#Nikon Australia wake up please, Richard is one of the best astro photographers and educators in the world, this pushes your gear to the limits and shows just what camera's and lens can do and he produces amazing works of art with mostly #nikon gear, get behind this man with 76,000 followers are you still in bed? Thanks Richard wonderful honest thoughtful review!
Hi Richard. I've used the MSM tracker for a couple of years now and enjoyed it thoroughly. Purchased the Nomad recently and only using the laser to polar align I was able to shoot Orion Nebula using my Rokinon 135mm lens. I agree... it's a great lightweight tracker! Take care, Jerry
I have the MSM and Benro Polaris and love them both. I don’t think think I could do panoramas without the BP. It has worked every time for me. I think this might be because it works well with Sony cameras and you shoot Nikon. The MSM works very well and I’ve used it with up to 90mm. Appreciate all your videos, Richard. You have contributed so much to the astrophotography community.
I think you're right about the Polaris and Sony cameras. Most of the people who have great success with it are primarily Sony shooters.. Although I must say that the last few times I've used it with no issues at all.
I’ve used the Benro Polaris with Nikon bodies without issue once I fought my way up the learning curve. Looks like MSM has addressed the major issues of the original MSM tracker with the Nomad.
Lucky you! I've broken the camera connection port twice with adapters because I need to use a right angle cable. I love and have mine at the same time! 😂
@@JMNaturescapes - I’ve benefited from buying it after updates and being able to learn from others. I know what you mean about having a love and hate relationship….
THANK YOU. Richard! I had no success with the original msm. It looks like msm made the adjustments needed to make the Nomad MUCH BETTER! I am considering it. This video was AWESOME! Thank you for all the time you take to share with us!!
Another great review on the Nomad. Thanks for sharing your experience Richard. Have been thinking about getting the Nomad for those trips where you need to be light weight and compact.
Well the main reason I may have "Bagged" out star trackers would have been the difficulty in blending in foregrounds. With software developments this is now pretty easy . .so the workflow is straight forward and the results speak for themselves. The trackers themselves haven't changed too much at all.
I received my Nomad several weeks ago and found it very simple and accurate to use, much easier than the old MSM. Amazingly, I set mine up with a Newer rotation base and the Allyn Wallace V plate just as you showed. I ordered the Skylabs phone mount because I hate trying to adjust the tracker from underneath but you were going to show us how you put that Arca Swiss plate onto that phone mount. I’ll need to figure that out. Thanks for another great video.
You can see at 11.46 in the video. It's literally a piece of flat pine which I shaved to the same size as a typical arca swiss plate. Then I screwed it onto the Skylabs mount using 2 existing spare holes on the back. It works really well.
Richard. Sincere thank you as always: looks very useful and the big benefit of weight with travel is awesome. Have gone ahead & ordered one. Thanks again:)
Great review, Richard. I am thinking of adding this third tracker and another camera in the near future since it’s light and simple to operate. It takes few hours to get to a dark site so it’s nice to have three cameras running to maximize my time out there.
Hi, Richard! This is exactly the content I was wainting for. I've just bought a Move Shoot Move Nomad and I'm waiting for the delivery in Brasil (a little bit slow). It'll be my first star tracker. Best Wishes!
Thank you for this detailed description of the Nomad and your explanation how every thing fits and works. This vide has finally convinced me to upgrade from my MSM.
Great review, Richard. You sold me on it but I just started using my SWSA with the Skylabs polar aligning platform. (What a wonderful tool that is!) I can certainly see the application for the Nomad when going on remote workshops, though. Thanks for all your helpful information!
WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION THANK YOU!! Easy to follow along, some great examples, Was great to have a live demo and then back to the computer at home.
Excellent video which was was particularly interesting to me as I am looking to get a new tracker after my SW Star Adventurer 2i has developed another problem! Your explanation of the pros and cons of the star trackers available was invaluable to me. Thanks to your advice I am now getting the Nomad.
Hi Richard, another great and useful video. I am totally with you on the MSM Nomad, I have been using it as a backup for the last 6 months or so with iPhone alignment and love it. Having something that can fit in a single slot in the bag is brilliant and means that it going to go to more locations, which is what matters. Set up in 30 seconds and incredibly reliable. I have made peace with my Polaris and get great results with no hassles and I find it unbeatable for big panoramas, but the Nomad is so compact and light it means I know I will get to shots I may not with other gear (assuming I ever get a chance to get away from my day job commitments 😂).
Great review, thank you, I have just bought the Nomad myself and it works really well, also living in the UK it is so much easier to use the laser pointer to align.
Brilliant video!!! This channel continues to bring the absolute best information to help photographers. A true game changer in a world full of hungry enthusiasts.
I wish Richard would provide links to all items talked about in this video. Like the "360° Flex Tilt & Pan Head - Z&V Mount Designed with Alyn Wallace", "SkySafari 7 - Astronomy Observing & Telescope Control Software for Android", "Two Way T-Shape Mini Bubble Magnetic Magnet Spirit Level Pictures", "glow-in-the-dark tape", "Skylabs polar alignment phone adapter", and the "MSM wedge base".
Hey Lee, most of those items are listed on the MSM website. See here: www.moveshootmove.com/products/nomad-star-tracker-for-novice-and-experienced-astrophotographers Sky Safari 7 Plus: skysafariastronomy.com/ 2 way bubble level: www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606290820670&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10439889321488735118&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907 The round disc this attached to is home made. Skylabs: www.skylabs.co.nz/product-page/skylabs-nz-polar-alignment-adapter Glow in dark tape: www.ebay.com.au/itm/385113620252?itmmeta=01J0D175VVCCD28MVGC2WR1RQY&hash=item59aa8f7f1c:g:pM4AAOSwEfhjIC~5&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwMHauuUGTSY4Vw7dU5%2By7Dmk5vl%2FCKZSIWhQIr2A07vyYIBugn0UiXIh88%2Fk%2B0L9wqK%2B6a3dxJ9MntUthTQUFOo0YXDV%2FgYPP51BbuSdeRG4bFU29e%2Flxt1Zzyg3Ll2yCSJYtlNzsqDMqyFXF3scH9enVLaZA10qMnHaD5qVJZIkjeLdt%2FXaFCyuhSIbpGiAf7btkPZe%2BxGQnDwuIsquqMhFnwT1SoIIonO1BsIM6rVLTGweJ3%2Bw640ClzQRsd19Gg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABlBMUIrenKGDZA
Took delivery of my Nomad just before Christmas and it's been completely dependable - love it. Like you, my only criticism is the power switch which feels like it will fall off every time I use it!
Great video Richard, usual Ozzie straight up facts which are very helpful. Some great results too especially for such a light weight thing and up to 85mm.. I think I need one of these in my bag.😊
I have the star adventurer tracker and I have a very small barn door tracker. You answered questions I have been thinking about with this new msm tracker. The other one was just to prone to many issues. Now I will have to save up some money and see about getting one. As you said easier to carry not real complicated to set up. Thanks for sharing with us Richard. 🙏🏻📷☕️🍪
Excellent Richard, been erring on which tracker to get for my wife for a long time. Your review especially commenting on its simplicity, accuracy and weight has helped me decide on this MSM model. 👍She'll be most pleased.
Thanks Richard, as usual, very informative. I'll have to think about what I'll do, might continue stacking for awhile. I don't want to be the bloke with all the gear and no idea. Thanks again. 👍
Would it be practical to mount the MSM onto a 3 Way geared head Richard? If I decide to buy a tracker further down the track, I'm thinking of the gear I already own, and not having to outlay extra $s for a ball head. Thanks
Hello Richard, I have the MSM and I also had problems with it at the beginning because at that time I was photographing with a Nikon D800 and the 14-24mm f/2.8 lens and it was a very heavy set and it would also come loose, I had 2 or 3 scares, I solved the problem, I glued it on a V Mount Designed with Alyn Wallace with Silicone glue, it never came loose again, problem solved, but due to the weight, sometimes close to 30% of the 1-minute shots had trails, I switched to the lighter Nikon Z and started having problems with the motor. I bought it, the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer is my service tracker. I'm thinking about buying the Nomad so I can take it on a trip, as taking the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer is out of the question as it's very heavy. This video of yours was a valuable help for my next purchase. As always, your photos enchant me. Thanks Richard🙏
Hey thank you so much for this video!! It's just what I needed. I have an Ioptron Sky whatever and will probably be selling it and getting the Nomad. I'm up here in the northern hemisphere so will probably use the laser to align. Thanks again for a great video. Cheers from the PNW!
