Astrophotography with Film

ajuett · 04-30-2009, 11:29 PM

The other night I did a Bulb exposure with a M 50mm f/1.4. I used Kodak UltraMax 400, f/9, 30min. A couple of star trails showed up but, the sky was a medium-dark blue to almost white near the horizon.

Tonight I did 2 Moon shots with the M 150mm f/3.5; one at f/8 1/125 and one at f/5.6 1/125. Also a single 45min exposure at f/16, I used the M 28mm f/3.5 with Fuji 800 X-Tra. The lens was turned straight up to get the brightest stars this time. I'll get them developed tomorrow to see how they turned out.

Has anyone got any examples to show me/others how its done? I've been doing some reading on it however, I'm literally shooting in the dark

CSoars · 05-01-2009, 08:40 AM

From what I've read, some faster films have greater reciprocity failure, and actually end up needing longer exposures than slower ones once you get into the minute-range. Plus the added grain, less accurate colour and potential colour shifts.

Slide film is typically used, but most sources seem to favour the Fuji superia family, from ISO 100-400. Maybe consider using a Flourescent balanced filter if you're getting a green shift in the results.

And try shooting on auto with an LX :P

wildlifephotog · 05-01-2009, 09:10 AM

This forum has an excellent area on film astro work.
Telescope Reviews: Viewing list of forums

ajuett · 05-01-2009, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by CSoars

From what I've read, some faster films have greater reciprocity failure, and actually end up needing longer exposures than slower ones once you get into the minute-range. Plus the added grain, less accurate colour and potential colour shifts.

Slide film is typically used, but most sources seem to favour the Fuji superia family, from ISO 100-400. Maybe consider using a Flourescent balanced filter if you're getting a green shift in the results.

I used Fuji 800 X-Tra last night. Once the film has been developed today I'll scan it in and post the results, regardless if good or bad.

ajuett · 05-01-2009, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by wildlifephotog

This forum has an excellent area on film astro work.
Telescope Reviews: Viewing list of forums

Thanks wildlifephotog, great link. The very first post in the Astrophotography forum says Fuji 800 X-Tra is, quote:
"Your link for color negative films lists Fuji Superia X-tra 800 speed as the best color negative film. I have tryed several different color negative films and would have to agree, it has the both the best red response and the lowest reciprocity failure. It isn't as good as some of the slide films (like E200), but it's worlds better than stuff like T-max. "

So it may appear that I used the right film, by fluke, I'll find out soon enough today.

Cosmo · 05-01-2009, 09:20 AM

Provia 100. f/11 for about 3 1/2 hours. This was actually a massive faliure, it was very blown out because I was only ment to leave it out for 2 hours, and cause the sky round my area suffers light pollution. I had to recover the photo with photoshop.

ajuett · 05-01-2009, 09:29 AM

Cosmo, 3.5 hrs, wow. I sat beside my camera for only 45min and had 5 games of cribbage with my cell phone and thought that was a long time, lol. As for your image I like it despite the 'blow-out' the rest looks great to me. Thanks for sharing.

Cosmo · 05-01-2009, 09:30 AM

In the arctic circle, it's dark for 6 months, so you can do 24hour exposures, or longer.

Cosmo · 05-01-2009, 09:31 AM - **1 Like**

ajuett · 05-01-2009, 09:39 AM

Now that is well done!

I'm expecting nothing like that from my attempt.

ryno · 05-01-2009, 11:32 AM

Fuji provia M-35 f2 at f2.8-3.5 I think. When I go more telephoto I stop down a little more.
Ryan

Jonson PL · 12-17-2009, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by Cosmo

Wow, fabulous.

Jimfear · 12-17-2009, 02:04 AM

Cosmo, how long was the exposure on that one?!

I'll put my guess on 8-9h, am I close?

Fantastic photo!

