View Full Version : Attempted some night sky pics for the first time.
http://i64.tinypic.com/11ili0l.jpg
http://i67.tinypic.com/aaw689.jpg
Not sure what that ribbon thing is. We saw it with our bare eyes. It was moving south.
Have another pic of the Orion nebula but tinypic keeps claiming the security code is invalid even though it's what they gave me.
TripleBlack
10-12-2016, 5:05pm
What was your lens and exposure information?
carlton_fritz
10-12-2016, 6:32pm
One I took. Same night. I did better with film. Still learning with digital.
What was your lens and exposure information?
Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600, F6.3 for 3 seconds. Top one was F20 for 3 seconds using a Nikon 300 F4 lense.
TripleBlack
10-13-2016, 6:35pm
Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600, F6.3 for 3 seconds. Top one was F20 for 3 seconds using a Nikon 300 F4 lense.
That D750 has a wonderful sensor for low light! You'll be able to get some great results with it.
I've been doing a lot of astrophotography the past year or so but most everything has been done with a wide angle f2.8 lens shot wide open, usually at 3200 ISO. With a 14mm lens, you can use shutter speeds approaching 30 seconds before the stars begin to blur noticeably from the Earth's rotation.
Stop me if you know about this but there's a "600 rule" to determine how long your exposure can be for a given focal length before blurring becomes a problem. Just divide your effective focal length into 600 and the result is the number of seconds. With a crop sensor, you have to multiply the focal length by the crop factor before dividing into 600. Of course your D750 is full frame so you don't have that issue.
With your 300 f4.0 lens you should be able to shoot for 2 seconds or so. Crank the ISO way up on your D750. I've seen shots taken at 6400 and even 12,800 with a D750 that look pretty good.
It's common to take several shots and stack them in software to reduce the noise from the higher ISO.
With an f4.0 300mm I'll bet you can get some stunning nebulae shots.
Strongly suggest shooting raw if you have Lightroom or other software to edit. You'll be able to bring out the subtle colors you would never see with JPGs.
:cheers:
TripleBlack
10-13-2016, 11:38pm
Here's a shot of the Milky Way core a few weeks ago taken at a very dark location. I used a cheap 50mm 1.8 kit lens on a Canon 5D MK3. 13 seconds at f1.8 and 3200 ISO. I bumped the exposure about 1/3 stop in post to bring out the details of the core. Notice the stars are just starting to blur a bit.
There were some wispy clouds blowing in and they lit up yellow/orange due to light pollution from nearby towns.
http://i63.tinypic.com/ab6l1l.jpg
carlton_fritz
10-14-2016, 7:36pm
That D750 has a wonderful sensor for low light! You'll be able to get some great results with it.
I've been doing a lot of astrophotography the past year or so but most everything has been done with a wide angle f2.8 lens shot wide open, usually at 3200 ISO. With a 14mm lens, you can use shutter speeds approaching 30 seconds before the stars begin to blur noticeably from the Earth's rotation.
Stop me if you know about this but there's a "600 rule" to determine how long your exposure can be for a given focal length before blurring becomes a problem. Just divide your effective focal length into 600 and the result is the number of seconds. With a crop sensor, you have to multiply the focal length by the crop factor before dividing into 600. Of course your D750 is full frame so you don't have that issue.
With your 300 f4.0 lens you should be able to shoot for 2 seconds or so. Crank the ISO way up on your D750. I've seen shots taken at 6400 and even 12,800 with a D750 that look pretty good.
It's common to take several shots and stack them in software to reduce the noise from the higher ISO.
With an f4.0 300mm I'll bet you can get some stunning nebulae shots.
Strongly suggest shooting raw if you have Lightroom or other software to edit. You'll be able to bring out the subtle colors you would never see with JPGs.
:cheers:
I need to learn how to use Lightroom.
TripleBlack
10-14-2016, 7:53pm
I need to learn how to use Lightroom.
Modern digital cameras capture so much detail and all of it is available in the raw file. You'll be amazed how much shadow detail and subtle colors are in the raw files that are completely absent from the jpg.
From an editing standpoint, LR is pretty easy to use... much easier than PS IMO.
carlton_fritz
10-15-2016, 9:31am
Modern digital cameras capture so much detail and all of it is available in the raw file. You'll be amazed how much shadow detail and subtle colors are in the raw files that are completely absent from the jpg.
From an editing standpoint, LR is pretty easy to use... much easier than PS IMO.
My Lightroom 5 will not load NEF files. :banghead:
Here's a shot of the Milky Way core a few weeks ago taken at a very dark location. I used a cheap 50mm 1.8 kit lens on a Canon 5D MK3. 13 seconds at f1.8 and 3200 ISO. I bumped the exposure about 1/3 stop in post to bring out the details of the core. Notice the stars are just starting to blur a bit.
There were some wispy clouds blowing in and they lit up yellow/orange due to light pollution from nearby towns.
http://i63.tinypic.com/ab6l1l.jpg
I live 4 blocks from downtown. :leaving:
TripleBlack
10-15-2016, 12:48pm
I live 4 blocks from downtown. :leaving:
:-)
I live between Dallas and Ft. Worth and can count the stars I can see from my back yard on both hands. Had to drive 2.5 hours west of Ft. Worth got get good dark sky.
I use this link to find locations where it's really dark.
