Timelapse from SVAA Oct Astro Camp

erick (Eric) · #1 26-10-2009, 12:46 AM

(Sorry, the videos have lost quality on upload to Youtube. Stars are harder to see in the second video than in my original.)

Using Pentax K100D driven by DSLR Shutter running on my laptop.

First video is a test of the computer driving the camera. Standard Sigma zoom lens, Auto setting. Every error of timelapse photography is embedded in this video - but it's sort of quaint!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypCDQJk84HI

Second video is the Camp's redlight district, from dusk Monday to dawn Tuesday. Spot the couple of all-nighters as dawn breaks!

Lens: Pentax SMC 28mm (film), shut down slightly from fully open. Manual focus.
Exposure: Mirror up for 2 sec, shutter open 18 sec, delay 25 sec, then repeat. [Note that in-camera-noise-reduction was used - hence the need for the 25 sec delay. In future I'll have to experiment with setting INCR off and take darks?]
Number of images: approx 750
Cardinal bearing of image centre: 125 deg (between ESE and SE)

Observe Canopus passing through upper right of image and Canis Major (with Sirius) rising to the left of image later in the evening. (I recommend you observe in a darkened room and set the video to full screen - you may see some stars then

)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL12OhMpY94

Thanks for looking. I now know how to improve future attempts.

Paddy (Patrick) · #2 26-10-2009, 09:21 PM

Very good, Eric. amazing amount of running around with red lights. It makes me happy with me anti-social choice to set up way over the other side away from the white lights.

DavidU (Dave) · #3 26-10-2009, 09:31 PM

A lot of action there. I must be there somewhere.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #4 26-10-2009, 10:36 PM

Very very good.
A monumental effort on your part Eric.

erick (Eric) · #5 26-10-2009, 11:32 PM

Thanks folks. I never expected to get dusk to dawn on my first attempt - I was sure something would go wrong. But it kept clicking away. From a distance I could check all was working - The camera would flash a front red light during the 2 sec mirror-up period.

Mind you, if you were there, you wouldn't have thought it was dusk and dawn. 18 sec exposure whites-out the frame without much light! It was actually quite dark to the eye when I started the sequence and I have many pure white frames at the end before I woke up at 6:30am and came and shut it down.

I managed to have the camera looking out a doorway, so I didn't have dew to content with.

I don't know how people do a sequence from sun in the sky through to dark and back to sunrise - their cameras must be clever enough to adjust exposure. I just had fixed aperture set on the old lens and fixed shutter open time (set by DSLR Shutter). But if the camera is auto-adjusting, I would get the effect I got in the dining room sequence - exposure variation between frames - light to dark and back again - not sure why?

iceman (Mike) · #6 27-10-2009, 04:14 AM

Nice work Eric, that turned out great.

I'd probably like to see it a bit quicker, but maybe that's just me.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 27-10-2009, 12:09 PM

Great effort Eric. It aint easy that's for sure. One thing i would say though is.............Death to All White Light Users

don't they have a white light ban at SVAA?

Jen · #8 27-10-2009, 06:57 PM

thats cool Eric yeah i can definately spot a few night owls creeping around the place

stephenb (Stephen) · #9 27-10-2009, 07:07 PM

Wonderful results Eric. Sorry I couldn't make it at the last minute, but I'm slotted in for March 2010 (5 months away).

danielsun · #10 27-10-2009, 08:45 PM

That is fantastic Eric, I love it!!

I also like the dining room one , I remember seeing your camera in there but had no idea what you were up to.

Great work Eric.

Cheers Daniel.

desler · #11 27-10-2009, 08:49 PM

I like it!, I can't understand with such a beautiful dawn, why everyone else went to sleep................... Only one silly bugger, still plodding away at the laptop.

Top notch effort!

Darren

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #12 27-10-2009, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

don't they have a white light ban at SVAA?

Yes we do, but you'll have to talk to Leon about why there was white light being flashed around

[1ponders] (Paul) · #13 27-10-2009, 09:11 PM

Ahhhh ....that his little lighthouse dome tent then.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #14 27-10-2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Ahhhh ....that his little lighthouse dome tent then.

No, the white looking tents were actually Mine and Pete's and occasionally Martins, but they weren't actually white, they are pale shades of red. The long exposures make then look brighter than they actually were.
Leon is the white light walking around the whole site

danielsun · #15 27-10-2009, 09:38 PM

HEY Ken....., Great to have you back mate!!!

Cheers Daniel.

Jen · #16 27-10-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desler

I like it!, I can't understand with such a beautiful dawn, why everyone else went to sleep................... Only one silly bugger, still plodding away at the laptop.

Top notch effort!

Darren

I would have been sitting right next to you if i was still there on the Monday night

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Yes we do, but you'll have to talk to Leon about why there was white light being flashed around

danielsun · #17 27-10-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Yes we do, but you'll have to talk to Leon about why there was white light being flashed around

And the odd tent wire trip.

Moon (James) · #18 29-10-2009, 10:05 AM

Eric

Quote:

I don't know how people do a sequence from sun in the sky through to dark and back to sunrise - their cameras must be clever enough to adjust exposure.

It should be possible using CHDK and a Canon Powershot camera somehow...

erick (Eric) · #19 29-10-2009, 10:14 AM

Canon - what's that? They make printers don't they?

But thanks for the hint. I'll go searching to see what has been developed for Pentax.

desler · #20 29-10-2009, 08:18 PM

No problems next time Jen. I don't know what all the fuss is about white light, all I see is a group of people having a great time. Tired, but great.

I did a fair bit of tripping as well as Leon, First time I've used the lappy at a dark sky, even with the red screen filter, it still takes a bit of navigation to get around carefully.

How many sleeps till March!!!!!!!

Daz,

P.S. It's great to see you posting Ken!