[interested_observer]

Here is a good article on the topic....

• How to Pick a Lens for Milky Way Photography – Lonely Speck
• How-To: Picking a Great Lens for Milky Way Photography

... and the comparison spreadsheet

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p8FSEIaDd45i97NXFEZf4fnVOQ3ifA43ecJcuS0nCJ0/edit#gid=2

On settings...

• I have seen good images at ISO 800, 1600, 3200 and 6400 - depending on the surrounding light pollution levels. I have found 1600 and 3200 to be the best.
• Shutter speed - A lot of folks use the rule of 500 (500/focal length = shutter speed). This produces some trailing. The rule of 300 is better, and better yet is the rule of 200 to contain star trailing. The best approach is to use a calculator to determine how large an area you want to use for containment. I use a 4 pixel tolerance with excellent results..

• https://www.tl-photography.at/stars/night-sky-photography-shutter-speed-calculator/

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Last edited by interested_observer; 07-15-2016 at 12:48 PM.

[SHTF]

That Loney Site is awesome. Thanks for the link. I could spend all day reading this.