Astro/night photography lens

Sir SR

Sir SR

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Shaheed
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Hi

For our end of schools hols trip, we are glamping in Northumberland/Scottish Borders.

Went to Northumberland last year and took a few shots with the tamron 28-75 f2.8 and the nikkor 16-35 f4

Basically, is there anything else I should be looking at other than yhe samyang 14 mm for the price? I've got funds/permission from SWMBO but wondering if there are alternatives on the d800 I've not thought of?



View attachment 43213

Took this last year as my first experiment into night/astro but wanted wider/faster.

Ta

S
 
I had the same predicament but still to do any serious stuff yet - bit like you, have been completing the house project but the end is very much in sight! I ended up selling the 16-35 f4 and used the money I was going to pay for a samyang to buy the 14-24. I thought two lenses in one, and wow, I've never seen such a sharp WA lens. The other option could be the Tokina which is a little cheaper. Failing that, the 20 1.8G would be another consideration providing you feel it's wide enough.

Took a few pics on holiday a few weeks ago in Kefalonia of the Milky Way. Used my 35 1.4 which was ok even though I had to wing it without a tripod, still managed to get a good chunk of it over our hotel.

Since the move nearly a year ago, We have so much less light pollution where we are now and the night sky last winter in the garden was fascinating. Planning on getting a scope for Christmas but want to plan a night this month trying to snap the Milky Way which seems to be the month to find it, problem is, it's been cloudy every night so far.
 
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Livin The Dream said:
I had the same predicament but still to do any serious stuff yet - bit like you, have been completing the house project but the end is very much in sight! I ended up selling the 16-35 f4 and used the money I was going to pay for a samyang to buy the 14-24. I thought two lenses in one, and wow, I've never seen such a sharp WA lens. The other option could be the Tokina which is a little cheaper. Failing that, the 20 1.8G would be another consideration providing you feel it's wide enough.

Took a few pics on holiday a few weeks ago in Kefalonia of the Milky Way. Used my 35 1.4 which was ok even though I had to wing it without a tripod, still managed to get a good chunk of it over our hotel.

Since the move nearly a year ago, We have so much less light pollution where we are now and the night sky last winter in the garden was fascinating. Planning on getting a scope for Christmas but want to plan a night this month trying to snap the Milky Way which seems to be the month to find it, problem is, it's been cloudy every night so far.
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Wouldn't want to sell the 16-35 as have a lee filter set and don't want to start from scratch with those!

I think it'll probably be the samyang! Hopefully somebody will want to sell theirs or else I'll buy new!

How did the 35mm shot turn out. Did you shoot at f1.4?
 
Not too bad but a little movement still at around 15 seconds. Might post it tomorrow. Can't remember now how wide I had to go but certainly wasn't wide open.

I sold my lee filter kit, just never used it. Was always something I was going to do, but never did. Realised early on that landscape is a timely pursuit, I just don't have them time to put the effort in for the rewards, maybe later on in life!
 
Hi Shaheed

You want as fast a lens as possible i.e f1.4 / f2.0 / f2.8 to let as much light in as possible and ideally a wide angle so a 14mm up to around a 24mm and then using an ISO of 1600 / 3200 or even 6400 depending upon your camera.

You can then use the "500 Rule" to avoid/minimise unintended star trails.

500 Divided By the Focal Length of Your Lens = The Longest Exposure in seconds before the stars start to 'trail'

For example; let’s say you’ve got a new 24mm lens on your FF camera. That'd be 500/24 = 21 seconds. So, you can take a 20 second shot and the starts should be sharp. On a 16mm lends this'd increase to 31 seconds on paper but I'd not go over 30 seconds regardless.

When I was looking earlier in the year to join the Ribblehead night shoot I was looking at the Canon 24mm f1.4. As a prime the IQ was stronger and at 24mm it was wide enough without getting too near the fish eye territory!!
 
Buck said:
Hi Shaheed

You want as fast a lens as possible i.e f1.4 / f2.0 / f2.8 to let as much light in as possible and ideally a wide angle so a 14mm up to around a 24mm and then using an ISO of 1600 / 3200 or even 6400 depending upon your camera.

You can then use the "500 Rule" to avoid/minimise unintended star trails.

