How to shoot the starry sky on a Xiaomi smartphone: from model selection to post-processing

Shooting the night sky on a smartphone is an art that requires not only patience but also the right approach to camera settings. Xiaomi's latest generations of smartphones (especially the flagship Mi series). 11/12/13/14, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 Pros are equipped with powerful cameras with support for manual mode and long shutter speeds, which makes them great tools for astrophotography. However, even with top-end hardware, the result depends on knowing the nuances: from location selection to post-processing.

In this article, we’ll take you through all the steps of shooting, from smartphone preparation to Lightroom or Snapseed, and learn which Xiaomi models are better at night photography, how to avoid digital noise, and why even a budget Redmi can produce a decent result with the right approach. And if you’ve never tried shooting stars, don’t worry: we’ll give a checklist for beginners and reveal the secrets of professionals.

What Xiaomi smartphones are suitable for shooting the night sky

Not every Xiaomi smartphone is capable of capturing the Milky Way or star tracks.

• 📷 Large camera sensor (minimum) 1/1.5" — For example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 The larger the sensor, the more light it captures.
• 🌙 Star Mode in the standard camera app (available in the Mi 11 Ultra, 12S Ultra, 13 Pro).
• 🔧 Support for manual settings (exposure up to 30 seconds, ISO 6400+, retain RAW).
• 🔋 Capacity battery (filming in the cold quickly puts the battery down - better 4500 mAh and higher).

If your smartphone doesn't make it to the top segment, don't despair. - Even the Redmi Note 10 pro POCO X3 Pros can give an acceptable result when using third-party applications (for example, Camera). FV-5 The key is to understand the limitations: budget models make more noise at high altitudes. ISO and have a lower luminous force of the lens (usually) f/1.9 against f/1.6 flagship).

⚠️ Note: If your smartphone doesn’t support shutter speeds of more than 4 seconds in a standard camera app, use Google Camera (GCam) with modified configs for Xiaomi. POCO X3 Pro's gonna do the version. BSG GCam with Night Sight settings.

Preparation for shooting: location, weather and equipment

Even the most advanced smartphone will not save a shot if you choose the wrong place or time. Here are 3 key factors that determine success:

1. Light pollution level. Use the Light Pollution Map, which is perfect for dark gray to blue (Bortle Level 1-3), and in a city, you can only shoot the moon or bright planets.
2. Full moon illuminates stars - it is optimal to shoot during the new moon or when the moon is below the horizon (check in the PhotoPills or Stellarium app).
3. Weather. Clouds, haze, or high humidity will spoil the frame. Check the forecast on Clear Outside, there's atmospheric transparency data.

What to bring with you besides your smartphone:

• 🔋 Powerbank (filming in the cold quickly drains the battery).
• 📱 A tripod (required! even a lightweight Joby GorillaPod will do).
• 🔌 Remote control (or use a timer in the camera app to avoid shaking when pressed).
• 🧤 Gloves with open fingers (smartphone screen reacts poorly to cold hands).

Selected location with minimal light pollution|

The Moon phase and weather tested|

The smartphone is fully charged (or there is a powerbank)|

Installed application for manual settings (GCam, Camera) FV-5)|

A tripod and remote (or timer set up)-->

The critical mistake of beginners is shooting with hands or on unstable surfaces. Even at 1 second, the tremors of the hands will spoil the frame, the stars will turn into stripes.

Camera settings for shooting the starry sky

Moving on to the most important thing, settings: If your smartphone supports Starry Sky mode (like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), just select it from the camera app. Otherwise, use Manual Mode (Pro) or GCam.

The best parameters to start with:

• 📸 Format: RAW (if possible, or JPEG maximum-resolution.
• ⏱️ Shutter speed: 15–30 seconds (the longer the stars are brighter, but the risk of grease is higher due to the rotation of the Earth).
• 🌡️ ISO: 1600–3200 (start with 1600 and raise if the frame is too dark).
• 🔍 Focus: Manual (point at the brightest star or moon, then block focus).
• 🔄 White balance: 3,500–4000K (to remove the yellow tint from city lighting).

For GCam, activate Astrophotography Mode (if you have one in your version). This mode automatically takes several pictures and glues them together, reducing noise. If you don't have one, shoot in Night Sight at 3-7 seconds shutter speed and ISO 3200–6400.

⚠️ Attention: In the cold (-10°C and below, the camera sensor can start to "glutch" — there are purple spots or artifacts. If that happens, move the smartphone to a warm place on the other side of the phone. 10–15 minutes before shooting.

