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everydaylife · 05-14-2012, 05:27 PM

Having just got this lens and seen all the starburst shots I decided to try for this effect myself. Can't get it. What am I doing wrong. How far should I stop the lens down? All I get is an over exposed blob in the corner of the shot.

JinDesu · 05-14-2012, 05:32 PM

You get starburst on any super bright light sources that are in focus - so make sure you are stopped down, and the light sources are bright enough in comparison to the surroundings.

mikeSF · 05-14-2012, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by everydaylife

Having just got this lens and seen all the starburst shots I decided to try for this effect myself. Can't get it. What am I doing wrong. How far should I stop the lens down? All I get is an over exposed blob in the corner of the shot.

F/16 and smaller will get you there

twitch · 05-14-2012, 05:35 PM - **3 Likes**

Here's how I do it
1) Av mode, select anything from f/16 to f/22
2) manual focus at, say, 30 feet into the scene
3) Point the camera so the sun is not in frame and hit AE lock
4) Recompose now and take the shot.

an example

HDR will give you a nuclear starburst

Last edited by twitch; 05-14-2012 at 05:43 PM.

GabrielFFontes · 05-14-2012, 05:38 PM

Choose a narrow aperture, like f16, compose, lock the AE (not always necessary)...Then shoot away!
If the star source is the sun, i recommend using HDR technique...
Here is an example : (a 2 shot raw hdr)

everydaylife · 05-14-2012, 07:01 PM

Thanks for all the replies. So If the lens is stopped down and I still do not get the effect it is likely a focus issue? Will I see effect in the viewfinder?

v5planet · 05-14-2012, 07:05 PM

f/16 is not necessary. I start seeing starbursts as early as f/5.6, and they are crisp by f/8-f/11.

GabrielFFontes · 05-14-2012, 07:14 PM

My pic was taken at f/14

mikeSF · 05-14-2012, 10:41 PM - **1 Like**

woohoo, starburst flood...

this one got huge by f/22:

another using f/22:

Cannikin · 05-14-2012, 10:48 PM - **1 Like**

No need to stop down to f/16 with the DA 15 ltd, anything f/8 and smaller will do just fine.

The real secret is that you must have a completely clear, unobstructed line of sight to the light source. The sun will produce great starbursts, but if it is obscured at all by clouds, or even just thick haze, it will appear as a white blob.

Overexposure will also obscure the effect (the glare will cover it up).

You will generally not be able to distinguish the effect in the viewfinder for a couple of reasons: first, the viewfinder image is wide open at f/4 (unless you use DOF preview), so the effect is minimal. Second, your eyes have their own lenses (and "sensors") that respond very differently to bright light sources, so you will not really see anything except a mass of glare in the region of the light source.

Nuff · 05-14-2012, 11:08 PM

As said above, make sure the sun is unobstructed by clouds. Otherwise the light will get diffused.

everydaylife · 05-15-2012, 04:09 AM

Thanks for all the responses. How about these. Why the strange shape on one side

For some reason the images aren't displayed. So please click on my albums.

mikeSF · 05-15-2012, 08:54 AM

that is some flaring causing the additional bit of "sun". it sometimes happens

SyncGuy · 05-20-2012, 11:24 PM - **1 Like**

Starburst tips

- The more you stop down, the longer the tail of the starburst.
- The longer the exposure, the more obvious/define/obvious the starburst is
- Light source must be in focus
- Starburst can happen/show up as long as you stop down. Wider aperture is less obvious due to short shutter speed which does not allow the trails to be 'burned' into the sensor. Thus, the requirement for a longer shutter speed = smaller aperture

Regards,
Mus

mikeSF · 05-21-2012, 11:09 AM

new one at f/16

05-14-2012, 05:27 PM	#1
everydaylife Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 268	da15 starburst? Having just got this lens and seen all the starburst shots I decided to try for this effect myself. Can't get it. What am I doing wrong. How far should I stop the lens down? All I get is an over exposed blob in the corner of the shot.

