[JMantyla]

You should take a look at stephp's recent Astrotracer images in the 'K-5 for Astrophotography' thread. They are quite convincing - to put it mildly understated:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/143409-k-5-astrophotography-11.html#post2134702

Pentax Astrotracer is an excellent tool in aurora photography. I took these two photos in Inari, Finland, on November 14, 2012, with Pentax K-r and oGps Astrotracer.

Exposure time was 60 seconds with ISO 1600. With naked eye I could see only green and some red lights but 60 second exposures show also blue/pink aurora. 30 second exposure showed mainly green aurora. Lens was Samyang 14/2,8.

I consider Pentax oGps Astrotracer as an important invention in aurora photography.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

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[Ex Finn.]

Very nice colors in the first capture.
edit: how cold was it in Inari?.

[Docrwm]

Pentax Astrotracer is an excellent tool in aurora photography. I took these two photos in Inari, Finland, on November 14, 2012, with Pentax K-r and oGps Astrotracer.

Exposure time was 60 seconds with ISO 1600. With naked eye I could see only green and some red lights but 60 second exposures show also blue/pink aurora. 30 second exposure showed mainly green aurora. Lens was Samyang 14/2,8.

I consider Pentax oGps Astrotracer as an important invention in aurora photography.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

Love the first photo, beautiful.

Welcome to Pentax Forums!

[JMantyla]

Very nice colors in the first capture.
edit: how cold was it in Inari?.

It was -13 in Inari on Nov. 14.
Here is a new photo of comet C/2012 K5 (LINEAR) close to star Dubhe of Big Dipper:

Pentax k-5 50/2,8 + Astrotracer 3x50 s. ISO800 + DSS.

When this photo was taken in Kangasala it was -20 on Dec. 23 at 7.11 am. Pentax oGps Astrotracer greatly helps aurora and astrophotography in coldness because the equipment is very easy and quick to use. I took this photo of comet Linear 5 minutes after seeing that the sky is clear after long cloudiness. I have also astro-mounts with autoguiding but preparing them for use takes 1-2 hours.

With 14 and 50 mm lenses practically all photos are accurate. When I use 135 or 200 mm telephoto lenses the number of unaccurate pictures increases.

Edit. The lens used was Smc Pentax-M 1:1,7 50 mm. I think this lens was made in the 1980's for film cameras.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2013 from Finland.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

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Last edited by JMantyla; 12-26-2012 at 02:04 AM.

[Stone G.]

It was -13 in Inari on Nov. 14.
-------. Pentax oGps Astrotracer greatly helps aurora and astrophotography in coldness because the equipment is very easy and quick to use. ----------. I have also astro-mounts with autoguiding but preparing them for use takes 1-2 hours.

------.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2013 from Finland.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

Congratulations with your fine results - and nice to see yet another Astrotracer user onboard. I fully share your views.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures from your wonderfully dark, Finnish skies.

[JMantyla]

I add one more photo taken with oGps Astrotracer. The Milky way on Aug.14, 2012, in Kangasala, Finland:

Pentax K-r 14/2,8 2,5 min ISO800.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

[JMantyla]

This photo was taken today 5.1.12 at 16.55 UTC. Luckily comet C/2012 K5 Linear and a meteoroid appeared in the same photo.
Pentax K-5 50/2 50 seconds ISO800 + oGps Astrotracer.
The photo was not 100% accurate, thus I have a little bit edited it.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

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[Ex Finn.]

This photo was taken today 5.1.12 at 16.55 UTC. Luckily comet C/2012 K5 Linear and a meteoroid appeared in the same photo.
Pentax K-5 50/2 50 seconds ISO800 + oGps Astrotracer.
The photo was not 100% accurate, thus I have a little bit edited it.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

So comet ISON is already visible.
Thank you for posting and keep up the good work Mr. Mäntylä.

[jbinpg]

This is not Comet ISON which is labelled C/2012 S1 (ISON). ISON is only around visual magnitude 16 now and would not show so brightly in Jorma's photos. But guaranteed it will be the most photographed comet in history in another 8 or 9 months. Great photos, Jorma !!

A good reference for current comets is:

Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2013 Jan. 5: North)

Jack

[Ex Finn.]

This is not Comet ISON which is labelled C/2012 S1 (ISON). ISON is only around visual magnitude 16 now and would not show so brightly in Jorma's photos. But guaranteed it will be the most photographed comet in history in another 8 or 9 months. Great photos, Jorma !!

A good reference for current comets is:

Weekly Information about Bright Comets (2013 Jan. 5: North)

Jack

Thanks for the link and setting me straight.

[FruitLooPs]

Found this exposure using the o-gps1 taken by a guy on another forum using 600mm lens and cropped IceInSpace - View Single Post - Pentax Astrotracer - first play



I'd say this is must be the exception rather than the rule at those focal lengths, but even so thats pretty amazing. Pitty it doesn't have any EXIF data or mentions of if its stacked or what.

I couldn't find any other examples from, apart from his initial wide angle tests

[Poit]

i've been dabbling in landscape astrophotography using the O-GPS1 and haven't really driven out to a place with dark skies; so far contending with massive light pollution.

I do shoot one with the tracer on and then a second shot with it off at the same exposure and then blend the two with a layer mask. This is easy and fairly effective.

I use both lenses you mentioned, the Sigma 10-20 and the DA15. I usually stop down a few clicks, but you should be able to get decent results at wide open apertures.

I'm another newbie to the astro scene, and aspire creating images like these. I have a couple of queries about technique for capture of this sort of image. I've managed to get sharp stars but an effective foreground is puzzling me a bit (short of artificial lighting)!

- Do you refocus for the foreground shot, or do you take both shots at infinity? More specifically, the tower shot, and another I've seen of yours with water and a large rock in the foreground, have really impressive focus on the foreground, but the stars are equally sharp;
- The image I'm referring to with the water in the foreground, was it by star-light alone or was there another source of light on the foreground (eg moon or twilight)? I'm wondering how to get a reasonably well lit and in-focus foreground, in combination with the bright stars.

[cheekygeek]

First time out with the O-GPS. Took about 25 images and selected 11 good ones for DeepSkyStacker (which was also used for the first time to produce this image):




6 minutes (total integrated exposure). 2x45, 3x40, 3x30, 3x20
Pentax K-5ii, SMC K 135mm f2.5 @f4, ISO 800

[mikeSF]

I'm another newbie to the astro scene, and aspire creating images like these. I have a couple of queries about technique for capture of this sort of image. I've managed to get sharp stars but an effective foreground is puzzling me a bit (short of artificial lighting)!

- Do you refocus for the foreground shot, or do you take both shots at infinity? More specifically, the tower shot, and another I've seen of yours with water and a large rock in the foreground, have really impressive focus on the foreground, but the stars are equally sharp;
- The image I'm referring to with the water in the foreground, was it by star-light alone or was there another source of light on the foreground (eg moon or twilight)? I'm wondering how to get a reasonably well lit and in-focus foreground, in combination with the bright stars.

With a wide focal length, infinity or near infinity focus should work well for both.
It is possible to refocus and blend, but I find when it is that dark, it can be difficult to achieve critical and specific focus on foreground objects, but not impossible.

[mikeSF]

Hey is one I posted elsewhere, an example of the OGPS1 with the FA31 on the K5. 80 sec exposure for the stars.