I'm doing a long overnight, at work, and I came upon your videos via a fortunate accident. I happen to have the same Z6. Thank-you so much. You are doing an amazing job with these videos; very informative. And, of course, I do know what goes on behind the scene, with all the work you put into editing etc....Your alone at these obscure locations, but you have a lot of friends watching you!
Absolutely stunning, helps beginners with kit lens to flirt with night photography and the editing part revealed a lot of details to the processing part. Well done again Richard.
Very very nice and comprehensive tutorial. I know that the purpose of the video was the majesty of 24-70 f4, but I really appreciate the full walk through your workflow. Subscribed!
Your videos with the beautiful Milky Way there in Australia are fantastic. I'm always excited when I see the great video and use it as an incentive here in Germany.
Richard - Ive seen every video (some several times) and I learn something each time. There were a few small points I was not getting. This video cleared them for me. Slowly, Im getting better by following your tutorials. Thanks heap!!
Thank you for taking the time to go over everything from A to Z. I'm amazed that you got such a great exposure of the milky way with f/4 and only 15 sec at iso 6400. I would have expected the sky to be much darker. You have the best milky way tutorials on RUclips!
Really appreciate your comments James. With these files I'm able to boost the exposure quite a lot in post production without adding extra noise which helps.
Awesome videos, my next purchase will be the Z6 & you answered my questions of lens considerations..Love your work, I am hooked on Milky Way shoots & light painting!!! Keep up the good work Richard..just my $0.02, Ken in Arizona.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I was planning to buy a camera and I was unsure about the kit lens (24-120 f4), but seeing what you're capable of doing, I might go for that. And thanks for the tips on post processing, always very useful to have simple processes to get nice images!
Richard that was a cracking tutorial and you certainly went through your workflow which is helping me so much in mine, thank you once again for sharing your work and ideas to us all your fellow astrophotographers. Cant wait to get out now.... Thank you sir....
@@nightscapeimages.richard it's been just terrific, cold but quiet with my thermos full of coffee in tow! Nothing beats being out there and watching magic as it appears on the screen whilst taking in the fantastic night air... l'm hooked haha!!
Thanks for another great video tutorial. I'm so happy you review the editing process for the various techniques you use as it helps to consolidate the learning process. Great images, too!
Thank you Richard. I only have a f4 24 -105 Canon lens for my 6D and you have inspired me to us it for Galaxy night Scape photos. I alway thought I would need f2.8 to take Milky Way shots but you have proved that f4 can work as well. Regards Sean
Thank you Richard, I especially appreciate when you show your editing techniques in you videos, I’m learning a lot from you. You are surely one of my favorites on RUclips ✨✨😁
Enjoyed your video! I always pick up a tip from you and greatly appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your review of the lens. Your work with the new Nikon Z6 may be changing my mind about these cameras. 😊
Hi Richard, I commented on this subject the other day and was thrilled to see this video. Great information as usual and perfectly narrated. I’m pleased you liked working with the lens and have boosted my enthusiasm for using it although I am still gagging for the 20mm 1.8 . Thanks again.
Fantastic Video! You looked cold by the time the night was done. What we do for good night Milky Way viewing, LOL! I come to notice you have the old version of Sequator. Did you know about the new Sequator for timelapse. If you do a static timelapse you can stack your timelapse for less noise.
Appreciate the effort to show how you processed the images. For me, post processing is the most difficult thing about this type of photography work. Really enjoying your channel.
Many thanks, Richard! I have been working on my Milky Way Shots from two days ago and this was an incredible help. Great instruction on Sequator and on using photoshop and the LIghten blending mode. I am now getting a better blend between my stacked star image and my foreground!
Richard, as always your videos are amazing. I commented on a recent video of yours that I was really curious to see how you process a pano shot with the foreground etc. I was dying to know how you were able to stitch the pic together since the sky is moving in between shots. When I saw this video and saw that you took a 9 pic pano shot I was really excited to see how you did the processing but I think you never did it. I watched twice to make sure I didn't miss anything but I didn't see it. I'm still hoping to see that pano processing video. I do want you to know that I appreciate all that you've taught me so far. I'm a beginner and have taken a couple of really amazing milky way shots because of the knowledge that you have shared. Thank you again! Jeff
Thanks very much Jeff. Yes you are correct. Unfortunately the video was running over 33 minutes and I didn't want it to go on for too much longer. I promise I'll do a pano workflow some time soon for you.
@@QuantumShifter69 I haven't done that Jon .. probably a time issue .. especially as many of the people who follow me are all over the world in different time zones.
Awesome :) I was thinking should I buy wide-angle + 2.8 lenses for my new Z6ii or not, though I am a beginner, your content made me work around with my kit lens 24-70 F4 lens and play around with it for some time. Thanks so much for making this video. I like the longer videos as well for detailed learnings, thanks again.
That's a sweet shot! I figured your ISO would be higher for the f/4 but it worked out really well. Of course now I have to dig out that lens I tossed in the closet because I thought it wasn't fast enough and give it a go myself LOL. Anyways, nice video and excellent tutorial!! Cheers.