DarkSiteFinder.com - Light Pollution Map (http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html)
TripleBlack
10-15-2016, 12:59pm
My Lightroom 5 will not load NEF files. :banghead:
Maybe your camera is newer than the 5.0 LR release. Here's a link that may help. Takes an extra step but will be worth it.
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1806921
carlton_fritz
10-15-2016, 3:53pm
Maybe your camera is newer than the 5.0 LR release. Here's a link that may help. Takes an extra step but will be worth it.
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1806921
It is. I need 6. :banghead:
TripleBlack
10-15-2016, 4:21pm
It is. I need 6. :banghead:
Doesn't that link point you to a utility to convert the .nef to .dng? DNG is the native LR format though you can retain the .nef if you have a new enough version. Once in DNG format you can import directly into LR.
I finally broke down and got LR CC, the subscription service. I had 6.0 but they stopped updating it other than for new cameras - no new features. The "photographer's package" from Adobe is $10/month and includes LR and PS and they are both updated frequently. I wasn't using Netflix at all so I cancelled it and moved the $10/mo. to Adobe.:cert:
carlton_fritz
10-15-2016, 5:54pm
Doesn't that link point you to a utility to convert the .nef to .dng? DNG is the native LR format though you can retain the .nef if you have a new enough version. Once in DNG format you can import directly into LR.
I finally broke down and got LR CC, the subscription service. I had 6.0 but they stopped updating it other than for new cameras - no new features. The "photographer's package" from Adobe is $10/month and includes LR and PS and they are both updated frequently. I wasn't using Netflix at all so I cancelled it and moved the $10/mo. to Adobe.:cert:
Yeah. I will download when I want to take the time to mess with it. Been off and on busy today.
carlton_fritz
10-16-2016, 6:06pm
Last night.
TripleBlack
10-17-2016, 10:15am
Last night.
Very cool shot. I need to invest in a longer lens. A 24-105mm don't get it done for shots of the moon!
carlton_fritz
10-17-2016, 7:02pm
Very cool shot. I need to invest in a longer lens. A 24-105mm don't get it done for shots of the moon!
That was 500mm. Sigma makes a sweet 150-600 that would suit you.
TripleBlack
10-17-2016, 11:28pm
That was 500mm. Sigma makes a sweet 150-600 that would suit you.
Yeah, I've had my eye on them and there was a special on them a week or two ago... <$700. I really thought about it but unsure how much I would really use it. Would be cool for super moons and I'd like to do some nature stuff.
I'd really like the Tamron 15-30 2.8 and it makes more sense for the stuff I shoot most.
carlton_fritz
10-18-2016, 3:56am
Yeah, I've had my eye on them and there was a special on them a week or two ago... <$700. I really thought about it but unsure how much I would really use it. Would be cool for super moons and I'd like to do some nature stuff.
I'd really like the Tamron 15-30 2.8 and it makes more sense for the stuff I shoot most.
Some of the pics Kerry took were with the Tamron.
http://i67.tinypic.com/wwlvki.jpg
http://i64.tinypic.com/2ymgduc.jpg
http://i68.tinypic.com/o7rqms.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/nohnwg.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/2465soy.jpg
TripleBlack
11-08-2016, 6:19pm
Those are pretty cool!
I've been following a FB group with a lot of deep sky shots and it's fascinating. There are several relatively inexpensive tracking mounts and I've been considering getting one so I can take long exposures. You aim the mount at Polaris and then attach the camera. I hope to have one by next spring.
Those are pretty cool!
I've been following a FB group with a lot of deep sky shots and it's fascinating. There are several relatively inexpensive tracking mounts and I've been considering getting one so I can take long exposures. You aim the mount at Polaris and then attach the camera. I hope to have one by next spring.
That's how my old telescope worked. :seasix:
TripleBlack
11-16-2016, 1:15am
Supermoon from last night.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/TripleBlackxTwo/2016-14-16%20Supermoon%20crop_zpsfygb87ee.jpg
One of the first attempts with my new telescope.
http://i64.tinypic.com/2wqbud4.jpg
TripleBlack
12-28-2016, 8:14pm
One of the first attempts with my new telescope.
Okay details about the telescope, mount, etc. Very interested in this.
:waiting:
Okay details about the telescope, mount, etc. Very interested in this.
:waiting:
NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope [item # 11069] (http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/nexstar-se/nexstar-8se-computerized-telescope)
Got the T-Adapter and T-Ring to mount the D750 to it. It's hard to see anything on the screen so it's hard to get it in focus. Still need the wedge to do long exposure. Frost forming on the ground is too cold to use the hand controller.
TripleBlack
12-28-2016, 10:20pm
NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope [item # 11069] (http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/telescopes/nexstar-se/nexstar-8se-computerized-telescope)
Got the T-Adapter and T-Ring to mount the D750 to it. It's hard to see anything on the screen so it's hard to get it in focus. Still need the wedge to do long exposure. Frost forming on the ground is too cold to use the hand controller.
Very different situation but the lens I use for Milky Way shots is full manual. Once I get it focused, I tape the focus ring down. I'm sure you are way ahead of me here, but I know a lot of astro work is done by stacking numerous images. The sensor in the 750D should be outstanding for long exposure high ISO work. Love my Canon 5D3 but sometimes wish I'd gone with the 750D.
Once I get a wedge I will start experimenting with long exposure. Everything moves too fast with the telescope. I wasn't even using 1 second. Huge difference from the Tamron 15-30 when I went up to 30 seconds. :lol:
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