First test attempt Milky Way image on Dartmoor. Plus repost.

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10 stacked images in Deep Sky Stacker. No flats or darks. taken using a Canon 5d mk4 and 16-35 lens at 16mm 10 sec at f2.8 iso 3200. Now for the questions, Is there any good tutorial for processing Milky Way images. I was not that happy with the sharpness of the lens especially in the corners. Is the Rokinon 24mm a good lens for Astro (any other lens options?). Is there any way to get rid of the light from Torquay, bottom left in the image? Also the foreground is quite wooly especially on the horizon, any advice. Finally a tracking mount might help any advice, largest lens canon 500mm f4, but would be happy with one just for wide angle images for now.A3D76DE0-08AB-459E-A806-27F402D97886.jpeg
 
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I'm not going to critique the picture or offer any technical advice John as I'm not qualified to but I would like to say two things.

Firstly I really like the picture and I like that you've included some technical details. So well done :D

Secondly I suppose I can understand you wanting to get rid of the light in the bottom corner but I think that knowing what it is helps and perhaps adds to the story and the picture. Anyway, keeping it in memory of the night and Torquay is just a thought :D
 
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No easy way to get rid of light pollution other than to raze Torquay ( :) ) or shoot from Berry Head or the cliffs near Prawle!

Never tried stacking shots of any kind - ISO 1600 and 10-15 second exposures is my limit as far as experience of shooting the MW goes. I only do it one night a year (if I remember and I'm not too pished!) while on holiday in the South of Crete where there's nothing for a few hundred miles other than the occasional passing boat/ship!
 
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Nice image John, I cannot comment on the lens choice as I have never done Astro before.
As to the light pollution you can use the burn tool in Photoshop on a layer copy and merge.
 
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I started off with a Samyang 24/1.4 and for the cost (around £200) it's a pretty good buy and certainly performs well for the cost. You won't get much more than 10 seconds even at 16mm really. Maybe 15 would be okay but 2.8 to 1.4 will make a big difference!

I haven't really got any experience with a tracker for using such long lenses but I'm guessing something like a Star Adventurer is it? Something like that, with a counter weight etc maybe. I just use a Move Shoot Move.

Light pollution....? Embrace it ;) You'll struggle to get fully away from it anyway and sometimes burning it in PP can actually make the image look worse like those daytime shots with a big grey blob where the sun should be.....

Editing info is plentiful online and YouTube. Personally I tend to go for much less contrast, much lighter and much less blue.
 
Thanks very much for the replies. Will look into the different processing guides. I did sort of follow a processing guide to get this result, in fact the result here is not as extreme as the guide! I agree that it is on the blue side, but I quite like it, have tried removing quite a lot of blue and the result is just as acceptable. I was hoping to go wider than 24mm but will check it out.

The light pollution was just a nuisance, I suppose I could pull the plug on Torquay for a few hours. Plymouth in the other direction was much worse and this was from Hound Tor area. I have been planning a trip to Brentor church but Plymouth is south of the location and much closer.

Lee which make of Move Shoot Move do you use. How easy is it to use and align. Do you think it would be able to deal with the weight of a 5d mk4 and 16-35mm lens. It is a fair weight. Have looked at one with the laser alignment system. What length exposures are you able to get with your system.

Sorry for all the questions but just trying to get as much first hand info as I can. Thanks in advance.
 
Extreme editing seems to get you all the likes, comments & shares :) I do mine quite soft & natural looking :)

I don't know how much you've edited it out, but that's not bad light pollution. Try shooting with Hinkley Point in the frame.....

I just bought the Basic MSM Kit - I already had everything else like extra ballhead & a headtorch etc So easy to use - When my boy used his for the first time (he was 14/15) he set it up, laser aligned & started shooting 2 minute exposures. The longest I've shot is 4 minutes at 50mm on 35mm film. It's rated at 3 kg I think.
 
Wish I could get an image anywhere near as good as yours.
 
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Thanks for the reply. I know that the edit is quite extreme, but it was following a an editing guide. Not real but has impact! I have all the the raw material to try another edit when I find a different guide. Most of them seem to go to extremes.

very little work on the light from Torquay, just toned it down a tad.

That is very interesting, how easy it is to align. And that you can get exposures of up to 5mins. I have just weighed my setup and it is 1.65kg without extra ball head. Thanks I will have another look at the Move Shoot Move. Thanks for all the info.
 
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Superb image.

When was this taken and what gear and settings did you use?
 
Canon 5D mk4 16-35 mm f2.8 lens at 16 mm and at f2.8, 10 exposures at 10 secs. each. No dark frames. Next time I will increase the exposure time and add dark frames. I suppose that both processes have their place. The good thing is you can get both results from the same raw images.
 
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+1 for the Samyang 24mm f1.4

You’re off to a great start!

For a tracker take a look at sky watch star adventurer. I’ve an older model of that and it works well. It does mean some extra work taking shots for the landscape and blending that with the tracked stars, multiplied if you’re working with a panorama.
 
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