Your images are just stunning! I have tried my hand at a few of these using your excellent tutorials. I'm getting better at it but I would love to see how you get the beautiful softness/surreal look in your post processing. Thanks for your videos....
Excellent video, and very informative. I’ve shot Sony 24-105 f/4 for Milky Way, on an A7RIV and it seems to do as good a job as the Sony 16-35 f/2.8. Of course, Sony has the bright mode for framing and focusing which helps a lot.
Really loved the video. I watched it twice. One before having the same setup and one after having used the same setup under Bortle class 2 skies twice. Since I was using Canon 1200D before for nightscapes it was a lot easier for me to focus with Z6 and 24-70 F4. I agree its very sharp lens even at F6.3. I don't have a faster lens right now so using it for now. Its very good lens even for nightscapes but I still want to have a faster lens like 20mm f1.8S so that I don't have to use ISO higher than 6400. Recently I have used 25600 ISO on Z6 and stacked 9 images. The image came out very good. SS was 13 sec at 24mm and F4.
😱 I always wonder WHY would anyone give you a thumbs down! I just don’t get it! 😱 I’m always trying what you’re explaining in your videos but .... it simply doesn’t come up with the same result. 😂 So! I’ll keep on working on it ! Thanks again for this great video and amazing pictures.
Great review Mr Richard. Have that lens since got my Z6 and absolutely love it. Never tried for astro photography, but it seems to do quite a good job. Thanks again for an interesting and inspiring video.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Little update. just came from 4 days travel in Yunnan province. I brought my primes 20 1.8, 35 1.8 , but unfortunately weather didn't serve us well for night photography. 24-70f4 was on my Z6 all the time. Rain didn't bother me at all knowing that my gear is properly weather sealed. The best of all is that shooting high iso withZ6 is no issue at all and really didn't want to change lenses because i was so pleased with results i was getting. Simply useful and beautiful lens that matches Z6 perfectly, especially for traveling.
Cracking video one again Richard! Something to consider as a potential backup/replacement tracker. The Omegon LX2 NS. If you don't already know of it, it's a clockwork tracker with a 2kg load limit. Seems spot on, would work well with your mirrorless setup and there are a lot less things to go wrong! :)
Wow I'm super impressed by that lens...i wouldnt have dreamt you get a fantastic milky way image with an F4!!! Hmm, food for thought...I will eventually go mirrorless one day...but I have Canon's...and the whisper is that the Canon mirrorless is pretty ordinary....great video and great to see you that night!!
Thanks a lot Carmel. Actually I know a few guys who have the Canon EOS-R and absolutely love it for nightscapes. It was a while ago now wasn't it ... I've had a bit of a backlog to get through.
@@nightscapeimages.richardI absolutely love it!! And with your videos, I hope I can capture some good nightscape images which would have been tough with my d3300. Thank you!!
Hi Richard. Loving the video so far! I just shot a night scape 2 nights ago with my Z6 and the Nikkor S 14-30 f.4! Wanted to call your attention to the built-in lens profile in Lightroom for these z lenses. If you notice the "exclamation mark" in the lens profile panel, it explains that this profile has been automatically applied. In fact, there is no way around it! Hope this helps. Now back to the excellent video! 🤩
Chris Mosner , i was going to mention the same thing. I really don’t like that at all. I really like to see the move “toggle on and off” to see if i really like what the lens profile is doing. I wish there was at leased a way to do this if Nikon is going to bake in the lens profile with the new Z mount lenses.
@@EricTobiasPhotography agree! I wonder if the quality in the corners is SO bad that Nikon doesn't want anyone to see it? How much image area may be lost to cropping? 🤔
Chris Mosner the 24-70 S super sharp edge to edge. There is no cropping with with the lens profile that is automatically applied. If you check the pixel dimensions it’s 6048x4024 that’s full resolution for 24 megapixel.
Amazing work, This is the video i have been waiting for from you, a more detailed outlay of the editing and processing of your amazing photos. I have an old light house and wooden keepers hut called ''waipapa point lighthouse'' in my area that has been some what maintained as a tourist attraction. I plan to get some photos of each structure with the milky way core and stars behind it also applying the light painting to the buildings witch i think should work nicely. As i live near the south coast of New Zealand a bonus would be the southern antarctic lights but we cant have it all. Keep the videos coming i really enjoy learning from your content cheers
Another great vlog Richard and very interesting to see how you use the software to edit your images. I will certainly be viewing it a number of times to make sure to do exactly what you did. Do you have a written book about how you process your images.
Hi Richard, really love watching your video. Been following your videos lately and it really help me improve on the astrography and photo editing. I had tried this Z6 & 24-70 f4.0 myself and I too find it magnificent but the focusing is really hard and is something that need to get use to. Appreciate if you can run some videos talking about 14-30 f4.0 too. Thanks.
Hi Richard! The temperature should not be an issue. I use My Star Adventurer in temperatures down to -15, sometimes -20, Celsius in winter here in Norway. I use an external USB powersupply that might help keep it going. The manual indicates your problem is a motor error of some kind (blinks 3 times pr second) so you might ned to have it serviced. Best of luck figuring it out. And tanks for yet another Great video 📹
Thanks a lot for your info Torbjorn .. I have no idea where to get such a device serviced. Usually when I take the back off it starts to work again so it's a pain that's for sure.
Nightscape Images The manual has 2 points for when the LED is blinking 3 times pr second. Motor Error Status: LED will blink at a 3-times-per-second rate in two cases: 1. Motor speed accuracy violation: The motor speed error is over 5%. If this keeps happening, the user may need to check for overloading (Max load is 5kg) or low battery 2. Motor stall: The motor stalls over 5 seconds. May be caused by external interference. Please check if the mount is blocked by an external force. Okay, so I dont think you overloaded it with a Z6 and the kit-lens so it has to be either the battery (have you tried an external power source?) or some kind og blockage somewhere. By your description it seems there might be something too thight inside it causing the motor to work too hard. For guidance on how to get it serviced I would contact Bintel which sells the SA in Australia. Check here: www.bintel.com.au/product/skywatcher-star-adventurer-bundle-white/?telescope=1&v=4442e4af0916 Contact info here: www.bintel.com.au/contact-us/?v=4442e4af0916
@@T-Bear Thanks very much Torbjorn for your comprehensive response. I actuallly bought the tracker from Bintel in Sydney a few years ago. I have noticed that I can't use the counter weight at all with the unit as it will stop immediately.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Hmm. That is really strange given the counter weight is supposed to remove the strain on the motor and gears.. I really Hope Bintel can help you figurer this out. The SA is a nice tool when it works as it should.
Super video, as usual. I was really interested in this, as I have the same setup. I was pleased to see your conclusions were the same as mine. Personally i don’t find focusing so bad on the Z6, I love focus peaking. If all else fails, I just focus on a bright light at 1km or so, this suffices ( theoretically anything over 10m ). I also found sharpness at edges to be great and much better than f mount lenses. I too am waiting for the 2mm f1.8 Z lens, as you say, it should be a killer lens.
Richard, @ 12:00 after selecting Nikon for your lens and it selects ones by itself in the next dropdown box, click on that one also and there you'll see another list so you can select the proper lens. Depending on what it auto selects and what you actually shot with can make a big difference, though sometimes not. At any rate, it's always worth making correct, as it appears from this video at least, you might not be aware that, that row is also selectable. None of us know it all that's for sure, so in case you didn't, I thought you'd like to know that.
What a wonderfully artistic and intuitive video. It answers many of the questions I have regarding stacking and light painting. Thank you so much, especially as I have just purchased the Z6 kit but own also the 20mm 1.8. So excited to try it here in the mountains.
I just received this combo a couple days ago. I went out last night to do some test shots using Richard's settings and they look fantastic. This kit lens wasn't a big surprise because Richard said it was very sharp but nevertheless I was impressed, especially for it being a kit lens. Still getting to know navigating the menus and settings. Have been a Canon shooter for 15 years or so. I just ordered the Z 20mm 1.8 . The Z6 has incredible low noise compared to anything I have used and is very user friendly. Thanks again Richard for all your incredible content. Bendigo is on my bucket list.
Great video. Thank you. I am torn between the Z6 and the Z7. I do mainly landscape but I want to do more low light/night photography. Why did you choose the Z6 over the Z7?
Thanks for watching Robert. There isn't much difference between the Z6 and Z7 except resolution. The Z6 is slightly better at very high iso and is also better for video. The Z7 excels at landscape and perhaps portrait photography. For nightscapes the Z6 has a slight edge but both are excellent cameras.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks, i was in Sydney and Canberra a few weeks ago on vacation and the weather was great in Sydney but I was only able to get a 4 hour window at night in Canberra at one of your parks but unfortunately the moon was waxing. I just got back into photography after several decades of inactivity and use the Canon RP along with Sigma ART, a Tamron SP and a couple of IRIX prime lenses. I bought the body with the RF 24 105 mm f4 L kit lens which I like due to the weight reduction over the older versions and it is very comfortable carrying around for general shooting. I used my first Canon(AT-1) in 1982 when I first visited your country and again in 1986. I plan on a 4th return within a year but a at better time, what do you suggest? Tom
Wow that stacked process is really in depth. Not sure I'll get too much into that or not then. I suppose it's like anything, in that the more you do it, the more simplistic and easier, quicker flowing it all becomes. I almost always do panorama's though anyway, well, I should say, I always do them for the night sky lol so do you think there would be any advantage of stacking images for pano's? Do you stack pano images and if so, how many layers do you do for those?
Thanks for watching. Normally I don't stack panos ... very time consuming and I like to keep the shots as close together as possible. Appreciate you watching.
Enjoyed this. I have lots of images on my camera that I intend to stack. I better get photoshop on my computer soon, and start practicing. I've used lightroom for several years, but never photoshop.
So sorry about the tracker malfunction - but kudos to you for not letting that ruin your night! Richard, I so appreciate the effort you put into your teaching, and the passion you put into your craft! WOW! That image is SHARP! I am blown away and envious of the starburst you have on Jupiter. As I said in another comment, I just shot the other night with the 14-30 Z lens, and have nowhere near the same level of sharpness. I wonder if I am doing something incorrectly? I had 10s, f4, ISO 12800. Too high of an ISO for that kind of sharpness? Richard, I have the same camera, very similar lenses, yet I find I can't shoot with the same settings you use here in North America. I am in a VERY dark zone. Is the Milky Way just brighter down where you are? I am always needing more seconds or a higher ISO than you shoot with. Ideas?
