Star trails - take 1
Feb 27, 2017 10:18:56 #
I'll be taking a trip to the Grand Canyon in a few months. This is my first practice session with star trails. I'm close the city of Richmond and according to www.lightpollutionmap.info , the radiance value is 8.56 (yellow to pink on most maps).
Nikon D7000 at ISO 400, with 17mm lens, 13-seconds at f/2.8. 60 images combined with GIMP.
Nikon D7000 at ISO 400, with 17mm lens, 13-seconds at f/2.8. 60 images combined with GIMP.
Feb 27, 2017 10:54:45 #
Feb 27, 2017 12:32:43 #
Curve_in wrote:
I'll be taking a trip to the Grand Canyon in a few months. This is my first practice session with star trails. I'm close the city of Richmond and according to www.lightpollutionmap.info , the radiance value is 8.56 (yellow to pink on most maps).
Nikon D7000 at ISO 400, with 17mm lens, 13-seconds at f/2.8. 60 images combined with GIMP.
Nikon D7000 at ISO 400, with 17mm lens, 13-seconds at f/2.8. 60 images combined with GIMP.
Great practice shot Curve.
TBH im not a fan of blue skies, perhaps higher ISO or shorter exposure?
Marc
Feb 27, 2017 13:42:58 #
Feb 27, 2017 13:46:54 #
Good to see!
Don't be afraid to crank up your exposure time. (It makes the trails longer. Use your ISO choices to adjust the brightness.)
If you haven't tried it, you might like to download Startrails, a program to make star trails out of a series of images.
I will caution you though, startrails is what helped me enter this lunacy.
Also, if you don't have an Intervalometer, I would recommend one. They aren't too expensive. And they do all the work for you.
I misplaced my first one (wired type). When I replaced it I went wireless. Love the wireless version! Run camera over there, from your chair by the campfire.
Bonus: You can also use it as a wireless remote for those shots with everybody in it. (This is another reason I need this, Dear!)
Beyond Startrails, your camera, a wide angle lens, and a full nights batteries can give you images to weave into a time lapse of the night sky. From the Perseid Meteor Showers of 2015. (Sorry, better viewed in full screen mode.) Easy with Windows Movie Maker software.
Practice and Play.
And have a GREAT time!
(Be careful, you are trodding on a slippery slope...
)
Don't be afraid to crank up your exposure time. (It makes the trails longer. Use your ISO choices to adjust the brightness.)
If you haven't tried it, you might like to download Startrails, a program to make star trails out of a series of images.
I will caution you though, startrails is what helped me enter this lunacy.
Also, if you don't have an Intervalometer, I would recommend one. They aren't too expensive. And they do all the work for you.
I misplaced my first one (wired type). When I replaced it I went wireless. Love the wireless version! Run camera over there, from your chair by the campfire.
Bonus: You can also use it as a wireless remote for those shots with everybody in it. (This is another reason I need this, Dear!)
Beyond Startrails, your camera, a wide angle lens, and a full nights batteries can give you images to weave into a time lapse of the night sky.
From the Perseid Meteor Showers of 2015. (Sorry, better viewed in full screen mode.) Easy with Windows Movie Maker software.Practice and Play.
And have a GREAT time!
(Be careful, you are trodding on a slippery slope...
)Feb 28, 2017 08:51:40 #
dlmorris
Loc: Loma Linda, Ca
Not bad. I think what I would do is decrease the ISO a bit, or stop down the lens a little, in order to get finer trails, then simply let the series run for a longer period of time. So, what has worked for me is exposures of 30 or so sec., with just a couple of sec between each exposure, and let the sequence run for two or three hours, giving longer trails. But it is good you are experimenting beforehand! You can work out any bugs befor trying for the prize shot! Star trails are lots of fun. Someone suggested the program startrails, which I have used, and it is easy. good luck!
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.