minimum requirements...

[mark81]

Hi All

Does anybody know the minimum requirements to capture stars/clusters with a smartphone.  Is it the megapixels? The ISO range? or something else?

Thanks

Mark

[happy-kat]

I think based on what I didn't manage on my phone the minimum requirement is a device running the more recent camera driver that supports longer exposure because if you can't get at least 2-4 seconds in exposure you wont capture anything.

[Stu]

I think ISO is right up there Mark, along with longer exposures. There seems quite a step up from the previous to latest generation smartphone camera sensors. My Samsung S9 is quite dramatically better than my iPhone 6 Plus. The S9 will do up to 10 seconds exposure, I understand the Huawei P20 Pro will do 30 seconds and is even better as it has a mono sensor (dual camera) which is more sensitive.

I have captured stars with only 1 second exposures, beyond that you need to be tracking really. I will dig out some examples.

[Stu]

Here you go. I think the max exposure on these was 1/4 second at 800 ISO f1.5.

Edit, actually longest was 1 second, so you don't need crazy long to pick up stars if the ISO is high enough.

[PaulM]

I use the camera app Camera FV-5 which allows up to 8 secs exposure and upto ISO 800 on my android Samsung S8

[Rick Spencer]

I use an app called "Slow Shutter Cam" on my iphone. It has bulb mode (for unlimited exposure length), up to ISO 1600, a self timer and an intervalometer. It also has noise reduction and some basic slider controls for hue/saturation/exposure.

I haven't found an option for the f-stop though