Your informative video really explains the pros and cons of using a star tracker. Like all your videos, if you don't put in the hours to learn your equipment you won't get the best results. Thanks for sharing your excellent tutorials.
Was a game changer for me getting the star tracker. I can highly recommend. Besides the jump up in quality of the images, what I didn’t think of but have been really enjoying is having a longer time to just look up at the stars. When taking 30 second shots I spend the whole night staring at the back of the camera. With a 2-3 minute exposure you have so much more time to just look up and enjoy the sky
I've really been enjoying your latest images mate with the tracker. That's a good point you make about the longer exposures and time spent waiting. All great thoughts.
I took my first ever Milky Way photo a few months back, it was in the UK and highly light polluted. Somehow I managed to absolutely nail focus and shutter speed, and even with 10 shots I was able to stack for noise reduction. It’s my best photo I’ve ever taken, but couldn’t have done it without people like yourself who share such great advise. Thank you :)
Thank you for sharing your insights, a lot of people pitch products and do not really explore every difficulty that goes along with attempting this hobby
i think you're right - the more complex (and expensive!) we make it, the greater expectations we have and the likelihood of stress and disappointment increases. BUT - the pursuit of excellence in nightscape photography is highly addictive.
Yes that is exactly right. There is always a trade off in this genre of photography. In my opinion the greatest achievement is to get a high quality image with a simple workflow.
@@nightscapeimages.richard you're spot on, that is absolutely the goal. Many times I've come away with nothing at all because I over-complicated things in the field, or I didn't adapt to the conditions, or work quickly enough. Your videos are great btw!
“The most challenging and demanding of them all” you forgot loneliest 😂😂 standing around for what seems like hours even though it’s only three or four minutes then repeat for the untracked images multiply that by however many shots you want, in the pitch black, not moving around in case you fall over………All alone😂😂but I love it👍👍
Another great video Richard - I really enjoyed this one 👍 You make some very good points in there and you're absolutely right - some of us love the tech and don't mind the weight, the batteries, the fairly complex set up, the ramp-up in learning something new and of course the work in post - whilst others want to keep the process as simple (and mobile) as possible. There's no right or wrong, it's just personal choice on how you approach your photography. I think trackers really start to become rewarding if you're shooting deep-sky images and really drilling into nebula etc. Keep up the great work my friend 👍
Thanks so much for your wise words and insights Brian. You're so right about it being a personal choice and that there isn't any right or wrong answers to all of this. Appreciate you watching.
How would you compare the star tracker with the stacked image techniques that you taught us here on your channel? PS: youre the best teacher on youtube period!
Thanks so much. The tracked images are always going to be a bit cleaner and have more detail. But the stacked technique is easier to blend with foregrounds and still gives excellent results.
Totally agree with your final thoughts @ 15:24 Richard. I have the SkyGuider Pro but, living here in the UK, it doesn't get used that often! When it does come out, it's because it offers me something that I can't otherwise achieve and also because I'm in the right mood to tinker around with kit 🤓. I mentioned in the trailer that I've been really pleased with detail/lack of noise in the MW and deep sky objects such as Andromeda, and as winter comes on I'll no doubt have a go at the Orion nebula... 👍.
Just so spot on with your points in this video Richard. I find it is really easy to visualise an effect a particular bit of gear might enable to me to achieve, however I often seem to overlook the complexity it adds to and experience of the night it subtracts from. Of course there is also the physical effort of having to lug that gear around. I've found if motivation and/or time is short to get out and shoot that less is more when it comes to gear.
And your comments are spot on as well Dominic. I know you are a mechanical kind of guy, but you are so right about the extra time it all takes and the distractions that eventuate because of that. Motivation is indeed the key to achieving great results with nightscapes and anything that diminishes that has to be a problem at times.
This is a great explanation to what's involved and progressing forward and gaining experience in shooting the night sky. Myself and Wendy progressed to a tracker and use this method in conjunction with multiple images stacked for noise reduction. There's no doubt that when you become comfortable and confident in the method and process it does become easier... This took us about a year to progress to that stage thanks to your ongoing tutorials and encouragement.. Its so enjoyable now and love being under the stars working... Its truly wonderful.... Oh yeah don't forget the chair it's a absolute MUST... 👍
All points are spot on Richard. We strive to continually improve our skills in order to produce a less noisy, detailed and beautiful image. The cost is sometimes high as you said, not being in the moment to experience the stunning beauty of the night sky. That is a good reason to leave the tracker at home when one just needs to “be.” Clear skies to you!
Great vlog again Richard, My first star tracker purchase was the Skywatcher Pro. It works great, and will even work with deep sky shooting, however, it is big and bulky, and as I am often hiking out to more remote areas to shoot, it often got left at home. I recently purchased the Move Shoot Move tracker, and love it for MW and night sky. It also works well for time lapse, day or night and weighs only a pound. It’s small size and weight make it perfect for hiking. One thing I have found as far as polar alignment is concerned is that for MW shooting, you can get away with polar aligning just with your mobile phone using a sky guide app and inclinometer. It will get you close enough to get a two minute exposure without any star trails and only takes a few minutes to set up. Wishing everyone clear skies!
Very good comments indeed Todd. There is often a choice to make when back packing to a location and a tracker isn't always the best option. Lots of people are using the MSM these days and your point about rough polar alignment being good enough for wide angles is well made.
I use the star adventurer and can get 4 minute exposures with pin sharp stars no problem, I did a 5 minute one a few weeks ago but I got a tiny bit of trailing, when I checked my alignment was out just a bit, it was the end of the night and I couldn’t be bothered resetting it all up again, being in the Southern Hemisphere we don’t have a polar star to align on that’s easily visible ( I’ve never seen sigma octanis yet) but I do spend a lot of time with a compass app and inclinometer, I’ll try a 5 minute next month and see what happens
Great exposure of the pros and cons of using a tacker Richard. Perhaps another consideration could be. What are we going to do with the images that we create? How important is to get the sharpest image from the center all the way to the edges. And how important is to eliminate any possible noise in the image? Personally I'm not selling prints or even printing any large image. For me is about the experience of stepping into the outdoors and capturing its amazing beauty. So, for that purpose singles and panoramas are quite enough. And because I hate sitting in front of the computer for hours before achieving a final result, few stacks is the farthest that I can go.
You make some really valid points there Roberto. And as many other have said, it does come down to personal preference and basically how we're wired. Some like to fiddle with gear while others prefer to keep things simple and enjoy the basics. Thanks so much for watching.
thanks so much. I love astrophotography but living in the Gold Coast my opportunities to do it are limited. I've been thinking of getting a star tracker but your video helped me to decide to hold off. I loved that you didn't just say yes or no but showed why this answer will be yes for some, no for others and maybe later for the rest.
Thanks a lot for watching Jodie. Yes the star tracker has it's place and it can really enhance a nightscape image. But often people just don't understand the extra hoops you have to jump through when adding this to the workflow.
I have been a high school and collegiate sport photographer for the past 3 years and after seeing your night scape images and just how amazing they are, I wanted to try my hand at it. But it seems the further I go and the more I learn about the process, it seems like a daunting process especially for me with limited photoshop skills like blending etc. I've made multiple layer senior photos for vinyl banners that the seniors loved but the learning curve of PS is a steep hill. I live in a small town and there is no one I know that I can call for help using PS. Not even for pay. So I get frustrated after a bit and there ya go. But I would sure love to press onward with night scape as the images can be breath taking. Thanks for your tutorials. Ted in Sebastian, Fl.
Thanks for your kind words Ted. Yes photoshop can appear quite daunting for sure. For the type of post processing I do with thee images, I'm only using a handful of the features of the program. You don't need to know and understand all of it to do this.
Thanks Richard. The tracker is cheaper than upgrading the camera but yep, that extra weight and my photoshop skills are beginner skills. I nearly thought about buying the move shoot rotator thing that t I see advertised on FB. Someone suggested no but they then they plugged their star tracker. But if I decide to go down star tracker path, thank you for the guidance and now I know which one to get.
Thanks for your comments Danielle. One thing we all have to do is resist the constant barrage of advertising of any product. Most people tend to plug what they use as opposed to having a more balanced viewpoint. My suggestion is to listen to people who actually have the device and see what results they are getting.
Another fantastic video, Richard! One day I may get a tracker but for now I am at the stage of taking images to stack and then one for the foreground. I am starting a Photoshop course shortly to learn how to put it all together. With so many dazzling images online, one can get discouraged from time to time. But, everyone started at the same place! It reminds me of a quote I heard recently: "Comparison is the thief of Joy."
Your comments are so true Robin. There is so much to enjoy with our photography .. even the simple shots we take. We should never let anything or any attitude rob us of that. The journey is long and winding . .and we are each on our own separate one . .it's exciting.
Great video Richard. Star tracker explained to perfection. I never thought about the foreground would be blurred because of the movement. I’m mainly a one shot guy for astro. I just don’t do enough astro to warrant a star tracker. But I can see how it would benefit a pro like yourself. Cheers mate 👍🙏
Good on you Adrian. It's interesting. I just did a poll asking people what their preferred method of shooting nightscapes was. Quite a few agreed with you regarding the single shot astro. Makes perfect sense to me. Take care mate.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Your videos inspire me to go out and push my limits of skill. Hoping for clear skies tonight here in Lake Macquarie. I am keen to try some vertically stitched panoramas before Milky Way core disappears for this year.