500 Divided By the Focal Length of Your Lens = The Longest Exposure in seconds before the stars start to 'trail'

For example; let’s say you’ve got a new 24mm lens on your FF camera. That'd be 500/24 = 21 seconds. So, you can take a 20 second shot and the starts should be sharp. On a 16mm lends this'd increase to 31 seconds on paper but I'd not go over 30 seconds regardless.

When I was looking earlier in the year to join the Ribblehead night shoot I was looking at the Canon 24mm f1.4. As a prime the IQ was stronger and at 24mm it was wide enough without getting too near the fish eye territory!!
Click to expand...

Hmmm.

I think I want the width but a 20 f1.8 nikkor or the 24 f1.4 art looks good. Difficult!!

I suspect that as it's a low use lens for me I might stick with the samyang and save the extra pennies for a d750!!

S
 
It's a no brainer... get the 14mm Samyang.. haven't used mine that much so far, only had a couple of night outings and one ended up cloudy but it's a great lens for the job. I have the 16-35F4 too and wouldn't part with it either.

Simon
 
Here you go Shaheed. I was going to clone out the telegraph pole and wires but it's not perfect anyway. Shot at iso 800, f2.8, 15 seconds on D750.

 
14mm samyang all the way! It's sharp!

Only thing is the grad filters are stupidly big

View attachment 43227
 
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Mark twiglet said:
14mm samyang all the way! It's sharp!
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Maybe #1 isn't a good example to show Shaheed as he wants to shoot stars & yours has `trails` ;)

I took this a few years ago (first time I'd tried) with the Tokina 11-16 on my D7000
It was about 6 seconds too long & shows a bit of trailing.

Shooting star. by Carl B, on Flickr
 
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OldCarlos said:
Maybe #1 isn't a good example to show Shaheed as he wants to shoot stars & yours has `trails` ;)

I took this a few years ago (first time I'd tried) with the Tammy 11-16 on my D7000
It was about 6 seconds too long & shows a bit of trailing.

Shooting star. by Carl B, on Flickr
Click to expand...
Deleted!!!!
 
Cheers people!

Settled on the samyang in the end - coming this week!

The 20mm f1.8 was tempting - tracked one down for 480 new (as cheap as I've ever seen it) but that didn't fit as well into my lens line up!
 
Mark twiglet said:
Only thing is the grad filters are stupidly big
Click to expand...

Does stupidly big = stupidly expensive?
What is the system you're using there, Mark?

I have a Lee set that I use on other lenses, but I'm a bit stumped with the Samyang - that front element is massive!

Shaheed, do you have a filter system in mind yet?

Thanks,
Mike.
 
The filter holder is a samyang own and the filters are 165 mm wide! They worked out at about 60£ a filter so yeah not cheap! The reversed grad I want next is £100
 
Bicko said:
Does stupidly big = stupidly expensive?
What is the system you're using there, Mark?

I have a Lee set that I use on other lenses, but I'm a bit stumped with the Samyang - that front element is massive!

Shaheed, do you have a filter system in mind yet?

Thanks,
Mike.
Click to expand...

Hi Mike

I've ready got a 16-35f4 with lee filters so wanted an ultrawide fast aperture lens for astro/night photography.

I shan't be using it with filters. The 20mm nikon was extremely tempting at thT price though!!
 
Mark twiglet said:
The filter holder is a samyang own and the filters are 165 mm wide! They worked out at about 60£ a filter so yeah not cheap! The reversed grad I want next is £100
Click to expand...

Thanks Mark. That's gonna be hard to swallow, especially when weighed-up against the cost of the lens itself. I'll have to keep an eye on the classifieds, ebay, etc!
 
Sir SR said:
Hi Mike

I've ready got a 16-35f4 with lee filters so wanted an ultrawide fast aperture lens for astro/night photography.

I shan't be using it with filters. The 20mm nikon was extremely tempting at thT price though!!
Click to expand...
Makes sense, filter-wise. I'm more landscape than astro, so I'd like to get sorted with a filter solution at some point.
20mm f/1.8 vs 14mm f/2.8 - interesting that you went for the 2.8 instead of the 1.8... you must really like w i d e :-)

Cheers,
Mike.
 
Bicko said:
Makes sense, filter-wise. I'm more landscape than astro, so I'd like to get sorted with a filter solution at some point.
20mm f/1.8 vs 14mm f/2.8 - interesting that you went for the 2.8 instead of the 1.8... you must really like w i d e :-)

Cheers,
Mike.
Click to expand...

I like wide but dislike expensive. The 14mm also offers a focal length I don't already have as well!

