Astro Photography

[Tri Danimal]

I am heading to the desert this weekend for a campout. I am looking to try out some astrophotography, long exposure LED poi, light painting with glow sticks, long exposure with glow sticks taped to people walking/running around.

I will have the Rokinon 14mm f2.8 and Sony 90mm G Macro with me. I also have a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 being delivered on Monday (wont help for this trip :-().

Do you guys and gals have any tips for the above-mentioned photos?

[rpcrowe]

You probably are aware of The Rule of 500 in which you divide the focal length of your lens into 500 with a full frame camera, giving you the slowest shutter speed at which you can shoot before the stars begin to leave trails...

Apparently this rule is modified to 300 with crop sensor cameras...

OTOH... sometimes an exceptionally long exposure with the stars leaving trails is creative. Careful about camera overheating though!

I especially like images in which some terrestrial subjects (rocks or trees, etc) are included with the stars. This can be especially creative if you use some gelled flash to light these subjects...

[Manfred M]

I don't know anyone who light paints with chemical glow sticks as their light output is too low. LED wands work well, as do other LED accessories. Traditional flashlights are fine for some types of light painting.

[Tri Danimal]

You probably are aware of The Rule of 500 in which you divide the focal length of your lens into 500 with a full frame camera, giving you the slowest shutter speed at which you can shoot before the stars begin to leave trails...

Apparently this rule is modified to 300 with crop sensor cameras...

OTOH... sometimes an exceptionally long exposure with the stars leaving trails is creative. Careful about camera overheating though!

I especially like images in which some terrestrial subjects (rocks or trees, etc) are included with the stars. This can be especially creative if you use some gelled flash to light these subjects...

Thanks for the reminder about overheating. I dont have a flash but I do have a flashlight and some gel samples. Maybe something like that will work.

I don't know anyone who light paints with chemical glow sticks as their light output is too low. LED wands work well, as do other LED accessories. Traditional flashlights are fine for some types of light painting.

Hopefully I will be more satasfied than I will be sad about the chem lights.

[Stagecoach]

I am heading to the desert this weekend for a campout. I am looking to try out some astrophotography, long exposure LED poi, light painting with glow sticks, long exposure with glow sticks taped to people walking/running around.

I will have the Rokinon 14mm f2.8 and Sony 90mm G Macro with me. I also have a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 being delivered on Monday (wont help for this trip :-().

Do you guys and gals have any tips for the above-mentioned photos?

Take a tripod and also check out a programme such as 'Stellarium' to determine best times of the sky view you can achieve with the 14mm.

[plugsnpixels]

Daniel, have you tried any test shots at home yet? That will help narrow down your approach for when you get to the desert.

[DanK]

I wouldn't worry too much about overheating this time of year, except for VERY long exposures. The colder it is, the less of a risk there is, and even in the summer, one can get away with fairly long exposures. I'll post below a 10-minute exposure I took during the summer with a 50D--more prone to overheating because of the small, high-density sensor. There was no problem.

Any kind of flashlight, LED or otherwise, works fine as long as it is bright enough. Given the same brightness, the main difference is the color balance.

In addition to a tripod, I would take remote release. You can get a wired one for $10-15.

[William W]

. . . astrophotography . . . I will have the Rokinon 14mm f2.8 . . . any tips for the above-mentioned photos?

Be aware that the Rokinon 14mm F/2.8 Focus Turret can be set so that it focuses beyond infinity. Many lenses have this functionality. Additionally, I often use my lenses wide open.

Probably in most situations where I want to use ∞ Focus on my 14mm the following technique is overkill and likely superfluous for your task; nevertheless it is useful as a general comment:

I run a few tests using Maximum Enlargement Live View (DSLRs) or Focus Peaking on my Mirrorless and then make a critical pixel peeping analysis of the resultant file to find the correct ∞ Focus Point of the Lens.

For my 14/2.8 that point is a bit beyond the indicator line on the Lens’s Focus Turret.

For any of my Lenses where the correct ∞ Focus Point is NOT at the Lens's indicator, I mark it:



***

As general comments for all the tasks: Sturdy Tripod and Head; Remote Release; use "Mirror Up" technique, if applicable and possible on your camera, though I am guessing you have a Sony Mirrorless

WW

[rpcrowe]

Dan certainly mentioned a good point regarding a remote release. However, if you do not have a release, try using your self timer, especially if you have one that does a two second delay. That will allow the camera to settle down from any motion caused by pressing the shutter button...

[Tri Danimal]

Hey guys, Ive been absent for a while so I wanted to check back in with you all. I have posted some of my photos in the Anza Boreggo Exploration Trip post.

I did have my tripod out on the trip. I also have a cabled shutter release (I just picked up a wireless unit as well), I couldn't figure out how to set it up in intervalometer mode to take multiple photos to try my hand at photo stacking (to remove star trails). I really enjoyed playing with the Rokinon 14mm f2.8, it was a new challange to play with a manual lens. I also just got the Tamron 28-75 so Ill be playing with that one as well.

I am indeed shooting on a Sony Mirrorless camera, A7iii, I was able to set the self-timer to 5sec to eliminate any camera shake from me hitting the button.

On this trip, there were lots of clouds, which is good because I didn't have time to look up any star mapping software.

Thanks for the encouragement and tips. I will definitely be exploring more Landscape Astro this winter season.

Edit: spelling

[rpcrowe]

Daniel, I am wondering if the full frame Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens is accurately focused at infinity if you focus the lens by using the focus marks. I am told that the focus markings of the crop sensor Rokinon 12mm f/2 lens are not particularly accurate...

[William W]

Daniel, I am wondering if the full frame Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens is accurately focused at infinity if you focus the lens by using the focus marks. I am told that the focus markings of the crop sensor Rokinon 12mm f/2 lens are not particularly accurate...

Mine is not. Please refer to my Post #8.

WW