Shooting the Stars Question

[Middlemarch]

I'm going out tonight to shoot stars. It's a rural area, so there is very little light. How long should I keep the shutter open? Using 200 speed color film.

 

[ksmattfish]

It's going to depend on what particular film, the aperture you're using, and what look you are trying to achieve. Longer exposures will have longer star trails and lighter skies.

For exposures longer than a few seconds the manufacturer labeled ISO is not very accurate. Some films are faster with long exposures than a different film with the same ISO. There is usually some info on making long exposures on the film manufacturer's website.

Using f/11 and ISO 200 Fuji consumer film I would try 4 min, 10 min, 25 min, 1 hour, and maybe even 2-3 hours. Take notes so you know what exposures are what later.

 

[Middlemarch]

Thanks, I'll give this a try. :thumbup: