry sky).
• 🔍 Best noise reduction without loss of details.

If you prefer a standard camera, make sure that the settings include:

Camera settings → Additional → Save RAW-files (ON)


Camera settings → Modes → Professional Mode (ON)

⚠️ Note: When using GCam, turn off HDR+ in the application settings - it adds artifacts at long exposures.

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Before installing GCam, check the compatibility of your model on the Celso Azevedo website. Some configs require additional settings in the file. config.xml.

3. camera settings for shooting stars: step-by-step instructions

So, to the most important thing, we're going to use the manual mode (Pro) because the automation won't be able to handle low light.

• 📷 Focus: Manually set to infinity (slider to the right, POCO F5) You need to first aim at a distant object (lantern, tree) and fix the focus.
• ⏱️ Shutter speed: 20-30 seconds. Start at 20 seconds and zoom in if the stars are too dim.
• 🌓 ISO: 1600-3200. The higher. ISO, The brighter the frame, but the noise is more. On the Xiaomi 13 Pro you can raise to 6400.
• 🔘 White balance: 4,000–5000K (Auto-balance will add yellowness.
• 📏 Resolution: Maximum (e.g. 48 MP on Redmi Note 12 Pro)+).

For models with optical stabilization (OIS) Xiaomi 12S Ultra can be tried by shuttering before 1 I'm not going to use a tripod for a minute, but I'd rather use it. OIS No - maximum exposure without blurring: 1/focal_length (for example 24-mm lens - no more 20 sack).

Setting the focus on infinity|Selecting the shutter speed 20-30 sack|Install ISO 1600-3200|Turn off the flash and HDR|Activate the regime RAW (if)-->

When filming in RAW It's fine to have a dull frame, and you add brightness and contrast to the post-processing. JPEG, Turn on night mode in a standard camera, but shutter speed will be limited to 10 seconds.

4. Shooting technique: how to avoid blurring and noise

Even with the right camera settings, you can spoil the shot due to hand tremors or external factors.

• 📱 Use a tripod. Even micro-movement of the hands at long exposure will lead to blurring. Any tripod with a smartphone adapter will do (for example, Xiaomi Mi Portable Tripod).
• ⏳ Delay descent or remote. In the camera settings, enable a delay of 2-10 seconds or use a Bluetooth remote (for example, Xiaomi Bluetooth Remote).
• 🌬️ Avoid the wind. Even a light wind can move the phone on a tripod. attach a load to the tripod (for example, a backpack).
• 🌡️ Control the temperature. -10°C matrix can "noise".Greet the phone in your pocket between frames.

If there is no tripod, put the phone on a stable surface (stone, roof of the car) and use serial shooting mode with a shutter speed of 5-10 seconds. Out of 10 frames, at least 1-2 will be clear.

To shoot the Milky Way or star tracks (luminous lines from the rotation of the Earth) will require special techniques:

• 🌌 Milky Way: Use a shutter speed of 20-25 seconds, ISO 3200-6,400 and a wide-angle lens (if any) are taken between March and October, when the galaxy is visible in the night sky.
• 🌀 Star Tracks: Set shutter speeds for 30 to 60 seconds and make a series of 50-100 frames. Then combine them in the program StarStaX (free for PC).

⚠️ Warning: When shooting star tracks, turn off the screen auto-turn in your phone settings, otherwise the session will be interrupted. → Display. → Sleeping mode. → Never.

5 Post-processing: how to "manifest" the stars in photos

Raw images of the sky always look dull, which is normal, and the task of post-processing is to reveal details without adding noise.

The basic processing algorithm in Lightroom Mobile:

1. Open the RAW- file in Lightroom.
2. Increase the exposure to +1.5–2.5 EV.
3. Increase the contrast to +30–50.
4. Reduce the temperature to 3,500–4500K (cold-colored).
5. In the Details section add sharpness (+40–60) and reduce noise reduction (to 20-30 to avoid lubricating stars).
6. In the Curves, raise the top of the chart (light tones) to work out the Milky Way.

To remove noise without losing details, use the cloaking in Lightroom:

1. Select the sky with a mask (tool highlight by color).
2. Apply noise reduction only to the selected area (a value of 30–50).

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Always keep the original RAW-file! JPEG After processing will not allow you to make additional edits without loss of quality.

6. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced photographers have trouble shooting stars on their smartphones, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

• ❌ Blurred stars: Too long shutter speed without a tripod or wrong focus Solution: Reduce shutter speed to 15 seconds and check infinity focus.
• ❌ Green/Violet Spots: Artifacts of the Matrix at High ISO. Solution: Lower down ISO 1600 and take a few frames for later addition in StarStaX.
• ❌ Too dark: Insufficient exposure Solution: Increase shutter speed to 30 seconds or use light pollution (e.g., flashlight in the frame).
• ❌ Stars in the form of dashes: Misalignment of the phone during shooting. Solution: use a tripod and remote control or timer.
• ❌ Too much noise: High ISO + Solution: Take a series of shots from the ISO 1600 and fold them into Sequator (free PC software).

If there is a glare or light in the photos, check:

• Are there any lights (lights, cars) nearby?
• Clean lens (dust and fingerprints create glare).
• Does the moon (the moon) not appear in the frame?

To check the quality of frames, use the histogram in the camera application. The optimal distribution is a peak in the middle without "trimming" on the right (per-light) or left (under-light).

7.The best Xiaomi models for astrophotography in 2026

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally good at shooting stars, and we tested several models and ranked them according to the following criteria:

• 📸 Matrix quality in low light conditions.
• ⏱️ Maximum shutter speed in manual mode.
• 🔍 Availability of optical stabilization (OIS).
• 🌌 Support for Astrophotography in GCam.

* With modified GCam and root rights.

For budget models (e.g. Redmi 12 or POCO M6 Pro) shooting stars is possible, but it will require more post-processing effort. RAW Short maximum exposure (up to 10 seconds).

If you plan to seriously engage in astrophotography, pay attention to the Xiaomi 14 Ultra – its Sony matrix IMX989 with pixels of 1.6 microns perfectly captures the faint light of stars, and optical stabilization allows you to shoot with your hands at exposure up to 1 second.

8 Additional equipment: which will help to improve staffing

Although Xiaomi’s smartphone is able to shoot stars out of the box, a few inexpensive accessories will significantly improve the result:

• 📸 Tripod: Required for exposure of more than 10 seconds.We recommend Xiaomi Mi Portable Tripod (1500 rubles) or Ulanzi MT-08 (2500 RUB) with flexible legs.
• 🔭 Telephoto: To shoot the moon or planets fit nozzle Xiaomi Lens 2x Optical Zoom (compatible with Mi 11 Ultra, 12S Ultra).
• ⚡ Power Bank: Cold and long shooting quickly drain the battery.Take a 10,000mAh power bank (e.g. Xiaomi Redmi) 10000mAh).
• 🎯 Laser pointer: Helps to target constellations more accurately. Any green pointer (visible up to 1 km) will do).
• 🌡️ Thermocase: If you shoot in winter, use a heated cover (e.g., Zendure Passport).

To capture deep space (nebula, galaxy) will require:

• 🔭 Telescope adapter (for example, Celestron NexYZ for smartphones).
• 📡 Equatorial mounting (to compensate for the rotation of the Earth).
• 🖥️ Laptop to control shooting through DSLR Controller (requires) OTG-cable).

For beginner astrophotographers, we recommend starting with a tripod and GCam, and then investing in additional equipment.

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Even with a minimum set (smartphone) + tripod) you can take impressive pictures of the Milky Way, if you choose the right place and time of shooting.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions