Stars

[DGMPhotography]

I think this is the best I've done so far of just the stars (in terms of exposure and number of stars)

 

[Raj_55555]

Zero experience in this stuff so this might be a camera limitation, but I'm sure you can do better!
This one is has too much noise, colour and otherwise.

I am also planning to get into these, so I'm sure I'll not facing the same difficulties as well!!

 

[D-B-J]

What's the settings on this image?

 

[astroNikon]

ISO 1000
20mm
f/8
20 seconds

 

[D-B-J]

ISO 1000
20mm
f/8
20 seconds

Oh! Try this:

ISO 3200
20mm
F(as low as you can go)
30 seconds.

Also, this really needs a foreground element. Something to add intrigue to the photo.

 

[ronlane]

What's the settings on this image?

ISO 1000
20mm
f/8
20 seconds

Astro, I'm assuming that you are answering the question above.

If so, OP, what was your thought process for using ISO 1000?

 

[astroNikon]

What's the settings on this image?

ISO 1000
20mm
f/8
20 seconds

Astro, I'm assuming that you are answering the question above.

If so, OP, what was your thought process for using ISO 1000?

Yes, that was the EXIF for his photo

 

[astroNikon]

Normally you want to take a star photo at the lowest ISO possible with the largest aperture possible. Generally with a stopped down aperture (smaller opening) you are letting less light thus less stars even with a longer exposure. So generally as wide open as possible to get as many stars as possible. Unless you want a certain look.

But in regards to ISO you can do a test.
Leave the lens cap on
Take a 5 minute exposure (or about) at your lowest ISO
It theorectically should be perfectly black But it might show streaks , pixels, etc
Then try it at ISO 800
or even higher

This will give you an idea of what your max ISO should be for taking astrophotography stuff.

for instance I used ISO 25,600 @ f/5.6 @ 0.6 secs to get a noisy shot of Uranus using a regular NIkon 70-300 VRII cropped to the max. A longer exposure and the planet was elongated (movement), lower ISO and you can't see it. and f/5.6 becz that is what it is at 300mm.

versus the Orion Nebula which was pretty clean (except slightly out of focus) at ISO 6400, 10 seconds.

It also depends upon your environment you are in. How much pollution, clouds, lights from light poles, etc etc.

I've seen tutorials for shooting with pollution and you overexpose, and various other techniques/tips out there for various issues. I shoot mostly in my backyard and there's only a couple spots I can shoot otherwise light coming in from an angle interferes. Or across the street and the police come and look at what I'm doing.

Even though I love astronomy .. I'm kinda a newbie with the camera on it. just got back into it after failing a decade ago with film. So I'm still learning the digital stuff.

 

[astroNikon]

Zero experience in this stuff so this might be a camera limitation, but I'm sure you can do better!
This one is has too much noise, colour and otherwise.

I am also planning to get into these, so I'm sure I'll not facing the same difficulties as well!!

Sometimes Colour is good ....
20140923-01 Orion Nebula by stevesklar, on Flickr

 

[dannylightning]

not bad, i tried to get some stars last night, i was not really pleased with the results.

 

[avraam]

oh, it's incredible! unfortunately it did'n exist starfall

 

[KmH]

For all practical photography purpose and DoF, all stars, including our sun, are at infinity.
Consequently there is no need to use a middle or smaller aperture to deepen the DoF.
By the same token a wide angle focal length like 20 mm has pretty deep DoF even when using a large aperture .

Astrophotographers used specialized astronomy cameras that have a thermoelectric cooling system that cools the image sensor to minimize thermal image noise caused when the electrical resistance of the pixels heats up the image sensor during a long exposure.
Professional astronomers use image sensors cooled by liquefied gases - like liquid nitrogen which is liquid between -196°F and -210°F.

 

[DGMPhotography]

So I'm getting some mixed messages here.. I chose the lower ISO because I wanted to avoid noise. Noise gets pretty bad on my camera at ISO 1600+

 

[TreeofLifeStairs]

So I'm getting some mixed messages here.. I chose the lower ISO because I wanted to avoid noise. Noise gets pretty bad on my camera at ISO 1600+

Right, it's always a balancing act. Trying to go as low as possible with your ISO to limit the noise but needing to have it high enough to capture the stars with out trails.

 

[shefjr]

There are two great write ups/tutorials from members here on the forum. I saved them and refer to them often. Both are packed with great information.

By, Sw1tchFX. Shooting Night pictures of stars (and stuff) | Photography Forum

By, Manaheim Manaheim's Ultimate Guide to Night Photography | Photography Forum

I hope they help. I know they helped me.

Something else I would suggest is to get an app for your phone that helps you locate stuff in the night sky. I use Skyview. Then you want to look for Sagittarius (some call it "the heart of the Milky Way") this isn't the best time of year for ️ Because it is setting and isn't really high in the night sky but, you still have a little time left to capture a few nice images of it.