Milky Way/Star Photography tips

[Eddie.]

Okay, I know there's a few guides but I wanted to ask some camera specific questions as I'll only have one chance to do this really.

I've just bought a Canon 500D, as an upgrade from my Sony A200.

It has a kit lens (18-55mm f3.5-f5.5) and it also has a 50mm f1.8 prime.

I'm going to Fort William this weekend with the mrs and the forecast is for clear skies, so I was going to try and do some night photography. Can anyone give me some tips on what lens of the two would be best, and how would it be best to use them?

I know to get the aperture as open as I can, so the 50mm would better in that sense, but would it be too narrow?

Setting the focus point to infinite, is that best for shooting at night?

Does anyone know where each lens is sharpest? i.e, is the 50mm fully sharp at f1.8?

I was planning to start at about ISO 3200, would that be about right?

Setting WB on the camera, stick it on Auto? Or set it to what?

I know some of these questions are pretty entry level stuff, but night photography is pretty new to me.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Shoot RAW.
Auto WB - change in PP later.

As for the rest - you need to find this stuff out before you shoot at night. Tonight - tripod + something to shoot - 50mm on the camera and go for one pic at 1.8, 2.0, 2.2 etc etc.. find the sweet spot. I think it'll be about 2.5-2.8.

As for focus, depends what yuo're shooting ? Stars ? Infinity and back a gnat's ball. If you're shooting a building, then focus on that. Bring a powerful torch.

If you're trying a frozen pic of the sky/milky way, ISO3200 might be OK but it might also be really noisy. Again, depends what you're upto. Have you done your homework to see how long you need to shoot for at a given focal length before they start moving ?

Check out Flickr for the exif for hints where to start.

 

[Eddie.]

Yeah I've read up on the whole "500" rule and that sort of thing. My camera isn't FF so I'll allow for the crop effect.

I'll want to be shooting stars with some of the mountains/lochs in the foreground if possible.

I need to check the moon phases for this weekend to see what is likely to be possible.

 

[Brazo]

Eddie, to ensure lots of tiny stars appear in your image you need to 'max' out on available light so you must shoot wide open at 1.8. Across frame sharpness won't be great but thats of lesser importance in star photography.

To be honest a 500d isn't the best low light camera and you will need to shoot it at iso3200-6400 at which point noise will be crippling. I have recently seen a great milky way image shot iso 6400 at f2.8 on a fullframe where the noise was starting to spoil the picture.

I feel the 50mm will be too long to capture the whole of the milky way as on a 1.6 crop camera that gives an equivalent field of view of 80mm. Your kit lens at f3.5 is too dark for optimum results.

As they say have a go and come back with some results

Calculation is 600 so its 600/(50 (focal length) x1.6(crop factor)) which gives 7.5 seconds before stars trail. Thats not a lot of time.

 

[Scott™]

I can't add to Brazo but make sure you know where the milky way will be in the sky, make sure there is no light pollution on the horizon because when you shoot in high ISO it will highlight it massively.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

Don't bother the 50mm. It's too long and trying to get infinity focus with it is pretty tricky.

I've has some results at 1600 iso. F3.5 and 30 seconds. The noise does come in though quite noticeably after 3200.

Have a look at some apps as they will point you in the right direction for the milky way if you don't already know where it is.

Good luck and make sure you post the results.

 

[Eddie.]

First attempts are up (a little late, I know)

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/show...tography-First-Attempts&p=9922333#post9922333

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

I don't know how many of you use Google plus but I find it brilliant for following photographers.
This image is from one of the guys I follow.
America is the place for night photography!