Hi mate, thanks for all the amazing videos you have produce for the photographer community. Where did you get the two way bubble level with the arca Swiss plate. Thanks again.
Thanks Jim. The bubble level is pretty commonly available, but I attached it to a home made nylon disc with a 3/8 thread inside to screw onto the tripod. www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=712272860584&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7175140927816832903&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907&gad_source=1
Well I nearly choked on my coffee when you said the Benro “promises the world but delivers Tasmania”! 🤣 Thanks for the very clear assessment, Richard. Those images speak for themselves. To be able to get 60s at 85mm would essentially cover me for all bases - and even then I only rarely go to that FL. This is a seriously tempting proposition. The sheer weight and bulk of the StarAdventurer is quite a burden and takes up a lot of valuable real estate in my already overworked camera bag. My shoulders don’t love me for using it! The MSM rotator never really appealed as it seemed so flimsy. This could be an excellent Goldilocks-zone alternative. And not having to deal with the maddening SA battery compartment is a plus! I wish MSM would organise their packages with a little more logic. In the U.K., you can only get the wedge bundle by throwing in a headtorch!!
Thanks heaps for watching again Paul. The Star Adventurer is a wonderful tracker, but I only use it with a power bank these days, as that power dial is awful in a camera bag. I don't know how they worked out the packages at MSM .. it should be you add the pieces you actually want.
Fantastic video. Very timely. I've only got a few astro shoots under my belt but have been eyeing off the MSM for several months and have been about to pull the trigger but wasn't sure about the set up for Australia. I think I will try to 3D print a phone holder with 90 degree arca swiss plate for polar alignment like that one you have.
Another great video and good to see the new tracker .. just be careful with neewer plate .. mine gave me grief twice with it being stuck and started moving despite being locked ! Had to remove it with a lot of force from the Wedge this morning ..
Another terrific review! From what I've seen, by the time you buy the MSM kit the price is fairly close to the Sky Watcher similarly equipped. Maybe a comparison between the MSM and another should include setup time.
Yep I must get some glow tape to use on my tripods and I find my New car with it's black interior is a pain for finding camping and camera gear in the dark of the Night! Glad I Brought a camera Bag with a light color interior to help when finding stuff when out at night..
It never occurred to me how difficult that issue is with the Rotator. I am enjoying your videos on the Nomad. I've used the Rotator for three years. I use the Alyn Wallace v plates with the Rotator, which I only use for landscape night scape work, not any deep sky work. I have Sky Watcher, iOptron, and dedicated astro EQ mounts so I'm not that interested in polar alignment of these small mounts.... until now. Haha. So thanks for the tips. I just got the Nomad this week, so am experimenting with it and seeing how it would work for some of the larger deep space objects, like M31 and M42, with kits like an OM-1 and 75mm f/1.8 and Sony A7RV and Samyang 135mm f/1.8. We'll see. I like your panning ball heads. Used them for years for panoramic work.
Great review Richard, I have the original MSM but no longer use it due to the anxiety inducing unscrewing issue. With an astro tour to Indonesia coming up later in the year though, I'm thinking this could be a better option than lugging my existing skywatcher star adventurer around where space and weight savings will be paramount. Wonder if they'll take the old MSM back as a trade-in 🤔
That's my thinking! I'm in northern Hemisphere. When CCW heavy, it would unscrew, slamming camera into whatever stopped it. I communicated with MSM at length. This was a few years back. They admitted they where aware of the problem. Basically hoping no one would be too bothered. Shame on them. They should offer a trade on discount. When I'd try to tighten it further, the gears would jump teeth. I find the "V" plate put the weight out further, compounding the problem. I want the nomad, just bothered by the company. I've used mine with Rokinon 135mm. It was good, with a reasonable PA.
Hey richard! How do you get that center cross in the skysafary app ? I would like to use the app but i dont have that cross for the allignment 😅 And thx for the great video's!!
Richard, thank you so much for your awesome videos. I have been following you for years. I am interested in getting a star tracker soon. Would the Move Shoot Move be a good first one to get? Does this support longer lenses? Keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for your great support. I like the MSM Nomad for wide angle lenses rather than the original MSM Rotator. For longer lenses I'd go with the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer.
Thanks Richard. Wonderful photos as always. I have the original MSM and it’s total garbage on my opinion. Hopefully the new one works better for you. Based on last experience with them, I think I’ll stick with something more reliable.
Another great video, Mr. Tatti. By the way, can you post the link to the smartphone support that you use to align with the application? Thank you again!
Great review. Thank you! I'm finally switching to mirrorless. I'd be interested in knowing how much your lenses weigh, just to have an idea of total weight on the tracker or at least how much the heaviest lens you've used weighs.
Thanks for checking it out Derek. The Nikon 14-24 f2.8Z is my heaviest lens at 650 grams/1.43 lbs. The Nomad is rated at 3.2 kg so it well and truly handles all of my gear. I wouldn't use this tracker with big heavy lenses though.
Fantastic coverage Richard, I've just gotten the Nomad too and have found much the same as what you covered here. Unreal how we manage to collect gadgets, I have 5 trackers now too. Perhaps we need to set up a support group for those like us that can't seem to stop at one 🤔?
Great video and it seems like a nice tracker. I looked at their website and what seemed odd is they only offer the wedge in a package with the rotator and a bunch of other stuff. That seems odd, considering the tracker(or as they call it "the rotator) uses an ARCA-Swiss mounting. I guess the thinking is that you'd use a ballhead as the wedge.
Yes I think a lot of people do use a ball head as the base. Not a smart move in my opinion. The MEM wedge isn't as solid as the Sky Watcher one .. but I think it's ok for this light weight tracker. I also don't quite understand their packages.
Hi Richard, than you for your very interesting vid. Can you please provide a link or product reference for getting the V shaped plate connecting the tracker to the camera ballhead?
Thanks for watching Roberto. MSM V Plate: www.moveshootmove.com/products/z-v-platform-designed-with-alyn-wallace-preorder?srsltid=AfmBOopy7Ig0pQz8Qd-AGoC-wlBrmSmPsYQuXZ_SXPGH9D5f12jmxnSL
Thanks for a great review, Richard. I sold my MSM and accessories last year as I wasn't using it enough. This new MSM product looks tempting. Thanks also for your recommendation of Sky Safari. Now I just have to figure out how to get to the polar alignment view on it. Finally, aren't the Alyn Wallace V and Z plates supremely useful ?
Another great video, thank you, Richard. As a user of the MSM Rotator, I was very interested to watch this review, and it does look a lot better / simpler. On a completely different note, would you consider doing a video on how to prepare nightscape images for printing? If you print them yourself or send them away to be printed, how do you get the quality authenticity of colour in the print. Whenever you do your pieces to camera inside, I am always distracted by your superb prints on the wall!! Thanks, as always, for such excellent content!!
Thanks as always for your great support Simon. I never print my own images, I prefer to send them off to a print house for that. For my nightscape images I always send them off a lot brighter as my experience is that most night prints come back too dark. The sign of a good print is the quality of the blacks. I've tried a lot of printers and this varies considerably. I guess it's the same old result. .try various print houses til you find one that gives the results you're after. The good thing is that these days many printers have excellent products.
Thanks for this. This is awesome to PA quickly here. I cant though seem to work out how to locate the center point on the screen when in compass mode on SkySafari &. The compass works but there is no icon like you have to show the center. Been going nuts trying to find it!
A lot of people seem to have had that problem. Did you watch the instructions right at the end of this video .???? th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html Also, you need the Plus or Pro versions of this app to see everything as mentioned here.
My unit has arrived but I've noticed the little allen key they supplied doesn't fit the locking grub screw in the attachment plate or the screws on the Arca Swiss plate. Did you have the same thing? I can't see where else the allen key could be used. I think they're just including the wrong key. No big deal, a 3/32 allen key fits fine but just a little strange.