Hi Chris, the sky here is very dark but I wouldn't think it would be too much different. I think you could shoot the 14-40 at the 14mm end at 20 sec shutter speed .. that would help your exposure .. even 15 seconds will be better. I don't usually shoot at iso12800 unless I'm stacking. Having said that the Z6 will still produce great images at those high iso's.
excellent video - am hoping to get this camera and lens soon and will try some nightscapes - thanks
Thanks so much for watching Wes, really appreciate it.
I'm doing a long overnight, at work, and I came upon your videos via a fortunate accident. I happen to have the same Z6. Thank-you so much. You are doing an amazing job with these videos; very informative. And, of course, I do know what goes on behind the scene, with all the work you put into editing etc....Your alone at these obscure locations, but you have a lot of friends watching you!
Thank you so much for watching the videos, really appreciated.
Thank you so much I appreciate your prompt reply. Victoria is a bit to far to travel lol. 6 hrs west of Sydney should definitely be a great idea.
Yes I'm sure you'll find some great spots out there.
Masterful, well done!
Thanks so much for watching Mark.
Wow very cool!! Thanks for showing us
Thanks so much Sol
In the hands of the Master, a kit lens will perform like an prime lens does. Always something to learn from Richard, the Master!
You are very kind indeed Raymond
Really beautiful. You southern hemisphere photographers are lucky.
Yes you are so right .. we certainly are. Thanks so much for watching.
Great to see all the detail in the video, I'll probably have to watch it another 20 times before I pick everything up.
No worries at all Three-phase
Super tutorial really appreciate you sharing
Thanks very much for having a look Rich
Absolutely stunning, helps beginners with kit lens to flirt with night photography and the editing part revealed a lot of details to the processing part. Well done again Richard.
My pleasure Chetan
Thanks for the post production tutorial, great stuff!!!
Thank you so much for watching, really appreciate it.
Found the processing a major a benefit - great to see the end to end video - super result.
Really pleased you liked it Robert .. .thank you.
I was dreading to do milkyway pictures with my Z6 and 24-70 f4 now you inspired me as it can be done but at a higher ISO. Thanks for the information.
Give it a go .. .I reckon you'll do ok. Thanks for watching.
@@nightscapeimages.richard thanks will do
Very very nice and comprehensive tutorial. I know that the purpose of the video was the majesty of 24-70 f4, but I really appreciate the full walk through your workflow. Subscribed!
Thanks so much for watching Dimitrios, really appreciated.
Your videos with the beautiful Milky Way there in Australia are fantastic. I'm always excited when I see the great video and use it as an incentive here in Germany.
Thanks so much for watching my friend
Richard - Ive seen every video (some several times) and I learn something each time. There were a few small points I was not getting. This video cleared them for me. Slowly, Im getting better by following your tutorials. Thanks heap!!
I do really appreciate your support Masvingo Sculptures, it means a lot .. thank you.
Great tutorial. Probably the best explanation on how to edit astro photos I've seen.
I'm really pleased it was helpful Apex, thanks for watching.
awesome work. sir .. 👍🏻
Thank you so much
Great work very nice tutorial as well another piece of your art created
Thanks so much for watching Carey
absolutely informative and wonderful video
Another great video Richard. Thank you for explaining your process in lightroom.
Thank you so much Suzanne
Thank you for taking the time to go over everything from A to Z. I'm amazed that you got such a great exposure of the milky way with f/4 and only 15 sec at iso 6400. I would have expected the sky to be much darker. You have the best milky way tutorials on RUclips!
Really appreciate your comments James. With these files I'm able to boost the exposure quite a lot in post production without adding extra noise which helps.
Awesome videos, my next purchase will be the Z6 & you answered my questions of lens considerations..Love your work, I am hooked on Milky Way shoots & light painting!!! Keep up the good work Richard..just my $0.02, Ken in Arizona.
Thanks a lot Ken, really appreciate you watching.
Fantastic video Richard!
Thanks so much Josep
@@nightscapeimages.richard I was planning to buy a camera and I was unsure about the kit lens (24-120 f4), but seeing what you're capable of doing, I might go for that. And thanks for the tips on post processing, always very useful to have simple processes to get nice images!
Excellent concise video and a pleasure to watch and learn
Many thanks indeed Al M
Thanks for showing us the entire process!
You're welcome Eugene, glad you like it.
Great video mate, love seeing your secret tricks to make the core pop. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Mick, thanks for watching
Richard that was a cracking tutorial and you certainly went through your workflow which is helping me so much in mine, thank you once again for sharing your work and ideas to us all your fellow astrophotographers. Cant wait to get out now.... Thank you sir....
Thanks for watching and for the great feedback Royston, always appreciated.
Great video Richard and particularly useful to see your preferences for MW editing in Lightroom. Thanks so much!
Thanks very much Paul
Great work mate awesome video
Thanks Brad, really appreciate your comments.
Fantastic as always mate. Well done
Thanks heaps Sam.
