Star streak effect tips

[joeted]

Hello everyone
well last nights car light streaking went quite well and now im looking to move onto the star streak effect.
Just like the car light streaks thread, any tips would be great please.e.g what to focus on, what surroundings would be best etc.
Thanks loads in adance .

[Bobster]

manually focus on the stars, then using a remote trigger plugged into your camera, take long exposures (the remote will have a shutter old feature).

if you use mirror lock-up to steady the camera before you release the shutter, you'll get better results at long exposure - i think 30 minutes is what you need to get a decent star streak, i believe people stack shots when they do the full 360 degree ones..

[joeted]

manually focus on the stars, then using a remote trigger plugged into your camera, take long exposures (the remote will have a shutter old feature).

if you use mirror lock-up to steady the camera before you release the shutter, you'll get better results at long exposure - i think 30 minutes is what you need to get a decent star streak, i believe people stack shots when they do the full 360 degree ones..

Cheers robert
can i ask a couple of probably silly questions ?
whats mirror lock up and how do you do it?
what is "stack shots"
sorry mate lol

[Whiternoise]

Normally when you shoot, the mirror is down so you can look through the viewfinder. When you take the shot, the mirror flips up and the shutter opens and shuts as required. The mirror moving up and down creates a bit of shake. With mirror lock up - it'll be a setup menu option normally - the mirror lifts up and the you take your shot (so there's no additional shake). Of course you need to focus and frame your shot prior to locking the mirror up.

Stack shots are when you take say 8 shots, each of 30 minutes and then overlay them on top of each other - fairly self explanatory

As a sidenote I'd suggest that this should be put with your other thread - seems a bit silly making another thread on basically the same topic.


EDIT: Get a star map and focus on Polaris - it'll stay still and all the other stars will appear to wheel around it.



"Canon EOS 1v Body, EF 17-35mm f2.8 lens (@17mm/f2.8), Tiffen FL-D filter, Velvia film (rated at 40ASA), 3.5 hour time-release exposure."

I believe you get a LOT more leeway with film though

[joeted]

Normally when you shoot, the mirror is down so you can look through the viewfinder. When you take the shot, the mirror flips up and the shutter opens and shuts as required. The mirror moving up and down creates a bit of shake. With mirror lock up - it'll be a setup menu option normally - the mirror lifts up and the you take your shot (so there's no additional shake). Of course you need to focus and frame your shot prior to locking the mirror up.

Stack shots are when you take say 8 shots, each of 30 minutes and then overlay them on top of each other - fairly self explanatory

As a sidenote I'd suggest that this should be put with your other thread - seems a bit silly making another thread on basically the same topic.


EDIT: Get a star map and focus on Polaris - it'll stay still and all the other stars will appear to wheel around it.



"Canon EOS 1v Body, EF 17-35mm f2.8 lens (@17mm/f2.8), Tiffen FL-D filter, Velvia film (rated at 40ASA), 3.5 hour time-release exposure."

I believe you get a LOT more leeway with film though

Thanks alot whitenoise thats a nice easy explanation
i'll make sure i get a star map first then and do the mirror lock.
Agreed about this being with the other thread, how does it get put with the other thread ?

[shiato storm]

yes you do get a bit more lee-way with film, you also have the capacity for long exposures without nailing your battery to death. a 3.5hr exposure would not be possible on a digital camera without an external power source...then there's the noise...

[driftwoodywood]

i want to try this, but i read somewhere that leaving the senser open for 30 mins, can ruin the sensor due to heat? is there any basis for this?

[shiato storm]

not heard that one. its true the sensor can heat up creating artefacts...but not to completely cook it

[joeted]

and wouldnt the fact that the camera is outside cool it down at the same time ?