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Juicy-Jhad a few shots kicking around on my desktop..
Was the first picture taken on the east coast somewhere? It looks like a Black-headed Gull, which would be found on the east coast mostly in winter, but the background looks more like somewhere out west where it would be incredibly rare.
VinnieFWas the first picture taken on the east coast somewhere? It looks like a Black-headed Gull, which would be found on the east coast mostly in winter, but the background looks more like somewhere out west where it would be incredibly rare.
That was actually taken on Lake Como in Italy - such an incredible place.
Another go at astrophotography. Very pleased with the results this time. Click it to see it better. I would love to try this with an expensive 400mm f2.8. Some day.
Compare to my previous M31 attempt. Same setup, just a better night and more exposure time.
VinnieFAnother go at astrophotography. Very pleased with the results this time. Click it to see it better. I would love to try this with an expensive 400mm f2.8. Some day.
Compare to my previous M31 attempt. Same setup, just a better night and more exposure time.
Fuck man that's crazy. What's the setup like to get something like that?
LonelyFuck man that's crazy. What's the setup like to get something like that?
It's actually nothing too special, and before I started trying I wouldn't have imagined I could do something like this with my setup. I used a Pentax K3-II and DA* 300mm f4 lens.
A picture like this can be done with most cameras and a moderately fast telephoto lens. It's all about getting as much exposure time as possible and stacking as many images as you can together. A really dark low humidity night is also key (as you can see from the two different pictures).
I took 19 pictures that were 30 seconds long at iso 800 and f4, stacked them with a program called Rot'n'Stack, then edited in photoshop (mostly fooling around with curves to get something that looked good). So about 10 minutes of total exposure at f4 and iso 800. You could probably get something that looks cool with one of the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lenses that everyone has for their canon or nikon, but a fast prime is definitely the best.
The one caveat is that the Pentax K3-II has something they call astrotracer, which uses the in-body stabilization, the built in GPS, compass, and giro to track the movement of the stars for long exposures. It's really cool. And what it means is I was able to get my 10 minutes of exposure in 20 pictures instead of a couple hundred or whatever it would take to freeze movement with another camera (even at 300mm you can see the stars move noticeably through the camera). And this is where a really fast telephoto would be excellent. Like a 400mm f2.8 would be fantastic. Sucks they cost $10k+. Full frame would be best to keep noise as low as possible, but then you'd probably want at least 400mm.
It's super rewarding photography and I'd say give it a shot. It's pretty crazy that you take 20 pictures that look like this and they come out like that.
VinnieFFull frame would be best to keep noise as low as possible, but then you'd probably want at least 400mm.
Wait... you definitely don't need full frame for this...
Here's a trick folks.. have a crop body with a sensor that deals well with noise... Even the older Nikon D7000 or a canon 60d could do this well as they were both great for dealing with noise.
Then get a 200 f2.8 or faster.. seriously, a well calibrated vintage 200 f2.8 could do the trick well..
And then do all of the above. Works like a charm!
If you want to get super specific, one of those star tracking mounts. They don't cost a terrible amount (like 300 for a cheap one that works well on a moonless night) much better than 10 grand for an ultra fast tele.
DingoSeanWait... you definitely don't need full frame for this...
Here's a trick folks.. have a crop body with a sensor that deals well with noise... Even the older Nikon D7000 or a canon 60d could do this well as they were both great for dealing with noise.
Then get a 200 f2.8 or faster.. seriously, a well calibrated vintage 200 f2.8 could do the trick well..
And then do all of the above. Works like a charm!
If you want to get super specific, one of those star tracking mounts. They don't cost a terrible amount (like 300 for a cheap one that works well on a moonless night) much better than 10 grand for an ultra fast tele.
I never said it was needed, but there's no denying full frame is far superior for astrophotography than crop sensors. Medium format would be even better.. Pentax 645Z would be amazing due to its pretty much unsurpassed low light capabilities.
And yes, a 200mm f2.8 would for sure work, but then you're not getting the reach that you need to fill the frame with deep sky objects. For example to fill maybe 1/2 the frame on a full frame sensor with M31 you'd need roughly a 500mm lens. So if you really want the best setup you'd get a fast telephoto and a full frame camera and put it all on a tracking mount. The setup would cost $20k+ though..
Of course just buying an actual good telescope and putting your camera on that would probably be cheaper than a good 400 f2.8 or 500 f4.
I mean yea, you can get cool pictures with a 200mm f2.8 and a crop sensor, but they'll just never be on the same level as what you could get with a full frame and 400 f2.8.
VinnieFIt's actually nothing too special, and before I started trying I wouldn't have imagined I could do something like this with my setup. I used a Pentax K3-II and DA* 300mm f4 lens.