@@nightscapeimages.richard No problem. I finally managed to upload a new video to my channel. Just a simple travel montage with my family.
the best video I saw about editing nightscapes !! congratulations!
Many thanks indeed.
Another great informative video, l agree with you on the slightly green cast as l tend to bump up the magenta as well to give a more natural look.
Good on you Leigh. I've really been enjoying your recent images ...!!!
@@nightscapeimages.richard it's been just terrific, cold but quiet with my thermos full of coffee in tow! Nothing beats being out there and watching magic as it appears on the screen whilst taking in the fantastic night air... l'm hooked haha!!
@@Madieisacutie. Yes you sure are hooked ... !!! Great to see.
Absolutely fantastic tutorial Richard. Thank you so much for sharing! So glad I stumbled across your channel!
I'm glad you did also Cecilia .. thanks.
Thanks for another great video tutorial. I'm so happy you review the editing process for the various techniques you use as it helps to consolidate the learning process. Great images, too!
Thanks a lot Simon, really appreciate your support.
Thank you Richard. I only have a f4 24 -105 Canon lens for my 6D and you have inspired me to us it for Galaxy night Scape photos.
I alway thought I would need f2.8 to take Milky Way shots but you have proved that f4 can work as well.
Regards Sean
Good on you Sean. You'll have to push the iso but the 6D can handle that no worries.
Thank you Richard, I especially appreciate when you show your editing techniques in you videos, I’m learning a lot from you. You are surely one of my favorites on RUclips ✨✨😁
Very kind of you Gene, thanks for watching.
Enjoyed your video! I always pick up a tip from you and greatly appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your review of the lens. Your work with the new Nikon Z6 may be changing my mind about these cameras. 😊
Thanks heaps Lonnie. I love the Z6.
Hi Richard, I commented on this subject the other day and was thrilled to see this video. Great information as usual and perfectly narrated. I’m pleased you liked working with the lens and have boosted my enthusiasm for using it although I am still gagging for the 20mm 1.8 . Thanks again.
Good on you Mark, really appreciate your comments.
Great video and stunning image!! Definitely learned a few things.. Thanks for your time!!!
Thanks a lot "David .. glad it was helpful.
Fantastic Video! You looked cold by the time the night was done. What we do for good night Milky Way viewing, LOL! I come to notice you have the old version of Sequator. Did you know about the new Sequator for timelapse. If you do a static timelapse you can stack your timelapse for less noise.
Thanks for the comments Ken. Yes it was pretty cold. I've just updated the Sequator software and I have seen the new timelapse feature .. interesting.
That's a great step-by-step tutorial I was waiting for, especially post processing. I can't wait to try this
Always happy to help Joanna.
Appreciate the effort to show how you processed the images. For me, post processing is the most difficult thing about this type of photography work. Really enjoying your channel.
There are certainly a lot of challenges with nightscape photography Tony, no doubt post processing is one of those.
Wow mate brilliant video
Thanks so much for watching Rob
Many thanks, Richard! I have been working on my Milky Way Shots from two days ago and this was an incredible help. Great instruction on Sequator and on using photoshop and the LIghten blending mode. I am now getting a better blend between my stacked star image and my foreground!
Really pleased to hear that John, thanks for watching
Exceptional photography, great video full of great information and easy to follow workflow. Thank you Richard
Many thanks indeed Brian, really appreciate the comments.
Richard, as always your videos are amazing. I commented on a recent video of yours that I was really curious to see how you process a pano shot with the foreground etc. I was dying to know how you were able to stitch the pic together since the sky is moving in between shots. When I saw this video and saw that you took a 9 pic pano shot I was really excited to see how you did the processing but I think you never did it. I watched twice to make sure I didn't miss anything but I didn't see it. I'm still hoping to see that pano processing video. I do want you to know that I appreciate all that you've taught me so far. I'm a beginner and have taken a couple of really amazing milky way shots because of the knowledge that you have shared. Thank you again!
Jeff
Thanks very much Jeff. Yes you are correct. Unfortunately the video was running over 33 minutes and I didn't want it to go on for too much longer. I promise I'll do a pano workflow some time soon for you.
@@nightscapeimages.richard I will be very grateful, thank you! Thank as always for sharing your art and talent with us.
Very informative! I especially liked watching the processing. Thank you!
Really appreciate you watching George and taking the time to comment. Thank you.
Magic very informative looking forward to your next one...😊
Appreciate your comments James, thanks for watching.
Awesome once again. Love the processing demos.
Thanks so much Jon
Have you done, in the past, a live show to take questions? If not would you consider that?
@@QuantumShifter69 I haven't done that Jon .. probably a time issue .. especially as many of the people who follow me are all over the world in different time zones.
Nightscape Images well I’d be more then happy to stay up late as I’m sure everyone else would be!
Focus peaking on the stars?!? amazing, will try that this weekend. Great images and thank you again for the detailed tutorial.
Thanks a lot Paul, appreciate your comments.
Awesome :) I was thinking should I buy wide-angle + 2.8 lenses for my new Z6ii or not, though I am a beginner, your content made me work around with my kit lens 24-70 F4 lens and play around with it for some time. Thanks so much for making this video. I like the longer videos as well for detailed learnings, thanks again.
