I've been busy .......

[audreyh1]

Another answer to the eternal question "What do you do all night?"

Chisos Basin, Big Bend National Park, 8/12/13 around 10PM

 

[REWahoo]

Cool beans!

 

[denefi]

That is awesome!!

 

[FIREd]

Very nice! What shutter speed did you use?

I wish we did not have so much light pollution here.

 

[ERD50]

Very nice! What shutter speed did you use?

I wish we did not have so much light pollution here.

Yes, nice catch. I missed the Persieds this year. I would also like to know about the camera set-up.


-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

This is a 25 second exposure at 17mm (full frame camera body). That's about as long for that focal length without seeing star trails. f/4, ISO 2500.

Canon EOS 6D, 17-40mm f/4 lens.

Now I'm going to upgrade to the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens .

 

[Meadbh]

Awesome!

 

[ERD50]

This is a 25 second exposure at 17mm (full frame camera body). That's about as long for that focal length without seeing star trails. f/4, ISO 2500.

Canon EOS 6D, 17-40mm f/4 lens.

Now I'm going to upgrade to the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens .

Thanks, I keep meaning to play with this with my canon 'good-quality' point-shoot, and DW's Nikon DSLR.

This might be the push I need, though the light pollution here is much higher so I won't get anything as striking as your photo. But it would be fun to try.

Will a faster lens buy you anything for these shots? A longer time gives you star trails, a shorter time would be hard to catch meteors. Or do you want the faster lens for other shots?

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, you will gather twice as much light for the same exposure time and ISO.

 

[travelover]

Beautiful . I was there (Chisos Basin) in July and there were so many stars out at night that it made my eyes hurt trying to see them all.

 

[FIREd]

This is a 25 second exposure at 17mm (full frame camera body). That's about as long for that focal length without seeing star trails. f/4, ISO 2500.

Canon EOS 6D, 17-40mm f/4 lens.

Now I'm going to upgrade to the 16-35mm f/2.8 lens .

Looks like a very clean pic for ISO 2500. In your experience, what is the highest usable ISO setting on the Canon EOS 6D?

 

[Midpack]

That's incredible, well done! More challenging than my D90, or actually my lenses can handle...not to mention my limited skills.

I am doing some sunset shots on Lake Michigan this evening, it'll be a miracle if I get anything worth saving. I will shoot lots with white balance off and lots of aperture (though I need to keep depth as long as possible for what I have in mind) and shutter speed (as slow as possible) combinations and hope for the best. Thank goodness it's digital not film...makes better results possible for us novices, after deleting many inferior shots.

 

[audreyh1]

Looks like a very clean pic for ISO 2500. In your experience, what is the highest usable ISO setting on the Canon EOS 6D?

Well, I think my ISO 5000 exposures look pretty good too. That's the setting I use when the sky has completely darkened. I haven't dared try higher than that, although I think people do. The Camera ISO goes up to 25,600.

I actually use the highest ISO settings with a 4 sec exposure to compose the photo, then dial down to the long exposure for the final shot. A trick I learned from the Internet.

I think a lot of people consider ISO 3200 to be the "sweet spot", but they have different camera bodies.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Wow, Audrey. Amazing as it is here I can only imagine the effect in person.

 

[audreyh1]

Here is a image taken at ISO 5000, same settings otherwise. Taken the next night at about the same time, but the (half) moon is brighter and higher. Look at how the moon paints the foreground! Isn't that cool?

 

[audreyh1]

FWIW - I wouldn't bother to take star images where I live either. We traveled to far West Texas precisely for their pristine night sky.

 

[FIREd]

Here is a image taken at ISO 5000, same settings otherwise. Taken the next night at about the same time, but the (half) moon is brighter and higher. Look at how the moon paints the foreground! Isn't that cool?

Very nice. I may have to invest in a DSLR after all.

 

[haloFIRE]

Simply Beautiful

Thank you for sharing!

 

[ERD50]

FWIW - I wouldn't bother to take star images where I live either. We traveled to far West Texas precisely for their pristine night sky.

Afraid so. You've inspired me, but instead of moon light, I'll get neighbor's porch light effect. Maybe the highway sign ~ 400 yards away? Not the same

But it should still be fun, I should do it for the heck of it. But I won't be posting the results here - you have set the bar very high!

Beautiful photos.

-ERD50

 

[grasshopper]

Very nice, but I have Lucifer hummingbirds here every day

 

[ER Eddie]

That's a beautiful shot. Makes me want to go camping.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Very nice.

This is going to be one of my goto hobbies. Nice work.

 

[Gatordoc50]

Beautiful!!!

 

[audreyh1]

Very nice, but I have Lucifer hummingbirds here every day

The night skies should be great where you are.

We did get to see some Lucifer hummingbirds too - they are so cool.

 

[audreyh1]

Afraid so. You've inspired me, but instead of moon light, I'll get neighbor's porch light effect. Maybe the highway sign ~ 400 yards away? Not the same

But it should still be fun, I should do it for the heck of it. But I won't be posting the results here - you have set the bar very high!

Beautiful photos.

-ERD50

Do a search for Illinois dark sky and you might find some place not too far to drive.

Thanks!