A picture like this can be done with most cameras and a moderately fast telephoto lens. It's all about getting as much exposure time as possible and stacking as many images as you can together. A really dark low humidity night is also key (as you can see from the two different pictures).
I took 19 pictures that were 30 seconds long at iso 800 and f4, stacked them with a program called Rot'n'Stack, then edited in photoshop (mostly fooling around with curves to get something that looked good). So about 10 minutes of total exposure at f4 and iso 800. You could probably get something that looks cool with one of the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lenses that everyone has for their canon or nikon, but a fast prime is definitely the best.
The one caveat is that the Pentax K3-II has something they call astrotracer, which uses the in-body stabilization, the built in GPS, compass, and giro to track the movement of the stars for long exposures. It's really cool. And what it means is I was able to get my 10 minutes of exposure in 20 pictures instead of a couple hundred or whatever it would take to freeze movement with another camera (even at 300mm you can see the stars move noticeably through the camera). And this is where a really fast telephoto would be excellent. Like a 400mm f2.8 would be fantastic. Sucks they cost $10k+. Full frame would be best to keep noise as low as possible, but then you'd probably want at least 400mm.
It's super rewarding photography and I'd say give it a shot. It's pretty crazy that you take 20 pictures that look like this and they come out like that.
That's great info. Some of my attempts. Pls don't crucify me. These were done with a kit before I got my wide prime.
Supposed to be clear tonight, gonna grab my 300 and a buddies astrotracer and take a crack at it.
**This post was edited on Aug 15th 2018 at 4:59:48pm
VinnieFI never said it was needed, but there's no denying full frame is far superior for astrophotography than crop sensors. Medium format would be even better.. Pentax 645Z would be amazing due to its pretty much unsurpassed low light capabilities.
And yes, a 200mm f2.8 would for sure work, but then you're not getting the reach that you need to fill the frame with deep sky objects. For example to fill maybe 1/2 the frame on a full frame sensor with M31 you'd need roughly a 500mm lens. So if you really want the best setup you'd get a fast telephoto and a full frame camera and put it all on a tracking mount. The setup would cost $20k+ though..
Of course just buying an actual good telescope and putting your camera on that would probably be cheaper than a good 400 f2.8 or 500 f4.
I mean yea, you can get cool pictures with a 200mm f2.8 and a crop sensor, but they'll just never be on the same level as what you could get with a full frame and 400 f2.8.
Alright, well, screw it. Get a 5dii and a 500mm mirror lens with a teleconvertor (because fuck it. Get that reach) and a star tracker mount and win at everything.
I got to try out panning shots for the first time at UMC in Utah during the PWC. I was filming for my company in the TCR class but these cars were on track right before they went on so I had time to try some photos.
Not sure if this is correct, but I see this as the centre of our galaxy down at the bottom right with one of the arms extending towards the top left. So many stars.
Missed this one from a while ago I think, this must be in Cataract? How far from the confluence were you, love how you can see the sediment split still. Maybe the bridge by Hite?
Dump from the last 8 months or so, I also have found I shoot like 100% horizontal and 0% portrait orientation sooo idk gotta work on the eye a little bit and get some more vertical shots goin... Also built a website www.biteoftoast.com that has all my fav shots
toastMissed this one from a while ago I think, this must be in Cataract? How far from the confluence were you, love how you can see the sediment split still. Maybe the bridge by Hite?
no sir! navajo bridge at lee's ferry. shot it in the morning on a trip to zion last spring. pretty amazing view and beautiful colors from the pedestrian bridge, the opposite view has the vehicle bridge and a nice big bend, about 450 feet above the colorado.
If anyone is looking to do macro on the cheap, I just got some extension tubes + reversing ring off ebay (~$20 for all). Using that with an old manual aperture lens which could be picked up for ~$30 and this is my first testing result:
This is not cropped.
At 1:1 it is definitely nowhere near optically perfect, but for 50 bucks it's a really sweet setup that can take amazing macro shots.
As long as i've made a lot winter sports photos, i still consider this one to be the best of mine so far.
It was done during my work with https://daretodream.nyc/proposals/ and it was such a thrilling experience catching the happiest moments of people's life. It's so energizing, watching things like that just gets my will to live back. Hope it's gonna happen few more times, liked that a lot.
I've always sucked at photographing sunsets / sunrises, but finally snagged one I like. Just snapped from my deck so the perspective isn't ideal, but it was kinda hard to mess it up really badly when the sky was putting on this big of a show.
patagonialukeI've always sucked at photographing sunsets / sunrises, but finally snagged one I like. Just snapped from my deck so the perspective isn't ideal, but it was kinda hard to mess it up really badly when the sky was putting on this big of a show.