Thanks for watching James. That's a wireless shutter release. I use this all the time. www.amazon.com.au/YONGNUO-RF-603-Wireless-Trigger-generation/dp/B00HRSW3TE
Amazing video, Richard! I always find myself coming back to the nomad. I just bought the Polaris and boy do I love it when it works. Im always shooting in portrait with my L-bracket so i need to purchase adapters so i can use 90⁰ cableds that benro doesnt supply. Ive broken the polaris twice with adapters and have only used it 5 times now. I love panos so the automation is a huge plus. I would like a tracker that could handle both landscape and deepspace so the Ioptron has always been another option ive thought of. Cheeres from the US!
Thanks so much for watching, always appreciated. Sounds like you're searching for the Holy Grail of trackers . .doesn't quite exist just yet though ..!!!!
Thanks Richard. Really impressive. I've been watching MSM for a few years now, but always thought they were too light-duty for my D850 with a 16-35 f4 lens setup. You didn't mention (or I may have missed it) its payload. Also, and this goes for all of these types of equipment, they are missing a bit of safety. I wish they would make the rail mounts (either Vixen or AS) with a positive stop in case you untwist the wrong knob in the dark...
Thanks again for watching Paul. The payload listed for the Nomad is 3.2 kg. The weight of the D850 plus 16-35f4 is about 1.75kg. I agree about the safety issue but this unit is far better than the original MSM rotator in this regard. I did find that when using the Alyn Wallace V mount it stops the ball head/camera from sliding all the way off if the arca swiss plate is loosened.
@@nightscapeimages.richard thanks for the first hand beta... I just ordered an Alyn Wallace mount after seeing this video... As always, you are a great source of inspiration, information, and indoctrination.
Thanks for watching. V mount is available from MSM. www.moveshootmove.com/products/z-v-platform-designed-with-alyn-wallace-preorder This is the ball head I used in this video: www.amazon.com.au/INNOREL-G40-Panoramic-Ballhead-Camcorder/dp/B098QF5WJT/ref=asc_df_B098QF5WJT/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=463537492308&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16760540189559562757&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1463733288628&mcid=85477bc4a02a35eeb9220d196d31b8cf&th=1 You could use any low profile ball head but I like the flexibility of these one's.
Hi Richard I would be interested to know what the heaviest weighted camera and lens combination you have had on the Nomad and how successful your results were please.
I don't usually put heavy equipment on the Nomad. I've used it with a Nikon Z6 and Nikon 14-24 f2.8Z lens. That's the heaviest combination I have. It handled that with ease.
Images look awesome mate…I too have to skyguider iPolar & it has been fiddly in the field…might have to give this tracker a go…how would u rank it amongst the other trackers?
At this stage it's keeping up with all of them quite nicely. As I stated in the video, my use case is predominantly wide angle astro landscape photography .. .and for that it excels.
The Nomad looks to be a solid mini tracker. Did you figure out its weight limits of camera and lens combined? How heavy (lens and camera) would you think it could happily accurately track without trailing? 😎😊👌
Thanks Geoff. I haven't done any specific testing regarding weight limit. My motto with any of these trackers is to make note of what the manufacturer says is the limit, and then not exceed about half of that weight .. !!!! It coped ok with the 85mm but I wouldn't take it much further than that. My thinking is that if I want to shoot long lens deep space astrophotography, then I'll buy a strong solid mount with go-to tracking features to achieve that. The Nomad works fine with my Nikon or Sony prime lenses and they are the only one's I'll be using on a tracker anyway. Gone are the days of buying big and heavy lenses .. no matter how good they are.
That's a difficult question. The Mini is more robust and has the option for adding a counterweight but the Nomad is just so small and light weight. .. both excellent. If travelling and carrying gear . .certainly the Nomad.
Hi Richard, thanks once again for a very enlightning video. I had never heard of the Nomad but it does look interesting. As you know, I am sitting on the fence re the Benro Polaris and I think your comment in this video sums up my deep down hidden feeling. I even bought the video course from Dan Zafra, just to be more informed. I would really be interested how you accurately do panoramas, does your rotation plate use clicks or do you just use the degrees marked on it? I think at present, I will stick to the SA, it is sill a great piece of kit.
Thanks David. For normal tracking you don't need the Polaris. It's really useful for automated tracked panoramas .. but that's it's one wood as far as I'm concerned. Way too many hoops to jump through for standard tracking shots. To be honest, panoramas don't have to be accurate. . as long as there is sufficient overlap between shots they will stitch ok. Often I have variations with the overlap between 50% and 80%. They still work fine. Maybe I take more shots than I need to but that's ok. On a standard tracker or tripod . .i guess the overlap based on position of stars in the scene. I've never used a clicking rotator .. but many other great photographers do use them.
Hi Richard a great presentation and a very detailed video. Thanks a lot for educating us. One simple question about the Android app you used Start tracker 7 plus. I too got the same app purchased. But when I go to compass icon, i do not see the screen you have with longitude and latitude lines and the little dot which you aligned the NCS. I got 2 questions. 1. Being in Australia, why did you aligned your phone to NCS? 2. How did you get that screen from the Start tracker 7 plus app? what settings you have to modify to get that screen? I'm impressed and going to order the Normad sky Tracker after watching your video.
Thanks so much for watching, really appreciated. I think they may have changed the interface of the Sky Safari app since I recorded this video. I align to the NCP because it's easier to hold the phone in a cradle that lets it sit without craning your neck to look up at the SCP. This method works in both hemispheres. Check this video .. especially from the 19:12 mark onwards. th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
This looks like an awesome tracker. I love the fact that its lightweight. Something to look into 😊. Thanks Richard. Love your work, you are always thorough and informative. 😊
Hey Richard Shooting a Nikon d500 with tokina 11-16 2.8 mostly I would th8nk , sigma 17-50 2.8 and Nikon 35mm 1.8 I just ordered the nomad star tracker with v plate , great deal I got by asking them if they had any deals coming up they gave me a one off 15% discount so worth asking Couple of questions and really appreciate your time you put into not only the videos but also the time you take answering I’m sure the many questions you receive I notice sometimes you stack multiple tracked images and sometimes you don’t even though the iso was 800 ss 2 minutes I think on both images were the same , I realise the stacked images are to reduce noise , just wondering why some are stacked and some not , given I’m using a crop sensor I probably will have to stack to reduce noise , looking forward to the challenge and sharing some of my shots in the future Was also thinking about the phone adaptor included in my package I think you called it a spider , im thinking how could I adapt this adaptor to align with the North Star so the phone is upwards and I don’t have to get underneath the phone Would I be able to sikaflex a 50mm Arca Swiss plate to the upper side of the arm so I can just flip the phone holder over and clamp align before i put the tracker on similar to what you do with your phone holder , also noticed there is a threaded hole on the arm maybe I could just screw a plate on possibly add some sikaflex as well so it never moves , once I get the holder I will be able to physically think about how it could be adapted , I have emailed msm about making a holder for the southern hemisphere that could align like this If adding say a 50mm plate to the spider msm phone holder is possible it would make a good video on how to adapt it , I was thinking if they made the arm of the holder a Swiss arca plate then that may work , very interested to hear your thoughts on this
Thanks so much for watching Mark. The Nomad has been excellent for me and I think you'll enjoy using it. Most of the time I don't stack my tracked images unless I'm looking to bring out very faint detail. So for example when I shoot the Orion area I often stack as the nebulosity around this area is rich in colour and detail that is often hard to see in a single shot. So by stacking more than one image you are effectively increasing your signal to noise ratio and getting more detail in the shot. Obviously this requires extensive editing to bring it out. I think the MSM phone mount is a little cumbersome .. it works but not the way I prefer which is to point down to the opposite celestial pole. I have seen people turn their phones around but that means you're not able to see the whole phone screen. .not ideal. Others have constructed a home made adaptor to fit a phone facing down to the ground. I think it's possible to create something useful but I'm not aware of anything currently on the market for the "Spider"
Thanks mate , hoping I can add a 50mm arca Swiss plate to the top arm and flip it to align north, won’t be able to try until it arrives , I’ll let you know if it works
Hello, I enjoyed watching your video. I'm an absolute novice with night sky photography, so I appreciate all the tips and tricks you can share. I do have a question though, how do you get your foreground subject to remain sharp (like the tree) if the Move Shoot Move is slowly rotating on its axis?
@@icthus10 Yes I have quite a few videos on that topic. See here: th-cam.com/video/K4bmef0k1kw/w-d-xo.html or here: th-cam.com/video/zy3GY019jI4/w-d-xo.html
Hi There,, I have the Star tracker Sky Watcher 2i I noticed in this vid, you have an excellent angle bracket on both models, will this replace the standard set up using the long rod and counter balance ? Regards, ................ Gary .......................... AU (Adelaide)
Hi Gary. Well it depends on how much weight you want to put on the tracker. The Sky Watcher 2i will take much heavier loads than the Nomad, and that's where the counterweight setup comes into it's own. I never use heavy equipment on my trackers so find the V plate to be quite sufficient.
Many thanks - clear and comprehensive. Convinced me to try one out. Do you find the msm wedge to be robust enough for reasonable loads eg Sony a7iii plus 20mm lens. Bit concerned about the altitude locking. Cheers, Des
Great video, thanks mate. I just purchased the NOMAD complete kit but didn't realise it didn't include the phone mount and I can't find it for sale separately on their website. Do you know how I can buy one without having to buy the phone kit or can you point me to somewhere I can buy one ?
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks so much mate. I ended up finding them on the website but just didn't see them when I looked the first time because the thumbnail was a solar eclipse and I didn't think it had any connection to a phone mount. I bought my wife a kit as well and ordered 2 x phone holders with it.
Fantastic review and, as always, super images. Have you measured the accuracy of your star alignment app? I've found that my smart phone compass & star maps such as SkyPortal are not super accurate, would be interesting to hear from someone who has compared the accuracy of the software with a proper compass.
Thanks for watching. I did do a comparison with the ioptron ipolar camera which is super accurate, and the Sky Safari method described here. There was a difference but not a lot. One thing I can say is that out of all the apps I've tried . .and that's quite a few, Sky Safari is the best. It's probably something I'll test more in the future.
Richard, Loved the video, very informative, as always except for one small detail. I simply CANNOT get the location cursor to show up on the compass screen of my Sky Safari Pro program on my iPhone 13. The compass mode works, I can tilt around to point, but I do not have a cursor in the middle to know what my precise pointing is. I have looked everywhere online and posted this question on Cloudy Nights, and so far haven't found what the trick is to get the location cursor to show up on the compass display. Without that, it seems to me this technique (regardless of day, night, or whatever hemisphere you are working with) is simply not going to work. I could I suppose by one of the other polar alignment apps for my phone and try that, but if I have Sky Safari it seems from your demonstration that I should be able to make it work on my phone with my version. I am hoping that you could possibly direct me to the setting(s) I am missing to enable this functionality?
Thanks for watching Michael. You do need the Sky Safari Plus or Pro versions to show some features. Have a look at this video from 19.12 and see if that helps. th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
That's a home made device David. I used a 2 way caravan level attached to a nylon block with a 3/8 inch threaded hole in it. www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606290820670&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13687419747469086535&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907
Hey Richard love your content, I have the MSM original tracker I use in the northern hemisphere. I've always used the lazer, does using the sky safari app give a more accurate result or would you say there is negligible difference. Thanks
Thanks Adrian. I've never used a lazer, but one thing you can do with the Sky Safari app method is polar align in daylight, or cloudy conditions. Or from a position where Polaris isn't visible. I find it very accurate.
Thanks Richard, great video! Just bought the MSM Nomad and I am looking forward to test it! By the way, which one is the ball head you are using? I am looking for a low profile one and better follow the recommendation of an expert!
Thanks so much for watching Josep. There are many good ones, but this is what I used. www.amazon.com.au/INNOREL-G40-Panoramic-Ballhead-Camcorder/dp/B098QF5WJT?th=1
#Nikon Australia wake up please, Richard is one of the best astro photographers and educators in the world, this pushes your gear to the limits and shows just what camera's and lens can do and he produces amazing works of art with mostly #nikon gear, get behind this man with 76,000 followers are you still in bed? Thanks Richard wonderful honest thoughtful review!
You're a legend Rob. Appreciate your support mate.
Great video, really loved the shout out to Alyn Wallace
Thanks for checking it out David. Really appreciated.
Thanks, Richard. You are one of the very few who shows how to polar align in Southern Hemisphere. Good work. Keep it up.
Thanks as always for your great support my friend. I have to know how to polar align here as I have no choice ..!!!
Hi Richard. I've used the MSM tracker for a couple of years now and enjoyed it thoroughly. Purchased the Nomad recently and only using the laser to polar align I was able to shoot Orion Nebula using my Rokinon 135mm lens. I agree... it's a great lightweight tracker!
Take care, Jerry
Good on you Jerry. Always appreciate your comments.
Always a first "like" , then start to watch the video! You never let us disappointed!
That's very kind of you to say, thank you.
I do that too
I have the MSM and Benro Polaris and love them both. I don’t think think I could do panoramas without the BP. It has worked every time for me. I think this might be because it works well with Sony cameras and you shoot Nikon. The MSM works very well and I’ve used it with up to 90mm. Appreciate all your videos, Richard. You have contributed so much to the astrophotography community.
I think you're right about the Polaris and Sony cameras. Most of the people who have great success with it are primarily Sony shooters.. Although I must say that the last few times I've used it with no issues at all.
I’ve used the Benro Polaris with Nikon bodies without issue once I fought my way up the learning curve. Looks like MSM has addressed the major issues of the original MSM tracker with the Nomad.
Lucky you! I've broken the camera connection port twice with adapters because I need to use a right angle cable. I love and have mine at the same time! 😂
@@JMNaturescapes - I’ve benefited from buying it after updates and being able to learn from others. I know what you mean about having a love and hate relationship….
@@JMNaturescapes - I’m a fan of your channel as well.
THANK YOU. Richard! I had no success with the original msm. It looks like msm made the adjustments needed to make the Nomad MUCH BETTER! I am considering it. This video was AWESOME! Thank you for all the time you take to share with us!!
I'm really pleased you enjoyed the video Helen. Always happy to help.
Another great review on the Nomad. Thanks for sharing your experience Richard. Have been thinking about getting the Nomad for those trips where you need to be light weight and compact.
It sure is light and compact Jeroen. And not overly expensive as well.
one of the best explanations of how to polar-allign trackers, i've ever seen. Thanks a lot.
Thank you so much.
Hi Richard considering you bagged out star trackers last year you have really embraced them. Enjoy under the stars
Well the main reason I may have "Bagged" out star trackers would have been the difficulty in blending in foregrounds. With software developments this is now pretty easy . .so the workflow is straight forward and the results speak for themselves. The trackers themselves haven't changed too much at all.
Nightscape Images, I subscribed because your videos are super cool!
I very much appreciate your support my friend.
I received my Nomad several weeks ago and found it very simple and accurate to use, much easier than the old MSM. Amazingly, I set mine up with a Newer rotation base and the Allyn Wallace V plate just as you showed.
I ordered the Skylabs phone mount because I hate trying to adjust the tracker from underneath but you were going to show us how you put that Arca Swiss plate onto that phone mount. I’ll need to figure that out.
Thanks for another great video.
You can see at 11.46 in the video. It's literally a piece of flat pine which I shaved to the same size as a typical arca swiss plate. Then I screwed it onto the Skylabs mount using 2 existing spare holes on the back. It works really well.
A timely video Richard. I'm actually just now considering different tracker options. Many thanks for being so thorough in your review and demo!
You're very welcome Rory. Hope it's helpful.
One of the few Astro educators that I can understand and trust. Thank you Richard.
That's very kind of you Stephen, thank you.
Richard. Sincere thank you as always: looks very useful and the big benefit of weight with travel is awesome. Have gone ahead & ordered one. Thanks again:)
Good on you Manjul. I reckon you'll like it.
Great review, Richard. I am thinking of adding this third tracker and another camera in the near future since it’s light and simple to operate. It takes few hours to get to a dark site so it’s nice to have three cameras running to maximize my time out there.
Yes my thoughts exactly. Thanks for watching.
Hi, Richard! This is exactly the content I was wainting for. I've just bought a Move Shoot Move Nomad and I'm waiting for the delivery in Brasil (a little bit slow). It'll be my first star tracker. Best Wishes!
I'm sure you'll love it Rafael
Thank you for this detailed description of the Nomad and your explanation how every thing fits and works. This vide has finally convinced me to upgrade from my MSM.
