Astro lens

PeterKerrigan1664

Suspended / Banned
Messages
20
Name
Peter
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi

Im new to photography and was wondering if anyone can recommend a solid lens for astrophotography. Im using a older canon 550d
 
The right focal length for astrophotography depends very much on the sort of thing you wish to photograph.
One style would be wide field using a wide angle lens. I've tried this occasionally for capturing shooting stars & general starscapes, but it would also be applicable to milky way shots, around 10 to 20mm often works well, but more normal focal lengths can work for single constellations or star trails.
To get shots of the whole moon, you need a much longer focal length, possibly even a hundred times longer than used for wide field. (~1000mm to fill the frame with the moon)
For planet shots & many nebulae longer focal lengths still are generally wanted!

These long focal length shots are usually done by connecting the camera to a telescope (multiple ways of doing this). The best sort of telescope to use will depend on the type of subjects you want to shoot. All the options I have available are at the very low budget end, which is part of the reason I've never managed anything much. However I have to admit lack of patience, post processing skills etc are also to blame.

I don't shoot Canon so couldn't recommend any Canon fit lenses, but before anyone can you need to decide what sort of astrophotography you plan on doing & how big your budget is. Skilled astrophotographers can get impressive images from kit as basic as mine (~$150 used), things get easier with reasonable quality guided telescopes that can easily run into the thousands, and the ultimate amateur scopes will cost more than a new car or even a house...

Fortunately wide field lenses don't go quite as high in price
 
My interest has always been in wider milky way/constellation landscape astrophotography images.

For that I've used 20mm, 24mm & 35mm lenses with 24mm f/1.4 being the most common - All on full frame obviously.

You are going to be wanting around f/2. or bigger with at least f/2.8 as a minimum! Focal length, around 18mm or wider on APSC.
 
As has been said, it depends - here's one I did tonight, Tamron 150-600 lens at 600mm, 1/60, f5.6, ISO 1000


For things like the milkyway you need wide angle lens
 
The right focal length for astrophotography depends very much on the sort of thing you wish to photograph.
One style would be wide field using a wide angle lens. I've tried this occasionally for capturing shooting stars & general starscapes, but it would also be applicable to milky way shots, around 10 to 20mm often works well, but more normal focal lengths can work for single constellations or star trails.
To get shots of the whole moon, you need a much longer focal length, possibly even a hundred times longer than used for wide field. (~1000mm to fill the frame with the moon)
For planet shots & many nebulae longer focal lengths still are generally wanted!

These long focal length shots are usually done by connecting the camera to a telescope (multiple ways of doing this). The best sort of telescope to use will depend on the type of subjects you want to shoot. All the options I have available are at the very low budget end, which is part of the reason I've never managed anything much. However I have to admit lack of patience, post processing skills etc are also to blame.

I don't shoot Canon so couldn't recommend any Canon fit lenses, but before anyone can you need to decide what sort of astrophotography you plan on doing & how big your budget is. Skilled astrophotographers can get impressive images from kit as basic as mine (~$150 used), things get easier with reasonable quality guided telescopes that can easily run into the thousands, and the ultimate amateur scopes will cost more than a new car or even a house...

Fortunately wide field lenses don't go quite as high in price

It would be constellation type photos that are most interest. Budget isnt really an issue for me but that being said I'm a learner so don't feel it would be wise to go head first into paying thousands on equipment, thanks for the heads up though. Hopefully someone can recommend a 10/20mm canon lens

Thanks again
 
My interest has always been in wider milky way/constellation landscape astrophotography images.

For that I've used 20mm, 24mm & 35mm lenses with 24mm f/1.4 being the most common - All on full frame obviously.

You are going to be wanting around f/2. or bigger with at least f/2.8 as a minimum! Focal length, around 18mm or wider on APSC.
Hi Lee

I was looking at a Samyang 10mm f2.8 ED AS NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens, I'm using an ol canon 550d. DO you recon i could still get some decent images with this setup?

thanks
 
Hi Lee

I was looking at a Samyang 10mm f2.8 ED AS NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens, I'm using an ol canon 550d. DO you recon i could still get some decent images with this setup?

thanks

Exposure wise you should yes. Will need a higher ISO but just take multiple images and stack them for noise reduction - Sequator on a PC, there is a Mac equivalent I think.

Obviously I've no idea how the lens performs with regard to coma and distortion etc
 
Exposure wise you should yes. Will need a higher ISO but just take multiple images and stack them for noise reduction - Sequator on a PC, there is a Mac equivalent I think.

Obviously I've no idea how the lens performs with regard to coma and distortion etc
Image stacking, had never heard of it. Seems like endless things to try and get your head around in this game, lol
 
Back
Top