Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo?

THE Phreak · 23rd of July 2012 (Mon)

I'm going camping this weekend and I'll be heading out with a T2i from work. I only a 50 1.8, but it's too narrow IMO for a good landscape shot at night. Could I get any solid results using a 3.5-4.5 zoom I have?

Kinda broke and don't wanna have to rent a prime

thakursam · 23rd of July 2012 (Mon)

Prime are not always necessory, many best photos of Starry Landscapes are taken with zoom lenses.

Give a try and see how lens works out. Some lenses shows purple fringing or deformed stars, if its within acceptable range then it can be usable lens.

check out some cool and easy to shoot photos taken with kit lens

AstroPix

Best of luck.

cyberon · 24th of July 2012 (Tue)

I use the 15-85mm on mine and it's fine at F3.5

THE Phreak · 25th of July 2012 (Wed)

Yeah, I noticed it'll work well at least with a T2i. I aimed it upwards at the moonless sky and caught a bunch of stars I couldn't even see with my eyes. I live in a city so it really became clear to me that out in the open I shouldn't have too much of a hard time

A.S.I.G.N. Observatory · 25th of July 2012 (Wed)

Don't know why anyone would tell you that you must have a prime. I do all my widefield astro and landscape with a 16-35mm zoom. Love it.

Baz.

23rd of July 2012 (Mon)	#1
THE Phreak Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 221 IMAGE EDITING OK	Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo? I'm going camping this weekend and I'll be heading out with a T2i from work. I only a 50 1.8, but it's too narrow IMO for a good landscape shot at night. Could I get any solid results using a 3.5-4.5 zoom I have? Kinda broke and don't wanna have to rent a prime __________________ 1D classic \| 50mm 1.8 \| 28-105 3.5-4.5 \| 270ex flash

23rd of July 2012 (Mon)	#2
thakursam Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 53 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo? Prime are not always necessory, many best photos of Starry Landscapes are taken with zoom lenses. Give a try and see how lens works out. Some lenses shows purple fringing or deformed stars, if its within acceptable range then it can be usable lens. check out some cool and easy to shoot photos taken with kit lens AstroPix Best of luck. __________________ Sameer Thakur www.sameerthakur.net & www.indussky.com Body : Canon EOS 7D, Canon EOS 1D Mark II N, Canon EOS 400D Lenses : Canon EF 70-200 F/4 L, Tamron 17-50 F/2.8, Canon EF-S 18-55 kit, Canon EF 75-300 USM III, Nikon 28-105, Kenko 1.5x, Kenko 2x

24th of July 2012 (Tue)	#3
cyberon Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 538 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo? I use the 15-85mm on mine and it's fine at F3.5 __________________ 500D, Speedlite 430EX II, Lens : 15-85mm; 50mm F1.8 II; 100mm F2.8L IS Macro; 70-200mm F4L; Samyang 8mm F3.5 U/W : G11, OEM Housing, Inon S2000, Inon D4 Tray, Inon UCL-165 Close up lens Astro : Modded 1100D, ES 80ED, Skywatcher HEQ5 Mount, Astrotrac TT320X-AG, Astronomik CLS Clip in filter

25th of July 2012 (Wed)	#4
THE Phreak Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 221 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo? Yeah, I noticed it'll work well at least with a T2i. I aimed it upwards at the moonless sky and caught a bunch of stars I couldn't even see with my eyes. I live in a city so it really became clear to me that out in the open I shouldn't have too much of a hard time __________________ 1D classic \| 50mm 1.8 \| 28-105 3.5-4.5 \| 270ex flash

25th of July 2012 (Wed)	#5
A.S.I.G.N. Observatory Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 1,494	Re: Would I absolutely NEED a prime for a starry night photo? Don't know why anyone would tell you that you must have a prime. I do all my widefield astro and landscape with a 16-35mm zoom. Love it. Baz. __________________ Australian Wildlife Photographer BA Photography ASIGN Observatory II

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