Thanks so much for watching.
Great review, Richard. You sold me on it but I just started using my SWSA with the Skylabs polar aligning platform. (What a wonderful tool that is!) I can certainly see the application for the Nomad when going on remote workshops, though. Thanks for all your helpful information!
Thanks Andrea. The SWSA is a wonderful tracker and very reliable.
As always, thanks for your advice, tips and wonderful images Richard!
You're always very welcome Kerry. Appreciate your support.
WHAT A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION THANK YOU!! Easy to follow along, some great examples, Was great to have a live demo and then back to the computer at home.
Thanks so much for your great comments David, very much appreciated.
Excellent video which was was particularly interesting to me as I am looking to get a new tracker after my SW Star Adventurer 2i has developed another problem! Your explanation of the pros and cons of the star trackers available was invaluable to me. Thanks to your advice I am now getting the Nomad.
I'm so glad you found it helpful.
Hi Richard, another great and useful video. I am totally with you on the MSM Nomad, I have been using it as a backup for the last 6 months or so with iPhone alignment and love it. Having something that can fit in a single slot in the bag is brilliant and means that it going to go to more locations, which is what matters. Set up in 30 seconds and incredibly reliable. I have made peace with my Polaris and get great results with no hassles and I find it unbeatable for big panoramas, but the Nomad is so compact and light it means I know I will get to shots I may not with other gear (assuming I ever get a chance to get away from my day job commitments 😂).
I saw your excellent review of the Nomad Eric. Yes it really does a great job. Making peace with the Polaris is exactly the way it is ..!!!!
Great review, thank you, I have just bought the Nomad myself and it works really well, also living in the UK it is so much easier to use the laser pointer to align.
Thanks so much for watching Richard, appreciate your comments.
Thanks Richard for this very informative video. Great explanation of the difference between the original MSM and the Nomad.
I'm pleased you found it useful Lauren.
Brilliant video!!! This channel continues to bring the absolute best information to help photographers. A true game changer in a world full of hungry enthusiasts.
You're very kind indeed my friend. I'm pleased you find the videos helpful.
Another excellent tutorial and brilliant images, thank you Richard.
You're always very welcome Les.
I wish Richard would provide links to all items talked about in this video. Like the "360° Flex Tilt & Pan Head - Z&V Mount Designed with Alyn Wallace", "SkySafari 7 - Astronomy Observing & Telescope Control Software for Android", "Two Way T-Shape Mini Bubble Magnetic Magnet Spirit Level Pictures", "glow-in-the-dark tape", "Skylabs polar alignment phone adapter", and the "MSM wedge base".
Hey Lee, most of those items are listed on the MSM website. See here: www.moveshootmove.com/products/nomad-star-tracker-for-novice-and-experienced-astrophotographers
Sky Safari 7 Plus: skysafariastronomy.com/
2 way bubble level: www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606290820670&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10439889321488735118&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907 The round disc this attached to is home made.
Skylabs: www.skylabs.co.nz/product-page/skylabs-nz-polar-alignment-adapter
Glow in dark tape: www.ebay.com.au/itm/385113620252?itmmeta=01J0D175VVCCD28MVGC2WR1RQY&hash=item59aa8f7f1c:g:pM4AAOSwEfhjIC~5&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAAwMHauuUGTSY4Vw7dU5%2By7Dmk5vl%2FCKZSIWhQIr2A07vyYIBugn0UiXIh88%2Fk%2B0L9wqK%2B6a3dxJ9MntUthTQUFOo0YXDV%2FgYPP51BbuSdeRG4bFU29e%2Flxt1Zzyg3Ll2yCSJYtlNzsqDMqyFXF3scH9enVLaZA10qMnHaD5qVJZIkjeLdt%2FXaFCyuhSIbpGiAf7btkPZe%2BxGQnDwuIsquqMhFnwT1SoIIonO1BsIM6rVLTGweJ3%2Bw640ClzQRsd19Gg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABlBMUIrenKGDZA
Wonderful shots there Richard.
Thank you so much for watching Phil.
Took delivery of my Nomad just before Christmas and it's been completely dependable - love it. Like you, my only criticism is the power switch which feels like it will fall off every time I use it!
Yes that's ma fair comment. I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Fantastic Video Richard. If only we could fix the RFC Cheers, Shane
Haha, yes the poor old tigers . .but we have had some great success in recent years ..!!!
Great video Richard! There is a hype with this tracker at the moment and it’s great to know your opinion.
I guess it's always like that with any new device. But I reckon they got this one right.
What would you suggest for milky ways? The 20 or the 14-30 if you would only have one lens?
Both attached to this tracker.
Another awesome video Richard, the Nomad looks like a game changer, being so light and compact should make it easy to fly with also.
Yes that's the only reason I'd buy it Dennis. Easy to carry and easy to use.
Great video Richard, usual Ozzie straight up facts which are very helpful. Some great results too especially for such a light weight thing and up to 85mm.. I think I need one of these in my bag.😊
Thanks heaps for watching, really appreciated.
LEARNED so much from you Richard, watching your video made me.decide to buy my camera and lenses..
I'm very pleased you're finding my videos helpful.
Honest review, thanks a lot!
You're welcome my friend.
Brilliant - thank you!
Thanks so much for watching.
Very detailed and to the point. Really helps one to make an informed decision to get this tiny tracker.
Thanks so much for watching Raymond
I have the star adventurer tracker and I have a very small barn door tracker. You answered questions I have been thinking about with this new msm tracker. The other one was just to prone to many issues. Now I will have to save up some money and see about getting one. As you said easier to carry not real complicated to set up. Thanks for sharing with us Richard. 🙏🏻📷☕️🍪
You're always welcome John. Thanks so much for watching.
Excellent Richard, been erring on which tracker to get for my wife for a long time. Your review especially commenting on its simplicity, accuracy and weight has helped me decide on this MSM model. 👍She'll be most pleased.
Thanks a lot for watching Mark. I think it would suit your wife just fine.
Thanks Richard, as usual, very informative. I'll have to think about what I'll do, might continue stacking for awhile. I don't want to be the bloke with all the gear and no idea. Thanks again. 👍
That's actually a really good way to look at it Michael. It certainly is a progression.
Would it be practical to mount the MSM onto a 3 Way geared head Richard? If I decide to buy a tracker further down the track, I'm thinking of the gear I already own, and not having to outlay extra $s for a ball head. Thanks
@@michael.tjf.fotography Yes that would work ok for sure. The 3 way geared head would be much better than a ball head underneath the Nomad.
Awesome video.
Thanks heaps for watching.
Hello Richard, I have the MSM and I also had problems with it at the beginning because at that time I was photographing with a Nikon D800 and the 14-24mm f/2.8 lens and it was a very heavy set and it would also come loose, I had 2 or 3 scares, I solved the problem, I glued it on a V Mount Designed with Alyn Wallace with Silicone glue, it never came loose again, problem solved, but due to the weight, sometimes close to 30% of the 1-minute shots had trails, I switched to the lighter Nikon Z and started having problems with the motor. I bought it, the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer is my service tracker.
I'm thinking about buying the Nomad so I can take it on a trip, as taking the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer is out of the question as it's very heavy.
This video of yours was a valuable help for my next purchase.
As always, your photos enchant me. Thanks Richard🙏
As always I very much appreciate your comments Mario.
@@nightscapeimages.richard 🙏
Hey thank you so much for this video!! It's just what I needed. I have an Ioptron Sky whatever and will probably be selling it and getting the Nomad. I'm up here in the northern hemisphere so will probably use the laser to align. Thanks again for a great video. Cheers from the PNW!
Thanks so much for watching, really appreciated.
Thanks Richard for the in depth review
You're very welcome Sarvesh.
Awesome bit of gear Richard, gratitude review. Love your work mate
Always appreciate your comments Brad mate.
Hi mate, thanks for all the amazing videos you have produce for the photographer community. Where did you get the two way bubble level with the arca Swiss plate. Thanks again.
Thanks Jim. The bubble level is pretty commonly available, but I attached it to a home made nylon disc with a 3/8 thread inside to screw onto the tripod. www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=712272860584&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7175140927816832903&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907&gad_source=1
Thanks for another interesting video. I have a SW GTi and not looking for a new tracker but it's always good to see what's new!
