How to take a picture of the moon at night on Xiaomi: the secrets of clear pictures

Photographing the moon on a smartphone is a task that seems easy only at first glance. Night shots of a celestial body are often blurred, overlit or too dark, especially if you use automatic mode. Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, Poco and Mi models) have powerful cameras, but shooting the moon requires proper settings and accounting for the features of night photography.

In this article, we will learn how to maximize the detail of the moon in a photo, avoid noise and get a picture that is not ashamed to publish on social networks. You will learn which Xiaomi models are best suited for astrophotography, how to use manual mode (Pro Mode), and why sometimes you should abandon digital zoom in favor of external accessories.

Important: even if you have a budget model, you have a chance of success, but you have to follow the proven techniques. Let's start with preparation!

What Xiaomi smartphones are best for shooting the moon

Not all Xiaomi devices are equally good at nighttime moon photography, key factors include size of the matrix, support for manual mode (Pro Mode) and the presence of a telephoto lens (optical zoom).

📱 Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a flagship with Sony's 1-inch array IMX989 and 5x optical zoom. Perfect for crater detail.
📱 Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a predecessor with a similar matrix, but slightly less advanced processing.

If your model isn’t on this list, don’t worry: even the Redmi 10 or Xiaomi Mi A3 can take a decent shot with the right approach, avoiding digital zoom (it spoils quality) and using manual exposure settings.

⚠️ Warning: Smartphones without optical zoom (e.g., Redmi 9A or Poco M4 Pro) will produce strong artifacts when the moon approaches, in which case it is better to take a picture of the moon as is (no zoom) and crop the frame later.

Model	Optical zoom	Manual mode	Recommendation
Xiaomi 13 Ultra	5×	Yes (Pro Mode)	⭐ Best choice.
Redmi Note 12 Pro+	2×	Yes.	Good on the budget.
Poco X5 Pro	No.	Yes.	Demands a tripod.
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite	No.	Limited.	Hard without zoom

Preparation for shooting: time, weather and accessories

Even with Xiaomi’s top-end smartphone, a good picture of the moon will only be obtained under the right conditions.

🌕 Moon phase: Optimally full moon, or 80-90% of illumination. In other phases, crater details will be less noticeable.
🌌 Weather: Cloudless skies and minimal humidity (fog scatters light). Check the forecast on Yr.no.
📍 Location: Move out of town - light pollution in cities clogs up the details of the moon.
🕒 Time: The moon is highest above the horizon around midnight (less atmospheric distortion).

Accessories that will be useful:

📸 Tripod: Required for long shutter speeds, even a mini-tripod with a smartphone clip will do.
🔭 Telescope/binoculars: If you attach your smartphone to the eyepiece (the adapter costs ~500₽), you can get super-detailing.
🔋 Powerbank: Cold puts the battery down quickly, and shooting in Pro Mode consumes a lot of energy.
🎛️ Remote: To release the shutter without touching the screen (avoids shaking).

📊 What accessory do you use to photograph the moon?

Tripod

Telescope/binoculars

DU remote

None of the above.

⚠️ Warning: If the temperature is below +5°C, the smartphone can automatically turn off the camera to protect the matrix.

Xiaomi camera settings for manually shooting the moon

Automotive (Photo or Night Mode) almost always fails to capture the moon: either over-lit or over-dark. Use Pro Mode and adjust the settings like this:

Focus: Translate to MF (manual) and set infinity (🔄). Autofocus will "catch" the sky.
ISO: 100-400. Higher values will add noise.
Exposure: 1/200–1/500 seconds Longer – the Moon will be blurred (it moves!).
White Balance: Daylight (5500K). Auto-BB will make the moon yellow.
Format: RAW (if any) will give you more processing options.

For models with optical zoom (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+):

🔍 Use maximum optical zoom (not digital!). For example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra it is 5×.
🚫 Digital zoom (10×, 30×) will give strong artifacts — better shoot 5× and crop the frame.

☑️ Pro Mode settings for the Moon

Set up manual focusing (MF)Expose ISO 100-400Set the excerpt 1/200–1/500Choose a white balance "daylight"Turn off the digital zoom

Done: 0 / 5

If your model doesn’t have Pro Mode (like the Redmi 9C), try apps like the Camera FV-5 or ProCam X, which give you access to manual settings.

Secrets of shooting: how to avoid blurring and noise

Even with the right settings, the moon can be fuzzy in the photo. Here's how to avoid it:

📐 Stabilization: Use a tripod + descent timer (2-10 seconds) or a remote control.
🌑 Expocorrection: If the Moon is over-lit, reduce EV by -1.0 or -1.5.
🔄 Serial shooting: Take 5-10 frames in a row - one will definitely be sharp.
📱 Moon Mode: Some models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra) have a special algorithm for the moon — turn it on to the camera settings →

If you have to raise the ISO above 800, try:

Take multiple shots with the same settings and fold them into Photoshop or StarStaX.
Use Night Mode, but only if the moon is not overlit.

