Apija
Active member
Still could not make up my mind whether it's worth buying a tracker for such types of photographs. Any experience?
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Milky Way over Ugab River Camp - feedback appreciated
- Thread starter Apija
- Start date
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Seems the photo didn't load (make sure it's sized to no more than 1200x800 pixels and total file size is less than 1MB) but I really love my star tracker for Milky Way and other astro photos. It does add complexity both in the field and during post processing (assuming you also want landscape in the foreground) but to me it's worth it for the image quality delivered by long sky exposures. That said, if I'm traveling light while backpacking I'll skip the tracker and just take a wide large aperture lens.
Bennvdm
Active member
Just a warning for use of star tracker in Southern Hemisphere, as polar alignment is a lot harder than in northern hemisphere as there is no pole star. Sigma octans is not visible by naked eye at even the best dark sky locations.
Tracker is Ok for wide angle shots where rough alignment with compass and setting latitude only, but no telephoto lense use is possible without better polar alignment. I gave up on using my Star Adventurer Pro with telephoto lenses that have Octans in polar scope as could not see from dark sky locations such as Sesriem close to Sossusvlei.
Apija, please post photo taken at Ugab river camp
Tracker is Ok for wide angle shots where rough alignment with compass and setting latitude only, but no telephoto lense use is possible without better polar alignment. I gave up on using my Star Adventurer Pro with telephoto lenses that have Octans in polar scope as could not see from dark sky locations such as Sesriem close to Sossusvlei.
Apija, please post photo taken at Ugab river camp
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For me…astro shots are an only occasionally thing and I’ve found that using a wider lens and an exposure of 30 seconds, usually less and just accept the higher ISO and noise are enough for me. Buying the star filter and tracker is just too much to invest in for something I don’t do much plus it’s just more weight to take along. If one is really into them…Hudson Henry for instance…the extra gear is worth it. I just use a short enough shutter so no real motion and DxO the shots to cut down the noise.
Apija
Active member
So hi to everybody and thanks a lot that you shared your personal experience with a tracker. We travel quite often to Namibia for night sky and wildlife photography; so weight is always an issue. I didn't know that polar alignment in the south is a lot harder than in the northern hemisphere, another important point to consider for a rookie like me. For night shots I use the Z 20mm f1.8, a wonderful lens in my opinion, but for the whole milky way arch the 20mm can be quiet limiting. Any suggestion for a wider lens as alternative to "panorama shooting"?
I apologize that the upload didn't work in the first place.
I apologize that the upload didn't work in the first place.
Bennvdm
Active member
I like it. Spitzkoppe and Quiver tree forest are also great night sky locations for Namibia.
It will be tough to beat the z 20mm lens as highly regarded for astro wide open. Likely currently only z14-24 for wider, but pricy if not also used for other use cases. I intend to get the z 14-30 later-on and possibly use on tracker as only f4. Primary use will not be for astro though.
I have rokinon 14mm f2.8 mf in f-mount, 35mm z and sigma 135mm f1.8 that I intend to use with astro.
I struggled with the 135mm and polar alignment. Have not tried 35mm z for pano’s yet, but also highly regarded per some youtube astro photographers that I follow. My experience thus far limited to tokina 11-16 dx and 14mm rokinon.
It will be tough to beat the z 20mm lens as highly regarded for astro wide open. Likely currently only z14-24 for wider, but pricy if not also used for other use cases. I intend to get the z 14-30 later-on and possibly use on tracker as only f4. Primary use will not be for astro though.
I have rokinon 14mm f2.8 mf in f-mount, 35mm z and sigma 135mm f1.8 that I intend to use with astro.
I struggled with the 135mm and polar alignment. Have not tried 35mm z for pano’s yet, but also highly regarded per some youtube astro photographers that I follow. My experience thus far limited to tokina 11-16 dx and 14mm rokinon.
Bubbahotep
Well-known member
A tracker would be better but it's not necessary. It's a very nice image, btw. The landscape and Milky Way have good detail. If you want to reveal more detail, process the landscape separately from the starfield and merge the two after processing.
Bubbahotep
Well-known member
I heard this too that southern hemisphere polar alignment is a lot harder than northern.
MorganP
Well-known member
Very nice shot. If you keep your shots under 30 Sec you will not be able to see the elongation of the stairs when you print a shot. If you zoom way in you will see a small amount of elongation in the star but who makes prints and JPGs like that.
I have several vary large prints with on problems using this method.
The only other thing I would have tried is a longer exposure so I could drop my ISO / noise but that's just me.
I have several vary large prints with on problems using this method.
The only other thing I would have tried is a longer exposure so I could drop my ISO / noise but that's just me.
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Bubbahotep
Well-known member
I have a Nikon Z 20mm 1.8f lens. I recommend using 8 seconds. Even at 20 seconds, I get elongated stars. However, I agree that pixel peepers are a little too obsessed with perfect stars.
MorganP
Well-known member
I use a Nikon 14-24 2.8 lens. Yes you will get a small elongation in the star viewed close up. If you stand back from the print you wont see the difference.
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Apija
Active member
Considering the various aspects of nightsky and landscape photography as size, weight, handling, polar alignment etc. I decided to replace my Z 14-30 f4 with the Z 14-24 f2.8. Thank you all for your comments.
Marple Camp, Namibia
Marple Camp, Namibia
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Regarding the first image, you might try a pano crop. That would remove some of the empty foreground and increase the focus on the middle ground and Milky Way.