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Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
How do you guys get these clean sky shots? I figure most of you also have to deal with light pollution, but whatever I try, they're filled with orange to boot (road lights in Belgium are orange, and we've a lot of those). There's just so much you can filter. --edit: Tried with with that lovely kit lens that came with the EOS400D, and as well as my new Sigma 30mm f1.4, which even came with a lens hood (if that actually helps).

PlasticSun posted:

Edit here's an example at 20 seconds (no ISS in it though) but you can go as long as 30 without the stars blurring.


This is a good example. I'd expect the camp fire to gently caress the whole process up, unless that's edited.

Combat Pretzel fucked around with this message at 17:56 on Jul 3, 2010

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Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Hmmm, despite the lovely lighting conditions in my country (best and most lit country in the world :( ), I've tried it last night anyway. Turns out that setting AWB to Tungsten and aiming away from the lights nets some results. And it took only ISO 800 and 10-15 seconds to make out the milky way with that f1.4 Sigma. Too bad that "away from the lights" involves an annoyingly huge tree line in my view.

There's a long road to the south of this region, that goes through lots and lots of forrest and doesn't feature any street lights. Despite that, turns out that there's still moderate enough traffic to annoy me, even on Sunday at 3am (strange, since the northern and southern part of the region can't stand each other).

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!

TheAngryDrunk posted:

Yeah, without live view, forget what I said. Using manual focus through the viewfinder may be your only option, but it's not going to work very well.
When I know I'm going to do night sky photography, I'm going to focus the lens properly during day time and pray I don't accidentally hit the focus ring. Because I don't have live view either on my EOS 400D. (--edit: Apparently I can focus my Sigma f1.4 a little further than infinity?)

Combat Pretzel fucked around with this message at 18:08 on Aug 15, 2010

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
I think that looks cool. Actually, on the first moment, I thought the lights and rocks were submerged in water.

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Hmmm, I need both more ISO as well as less light pollution. Was testing my new 18-50mm f2.8, I can make out the Milkyway, but I can't get decent results.

--edit:

Combat Pretzel fucked around with this message at 00:17 on Sep 3, 2010

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Be glad you don't live in Belgium, the most lit country in the universe.

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
I live there and haven't found a dark spot where I'm not bothered. The small region that might be dark enough has still traffic at the most impossible times.

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Indeed. I already have issues enough trying to get a regular night sky without anything landscape in view. Any city backlight like on the picture fucks everything up.

But, is that a single exposure?

Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Some fireworks from here, too. From the Kölner Lichter this year, some half an hour big rear end show. These were taken hand held.





Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!

ole_bjorne posted:

Thank you for replies. Will get my tripod soon then. Can I trust his reviews of lenses and cameras? I got two of his recommended lenses for D5100 - 35mm f/1.8 and 55-200mm VR.
If you're getting a f/1.8 lens, then you can risk going without tripod. I'm not sure how well noise is at higher ISO with Nikon cameras, but my 550D fares well enough, and what's still there, Lightroom can handle it well enough without destroying image quality. Not so long ago, I was running around the nearby city with my 30mm set to f1.8 and 3200 ISO, and I netted 1/100s - 1/150s almost always. And our European lesser cities aren't Las Vegas bright.

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Combat Pretzel
Jun 23, 2004

No, seriously... what kurds?!
Gave trails a try out of boredom. Took lots of fudgery in Lightroom to turn the horrible orange light of all these gas discharge lights. that Belgium's got a hard-on for, into something pleasing.


Trails I by cerealbawx, on Flickr


Trails II by cerealbawx, on Flickr


Trails III by cerealbawx, on Flickr

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