[gifthorse]

It looks like the 24mm is working fine for you. I'd just stick with that lens. From the lighting on the clouds, it looks like you are pretty close to a city. Lights will overpower the Milky Way so get far away from any light sources, especially cities or towns. Your best times will when the moon is below the horizon.

[stockhatch]

Thanks guys. Now I am having an issue with the SD card I think. First it said it needed to be formatted, so I did. Now the camera takes photos, but they end up as nothing but black when you view them. Everything looks normal through live view, so not sure whats up with that...I am trying a slow format on the SD...

[SideRaptor]

Hey there. I'm looking to do star trails with my K-5II, and although I know what to do from a technical perspective, the interval shooting settings are confusing me. When I set a shutter speed of 30", I should set the interval time to 31", yet for me this is resulting in a 31" delay, AND lost images (after one image, 997 left, over 1 sec delay); setting the delay to 1" just results in lots of lost images. Can anyone help me figure this out?

Edit: FURTHERING THE MYSTERY: This only happens at 30", every other time worked. Kind of sounds like a firmware issue.

[Stone G.]

I should set the interval time to 31",

If I remember correctly 31 seconds interval isn't enough when you have an exposure time of 30 seconds. Try intervals of 32, 33, 34.......seconds.

[SideRaptor]

Okay so I think this deserves its own comment instead of another edit. It might be my card but the camera needed a rest period after the 30" (yes slow shutter NR is off) and so the delay needed to be set to 33" to get consecutive releases.

[SideRaptor]

If I remember correctly 31 seconds interval isn't enough when you have an exposure time of 30 seconds. Try intervals of 32, 33, 34.......seconds.

Thank you, however I managed to guess that was the problem and fix it before seeing this! 33 seconds works perfectly. Again, thank you for the help!

[nightfly]

I'l seeing lots of nice work on these pages. The K-5 holds its own in the canikon world with the competent photographer.

I'd like to do more traveling once I get a 0-GPS1, but here is my front yard where I have a permanently mounted equatorial. Airglow was pretty intense the morning of the flopped Camelopardalids. Here is 2 minutes f/2.8 with the Samyang 16mm f/2 @ ISO 1250.

[stockhatch]

Awesome, nightfly! I have a couple more beginner pics to share. I know I still need a lot of of help as far as settings and post processing, but here are my neophyte attempts from last night I am learning more each time I take the camera out, so I hope I can get some really nice photos eventually. As always, help and advice is much appreciated!

[seti_v2]

Finally got my Pentax K5 full spectrum modified.

Here is M16 the Eagle Nebula. Orion 120mm F5 achro refractor, NEQ6 Pro mount, Astrodon 6nm Ha filter, 14 x 600" ISO800

Original monochrome and false color images.

Link to full resolution. M16 Eagle Nebula (seti_v2) - Full resolution | AstroBin

[Learjet]

Looks good there Seti.

[Hydnum]

Looks good there Seti.

Beautiful!
Love to see you all post your astrophotography,
I haven't been out in awhile myself.
Would you believe I've been chasing birds around during the day?
Yes, birds.
I'll try and get out again before the Perseids fly.
Keep up the posts!

[Learjet]

Even though I have a K-5 now, I've been posting my astro pictures in the other global Pentax thread as there's nice pics from all model Pentax cameras.

[jezza323]

From my K5-II while on holiday

3 landscape 10mm shots stitched and then cropped quite a lot. 2 min, f5.6, ISO 1600 for each shot

[jpzk]

Hello folks !

This is a very nice place to look at some awesome photos of the night sky!

So, would this be the place to ask for "beginner's information" for someone (me) planning to attempt shooting the Milky Way?

I did read some of the articles and threads about "night photography" but I still have loads of questions to get started.

My gear: Pentax K5 and K7, DA*16-50/2.8, DA 15Ltd, excellent tripod/head, IR remote, 32GB SD card.

Suggestions for a beginner? or should I go ahead and ask here?

Thanks!

JP

[seti_v2]

Two clear nights in a row... Can't believe it.

Here is NGC 6888 in bi color
12 x 900" of H-alpha
12 x 900" of OIII

Orion 120mm F5 achro refractor
Modified Pentax k5 @ ISO400

Link to full res: NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula in Bi-Color (seti_v2) | AstroBin