1 reply to this topic

[BenLeenders]

Hi all, I have a question about nightsky photography. I read a lot of info about this, but i was wondering if it would be possible to capture the milky way with my d3200 starters kit. It has an 18-55 mm VR lens. In comments I read that I have to set my shutter speed to max 30 seconds in order to not get the startrails. Will that be enough time for the d3200 to capture a full night sky with clear viewable stars?

[Adam]

One of the key pieces of equipment you need for astrophotography is a fast lens.  I'd recommend getting a 35mm F1.8 as that will let you use faster shutter speeds.

 

A 30-second exposure will result in short star trails.  For best results, you need to take multiple (i.e. dozens of) exposures at relatively slow shutter speeds, such as 1 second or 2 seconds (less for longer focal lengths and vice-versa), and use an ISO that isn't all too noisy, such as 800 or 1600.  Then, use software to stack the photos and compensate for the Earth's motion. 

 

With FX sensors, you can crank the ISO up even higher and use a single exposure, but the results will always be better if you stack.  Whether or not you can settle for this depends on how big you want your final image to be.

 

Astrophotography requires a lot of practice, patience, and trial-and-error, as you need to find the perfect ISO and shutter speed combination for each shot in addition to composing and focusing properly.  I recommend that you go out and try the 30-second approach first, then try stacking, and compare the results.  Tweak as needed until you get something that looks good.

 

Also, remember that the best star photos also include a foreground, such as this one:

Milky Way over Moulton Barn - Monthly Photo Contest Winners - Gallery - NikonForums.com (D600, ISO 6400, 20s, F2.8)

 

One last piece of advice: shoot in RAW.  Don't even bother with JPEGs as you will almost always have to make significant shadow adjustments to bring out details in the stars.  Under-exposing the shot by a stop or two is normally the best thing to do when you're trying to limit the shutter speed to a few seconds, as sensor dynamic range is pretty good these days.  You'll be surprised what you'll see in your picture compared to what you see with the naked eye