Alliecat · 05-18-2012, 09:05 PM

Although this was an old thread, it came up when I searched the forum for film astrophotography & seemed more of a match than some of the others...
I've done a star trail shot or 2 in the past & would now like to try some more, but I'd really like to do something like this, for example: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news/6071-12.jpg
Although I've been searching for articles online & also have a library book on order, I have yet to find an explanation of how they're done. Are they all digital composites? If you track the stars, your foreground is going to blur, & if you have the camera fixed you'll get star trails. The minimal comments I've seen on these suggest they're the product of digicams set on ISO 3200 or something like. I shot a roll of 1600 film in pre-dawn conditions once & it was pretty grainy. So are these kinds of photos out of reach for film shooters, or what? If they're not, does anyone have any good links to pages on how-to?
Thanks!

**pixelsaurus** · 05-18-2012, 09:26 PM

Originally posted by Alliecat

Although this was an old thread, it came up when I searched the forum for film astrophotography & seemed more of a match than some of the others...
I've done a star trail shot or 2 in the past & would now like to try some more, but I'd really like to do something like this, for example: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news/6071-12.jpg
Although I've been searching for articles online & also have a library book on order, I have yet to find an explanation of how they're done. Are they all digital composites? If you track the stars, your foreground is going to blur, & if you have the camera fixed you'll get star trails. The minimal comments I've seen on these suggest they're the product of digicams set on ISO 3200 or something like. I shot a roll of 1600 film in pre-dawn conditions once & it was pretty grainy. So are these kinds of photos out of reach for film shooters, or what? If they're not, does anyone have any good links to pages on how-to?
Thanks!

You could google Wally Palcholka. He originally shot similar scenes using film and was selling prints through various outlets in the SW USA. I first saw his work in a gift shop at Grand Canyon and was impressed. This is his current site Astropics Home Page Photographs by Wally Pacholka and as far as I know, he has now gone digital. Film is good but digi is way more versatile.

04-30-2009, 11:29 PM	#1
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100	Astrophotography with Film The other night I did a Bulb exposure with a M 50mm f/1.4. I used Kodak UltraMax 400, f/9, 30min. A couple of star trails showed up but, the sky was a medium-dark blue to almost white near the horizon. Tonight I did 2 Moon shots with the M 150mm f/3.5; one at f/8 1/125 and one at f/5.6 1/125. Also a single 45min exposure at f/16, I used the M 28mm f/3.5 with Fuji 800 X-Tra. The lens was turned straight up to get the brightest stars this time. I'll get them developed tomorrow to see how they turned out. Has anyone got any examples to show me/others how its done? I've been doing some reading on it however, I'm literally shooting in the dark

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05-01-2009, 08:40 AM	#2
CSoars Inactive Account Join Date: May 2008 Location: Edmonton, Canada Posts: 322	From what I've read, some faster films have greater reciprocity failure, and actually end up needing longer exposures than slower ones once you get into the minute-range. Plus the added grain, less accurate colour and potential colour shifts. Slide film is typically used, but most sources seem to favour the Fuji superia family, from ISO 100-400. Maybe consider using a Flourescent balanced filter if you're getting a green shift in the results. And try shooting on auto with an LX :P

05-01-2009, 09:10 AM	#3
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	This forum has an excellent area on film astro work. Telescope Reviews: Viewing list of forums

05-01-2009, 09:11 AM	#4
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Originally posted by CSoars From what I've read, some faster films have greater reciprocity failure, and actually end up needing longer exposures than slower ones once you get into the minute-range. Plus the added grain, less accurate colour and potential colour shifts. Slide film is typically used, but most sources seem to favour the Fuji superia family, from ISO 100-400. Maybe consider using a Flourescent balanced filter if you're getting a green shift in the results. I used Fuji 800 X-Tra last night. Once the film has been developed today I'll scan it in and post the results, regardless if good or bad.

