Want to photograph Neowise?

[ebiggs1]

Want to photograph comet Neowise?  Here is how I would do it and I might if the sky clears. Whether stars will trail in your photo or not, depends on the 500 rule.  It says 500 divided by the focal length of the lens equals the exposure time to keep stars sharp.  

I.E. 18mm / 500=33.3 seconds, 50mm / 500=10 seconds.  This is a general rule because not all DSLRs have the same size sensor.

Your camera needs to have a manual mode.  You can focus, use manual focus, on any bright star because when any star is in focus all stars are in focus. Even comets!

You do not need a telephoto lens!  Matter of fact you can get great comet and landscape pictures using a wide-angle lens.

The standard kit lens that comes with many cameras, the 18-55mm is fine. Try different focal lengths. Use fairly long exposures like 10-20-30 seconds and ISO 1600 or 3200. Keep the 500 Rule in mind. You will need a tripod.

Make sure you “bracket”. This means try different exposure settings.

You can get a close-up of the comet’s tail. But for close ups you do need a telephoto lens.  For instance, a 300mm lens would be great. It needs shorter exposures, however, like 2 or 3 seconds at perhaps ISO 3200 to get detailed pictures.  These are basic settings, try several and happy star gazing.

You can find Neowise in the lower northwest sky.  But you really do need to get to a dark sky place away fro any bright lights.

Some can see it naked eye but binoculars are best so take them along, too.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"The best thing you can do to improve your shots is to use shutter lockup, and a remote shutter release."

When you have exposure times in the 10 to 20 to 30 seconds range shutter lockup isn't much of a problem let alone the best thing you can do.

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I would disagree with that opinion.  Motion blur from the shutter may bet averaged out to some degree.  But, when you are capturing faint amounts of light, and then stacking images, it becomes more significant than you suggest.

[jrhoffman75]

Expanding on the 500 Rule - for folks without a full frame (35mm equivalent sensor) camera - i.e. Rebels, XXXD, XXD and 7D cameras - the "rule" is adjusted by the crop factor. You folks would use a 300 rule. Even then, depending on the enlargement, you might not get point stars. 

[ebiggs1]

"Motion blur from the shutter may bet averaged out to some degree"

Of course everybody has their own way of shooting but the. I hope it works for but it isn't necessary or by far the "best" thing you can do.  Most micro vibrations from a shutter will go unnoticed with a 10 second exposure let alone a 20 or 30 second.  On short shutter times I am right there with ya!

Super cloudy here matter of fact it is raining. No Neowise for me. 

[ebiggs1]

"You folks would use a 300 rule."

Absolutely I should have stated that in the first post, thanx.   

[jrhoffman75]

Finally a clear night in the Mt. Washington Valley.

[ebiggs1]

Cool shot. Love the water. 

[jrhoffman75]

Thank you.

[jrhoffman75]

International Space Station crossing the comet.

[ebiggs1]

WOW!  

[ebiggs1]

EOS 1DX, 420mm, f5.6, 10 sec., ISO 3200. A 420mm telephoto lens on a full frame 35mm camera like the 1DX is equivalent to looking through 8-power binoculars. With this power of magnification, a 10 second exposure is pressing the limits of sharp clear photography.

But just look at the colors. You can't see that without ocular assistance.

Before you say it, yeah, I used a 1.4x tel-con on my ef 300mm f4L lens.