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08-11-2018, 03:58 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by MossyRocks Quote
Simple answer Bahtinov mask. I made one out of a 3" PVC pipe cap for my old 300mm f/4 super takumar and it fits this lens too. It is substantially snugger on the hood of the sigma 300mm f/4 APO but it just needs to stay put long enough to get it focused. You will need to focus it manually and once you get it nailed switch the lens to autofocus and switch the camera to manual focus so you don't accidently change it. Or at least that is what made the most sense to me on how to set things.

To make it I created a template for the lens that was sized for the 3" PVC pipe cap, and using a saw attachment for the dremel cut slots in it.


Some form of tracking is almost necessary. I went out last night and forgot the O-GPS1 for the K-3 so I was limited to .8 to 1 second exposures to avoid noticeable bad trails and with the humidity, and smoke there wasn't much up. I did manage a respectable picture of Jupiter and the Galilean moons with a little bit of a trail when view at 100%.

With the massive light pollution where I live even at midnight when I went back out I could only see 3 stars unaided. The wind is changing today so what is blowing in from canada goes away and I am heading to my lake with is much darker so I will really get to exercise it.

---------- Post added 08-11-18 at 12:50 PM ----------

Here is a sample of what this lens is capable of for astro even at F/4
Shot last night with Jupiter being fairly close to the horizon (about 15 degrees up I think) through a lot of humidity and smoke blowing in from canada. Still managed to get all 4 Galilean moons without the trails being too bad. This is a 100% crop and jupiter is still tiny.
4 x 1 second exposures stacked
ISO 1600
F/4
Thanks for the very detailed answer.

I'll have to give it one more go with the astrotracer and try the Bahtinov mask focusing technique.

Now I just need to find time and a somewhat dark site !

08-11-2018, 04:03 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by Matchete Quote
Now I just need to find time and a somewhat dark site
I have gotten some of the brighter objects and even some dimmer ones out of my backyard which is a high Bortle 8. Something like the orion nebula is easy, and I have gotten M51 as well all in my backyard.
08-11-2018, 04:13 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by MossyRocks Quote
I have gotten some of the brighter objects and even some dimmer ones out of my backyard which is a high Bortle 8. Something like the orion nebula is easy, and I have gotten M51 as well all in my backyard.
I live inside Paris wich appears to be a 9, but I'll try to find M51.

I've searched for Orion without success a few weeks ago, and discovered that it wasn't visible in the northern hemisphere during the summer .
08-11-2018, 10:04 PM   #19
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Red enhancing filters are your friends if you live in high bortle area

08-12-2018, 12:35 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Matchete Quote
I live inside Paris wich appears to be a 9
Paris is bright. Got to live there for 3 months for work 13 years ago. Never did look up much at the sky. It is pretty rough where I am at the moment and I would be willing to bet viewing is worse here than in Paris.

QuoteOriginally posted by SSGGeezer Quote
Red enhancing filters are your friends if you live in high bortle area
I don't think a red enhancer would help me much at the moment. Too much humidity with an extra helping of heavy wildfire smoke from canada. Even went up to my lake tonight hoping that the weather people didn't lie to me. Turns out they did, ended up with fog and no southerly wind to move the smoke or humidity out. That was weird as it was proper dark but so few stars. So here is what is looks like in my backyard at the moment.

grabbed the K-2000 that had the 17mm SMC fisheye takumar so I could get basically everything from the tree line to zenith in. The bright dot at the bottom is Mars
14x10s
ISO 800
f/4
08-12-2018, 08:25 AM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by MossyRocks Quote
Paris is bright. Got to live there for 3 months for work 13 years ago. Never did look up much at the sky. It is pretty rough where I am at the moment and I would be willing to bet viewing is worse here than in Paris.



I don't think a red enhancer would help me much at the moment. Too much humidity with an extra helping of heavy wildfire smoke from canada. Even went up to my lake tonight hoping that the weather people didn't lie to me. Turns out they did, ended up with fog and no southerly wind to move the smoke or humidity out. That was weird as it was proper dark but so few stars. So here is what is looks like in my backyard at the moment.

grabbed the K-2000 that had the 17mm SMC fisheye takumar so I could get basically everything from the tree line to zenith in. The bright dot at the bottom is Mars
14x10s
ISO 800
f/4
Tthat is pretty brutal haze. It is also reflecting city and town lights so it is a no win situation. Where in MN is the cabin? Way up North?
08-12-2018, 09:12 AM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by SSGGeezer Quote
Where in MN is the cabin? Way up North?
The lake property is up by the north west corner of Lake Mille Lacs, central MN, so it was this weird really dark (could barely see the sky from the tree line) but very few stars. By very few stars I mean I can see more in my backyard in the suburbs on a dark night there than I saw up at the lake. That pictures was taken from my backyard which about 30 minutes south of the Twin Cities which is about 130 miles from my lake property. The worst part is that picture is facing south, away from the city.

08-12-2018, 09:33 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by MossyRocks Quote
The lake property is up by the north west corner of Lake Mille Lacs, central MN, so it was this weird really dark (could barely see the sky from the tree line) but very few stars. By very few stars I mean I can see more in my backyard in the suburbs on a dark night there than I saw up at the lake. That pictures was taken from my backyard which about 30 minutes south of the Twin Cities which is about 130 miles from my lake property. The worst part is that picture is facing south, away from the city.
I know where you are at, I used to live in ST Cloud, and have a sister in Ely. Now that is the place for winter astro, as long as you like the cold!
08-12-2018, 03:05 PM - 1 Like   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by SSGGeezer Quote
Now that is the place for winter astro, as long as you like the cold!
Yes it is, and I have the cold weather gear to handle it.
08-20-2018, 07:23 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
Finding one of those is like winning a lottery. Grab it regardless. If you don't like it the resale value isn't going to go down.
I have one, from a fellow member here in Mint condition! Mine is the Macro version.

However, I've not tried it for astrophotography, as I've not wandered into that part of photography.
08-20-2018, 08:25 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
I have one, from a fellow member here in Mint condition! Mine is the Macro version.
Is there a non "macro" version of this? Mine is the close focus one with the 1:3 magnification which is fun to play with especially with the kid's lego creations.

QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
However, I've not tried it for astrophotography, as I've not wandered into that part of photography.
After having the lens for a little more than a week and playing it seems like a pretty good performer. Unfortunately the smoke and haze hasn't been cooperative for really seeing what one can do with it. Thus far it seems to have controlled chromatic aberrations really well and is sharp wide open and gets really good at f/4.5.

I played a bit over the weekend shooting the moon with it at about 11:30PM but the haze is awful. Had to add in 6.5 stops of extra exposure for the moon to be fairly well exposed. So instead of shooting using the Looney 11 rule (ISO 100, 1/100s, F/11) I used ISO 800, F/4.5 1/50s. Ended up with a very orange moon that almost looks like an eclipsed moon but it is only a 1/2 moon. Did a bunch of stacking to drive down the noise and bring out more detail and got what looks to be a nice shot of it. There were no stars visible that night in my backyard. I really want to see what this lens can do for proper astro but there is just too much humidity, and smoke at present.
08-20-2018, 08:29 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
I have one, from a fellow member here in Mint condition! Mine is the Macro version.

However, I've not tried it for astrophotography, as I've not wandered into that part of photography.
I hope you're getting more use out of the 300/4 than I am of the 150-500...
08-20-2018, 08:32 AM   #28
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I don't know if there's a non-macro version. I know mine is clearly marked "Macro" Here's mine:

Sigma 300mm F4 APO Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database
08-20-2018, 08:33 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by boriscleto Quote
I hope you're getting more use out of the 300/4 than I am of the 150-500...
Mine rarely is off the K3. I use it for wildlife all the time, and am quite happy with the results with the Tamron 1.4TC on it.
08-20-2018, 08:45 AM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
Mine rarely is off the K3. I use it for wildlife all the time, and am quite happy with the results with the Tamron 1.4TC on it.
My 150-500 rarely leaves the K3 either...but I've only been out once all summer
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