Well executed in your explanation there Richard. Always pros n cons to the Astro game with weight vs reward. More so with people that back pack miles in. Great to see these last few vids you’ve put up. 👍
Great video and discussion Richard. Thank you. You raised the right questions and the tracker does add to the technical complexities. I just bought a move shoot move tracker and am looking forward to firing it up as soon as we get a night where we can see the stars! (Haven’t seen them for months here in NZ with so much rain and cloudy skies). Will be a whole new experience and can’t wait to get out there. It’s been too long.
Thanks pal! I bought a secondhand tracker just before covid and with various lockdowns I've sort of forgot about it (and your channel if I'm honest). Time to dig it out and figure how to use it!
Thanks Richard, s timely video. I had resisted getting a tracker but that seemingly endless pursuit of incrementally improving image quality has resulted in me dipping my toe in the water with a MSM. Now have the off season ahead to learn how to use it and the black magic of polar alignment to the south celestial pole. Thankfully it's a relatively small investment if I end up finding it all too much effort for too little return 😊
Thanks a lot for watching Greg. I think if you start off with wide angle lenses the polar alignment is much more forgiving. I'll be keen to see what you come up with.
As usual Richard, you take the time to look at all sides and talk about a subject fairly and unbiased. Great info for people considering buying a tracker, especially considering the fairly affordable prices they start at now. Two additional thoughts, they are awesome when shooting meteor showers and as you touched on, they are really just another "tool" in the box. A tool that can greatly improve the performance of your other components in certain circumstances - but only places I can drive to and set up next to the car or cabin. Keep up the great work!
Brilliant! Ive started the hobby centered on DSOs at higher focal length, although your videos are making me crave taking the dust off my wide angle lens and dedicating an hour before my session to do some nightscapes. Thanks for your effort, really high quality content here!
A very informative video. I admit it's tempting to build a barn door tracker on the cheap. Ive seen some impressive images with those. Though with my DIY skills, I'm not sure if I could build one that's accurate enough. Plus doing polar alignment on a home made rig here in the Southern Hemisphere would be insanely hard. And with the barn door trackers that are manually operated, I'm not sure if I would have the patience to accurately rotate a handle every few seconds over a long period of time. Still, for people who want to do tracking on an ultra low budget, they are something to consider.
Exactly Richard. I am at the Single image stage where I started during South Africa's Lock Downs started last year in my Suburban Garden. We have occassional Electricity Load Shedding in certain parts of our Cities which means that my Suburb appears dark on moonless nights sometimes. However my results were disappointing as suburbs 10 miles away n the other side of town had street lights on. Last month I had 4 weeks in Kruger National Park camping in small dark camps far away from any human habitation in this huge Park larger than Israel. Results out the camera SUPERB with my Z7 @ 4000 ISO 20 mm F1.8 Like yours lens set @ 25 Secs F1.8. Little bit of Contrast in P Shop back at home. All I need are a couple of LED lights and Sequator going forward
Thanks for your input Peter. I'm really pleased that you're happy with the Z7 and 20mm f1.8 lens. I know that Sony and Canon get all the spotlights in the media but I really love using the Nikon mirrorless equipment.
Interesting thoughts, never used a star tracker myself and probably not likely to given the post editing requirements you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
My night photography has been inspired and has changed a lot due to your videos, Richard. I have no doubts I will end up with one of this wonderful piece of equipment, but I'm some steps behind still. I just did the jump from single images to stacked images and I love the results, still need to work on this technique to reach my best possibleimages, but in the future I will do the next step to a tracker. Thanks for sharing so much knowledge and experience. Warm regards.
Great discussion point Richard, I got the move shoot tracker lightweight, relatively cheap & good for exposures of up to 3 or 4 minutes with a wide lens (I'm in the Northern hemisphere so no issues with polar alignment using the laser supplied) looking forward to trying the sky replacement as you say blending the images is tricky before that. Keep up the good work.
Richard, you spent the first 6 minutes in a philosophy lesson. I clicked on the video to hear about star trackers...I appreciate the background, but it was a bit more than required to get the point across. I love your videos, just wasn't prepared for this one. Respectfully,
Thanks a lot for your comments Mark. It's a good point that you make. . and the very reason a lot of people on youtube have far bigger channels than mine .. even when discussing similar topics. People just want to get to the point without any extra "Philosophy". I guess I think there are other issues that often need to be addressed. I certainly appreciate what you're saying however.
Enjoyed your video again. Earlier this year i bought the Skywatcher tracker but have not had much success in polar aligning it. I was spending too much time getting fustrated with the time I was using up and went back to the stacking method, which I have learnt from your videos. I may try it over the MW off season again but can never find these Octans I am supposed to line up even with help from Stellarium.
Thanks so much for watching Jason, I really appreciate your comments. That's the reason I bought the ioptron Sky Guider Pro with the ipolar camera fitted. It makes lining up the South Celestial Pole very easy. I know what you mean about being frustrated with the whole setup etc with the tracker.
Thank you for this very objective and thorough discussion of star trackers, and additional gear in general. I'm just dipping my toe into night work and at about 13 mins. you nailed it with whether or not I want to spend extra time in post. And the answer right now is no. I am considering the relatively inexpensive/lightweight move shoot tracker as i'm in southern california and not a harsh weather kind of guy, but the tracker probably won't be on my christmas list this year. Maybe a mid year birthday present from the family. For now, I plan on using my z 20mm 1.8 and seeing what I get and learning the editing process. Look forward to seeing more of your videos soon.
Thanks very much for watching Gerry. You make some very good points. I think a lot of people are buying the move shoot move tracker for the reasons you suggested. I've heard mixed results . .best use it with light weight equipment.
Hi Richard, as others have commented, a great video. You lay out all the facts for and against the use of star trackers. Personally I favour using your system of stacking multiple sky images, this is the easiest method and gives great results. I do occasionally use a small tracker, but even the small ones are a lot of work. My main gripe with star trackers is that they tend to raise the camera a long way from the tripod and it becomes inherently unstable. There is a very small one called MSM ( move shoot move ) which looks interesting and is not to expensive and may be of interest to those wanting to try it out.
Thanks a lot David. Yes, lots of people are using the MSM .. mainly due to low cost but I think you'll find that is even less rigid than the other options.
Very important video Richard. That you for making it. I like how you describe the dynamics of tracking and blending that goes with it. I find the blending to the hardest part. Setting up the SkyGuider pro with the Ipolar in the beginning was a real pain, plus lugging all the extra gear with a battery pack. For deep Sky Astro I love it. I found the Move Shoot Move to be a easy and amazing for wide angle Landscape Astro. The only issue is battery life in cold weather but I have the mini extrenal charger bank for that. All that being said sometimes a good one shot make me the happiest using thechyperlocal distance methods that you cover in one of your older videos . Simple but effective. The thing I love the most about Trackers is it makes ever lens a good Astrophotography lens. Thanks again Richard, great video.
You make a lot of good points there Sean. There are many ways to shoot a good nightscape image and as you suggest, it's all about getting out there and enjoying the night sky. Good point about the tracker making any lens useful.
Another great video Richard! As a user of a star tracker from time to time for nitescape photography I totally agree with your conclusions. Polar alignment and good balance is key, but then blending the background can be very challenging especially if trees are involved! I’ve been assessing multiple stacking vs star tracking, and think there is a place for both. You definitely have to be in the mood for a star tracking evening, carrying the extra weight, and time to set up, but once you are in the zone, as you say you reap the benefits of low iso and long exposures. I do love this hobby as there is always much to learn. For my astrophotography work, shooting 5 min images all night with multi stacking is essential .. but that’s another story,
Very good comments Stephen. I think it's right that we can achieve very good results with either method. It's all about getting out there and enjoying the process without letting the gear dictate that level of enjoyment. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Richard, your very informative video has have outlined the reasons why a star tracker is not for me. Too technical for this old girl and all that extra gear to carry about! The results are amazing but I will stick to stacking, good enough for me.
Thanks Richard, I have been thinking about a star tracker for some time now. Great to hear your thoughts and suggestions, I’ll keep them in mind if I do get around to purchasing one. Also, loved the images of some of your other work, very nice.
Hi Richard. Excellent episode this week. I really appreciated your ironic chuckle when you spoke about the ‘simplicity’ of it all 🙃 I have a MSM star tracker but in all honesty I get frustrated with polar aligning with the polar scope so I tend to stick to shorter exposures and stack them. I really like the look of the iOptron mount though. 😊
Thanks so much Lisa. It's interesting that what you're saying is a very common message. Lots of people, especially us folk in the Southern Hemisphere have alignment issues.
Very good stuff.. I have an iOptron Skytracker Pro and I love it. Don't get to use it much but the few times that I have used it, it has worked out great. My Deep Sky photography has changed for the better too... We do have an easier time here in the states for polar alignment but we also have much more light pollution. Soon I will get more time to shoot more videos as well... Good to see you still shooting...
Haha, I learned this the hard way. I used a star tracker to take a photo of the Milkyway on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Milkyway turned out great. But, I struggled with blending my foreground. I gave up processing the photos. Most of the time, you'll learn from your mistakes when you actually go out and do it. Then, you'll get good at it.
Yes I think we've all been there George. I think people love to show their completed images but few actually go into the lengthy process of the blending of such images.