I reckon you'd be well pleased with the performance of the GTI Darrel.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Yes it suits me well as I like to photograph some deep sky objects like nebula. The GoTo feature is very handy!
Well I nearly choked on my coffee when you said the Benro “promises the world but delivers Tasmania”! 🤣
Thanks for the very clear assessment, Richard. Those images speak for themselves. To be able to get 60s at 85mm would essentially cover me for all bases - and even then I only rarely go to that FL.
This is a seriously tempting proposition. The sheer weight and bulk of the StarAdventurer is quite a burden and takes up a lot of valuable real estate in my already overworked camera bag. My shoulders don’t love me for using it! The MSM rotator never really appealed as it seemed so flimsy. This could be an excellent Goldilocks-zone alternative. And not having to deal with the maddening SA battery compartment is a plus!
I wish MSM would organise their packages with a little more logic. In the U.K., you can only get the wedge bundle by throwing in a headtorch!!
Thanks heaps for watching again Paul. The Star Adventurer is a wonderful tracker, but I only use it with a power bank these days, as that power dial is awful in a camera bag.
I don't know how they worked out the packages at MSM .. it should be you add the pieces you actually want.
That head torch thing is bonkers - I am also in the UK and looking at the Nomad!
@@sarahjanereilly9335 Thanks for tuning in Sarah
Send them an email and ask for a combo price on what you want. They reply fairly promptly.
Richard, have you ever had a power bank run out over a night because of cold...... Although does it actually go below 0 in Oz
Fantastic video. Very timely. I've only got a few astro shoots under my belt but have been eyeing off the MSM for several months and have been about to pull the trigger but wasn't sure about the set up for Australia. I think I will try to 3D print a phone holder with 90 degree arca swiss plate for polar alignment like that one you have.
You won't go wrong with that setup Hank. Thanks for tuning in.
Another great video and good to see the new tracker .. just be careful with neewer plate .. mine gave me grief twice with it being stuck and started moving despite being locked ! Had to remove it with a lot of force from the Wedge this morning ..
Thanks Virat, I'll keep that in mind. I wanted something small and light weight. . but I'll treat it with kid gloves.
Another terrific review!
From what I've seen, by the time you buy the MSM kit the price is fairly close to the Sky Watcher similarly equipped. Maybe a comparison between the MSM and another should include setup time.
Yes you are probably right Leon. I love the sky watcher trackers but this one is certainly smaller and lighter.
@@nightscapeimages.richard So true. I do wish the Nomad had 1/2 speed.
@@leonfisher I've never found a reason to use the half speed option on a star tracker.
Yep I must get some glow tape to use on my tripods and I find my New car with it's black interior is a pain for finding camping and camera gear in the dark of the Night! Glad I Brought a camera Bag with a light color interior to help when finding stuff when out at night..
These are the 1% er's John, but very important.
Hi Richard. SkyLabs now offer the Arca Swiss adapter. Love ya work by the way.
Thanks James, yes I was just notified about that.
It never occurred to me how difficult that issue is with the Rotator. I am enjoying your videos on the Nomad. I've used the Rotator for three years. I use the Alyn Wallace v plates with the Rotator, which I only use for landscape night scape work, not any deep sky work. I have Sky Watcher, iOptron, and dedicated astro EQ mounts so I'm not that interested in polar alignment of these small mounts.... until now. Haha. So thanks for the tips. I just got the Nomad this week, so am experimenting with it and seeing how it would work for some of the larger deep space objects, like M31 and M42, with kits like an OM-1 and 75mm f/1.8 and Sony A7RV and Samyang 135mm f/1.8. We'll see. I like your panning ball heads. Used them for years for panoramic work.
Thanks so much for tuning in Jeffrey. Appreciate your comments.
got two of them & still working that out :-)
Thanks for tuning in Brett. Do you mean you have 2 x Nomad's or 2 other trackers ..???
Fantástico.
Once again I appreciate you watching Rogerio.
Great review Richard, I have the original MSM but no longer use it due to the anxiety inducing unscrewing issue. With an astro tour to Indonesia coming up later in the year though, I'm thinking this could be a better option than lugging my existing skywatcher star adventurer around where space and weight savings will be paramount. Wonder if they'll take the old MSM back as a trade-in 🤔
Haha, good luck with that one Greg. The Nomad is very small and light for sure.
That's my thinking!
I'm in northern Hemisphere. When CCW heavy, it would unscrew, slamming camera into whatever stopped it. I communicated with MSM at length. This was a few years back. They admitted they where aware of the problem. Basically hoping no one would be too bothered. Shame on them. They should offer a trade on discount. When I'd try to tighten it further, the gears would jump teeth. I find the "V" plate put the weight out further, compounding the problem. I want the nomad, just bothered by the company.
I've used mine with Rokinon 135mm. It was good, with a reasonable PA.
@@mikehardy8247 Thanks for your insights Mike. It's a story I've heard a few times now.
I have the original version and it works great up in Scotland
Yes I think a lot of people are getting good results with it James
I’ll happily take one of those trackers off you Rich. 😉
Haha, well I might need to use them all one day ..!!!
Hey richard!
How do you get that center cross in the skysafary app ? I would like to use the app but i dont have that cross for the allignment 😅
And thx for the great video's!!
Thanks for watching. This video may be of assistance. Especially note from 19:10 onwards. th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
Richard, thank you so much for your awesome videos. I have been following you for years. I am interested in getting a star tracker soon. Would the Move Shoot Move be a good first one to get? Does this support longer lenses? Keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for your great support. I like the MSM Nomad for wide angle lenses rather than the original MSM Rotator. For longer lenses I'd go with the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thank you.
Thanks Richard. Wonderful photos as always. I have the original MSM and it’s total garbage on my opinion. Hopefully the new one works better for you. Based on last experience with them, I think I’ll stick with something more reliable.
Thanks Brian. I didn't bother with the original MSM but this one seems pretty good so far.
Another excellent and informative video, Richard. My question is, what is the payload for this MSM Nomad?
Thanks so much for watching Philip. It's listed as being 3.2 kg's which is a lot for a small tracker.
Another great video, Mr. Tatti. By the way, can you post the link to the smartphone support that you use to align with the application? Thank you again!
Certainly. I'm using the Skylabs phone adaptor. See here: www.skylabs.co.nz/product-page/skylabs-nz-polar-alignment-adapter
@@nightscapeimages.richardthank you!
😅nice little tracker, great video 5hank you
Always appreciate you watching Phil.
Great review. Thank you! I'm finally switching to mirrorless. I'd be interested in knowing how much your lenses weigh, just to have an idea of total weight on the tracker or at least how much the heaviest lens you've used weighs.
Thanks for checking it out Derek. The Nikon 14-24 f2.8Z is my heaviest lens at 650 grams/1.43 lbs. The Nomad is rated at 3.2 kg so it well and truly handles all of my gear. I wouldn't use this tracker with big heavy lenses though.
Nice Video! Thanks, but I also have the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer and M2M, and I found out I get better results with Sky Watcher Star Adventurer.
That Star Adventurer is a wonderful tracker. Do you have this Nomad version or the original Move Shoot Move ..??
Fantastic coverage Richard, I've just gotten the Nomad too and have found much the same as what you covered here. Unreal how we manage to collect gadgets, I have 5 trackers now too. Perhaps we need to set up a support group for those like us that can't seem to stop at one 🤔?
Haha, yes it does become quite excessive doesn't it Dominic. Well I guess some people collect sports cars .. so we can't complain too much.
Great video and it seems like a nice tracker. I looked at their website and what seemed odd is they only offer the wedge in a package with the rotator and a bunch of other stuff. That seems odd, considering the tracker(or as they call it "the rotator) uses an ARCA-Swiss mounting. I guess the thinking is that you'd use a ballhead as the wedge.
Yes I think a lot of people do use a ball head as the base. Not a smart move in my opinion. The MEM wedge isn't as solid as the Sky Watcher one .. but I think it's ok for this light weight tracker. I also don't quite understand their packages.
Hi Richard, than you for your very interesting vid. Can you please provide a link or product reference for getting the V shaped plate connecting the tracker to the camera ballhead?
