nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

I have DSLR cameras with "star eaters" sony sensors!

https://petapixel.com/2017/05/04/star-eater-issue-no-longer-recommend-sony-cameras-astrophotography/

I need a good astro-lawyer so I can sue sony for screwing - what few clear nights I have left - UP my nights :)!

Darn!

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Shop carefully their per/hour can be astronomical!

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Wise advice - and I might add, it's "out of this world" advice too!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Wait a minute here...
You can yourself "Nikonshooter"
Ian sez it's a firmware update causing the star eater feenominieum. And in the a7rII and a7sII.

Since it's a download, I have to first wonder if it can be reverted to save the camera?
And does it actually, physically change the sensor? Kinda doubt it.

I bet somebodies head(s) are going to roll at Sony Corp.....

Now if you want to talk about Pixle Poopin cameras, I have a doozy...

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

The problem is not the sensor. Its the in camera processing. Nikon did have that problem, but I think they took care of it. Sony hasn't addressed it yet.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

The so called "star eater" problem has been discussed, argued, debated, ad nauseam since at least Jan 2015, with a 53 page thread existing on the Cloudy Nights forum. I think the conclusion is that 90+% of astro-imagers will never realize the problem exists unless they are shooting single subs and do a lot of pixel peeping. A comment on Pg. 52 of the thread sums it up nicely:

"If you are...
1. Using longer FL
2. Dithering
3. Aligning
4. Stacking
5. Completing rest of the post-processing

...then it is unfathomable to presume that a sub-exposure artifact of such magnitude will carry to the final image. I think most will understand what I mean here and I have made this point many times and have produced a ton of A7S work here and in other threads that support this fact. Regards"

I've use a Sony A7S, A7R and A7R II (as well as an RX10 III) since they were released to shoot nightscape/astrophotography and have yet to see evidence of the "star eater" problem. But then again I haven't specifically gone looking for it and I'm not a pixel peeper.

The most recent firmware release (3.3) resolved several problems with noise control in long exposures but appears to have moved the "star eater" problem to shorter exposures than previously experienced. I think that is why it is making headlines again. I haven't noticed a difference with my A7R II and, supposedly, I should be seeing HORRIBLE results!?

Enjoy!

bwa

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Oh, well I recently swore off of Cloudy Bites.
Seems they like to arbitrarily apply their "Terms of Service".
So we came to a parting of the ways.
Very over moderated.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Maybe they didn't understand your sense of humor!?

bwa

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Truth be told, I don't know the sky well enough to know if stars are missing or not - but finding a legitimate place to lay the blame when i lay an "up image" egg can serve anyone looking for justification - as in me :)

Europa Loc: West Hills, CA

👍 I like it, a place to affix blame.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

B I N G O :)

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

No, not that at all.
It's actually pretty rare that I drop a web site.
But in the face of unreasonable moderation I will.

Check your PM's.