It was a close call though, but I'd already told SWMBO that it would not be more than 300!
 
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Yeah I'd rather the 16-35 f4
 
I know you've already gone for it but just wanted to say you won't be disappointed with the Samyang for Astro I got one for a trip to Iceland last year and it was fantastic I only sold it on when I got back as I found it too wide for Landscape use and I don't really have an interest in shooting Astro in the UK.
Quick example!

Northern Lights, Iceland 2 by Alex Booth, on Flickr
 
a1ex2001 said:
I know you've already gone for it but just wanted to say you won't be disappointed with the Samyang for Astro I got one for a trip to Iceland last year and it was fantastic I only sold it on when I got back as I found it too wide for Landscape use and I don't really have an interest in shooting Astro in the UK.
Quick example!

Northern Lights, Iceland 2 by Alex Booth, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Quick question. Best way to focus in the dark with the samyang?

Thanks for your help

S
 
Sir SR said:
Quick question. Best way to focus in the dark with the samyang?
Click to expand...

Live view (or whatever it's called in Nikon-speak)??? Coupled with the notion of turning the focus ring until it stops, and bringing it back just a smidge (whilst watching the live view).
Mike.
 
Bicko said:
Live view (or whatever it's called in Nikon-speak)??? Coupled with the notion of turning the focus ring until it stops, and bringing it back just a smidge (whilst watching the live view).
Mike.
Click to expand...

Ok. That's what I was doing! Just checking.

ImageUploadedByTalk Photography Forums1439416205.172941.jpg

It goes a bit further round to the actual infinity marker.

Cheers.
 
Sir SR said:
Ok. That's what I was doing! Just checking.

It goes a bit further round to the actual infinity marker.

Cheers.
Click to expand...
It's never really seemed that critical, to me. I'm heading out now, to find somewhere dark, to shoot the stars... maybe I'll come back to ask the same question as you ;-)
 
Bicko said:
It's never really seemed that critical, to me. I'm heading out now, to find somewhere dark, to shoot the stars... maybe I'll come back to ask the same question as you ;-)
Click to expand...

That's been my issue. It's all a bit too bright around here!!

I'll await my trip to the Scottish Borders!

Show us your results later!!
 
Sir SR said:
I'll await my trip to the Scottish Borders!
Click to expand...

Not sure whereabouts you're staying, but if poss get over towards Galloway forest. The night sky is unbelievable! (weather permitting of course)
We stayed in Garlieston a few years ago & didn't fully estimate just how dark the sky is without even faint light pollution.

Don't forget to take a torch/head-torch too!
 
OldCarlos said:
Not sure whereabouts you're staying, but if poss get over towards Galloway forest. The night sky is unbelievable! (weather permitting of course)
We stayed in Garlieston a few years ago & didn't fully estimate just how dark the sky is without even faint light pollution.

Don't forget to take a torch/head-torch too!
Click to expand...

Going to somewhere called Jedburgh (if I've spelt it right!)

I'll take my torch!!
 
Sir SR said:
That's been my issue. It's all a bit too bright around here!!

I'll await my trip to the Scottish Borders!

Show us your results later!!
Click to expand...

You did ask...
Rather bright here too, as it turns out, and misty! Photos were coming out like daylight and there was a lighthouse in the distance, too. I've boosted the contrast in these to try to highlight the stars - might have overdone it. Nothing outstanding, but it was my first go and I quite enjoyed it (apart from the getting cold part).

1. From Hornsea beach, looking East over the North Sea.
12567-1439497229-2f2ec8803e05aa6c5eac18c5e0061d07.jpg


2.Taken on the way home, looking East. The glow is Hornsea.
12565-1439497224-4397a75bdd89142cfb53ffe2d741ce4f.jpg


3. Same location as number 2 above.
12566-1439497227-2c74e58c32b412d4d9fb221b01501d54.jpg


What have I learned? Find somewhere properly dark next time!
Cheers,
Mike.
 
Sir SR said:
Quick question. Best way to focus in the dark with the samyang?

Thanks for your help

S
Click to expand...

I set it on a tripod in daylight at about the hyper focal distance, zoomed in on live view and mucked about until I got things very far away looking sharp, tapped the lens at that point and left it and wasn't disappointed. The DoF even wide open is pretty massive so unless you have foreground interest practically touching the lens everything is in acceptable focus anyway.
 
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