05-14-2012, 10:48 PM - 1 Like	#10
Cannikin Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SW Washington Posts: 833	No need to stop down to f/16 with the DA 15 ltd, anything f/8 and smaller will do just fine. The real secret is that you must have a completely clear, unobstructed line of sight to the light source. The sun will produce great starbursts, but if it is obscured at all by clouds, or even just thick haze, it will appear as a white blob. Overexposure will also obscure the effect (the glare will cover it up). You will generally not be able to distinguish the effect in the viewfinder for a couple of reasons: first, the viewfinder image is wide open at f/4 (unless you use DOF preview), so the effect is minimal. Second, your eyes have their own lenses (and "sensors") that respond very differently to bright light sources, so you will not really see anything except a mass of glare in the region of the light source. Last edited by Cannikin; 05-16-2012 at 02:40 AM.

05-15-2012, 04:09 AM	#12
everydaylife Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 268 Original Poster	Thanks for all the responses. How about these. Why the strange shape on one side For some reason the images aren't displayed. So please click on my albums. Last edited by everydaylife; 05-15-2012 at 04:17 AM.

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05-14-2012, 05:32 PM	#2
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	You get starburst on any super bright light sources that are *in focus* - so make sure you are stopped down, and the light sources are bright enough in comparison to the surroundings.

05-14-2012, 05:35 PM	#3
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	Originally posted by everydaylife Having just got this lens and seen all the starburst shots I decided to try for this effect myself. Can't get it. What am I doing wrong. How far should I stop the lens down? All I get is an over exposed blob in the corner of the shot. F/16 and smaller will get you there

05-14-2012, 05:35 PM - 3 Likes	#4
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Here's how I do it 1) Av mode, select anything from f/16 to f/22 2) manual focus at, say, 30 feet into the scene 3) Point the camera so the sun is not in frame and hit AE lock 4) Recompose now and take the shot. an example HDR will give you a nuclear starburst Last edited by twitch; 05-14-2012 at 05:43 PM.

05-14-2012, 05:38 PM	#5
GabrielFFontes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Posts: 647	Choose a narrow aperture, like f16, compose, lock the AE (not always necessary)...Then shoot away! If the star source is the sun, i recommend using HDR technique... Here is an example : (a 2 shot raw hdr)

05-14-2012, 07:01 PM	#6
everydaylife Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 268 Original Poster	Thanks for all the replies. So If the lens is stopped down and I still do not get the effect it is likely a focus issue? Will I see effect in the viewfinder?

05-14-2012, 07:05 PM	#7
v5planet Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle Photos: Albums Posts: 1,915	f/16 is not necessary. I start seeing starbursts as early as f/5.6, and they are crisp by f/8-f/11.

05-14-2012, 07:14 PM	#8
GabrielFFontes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Posts: 647	My pic was taken at f/14

05-14-2012, 10:41 PM - 1 Like	#9
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	woohoo, starburst flood... this one got huge by f/22: another using f/22:

05-14-2012, 11:08 PM	#11
Nuff Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sydney Posts: 671	As said above, make sure the sun is unobstructed by clouds. Otherwise the light will get diffused.

05-15-2012, 08:54 AM	#13
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	that is some flaring causing the additional bit of "sun". it sometimes happens

05-20-2012, 11:24 PM - 1 Like	#14
SyncGuy Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 821	Starburst tips - The more you stop down, the longer the tail of the starburst. - The longer the exposure, the more obvious/define/obvious the starburst is - Light source must be in focus - Starburst can happen/show up as long as you stop down. Wider aperture is less obvious due to short shutter speed which does not allow the trails to be 'burned' into the sensor. Thus, the requirement for a longer shutter speed = smaller aperture Regards, Mus

05-21-2012, 11:09 AM	#15
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,622	new one at f/16

da15 starburst?

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