Stars- How good is an EOS 350D ?

[longsighted]

This pic demonstrates the amazing capability of an ordinary digital camera and a kit lens.

The clouds and stars is the Milky Way. Pic is taken with an EOS 350 D with the kit lens at 41mm and an exposure of 365 sec.

[Silverz]

Thats pretty amazing. but how do you manage to avoid light trails from the stars with such a long exposure?

[Jill Slusher]

This is just awesome!!! Is a 350D one of the Rebels?

[jdepould]

What's your tripod setup?

[terratrekking]

Originally Posted by Silverz

Thats pretty amazing. but how do you manage to avoid light trails from the stars with such a long exposure?

Awesome pic.. I am envious

365 sec = ~6min

Not too long of an exposure... but still how did you do it with out the trails?

[mfreg]

what moutain top were you standing on

I'm 30 miles from Chicago, if I can see 12 stars on any given night I consider myself lucky.

awesome photo.

[mstark70]

You much be in a desert somewhere without a lick of light from anything. And on top of a mountain! So clear and awesome really! Fantastic shot!

[longsighted]

Hi all,

I'll answer the questions one by one:

1. The camera is a Canon called an EOS 350D in Australia and elsewhere its the Digital Rebel. Why Canon does this I don't know

2. No star trails ?? On the end of out patio is a telescope and mount and the camera was mounted to the side of the 'scope while I was stargazing so the camera was following the sky.

3. Re: "... I'm 30 miles from Chicago, if I can see 12 stars on any given night I consider myself lucky ..."

I'm 54 KM (about 32 miles) NE of the city of Adelaide in South Australia and the nights are very dark But give it time and the light pollution will catch up with me and I'll also be able to see only 12 stars

4. Re: Tripod

The camera was fixed very solidly to the ground via a steel pier but here is a picture taken with a 5D and 50mm F1.4 lens on a tripod with a 15 second exposure - no tracking!!

Kind regards to all,

Jeremy.

[genielamb]

Originally Posted by Silverz

Thats pretty amazing. but how do you manage to avoid light trails from the stars with such a long exposure?

I was wondering that myself unless he used a telescope mount with tracking motor.

[rediguana]

A rough calc is 600/focal length to get an idea of how long an exposure can be before stars may start generating trails. Of course if you aim at the north/south celestial poles, you can get away with longer shots - as the stars exhibit less rotation near the poles.

600/41 ~= 14.5s, which is way less than 365, so the pic definitely needed to be on a tracking scope.