Thanks for watching Roberto. MSM V Plate: www.moveshootmove.com/products/z-v-platform-designed-with-alyn-wallace-preorder?srsltid=AfmBOopy7Ig0pQz8Qd-AGoC-wlBrmSmPsYQuXZ_SXPGH9D5f12jmxnSL
Can you put your phone in the alignment bracket upside down and align to the north celestial pole that way? Clear skies!
In theory I'd say you could except that it would be a lot harder to read the screen.
Thanks for a great review, Richard. I sold my MSM and accessories last year as I wasn't using it enough. This new MSM product looks tempting. Thanks also for your recommendation of Sky Safari. Now I just have to figure out how to get to the polar alignment view on it. Finally, aren't the Alyn Wallace V and Z plates supremely useful ?
Thanks so much for watching Geoff. Yes the V & Z plates are a wonderful invention that's for sure.
Another great video, thank you, Richard. As a user of the MSM Rotator, I was very interested to watch this review, and it does look a lot better / simpler. On a completely different note, would you consider doing a video on how to prepare nightscape images for printing? If you print them yourself or send them away to be printed, how do you get the quality authenticity of colour in the print. Whenever you do your pieces to camera inside, I am always distracted by your superb prints on the wall!! Thanks, as always, for such excellent content!!
Thanks as always for your great support Simon. I never print my own images, I prefer to send them off to a print house for that. For my nightscape images I always send them off a lot brighter as my experience is that most night prints come back too dark. The sign of a good print is the quality of the blacks. I've tried a lot of printers and this varies considerably.
I guess it's the same old result. .try various print houses til you find one that gives the results you're after. The good thing is that these days many printers have excellent products.
Thanks for this. This is awesome to PA quickly here. I cant though seem to work out how to locate the center point on the screen when in compass mode on SkySafari &. The compass works but there is no icon like you have to show the center. Been going nuts trying to find it!
A lot of people seem to have had that problem. Did you watch the instructions right at the end of this video .???? th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
Also, you need the Plus or Pro versions of this app to see everything as mentioned here.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Legend! I was missing setting up a observing FOV and saw that video where you took us through it now.
Thanks Richard, great review but you've now cost me $250 when I purchased one. Still, I should be able to get $250 back in scrape for my Polaris! 🤣🤣
My unit has arrived but I've noticed the little allen key they supplied doesn't fit the locking grub screw in the attachment plate or the screws on the Arca Swiss plate. Did you have the same thing? I can't see where else the allen key could be used. I think they're just including the wrong key. No big deal, a 3/32 allen key fits fine but just a little strange.
Hi Richard. Awesome video as usual. Can I please ask what the device is you have hooked up to the camera hot shoe. Thanks
Thanks for watching James. That's a wireless shutter release. I use this all the time. www.amazon.com.au/YONGNUO-RF-603-Wireless-Trigger-generation/dp/B00HRSW3TE
Amazing video, Richard! I always find myself coming back to the nomad.
I just bought the Polaris and boy do I love it when it works. Im always shooting in portrait with my L-bracket so i need to purchase adapters so i can use 90⁰ cableds that benro doesnt supply. Ive broken the polaris twice with adapters and have only used it 5 times now. I love panos so the automation is a huge plus.
I would like a tracker that could handle both landscape and deepspace so the Ioptron has always been another option ive thought of.
Cheeres from the US!
Thanks so much for watching, always appreciated. Sounds like you're searching for the Holy Grail of trackers . .doesn't quite exist just yet though ..!!!!
@@nightscapeimages.richard if only the GTI could do automated panos and polar alignment like the polaris!
@@JMNaturescapes Yes the GTI is a wonderful tracker . .but nowhere near as portable as the Polaris.
Thanks Richard. Really impressive. I've been watching MSM for a few years now, but always thought they were too light-duty for my D850 with a 16-35 f4 lens setup. You didn't mention (or I may have missed it) its payload. Also, and this goes for all of these types of equipment, they are missing a bit of safety. I wish they would make the rail mounts (either Vixen or AS) with a positive stop in case you untwist the wrong knob in the dark...
Thanks again for watching Paul. The payload listed for the Nomad is 3.2 kg. The weight of the D850 plus 16-35f4 is about 1.75kg. I agree about the safety issue but this unit is far better than the original MSM rotator in this regard. I did find that when using the Alyn Wallace V mount it stops the ball head/camera from sliding all the way off if the arca swiss plate is loosened.
@@nightscapeimages.richard thanks for the first hand beta... I just ordered an Alyn Wallace mount after seeing this video... As always, you are a great source of inspiration, information, and indoctrination.
@@berthaduniverse Thanks again.
Hi Richard, thanks for another awesome video! Do you have a link to the V mount and the ball head by chance? Thanks!
Thanks for watching. V mount is available from MSM. www.moveshootmove.com/products/z-v-platform-designed-with-alyn-wallace-preorder
This is the ball head I used in this video: www.amazon.com.au/INNOREL-G40-Panoramic-Ballhead-Camcorder/dp/B098QF5WJT/ref=asc_df_B098QF5WJT/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=463537492308&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16760540189559562757&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1463733288628&mcid=85477bc4a02a35eeb9220d196d31b8cf&th=1
You could use any low profile ball head but I like the flexibility of these one's.
Hi Richard I would be interested to know what the heaviest weighted camera and lens combination you have had on the Nomad and how successful your results were please.
I don't usually put heavy equipment on the Nomad. I've used it with a Nikon Z6 and Nikon 14-24 f2.8Z lens. That's the heaviest combination I have. It handled that with ease.
Hi Richard
Great video. May i qsk what tripod you are using
I am using the Artcise AS80C carbon fibre tripod.
Images look awesome mate…I too have to skyguider iPolar & it has been fiddly in the field…might have to give this tracker a go…how would u rank it amongst the other trackers?
At this stage it's keeping up with all of them quite nicely. As I stated in the video, my use case is predominantly wide angle astro landscape photography .. .and for that it excels.
The Nomad looks to be a solid mini tracker. Did you figure out its weight limits of camera and lens combined? How heavy (lens and camera) would you think it could happily accurately track without trailing? 😎😊👌
Thanks Geoff. I haven't done any specific testing regarding weight limit. My motto with any of these trackers is to make note of what the manufacturer says is the limit, and then not exceed about half of that weight .. !!!!
It coped ok with the 85mm but I wouldn't take it much further than that.
My thinking is that if I want to shoot long lens deep space astrophotography, then I'll buy a strong solid mount with go-to tracking features to achieve that. The Nomad works fine with my Nikon or Sony prime lenses and they are the only one's I'll be using on a tracker anyway. Gone are the days of buying big and heavy lenses .. no matter how good they are.
Thank you for a great video. If you had to choose one, which would you buy? MSM NOMAD or SWSA MINI?
That's a difficult question. The Mini is more robust and has the option for adding a counterweight but the Nomad is just so small and light weight. .. both excellent. If travelling and carrying gear . .certainly the Nomad.
Hi Richard, thanks once again for a very enlightning video. I had never heard of the Nomad but it does look interesting. As you know, I am sitting on the fence re the Benro Polaris and I think your comment in this video sums up my deep down hidden feeling. I even bought the video course from Dan Zafra, just to be more informed. I would really be interested how you accurately do panoramas, does your rotation plate use clicks or do you just use the degrees marked on it? I think at present, I will stick to the SA, it is sill a great piece of kit.
Thanks David. For normal tracking you don't need the Polaris. It's really useful for automated tracked panoramas .. but that's it's one wood as far as I'm concerned. Way too many hoops to jump through for standard tracking shots.
To be honest, panoramas don't have to be accurate. . as long as there is sufficient overlap between shots they will stitch ok. Often I have variations with the overlap between 50% and 80%. They still work fine.
Maybe I take more shots than I need to but that's ok. On a standard tracker or tripod . .i guess the overlap based on position of stars in the scene. I've never used a clicking rotator .. but many other great photographers do use them.
Hi Richard a great presentation and a very detailed video. Thanks a lot for educating us. One simple question about the Android app you used Start tracker 7 plus. I too got the same app purchased. But when I go to compass icon, i do not see the screen you have with longitude and latitude lines and the little dot which you aligned the NCS. I got 2 questions.
1. Being in Australia, why did you aligned your phone to NCS?
2. How did you get that screen from the Start tracker 7 plus app? what settings you have to modify to get that screen?
I'm impressed and going to order the Normad sky Tracker after watching your video.
