Need help planning and photographing the Milky Way? Comment below! 👉 And check our super Milky Way Photography guide: www.photopills.com/articles/milky-way-photography-guide
Thanks for the video. No one else I found explains about declination like you did with the phone connected to the PC screen. Now I understand the difference declination makes.
I always use PhotoPills to calculate the NPF setting for exposure time, but I usually go a little less than the recommendation because I want pinpoint stars (even though I'm typically not printing). If I use what the NPF rule gives me, I often see star trails on the edges of the image, probably because these points are closer to the celestial equator and the stars are moving relatively faster there.
Short and quick. But excellent overview. Now with a polar mount star tracker you can optimize much better captures. But trying to create an optimal time lapse is very tricky.
I watched this AFTER a special opportunity to shoot the Milky Way at the Grand Canyon North Rim. Thank goodness my guesswork was right! I’ll be more confident next time! BTW, this video was very good. Your presentation was better than when you are participating with another expert. Next time you invite an expert, let him/her talk.
Hey! ISO does not play a role in the Spot Stars. The calculator works out the maximum exposure time you can use and still prevent stars from trailing. Then you use the ISO you need (3200, 6400) to get the exposure right. The aperture and shutter speed are the first parameters you decide, and then you use the ISO to nail the exposure :)
Great video, thanks! I always use the app before I get to the site. Though I do have some difficulties as I am out of cell phone tower range. Therefore, the planning is done with site knowledge and ahead of time. I just wish that I would get better results with my D500. It's got a good sensor, but I am having to push the exposure times even at f/2.8 @ 11-16mm. It it very frustrating.
Still confused about ISO setting. Am I to understand that I set the parameters you identify for a particular camera (i.e., camera, f/stop, time, and declination) then experiment with ISO to get a proper exposure for the designated shutter speed to avoid trails, or did you specify an ISO and I just missed it?
The settings he is talking about are those that would keep your stars point sharp, that is, no star trails. Put those into your camera. Then set your ISO at 3200 and take a picture... like what you see? If not, increase or decrease your ISO by one more level, take a picture and again evaluate what you see. I own a D7200 and have fluctuated between ISO 4000 to ISO 6400.... oh... I am assuming that your f-stop is at its lowest level (shooting wide open). My lenses have f4 as their widest. Some people can shoot at f1.4 but may opt to shoot at f2.8.... if you are at f2.8 and are not getting enough light, then go to f1.4 before deciding on increasing ISO. Hope that helps
Thank you for another great video. You are an excellent teacher. Is it better to increase ISO and stack several images to reduce noise or use a lower ISO and push exposure in post-processing.
Using a lower ISO and pushing exposure in post will cause noise to appear too. It's better to stack several images. Take into account that if your camera is ISO invariant, it won't be a big difference between pushing up the ISO and using a lower ISO and pushing exposure in post. Check this article by our friend Ian Norman from Lonely Speck: www.lonelyspeck.com/how-to-find-the-best-iso-for-astrophotography-dynamic-range-and-noise/
Thank you for the great video and app. One question. I am shooting with a Sony A6000, crop sensor, with a 10mm lens. Do I need to take the 1.5 crop factor into account when setting the lens focal length in the app or does it automatically account for it?
Because we calculate the maximum exposure time we can use to capture as much light as possible but avoiding star trails. Then we use the ISO the get the exposure right.
PhotoPills could you please help me? I have a R5 and I am trying with exposures of 30 seconds but I have a lot of hotpixels, do you speak spanish? Would you happen to know what I am doing wrong?
@@PhotoPills Yup, just like adjusting for any other pic using your camera light meter. I realized this about 2 minutes after I asked. Call me speedy! Thanks for the reply.
PhotoPills Rafael, just saw the update. Many thanks. Just wanted to let you know that the Canon R5 and R6 are flipped. It’s says the R5 has the 20MP sensor and the R6 the 45MP sensor.
@@jaimemontilla7675 It's already fixed. Yesterday we released an update for the Android app and today Apple reviewed the app and it has just been published.
Because this video is about calculating the maximum exposure time you can get without having star trails. When you know the time, then you adjust the ISO. What value? It depends on the performance of your camera with hight ISO. Something between 1600 and 6400 is what people use. But you can use even bigger ISOs if your camera performs well.
Need help planning and photographing the Milky Way? Comment below!
👉 And check our super Milky Way Photography guide:
www.photopills.com/articles/milky-way-photography-guide
Nicely explained! I am a huge fan of Photopills!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the video. No one else I found explains about declination like you did with the phone connected to the PC screen. Now I understand the difference declination makes.
Glad the video helped! Thanks so much for watching ;)
Thx, I got star trails on our last astro event. Now I'll use photopills to determine exposure settings and not rely on other formulas.
Awesome!
Excellent video. Explains everything in clear detail. All I need now is a cloud busting machine. 😀
If you find one let me know. I need one too
and star link, I spent 4 hours removing satellite trails from my latest star trail last week. :/
What an absolutely wonderful app PhotoPills is and what great instructional videos! Thank you!!
Thanks so much!!
I always use PhotoPills to calculate the NPF setting for exposure time, but I usually go a little less than the recommendation because I want pinpoint stars (even though I'm typically not printing). If I use what the NPF rule gives me, I often see star trails on the edges of the image, probably because these points are closer to the celestial equator and the stars are moving relatively faster there.
Scott Narus in this case you can use the accurate mode in the calculator :)
Short and quick. But excellent overview. Now with a polar mount star tracker you can optimize much better captures. But trying to create an optimal time lapse is very tricky.
Indeed!
Thanks Rafael. Always clearly explained!
Thank you Martine!! Love
Your videos and app rock! Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Thanks so much!
excellent short info video, I'm sure everyone loves these type of tutorial thanks.
