Night Sky Using Live View Rebel T6

[aken46615]

Been trying to teach myself some astrophotography basics in Houston. Really bright skies. Currently using the 18 - 55mm kit lens that I got with the camera. Even on a Houston "Clear" sky, the live view is just a black screen. Histogram shows all the way to the left no matter the ISO setting (have tried up to 3200). Adjusting the exposure time doesn't seem to have an effect either. 

Is there anything i can do to see the sky at all on live view? I have the shutter set to fastest speed allowable which on my lens is f/5.6. I would think I should be able to see something at least? 

If I take a picture then I see plenty of stars and have no issues recoridng an image. I don't think its a focus issue becaue I can trial and error focus by taking pictures and adjusting to prime focus that way. It's just on the live view mode that I can't actually see a live view. Anyone have any thoughts on this? 

[MikeSowsun]

ISO 3200 is much too low at f/5.6

Your LiveView screen uses exposure simulation and it is showing you your exposure is too dark.

With your lens set to 18mm, try using Manual mode, with a 15 second exposure, f/3.5 and ISO 6400

[aken46615]

Mike appreciate the suggestion. Luckily it's dark so I was able to try it out. Didn't work. The live view still is pitch black. The 15s exposure was just washed out so I bumped it to 6s to be able see. Below is a picture of the camera screen I took with my phone. Sorry it's blurry, iPhone exposed it in the dark. That gradient on the screen is backlight. It's not on the screen. 

this is what the camera recorded below

for reference I took a screenshot of my iPhone live view. I didn't actually take a picture with the camera. This is a screenshot of the phone. I guess my end goal is to be able to see a similar live view on the T7

I tried the same ideas at iso setting H as well with no change in Live View screen. Appreciate the feedback so far!

Ken

[jrhoffman75]

---

@MikeSowsun wrote:

ISO 3200 is much too low at f/5.6

Your LiveView screen uses exposure simulation and it is showing you your exposure is too dark.

With your lens set to 18mm, try using Manual mode, with a 15 second exposure, f/3.5 and ISO 6400

---

Those are good target settings that Mike provided. It is just too dark for the camera's computer to simulate exposure in those conditions. 

If it is too dark to frame through the viewfinder set a 1 second exposure at a very high ISO and check framing on playback. Repeat untill you get the framing you like and then switch to target settings,

You want your histogram to be about at the 20 percent mark.

Here are my settings.

[kvbarkley]

Live view is video and the exposure is too short (1/30th a sec or so) to see any stars.

Use the viewfinder.

[kvbarkley]

Shutter speed *Maximum*? You ain't gonna get too many stars at 1/3000 sec! Except the sun, of course. 8^