PROJECT #1: Show us your shots with a Canon 50mm lens

[ebann]

Hello everyone!

I want to start a simple goal-oriented project so that others, especially from other POTN sections, can enjoy and see that astrophotography can be a simple and cheap hobby. How else to start this? Well, I'm sure everyone has a 50mm lens packed away in some dusty corner! Brush off the dust and point it to the sky! Please share your best shots!

Hints: You can do a stitched panoramic, star trails, guided imaging, landscape with stars, etc. Just have to use a 50mm lens and have some stars in it!

Enjoy your weekend and clear skies!

Edit: Please send your 18-55mm astro shots as well! It's a beginner's lens also!

Edit 2: This link is what inspired me to praise the little nifty fifty in the astronomical world! http://www.pbase.com/samirkharusi/beginners

His main site: http://www.samirkharusi.net/

[Nighthound]

Drats, only have an 18-55. Seems the 50 has always slipped down my list of priorities, wish I had one. Looking forward to seeing what everyone posts.

[Sorarse]

Not taken with a 50mm, but it was taken with a kit lens, so is an example of what you can do with basic equipment available to just about any photographer. Does that count?

http://www.88qv.com/net/167.jpg

[ebann]

Sure... 50mm or 18-55mm kit lens. That should be cheap enough for anyone to try out with astrophotography! I just can't edit the title anymore...

[jamie200]

This is my first effort at star trails using my 350D and 17-55 kit lens, think the exposure was about 30mins. I finally got round to getting a remote shutter release after looking at all the amazing photos in this forum. No post processing as i wouldn't know where to stat on this photo, so C + C would be helpful

[John_B]

ebann,
I don't think I can get any in my neck of the woods this weekend but here are two taken with my 40D and 50mm f/1.4


“Star Trails”
http://johnbdigital.com/special_beauty/star_trails.jpg
Click for Specs (http://johnbdigital.com/special_beauty/star_trails.htm)


“Night Sky”
http://johnbdigital.com/special_beauty/night_sky.jpg
Click for Specs (http://johnbdigital.com/special_beauty/night_sky.htm)

[siddr20]

When do we have to submit the photos by?

[ebann]

When do we have to submit the photos by?

No deadline... it just keeps on going and going and going...

[lsuber]

Great shot, Sorarse!

[nitrox28]

All taken with the 18-55mm

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3273695312_ea0bfe72e4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/3158255979_11469a4c9a_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/3159088494_d9d324b707_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3234/3150160469_3ed9985e1a_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/3149230733_9fb1f6e50a_b.jpg

[kyzen]

Rebel XSi, 50mm f/1.8, taken about a week after I bought my camera :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/3150160074_8e43c197fe_b.jpg

[jcham21]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2322/2261521096_c73a9cc8c3.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/5.6
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Manually guided with 12mm rectile eyepiece
Canon XT Modified
9 X 600 second exposures (1.5 hours)
ISO 800

[jcham21]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/2560586539_af501378be.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/3.5
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Manually guided with 12mm rectile eyepiece
Canon XSi Modified
12 X 300 second exposures (1 hours)
ISO 400
75 Degrees F
Humid

[jcham21]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2966550021_703c606dea.jpg

Theriot, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/3.5
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Canon XSi Modified
33 X 180 second exposures (1.65 hours)
ISO 1600

[jcham21]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/3056420279_cb5a7035de.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/4.0
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Manually guided with 12mm rectile eyepiece
Canon XSi Baader Modified
6 X 10 min. exposures
ISO 1600
32 F

[jcham21]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3239922271_842cf613bd.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/4.0
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Canon XSi Modified
24X 300 second exposures (2 hours)
ISO 1600

[Celestron]

James , you have some excellent shots there ! Great ! Is this with the Nifty-Fifty ??

[jcham21]

Yes they are all with the cheap Canon 50mm f/1.8.