Thanks!!
Thanks for an excellent video. Recently did an A3 sized print of one of my images and the result was shocking. Now I know why. Cheers Rafael!
Thank you!
I watched this AFTER a special opportunity to shoot the Milky Way at the Grand Canyon North Rim. Thank goodness my guesswork was right! I’ll be more confident next time! BTW, this video was very good. Your presentation was better than when you are participating with another expert. Next time you invite an expert, let him/her talk.
Thank you for the feedback!
Many thanks again for a great video, easy to understand very well explained.
Thanks Pete!
NPF Rule is quite valuable great information.
Yes! It's a great tool... Thank you Bill!
helpful video. thank you
Thanks again!
well done! Very helpful
Thank you Theodore!
Excellent video. Thank you.
Thank you!
Thank you for the video, great information, been wearing my yellow Gandalf T shirt 👍
You Shall Not Pass!!
you explain good thank you Rafael 👍
Thanks Wilco!
thank you
Thank you Joe!
Love this app!! The only thing I miss is the Northenlight index with dates and time.
Thank you
Thanks for the feedback!
Excellent very helpful Thank you Grazie Mille 🙏
Thank you Meri!
Very nice explanation. I have a question regarding Spot stars, at what ISO is it meant that you set aperture and shutter speed? Thanks.
Hey! ISO does not play a role in the Spot Stars. The calculator works out the maximum exposure time you can use and still prevent stars from trailing. Then you use the ISO you need (3200, 6400) to get the exposure right. The aperture and shutter speed are the first parameters you decide, and then you use the ISO to nail the exposure :)
interesting topic - wish there was an english version...
Thanks for the feedback...
Great video, thanks! I always use the app before I get to the site. Though I do have some difficulties as I am out of cell phone tower range. Therefore, the planning is done with site knowledge and ahead of time. I just wish that I would get better results with my D500. It's got a good sensor, but I am having to push the exposure times even at f/2.8 @ 11-16mm. It it very frustrating.
I feel you...
Still confused about ISO setting. Am I to understand that I set the parameters you identify for a particular camera (i.e., camera, f/stop, time, and declination) then experiment with ISO to get a proper exposure for the designated shutter speed to avoid trails, or did you specify an ISO and I just missed it?
The settings he is talking about are those that would keep your stars point sharp, that is, no star trails. Put those into your camera. Then set your ISO at 3200 and take a picture... like what you see? If not, increase or decrease your ISO by one more level, take a picture and again evaluate what you see. I own a D7200 and have fluctuated between ISO 4000 to ISO 6400.... oh... I am assuming that your f-stop is at its lowest level (shooting wide open). My lenses have f4 as their widest. Some people can shoot at f1.4 but may opt to shoot at f2.8.... if you are at f2.8 and are not getting enough light, then go to f1.4 before deciding on increasing ISO. Hope that helps
@@carlosgregorio8750 Thank you. That clarifies it for me.
The ISO comes last. First set the aperture and exposure time. And then find the ISO (1600, 3200, 6400) that works for you
Thank you for another great video. You are an excellent teacher.
Is it better to increase ISO and stack several images to reduce noise or use a lower ISO and push exposure in post-processing.
Using a lower ISO and pushing exposure in post will cause noise to appear too. It's better to stack several images. Take into account that if your camera is ISO invariant, it won't be a big difference between pushing up the ISO and using a lower ISO and pushing exposure in post. Check this article by our friend Ian Norman from Lonely Speck: www.lonelyspeck.com/how-to-find-the-best-iso-for-astrophotography-dynamic-range-and-noise/
Thank you for the great video and app. One question. I am shooting with a Sony A6000, crop sensor, with a 10mm lens. Do I need to take the 1.5 crop factor into account when setting the lens focal length in the app or does it automatically account for it?
Hi John! When you select your camera, PhotoPills takes into account the crop factor. So you need to introduce the real focal length :)
Rafael, Why is the ISO value not included in the calculation?
Because we calculate the maximum exposure time we can use to capture as much light as possible but avoiding star trails. Then we use the ISO the get the exposure right.
PhotoPills could you please help me? I have a R5 and I am trying with exposures of 30 seconds but I have a lot of hotpixels, do you speak spanish? Would you happen to know what I am doing wrong?
Hey! Here there is an interesting thread about hotpixels on the R5: www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4518059
Helpful. Did I miss setting of the iso or?
he ISO comes last. First set the aperture and exposure time. And then find the ISO (1600, 3200, 6400) that works for you to adjust the exposure.
@@PhotoPills Yup, just like adjusting for any other pic using your camera light meter. I realized this about 2 minutes after I asked. Call me speedy! Thanks for the reply.
When can we expect the “spot star” pill to be updated to support Canon R5
This week we'll release a new update with the Canon R5
PhotoPills Rafael, just saw the update. Many thanks. Just wanted to let you know that the Canon R5 and R6 are flipped. It’s says the R5 has the 20MP sensor and the R6 the 45MP sensor.
@@jaimemontilla7675 It's already fixed. Yesterday we released an update for the Android app and today Apple reviewed the app and it has just been published.
@@jaimemontilla7675 Thank you Jaime! We've launched a new update. It should be fixed now :)
You did not mention what is the ideal ISO to use in milky way photography. Can you please tell me with that?
Because this video is about calculating the maximum exposure time you can get without having star trails. When you know the time, then you adjust the ISO. What value? It depends on the performance of your camera with hight ISO. Something between 1600 and 6400 is what people use. But you can use even bigger ISOs if your camera performs well.
Thank you. I have a Nikon D5. So I think I can safely keep an ISO of 1600 without worrying about the noise. 🙏