A summer's night sky

[crawdaddio]

There is a little noise, but I don't think it's too bad for my first attempt at a long exposure with digital.

D50
24-120 lens @ 24mm
30 minute exposure (I've since learned that this is the D50's max. Dangit!)
f/22
ISO 200
focused at infinity

 

[PlasticSpanner]

At what time of night did you try this? Did the D50 set or tell you the aperture or was it your own choice? Seems a bit small for a star trail shot!

Still works quite well though, even with a blue sky!:thumbup:

 

[crawdaddio]

It was just after dusk. About 8:30 p.m. I set the aperture manually. Should I be using a larger aperture?

 

[TTPeter]

30 min not long enough? lol

 

[Raymond J Barlow]

good try, for the first time.. I would forget about my camera, and fall asleep if I tried this!

 

[LaFoto]

Ah Ray, that is from chasing cute little birdies all day long in all sorts of environments which makes you so tired then.

So what was the exposure time you went for for these, craw daddy --- erm ...?

 

[crawdaddio]

^ I wanted 45 min. to an hour Lafoto. I was hoping to get some real long star trails.

Thanks everyone, I'll definately be trying this some more.

 

[PlasticSpanner]

good try, for the first time.. I would forget about my camera, and fall asleep if I tried this!

Done that!

Idealy you want an apeture 1 or 2 stops down from your max. But if there is still daylight you'll over expose the sky! Best to try it at the darkest hour of the night.

If you want a longer exposure than 30 secs then set the camera for a double exposure on a remote release! :thumbup:

 

[crawdaddio]

^ From the max? You mean max like the 1.8 on a 50mm 1.8? So about f5.6 or f8? Won't that let too much ambient light in? Thanks for the pointers!

 

[PlasticSpanner]

Yep.

The larger the aperture then the more stars you'll capture.

But you will need a dark, unpolluted sky.

 

[crawdaddio]

But you will need a dark, unpolluted sky.

Therein lies the problem. I will keep at it though, thanks again