[ebann]

Yes they are all with the cheap Canon 50mm f/1.8.

This is EXACTLY what I had in mind when starting this little project! I can see some amazed faces at what this little gem can produce! Well done James! Looking forward for more of your stuff!

Others too... ;)

P.S. I am in the middle of rain season here in Brazil... nothing but clouds and rain.

[Adrena1in]

I'm going to have to give my nifty-fifty more light-time, if the sort of images I'm seeing here are not outside of its capabilities. I'm really quite stunned at your shots there, jcham21. Have you got any links to full size shots by any chance?

[jcham21]

All my 50mm shots can be seen a little bigger here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23148441@N03/sets/72157603787621660/

Here is a larger example of what the 50mm 1.8 is capable of, note the iridium satellite flashing sunlight into my camera:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2966327460_b23714b0ee_b.jpg

[Canon Pete]

way cool with the nifty fifty !

[Nighthound]

Very cool shots everyone.

Milky Way taken with 20D and 18-55 Canon Kit lens. Piggy-backed on Meade LX200(previous scope).

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/PS%20Gallery/milkywyrev3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/PS%20Gallery/mwvrywide3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/Astrophotography/Piggy%20Back/mwwd07b.jpg

[Canon Pete]

stunning Steve and with f4.5 - f5.6 as well, just goes to show how good sensor is on the canons.

[Celestron]

James that last shot is FANTASTIC !!

[nitrox28]

Well now you're just showing off! ;)


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2322/2261521096_c73a9cc8c3.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/5.6
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Manually guided with 12mm rectile eyepiece
Canon XT Modified
9 X 600 second exposures (1.5 hours)
ISO 800

[Rrdstarr]

Simply Wow, James! The colors are just stunning! I got find a nice dark place around Victoria to try this!

[Badger49456]

Soooo... these are incredible. I take it you need a tracking mount, however? Are there any inexpensive tracking mounts out there that you can just hook your camera up to if you don't want to go the full-blown telescope route?

[Adrena1in]

If you want to take the inexpensive route, and you're quite handy at making things, you could have a go at building a Barn Door Tracker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_door_tracker). Two bits of wood, a hinge, and a bolt to push the bits of wood apart to open (or close) them like a door. Would cost pennies to make and is a good solution for taking relatively long exposures while tracking the stars. Not recommended for really long focal lengths I guess, but for short FLs a perfectly acceptable option. I've got a tracking mount, but I'm still going to make a Barn door tracker for when I go on holiday and stuff.

The basic model is good for tracking for a minute or two, but more advanced models can track accurately for hours. I'm working on a design that will track accurately for as long as you need it to.


Alternatively, a desktop EQ1 with RA motor drive (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1017728) won't break the bank...will certainly only cost the same or a little more than a nifty-fifty, put it that way, depending if you can get a secondhand one or want to buy new.

[MidnightSun]

This was taken with the 18-55mm. Moon and Venus before sunrise.

[MidnightSun]

This was a double rainbow, first one I've ever seen. And a shot of some lightning.

[MidnightSun]

And sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[ebann]

This was a double rainbow, first one I've ever seen. And a shot of some lightning.

Hey! I think I see a flying saucer in those images! Hmm... or at least a flying sensor booger!

[Geoff_Shawcross]

LOL......."Sensor Booger", I like that term! :lol:

[MidnightSun]

Hey! I think I see a flying saucer in those images! Hmm... or at least a flying sensor booger!

:oops:Yea, that was eliminated shortly thereafter.....:lol:

[siddr20]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3239922271_842cf613bd.jpg

Ramah, Louisiana
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
at f/4.0
Piggybacked on Celestron C8 Fork Mount
Canon XSi Modified
24X 300 second exposures (2 hours)
ISO 1600

May i ask what software are you using to combine these exposures?

Are you taking any flat images? Is that what they call it when you take equal amounts of dark black images?

Any help is much appreciated.. ta