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Photographing Perseids
http://x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9979		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Spreadie [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Photographing Perseids
I'm setting up the telescope and tripod ready for tonight, and I'm hoping to capture a few meteors.

In broad strokes can anyone give me a idea of the best settings to use?

As I understand it, 800 ISO, a fast wide lens (hoping the 14-42mm is up to it), a remote shutter release and long exposures seem to be the way forward, but I'm still a camera noob and I don't want to miss out.

I thought a high ISO and long exposure would be a bad idea, as you'd get a lot of noise?

Is the f3.5 14-42mm a better option than the f4 40-150mm?

Any advice would be great.

Cheers

Spreadie
Author:  timark_uk [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Spreadie wrote:
(hoping the 14-42mm is up to it),
It depends on it's aperture. Use your lens wide open, which is what I'd be doing if it wasn't cloudy where I am. I don't know how well your camera deals with image noise so I can't really comment on that.
Tripod, cable release and long exposures are the way to go.

Mark
Author:  belchingmatt [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Without a remote shutter release I would be limited to a 30s shutter max. As you would expect to see one perseid every minute that should be enough to capture something with a few attempts. You may also need to account for the Earth's rotation.
Author:  Spreadie [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
I have remote release - £3 bargain on ebay.

So far, I have set it SH spot metering, which i think should darken the background?
30 sec bulb
ISO 800
3.5 apeture
MF

Oh, and I've taken to swearing every time someone puts a light on in the house.

[edit] clouds!!11one one :evil:
Author:  belchingmatt [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Spreadie wrote:
I have remote release - £3 bargain on ebay.

So far, I have set it SH spot metering, which i think should darken the background?
30 sec bulb
ISO 800
3.5 apeture
MF

Oh, and I've taken to swearing every time someone puts a light on in the house.

[edit] clouds!!11one one :evil:


Fuse box! :lol:
Author:  onemac [ Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Spreadie wrote:
I have remote release - £3 bargain on ebay.

So far, I have set it SH spot metering, which i think should darken the background?
30 sec bulb
ISO 800
3.5 apeture
MF

Oh, and I've taken to swearing every time someone puts a light on in the house.

[edit] clouds!!11one one :evil:

No - stick to ISO100 or lower if you can and amend the exposure time accordingly :D

Just on my way out now to show you all how it's done :? Not sure the cloud will allow me though... :lol:

Al
Author:  EddArmitage [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Why such a wide aperture? I'd instinctively have gone low ISO, narrow aperture, long exposure. It's what I do with fireworks.
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
EddArmitage wrote:
It's what I do with fireworks.
The light from fireworks is so much more than that from a streak of meteor in the atmosphere. A wider aperture also allows you to get background stars.
I'm only saying what I'd do. A wider aperture also means less exposure time = less grain in the final image.

Mark
Author:  EddArmitage [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
timark_uk wrote:
less grain in the final image.

Like you care about grain/noise! (8-p)
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
EddArmitage wrote:
timark_uk wrote:
less grain in the final image.
Like you care about grain/noise! (8-p)
(8+D

Mark
Author:  belchingmatt [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
With a 10-30s exposure on a 600mm lens you can easily see star trails. You'll get sharper images wide and fast.
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
belchingmatt wrote:
a 600mm lens
I'd be using a wide angle lens to cover as much of the sky as possible.

Mark
Author:  EddArmitage [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
belchingmatt wrote:
With a 10-30s exposure on a 600mm lens you can easily see star trails. You'll get sharper images wide and fast.

Why sharper when wide? Most lenses seem to have a sweet spot around f/8 -> f/11 -ish. I'm a bit confusled!
Author:  Spreadie [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
:lol:

Sixty long exposure shots later, and I got one faint meteor on camera (plus a couple of planes trying to get in on the action)

Oh well, it was fun to watch at least.
Author:  timark_uk [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Photographing Perseids
Spreadie wrote:
(plus a couple of planes trying to get in on the action)
Those planes can be sneaky when taking images of the night sky.

Mark
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