Night sky photo tips please

Diggsy

Diggsy

Diggsy

Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2007
Posts
4,867
Guys,

Just recently got a 350D and been trying to learn how to use it, mainly by trial and error, as I hate reading manuals!! But i'm quickly learning that i'm going to need to spend some time in the manual to learn to properly use it:p

Anyway, I have recently noticed some really nice night sky shots that I would love to have captured properly, but I seem to just end up with blurred shots, even though I have been capturing them with the tripod.

I think the biggest problem is that i'm not sure how to properly set the camera, so I sometimes stick it on auto (I know, I know:rolleyes: ), but I do intend on spending the next few days reading the manual and the books I have so that I have a better grasp of the manual settings available.

Now, what I wanted to know was what settings I should be using on the camera to get the best possible night sky shots? I have been using the 70-300 mainly, but am happy to use any of the lenses I currently own.

For info, I have the following kit with my 350D...

Canon 18-55mm kit lens
Canon 50mm f/1.8 II
Sigma 70-300mm DG Macro
Sigma EF 500DG ST
Canon RC-1
Miranda Titan tripod (old as the hills, but pretty solid)
Gorillapod SLR (this is about the handiest thing I have ever used)


Thanks in advance for any tips.
 
Are you using the 2 second self timer? This will reduce any camera shake when you press the shutter. Also There is a custom function which moves the mirror up first before the picture is taken which reduces shake aswell. If you are taking long exposures, you will want to use the lowest ISO possible and probabaly want to enable noise reduction in one of the CF menus, although I believe the camera only uses it at 15s and above or 30s and above. (can't remember which). It takes the same length exposure with the shutter closed, so it will effectively double your exposure time.

Have you got any photos you can upload that didn't come out as you would like? It'll be more help in offering advice :)
 
If youve been using both your remote and tripod, you shouldnt have any bluring. About two weeks ago i started doing some star photos aswell.

Use your kit lens @ 18 or so mm so you get as much of the sky in as possible. and as Jotun said enable noise reduction.

I think the easiest way would be go and just experiment, maybe start out at 30seconds, since you can do this in any of the modes. for longer than 30seconds you need to use the bulb mode. But if that doesnt come out perfect, depending on what is wrong, increase or decrease the shutter speed.

The main problem I have at the moment is that the summer nights are very bright, and the stars are only visible much latter.

eg. this was about 12.30
Ive been using the shutter release to lock the exposure for more than a minute(using 'Bulb' exposure mode) I started out at 5minutes and worked down cause they were coming out over-exposured.
Exposure: 66 sec
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 21 mm

IMGP00351.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply.

I haven't done anything to this, other than resize it for the web, if it helps, I can upload the full image...

IMG_0123.jpg


Oh and here's the EXIF info...

Camera Model
Canon EOS 350D DIGITAL
Shooting Date/Time
21/06/2008 01:33:19
Shooting Mode
Flash Off(Never fires.)
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1.6
Av( Aperture Value )
4.0
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
400
Lens
70.0 - 300.0mm
Focal Length
92.0mm
Image Size
3456x2304
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
Off
White Balance Mode
Auto
AF Mode
AI Focus AF
Parameters Settings
Contrast Mid. High
Sharpness Mid. High
Color saturation Mid. High
Color tone 0
Color Space
sRGB
Noise Reduction
Off
File Size
2286KB
Custom Function
C.Fn:01-0
C.Fn:02-0
C.Fn:03-0
C.Fn:04-0
C.Fn:05-0
C.Fn:06-0
C.Fn:07-0
C.Fn:08-0
C.Fn:09-0
Drive Mode
Single-frame shooting
Click to expand...

The sky looked fantastic, I had never seen it look that way, with the moon behind a small cloud, yet the rest of the sky almost crystal clear, and I go and mess up the pic!!

EDIT - looks like it's mainly down to inexperience on my part. I guess I need to manually set everything, rather than letting the camera do it. :rolleyes:
 
I take it that shutter speed is 1.6seconds. With that focal length a small movement of the cloud would be more noticeable, so that may account for the blur
 
RaV said:
I take it that shutter speed is 1.6seconds. With that focal length a small movement of the cloud would be more noticeable, so that may account for the blur
Click to expand...

Yeah, to be perfectly honest that was captured at AUTO [FLASH OFF] as I just grabbed the camera before the clouds moved. I didn't have much time to get the shot.

The cloud was moving pretty quickly. Is there any way I could have used a faster shutter speed? Could I have used my bounce flash as fill or something?

The camera was on my Gorrilapod and I manually pressed the shutter, which is also probably something to do with the blurring too.

Guess I just need to read some more, play around until I can easily change the settings, then practise more. :)
 
Diggsy said:
The cloud was moving pretty quickly. Is there any way I could have used a faster shutter speed?
Click to expand...

Well you could have put up the ISO, but then the image would have been noisier. and at that distance the flash would have been useless ;)
 
lo diggs mate how you been just to let you no this pic was done with the 350d :D

540217934_5b34f76279.jpg


35mm
15secs
iso1600
f4.5
cleaned up in cs2

the light glow in bottom right is from a security light on a house round the corner
 
steveo said:
lo diggs mate how you been just to let you no this pic was done with the 350d :D

540217934_5b34f76279.jpg


35mm
15secs
iso1600
f4.5
cleaned up in cs2

the light glow in bottom right is from a security light on a house round the corner
Click to expand...

Hey steveo!

Not bad mate, just playing around with the camera. Believe it or not, I STILL haven't read the flaming manual or the books!! I'm a nightmare!!:rolleyes::D

Thanks for the settings, that outta help a lot.
 
When thinking about night shots, don't forget to look out for a full moon and try taking pictures by moonlight. Moonlight has a wonderful specular feeling.

Check out the third image in this thread by MK:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17809148&highlight=username_Messiah+Khan

And my own handiwork, landscape with stars:

img_5375.jpg


You can see the effect more clearly at the full resolution:

http://www.tug.com/blog/20071230/full/img_5375.jpg

I shot that at f/1.2, 4 seconds at ISO 800 (in fact, it is underexposed a bit because bright moonlit scene just doesn't seem right...)

Now, you might not have f/1.2 to play with, but your nifty fifty isn't far behind. Try to get away from the city and those horrible, yellow sodium lights that tinge the sky for miles around...

Andrew
 
the thing with shooting stars in moon light is that you dont see as many as you can without moonlight i always find its best without moonlight and zero clouds, try and focus on a distant streetlight as most lenses struggle to focus on the stars as there isnt enough light for the camera :)
 
steveo said:
the thing with shooting stars in moon light is that you dont see as many as you can without moonlight i always find its best without moonlight and zero clouds, try and focus on a distant streetlight as most lenses struggle to focus on the stars as there isnt enough light for the camera :)
Click to expand...

Or just put it on manual and focus to infinity :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom