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My first Milky Way
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Jul 15, 2019 06:36:11   #
Bayouguy Loc: From Chauvin living in North Carolina
 
Ben's nana wrote:
I was in Mackninaw and attempted my first Milky Way shot. There was some of light pollution on the horizon, but I kind of like it. RoKinon lens: f 4.0, ISO 2500, 30 sec. Please comment on what do do better
Thanks
Fran



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Jul 15, 2019 06:44:29   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
No one yet has said "Excellent photo, too bad there was a cloud in the middle"

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Jul 15, 2019 07:24:15   #
camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.
 
If it is your first try to astrophotography I would say you did well. You can use flash or a flashlight (ideally LED) to illuminate objects in the foreground if so you desire. I have done it in the past with great results.

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Jul 15, 2019 07:51:52   #
wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN
 
Very nice. Better than my first attempt.

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Jul 15, 2019 10:41:02   #
ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or
 
Ben's nana wrote:
Thanks Longshadow,
I do have the capacity for a F2.8 on my lens. As to the shoreline lights, I have a maybe dumb question....If I'm supposed to focus on Jupiter, shouldn't I expect the shore lights to be a little soft? Which lens do you use?
Fran


With your wide angle lens, for all practical purposes, the shore line lights are at the same focus point (distance) as the stars. With any long exposure, any shake or vibration can blur you exposure. Example: the mirror slapping closed will induce blur in a long exposure. The act of tripping the shutter can cause blur. Don't get too concerned about soft lights on the shoreline. Water vapor in the air as well as temperature diffraction can cause softness and there is nothing you can do about it. This bluring is most noticeable in the heat of the day. see examples, the elk are about a 1.5 miles away.

Zeiss 80mm 1/500
Zeiss 80mm 1/500...

Zeiss 210mm 1/400
Zeiss 210mm 1/400...

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Jul 15, 2019 11:18:25   #
BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten
 
Ben's nana wrote:
Thanks Longshadow,
I do have the capacity for a F2.8 on my lens. As to the shoreline lights, I have a maybe dumb question....If I'm supposed to focus on Jupiter, shouldn't I expect the shore lights to be a little soft? Which lens do you use?
Fran


I think maybe ORpilot nails this pretty well and on s cond look your stars do seem pretty sharp.
So far I’ve been using an older sigma 30mm f1.4 and Minolta 50mm f1.4.
I just bought a Rokinon 35mm f1.4 but haven’t had it out at night yet
Hopefully at the next new moon I can get to the UP and try.
FWIW I was shooting in Ludington state park and got light pollution from Wisconsin on my horizons.

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Jul 15, 2019 11:38:24   #
ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or
 
I down loaded and blew up your photo. Looks like the lens you used has a bit of Chromatic aberration at the edges of the top. I know my old Minolta and Canon 50mm F1.4 lenses had it too. This error makes points of light look like flying saucers instead of round. Their also seems to be some left-right movement blur. No telling where this came from. Wind, shutter, mirror, who knows. I usually shoot several shots of the same image just because stuff happens. Like the camera strap waving in the wind or a big truck just drove by and shook the tripod. Or I shifted from horizontal to vertical and bumpted the focus. As Forest Gump said, "shit happens" But sill, great shot. Get that cup of hot chocolate out and do some more night shots. I wonder what the Mackninaw Bridge looks like with the MilkyWay over it? Digital wasn't around when I was in the AirForce and stationed up in the UP.

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Jul 15, 2019 15:15:53   #
jayluber Loc: Phoenix, AZ
 
I don't really see this as a focus issue. When I use my Rokinon 14mm for MW photos I use f2.8, 20, 25, or 30 second exp (30 is a bit long as it leads to star trails) and ISO of 4,000 - 12,000 depending on the foreground and exposure length. You might also want to get an interesting foreground as well.

Then the photo needs to be processed to bring out the MW. You didn't say - but I hope you're shooting in RAW.

Lots of MW processing videos on internet - just be careful of workflow to keep noise to min.

Great start - but just acknowledge its a learning process.

Where did you take photo???


(Download)


(Download)

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Jul 15, 2019 15:45:55   #
ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or
 
jayluber wrote:
I don't really see this as a focus issue. When I use my Rokinon 14mm for MW photos I use f2.8, 20, 25, or 30 second exp (30 is a bit long as it leads to star trails) and ISO of 4,000 - 12,000 depending on the foreground and exposure length. You might also want to get an interesting foreground as well.

Then the photo needs to be processed to bring out the MW. You didn't say - but I hope you're shooting in RAW.

Lots of MW processing videos on internet - just be careful of workflow to keep noise to min.

Great start - but just acknowledge its a learning process.

Where did you take photo???
I don't really see this as a focus issue. When I ... (show quote)


Nice light painting.

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Jul 15, 2019 22:09:06   #
jrichter
 
Were you able to see the Milky Way with your eyes?

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Jul 15, 2019 22:16:19   #
jrichter
 
In this case I would crop off the bush at the bottom (takes away focus from the sky in this case) and maybe take a little off the top for balance. Try it on a copy of the picture and let me know what you think.

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Jul 19, 2019 09:47:27   #
Ben's nana Loc: Chesterland, Ohio
 
Shootist wrote:
Really good first try! Just a few suggestions. Use your f2.8 setting, it will increase vignetting but nothing any post processing program can't handle. You didn't say which camera you used but most recent cameras can handle ISO 3200, 6400 and even higher so try upping your ISO. Also, use live view at max magnification to focus on a bright star if you can. For really round stars with that lens I find 20sec about max but unless you plan to really blow up the image 30 sec will do pretty well. Finally, trying to get the horizon closer to the center of the frame usually gives me less heartache in PP and usually gets a pretty good shot. Naturally it depends on what you are visualizing when you frame the shot.
Keep shooting, you have a good start.
Really good first try! Just a few suggestions. Use... (show quote)


Shootist, I used a Nikon D750. Thanks so much shootist for all the tips and the encourgement.

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Jul 19, 2019 09:48:44   #
Ben's nana Loc: Chesterland, Ohio
 
CLF wrote:
Fran, looks good to me but I am no expert at taking this type of photo.

Greg


Greg, thanks for the compliment and the thumbs up
Fran

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Jul 19, 2019 09:49:42   #
Ben's nana Loc: Chesterland, Ohio
 
J-SPEIGHT wrote:
Nice shot Fran.


Thanks for the compliment Jack
Fran

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Jul 19, 2019 09:50:43   #
Ben's nana Loc: Chesterland, Ohio
 
Bayouguy wrote:


Thanks for the thumbs up, Bayouguy
Fran

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