Thank you so much for watching, very much appreciated.
Great tutorial. I’ve been thinking about getting a Z6 and this gives me some assurance that it would be a good choice.
You'll love the Z6 .. very nice camera.
That's a sweet shot! I figured your ISO would be higher for the f/4 but it worked out really well. Of course now I have to dig out that lens I tossed in the closet because I thought it wasn't fast enough and give it a go myself LOL. Anyways, nice video and excellent tutorial!! Cheers.
Really appreciate you watching Bryan, thank you.
Great video thanks.
Thank you very much for watching
Thank you. Great photoshop and lightroom tips. I am going to play with some images from the other night now that I understand edits a bit more.
Thanks Spence, I'm glad it was helpful.
An outstanding instructional video - thanks so much!!
Your very welcome Philip, appreciate you watching.
Thanks Richard for your time and effort that goes into these video's, 👍👍👍
My pleasure Brian, I hope it was helpful.
Your images are just stunning! I have tried my hand at a few of these using your excellent tutorials. I'm getting better at it but I would love to see how you get the beautiful softness/surreal look in your post processing. Thanks for your videos....
Really appreciate your comments and for watching jonkjon
great review of the lens and I always appreciate your processing tutorials!
Thanks so much Walter
Pretty amazing. Love to see your edit Session all the time!
Many thanks indeed
As usual, very good and interesting video. Keep up your amazing work. Already longing for the next video. Thanks!
Thanks so much for watching Christer
As usual, very good and interesting video. Great job keep it up
Thanks very much for the comments
Excellent video, and very informative. I’ve shot Sony 24-105 f/4 for Milky Way, on an A7RIV and it seems to do as good a job as the Sony 16-35 f/2.8. Of course, Sony has the bright mode for framing and focusing which helps a lot.
Thanks for watching David. Yes I think the 24-105 would be a great choice.
Again, a wonderful work! Congratulations!
Thank you Rafael, much appreciated.
very informative, liked watching the end to end flow of your work
Thanks very much Steve
thanks for all the workflow insight. love the vids and images on your IG.
Thanks very much for watching soopersonick
Really loved the video. I watched it twice. One before having the same setup and one after having used the same setup under Bortle class 2 skies twice.
Since I was using Canon 1200D before for nightscapes it was a lot easier for me to focus with Z6 and 24-70 F4. I agree its very sharp lens even at F6.3.
I don't have a faster lens right now so using it for now. Its very good lens even for nightscapes but I still want to have a faster lens like 20mm f1.8S so that I don't have to use ISO higher than 6400.
Recently I have used 25600 ISO on Z6 and stacked 9 images. The image came out very good. SS was 13 sec at 24mm and F4.
That's fantastic Talha, thanks so much for watching.
😱 I always wonder WHY would anyone give you a thumbs down! I just don’t get it! 😱
I’m always trying what you’re explaining in your videos but .... it simply doesn’t come up with the same result. 😂
So! I’ll keep on working on it !
Thanks again for this great video and amazing pictures.
Thanks Carole. It takes quite a bit of time to master some of these techniques.
Fantastic, especially since I just purchased that lens and body combination.
No worries at all Steve, thanks again for watching.
How are you getting on with it? Just did the same!
@@brts2023 Loving it, have also bought the 14-30 F4 and now thinking about 20 1.8. The Z system is fantastic!
Love your work buddy.... its a huge help...thanks
Really appreciate you watching Craig .. means a lot. Thanks.
Thank you - I was thinking of trying the kit lens as well. P.S. I hope you are getting the rain you need.
Thanks James. Not a lot of rain here but at least the temperature is lower at present.
Great review Mr Richard. Have that lens since got my Z6 and absolutely love it. Never tried for astro photography, but it seems to do quite a good job. Thanks again for an interesting and inspiring video.
Thank you so much Milorad
@@nightscapeimages.richard Little update. just came from 4 days travel in Yunnan province. I brought my primes 20 1.8, 35 1.8 , but unfortunately weather didn't serve us well for night photography. 24-70f4 was on my Z6 all the time. Rain didn't bother me at all knowing that my gear is properly weather sealed. The best of all is that shooting high iso withZ6 is no issue at all and really didn't want to change lenses because i was so pleased with results i was getting. Simply useful and beautiful lens that matches Z6 perfectly, especially for traveling.
@@miloradkaravidin8818 Fantastic kit
Cracking video one again Richard! Something to consider as a potential backup/replacement tracker. The Omegon LX2 NS. If you don't already know of it, it's a clockwork tracker with a 2kg load limit. Seems spot on, would work well with your mirrorless setup and there are a lot less things to go wrong! :)
Thanks a lot John, I'll check it out.
Wow I'm super impressed by that lens...i wouldnt have dreamt you get a fantastic milky way image with an F4!!! Hmm, food for thought...I will eventually go mirrorless one day...but I have Canon's...and the whisper is that the Canon mirrorless is pretty ordinary....great video and great to see you that night!!
Thanks a lot Carmel. Actually I know a few guys who have the Canon EOS-R and absolutely love it for nightscapes. It was a while ago now wasn't it ... I've had a bit of a backlog to get through.
