Samsung introduced an in-app astrophotography mode (Expert RAW) for the first time on the Galaxy S22 series phones, which allows you to adjust focus, white balance, and exposure time for sky and night photography professionals.
Samsung added this feature to the Galaxy S23 series with the One UI 5.1 user interface update, and also added an option to access the application (Expert RAW) directly from the Camera application.
To use the Astrophotography mode on the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S23 series, you need the Samsung Expert RAW app and a camera tripod.
1- How to activate the astrophotography mode on the Samsung Galaxy phone:
Before you can start shooting the night sky, you need to download the Expert RAW app from the Galaxy Store. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S23, follow these steps:
- Open the Camera app.
- Scroll through the Camera modes until you find More options and then tap on it.
- Click on the (Expert RAW) option and you will be automatically taken to the Galaxy Store to download the Expert RAW app if you haven't already.
After downloading the application to your phone, whether it is a Samsung S22 or S23 phone, open the application and click on the (settings) icon that appears in the upper left corner. Then activate the (Special Image Options) option.
2- How to use the astrophotography mode on Samsung Galaxy phones:
To enable Astrophotography mode, you must mount your phone on a tripod to prevent it from moving. Once installed, open the Expert RAW app and follow these steps to photograph the stars in the night sky:
1- Click on the astrophotography icon in the upper right corner.
2- A pop-up window will appear. Adjust the astrophotography mode settings by increasing the duration in the Duration option to collect more light for better night sky images. And click the (View) button next to the (Sky Guide) option to display the names of stars and constellations in the sky while taking a picture.
3- Click the photo button when you are ready to take a photo.
4- Do not move your phone until you have finished photographing the sky, otherwise you will get a blurry image.
After you take a photo, tap the thumbnail that appears at the bottom of the screen to preview it, then edit it with Adobe Lightroom. Since this image is in RAW format, powerful editing features are available to allow you to make significant changes to the image and create the best possible image of the night sky.