# Night Sky Tips Please



## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Hi

I live on the edge of a dark sky park so a 10 minute drive takes me to a place where you can just about make out the milky way with the naked eye. I went along tonight for my first attempt at night sky photography and let's just say it didn't go well.

My set-up is:
Canon 1100D
50mm f1.8 Prime
17-55 f35-5.6 Kit lens

It's not exactly state of the art but I was hoping for better results than I got. I was using a tripod and remote control. I tried shutter priority first then went on full manual mode with 30s exposures and tried various apertures from f22 to f1.8. I tried bother the prime and the kit lens.

Aside from buying a wide angle lens is there anything does anyone have any advice for night sky shots? It was a stunning clear night tonight and a crisp 2.5 degrees. Seemed a shame to come back with such rubbish.

Here's the selection. I've stupidly managed to re-size and overwrite the originals which doesn't help but it gives you the picture *no pun intended.


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## MagpieRH (May 27, 2014)

I can only see small versions on my phone but they look pretty good to me 

I haven't done a lot of night sky photography myself but from what I've read the starting point is f/16 and a longer exposure time -start at 30s like you have them maybe try longer (bulb mode if you're camera has is - a B on the mode dual).

What is it about the pics you're not happy with?

PS. Are the originals not still on the card?


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## rob28 (Nov 7, 2008)

Shoot in manual mode. 
Put the aperture fully open - the lowest number. f1.8 on your 50mm. This will give a shallow depth of field for close things but for far off and infinity it shouldn't matter - but play around 
Max out your ISO, a high as it will go. 
User a tripod and try various times from 10 to 30 seconds. Remember, the longer your focal length, the shorter time before you see star trails. 35 seconds at 18mm on your camera down to 13 seconds with the 50mm lens. http://www.sceneplanner.com/tool3.php

Depending on your max ISO, the kit lens may struggle to get the shots you want. But just get out again and play. It's all fun.


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

Have to disagree about using max iso, most cameras at their max iso will produce very poor quality pictures.

i tend to start with a 30 sec exposure f4 and about iso 400. but this is on a full frame camera so will be slightly different to a crop sensor.

i tend to find it best to have some kind of fore ground interest and set the focus on that. a good tip for that is a bright torch, shine the torch on the foreground let the lens auto focus and then swap it to manual.

a lot is trial and error but as has been said its all part of the fun.

Here are a few of mine, cant wait to start and get out now the nights are dark again

Star trail over Morton Corbet by davemmo5, on Flickr

Star Trail Over Haughmond by davemmo5, on Flickr

DJM_1769 by davemmo5, on Flickr

Morton Corbet Castle by davemmo5, on Flickr


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## wrxsti (Feb 3, 2013)

Davemm said:


> Have to disagree about using max iso, most cameras at their max iso will produce very poor quality pictures.
> 
> i tend to start with a 30 sec exposure f4 and about iso 400. but this is on a full frame camera so will be slightly different to a crop sensor.
> 
> ...


OMG! These are stunning picture!


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Some great tips here! Thanks very much. 

I tried various aperture's and just had focus as far away as possible. I'll try the torch tip on auto focus then set to manual and see how I get on. I'll also try changes shutter speed as well. 

I'll post the results on here.


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

aperture you always want as low as you rlens will go this lets more light in, so the 17-55 at 3.5 will be fine. id may be drop it to 4 though and increase shutter time or ad another stop of iso to compensate. 

get some foreground interest and focus on that the rest will sort its self out. 

much longer than 30 seconds and the movement in the stars will start to get more noticeable.


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