How to shoot the moon on Xiaomi: settings Pro-mode and zoom

Night sky images, especially bright objects like the moon, remain a popular challenge for mobile photographers, with Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often seeing the satellite automatically turn into a white spot or simply a bright spot with no detail, due to the way HDR algorithms work and the camera’s desire to average the exposure of the frame.

To capture craters and seas on the surface of the satellite, you need to take full control of the survey process. Standard automatic mode is powerless here, because it can not properly respond to the contrast between the dark sky and the bright disk. You will need to switch to Pro mode (Professional), where manual shutter speed, ISO and focus settings are available.

In this article, we will discuss a step-by-step algorithm that will allow you to get a detailed picture even without the use of expensive optics, we will look at the settings for models with telephoto lenses and for devices with a main camera, and also discuss the importance of stabilizing a smartphone during shooting.

Preparation of equipment and selection of shooting time

The first and most important step is choosing the right time. Contrary to popular belief, the best way to shoot the moon is not in the late night, but just after sunset, when it is just rising above the horizon, while the sky still shows clouds or landscape details, which adds to the image of artistic value, and the moon's disk itself looks more expressive due to the atmospheric haze.

Stabilization is key to success. Even the slightest shaking of hands with digital zoom will lead to image lubrication. The ideal solution would be to use a tripod. If you don't have one, stick your smartphone against a fixed object, a wall, a railing or a rock. In extreme cases, you can use a timer to avoid shaking when you press the down button.

⚠️ Attention: Don't use digital zoom mindlessly.Set-up image stretching software way above 10x On most Xiaomi models, it causes a loss of sharpness and the appearance of pixel porridge.

Also worth checking is the purity of the optics: Fat spots from the fingers, invisible during the day, at night turn into strong glare and rays coming from the light source.

Setting up Pro-mode: shutter speed and ISO

After you've prepared your tripod, open the Camera app and find the More section. Select PRO from the mode list. This is where the tools you need to properly expose a bright object against a dark background are hidden. The camera's automation will try to illuminate the sky, making the moon a white circle, so manual control is mandatory.

The first thing you need to do is to adjust the sensitivity of the matrix, and you need to find the ISO and set it to the minimum, usually ISO 50 or ISO 100. Low sensitivity will make the digital noise as clean and detailed as possible. Increased ISO in nighttime lunar imaging is contraindicated, because it will eat crater parts.

The next critical parameter is shutter speed (denoted as S or T. You need to set a very short exposure time. The optimal range for shooting a full moon is from 1/125 to 1/1000 of a second. Start with 1/200 and try to adjust shutter speed depending on the brightness of the disk. If the moon is still white, reduce the shutter time (for example, to 1/500).

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Use the "histogram" function in Pro mode, if it is available in your version of MIUI. The graph should not rest on the right edge, which indicates a relight (clipping) of bright areas.

White balance (WB) also requires attention. Automatic balance can go into cold blue tones. Try setting the value manually in the range of 4500K - 5500K to get a natural grayish-yellow hue of the satellite surface.

Using zoom and focusing

When exposure settings are set, it's cropping time. On Xiaomi smartphones with a telephoto lens (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro, 14 Ultra or Mi 11 Ultra series), it's recommended to switch to optical zoom (2x, 3.7x or 5x). The optical lens will give a real approximation without loss of quality, unlike the digital crop of the main matrix.

If your device doesn't have a telephoto lens, use the main module. Carefully spread your fingers on the screen to zoom in. Try not to exceed the multiplicity of 10x-15x, as after this limit, the quality on most models drops sharply. In some cases, it is better to take a picture on 5x-7x and then crop it in the editor than shoot at maximum zoom with artifacts.

Focus must be manually controlled. Press the AF icon to change to MF (Manual Focus). Move the focus slider to the extreme right to Infinity. Some Xiaomi models need to move the slider not to the end, but just a little bit to the end, to catch the maximum sharpness of the edges of the lunar disk.

⚠️ Note: When switching between lenses (e.g., with 1x on 5x) Pro mode settings may get lost. Always check. ISO and after-zummation.

Comparison of camera capabilities of different Xiaomi models

The result of the shooting depends on the hardware of your smartphone. Flagship models have much more advanced algorithms for night shooting and better optics. The table below compares the capabilities of different series of devices when shooting celestial bodies.

Owners of models with a sensor of 200 MP (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Xiaomi 13 Pro in a certain mode) can try to shoot in a resolution of 200 megapixels, which will allow you to take a picture at a wide angle, and then strongly framing the image in the gallery, maintaining acceptable detail quality thanks to the huge number of pixels.

However, it is worth remembering that 200 MP mode often has limitations in shutter speed and does not always allow you to set a sufficiently short exposure time for a bright moon.

Image processing: post-processing

It is rare to get the perfect shot straight from the camera. A raw file (especially in RAW format if you have shot in it) can look pale and contrast. Use the built-in editor in the MIUI gallery or third-party apps like Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed to finalize the shot.

First of all, increase the “Contrast” and “Clarity” parameter" (Structure/Clarity). This will highlight the boundaries of craters and seas. Then lift Shadows a little bit to show the details on the unlit part of the disk, if any. Don't overdo it with saturation. The moon should stay gray-white, colored artifacts will only spoil the impression.

If you see digital noise (colored dots), apply a light noise cancellation. However, on modern Xiaomi smartphones, the noise cancellation algorithms work aggressively, so it is better not to overdo it, so as not to turn the texture of the surface into soap.

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RAW shooting gives much more opportunities to pull details in shadows and lights during subsequent processing than standard JPG.

Typical errors and their solution

One of the most common mistakes is ignoring shutter speeds: users set the correct ISO but leave the shutter speed automatic or too long (e.g. 1/30), resulting in the moon being lubricated in motion as the Earth rotates, and even in a fraction of a second with strong zoom, it becomes noticeable.

Another mistake is shooting through a window glass, and the glass reflects the light indoors and creates glare that will block the dim light of the moon, and the glass can be dirty, which will scatter the light, always open the window or go outside/balcony.

And many people forget to wipe the camera before they shoot, and at night, when the light source is bright and spotty, any speck of dust or fingerprint will create the effect of "star rays" or rainbow halos around the disk, making the picture defective.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to use a flash when shooting the moon. It won't reach the satellite, but it will brighten up the foreground or your fingers if they hit the frame.

If you're shooting, turn on the camera's "Improving Night Shooting" mode or use voice control (say "Take off" or "Cheese") to keep your phone from shaking your finger, but remember: hands are not tripods, and a long zoom swipe is almost guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)