Some shots from NorCal

[SGT_R_LEE]

http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~tom/stanfordpics/ames01.jpg
(Stitched together from 8 pics)

http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~tom/stanfordpics/c130_1.jpg

http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~tom/stanfordpics/c130_2.jpg
Flew over Ames.

http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~tom/stanfordpics/stars.jpg
6 and a half minute exposure. Caught a 747 after take off.

[m0loch]

1st one is pretty cool

[Munchkin]

I like that last one :)

[johny_roberts]

Sweet Sweet Sweet pics

[Directed]

Nice pics. Good work man!

[SGT_R_LEE]

Thanks guys.

[MisterFlibble]

Thanks guys.
Would love to know how you managed that first pic! it's fantastic!

What do you do? Tripod, move it to the left, take a shot, move it to the left, take another shot, then photochop the images together?

[SGT_R_LEE]

Would love to know how you managed that first pic! it's fantastic!

What do you do? Tripod, move it to the left, take a shot, move it to the left, take another shot, then photochop the images together?


Pretty much (about the tripod part and taking the pictures).

But, it's not Photoshopped. There's a different program that does it all for you (it really does everything, I feel like I cheated now): http://www.realviz.com/products/st/

[DOGG]

the last shot is pretty cool

[jak]

Last shot is cool.

I have been meaning to do some star trail shots. But you really need to shoot film as digital sensors get too hot and thus introduce noise (thinking 1 hour plus exposures).

Did you try some more?

Good job!

[muga]

I always end up getting an over exposed image if I try longer than a minute or two?
What's the secret?

[jak]

close the aperture down (smaller hole).

try using the light meter built into the camera to get a reading (if your camera can do this - make sure the indicator is midway indicating a correct exposure -if your camera can do this). ie set to manual. set the desired shutter speed (60 seconds). adjust the aperature (bigger number, smaller hole) until the 'indicator' on your screen (or where ever) is showing halfway.

60 seconds at night. se the aperture to f/22 (aperature size) or higher.

If you cant do that (ie camera only allows up to f/13 or so (the bigger the number the smaller the hole)) then you will need to make the shutter faster.

also, make sure the ISO is set to the lowest number (ISO refers to the sensitivity of the film/sensor). ie less sensitive to light.

What camera do you have?

[muga]

thank's for your help, trying it out now - lucky the stars are out :)

Nikon 8700
I have been tempted to sell it an get a Canon DSLR

[jak]

i used to have a nikon 5700. cool.

yeap, has a built in meter. select manual mode. set the desired shutter. turn the wheel to adjust the aperture until the dial (on the lcd screen) shows middle (or half a stop over). shoot!

it may be hard to get a light reading (if its real dark). in that case, just bump up the aperture as high as it gets. will work fine then.

I sold the nikon for a canon DSLR. :)

[muga]

First attempt, thanks for the help jak!
http://gutter.customer.netspace.net.au/first_attempt.jpg

Going out for a drive to see if I an get some decent shots, will post them if I get any :)

[jak]

hey thats cool. keep it up!

thats it, you have inspired me. I will try one tonight also.

tip: if you get a lot of noise (ie lots of red/blue pixels - see attached - exposure time is 3093 seconds at f/22 :) ), then try this.

Take 2 photos, both of them with the same settings (shutter, aperature). The first photo will be of the scene you want. The second photo will be with your lens cap ON.

In Photoshop, place your first photo as layer 1 and your blank/black photo as layer two. On layer two, do a slight gaussian blur and then change the layer options to Difference. Voila. You've just removed the thermal/digital noise.

I haven't tried it myself, but I believe it works. Also, not sure if the Gaussian Blur is essential - experiment.

:)

[Hairyman]

What lens were you using SGT?

I notice you stopped the propeller blades, which looks really cool - but it must have been a pretty short exposure.

[asdfjkl]

A way to increase your shutter speed without affecting your apature (and vice-versa)

These things do not work well with star trail photo's (cause the trails will come out too dark, if at all), but there are filters you can get to screw on the end of you lense called Neutral Density (ND) filters. They come in a variety or strengths, mainly x2, x4, x8 and x400.

Now for example, if you screw a NDx2 on the end of your lense this will halve the amount of light passing through the lense. Thus will then allow you to double your exposure length (or apature),effectivly you have slowed your iso setting down by one stop value turning say a 50 speed iso into a 25 ISO. NDx4 will cut the amount of light by a quarter etc. (and NDx2 and an NDx4 used at the same time is equvilent to an NDx8) NDx400 is used for taking photo's of the sun.

(this is true for Hoya brand ND filters anyway, some other brands use diferent scales to identify the intensity)

To list the main uses:

- Use in daylight if you have a fast film to avoid over exposure.

