[Coloradoblue]

Hi, I live in Denver and shoot primarily birds as one of many hobbys. I have become intrigued with something new....the idea of capturing a decent image of the Milky Way over the mountains. I know I need a fast lens, I am debating over a Pentax 50mm 1.4 or a Sigma ART 35mm 1.4. But this is about more than the lens. Are there any locals who would be willing to share beginners tips for astro? Do I need to go snow camping up Mayflower Gulch? LOL Is summer ok? Locations, thoughts on gear, links to resources appreciated. Thanks!! pam

[sergysergy]

I think you need to go wider than 50mm for the Milky Way.

[Coloradoblue]

I think you need to go wider than 50mm for the Milky Way.

Thank you. What do you suggest?

[sergysergy]

I have never done that kind of photography but based on what I have read people tend to go wider (14mm-20mm?). I am sure other people with more experience will have something to say.

[tokyoscape]

Just want to add in this
Astrophotography Part 1 of 6: Planning the Shoot - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

[jatrax]

Depends on your format. I have used the DFA 15-30 at 15mm and barely got all of it in. So wide as possible if you are looking for classic milky way shots. If you are trying for landscape astro then other focal lengths might work.

This is 15mm with the K-1

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Anything between 10-20mm should be fine for astro on aps-c, full frame you can probably go up to 28-35mm. While a faster lens is preferred to cut down exposure times, you can make due with f/3.5-4.5 at longer exposures. If you have a camera body with astrotracer built in, or o-gps1 unit, then you can push your exposures for a longer time before you get star trailing. Though, winter isn't the best time to do milky way shots in the northern hemisphere.. that's more of a late spring-mid fall thing.

[Snapppy]

Thank you. What do you suggest?

Both of those lenses would work, you would just get less and less of the milky way the longer the focal length. 50mm would be a pretty tight crop, especially on APS-C. You would also have less and less time to expose before seeing trailing stars, which is not good for the milky way. So, a wider lens gives you exposure advantages as well as composure advantages.

Here are two of my own examples comparing a 24mm and 14mm lens on my full-frame Pentax K-1. Remember, an APS-C camera is going to further crop the image, so my personal opinion for something so big like the milky way on APS-C would be to shoot for an ultra wide lens.

Rokinon 24mm On K-1:


Rokinon 14mm On K-1:


Have so much fun. I just started too, and there is lots to learn. Read a lot, watch a lot, and ask questions

[gifthorse]

Snow camping will be a waste of time for the Milky Way. Unless you like snow camping. The galactic center (the brightest part) of the Milky Way is below the horizon until about mid-May. It will be at its highest point around mid-July and will sink below the horizon around mid-October. As for lenses, wide is good. Fast is good. Fast and wide is goodest best. The smc PENTAX-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL WR is wide but slow..


The A50 1.4 is fast but narrow. Stitched panoramas are a way around that.



My personal favorite is the Vivitar 28mm f2 'close focusing' with the Astrotracer.


For the Milky Way you want to be away from lights and the camera aimed to the south. The Moon needs to be below the horizon or it will overpower the Milky Way. There are a lot of how to posts on the Forums here and you have plenty of time until May to learn and practice.

[Coloradoblue]

Thank you!!

[mlt]

The 10-17 fisheye also works well. Think 25 sec exposures at f4 and iso 6400 for a starting point.

[Coloradoblue]

The more replys I read, the more inspired I am to try this. Thanks everyone for the input and beautiful examples! I have to figure out what equipment I can afford and then, as gifthorse said, I have plenty of time to get outside and practice. ��

[7.62lew]

Great photos and very interesting thread!

[gifthorse]

All you need is a camera, a lens, and a tripod. Minimum gear to do it right would be adding a fast/wide lens, a remote shutter release, and the Astrotracer. If you really find that you enjoy night photography there are a lot more things in the night skies.
The Moon


Eclipses


Planets


Meteor showers




The International space station


Iridium flares


Star trails


Lightning storms






None of these images require any special equipment. Before you start shooting the Milky Way, you should also take a look on Youtube for instructions on post processing the Milky Way. Post processing is an important part of getting the images you want.

[DWS1]

A really good spot to go that's relatively close to Denver (about a 4hr drive) is Great Sand Dunes National Park just north of Alamosa, CO. It is a designated dark sky park. It is really dark there and very little light pollution. You won't get the milky way over the mountains, but you can get some really interesting shots from out in sand dunes or just from the parking lot. I was there mid September and tried my first ever (in 60+yrs) milky way shot. I shot it from the driveway of my campsite. The milky way was framed vertically between two pinon pines. Not really knowing what I was doing, I used the fastest lens I've got, a Pentax-A 28mm f:2.8 on a crop sensor K70. The FOV worked for that shot. The next night I went to a parking lot just outside the campground where the sky was wide open. There I used the Pentax 16-45mm f:4 zoomed out to about 18-19mm. FOV was ok, I really don't like that lens very much. IMO the 18-55mm kit lens is just as good. Both are too slow for night skies. Like you, I think this is something I would like to do more of. I have now purchased the Rokinon 14mm f:2.8, which is the lens most seem to want for milky way work. and the O-GPS1 unit. I just need to wait until spring which may give enough time to find a dark sky somewhere.

Check out Lonely Speck – How to Photograph the Milky Way – Astrophotography Tutorials, Tools, Gear + Inspiration This is by far the best site I've found on this subject.