Great video as usual Richard. I'm still very much at the beginning of my journey in night sky photography, but I am enjoying it very much. Still at the photo stacking stage, but I will eventually move up to a tracker....likely the Move Shoot Move as I live in a highly light polluted area. Baby steps! Always enjoy your insights and beautiful images.
Is another great video Richard lotta great information Thinking about upgrading my camera to the pentax K1 it has a Built-in star tracker In the middle of your video you Walk through there is a machine PA machine part on the ground and then an old cabin are and old looks like a stone building that would make a very interesting picture. Thank you Richard
Thanks again for watching Jeff. The Pentax K1 sounds like an interesting camera .. but keep in mind that if it's tracking stars then the foreground will indeed be blurry. Same issue with trackers. The old stone building with the machine outside is featured in one of my Tasmanian videos . See here: th-cam.com/video/ZVGzkMh82tc/w-d-xo.html
Another excellent informative video, thank you. Think I have to master other aspects before I go down the road of a star tracker. Appreciate the well balanced arguments for and against and whilst ultimately a personal preference it does seem to be a logical progression once you have the basic skills. Something to consider for the future.
I think you've summed it up pretty well Graeme. I think there are lots of people getting into tracking now due to the lowish cost of the base units. On the other hand there are also lots of people who just don't want to be bothered with any of this stuff . .as I mentioned in the video. I really appreciate you watching.
Another great video Richard, like you I use the Skyguider Pro with ipolar and as you say it’s a game changer in the Southern Hemisphere ( well for me it was) I have been getting some amazing results and love the detail especially with different focal lengths. Also noting the Ps sky replacement is amazing :). I guess horses for courses, though it can take our images to a new level. I do love getting it out. Enjoyed your chat :)
Thanks a lot for your insights Alan. Totally agree with you . .it horses for courses. It's great to have so many amazing tools at our disposal these days isn't it ...!!!
Haha .. what a great comment. It's horses for courses I think Gavin. There are lots of people out there who absolutely love the whole concept of setting up the tracker and editing etc ..Appreciate your comments.
@@nightscapeimages.richard yep I thought you’d like that one 😂😂 in all honest I have only used an older style of tracker from i Optron. Once setup. Was easy to use.
Hi Richard, as you might remember when we spoke, i described myself more of a technical rather than a creative photographer like yourself. To that end over Sydney's 4 month lock down I've adapted and fitted the iOptron E-polarscope to the front on my Skywatcher Star Adventurer tracker and mounted an ZWO Auto Guider onto the camera L bracket, to keep the trackers speed more consistent. I thought as I had to use a laptop for polar alignment, I might as well use it for Auto guiding as well. All I need now is for us city folk to be able to visit the dark sky county area to test it all fully. Cant wait until the 1st of November.
Another great video!! I would love to get a tracker! I have a friend that has several of them! I may borrow one to see if I can figure it out! The first of November I am going to Oklahoma again in a very dark sky location and get the milky way again this year - might just a little late for the core, but should be beautiful anyway! I am also going to review your videos on light painting and work on that as well! Thanks so much for creating these inspirational videos!
Awesome video Richard, I really enjoy these types of videos, there full of great tips and ideas. I've never used or even seen a tracker up close but plan on one day getting one.
Great explanation Richard 🙂👍 as always. I've been a deep sky photographer myself. Now i mostly do birds. But I'm strongly considering to do some wide field astrophotography. I have a Z6 and a tripod - just need a fast lens. You're definitely a fantastic inspiration 😃👌 thank you...
Thanks for your insight Richard, I have a omegon lx3 minitrack, it's a clockwork one, so star shots then fg shots or vice versa need to be done first, because it's an hour timer, I love being out and shooting, the tracker definitely brings out detail, I still stack using sequator...... However me and photoshop are not friends at the moment, it's being very challenging. Thanks for all your hard work and just bring you
Hey Suzanne, thanks so much for your encouraging words as always. I think that whatever we have to work with, we can make wonderful images .. especially if we enjoy the experience of being out there. You're doing really well. Photoshop is a journey of discovery that never ends. Take care.
Great video Richard....I use the Ioptron ST and really like it...of course it's quite easy to spot Polaris here in the Northern Hemisphere...I use a Sony A7Riii with the 24mm gm lens @ 11m in MF and nail the sharpness each time....it gets to be routine after awhile. As you say however, the issues arise when you have a static foreground as part of the image. It does take extra time to post process and blend the sky and foreground but it's all part of the fun....at least for me....and yes the Sky Replacement in PS is a game changer...anyway, always enjoy your movies!...Cheers from Canada!!
Good on you MrTwisster. You've hit the nail on the head. I reckon if it's good fun then that's the way you should be doing it. I really appreciate your input.
I think adding additional opportunities for error , discourage a lot of people, because when things don’t work, they chase their tail not know what to fix and give up. Definitely for a more advance night owl.
Thanks for that Jeff. I do think it's best to start simple and work from there. You are totally correct about people giving up when things don't work as planned.
Always enjoy your videos on a Saturday morning, Richard. I had to smile when you brushed that 'fly' away about half way through. What would one of your videos be without a hand wave to get rid of annoying insects while on camera even when indoors?😄 (6:53)
Thanks for sharing some great info about star trackers, Richard. It's one of those things I'd like to try, but don't think I'd get enough use out of to justify the cost right now. Still lots of great options for nightscape images though, and your videos are always providing inspiration!
Totally agree with all your unbiased points. Can I add one more for discussion. Like many others in the comments, I too have the MSM tracker. Awesome unit, very light, unbelievably good support service. So the second time I used it, perfect results - even got a pixel shift hundred and something megabyte incredibly detailed Milky Way image. (Don't ask about the 1st attempt - streaks everywhere, nearly through it into Lake Eppalock, got home and realised it was still set to Northern Hemisphere and spinning the wrong way - DOH!!!!). On my next night shoot, I was about to set up for the MW tracked shot and suddenly thought - why? I've already got a great MW image and the MW never changes shape, size or brightness, only position. I was sky replacing anyway so what did it matter if I used my previous MW shot vs a new identical MW shot? It suddenly dawned on me, now that I have the perfect MW image, why do I need to ever take another one again? This became a philosophical struggle for me and still is. Is it deceptive to use a MW sky from a different shoot? Who would know, it's exactly the same as the new sky image from tonight that I'm about to take? I still don't have an answer to this and it can be argued either way for centuries. But ultimately, have I just spent all this money for one image? Should I upgrade to a better sky tracker to get the same image again? Is there an advantage to getting a new sky image every time? Interested in your thoughts.🤔 Levin
Haha, well I knew someone would go down this track when discussing this topic. To be honest there are so many variable answers to this question. Some would say, no you have to shoot the same sky from the same tripod position for this to be a correct image. Others will say that it matters little if I shift the tripod and tracker miles away from the original composition as the sky doesn't change at all. And then we have your proposition. I don't actually have a problem with any of those scenarios to be honest. We all know that the colour of the night sky changes considerably as the seasons go through their cycles. Airglow is often the thing that really sets our images apart from others we may have taken. Then of course you'll also have the planets traveling across the sky and intersecting the milky way core at random occasions. . just like Venus is doing right now. If you put your sky from last July into this scene it would immediately be shown to be "Fake". In this case, if Venus is right in the middle of the core, then the completed image if taken at this time of year should show that occurrence in my opinion. I like the fact that you're thinking these things through though Levin . .it's good for us all to consider all of these variables I think. I'm sure we'll all never quite agree on it though.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks Richard, I guess the sky is different with planets, airglow, humidity and colour each time. As we both seem to agree, there is no right or wrong, just opinion, so I hope I didn't open a can of worms.
Great, timely topic, Richard. I bought an MSM tracker and it seems to work fine. But I don't use it much. I find that stacking gives "good enough" quality and a trip through Topaz DeNois AI gives a perfectly acceptable result. The main thing is that I have found fiddling with the tracker gets in the way of creativity.
Spot on Mike .. .that's my experience as well. I like to use a tracker when I have a specific idea in mind and want the highest possible image quality. But if I want to get out under the stars and really enjoy the creative experience I'll generally do stacking as you suggest. Thanks for your input.
It's a natural progression to tracked images, next is deep sky! I'm using a 9.25 edge hd, that's next level!. There's a good chance of aurora in the coming weeks too!
Good on you Scotty. I do see that progression quite a lot. I'm pretty much resisting the urge to go down the deep space rabbit hole. I enjoy my wide angle nightscapes too much for that I reckon.
It's actually that different that they really are two completely seperate hobbies, the deep sky is so very dependant on so many issues , my gear actually picks up vibration from cars and even the waves ,. There is the attraction! . I'd love to show you my last few images to see what you think!
I auditioned one of the most popular trackers, including one that appeared in your footage. The thing that frustrated me and led to returning the tracker was the lack of feedback from the tracker that alignment had been achieved and that the tracker was slowly moving. If you have any influence with the manufacturers, please encourage them to design real time feedback so that the user knows the process is working.
Thanks a lot for your comments Ethan. I totally understand where you are coming from. Most of the trackers are not "Smart" enough to know if they are aligned or not. I usually take a test shot before I start the real stuff just to check the alignment. The ioptron with the ipolar camera does indeed give you confirmation of alignment but of course that's a more expensive option. Unfortunately I have no influence on the manufacturers of these trackers.
Thank you Richard for another great video. You help me to convince me to buy a tracker! It might be challeging to aim Polaris but that is part of the fun oh Night Photography. Continue your good work. Bye from Québec, Canada. BTW, I heard good comments for IOptron except the wedge base. Did you change your wedge base for a Williams Optic base?
