# FinderCam with Plate Solving — Point telescope accurately!

> Night sky object finder with telescope plate solving alignment. (iPhone/iPad app by yong chong loh.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/findercam-with-plate-solving/id1541018483 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [yong chong loh](https://appshunter.io/developer/393466709)
- Category: Photo & Video, Utilities
- Price: Free (on sale, was $1.99)
- Rating: 3.30/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 7 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.0 · 3 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-11-20
- Data updated: 2026-08-15
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/findercam-with-plate-solving/id1541018483/reviews.md

## What is FinderCam with Plate Solving?

M31 is located using FinderCam and shot by Daniel Mendell

This app is used for finding objects in the night sky with a telescope, binoculars and the naked eye. The latest demo video was recorded on March 19, 2023 at https://youtu.be/md9LDchUuzU. In this video, I use FinderCam to find some bright stars and M42 Orion Nebula instantly. It shows the plate solving alignments that lead the user accurately to the target.

How does it works?
1. Open the app and point your device camera at the night sky.
2. Tap Solve button in the app.
3. It will identify 3 stars in the camera image.

Working Conditions:
1. Works in city with blocked sky view.
2. Works with partial cloudy sky. 
3. Works during full or new moon. 
4. Works with city light pollution. 

Advance use with telescope:
1. You will need a suitable holder to fix your phone to your telescope or binoculars for alignment.
2. The app contains a star map and large catalogs of celestial objects. The star map will automatically adjust to your location and time.
3. The view through the scope or bino can be aligned with the star map.
4. Tapping the Solve button displays 3 star names for plate-solving alignment giving their az-alt positions.
5. After alignment, other objects can be searched and their location is shown by a green guiding line for moving the scope.

Benefits:
- More stars than with the naked eye can be seen. It uses image processing to make more stars visible.
- It saves you many frustrating hours finding your deep sky objects.
- Attach your phone to your telescope or binocs and it can lead you to 110 Messier deep sky objects accurately, as well as to planets and bright stars,
- It works in heavily light polluted cities and partial cloudy night.

Requirements:
- For most telescopes, you need a basic phone holder or home-made holder with 45 degree mirror. If you are using a binocular, you will need a L mount.
- You may need a mount with slow motion control like a Dobsonian telescope or slow motion tripod. The app requires you to move a crosshair to the target.
- Requires iOS 14 and above.

Tips:
- Draw a user defined area for solving by tap hold the screen and drag to draw a rectangle. Tap hold and release to remove the user define rectangle.

## Key features

- Night sky object identification
- Plate solving for accurate alignment
- Works with light pollution and clouds
- Telescope and binocular integration
- Star map and celestial object catalog
- Guiding line for target acquisition

## Recent user reviews (7 of 7)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/findercam-with-plate-solving/id1541018483/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Keeps crashing

*2025-08-24*

This app is pretty useful for locating and identifying stars, but it keeps randomly crashing, I don’t know if it’s my phone or the app that’s the problem

### 1/5 — Poorly made app

*2025-01-08*

App tends to randomly turn off when in use, instructions are difficult follow and the link provided in the instructions to the youtube channel is non-existent.

I only purchased this app because the developer and his friend @irandar compared it to the app used on Celestron Starsense telescopes, to which it is no comparison in terms of quality and user friendliness.

I recommend that the developer remove the app to further improve the quality and ease of use because this app isn’t worth the money when there are free apps that are better.

### 2/5 — Fundamentally doesn't work

*2023-09-07*

Tried it last night and it thought Polaris was Betelgeuse. Around 9pm in early SEPTEMBER. Betelgeuse, which doesn't even rise until 2am. I don't understand how that's even possible. The plate solving algorithm at work clearly doesn't even factor in what should be above the horizon at a given time. It's not to the point in its development where it can substitute for Starsense Explorer. Not even close.

**Developer response:** Hi could you check if your location is updated at the Settings? And ensure that the SS Mirror Mode and Periscope Mode are turned off in the Settings. Then point the phone back camera at the night sky and tap the Solve button. It should plate solve and identify 3 stars. Once it is working, you can try to use it on your Starsense Explorer telescope by turning on the SS Mirror Mode in the Setting. This time, you will have to place your phone on the Starsense mirror dock. Then tap Solve button again. It should identify 3 star again. Please contact me at ustransit74@gmail.com for more help. Thank you!

### 5/5 — Amazing app

*2023-03-23*

Works great

**Developer response:** Thank you very much for your feedback. I am glad the issue is resolved.

### 4/5 — Video Looks Great, but some problems

*2023-03-04*

Dear Developer, your Video is really impressive!!! Great work, respect!! Unfortunately I only see diagonal stripes as picture on my phone. My iPhone : 13pro, iOS 16.3.1 
Do you think you can fix it? Would be Great! 
Br Axel

**Developer response:** Hi thanks for writing to me. Can you send a screenshot of the probpem to my gmail ustransit74@gmail.com. I will look at the cause and provide you an app update. Which video do you refer too so that I can make more of the same type. It is important that you get in contact with me so that the problem can be identified and solved. Thank you very much.

### 5/5 — 100/10

*2022-01-09*

This is really good!

### 3/5 — Has potential but buggy

*2021-10-20*

This could work very well, but when I do the second option for the finder which is what most people will be using, it crashes. It’s a great idea and exactly what many people will want so please fix!

**Developer response:** Hello! Thanks for using FinderCam. I can only help if you could provide detail to reproduce the crash. Could you email me at ustransit74@gmail.com so I could work with you to get it working for your phone?

## Frequently asked questions about FinderCam with Plate Solving

### How does FinderCam help find objects in the night sky?

FinderCam uses your device's camera to identify stars and perform plate solving. This process accurately aligns your view with celestial objects, guiding you directly to them.

### Can FinderCam be used in areas with light pollution?

Yes, FinderCam is designed to work effectively even in areas with significant city light pollution, making stargazing accessible from urban environments.

### What are the requirements for using FinderCam with a telescope?

For telescope use, you'll need a phone holder to attach your device to the telescope or binoculars. A mount with slow motion control is also recommended for precise movements.

### Does FinderCam offer a trial period?

FinderCam is a free application, so there is no trial period required. You can download and use its features immediately.

### What devices is FinderCam compatible with?

FinderCam is available for iOS devices, specifically iPhones and iPads running iOS 14 and above.

### How often is FinderCam updated?

The latest version, 3.97, was released on June 5, 2024. Updates typically include improvements and new features to enhance the stargazing experience.

### What is the user rating for FinderCam?

FinderCam has a rating of 2.5 stars based on 2 user reviews. This indicates a mixed reception from its current user base.

### Does FinderCam have ads?

FinderCam is ad-free, meaning you can use the application without any advertisements interrupting your stargazing experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.97 — 2024-06-05

- Fix some bugs.

### 3.96 — 2024-05-21

- Fix some bugs.

### 3.95 — 2024-05-18

- Fix some bugs.

### 3.94 — 2024-05-15

- Fix some bugs.

### 3.93 — 2024-05-15

- fix some bugs.

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## More apps by yong chong loh

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- [VideoCam - Astrophotography](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/videocam-astrophotography/id1538035832)

All apps by yong chong loh: https://appshunter.io/developer/393466709

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-15.*