Nightscapes (Night Landscapes)

[InsaneInDaMembrane]

Thanks Fuzz. I'll do that and repost it as such on Flickr and repost it here also. I was borrowing an old crappy tripod that is not properly balanced so the picture is slightly slanted. I know I can straighten it, but my Picasa software tends to lose quality when you straighten a picture because with each fraction your turn it, it brings the subject closer which compromises the quality. I'll try though.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by InsaneInDaMembrane

when you straighten a picture because with each fraction your turn it, it brings the subject closer which compromises the quality.

Actually there's no getting around that. When you straighten a picture, by necessity you need to recrop it which will lose triangles of the scene at the edges as necessary to square up the picture again. That will happen regardless of what software you use.

[MtnSurfer]

Ok, since kdog posted some meteor shower shots I thought I would post my most recent Milky Way images from a trip to Mt. Rainier. These were taken on a moonless night with the brightest Milky Way I have seen crossing the entire sky. We saw many shooting stars as well:










Image Info: 5D2, 30 sec, f4, 17mm, ISO 4000, Single frames, no long exposure NR used, 8/11/2010 ~10:30PM.

Derek

[Fuzz]

Since Derek revived this thread, here are some of my recent ones:

[kdog]

Outstanding, Fuzz!!! I don't think I've ever seen deep space images as clean as these. You've really reached a new pinnacle here.

I see you've got yourself a new lens as well. I won't bother asking you how you like it, the results speak for themselves. Now the images that just list your scope and no lens, I'm assuming you shot through the telescope. Correct?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by kdog

Outstanding, Fuzz!!! I don't think I've ever seen deep space images as clean as these. You've really reached a new pinnacle here.

Thanks!

I see you've got yourself a new lens as well. I won't bother asking you how you like it, the results speak for themselves.

The 70-200mm lens is actually one I borrowed from a friend. It is fantastic, but at 70mm, it's a bit too long for my needs. I went for the 28-300mm L lens instead. I know it's not as good a lens, but it is ideal for my situation (and it is still damn good!). A very active 3-year old doesn't give me much time to change lenses when I'm out and about. And when I'm not out with him, I am usually shooting either skiing, mountain biking, or hiking, where it's not easy/convenient/desirable to stop to change either. So I make do with the 28-300mm and 35mm f/1.4L.

Now the images that just list your scope and no lens, I'm assuming you shot through the telescope. Correct?

Correct, those are all prime focus shots -- the camera, sans lens, is attached directly to the telescope. So the telescope essentially becomes the lens for the camera.

[pwright1]