Shooting Techniques: From the Milky Way to Star Trek

Depending on what you want to capture, the technique will vary. Let's take a look at 3 popular scenarios:

1.The Milky Way

The best time to shoot is from March to October (in the Northern Hemisphere). The Milky Way is visible in the south, low above the horizon.

• 📸 Exposure 20 to 25 s, ISO 3200.
• 🌌 Wide-angle lens (the wider, the more the sky will fall into the frame).
• 📍 PhotoPills app to accurately determine the position of the Milky Way.

2 Star Trails (Star Trails)

The effect of the stars rotating around the North Star.

• ⏳ Take a series of images with a shutter speed of 30 seconds and an interval of 1 second (for example, 100 frames).
• 🎥 Process the sequence in StarStaX (free PC program).
• 🧭 Point the camera at the North Star (use a compass or Stellarium).

3. The moon and planets

For the Moon:

• 🌕 Use zoom (optical, not digital!) – for example, 5x Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
• ⏱️ Excerpt. 1/100–1/200 s, ISO 100–200 (The moon is very bright!).
• 🔍 Focus manually on infinity, then adjust a little for sharpness.

💡

If you are shooting the Milky Way, add the silhouette of trees, mountains or buildings to the frame - this will give scale and make the photo more expressive.

Post-processing: how to unlock the potential of images

Raw footage from Xiaomi's camera rarely looks impressive - it needs processing. RAW, You have more room for correction:

1. Noise suppression. Use Topaz Denoise. AI Lightroom (Noise Reduction slider 30 to 50%).
2. Increase contrast. Increase Contrast (+20-30) and Clarity (+15-25 at Lightroom.
3. Color correction. Reduce Temperature to 3,500–4000K yellow-cut.
4. Star amplification. In Photoshop, duplicate the layer, apply Unsharp Mask (Radius: 1.5, Amount: 150%) and overlay with Lighten mode.

For fast processing on a smartphone, Snapseed is suitable:

1. Open the photo. → Tools → Curves → Raise the top point to increase contrast.
2. Go to the Details. → Structure and add +30-40 for the study of stars.
3. In Color Balance, reduce warm tones (red/orange) by -10.

💡

Always take it off. RAW, If your smartphone allows it. JPEG compresses data, and artifacts will appear during processing, especially in dark areas.

Example of pre- and post-treatment:

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced photographers sometimes make mistakes. TOP-5 Problems in shooting the night sky on Xiaomi and their solutions:

• 🌫️ Lubricated stars. Cause: too long shutter speed or camera jitter. Solution: Use the rule of 500 (see spoiler above) and the remote control.
• 🟣 Purple spots. Cause: overheating or sensor defect in the cold. Solution: let the smartphone heat up to room temperature before shooting.
• 📉 It's too dark. Reason: low. ISO Or short exposure. Solution: raise it. ISO Up to 3200 or increase shutter speed (but not more than 30 seconds).
• 🌆 Light pollution. It's because you're in the city or you're in the full moon. Solution: use a light filter (like Kase Wolverine) or shoot far from the cities.
• 🔋 Battery's gone, cause: cold and long-lasting camera, solution: Put your smartphone in your pocket closer to your body between sessions, or use an external heated battery.

⚠️ Warning: If your smartphone stops turning on after shooting in the cold, don’t panic. Put it in a warm place (like your jacket pocket) for 15 to 20 minutes — usually to help restore work.

Third-party applications to improve results

Xiaomi’s standard camera app doesn’t always give you maximum control. Consider the top 3 alternatives for astrophotography:

1. Google Camera (GCam). 🔹 Advantages: Astrophotography mode, better noise processing. 🔹 Disadvantages: Not all Xiaomi models are supported (you need to look for special ports). 🔹 Where to Download: Celso Azevedo (Select the version for your model).
2. Camera FV-5. 🔹 Advantages: Full manual control, support RAW, timer. 🔹 Disadvantages: paid version (≈300 rubles.), a complex interface for beginners. 🔹 Tip: Use Bracketing to shoot with different exposures.
3. NightCap Camera. 🔹 Advantages: specialized mode for stars, automatic addition of personnel. 🔹 Disadvantages: only for iOS (but there are analogues for Android, for example, Star Tracker). 🔹 Tip: Shows the position of the Milky Way in real time.

For processing on a smartphone, we recommend:

• 📱 Lightroom Mobile (free, but some features require a subscription).
• 🎨 Snapseed (completely free, simple interface).
• 🌌 StarStaX (to create star tracks from a series of images).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions