trouble with star trails

shed301 · 01-23-2016, 01:11 PM

ok having some issues with star trails that i would love to have some help on, my settings on the K3 was a 20 sec exposure , 30 sec interval gap, thrown into star stax and used comet, gap filling etc and this was the result. was my settings on the camera wrong or have i messed up my post processing?

Attached Images

Edgar_in_Indy · 01-23-2016, 01:45 PM - **1 Like**

There's nothing wrong, assuming those are Minecraft star trails.

Can't you post the original image? The one you posted is a fraction of the size of the original, so it's hard to tell what came out of the camera, and what happened during scaling.

gifthorse · 01-23-2016, 03:53 PM

The exposure looks right but you might try reducing the time between exposures. ie , try (if you can) 21 second interval instead of 30 seconds. The 30 second interval you have set means that you have a 10 second gap between the end of one exposure and the beginning of the next. Make sure your noise reduction is turned off. You're getting there, you just need a little tweaking.

shed301 · 01-25-2016, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy

There's nothing wrong, assuming those are Minecraft star trails.

Can't you post the original image? The one you posted is a fraction of the size of the original, so it's hard to tell what came out of the camera, and what happened during scaling.

not sure if my pc can handle a 20 meg upload lol

---------- Post added 01-26-2016 at 09:28 AM ----------

Originally posted by gifthorse

The exposure looks right but you might try reducing the time between exposures. ie , try (if you can) 21 second interval instead of 30 seconds. The 30 second interval you have set means that you have a 10 second gap between the end of one exposure and the beginning of the next. Make sure your noise reduction is turned off. You're getting there, you just need a little tweaking.

yeah i thought i had noise reduction off and will try those settings next time we have clear skies down under , thanks

Gimbal · 01-25-2016, 02:11 PM

21 sec interval and 20 sec exposure will probably be to tight though, my guess is that you need about 23 sec interval to be sure that the camera doesn't miss a shot now and then.

**Ex Finn.** · 01-25-2016, 02:41 PM

Your interval is too long.
My exposure time is determined by the ambient light/light pollution and I shoot in the Hi-continuous drive mode with a wired remote to minimize caps.
Star-stax can only fill in so much.
edit: dark frame noise subtraction off.
edit2: Lo cont. shooting for stars, Hi for rocket launches.

**bobbotron** · 01-27-2016, 08:46 AM

I'd try reducing the interval gap to 2 seconds, I think this will fix your issue.

Edgar_in_Indy · 01-27-2016, 09:29 AM

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the problem with the image? The only bad thing I see is the aliasing in the jagged star trails, which I assume is caused by the size reduction. But then again, I know nothing about astro-photography.

**Ex Finn.** · 01-27-2016, 10:09 AM

Most people prefer somewhat continuous trails, without breaks in them. This sample has some due to couple overexposed frames that I had to remove.

01-23-2016, 01:11 PM	#1
shed301 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: new zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 78	trouble with star trails ok having some issues with star trails that i would love to have some help on, my settings on the K3 was a 20 sec exposure , 30 sec interval gap, thrown into star stax and used comet, gap filling etc and this was the result. was my settings on the camera wrong or have i messed up my post processing? Attached Images

01-25-2016, 02:41 PM	#6
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Your interval is too long. My exposure time is determined by the ambient light/light pollution and I shoot in the Hi-continuous drive mode with a wired remote to minimize caps. Star-stax can only fill in so much. edit: dark frame noise subtraction off. edit2: Lo cont. shooting for stars, Hi for rocket launches. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 01-25-2016 at 03:19 PM.

01-27-2016, 10:09 AM	#9
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	Most people prefer somewhat continuous trails, without breaks in them. This sample has some due to couple overexposed frames that I had to remove. Attached Images

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01-23-2016, 01:45 PM - 1 Like	#2
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	There's nothing wrong, assuming those are Minecraft star trails. Can't you post the original image? The one you posted is a fraction of the size of the original, so it's hard to tell what came out of the camera, and what happened during scaling.

01-23-2016, 03:53 PM	#3
gifthorse Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Nevada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,945	The exposure looks right but you might try reducing the time between exposures. ie , try (if you can) 21 second interval instead of 30 seconds. The 30 second interval you have set means that you have a 10 second gap between the end of one exposure and the beginning of the next. Make sure your noise reduction is turned off. You're getting there, you just need a little tweaking.

01-25-2016, 01:27 PM	#4
shed301 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: new zealand Photos: Gallery Posts: 78 Original Poster	Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy There's nothing wrong, assuming those are Minecraft star trails. Can't you post the original image? The one you posted is a fraction of the size of the original, so it's hard to tell what came out of the camera, and what happened during scaling. not sure if my pc can handle a 20 meg upload lol ---------- Post added 01-26-2016 at 09:28 AM ---------- Originally posted by gifthorse The exposure looks right but you might try reducing the time between exposures. ie , try (if you can) 21 second interval instead of 30 seconds. The 30 second interval you have set means that you have a 10 second gap between the end of one exposure and the beginning of the next. Make sure your noise reduction is turned off. You're getting there, you just need a little tweaking. yeah i thought i had noise reduction off and will try those settings next time we have clear skies down under , thanks

01-25-2016, 02:11 PM	#5
Gimbal Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,106	21 sec interval and 20 sec exposure will probably be to tight though, my guess is that you need about 23 sec interval to be sure that the camera doesn't miss a shot now and then.

01-27-2016, 08:46 AM	#7
bobbotron Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Ottawa, ON Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,348	I'd try reducing the interval gap to 2 seconds, I think this will fix your issue.

01-27-2016, 09:29 AM	#8
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the problem with the image? The only bad thing I see is the aliasing in the jagged star trails, which I assume is caused by the size reduction. But then again, I know nothing about astro-photography.

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