K-5 For Astrophotography

**mattb123** · 10-30-2012, 01:24 PM

I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter.

I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge.

This is my stylish looking filter

Stone G. · 10-30-2012, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by ibbe

Hi m8,after bougth the gps1 and download the firmware I have managed to take great astropicture, But it seem that SR wont work again then gps is off, so that to do to get a working SR back?

I have never heard about that kind of error.

What camera body do you have?
What firmware version have you installed (press the menu button while you turn your camera on to confirm)?
What does the SR symbol look like in your view finder (or in the IBFO LCD display)?
Can't you re-activate SR in the Recording Mode (Rec. Mode. 4 if your camera is a K-5)?

The latter should not be needed under normal operations unless you have specifically turned SR off, but if it has somehow been turned off, you should definitely be able to re-activate it here.

pero · 10-30-2012, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by mattb123

I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter.

I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge.

I think you met the context challenge very well! That second shot is just great.

ibbe · 10-30-2012, 04:05 PM

Found the problem,I had the 2sec self timer on and then the SR menu closed.change to normal photomode and everything worked as usual.

Gimbal · 10-31-2012, 01:11 AM

@mattb123
Very nice pictures, but is it the infamous string of pearls one can see on the first picture?

**Ex Finn.** · 10-31-2012, 03:06 AM

Originally posted by mattb123

I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter.

I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge.

This is my stylish looking filter

Nice solar image, shows off the sunspots nicely also. That second image turned out good for a such difficult shot.

**mattb123** · 10-31-2012, 08:14 AM

Thanks you guys! I was really scrambling for the second one to try and get the exposure right and catch the sun in the right place. Took more than a few duds in that session!
Gimbal, are you referring to the sunspots? I'm not really sure which those are but I recall there were some active ones at the time and that was them.

mikeSF · 10-31-2012, 08:21 AM

you deep sky guys are amazing with you examples! wow.

i still haven't gotten out beyond all the light pollution, but here are a couple of my landscape astrophotography attempts with the O-GPS1 from a few months ago:

that first one was 2.5 minute exposure with minimal trailing and the bottom one was 2minutes. Using the O-GPS1, I find the longest realistic exposure I can get is just over 2 minutes with a wide lens (despite the fact the unit may tell me 5 minutes when i calibrate it - don't count on that).

Gimbal · 10-31-2012, 08:29 AM

Originally posted by mattb123

Gimbal, are you referring to the sunspots? I'm not really sure which those are but I recall there were some active ones at the time and that was them.

Yes, are you sure they are sunspots and not sensorspots? I guess you took more then one picture and since the sun "moves" you could compare the pictures and see if the spots follows the sun.

**mattb123** · 10-31-2012, 08:39 AM

Originally posted by Gimbal

Yes, are you sure they are sunspots and not sensorspots? I guess you took more then one picture and since the sun "moves" you could compare the pictures and see if the spots follows the sun.

Yes, definitely sunspots and I looked up and matched them to what astronomers were seeing at the time. I just don't recall what they were called.

**Ex Finn.** · 10-31-2012, 06:19 PM

Sunspots for sure, my images from the event show the same spots..

Gimbal · 11-01-2012, 12:42 AM

Ok, then there is no doubt. So even the sun has the string of pearls problem, can we get it exchanged?

**seadog** · 11-20-2012, 11:20 PM

This is my first attempt at the Milky Way (or any star shots) and I would like to make a Christmas card out of it. This is taken with the DA 12-24 at 19mm, 4500 iso, f4.5, 15 sec. and it is quite noisy. I had to really boost the exposure in post (lightroom 4.2). I see I took 5 shots varying between iso 2200-4500 and f4.5-f5.6 at the same 19mm and same 15 sec. Knowing nothing then (and now!) about darks, flats, bias, etc, all I have is "lights". So my question is: might it be worthwhile to use a program like Deep Sky Stacker (is that what it is called?) and just use the 5 lights? Does it matter that the iso and f-stop varied? I would like to get more into this and this would be my first foray so what would be the best "easy" program to start out? Could I create dark images after the fact that would help?
Also, I took shots of the adjacent part of the milky way with plenty of overlap but CS6 freaks out and won't stitch them. Is there a trick to stitching star shot panos?
Thanks for any suggestions!