Thanks so much for your comments Andre. I'm glad you mentioned the wedge base. I actually use a Star Adventurer wedge base on my ioptron. The William Optics wedge is stronger but a lot more expensive.
This is my second year shooting the Milky Way and I bought a MSM tracker last year to improve image quality as I have an aps-c camera , thing I find most frustrating with it is how to shoot a panorama with it! There’s always something to learn shooting Astro and this channel is tops for that. An inspiring video as always Richard, as we’re coming to the end of core season how do you plan to use your tracker next?
Thanks as always for watching Carl. Yes panos are much more difficult on a tracker . .I totally agree. I'll probably look to the Magellanic Clouds and of course Orion ..!!!
Great video Richard. Out of curiosity, would an alt Az tracker like the AZ GTi work for such an application? I ask because I have one and I have had good success with short exposure DSO Astrophotography. I plan on giving static Milky Way landscape photography a try but may want to try adding my tracker at some point. I suspect that field rotation should not be an issue at 18mm and 30 second shots.
I have the MSM tracker, which is a nice compromise between weight / size / performance. It wasn't a huge investment either. But I'm also in the northern hemisphere, and that helps as you mentioned. I wonder too, is it easier to forego the tracker when you live in a lower-light polluted area like yours? Even just in your vids, it's amazing how many stars I can see. Closest place like that for me is 3 hours away. Thanks!
Yes that's a very good point you make Craig. I think the tracker does help when shooting in highly light polluted areas as you have a lot more flexibility withr your settings.
I love your Chanel. Thanks for sharing. I have a question, I have a D850 now and I'm thinking of getting a Nikon Z 711 with the Nikon 14 to 24 Z len. Can I still use live view and zoom in on the stars to focus with a mirrorless camera? Thank you
Yes absolutely you can John. But there is an added benefit to using the Nikon Z cameras with native Z lenses. When you turn the camera on it automatically sets the lens to infinity ..!!! I use this all the time.
Thank you so much Richard for sharing your wealth of knowledge regarding night photography especially with a star tracker. I just brought the ioptron skyguider pro with ipolar and I have a cheap laptop to run the ipolar software. If you had time would it be possible to create a step by step video of how to set up the ioptron skyguider pro and how to polar align through the ipolar. Unfortunately there is not much on TH-cam about this subject. I live on the Gold Coast Australia so the way you set the star tracker will be perfect for where I live. Keep up the amazing work mate I am in ore of your photography. Mark
Hey Mark, thanks so much for watching the channel. I'll try to get around to doing that on a video at some stage. I do quickly go through some of the steps in this video. th-cam.com/video/3snX_1iCB1E/w-d-xo.html It may be helpful. Thanks again for your support. I'll be keen to see how you go.
@@nightscapeimages.richard thank you so much mate, I will check the video out, I so want to try and start using the star tracker but the ipolar setup worries me a bit. I shoot with a fujifilm gfx 100 camera and a 23mm (18mm full frame equivalent ) gf lens, as this is a medium format lens I can only shoot the Milky Way for 18 seconds max then you start to get trails. This was the main reason I brought the tracker.
@@nightscapeimages.richard this is the only video I can find regarding alignment of the ipolar. I know you could produce a video that would be so much better. th-cam.com/video/K6UUtva8sJU/w-d-xo.html
@@magicplanetphotography2621 Great camera Mark. I've not had any experience with the medium format stuff at night. Once you get the ipolar setup once it's quite straight forward after that.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I had a feeling it would be easy to use it’s just the setting up that is a little tricky. I would love to digitally send you a couple of night images I captured with this camera. I can send them full size so you can see how a medium format camera captures the night sky, the detail is mind blowing. I am still learning and you have been an amazing teacher with you videos, for that I am eternally grateful. Is you email address on your website ?
First thing one should kept in mind about a tracker. It costs US$500 much less than any fast lenses on the market. So, for such price one could get amazing imagens with different focal lenght saving huge amount of money on each of them buying cheaper lenses. Learning how to steach multiple images is even cheaper
Hi Richard, as we are approaching better weather here in the south, I want to buy a star tracker, though I know I'll only use it a few times. I'm quite technical as my background is in engineering, I'd like to ask you what best for buck star tracker is there out there given that I'll only use it for maybe a few night each year, and would most definitely be reading the ef'n manual too. one thing i hate is not having a good user guide
Well a lot of trackers don't come with an instruction booklet. I think the most solid and reliable small tracker is the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i. Other than that I'd look at the Star Adventurer Mini or the MSM Nomad. I have them all . .and they all work well for me.
As far as Polar alignment goes, you can not look through a polar scope and nail it even in the northern hemisphere. It's not that big of deal using a wide angle lens and cameras body. As long as your total RMS tracking error is less then your pixel scale during the length of the exposure your will not see in star trailing. The bottom line is this type of astrophotography under samples data by a large amount and is very kind for tracking errors. If you just use a compass to point in the right direction and the GPS data to get the elevation from you should be close enough.
Yes I think you are spot on Rich. I'm now using the ipolar camera fitted to the ioptron sky guider pro and it's very accurate and easy to setup. But often I used to do a rough polar alignment as you have mentioned with good results.
Well it can vary depending on ambient light, moonlight etc. These days I usually shoot between 4000k and 5000k. Of course if you shoot in RAW file format you can change the white balance in post production but I always like to set it somewhere as a starting point.
Great job on another awesome video! I was wondering if you had heard about the Benro Polaris tracking head. It looks almost too good to be true and would love your opinion!
Is there anything we can do to get Benro to send you a promotional copy for review? I would love to see a full review from a trusted photographer like you!
It's been fantastic .. I find it really easy to use. I have a very small tablet computer which I take out with me. If they could get it to work via wifi with a phone or tablet that would be excellent. Well worth the extra cost.
Your informative video really explains the pros and cons of using a star tracker. Like all your videos, if you don't put in the hours to learn your equipment you won't get the best results. Thanks for sharing your excellent tutorials.
Thanks a lot mate. I really appreciate your positive comments.
Was a game changer for me getting the star tracker. I can highly recommend. Besides the jump up in quality of the images, what I didn’t think of but have been really enjoying is having a longer time to just look up at the stars. When taking 30 second shots I spend the whole night staring at the back of the camera. With a 2-3 minute exposure you have so much more time to just look up and enjoy the sky
I've really been enjoying your latest images mate with the tracker. That's a good point you make about the longer exposures and time spent waiting. All great thoughts.
I took my first ever Milky Way photo a few months back, it was in the UK and highly light polluted. Somehow I managed to absolutely nail focus and shutter speed, and even with 10 shots I was able to stack for noise reduction. It’s my best photo I’ve ever taken, but couldn’t have done it without people like yourself who share such great advise. Thank you :)
Thanks so much for your encouragement Callum, it means a lot.
Thank you again Richard for the info.
You're very welcome Thomas, thanks so much for watching my friend.
Thank you for sharing your insights, a lot of people pitch products and do not really explore every difficulty that goes along with attempting this hobby
Thanks so much for watching. A tracker is a great tool but it's not the only way to shoot nightscapes.
i think you're right - the more complex (and expensive!) we make it, the greater expectations we have and the likelihood of stress and disappointment increases. BUT - the pursuit of excellence in nightscape photography is highly addictive.
Yes that is exactly right. There is always a trade off in this genre of photography. In my opinion the greatest achievement is to get a high quality image with a simple workflow.
@@nightscapeimages.richard you're spot on, that is absolutely the goal. Many times I've come away with nothing at all because I over-complicated things in the field, or I didn't adapt to the conditions, or work quickly enough. Your videos are great btw!
“The most challenging and demanding of them all” you forgot loneliest 😂😂 standing around for what seems like hours even though it’s only three or four minutes then repeat for the untracked images multiply that by however many shots you want, in the pitch black, not moving around in case you fall over………All alone😂😂but I love it👍👍
Haha . .all very true indeed Nick. Thanks heaps for your insights my friend.
More than a tracker, we need a good chair!
@@lefturn99 Haha, very true indeed Mike.
@@lefturn99 and a donkey to carry everything😂😂
@@nickholt8104 🤣
and I love listening to you talking about this stuff
especially in a funky disco atmosphere :-P
and now let`s storm the dance floor
Haha, well I also have a mirror ball hanging in that room so it could have been off the charts ..!!! Thanks again for watching.
you have explained very well, well done richard. love listen to you all about night time photos.
I very much appreciate you watching Patrick, thank you.
Another great video Richard - I really enjoyed this one 👍 You make some very good points in there and you're absolutely right - some of us love the tech and don't mind the weight, the batteries, the fairly complex set up, the ramp-up in learning something new and of course the work in post - whilst others want to keep the process as simple (and mobile) as possible. There's no right or wrong, it's just personal choice on how you approach your photography. I think trackers really start to become rewarding if you're shooting deep-sky images and really drilling into nebula etc. Keep up the great work my friend 👍
Thanks so much for your wise words and insights Brian. You're so right about it being a personal choice and that there isn't any right or wrong answers to all of this. Appreciate you watching.
How would you compare the star tracker with the stacked image techniques that you taught us here on your channel? PS: youre the best teacher on youtube period!
Thanks so much. The tracked images are always going to be a bit cleaner and have more detail. But the stacked technique is easier to blend with foregrounds and still gives excellent results.
