Messages

@Jackeyes
I'm curious how detailed the milky way can look with a sky tracker, if you have one, can you post a picture here in this forum ?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8RCIZlBGQ5wMWQwWi1zOW5Ya2s

This is one of my first shoot with the iOptron Skytracker V2. (Processed, but i'm not good with photoshop,lightroom,etc )
Taken in a higly light polluted zone  ( Radiance point: 19 accordingly to lightpollutionmap.com wich is probably 4-5 in the bortle scale).

Canon EOS 6D, Samyang 14mm, 105", f5.6, iso 1600.

Next time i will try in a more good sky. 

my 6d is 99% battery after 3 days.

i'm making some test with lua...i have write this miniscript to take 3 braketed shoot. i have used shoot(false) because i don't want to refocus each time.
The script in photo mode works great but in liveview refocus each time and take only 2 shoot.. i'm confused    ...


EDIT: solved using shoot(64, false)

Code Select Expand

keymenu = menu.new
{
    name   = "Take Bracket!",
    help   = "Bracket script.(Tv)",
    select = function(this) task.create(main) end,
}

function main()
    local shutterok = camera.shutter.value
    console.show()
    console.clear()
    print("First shot")
    msleep(750)
    shoot(false)
    msleep(750)
    camera.shutter.value = shutterok * 4
    console.clear()
    print("Second shot at 2EV ")
    msleep(750)
    shoot(false)
    msleep(750)
    camera.shutter.value = shutterok / 4
    console.clear()
    print("Third shot at -2EV ")
    msleep(750)
    shoot(false)
    camera.shutter.value = shutterok
    console.hide()
end

@A1ex
It is in the right place.
Sorry i have found that (old?) page searching "ML LUA API" on google =)

@garry23

Bottom line: I still believe the Lua environment is one of the ML 'star tools', and it still has more to offer as things get 'unlocked', eg refined focus position control etc.

I agree! it is a fantastic feature!

Thank you garry23,

is this https://davidmilligan.github.io/ml-lua/ the only official source of info for lua script  ?

Hi all,

i'm writing my first lua script but i have some question.

1) what is the lens.dof_far max value? (the value for infinity?)

2) i'm playing with focus stacking. Moving the focus point, sometime it say "Focus: soft limit reached" (i'm at the max/min focus point of the lens?)....there is a way to prevent or stop the script just before or when it happen?

i found some shoot at 300mm with the ioptron:
http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/480574-surprising-what-a-300mm-lens-ioptron-skytracker-can-do/

but for me that will be a plus, not necessary the important part is the wide field part.
i have a 70-200 F4 L (not the IS version wich is more heavier)and i will try also with it.

Thank you i wil buy the ioptron, no more doubts!

My mistake, at 200mm (as some user review) the skytracker can't go longer than 1 min 
But i'm mainly interested in Wide field space, but will try some Deep space (with the limitation of the skytracker...).
Lightweight is a must for me. I plan to walk for hours before camping and start shooting

I think i will buy the iOptron 

@SpcCb
I will buy an Ioptron SkyTracker V2, it can handle 300mm @ 150 sec well (i'm mainly interessed in astrolandscape, i don't need such precision ), can be powered by 4 AA battery (~24h@20°) and is LIGHTWEIGHT (i love to go on the mountains). And it is cheap ~300€.
Do you have some hint on a good Skytracker?

Thank you SpcCb!

How you chose the correct exposure with a tracker? Do you have a rule of thumb for a beginner?

@Levas i will buy a tracker in the next few days  ::
Very good shoot! awesome! With my canon 6d and a samyang 14 mm f 2.8 i can take 30 sec without trailing...I have also a samyang 12mm 2.8 fisheye, will try it next time

@Boscom with a skytracker you can take many, more long exposure (and at less iso with higher f number), and stack  them (with DSS or IRIS or PixInsight or photoshop, etc..). The result will be much better, with more detail and less noise
A skytracker is not necessary but if you want a better photo this can help a LOT

we are a bit OffTopic  .

So anyone has some experience with (A)ETTR, skytracker and milkyway?
Maybe only with (A)ETTR and milkyway?

@BBA For Deep Space photography you have to take several light shot, bias, flat and dark frame. But for astrolandscape if you have a modern camera (7d,6d,5d mk3,ecc..) is not necessary. before the start of the shooting session remember to make a "manual sensor cleaning" with the cap on the lens and wait 30 sec in order to activate the hot pixel mapping function, more info can be found googling  

@Levas good work but for what i understood the real color of milkyway is orange/yellow so that color are completely wrong...looks good but not true 

Obviusly, with a sky tracker you make a separate shot to proprely expose the foreground and merge it with the tracked (and stacked) of the sky, so the ISO can be low (<800 and) with an exposure time much more long than 30 sec  ...

Good shot BBA! 

i read a lot on this topic (ETTR),
i suppose (but i can be totaly wrong):
-it can be very good using a skytracker (will buy in the next days  ) with low iso and very long exposure. Making many shoot and stack them to reduce the noise from the long exposure.
-Use iso as low as possible. Increase the iso to Expose on the right lead to decrase the DR and a consequent loss of detail.
-Expose on the right over the "analog ISO" is pointless.
can someone confirm my assumptions?

Hi all,
i'm a long time ML user but never posted before. Thank you and congratulations to the entire dev team for their awesome work!

i'm planning to make some Milky way photo (astrolandscape).
I'm a bit confused on the use of ETTR in this case, some people say it's good when there is high light pollution, other says it's pointless (or a bad practice).
It's good to stack more ETTR photo (all previusly edited in exposure)? it is usefull even with a skytracker?
What do you think about this? previus experience?

In the case that ETTR is usefull, how to set AETTR (highlight %, Mid S/n, shadow S/n, ecc)?

thank in advance!