- Use for a slower shutter speed for blur/motion effects or 'mist' effects on water

- use to decrease the 'Depth of Field' by allowing you a wider apature (smaller number)


I use these quite regulaly for various photo's, other then the polarising filters, they are probably the best filters i have purchased. If you are going to get them though, make sure you get good ones. I have the Hoya HMC ones which go for about $35 a pop (for 55mm, about $90 for 82mm if you have a big lense) but are well worth it.

[muga]

I have been looking around for filters for my Nikon CoolPix 8700 and have only found a kit on eBay. Can anyone recomend an online/retail shop I could get them from?

Looking for PL / UV / FL filters and possibly some other lenses.

[asdfjkl]

http://www.filtershop.com.au

actually, if you go to http://www.madsens.com.au, you can get to all their 'sub shops' they are all the same physical shop, so why they have all the little sub shops isa little beyond me. but they are pretty good. ordered filters off htem before without any troubles. Be warned though, some of the filters may take a month or two to get in the country....

[muga]

Well what do ya know...
I live in Wollongong and I never knew of a shop that sells filters.

thanks for your help, i'll go for a run in now

[asdfjkl]

awesome, let us know what their shop front is like if you could, cause i was thinking about making a day trip down from newcastle to purchase my new camera and lenses...

[muga]

They were closed :(
I'll be taking my camera in there in the next couple of days so I'll take a photo of the store-front :)

[jak]

cheers for the tips re. ND filters!

Only ever tried a graduated ND filter ( ie dark foreground/bright sky).

Must try one for my start trails shots (tried last night, but my battery went flat and the front of the lens fogged up!!).

(sorry for hijacking your thread SGT_R_LEE)

:)

[SGT_R_LEE]

(sorry for hijacking your thread SGT_R_LEE)


haha. no problem!

[SGT_R_LEE]

What lens were you using SGT?


For the first and last pictures, I was using the kit lens that comes with the D70 - 18-70mm G type Nikkor lens. I love that lens!.

For the middle 2 pictures, I used a telephoto that I borrowed from a friend. It's a 70-300mm (x1.5 magnification factor for the D70), also a Nikkor lens, I believe.

[asdfjkl]

I'm not sure how well the ND filters will go with star trails, because they reduce the light comming through you may not capture some of the duller stars, give it a go though andlet us know.

That certainly is a downside of the digital slrs when your doing really long exposures, they use the batteries.

i will try dig up some of the photo's i took through my telescope, they were pretty crap off memory cause i didnt know what i was doing then :-)

[Lord_Phat]

Pretty much (about the tripod part and taking the pictures).

But, it's not Photoshopped. There's a different program that does it all for you (it really does everything, I feel like I cheated now): http://www.realviz.com/products/st/

i've found Panorama Factory (http://www.panoramafactory.com/) to be a better panorama product... :fag:

[Hairyman]

If you can get the appropriate tripod head then ptGUI (http://www.ptgui.com) is the ducks guts.

[muga]

I went to the filtershop today, fucking $218.80 less in the bank account and have to wait till next week before the filter comes.

http://gutter.customer.netspace.net.au/shop.jpg
Here is the shop front, it's nothing fancy - inside the shop there is photo/studio equipment everywhere, so much expensive stuff. It's probably why the place looks like a prison.

I got a Hoya 67mm PL (Super) for a price of $156.10 it's ne of the best quality ones you can get. I would be using this one more than anything so I went and spent the money to get the better quality.

[SGT_R_LEE]

i've found Panorama Factory (http://www.panoramafactory.com/) to be a better panorama product... :fag:

I'll look into it.

Thanks.

[muga]

I just tested out that program (Panorama Factory) and it is great!
It's much better than any other product I have used, so simple to use with the wizard and it detects most of your settings for it to create a perfect panorama.

Thanks heaps for letting us know about this program, real great software!
Here is an example of a panorama I have just created with it.

http://gutter.customer.netspace.net.au/carrington_falls_p.jpg

Very happy with the result, just touched up the colours in photoshop after it was finished.

[asdfjkl]

I got a Hoya 67mm PL (Super) for a price of $156.10 it's ne of the best quality ones you can get. I would be using this one more than anything so I went and spent the money to get the better quality.

That is the same PL that i have, they are great. Nobody should go without one of these filters.

Definatly think i will make the trip down to see there shop, we just dont have any good photography shops like that in Newcastle.

Thats a pretty cool pano too btw, there are some awesome mountainous areas down your way for photo's.

[jak]

I just tested out that program (Panorama Factory) and it is great!
It's much better than any other product I have used, so simple to use with the wizard and it detects most of your settings for it to create a perfect panorama.

Thanks heaps for letting us know about this program, real great software!
Here is an example of a panorama I have just created with it.

Very happy with the result, just touched up the colours in photoshop after it was finished.

Yeah, I am a fan of panorama factory. Check out a series of pics of the Perth Skyline I joined using PF. www.angstrom.com.au

:)

(adsl is back on....)