Totally agree with your final thoughts @ 15:24 Richard. I have the SkyGuider Pro but, living here in the UK, it doesn't get used that often! When it does come out, it's because it offers me something that I can't otherwise achieve and also because I'm in the right mood to tinker around with kit 🤓. I mentioned in the trailer that I've been really pleased with detail/lack of noise in the MW and deep sky objects such as Andromeda, and as winter comes on I'll no doubt have a go at the Orion nebula... 👍.
Good on you Paul. I appreciate your insights and opinion as always my friend.
Just so spot on with your points in this video Richard. I find it is really easy to visualise an effect a particular bit of gear might enable to me to achieve, however I often seem to overlook the complexity it adds to and experience of the night it subtracts from. Of course there is also the physical effort of having to lug that gear around. I've found if motivation and/or time is short to get out and shoot that less is more when it comes to gear.
And your comments are spot on as well Dominic. I know you are a mechanical kind of guy, but you are so right about the extra time it all takes and the distractions that eventuate because of that. Motivation is indeed the key to achieving great results with nightscapes and anything that diminishes that has to be a problem at times.
This is a great explanation to what's involved and progressing forward and gaining experience in shooting the night sky. Myself and Wendy progressed to a tracker and use this method in conjunction with multiple images stacked for noise reduction. There's no doubt that when you become comfortable and confident in the method and process it does become easier... This took us about a year to progress to that stage thanks to your ongoing tutorials and encouragement.. Its so enjoyable now and love being under the stars working... Its truly wonderful.... Oh yeah don't forget the chair it's a absolute MUST... 👍
Thanks a lot for your valuable insights Royston. Yes I agree about the chair .. nothing worse than standing for hours on end.
All points are spot on Richard. We strive to continually improve our skills in order to produce a less noisy, detailed and beautiful image. The cost is sometimes high as you said, not being in the moment to experience the stunning beauty of the night sky. That is a good reason to leave the tracker at home when one just needs to “be.” Clear skies to you!
Thanks so much for your comments and support in general. You are an inspiration Lonnie.
Great vlog again Richard, My first star tracker purchase was the Skywatcher Pro. It works great, and will even work with deep sky shooting, however, it is big and bulky, and as I am often hiking out to more remote areas to shoot, it often got left at home. I recently purchased the Move Shoot Move tracker, and love it for MW and night sky. It also works well for time lapse, day or night and weighs only a pound. It’s small size and weight make it perfect for hiking. One thing I have found as far as polar alignment is concerned is that for MW shooting, you can get away with polar aligning just with your mobile phone using a sky guide app and inclinometer. It will get you close enough to get a two minute exposure without any star trails and only takes a few minutes to set up. Wishing everyone clear skies!
Very good comments indeed Todd. There is often a choice to make when back packing to a location and a tracker isn't always the best option. Lots of people are using the MSM these days and your point about rough polar alignment being good enough for wide angles is well made.
I use the star adventurer and can get 4 minute exposures with pin sharp stars no problem, I did a 5 minute one a few weeks ago but I got a tiny bit of trailing, when I checked my alignment was out just a bit, it was the end of the night and I couldn’t be bothered resetting it all up again, being in the Southern Hemisphere we don’t have a polar star to align on that’s easily visible ( I’ve never seen sigma octanis yet) but I do spend a lot of time with a compass app and inclinometer, I’ll try a 5 minute next month and see what happens
@@nickholt8104 That's awesome Nick. Looks like you're getting great results there mate.
Great exposure of the pros and cons of using a tacker Richard. Perhaps another consideration could be. What are we going to do with the images that we create? How important is to get the sharpest image from the center all the way to the edges. And how important is to eliminate any possible noise in the image?
Personally I'm not selling prints or even printing any large image. For me is about the experience of stepping into the outdoors and capturing its amazing beauty. So, for that purpose singles and panoramas are quite enough. And because I hate sitting in front of the computer for hours before achieving a final result, few stacks is the farthest that I can go.
You make some really valid points there Roberto. And as many other have said, it does come down to personal preference and basically how we're wired. Some like to fiddle with gear while others prefer to keep things simple and enjoy the basics. Thanks so much for watching.
thanks so much. I love astrophotography but living in the Gold Coast my opportunities to do it are limited. I've been thinking of getting a star tracker but your video helped me to decide to hold off. I loved that you didn't just say yes or no but showed why this answer will be yes for some, no for others and maybe later for the rest.
Thanks a lot for watching Jodie. Yes the star tracker has it's place and it can really enhance a nightscape image. But often people just don't understand the extra hoops you have to jump through when adding this to the workflow.
Richard, you are always absolutely informative. Love your videos and photos.
I really appreciate you watching. Thanks for the encouragement.
I have been a high school and collegiate sport photographer for the past 3 years and after seeing your night scape images and just how amazing they are, I wanted to try my hand at it. But it seems the further I go and the more I learn about the process, it seems like a daunting process especially for me with limited photoshop skills like blending etc. I've made multiple layer senior photos for vinyl banners that the seniors loved but the learning curve of PS is a steep hill. I live in a small town and there is no one I know that I can call for help using PS. Not even for pay. So I get frustrated after a bit and there ya go. But I would sure love to press onward with night scape as the images can be breath taking. Thanks for your tutorials. Ted in Sebastian, Fl.
Thanks for your kind words Ted. Yes photoshop can appear quite daunting for sure. For the type of post processing I do with thee images, I'm only using a handful of the features of the program. You don't need to know and understand all of it to do this.
That's what YT videos are for! Start with an overview and then start searching layers, blending etc.....
Thanks Richard. The tracker is cheaper than upgrading the camera but yep, that extra weight and my photoshop skills are beginner skills. I nearly thought about buying the move shoot rotator thing that t I see advertised on FB. Someone suggested no but they then they plugged their star tracker. But if I decide to go down star tracker path, thank you for the guidance and now I know which one to get.
Thanks for your comments Danielle. One thing we all have to do is resist the constant barrage of advertising of any product. Most people tend to plug what they use as opposed to having a more balanced viewpoint. My suggestion is to listen to people who actually have the device and see what results they are getting.
Another fantastic video, Richard! One day I may get a tracker but for now I am at the stage of taking images to stack and then one for the foreground. I am starting a Photoshop course shortly to learn how to put it all together. With so many dazzling images online, one can get discouraged from time to time. But, everyone started at the same place! It reminds me of a quote I heard recently: "Comparison is the thief of Joy."
Your comments are so true Robin. There is so much to enjoy with our photography .. even the simple shots we take. We should never let anything or any attitude rob us of that. The journey is long and winding . .and we are each on our own separate one . .it's exciting.
Great video Richard. Star tracker explained to perfection. I never thought about the foreground would be blurred because of the movement. I’m mainly a one shot guy for astro. I just don’t do enough astro to warrant a star tracker. But I can see how it would benefit a pro like yourself. Cheers mate 👍🙏
Good on you Adrian. It's interesting. I just did a poll asking people what their preferred method of shooting nightscapes was. Quite a few agreed with you regarding the single shot astro. Makes perfect sense to me. Take care mate.
Super helpful, thanks from Portland, Maine
Thanks so much for watching Jeff.
Thanks Richard, love your informative style of presentation. Really enjoyed! Thank you!
Thanks a lot for tuning in again Chris. Really appreciate it.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Your videos inspire me to go out and push my limits of skill. Hoping for clear skies tonight here in Lake Macquarie. I am keen to try some vertically stitched panoramas before Milky Way core disappears for this year.
Well executed in your explanation there Richard. Always pros n cons to the Astro game with weight vs reward. More so with people that back pack miles in. Great to see these last few vids you’ve put up. 👍
Thanks so much for your comments Josh, and also I very much appreciate you watching the channel.
Great video and discussion Richard. Thank you. You raised the right questions and the tracker does add to the technical complexities. I just bought a move shoot move tracker and am looking forward to firing it up as soon as we get a night where we can see the stars! (Haven’t seen them for months here in NZ with so much rain and cloudy skies). Will be a whole new experience and can’t wait to get out there. It’s been too long.
Thanks so much for watching Dianne. I hope your new tracker goes well ..!!!!
It's been six months since this has had a comment... so, here you go.
Great advise as well.
Very kind of you to check it out Leon
Thanks pal! I bought a secondhand tracker just before covid and with various lockdowns I've sort of forgot about it (and your channel if I'm honest). Time to dig it out and figure how to use it!
Good to see you back again Mark. We can blame covid for a lot of things these last couple of years can't we ...!!! Thanks for watching.
Quite technical stuff Richard have a gr8 week out under the stars
Thanks so much Tree Man .. I'm looking forward to getting out again soon.
Thanks Richard, s timely video. I had resisted getting a tracker but that seemingly endless pursuit of incrementally improving image quality has resulted in me dipping my toe in the water with a MSM. Now have the off season ahead to learn how to use it and the black magic of polar alignment to the south celestial pole. Thankfully it's a relatively small investment if I end up finding it all too much effort for too little return 😊
Thanks a lot for watching Greg. I think if you start off with wide angle lenses the polar alignment is much more forgiving. I'll be keen to see what you come up with.
Thank you so much for your videos, informative, educational, practical and always Brilliant!!!
Many thanks for watching again Phil. Always enjoy your comments.
I'm happy for finding you finally, amazing explanations, amazing works, nice man!) Hope you will continue to post your videos!
Thanks very much for your support of my channel Denys. Always happy to assist if I can.
