Lenses for astro/nightscape photography.

kenadams

Sp'n'p... this is completely bonkers!! I like it ! :-D

Ryan_in_AZ

I really like the Rokinon 24mm 1.4 for astro. It is well known for good performance in that use.

I just got a Tamron 15-30 VC. I can't wait to try it out during the next new moon.

sevencrossing

I am developing a workflow which will give me the ability to print 24x16 or larger

Do you have anything against gigapan type shots?
does the foreground and the sky have to be one single exposure ?

heartyfisher

Long exposure Astro is done with multiple exposures one with tracking head and one without then merge the sky tracked with the land untracked.. there are other techniques with multiple "short" exposures and you still do the "tracked" and "untracked" merge in PP..

kenadams

For completeness, this here article is from the website accusing the Sigma 24 of having strong coma...

http://www.lenstip.com/416.7-Lens_review-Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_20_mm_f_1.8G_ED_Coma__astigmatism_and_bokeh.html

It's about the Nikon 20 1.8. Just for comparison. I think coma's not as pronounced on the 20.

spraynpray

I am developing a workflow which will give me the ability to print 24x16 or larger

Do you have anything against gigapan type shots?
does the foreground and the sky have to be one single exposure ?

Long exposure Astro is done with multiple exposures one with tracking head and one without then merge the sky tracked with the land untracked.. there are other techniques with multiple "short" exposures and you still do the "tracked" and "untracked" merge in PP..

Whether stitching or tracking and merging or stacking and merging, coma is still a problem unless you are going to fabricate a background that is not what you saw and I will not do that. Granted if you used a longer length for a gigapan there would be little coma, but the time taken to capture the sky would mean the sky would have moved a heck of a lot and maybe hard to stitch.

heartyfisher

Yes Coma is an issue and you are looking for a good lens (;-)) I am keeping an eye on this thread to see what solutions you uncover, like a bird behind a plough :-)

I was not suggesting a "gigapan" solution though that sounds interesting. I am suggesting a solution similar to milky water landscape photography without using ND filters. ie. take multiple exposures and merge the multi exposures using 2 methods. 1 for the land so you get a well exposed "land" and once for the "sky" aligning each frame for the slight movement of the stars. A bit like an astro tracker in post. then with both merged image mask the "land" onto the "sky". Yes a coma-less lense is still recommended here :-)

tektrader

Sorry I haven't been able to post some 14-24 samples. It's been overcast for days here

spraynpray

This is the link to the part of the lenstip test that has me hesitating over the 20mm even though I have no better lenses to choose from (yet):

http://www.lenstip.com/416.7-Lens_review-Nikon_Nikkor_AF-S_20_mm_f_1.8G_ED_Coma__astigmatism_and_bokeh.html

spraynpray

In the absence of any serious competition, I have pulled the trigger on the 20/1.8 from a good company here in the UK with a good returns policy/attitude. Tonight is clear sky, but it will not arrive until tomorrow. Fingers crossed I get a good copy!

Thanks to all you guys that contributed to this thread. I will post some results when I get the right moon and cloud conditions.

WestEndFoto

We will see if you can "tolerate" the results.

spraynpray

We will!

dissent

Look forward to seeing how it works for you Andrew. Dark skies!!

spraynpray

Thanks Ian. We have waaay to much moon at the wrong time right now, so I will probably do some blue hour shots tomorrow night, but the moon comes up just after sunrise and is near full so... :-q

WestEndFoto

Thanks Ian. We have waaay to much moon at the wrong time right now, so I will probably do some blue hour shots tomorrow night, but the moon comes up just after sunrise and is near full so... :-q

How about that! We have the same moon problem here on the west coast. Go figure.

spraynpray

LOL! Surely your rise time is different tho?

WestEndFoto

English time or west coast time?

Nikoniser

I am in exactly the same boat spray and pray, looking for a good nightscape/cityscape lens and low coma is high on my list of things I want to avoid. I was hoping the Sigma 24mm 1.4 was going to be the answer to my dreams, and the coma performance seems very disappointing . And I just can't bear to buy the Rokinon, and deal with terrible copies and massive sample variation ( see Lens Rentals tests for exactly how bad they are ) Like you I currently have the 20mm 1.8 near the top of my list so await your results eagerly.

spraynpray

@WestEndFoto - We have sunrise 0541 sunset 2043 moonrise 2104, moonset 0643 for the 1st August in the south of the UK.

spraynpray

I really like the Rokinon 24mm 1.4 for astro. It is well known for good performance in that use.

I just got a Tamron 15-30 VC. I can't wait to try it out during the next new moon.

Really looking forward to seeing what your Tammy can do Ryan.

Snowleopard

I am not sure how photo's of landscapes in the middle of the day are relevant to astro photography..... The lens designed for this work isn't made anymore, but you can find them on Ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Noct-NIKKOR-58mm-f-1-2-Ais-Lens-2179-/161756332584?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

WestEndFoto

I am not sure how photo's of landscapes in the middle of the day are relevant to astro photography..... The lens designed for this work isn't made anymore, but you can find them on Ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Noct-NIKKOR-58mm-f-1-2-Ais-Lens-2179-/161756332584?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

The current 58 is way better for astro then the old classic. Today's has little or no coma. That one was the best of its day, which was 30 years ago when it merely had less coma.

My 40 and 85 are also better than the noct for coma, though my 40 is probably to slow and the 85 is getting long.

sevencrossing

I think this what nightscape photography is all about


Photo- Beth McCarley/travel.nationalgeographic.com



Rodrigo Terre. Sony World Photography Organisation

kenadams

I have to ask what may seem like a stupid question - can a scene like the above actually be seen with the naked eye?? Because I sure as hell know I've never seen anything like that despite having travelled, lived and stayed in fairly dark, non-urban areas at times..

sevencrossing

I have seen skies like this at cradle mountain Tasmania and Cloudcroft New Mexico
but the foreground was pitch black
you need to dark adapt for about 30 min