**smigol** · 11-20-2012, 11:36 PM

You could always try the mosaic option in DSS under the lights tab. That will give you a merged image that should fit the panorama. The projection over a large area will not have as much fine control like you would get on panoramic software, however.

**seadog** · 11-23-2012, 11:34 PM

I was hoping to use Deep Star Stacker but I see it is only for PC's. what is recommended for MACs?
I tried Astrostack but couldn't get it to work
thanks

10-30-2012, 01:50 PM	#182
Stone G. Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: North Zealand, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,516	Originally posted by ibbe Hi m8,after bougth the gps1 and download the firmware I have managed to take great astropicture, But it seem that SR wont work again then gps is off, so that to do to get a working SR back? I have never heard about that kind of error. What camera body do you have? What firmware version have you installed (press the menu button while you turn your camera on to confirm)? What does the SR symbol look like in your view finder (or in the IBFO LCD display)? Can't you re-activate SR in the Recording Mode (Rec. Mode. 4 if your camera is a K-5)? The latter should not be needed under normal operations unless you have specifically turned SR off, but if it has somehow been turned off, you should definitely be able to re-activate it here.

10-31-2012, 06:19 PM	#191
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Sunspots for sure, my images from the event show the same spots.. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 11-11-2014 at 05:46 PM.

11-23-2012, 11:34 PM	#195
seadog Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Anacortes, WA Photos: Albums Posts: 97	stacking program for MAC I was hoping to use Deep Star Stacker but I see it is only for PC's. what is recommended for MACs? I tried Astrostack but couldn't get it to work thanks

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10-30-2012, 01:24 PM	#181
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter. I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge. This is my stylish looking filter

10-30-2012, 01:55 PM	#183
pero Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Malmö, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 128	Originally posted by mattb123 I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter. I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge. I think you met the context challenge very well! That second shot is just great.

10-30-2012, 04:05 PM	#184
ibbe Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 34	Found the problem,I had the 2sec self timer on and then the SR menu closed.change to normal photomode and everything worked as usual.

10-31-2012, 01:11 AM	#185
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	@mattb123 Very nice pictures, but is it the infamous string of pearls one can see on the first picture?

10-31-2012, 03:06 AM	#186
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Originally posted by mattb123 I used my A*300 on an old Vivitar 2x TC to get these shots of the Venus transit last summer with my home made solar filter. I really wanted to get a little context too so I tried to get a little relative foreground in there. That proved to be a challenge. This is my stylish looking filter Nice solar image, shows off the sunspots nicely also. That second image turned out good for a such difficult shot.

10-31-2012, 08:14 AM	#187
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	Thanks you guys! I was really scrambling for the second one to try and get the exposure right and catch the sun in the right place. Took more than a few duds in that session! Gimbal, are you referring to the sunspots? I'm not really sure which those are but I recall there were some active ones at the time and that was them.

10-31-2012, 08:21 AM	#188
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	you deep sky guys are amazing with you examples! wow. i still haven't gotten out beyond all the light pollution, but here are a couple of my landscape astrophotography attempts with the O-GPS1 from a few months ago: that first one was 2.5 minute exposure with minimal trailing and the bottom one was 2minutes. Using the O-GPS1, I find the longest realistic exposure I can get is just over 2 minutes with a wide lens (despite the fact the unit may tell me 5 minutes when i calibrate it - don't count on that).

10-31-2012, 08:29 AM	#189
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Originally posted by mattb123 Gimbal, are you referring to the sunspots? I'm not really sure which those are but I recall there were some active ones at the time and that was them. Yes, are you sure they are sunspots and not sensorspots? I guess you took more then one picture and since the sun "moves" you could compare the pictures and see if the spots follows the sun.

10-31-2012, 08:39 AM	#190
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	Originally posted by Gimbal Yes, are you sure they are sunspots and not sensorspots? I guess you took more then one picture and since the sun "moves" you could compare the pictures and see if the spots follows the sun. Yes, definitely sunspots and I looked up and matched them to what astronomers were seeing at the time. I just don't recall what they were called.

11-01-2012, 12:42 AM	#192
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	Ok, then there is no doubt. So even the sun has the string of pearls problem, can we get it exchanged?

11-20-2012, 11:36 PM	#194
smigol Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Menlo Park, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 422	You could always try the mosaic option in DSS under the lights tab. That will give you a merged image that should fit the panorama. The projection over a large area will not have as much fine control like you would get on panoramic software, however.