As usual Richard, you take the time to look at all sides and talk about a subject fairly and unbiased. Great info for people considering buying a tracker, especially considering the fairly affordable prices they start at now. Two additional thoughts, they are awesome when shooting meteor showers and as you touched on, they are really just another "tool" in the box. A tool that can greatly improve the performance of your other components in certain circumstances - but only places I can drive to and set up next to the car or cabin. Keep up the great work!
Thanks a lot for watching Michael. Yes I totally agree with your comments. I always set up my tracker right next to the car if I can.
Brilliant! Ive started the hobby centered on DSOs at higher focal length, although your videos are making me crave taking the dust off my wide angle lens and dedicating an hour before my session to do some nightscapes. Thanks for your effort, really high quality content here!
Thanks so much for watching Pedro, I really appreciate it.
It is always a pleasure watching your channel. Greetings from Germany. Bo
Thank you so much for watching Bo. I really appreciate your comments.
A very informative video. I admit it's tempting to build a barn door tracker on the cheap. Ive seen some impressive images with those. Though with my DIY skills, I'm not sure if I could build one that's accurate enough. Plus doing polar alignment on a home made rig here in the Southern Hemisphere would be insanely hard. And with the barn door trackers that are manually operated, I'm not sure if I would have the patience to accurately rotate a handle every few seconds over a long period of time. Still, for people who want to do tracking on an ultra low budget, they are something to consider.
Yes I tried that when I was a teenager . .well you can guess the result ..!!! Thanks for watching.
Exactly Richard. I am at the Single image stage where I started during South Africa's Lock Downs started last year in my Suburban Garden. We have occassional Electricity Load Shedding in certain parts of our Cities which means that my Suburb appears dark on moonless nights sometimes. However my results were disappointing as suburbs 10 miles away n the other side of town had street lights on. Last month I had 4 weeks in Kruger National Park camping in small dark camps far away from any human habitation in this huge Park larger than Israel. Results out the camera SUPERB with my Z7 @ 4000 ISO 20 mm F1.8 Like yours lens set @ 25 Secs F1.8. Little bit of Contrast in P Shop back at home. All I need are a couple of LED lights and Sequator going forward
Thanks for your input Peter. I'm really pleased that you're happy with the Z7 and 20mm f1.8 lens. I know that Sony and Canon get all the spotlights in the media but I really love using the Nikon mirrorless equipment.
Interesting thoughts, never used a star tracker myself and probably not likely to given the post editing requirements you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Thanks for watching Three-phase. You can certainly live without one I reckon.
Great info, great presentation Richard 👌
Thanks very much for watching David.
My night photography has been inspired and has changed a lot due to your videos, Richard. I have no doubts I will end up with one of this wonderful piece of equipment, but I'm some steps behind still. I just did the jump from single images to stacked images and I love the results, still need to work on this technique to reach my best possibleimages, but in the future I will do the next step to a tracker.
Thanks for sharing so much knowledge and experience. Warm regards.
You're very welcome my friend. I appreciate you taking the time to view my videos and make comments .. it's very appreciated.
Great discussion point Richard, I got the move shoot tracker lightweight, relatively cheap & good for exposures of up to 3 or 4 minutes with a wide lens (I'm in the Northern hemisphere so no issues with polar alignment using the laser supplied) looking forward to trying the sky replacement as you say blending the images is tricky before that. Keep up the good work.
Thanks a lot for watching Adrian. A lot of people are having good success with the MSM tracker. Appreciate your comments.
I order today my Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack :D. I'm very happy!!!!
Good on you Jorge, I hope it goes well.
Richard, you spent the first 6 minutes in a philosophy lesson. I clicked on the video to hear about star trackers...I appreciate the background, but it was a bit more than required to get the point across. I love your videos, just wasn't prepared for this one. Respectfully,
Thanks a lot for your comments Mark. It's a good point that you make. . and the very reason a lot of people on youtube have far bigger channels than mine .. even when discussing similar topics. People just want to get to the point without any extra "Philosophy". I guess I think there are other issues that often need to be addressed. I certainly appreciate what you're saying however.
Thankyou for your time,very informative
You're very welcome Phillip
Thank you Richard. Instructive and informative.
I'm pleased you enjoyed the video Rick, thank you.
Very good video as always! Someday I will put in my gear a tracker to improve my night photos too.
Good on you Luis. Thanks heaps for watching.
Enjoyed your video again. Earlier this year i bought the Skywatcher tracker but have not had much success in polar aligning it. I was spending too much time getting fustrated with the time I was using up and went back to the stacking method, which I have learnt from your videos. I may try it over the MW off season again but can never find these Octans I am supposed to line up even with help from Stellarium.
Thanks so much for watching Jason, I really appreciate your comments. That's the reason I bought the ioptron Sky Guider Pro with the ipolar camera fitted. It makes lining up the South Celestial Pole very easy. I know what you mean about being frustrated with the whole setup etc with the tracker.
Thank you for this very objective and thorough discussion of star trackers, and additional gear in general. I'm just dipping my toe into night work and at about 13 mins. you nailed it with whether or not I want to spend extra time in post. And the answer right now is no. I am considering the relatively inexpensive/lightweight move shoot tracker as i'm in southern california and not a harsh weather kind of guy, but the tracker probably won't be on my christmas list this year. Maybe a mid year birthday present from the family. For now, I plan on using my z 20mm 1.8 and seeing what I get and learning the editing process. Look forward to seeing more of your videos soon.
Thanks very much for watching Gerry. You make some very good points. I think a lot of people are buying the move shoot move tracker for the reasons you suggested. I've heard mixed results . .best use it with light weight equipment.
Hi Richard, as others have commented, a great video. You lay out all the facts for and against the use of star trackers. Personally I favour using your system of stacking multiple sky images, this is the easiest method and gives great results. I do occasionally use a small tracker, but even the small ones are a lot of work. My main gripe with star trackers is that they tend to raise the camera a long way from the tripod and it becomes inherently unstable. There is a very small one called MSM ( move shoot move ) which looks interesting and is not to expensive and may be of interest to those wanting to try it out.
Thanks a lot David. Yes, lots of people are using the MSM .. mainly due to low cost but I think you'll find that is even less rigid than the other options.
Very important video Richard. That you for making it. I like how you describe the dynamics of tracking and blending that goes with it.
I find the blending to the hardest part. Setting up the SkyGuider pro with the Ipolar in the beginning was a real pain, plus lugging all the extra gear with a battery pack. For deep Sky Astro I love it. I found the Move Shoot Move to be a easy and amazing for wide angle Landscape Astro. The only issue is battery life in cold weather but I have the mini extrenal charger bank for that.
All that being said sometimes a good one shot make me the happiest using thechyperlocal distance methods that you cover in one of your older videos .
Simple but effective.
The thing I love the most about Trackers is it makes ever lens a good Astrophotography lens.
Thanks again Richard, great video.
You make a lot of good points there Sean. There are many ways to shoot a good nightscape image and as you suggest, it's all about getting out there and enjoying the night sky. Good point about the tracker making any lens useful.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thank you
Thanks Richard
Thank you as always for watching Spence.
you are master of light painting
I work very hard at it. Thanks heaps for watching.
Thanks for your great videos
You're very welcome Mauritz. Thanks for watching.
Another great video Richard! As a user of a star tracker from time to time for nitescape photography I totally agree with your conclusions. Polar alignment and good balance is key, but then blending the background can be very challenging especially if trees are involved! I’ve been assessing multiple stacking vs star tracking, and think there is a place for both. You definitely have to be in the mood for a star tracking evening, carrying the extra weight, and time to set up, but once you are in the zone, as you say you reap the benefits of low iso and long exposures. I do love this hobby as there is always much to learn. For my astrophotography work, shooting 5 min images all night with multi stacking is essential .. but that’s another story,
Very good comments Stephen. I think it's right that we can achieve very good results with either method. It's all about getting out there and enjoying the process without letting the gear dictate that level of enjoyment. Thanks for watching.
Thanks Richard, your very informative video has have outlined the reasons why a star tracker is not for me. Too technical for this old girl and all that extra gear to carry about! The results are amazing but I will stick to stacking, good enough for me.
Thanks heaps for watching Kim. You are getting great results with your current workflow .. .no need to change now.
Thanks Richard, I have been thinking about a star tracker for some time now. Great to hear your thoughts and suggestions, I’ll keep them in mind if I do get around to purchasing one. Also, loved the images of some of your other work, very nice.
Thanks a lot for having a look Brad. I appreciate your comments.
Hi Richard. Excellent episode this week. I really appreciated your ironic chuckle when you spoke about the ‘simplicity’ of it all 🙃 I have a MSM star tracker but in all honesty I get frustrated with polar aligning with the polar scope so I tend to stick to shorter exposures and stack them. I really like the look of the iOptron mount though. 😊
Thanks so much Lisa. It's interesting that what you're saying is a very common message. Lots of people, especially us folk in the Southern Hemisphere have alignment issues.
Very good stuff.. I have an iOptron Skytracker Pro and I love it. Don't get to use it much but the few times that I have used it, it has worked out great. My Deep Sky photography has changed for the better too... We do have an easier time here in the states for polar alignment but we also have much more light pollution. Soon I will get more time to shoot more videos as well... Good to see you still shooting...
Good on you Mike. I hope you're going ok my friend.