Just the type of video I need to see before trying out some astro photography. Big hi from ya mates across the ditch!
Thank you for the video
Thanks a lot Jeff, really appreciate the comment.
Nice explanation thx. I give it a try on summer break 👍
Fantastic, thanks for watching.
I just purchased the same combo! Can't wait to try this out.. Amazing vids though !!!
I know you'll love this gear Kirtan, thanks so much for watching.
@@nightscapeimages.richardI absolutely love it!! And with your videos, I hope I can capture some good nightscape images which would have been tough with my d3300. Thank you!!
Hi Richard. Loving the video so far! I just shot a night scape 2 nights ago with my Z6 and the Nikkor S 14-30 f.4! Wanted to call your attention to the built-in lens profile in Lightroom for these z lenses.
If you notice the "exclamation mark" in the lens profile panel, it explains that this profile has been automatically applied. In fact, there is no way around it! Hope this helps.
Now back to the excellent video! 🤩
Chris Mosner , i was going to mention the same thing. I really don’t like that at all. I really like to see the move “toggle on and off” to see if i really like what the lens profile is doing. I wish there was at leased a way to do this if Nikon is going to bake in the lens profile with the new Z mount lenses.
@@EricTobiasPhotography agree! I wonder if the quality in the corners is SO bad that Nikon doesn't want anyone to see it? How much image area may be lost to cropping? 🤔
Chris Mosner the 24-70 S super sharp edge to edge. There is no cropping with with the lens profile that is automatically applied. If you check the pixel dimensions it’s 6048x4024 that’s full resolution for 24 megapixel.
@@EricTobiasPhotography appreciate the info, thanks.
Yes Chris, I think this is the "trade off" for these wonderful lenses.
Thank you for this video. This informations that you shared will help a lot off people inc. me. Thank you one moore time.
You are very welcome Brano, I'm glad to help.
Great tutorial love your videos!
Thank you very much
Really appreciate the editing part - thanks!
No worries at all Theresa .. thanks again for watching.
excellent, thank you very much!
Thank you very much for watching marwiesi
Amazing work, This is the video i have been waiting for from you, a more detailed outlay of the editing and processing of your amazing photos. I have an old light house and wooden keepers hut called ''waipapa point lighthouse'' in my area that has been some what maintained as a tourist attraction. I plan to get some photos of each structure with the milky way core and stars behind it also applying the light painting to the buildings witch i think should work nicely. As i live near the south coast of New Zealand a bonus would be the southern antarctic lights but we cant have it all. Keep the videos coming i really enjoy learning from your content cheers
Thanks so much Zach .. really appreciate you watching.
Excellent video.
Thank you so much for watching my friend.
Another great vlog Richard and very interesting to see how you use the software to edit your images.
I will certainly be viewing it a number of times to make sure to do exactly what you did. Do you have a written book about how you process your images.
Thanks a lot for watching Andy. No I don't have a written book ... maybe one day.
Hi Richard, really love watching your video. Been following your videos lately and it really help me improve on the astrography and photo editing. I had tried this Z6 & 24-70 f4.0 myself and I too find it magnificent but the focusing is really hard and is something that need to get use to.
Appreciate if you can run some videos talking about 14-30 f4.0 too. Thanks.
Thanks for watching kohhy88. I don't have a 14-30 f4 but if I can get hold of one I'll try it.
thank you for this video.
Thanks very much for watching AllSquare
Hi Richard!
The temperature should not be an issue. I use My Star Adventurer in temperatures down to -15, sometimes -20, Celsius in winter here in Norway. I use an external USB powersupply that might help keep it going.
The manual indicates your problem is a motor error of some kind (blinks 3 times pr second) so you might ned to have it serviced.
Best of luck figuring it out.
And tanks for yet another Great video 📹
Thanks a lot for your info Torbjorn .. I have no idea where to get such a device serviced. Usually when I take the back off it starts to work again so it's a pain that's for sure.
Nightscape Images The manual has 2 points for when the LED is blinking 3 times pr second.
Motor Error Status: LED will blink at a 3-times-per-second rate in two cases:
1. Motor speed accuracy violation:
The motor speed error is over 5%. If this keeps happening, the user may need to check for overloading (Max load is 5kg) or low battery
2. Motor stall:
The motor stalls over 5 seconds. May be caused by external interference.
Please check if the mount is blocked by an external force.
Okay, so I dont think you overloaded it with a Z6 and the kit-lens so it has to be either the battery (have you tried an external power source?)
or some kind og blockage somewhere. By your description it seems there might be something too thight inside it causing the motor to work too hard.
For guidance on how to get it serviced I would contact Bintel which sells the SA in Australia.
Check here: www.bintel.com.au/product/skywatcher-star-adventurer-bundle-white/?telescope=1&v=4442e4af0916
Contact info here: www.bintel.com.au/contact-us/?v=4442e4af0916
@@T-Bear Thanks very much Torbjorn for your comprehensive response. I actuallly bought the tracker from Bintel in Sydney a few years ago. I have noticed that I can't use the counter weight at all with the unit as it will stop immediately.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Hmm. That is really strange given the counter weight is supposed to remove the strain on the motor and gears.. I really Hope Bintel can help you figurer this out. The SA is a nice tool when it works as it should.
