RE: Shooting the Orionids
Tripod ISO 800 or 400 if light polluted A 20 - 31 mm lens most likely is the best choice. Over 50mm means you'll be cutting out too much sky and you don't know exactly where the meteor may fly through the frame. Too wide and the image of the meteor is likely to be to small to make a good impression. Aperture, bigger the better. Anything over 2.8 is definitely to small. Shutter speed 20 - 30 seconds otherwise you'll get very evident motion blur of the stars due to earths rotation. Noise reduction off. There's just as good of a chance a meteor will fly by while a dark frame is being taken as there is otherwise. Might as well maximize the chances of capturing it. Once you're in the peak of the shower, you might as well fire 20 to 30 second exposures off back to back, since it's pure chance that you'll capture one. If you're in a place where you can have some horizon in the shot it will make for a better image. A flash of light going through a star field only can make for some unexciting images. Tom C. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List pdml@pdml.net To: PDML@pdml.net Subject: Shooting the Orionids Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:03:56 -0700 This weekend the Orionid meteor shower will be going on. Sunday is also my birthday, so since I'm going to be staying up late anyway, I figure I might as well go out and shoot some shooting stars. What are good settings for shooting such things? Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, noise reduction on/off, etc. I've never tried to shoot a meteor shower before, so any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks, John Celio (28 for just a little longer) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
RE: Shooting the Orionids
Tripod ISO 800 A 20 - 31 mm lens most likely is the best choice. Over 50mm means you'll be cutting out too much sky and you don't know exactly where the meteor may fly through the frame. Too wide and the image of the meteor is likely to be to small to make a good impression. Aperture, bigger the better. Anything over 2.8 is definitely to small. Shutter speed 20 - 30 seconds otherwise you'll get very evident motion blur of the stars due to earths rotation. Noise reduction off. There's just as good of a chance a meteor will fly by while a dark frame is being taken as there is otherwise. Might as well maximize the chances of capturing it. Once you're in the peak of the shower, you might as well fire 20 to 30 second exposures off back to back, since it's pure chance that you'll capture one. If you're in a place where you can have some horizon in the shot it will make for a better image. A flash of light going through a star field only can make for some unexciting images. Tom C. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List pdml@pdml.net To: PDML@pdml.net Subject: Shooting the Orionids Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 15:03:56 -0700 This weekend the Orionid meteor shower will be going on. Sunday is also my birthday, so since I'm going to be staying up late anyway, I figure I might as well go out and shoot some shooting stars. What are good settings for shooting such things? Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, noise reduction on/off, etc. I've never tried to shoot a meteor shower before, so any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks, John Celio (28 for just a little longer) -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Shooting the Orionids
I recommend ~35mm to 50mm lens for 35mm cameras, ~20mm to 35mm for APS size sensors to catch some sky, as you can't predict exactly where the trails will appear. Must be on tripod. No point in having any of the ground in the shot, unless for effect. NO LIGHTS IN FRAME! Lens should be wide open, unless test shot reveals blurry even when properly focused. If this is so, loose a stop. ISO should be 400. Length of exposure is dependent on light pollution in your area. Best to get out of town. For me in Orange Co, California, this means a 100 mile drive minimum, though you can do ome backyard photography limited to the brightest trails. Try 10 minute exposure. If it works (still black between star trails) good, else cut exposure in half until there is some black between trails. If sensor noise is apparent, cut in half 'till gone. If you're using a K10D, then use Pentax's free downloadable software to automatically snap and retrieve your exposures for as long as you want. Just lay back in a lawn recliner, a blanket, beer, wings, chips dip and some companions yak it up while watching the show. Use flashlights with red gel only. Any auto lights for any reason will destroy your current exposure. Regards, Bob... Art is not a reflection of reality. it is the reality of a reflection. -Jean Luc Godard - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This weekend the Orionid meteor shower will be going on. Sunday is also my birthday, so since I'm going to be staying up late anyway, I figure I might as well go out and shoot some shooting stars. What are good settings for shooting such things? Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, noise reduction on/off, etc. I've never tried to shoot a meteor shower before, so any suggestions would be much appreciated. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: Shooting the Orionids
At 3:03 PM -0700 10/19/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This weekend the Orionid meteor shower will be going on. Sunday is also my birthday, so since I'm going to be staying up late anyway, I figure I might as well go out and shoot some shooting stars. What are good settings for shooting such things? Shutter speed, aperture, ISO, noise reduction on/off, etc. I've never tried to shoot a meteor shower before, so any suggestions would be much appreciated. The moon will be just past first quarter so you will want to stay up late (or get up really early) to avoid its light washing out the meteors. A dark, non-light-polluted sky is important as well. -- Steve [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