Haha, I learned this the hard way. I used a star tracker to take a photo of the Milkyway on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Milkyway turned out great. But, I struggled with blending my foreground. I gave up processing the photos. Most of the time, you'll learn from your mistakes when you actually go out and do it. Then, you'll get good at it.
Yes I think we've all been there George. I think people love to show their completed images but few actually go into the lengthy process of the blending of such images.
I've been telling my mate a jetboil is essential equipment, good to see you using one too haha :)
I absolutely love the Jetboil Simon .. wouldn't leave on one of my trips without it now. Thanks for watching.
Great video as usual Richard. I'm still very much at the beginning of my journey in night sky photography, but I am enjoying it very much. Still at the photo stacking stage, but I will eventually move up to a tracker....likely the Move Shoot Move as I live in a highly light polluted area. Baby steps! Always enjoy your insights and beautiful images.
Thanks a lot for checking out the video Bob. I appreciate your support of the channel my friend.
Is another great video Richard lotta great information Thinking about upgrading my camera to the pentax K1 it has a Built-in star tracker
In the middle of your video you Walk through there is a machine PA machine part on the ground and then an old cabin are and old looks like a stone building that would make a very interesting picture. Thank you Richard
Thanks again for watching Jeff. The Pentax K1 sounds like an interesting camera .. but keep in mind that if it's tracking stars then the foreground will indeed be blurry. Same issue with trackers. The old stone building with the machine outside is featured in one of my Tasmanian videos . See here: th-cam.com/video/ZVGzkMh82tc/w-d-xo.html
@@nightscapeimages.richard yes Thought it looked familiar
Another excellent informative video, thank you. Think I have to master other aspects before I go down the road of a star tracker. Appreciate the well balanced arguments for and against and whilst ultimately a personal preference it does seem to be a logical progression once you have the basic skills. Something to consider for the future.
I think you've summed it up pretty well Graeme. I think there are lots of people getting into tracking now due to the lowish cost of the base units. On the other hand there are also lots of people who just don't want to be bothered with any of this stuff . .as I mentioned in the video. I really appreciate you watching.
Another great video Richard, like you I use the Skyguider Pro with ipolar and as you say it’s a game changer in the Southern Hemisphere ( well for me it was) I have been getting some amazing results and love the detail especially with different focal lengths. Also noting the Ps sky replacement is amazing :). I guess horses for courses, though it can take our images to a new level. I do love getting it out. Enjoyed your chat :)
Thanks a lot for your insights Alan. Totally agree with you . .it horses for courses. It's great to have so many amazing tools at our disposal these days isn't it ...!!!
You delivered that really well mate.
Man you nightsky photographers go to extremes to get a photo 🤣
Thanks Brett. Yes we are a bit crazy I reckon ...!!!!
Great vid as usual Richard, the tracker has its place. As a paperweight I am still pretty happy with my stacking efforts so far.
Haha .. what a great comment. It's horses for courses I think Gavin. There are lots of people out there who absolutely love the whole concept of setting up the tracker and editing etc ..Appreciate your comments.
@@nightscapeimages.richard yep I thought you’d like that one 😂😂 in all honest I have only used an older style of tracker from i Optron. Once setup. Was easy to use.
Hi Richard, as you might remember when we spoke, i described myself more of a technical rather than a creative photographer like yourself.
To that end over Sydney's 4 month lock down I've adapted and fitted the iOptron E-polarscope to the front on my Skywatcher Star Adventurer tracker and mounted an ZWO Auto Guider onto the camera L bracket, to keep the trackers speed more consistent. I thought as I had to use a laptop for polar alignment, I might as well use it for Auto guiding as well.
All I need now is for us city folk to be able to visit the dark sky county area to test it all fully. Cant wait until the 1st of November.
Hey Keith, good to chat again my friend. I'm sure you'll be able to get out soon and capture some more awesome images mate. Take care.
Another great video!! I would love to get a tracker! I have a friend that has several of them! I may borrow one to see if I can figure it out! The first of November I am going to Oklahoma again in a very dark sky location and get the milky way again this year - might just a little late for the core, but should be beautiful anyway! I am also going to review your videos on light painting and work on that as well! Thanks so much for creating these inspirational videos!
Thanks a lot for watching again Gary. I always very much value your comments and suggestions.
Awesome video Richard, I really enjoy these types of videos, there full of great tips and ideas. I've never used or even seen a tracker up close but plan on one day getting one.
Thanks a lot Brad. Yes these things are really only another tool to use. . but it's always tempting to try new equipment isn't it ..!!!
@@nightscapeimages.richard sure is mate especially if you get good results.
Thanks for sharing. Will have a tracker by xmas 🙂
Good on you Matthias. I'll be very keen to see how you go with it.
Super information
Thanks for watching Chetan.
Great explanation Richard 🙂👍 as always. I've been a deep sky photographer myself. Now i mostly do birds. But I'm strongly considering to do some wide field astrophotography. I have a Z6 and a tripod - just need a fast lens. You're definitely a fantastic inspiration 😃👌 thank you...
Thanks a lot for dropping by and watching Michael. I really appreciate your comments.
Thanks for your insight Richard, I have a omegon lx3 minitrack, it's a clockwork one, so star shots then fg shots or vice versa need to be done first, because it's an hour timer, I love being out and shooting, the tracker definitely brings out detail, I still stack using sequator...... However me and photoshop are not friends at the moment, it's being very challenging. Thanks for all your hard work and just bring you
Hey Suzanne, thanks so much for your encouraging words as always. I think that whatever we have to work with, we can make wonderful images .. especially if we enjoy the experience of being out there. You're doing really well. Photoshop is a journey of discovery that never ends. Take care.
@@nightscapeimages.richard photoshop is a big pain in the butt, lol
@@andysuzierawlins5462 Well I think it's a learning curve .. like everything else. You just need to take it one step at a time.
@@nightscapeimages.richard a very steep learning curve, lol
Great video Richard....I use the Ioptron ST and really like it...of course it's quite easy to spot Polaris here in the Northern Hemisphere...I use a Sony A7Riii with the 24mm gm lens @ 11m in MF and nail the sharpness each time....it gets to be routine after awhile. As you say however, the issues arise when you have a static foreground as part of the image. It does take extra time to post process and blend the sky and foreground but it's all part of the fun....at least for me....and yes the Sky Replacement in PS is a game changer...anyway, always enjoy your movies!...Cheers from Canada!!
Good on you MrTwisster. You've hit the nail on the head. I reckon if it's good fun then that's the way you should be doing it. I really appreciate your input.
I think adding additional opportunities for error , discourage a lot of people, because when things don’t work, they chase their tail not know what to fix and give up. Definitely for a more advance night owl.
Thanks for that Jeff. I do think it's best to start simple and work from there. You are totally correct about people giving up when things don't work as planned.
Always enjoy your videos on a Saturday morning, Richard. I had to smile when you brushed that 'fly' away about half way through. What would one of your videos be without a hand wave to get rid of annoying insects while on camera even when indoors?😄 (6:53)
Haha, yes they are breeding in swarms at the moment Philip. I appreciate you watching again.
Thanks for sharing some great info about star trackers, Richard. It's one of those things I'd like to try, but don't think I'd get enough use out of to justify the cost right now. Still lots of great options for nightscape images though, and your videos are always providing inspiration!
Thanks again for watching Drake. Yes it really is a great time to be into photography that's for sure.
Totally agree with all your unbiased points. Can I add one more for discussion. Like many others in the comments, I too have the MSM tracker. Awesome unit, very light, unbelievably good support service. So the second time I used it, perfect results - even got a pixel shift hundred and something megabyte incredibly detailed Milky Way image. (Don't ask about the 1st attempt - streaks everywhere, nearly through it into Lake Eppalock, got home and realised it was still set to Northern Hemisphere and spinning the wrong way - DOH!!!!). On my next night shoot, I was about to set up for the MW tracked shot and suddenly thought - why? I've already got a great MW image and the MW never changes shape, size or brightness, only position. I was sky replacing anyway so what did it matter if I used my previous MW shot vs a new identical MW shot?
It suddenly dawned on me, now that I have the perfect MW image, why do I need to ever take another one again? This became a philosophical struggle for me and still is. Is it deceptive to use a MW sky from a different shoot? Who would know, it's exactly the same as the new sky image from tonight that I'm about to take? I still don't have an answer to this and it can be argued either way for centuries. But ultimately, have I just spent all this money for one image? Should I upgrade to a better sky tracker to get the same image again? Is there an advantage to getting a new sky image every time? Interested in your thoughts.🤔 Levin
Haha, well I knew someone would go down this track when discussing this topic. To be honest there are so many variable answers to this question. Some would say, no you have to shoot the same sky from the same tripod position for this to be a correct image. Others will say that it matters little if I shift the tripod and tracker miles away from the original composition as the sky doesn't change at all. And then we have your proposition.
I don't actually have a problem with any of those scenarios to be honest. We all know that the colour of the night sky changes considerably as the seasons go through their cycles. Airglow is often the thing that really sets our images apart from others we may have taken. Then of course you'll also have the planets traveling across the sky and intersecting the milky way core at random occasions. . just like Venus is doing right now. If you put your sky from last July into this scene it would immediately be shown to be "Fake". In this case, if Venus is right in the middle of the core, then the completed image if taken at this time of year should show that occurrence in my opinion.