Thanks so much for watching, really appreciated. I think they may have changed the interface of the Sky Safari app since I recorded this video. I align to the NCP because it's easier to hold the phone in a cradle that lets it sit without craning your neck to look up at the SCP. This method works in both hemispheres.
Check this video .. especially from the 19:12 mark onwards. th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
This looks like an awesome tracker. I love the fact that its lightweight. Something to look into 😊. Thanks Richard. Love your work, you are always thorough and informative. 😊
Maz, you are always so kind my friend. Thank you.
Richard, another great video. Sorry for the digression but which tripod are using and which seems quite solid in its own right?
I'm using the Artcise AS80C. It's a great tripod.
Hey Richard
Shooting a Nikon d500 with tokina 11-16 2.8 mostly I would th8nk , sigma 17-50 2.8 and Nikon 35mm 1.8
I just ordered the nomad star tracker with v plate , great deal I got by asking them if they had any deals coming up they gave me a one off 15% discount so worth asking
Couple of questions and really appreciate your time you put into not only the videos but also the time you take answering I’m sure the many questions you receive
I notice sometimes you stack multiple tracked images and sometimes you don’t even though the iso was 800 ss 2 minutes I think on both images were the same , I realise the stacked images are to reduce noise , just wondering why some are stacked and some not , given I’m using a crop sensor I probably will have to stack to reduce noise , looking forward to the challenge and sharing some of my shots in the future
Was also thinking about the phone adaptor included in my package I think you called it a spider , im thinking how could I adapt this adaptor to align with the North Star so the phone is upwards and I don’t have to get underneath the phone
Would I be able to sikaflex a 50mm Arca Swiss plate to the upper side of the arm so I can just flip the phone holder over and clamp align before i put the tracker on similar to what you do with your phone holder , also noticed there is a threaded hole on the arm maybe I could just screw a plate on possibly add some sikaflex as well so it never moves , once I get the holder I will be able to physically think about how it could be adapted , I have emailed msm about making a holder for the southern hemisphere that could align like this
If adding say a 50mm plate to the spider msm phone holder is possible it would make a good video on how to adapt it , I was thinking if they made the arm of the holder a Swiss arca plate then that may work , very interested to hear your thoughts on this
Thanks so much for watching Mark. The Nomad has been excellent for me and I think you'll enjoy using it.
Most of the time I don't stack my tracked images unless I'm looking to bring out very faint detail. So for example when I shoot the Orion area I often stack as the nebulosity around this area is rich in colour and detail that is often hard to see in a single shot. So by stacking more than one image you are effectively increasing your signal to noise ratio and getting more detail in the shot. Obviously this requires extensive editing to bring it out.
I think the MSM phone mount is a little cumbersome .. it works but not the way I prefer which is to point down to the opposite celestial pole. I have seen people turn their phones around but that means you're not able to see the whole phone screen. .not ideal.
Others have constructed a home made adaptor to fit a phone facing down to the ground. I think it's possible to create something useful but I'm not aware of anything currently on the market for the "Spider"
Thanks mate , hoping I can add a 50mm arca Swiss plate to the top arm and flip it to align north, won’t be able to try until it arrives , I’ll let you know if it works
Hello, I enjoyed watching your video. I'm an absolute novice with night sky photography, so I appreciate all the tips and tricks you can share. I do have a question though, how do you get your foreground subject to remain sharp (like the tree) if the Move Shoot Move is slowly rotating on its axis?
Thanks for watching. Anytime you use a star tracker you have to shoot a separate foreground exposure and blend them together later in post.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Oh okay, makes sense. Do you have a video explaining how to do that?
@@icthus10 Yes I have quite a few videos on that topic. See here: th-cam.com/video/K4bmef0k1kw/w-d-xo.html
or here: th-cam.com/video/zy3GY019jI4/w-d-xo.html
Hi There,,
I have the Star tracker Sky Watcher 2i
I noticed in this vid, you have an excellent angle bracket on both models, will this replace the standard set up using the long rod and counter balance ?
Regards,
................ Gary
.......................... AU (Adelaide)
Hi Gary. Well it depends on how much weight you want to put on the tracker. The Sky Watcher 2i will take much heavier loads than the Nomad, and that's where the counterweight setup comes into it's own. I never use heavy equipment on my trackers so find the V plate to be quite sufficient.
Much appreciated Richard
As I have a Z9, BH-55 and Z 14-24, I will stick with the weighted set-up
Regards,
................... Gary
Many thanks - clear and comprehensive. Convinced me to try one out. Do you find the msm wedge to be robust enough for reasonable loads eg Sony a7iii plus 20mm lens. Bit concerned about the altitude locking. Cheers, Des
Thanks for watching Des. Yes I had to tighten that lever up a loot as well.
Great video, thanks mate. I just purchased the NOMAD complete kit but didn't realise it didn't include the phone mount and I can't find it for sale separately on their website. Do you know how I can buy one without having to buy the phone kit or can you point me to somewhere I can buy one ?
Hey Alex. I'd suggest sending them a message and asking if you can buy it as a separate part. Their help department is very good.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks so much mate. I ended up finding them on the website but just didn't see them when I looked the first time because the thumbnail was a solar eclipse and I didn't think it had any connection to a phone mount. I bought my wife a kit as well and ordered 2 x phone holders with it.
Why your Nikon is Z6IIA, what stands the "A" for ?
The a means the camera is astro modified. This means that the camera sees more of the pinks and reds in the sky.
Fantastic review and, as always, super images. Have you measured the accuracy of your star alignment app? I've found that my smart phone compass & star maps such as SkyPortal are not super accurate, would be interesting to hear from someone who has compared the accuracy of the software with a proper compass.
Thanks for watching. I did do a comparison with the ioptron ipolar camera which is super accurate, and the Sky Safari method described here. There was a difference but not a lot.
One thing I can say is that out of all the apps I've tried . .and that's quite a few, Sky Safari is the best.
It's probably something I'll test more in the future.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I'll have to search your archives for that one. Thanks! ☺
Richard, Loved the video, very informative, as always except for one small detail. I simply CANNOT get the location cursor to show up on the compass screen of my Sky Safari Pro program on my iPhone 13. The compass mode works, I can tilt around to point, but I do not have a cursor in the middle to know what my precise pointing is. I have looked everywhere online and posted this question on Cloudy Nights, and so far haven't found what the trick is to get the location cursor to show up on the compass display. Without that, it seems to me this technique (regardless of day, night, or whatever hemisphere you are working with) is simply not going to work. I could I suppose by one of the other polar alignment apps for my phone and try that, but if I have Sky Safari it seems from your demonstration that I should be able to make it work on my phone with my version. I am hoping that you could possibly direct me to the setting(s) I am missing to enable this functionality?
Thanks for watching Michael. You do need the Sky Safari Plus or Pro versions to show some features.
Have a look at this video from 19.12 and see if that helps. th-cam.com/video/5D_n6ZtsZ4o/w-d-xo.html
What is the make of the tripod 2-way bubble levelling plate? It looks to be well made. Thanks 🇳🇿
That's a home made device David. I used a 2 way caravan level attached to a nylon block with a 3/8 inch threaded hole in it. www.amazon.com.au/Leveler-Caravan-Trailer-Levelling-Indicator/dp/B09TDBLG71/ref=asc_df_B09TDBLG71/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606290820670&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13687419747469086535&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9071496&hvtargid=pla-1866186980316&psc=1&mcid=b72a55201eee3dfd97749765080d6907
Hey Richard love your content, I have the MSM original tracker I use in the northern hemisphere. I've always used the lazer, does using the sky safari app give a more accurate result or would you say there is negligible difference. Thanks
Thanks Adrian. I've never used a lazer, but one thing you can do with the Sky Safari app method is polar align in daylight, or cloudy conditions. Or from a position where Polaris isn't visible. I find it very accurate.
Thanks Richard, great video! Just bought the MSM Nomad and I am looking forward to test it! By the way, which one is the ball head you are using? I am looking for a low profile one and better follow the recommendation of an expert!
Thanks so much for watching Josep. There are many good ones, but this is what I used. www.amazon.com.au/INNOREL-G40-Panoramic-Ballhead-Camcorder/dp/B098QF5WJT?th=1
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thank you Richard! Really appreciated it!