@@T-Bear Yes I agree my friend. Thanks for your help.
Super video, as usual. I was really interested in this, as I have the same setup. I was pleased to see your conclusions were the same as mine. Personally i don’t find focusing so bad on the Z6, I love focus peaking. If all else fails, I just focus on a bright light at 1km or so, this suffices ( theoretically anything over 10m ). I also found sharpness at edges to be great and much better than f mount lenses. I too am waiting for the 2mm f1.8 Z lens, as you say, it should be a killer lens.
Thanks for the comments David, really appreciated.
Richard, @ 12:00 after selecting Nikon for your lens and it selects ones by itself in the next dropdown box, click on that one also and there you'll see another list so you can select the proper lens. Depending on what it auto selects and what you actually shot with can make a big difference, though sometimes not. At any rate, it's always worth making correct, as it appears from this video at least, you might not be aware that, that row is also selectable. None of us know it all that's for sure, so in case you didn't, I thought you'd like to know that.
Thanks for pointing that out. The Nikon S lenses have lens profiles built in already.
Thank you very much for doing this!
No problem at all sonsti, appreciate you watching.
What a wonderfully artistic and intuitive video. It answers many of the questions I have regarding stacking and light painting. Thank you so much, especially as I have just purchased the Z6 kit but own also the 20mm 1.8. So excited to try it here in the mountains.
Good on you Chris, thanks so much for watching.
I just received this combo a couple days ago. I went out last night to do some test shots using Richard's settings and they look fantastic. This kit lens wasn't a big surprise because Richard said it was very sharp but nevertheless I was impressed, especially for it being a kit lens. Still getting to know navigating the menus and settings. Have been a Canon shooter for 15 years or so. I just ordered the Z 20mm 1.8 . The Z6 has incredible low noise compared to anything I have used and is very user friendly.
Thanks again Richard for all your incredible content. Bendigo is on my bucket list.
Thanks so much for watching my friend and also for leaving the comments. Really appreciate it.
Great video. Thank you. I am torn between the Z6 and the Z7. I do mainly landscape but I want to do more low light/night photography. Why did you choose the Z6 over the Z7?
Thanks for watching Robert. There isn't much difference between the Z6 and Z7 except resolution. The Z6 is slightly better at very high iso and is also better for video. The Z7 excels at landscape and perhaps portrait photography. For nightscapes the Z6 has a slight edge but both are excellent cameras.
Tks and congratulations!
Thanks good info on zooms being used in astro.
Thanks a lot for watching Thomas
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks, i was in Sydney and Canberra a few weeks ago on vacation and the weather was great in Sydney but I was only able to get a 4 hour window at night in Canberra at one of your parks but unfortunately the moon was waxing. I just got back into photography after several decades of inactivity and use the Canon RP along with Sigma ART, a Tamron SP and a couple of IRIX prime lenses. I bought the body with the RF 24 105 mm f4 L kit lens which I like due to the weight reduction over the older versions and it is very comfortable carrying around for general shooting. I used my first Canon(AT-1) in 1982 when I first visited your country and again in 1986. I plan on a 4th return within a year but a at better time, what do you suggest? Tom
@@SuperBuickregal That's fantastic Thomas. For shooting the milky way in Australia the best times are April, May and September I reckon.
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks for the info and reply I will plan accordingly.
Wow that stacked process is really in depth. Not sure I'll get too much into that or not then. I suppose it's like anything, in that the more you do it, the more simplistic and easier, quicker flowing it all becomes. I almost always do panorama's though anyway, well, I should say, I always do them for the night sky lol so do you think there would be any advantage of stacking images for pano's? Do you stack pano images and if so, how many layers do you do for those?
Thanks for watching. Normally I don't stack panos ... very time consuming and I like to keep the shots as close together as possible. Appreciate you watching.
Excelente.
Thank you so much
Enjoyed this. I have lots of images on my camera that I intend to stack. I better get photoshop on my computer soon, and start practicing. I've used lightroom for several years, but never photoshop.
Thanks a lot Brian. I did the same before I was stacking .. creating a future library just in case. Appreciate you watching.
So sorry about the tracker malfunction - but kudos to you for not letting that ruin your night! Richard, I so appreciate the effort you put into your teaching, and the passion you put into your craft!
WOW! That image is SHARP! I am blown away and envious of the starburst you have on Jupiter. As I said in another comment, I just shot the other night with the 14-30 Z lens, and have nowhere near the same level of sharpness. I wonder if I am doing something incorrectly? I had 10s, f4, ISO 12800. Too high of an ISO for that kind of sharpness?
Richard, I have the same camera, very similar lenses, yet I find I can't shoot with the same settings you use here in North America. I am in a VERY dark zone. Is the Milky Way just brighter down where you are? I am always needing more seconds or a higher ISO than you shoot with. Ideas?
Hi Chris, the sky here is very dark but I wouldn't think it would be too much different. I think you could shoot the 14-40 at the 14mm end at 20 sec shutter speed .. that would help your exposure .. even 15 seconds will be better. I don't usually shoot at iso12800 unless I'm stacking. Having said that the Z6 will still produce great images at those high iso's.