I like the fact that you're thinking these things through though Levin . .it's good for us all to consider all of these variables I think. I'm sure we'll all never quite agree on it though.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks Richard, I guess the sky is different with planets, airglow, humidity and colour each time. As we both seem to agree, there is no right or wrong, just opinion, so I hope I didn't open a can of worms.
Great, timely topic, Richard. I bought an MSM tracker and it seems to work fine. But I don't use it much. I find that stacking gives "good enough" quality and a trip through Topaz DeNois AI gives a perfectly acceptable result. The main thing is that I have found fiddling with the tracker gets in the way of creativity.
Spot on Mike .. .that's my experience as well. I like to use a tracker when I have a specific idea in mind and want the highest possible image quality. But if I want to get out under the stars and really enjoy the creative experience I'll generally do stacking as you suggest. Thanks for your input.
It's a natural progression to tracked images, next is deep sky! I'm using a 9.25 edge hd, that's next level!.
There's a good chance of aurora in the coming weeks too!
Good on you Scotty. I do see that progression quite a lot. I'm pretty much resisting the urge to go down the deep space rabbit hole. I enjoy my wide angle nightscapes too much for that I reckon.
It's actually that different that they really are two completely seperate hobbies, the deep sky is so very dependant on so many issues , my gear actually picks up vibration from cars and even the waves ,. There is the attraction! . I'd love to show you my last few images to see what you think!
@@scottyszoo.8093 Hey Scotty, I'd love to see your images. Do you have instagram ..???
I auditioned one of the most popular trackers, including one that appeared in your footage. The thing that frustrated me and led to returning the tracker was the lack of feedback from the tracker that alignment had been achieved and that the tracker was slowly moving. If you have any influence with the manufacturers, please encourage them to design real time feedback so that the user knows the process is working.
Thanks a lot for your comments Ethan. I totally understand where you are coming from. Most of the trackers are not "Smart" enough to know if they are aligned or not. I usually take a test shot before I start the real stuff just to check the alignment. The ioptron with the ipolar camera does indeed give you confirmation of alignment but of course that's a more expensive option. Unfortunately I have no influence on the manufacturers of these trackers.
Thank you Richard for another great video. You help me to convince me to buy a tracker! It might be challeging to aim Polaris but that is part of the fun oh Night Photography. Continue your good work. Bye from Québec, Canada. BTW, I heard good comments for IOptron except the wedge base. Did you change your wedge base for a Williams Optic base?
Thanks so much for your comments Andre. I'm glad you mentioned the wedge base. I actually use a Star Adventurer wedge base on my ioptron. The William Optics wedge is stronger but a lot more expensive.
This is my second year shooting the Milky Way and I bought a MSM tracker last year to improve image quality as I have an aps-c camera , thing I find most frustrating with it is how to shoot a panorama with it! There’s always something to learn shooting Astro and this channel is tops for that. An inspiring video as always Richard, as we’re coming to the end of core season how do you plan to use your tracker next?
Thanks as always for watching Carl. Yes panos are much more difficult on a tracker . .I totally agree. I'll probably look to the Magellanic Clouds and of course Orion ..!!!
Great video Richard. Out of curiosity, would an alt Az tracker like the AZ GTi work for such an application? I ask because I have one and I have had good success with short exposure DSO Astrophotography. I plan on giving static Milky Way landscape photography a try but may want to try adding my tracker at some point. I suspect that field rotation should not be an issue at 18mm and 30 second shots.
Thanks a lot for watching Eric. Yes I think that would work fine. I've not used one but I have seen others getting good results.
I have the MSM tracker, which is a nice compromise between weight / size / performance. It wasn't a huge investment either. But I'm also in the northern hemisphere, and that helps as you mentioned. I wonder too, is it easier to forego the tracker when you live in a lower-light polluted area like yours? Even just in your vids, it's amazing how many stars I can see. Closest place like that for me is 3 hours away. Thanks!
Yes that's a very good point you make Craig. I think the tracker does help when shooting in highly light polluted areas as you have a lot more flexibility withr your settings.
I love your Chanel. Thanks for sharing. I have a question, I have a D850 now and I'm thinking of getting a Nikon Z 711 with the Nikon 14 to 24 Z len. Can I still use live view and zoom in on the stars to focus with a mirrorless camera? Thank you
Yes absolutely you can John. But there is an added benefit to using the Nikon Z cameras with native Z lenses. When you turn the camera on it automatically sets the lens to infinity ..!!! I use this all the time.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thank you.
Thank you so much Richard for sharing your wealth of knowledge regarding night photography especially with a star tracker. I just brought the ioptron skyguider pro with ipolar and I have a cheap laptop to run the ipolar software. If you had time would it be possible to create a step by step video of how to set up the ioptron skyguider pro and how to polar align through the ipolar. Unfortunately there is not much on TH-cam about this subject. I live on the Gold Coast Australia so the way you set the star tracker will be perfect for where I live. Keep up the amazing work mate I am in ore of your photography.
Mark
Hey Mark, thanks so much for watching the channel. I'll try to get around to doing that on a video at some stage. I do quickly go through some of the steps in this video. th-cam.com/video/3snX_1iCB1E/w-d-xo.html It may be helpful. Thanks again for your support. I'll be keen to see how you go.
@@nightscapeimages.richard thank you so much mate, I will check the video out, I so want to try and start using the star tracker but the ipolar setup worries me a bit. I shoot with a fujifilm gfx 100 camera and a 23mm (18mm full frame equivalent ) gf lens, as this is a medium format lens I can only shoot the Milky Way for 18 seconds max then you start to get trails. This was the main reason I brought the tracker.
@@nightscapeimages.richard this is the only video I can find regarding alignment of the ipolar. I know you could produce a video that would be so much better.
th-cam.com/video/K6UUtva8sJU/w-d-xo.html
@@magicplanetphotography2621 Great camera Mark. I've not had any experience with the medium format stuff at night. Once you get the ipolar setup once it's quite straight forward after that.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I had a feeling it would be easy to use it’s just the setting up that is a little tricky. I would love to digitally send you a couple of night images I captured with this camera. I can send them full size so you can see how a medium format camera captures the night sky, the detail is mind blowing. I am still learning and you have been an amazing teacher with you videos, for that I am eternally grateful. Is you email address on your website ?
First thing one should kept in mind about a tracker. It costs US$500 much less than any fast lenses on the market. So, for such price one could get amazing imagens with different focal lenght saving huge amount of money on each of them buying cheaper lenses. Learning how to steach multiple images is even cheaper
Your point is very well made Raphael. Thanks a lot for your insights.
Fabulous explanation Richard! I really enjoyed it. I canceled my order for a star tracker🤪Just kidding
Haha, I can just imagine you adding that to your already crowded camera pack Chis ...!!!!
@@nightscapeimages.richard I'm getting old.. the bag gets heavier by the day😂have a great day Richard!
Hi Richard, as we are approaching better weather here in the south, I want to buy a star tracker, though I know I'll only use it a few times. I'm quite technical as my background is in engineering, I'd like to ask you what best for buck star tracker is there out there given that I'll only use it for maybe a few night each year, and would most definitely be reading the ef'n manual too. one thing i hate is not having a good user guide
Well a lot of trackers don't come with an instruction booklet. I think the most solid and reliable small tracker is the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2i. Other than that I'd look at the Star Adventurer Mini or the MSM Nomad. I have them all . .and they all work well for me.
@@nightscapeimages.richard will check them out, I have a canon 5d mk3 with a few of the f2.8 L lenses... cheers
As far as Polar alignment goes, you can not look through a polar scope and nail it even in the northern hemisphere. It's not that big of deal using a wide angle lens and cameras body. As long as your total RMS tracking error is less then your pixel scale during the length of the exposure your will not see in star trailing. The bottom line is this type of astrophotography under samples data by a large amount and is very kind for tracking errors. If you just use a compass to point in the right direction and the GPS data to get the elevation from you should be close enough.
Yes I think you are spot on Rich. I'm now using the ipolar camera fitted to the ioptron sky guider pro and it's very accurate and easy to setup. But often I used to do a rough polar alignment as you have mentioned with good results.
Hi!
I have one question:
What is the best white balance value to the nightscape photography??
Regards! 😉
Well it can vary depending on ambient light, moonlight etc. These days I usually shoot between 4000k and 5000k. Of course if you shoot in RAW file format you can change the white balance in post production but I always like to set it somewhere as a starting point.
amazing video, my new friend
Thank you so much for watching.
Great job on another awesome video! I was wondering if you had heard about the Benro Polaris tracking head. It looks almost too good to be true and would love your opinion!
Thanks so much for watching. All I've sen is the advertising on it a few months ago . .since then it's gone dead. Don't know any more about it.
Is there anything we can do to get Benro to send you a promotional copy for review? I would love to see a full review from a trusted photographer like you!
@@viosmind5174 I have a feeling that Benro are not interested in my viewpoint ...!!!!
Sky replacement tool should make much easier. As long as using original sky. No cheating 😏
Yes I totally agree with you HamShanks. I think this use of the tool is perfect.
Hi Richard,
How have you found iPolar ?
Ease to use? Any pro and con?
Thanks
It's been fantastic .. I find it really easy to use. I have a very small tablet computer which I take out with me. If they could get it to work via wifi with a phone or tablet that would be excellent. Well worth the extra cost.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks , I am considering to buy one then
@@akkarparkiamopas3401 I like it better than my previous bag which was Lowepro Flipside AW400ii
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 отличное видео!!!!!!
Thanks so much for watching.