Many budget smartphone owners mistakenly believe that high-quality night shooting is only available to flagships with huge sensors. However, the Xiaomi Redmi 8, with a module of 13 megapixels, is able to capture the details of the night light if you approach the process wisely. The built-in image processing algorithm MIUI Camera has hidden potential, which is revealed when you use manual settings correctly.
The main problem with the moon is the huge difference in brightness between the hot moon and the dark sky. Automatic smartphone mode often tries to pull light out of the darkness, turning the moon into a white spot with no details. To avoid this, you will have to take control of the exposure in your own hands, ignoring standard shooting scenarios.
In this article, we will examine not only the camera settings, but also physical preparation for shooting, the use of third-party software and post-processing methods that will turn a blurry circle into a clear shot with visible craters.
Preparation of equipment and timing
The first and most critical step is to ensure the device is still. Xiaomi Redmi 8 does not have optical stabilization (OIS), so any shaking of the hands during prolonged exposure will lead to lubrication of the frame. You will definitely need a tripod or stable support on which to lean the phone.
The perfect moment is the phase of the moon rising or waning, when you see clear boundaries of light and shadows that emphasize the relief of the surface, and when the full moon contrast is minimal, and the picture will be flat, devoid of volume.
⚠️ Warning: Never attempt to photograph the moon through a telephoto lens attached to a smartphone camera unless it has a rigid mount. The slightest shift in the lens will make the frame unusable and the risk of scratching the main lens is too great.
Clean the camera lens before you start shooting. Fat fingerprints create a halo around bright light sources, which in the case of the Moon will completely destroy the detail of the edges of the disk. Use microfiber to wipe the glass.
Setup of the built-in camera: Manual mode
The MIUI camera's regular app provides access to professional settings hidden in the "More" menu, and you need to find the PRO or "Manual Mode" icon, which is where the keys to success lie, because the smartphone's automation is not designed for astrophotography.
In manual mode, you'll have to adjust three basic parameters. First, turn off autofocus and put the lens into macro or infinity mode, although for the Moon, Redmi 8 often has a better manual focus, twisted to maximum. Then set the minimum possible ISO value, usually ISO 50 or ISO 100. This is critical for reducing digital noise.
The hardest thing is shutter speed. Because the moon is so bright, shutter speeds should be short, on the order of 1/100 or 1/200 of a second. If you put it longer, it will turn into an overlit spot. Experiment with this value until the preview screen shows dark spots of the seas.
☑️ Checklist settings PRO-regime
Use a timer or voice control to pull the shutter down. Pressing your finger on the screen even through the interface creates a microvibration that will smear the frame. Voice command "Snapshot" or "Cheese" allows you to start the process without touching the body.
Use of third-party applications (Google Camera and Manual Camera)
If stock camera capabilities aren’t enough, Google Camera ports (GCam) come to the rescue. For Redmi 8 (Snapdragon 439), there are optimized versions that significantly improve dynamic range and noise reduction (NR) algorithms.
The alternative is Manual Camera: RAW. It allows you to save images in DNG (RAW) format, which contains raw data from the matrix, which gives a huge advantage in subsequent processing, allowing you to pull details from the shadows without JPEG compression artifacts.
When using third-party software, it’s important to check your model’s support. Not all features, such as peak focus or histogram, can work properly on budget sensors. However, even basic exposure control in such applications is often more flexible than in MIUI.
Where to download the stable version of GCam for Redmi 8?
Remember that third-party apps can consume more battery life. Make sure the device is at least 40% charge before starting a long photo shoot, especially if you plan to take a series of photos.
Shooting Techniques: Zoom and Stabilization
Many users make the mistake of using a 2x or 4x digital zoom before setting up the settings. Digital zoom on Redmi 8 is just a crop of the matrix. Better to take a picture on the main camera with maximum resolution, and then crop it in the editor, saving more detail.
If you do use zoom, try not to go over 2x zoom. On a larger scale, pixelation becomes critical, and no software interpolation will return the lost clarity. The quality of the smartphone's optics physically limits the approximation possibilities.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Influence on frame |
|---|---|---|
| ISO | 50 - 100 | Reduces noise, makes the background black |
| Excerpt. | 1/100 - 1/400 sec | Freezes traffic, removes light. |
| Focus | Infinity / Max | Makes the edges of the disc clear |
| White balance | 4500K - 5000K | Removes yellow/blue shade |
Image stabilization in Redmi 8 is electronic (EIS) and when shooting static objects from a tripod it is better to turn it off. EIS can make micro-shifts of the frame, trying to compensate for the non-existent jitter, which will lead to blurring.
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Try using Burst mode by pressing the shutter button. 20-30 At least one of the frames can be perfectly sharp, as the microvibrations of wind or earth are random.
Post-processing: How to manifest craters
The resulting image is just raw material. To see craters, you need to apply contrast. In any editor (Snapseed, Lightroom Mobile), increase the Contrast and Structure or Clarity settings.
Be sure to work with exposure. You'll likely have to dim the lights to return the surface texture, and lower the common shadows to make the sky appear deep black rather than gray noise.
Use Sharpening with caution. Excessive sharpening will create artifacts around the edges of the lunar disk. You'd better apply local sharpening to the area of the moon itself.
Typical errors and their solution
The most common mistake is shooting through window glass, and the glass scatters light and adds glare, making astrophotography impossible. Always go out into the open air or onto the balcony with the window open.
The second mistake is ignoring the temperature, and if you're shooting in winter, condensation can instantly cover a cold lens with warm breath or moist air, and let the phone lie in the case for 5-10 minutes to acclimatize.
⚠️ Warning: Don't use flash! Built-in LED-The flash on Redmi 8 is not only useless for shooting objects 384,000 km away, but can also illuminate the lens with reflected light from hands or clothes, spoiling the frame.
Also avoid shooting when the moon is low above the horizon.Atmospheric distortion and dense layers of air will make the image shaking and blurry, regardless of the camera settings.
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The main secret of success is not megapixels, but the minimum ISO, short shutter speed and absolute immobility of the smartphone at the time of shutter descent.