Dallas Texas Long Exposure w/ Airplane Light trail

Tailgunner · Jul 27, 2013

I've been playing around with long exposures, both day and nighttime.

Nighttime Downtown Dallas Texas w/Airplane light trail (I really hate that Chase Logo sign!)

Daytime Downtown Dallas (using variable ND filter/30 sec exposure/ ISO100/F22)

Seventen · Jul 27, 2013

Are you able to share details used for the night picture please? I also have been attempting long exposures but fail so badly

if its a long exposure taking pictures of stars its fine but put lights into the picture and its a mess!

Tailgunner · Jul 27, 2013

Seventen said:
Are you able to share details used for the night picture please? I also have been attempting long exposures but fail so badly if its a long exposure taking pictures of stars its fine but put lights into the picture and its a mess!

I'll try and help, sorta new at it my self. Starters, you need a tripod and cable button. Anyhow, you want a real low ISO and you have to play around with F-stops and Shutter speed...generally F-Stop is around F/10-22 and shutter speed around 20-40 seconds. You can raise the F-stop number if you need more shutter time.

light trails:

Nikon D7100
Nikon 18-55
Lens: 26mm
ISO 200
Shutter time: 24 secs
F/14

Seventen · Jul 28, 2013

Thanks for the tip I will try it out tonight, I had the ISO far too high 800 plus. Have all the other extras so good go just needed that push towards the right direction.

Tailgunner · Jul 28, 2013

Seventen said:
Thanks for the tip I will try it out tonight, I had the ISO far too high 800 plus. Have all the other extras so good go just needed that push towards the right direction.

Glad I could help, let me kow how it turns out.

ShaneF · Jul 28, 2013

If you camera has a shutter lock up option use that too it will help reduce the initial vibration.

Seventen · Jul 31, 2013

Thank you all is working how i need it to. I guess when i connect my camera to my telescope a lot changes as only have iso and shutter speed to play with and taking that to using lens on dSLR just failed but thanks for sending me in the right direction. Was hoping to have some shot with lightning in them to share but at 4am i decided there is not going to be a storm and once again weather station didnt get it right again but never mind.

Tailgunner · Jul 31, 2013

Seventen said:
Thank you all is working how i need it to. I guess when i connect my camera to my telescope a lot changes as only have iso and shutter speed to play with and taking that to using lens on dSLR just failed but thanks for sending me in the right direction. Was hoping to have some shot with lightning in them to share but at 4am i decided there is not going to be a storm and once again weather station didnt get it right again but never mind.

It sounds like you're determined to get some storm shots waiting up till 4am. That determination and not giving up is going to pay off one of these days.

So how are you mounting your camera to your telescope and does this set produce decent photos?