05-01-2009, 09:17 AM	#5
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Originally posted by wildlifephotog This forum has an excellent area on film astro work. Telescope Reviews: Viewing list of forums Thanks wildlifephotog, great link. The very first post in the Astrophotography forum says Fuji 800 X-Tra is, quote: "Your link for color negative films lists Fuji Superia X-tra 800 speed as the best color negative film. I have tryed several different color negative films and would have to agree, it has the both the best red response and the lowest reciprocity failure. It isn't as good as some of the slide films (like E200), but it's worlds better than stuff like T-max. " So it may appear that I used the right film, by fluke, I'll find out soon enough today.

05-01-2009, 09:20 AM	#6
Cosmo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 488	Provia 100. f/11 for about 3 1/2 hours. This was actually a massive faliure, it was very blown out because I was only ment to leave it out for 2 hours, and cause the sky round my area suffers light pollution. I had to recover the photo with photoshop.

05-01-2009, 09:29 AM	#7
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Cosmo, 3.5 hrs, wow. I sat beside my camera for only 45min and had 5 games of cribbage with my cell phone and thought that was a long time, lol. As for your image I like it despite the 'blow-out' the rest looks great to me. Thanks for sharing.

05-01-2009, 09:30 AM	#8
Cosmo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 488	In the arctic circle, it's dark for 6 months, so you can do 24hour exposures, or longer.

05-01-2009, 09:31 AM - 1 Like	#9
Cosmo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 488

05-01-2009, 09:39 AM	#10
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100 Original Poster	Now that is well done! I'm expecting nothing like that from my attempt.

05-01-2009, 11:32 AM	#11
ryno Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery Posts: 220	Fuji provia M-35 f2 at f2.8-3.5 I think. When I go more telephoto I stop down a little more. Ryan

12-17-2009, 12:53 AM	#12
Jonson PL Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Copenhagen Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,842	Originally posted by Cosmo Wow, fabulous.

12-17-2009, 02:04 AM	#13
Jimfear Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 576	Cosmo, how long was the exposure on that one?! I'll put my guess on 8-9h, am I close? Fantastic photo!

05-18-2012, 09:05 PM	#14
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740	Although this was an old thread, it came up when I searched the forum for film astrophotography & seemed more of a match than some of the others... I've done a star trail shot or 2 in the past & would now like to try some more, but I'd really like to do something like this, for example: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news/6071-12.jpg Although I've been searching for articles online & also have a library book on order, I have yet to find an explanation of how they're done. Are they all digital composites? If you track the stars, your foreground is going to blur, & if you have the camera fixed you'll get star trails. The minimal comments I've seen on these suggest they're the product of digicams set on ISO 3200 or something like. I shot a roll of 1600 film in pre-dawn conditions once & it was pretty grainy. So are these kinds of photos out of reach for film shooters, or what? If they're not, does anyone have any good links to pages on how-to? Thanks!

05-18-2012, 09:26 PM	#15
pixelsaurus Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Te Kuiti, NZ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 986	Originally posted by Alliecat Although this was an old thread, it came up when I searched the forum for film astrophotography & seemed more of a match than some of the others... I've done a star trail shot or 2 in the past & would now like to try some more, but I'd really like to do something like this, for example: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/news/6071-12.jpg Although I've been searching for articles online & also have a library book on order, I have yet to find an explanation of how they're done. Are they all digital composites? If you track the stars, your foreground is going to blur, & if you have the camera fixed you'll get star trails. The minimal comments I've seen on these suggest they're the product of digicams set on ISO 3200 or something like. I shot a roll of 1600 film in pre-dawn conditions once & it was pretty grainy. So are these kinds of photos out of reach for film shooters, or what? If they're not, does anyone have any good links to pages on how-to? Thanks! You could google Wally Palcholka. He originally shot similar scenes using film and was selling prints through various outlets in the SW USA. I first saw his work in a gift shop at Grand Canyon and was impressed. This is his current site Astropics Home Page Photographs by Wally Pacholka and as far as I know, he has now gone digital. Film is good but digi is way more versatile.