💡

If the moon is too bright, cover the lens of the smartphone with a dark filter (for example, sunglasses) – this will help save details.

For models without optical zoom, there's a trick: shoot the moon as close as possible (without digital zoom), and then in the editor, cut the frame and increase the sharpness.

Source frame: 4000×3000 px




After pruning: 1000×1000 px (the moon takes up the entire frame)

Post-processing: how to make a photo of the moon even better

Raw images of the moon almost always require improvement.

Pruning and framing: Remove the extra sky, leave only the moon. Use the rule of thirds for composition.
Exposure correction: In Lightroom or Snapseed, reduce Highlights and increase Shadows.
Increased Sharpness: Apply Masking in Lightroom to allow sharpness to only work on craters.
Noise reduction: In Topaz Denoise or DxO PhotoLab, reduce noise, but don’t overdo it – the moon can become plastic.

Example of settings in Lightroom Mobile for RAW-moonshot:

Parameter	Meaning	Why?
Exposition	-0.5	Remove the lights
Contrast	+20	Emphasize craters
Brightness of shadows	+30	Details in the dark areas
Sharpness	+50 (Mask: 80)	Sharpness only on the edges

If the moon is too flat, add texture with Clarity (+15–20) or Dehaze (+10).

How to remove chromatic aberrations (colored halos)?

In Lightroom, go to Optics and turn on Remove chromatic aberrations. If that doesn't work, manually reduce the saturation of purple and green in the HSL section.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced photographers sometimes make mistakes when shooting the moon.

🌝 Overlight: The moon appears to be a white spot with no details. Solution: reduce exposure or use a ND- filter.
🖼️ Blurr: The moon floats. Solution: Check the focus (should be at infinity) and the stability of the smartphone.
📱 Digital zoom: Artifacts in the form of squares. Solution: shoot with maximum optical zoom or no zoom.
🌫️ Atmospheric distortion: The moon is shaking or double. Solution: Take it when it's high above the horizon (after 23:00).

Another common problem is the wrong white balance: Automatic DB often makes the moon yellow or blue. Always set it manually at 5500K (daylight).

⚠️ Warning: If you're shooting the moon through a window, turn off all the lights in the room, the reflections on the glass will spoil the frame.

Alternative methods: shooting the moon through a telescope or binoculars

If you have a telescope or binoculars, you can use a Xiaomi smartphone as an astrophotography camera.

🔭 Smartphone adapter (costs ~500-1500₽) fastened to the telescope eyepiece.
📱 Application with manual settings (e.g. Camera FV-5).
🎯 Focusing on a live image is hard, but the result is worth it!

Settings for shooting through a telescope:

ISO 100–200 (Telescope amplifies light)
Shutter speed: 1/100–1/400 (depending on the increase).
Format: RAW (required!).

Example of adapter for Xiaomi:

Model SVBONY T-Adapter for smartphones




Price: ~1200₽




Suitable for: Telescopes with an eyepiece 1.25

💡

Shooting through a telescope gives 10 to 50 times more detail than even a flagship smartphone, but requires practice in focus setting.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can I shoot the moon on Xiaomi without a tripod?

Technically, yes, but the quality will be worse. Hold your smartphone with both hands, press your elbows against your torso, and use a descent timer (2 seconds). For models without optical zoom (like the Redmi 10), this is almost impossible - shaking your hands will spoil the shot.

Why is the moon not round but flattened?

This is a distortion from a wide-angle lens (especially noticeable on budget Xiaomi without telezoom).To avoid the effect, use maximum optical zoom or trim the frame in the editor, leaving only the center part.

How to take the moon and the landscape together (e.g. with trees)?summary> It's a challenge because of the difference in exposure. Options: Take two shots: one with the right exposure for the moon, the other for the landscape, then combine in Photoshop. Use HDR- mode, but the moon can turn out overlit. Take the landscape at sunset when the moon is already visible, but the sky is not black - it's easier to balance the light.

What is the best time to photograph the moon?

The ideal time is when the moon is high above the horizon (usually 22:00 to 2:00 a.m.), during which time atmospheric distortion is minimal. Check the exact position of the moon in the Star Walk 2 or PhotoPills app.

Can I shoot the moon on Xiaomi in cloudy weather?

Technically, you can, but the quality is low: clouds scatter light, and the contrast of the moon drops. If the clouds are thin, try to increase the contrast and brightness in the editor. With dense clouds, it is better to postpone the shooting.