Orion Arm 8 panel mosaic

gregbradley · #1 05-01-2014, 01:22 PM

This is 4 x 2 images using my new Sony A7r (same sensor as the Nikon D800E) and trusty Nikon 14-24mm lens. I used a Novoflex adapter which solved the distortion problems I was having using a Metabones and a Chinese adapter. The Novoflex is rock solid and obviously uses the exact spacing which is critical with this lens.

I took a few panoramas last night using various lenses. A Minolta Rokkor 24mm F2.8 and a Zeiss 35mm F2.8.

I'll post them later once processed.

Minimal processing here. Auto white balance works great on Sony and Fuji cameras. I also used the Sony lens compensation App which is good.

Manual focus and review of images is a breeze with this camera and its lightweight means it is easily withing the Polarie's load capabilities (it also handled the D800e well despite being over the stated load limit).

http://upload.pbase.com/image/154023635

The airglow was pretty last night. I believe I could see it slightly visually for the first time.

Greg.

RickS (Rick) · #2 05-01-2014, 01:45 PM

Lovely colours, Greg!

gregbradley · #3 06-01-2014, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickS

Lovely colours, Greg!

Thanks Rick. I did several with different lenses to see if other lenses besides the Nikon 14-24 are good. So far they disappoint. So the 2 lenses I know that are superb are the Nikon 14-24 F2.8 ED and the Fuji 14mm F2.8 (for Fuji X series cameras - APSc sized).

Greg.

niharika · #4 06-01-2014, 03:30 PM

Nicely done Greg

, now I know why you sold your D800E
One of my friend bought the A7R recently, may be your image will inspire him to take some star field with the camera. Any upcoming review on the camera?

iceman (Mike) · #5 06-01-2014, 04:22 PM

Really nice, Greg.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #6 06-01-2014, 10:38 PM

Some lovely work Greg, great looking place you have there, are the boys with you tonight?

Mike

gregbradley · #7 07-01-2014, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niharika

Nicely done Greg

, now I know why you sold your D800E
One of my friend bought the A7R recently, may be your image will inspire him to take some star field with the camera. Any upcoming review on the camera?

Thanks for that. The D800E and the Sony A7r have the same sensor so performance is much the same with slight differences. The main difference is the size and weight and the eletronic viewfinder which is the best one I have used so far. It makes manual focus super easy.
D800e has the cool built in time lapse feature whilst the Sony has a downloadable app. The A7r version of this app so far is crippled compared to the Nex version which is essentially the same as the D800e's.

A7r is slightly more contrasty and slightly brighter for the same ISO but also slightly noisier. Again not much in it. So its really a compact D800E that will accept almost any lens ever made.

I have tested several lenses this trip and have come to the conclusion the Nikon 14-24 is the king of the jungle. Perhaps the Nikon 18-35 may be similar. If someone has one it would be nice to see a 30sec/ISO6400 F2.8 nightscape exposure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Really nice, Greg.

Thanks Mike. Its nice to be out doing nightscapes again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Some lovely work Greg, great looking place you have there, are the boys with you tonight?

Mike

Thanks Mike. Yes they are. All time lapsing and nightscaping away.

Greg.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #8 07-01-2014, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Thanks Mike. Yes they are. All time lapsing and nightscaping away.

Greg.

Great, I told'em they would get some great stuff from your place

..wish I was there

Mike

stardust steve (Steve) · #9 07-01-2014, 01:14 PM

nice Greg. The airglow looks great. I too believe I saw some airglow for the first time while I was under some dark skies just recently.
I can imagine the tranquility of the site at time of capture

SkyViking (Rolf) · #10 07-01-2014, 06:11 PM

That looks great, very nice shot Greg!

gregbradley · #11 08-01-2014, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Great, I told'em they would get some great stuff from your place

..wish I was there

Mike

Mike caught a fireball in his time lapse. I must have been in my observatory when it happened at about 12.44am.

There was also again some nice green airglow with some magenta streams in it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stardust steve

nice Greg. The airglow looks great. I too believe I saw some airglow for the first time while I was under some dark skies just recently.
I can imagine the tranquility of the site at time of capture

Just me and the dogs under a totally clear, cool and dark night sky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyViking

That looks great, very nice shot Greg!

Thanks Rolf.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #12 08-01-2014, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Mike caught a fireball in his time lapse. I must have been in my observatory when it happened at about 12.44am.

...off course he did

eat ya heart out Colin!!

...no geyser in it though Mike huh? na na

Mike

dutch2 (Ingrid) · #13 09-01-2014, 05:59 PM

Beautiful as always.
Well done.

gregbradley · #14 09-01-2014, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutch2

Beautiful as always.
Well done.

Thank very much Ingrid.

Greg.

Ross G · #15 20-01-2014, 01:03 PM

A beautiful photo Greg.

Nice colours.

Your foregrounds are getting as interesting as your skies.

Ross.

gregbradley · #16 20-01-2014, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross G

A beautiful photo Greg.

Nice colours.

Your foregrounds are getting as interesting as your skies.

Ross.

Thanks Ross. I've been working on my foregrounds. I have had too many that are black outlines so its something I have been trying to improve on. I think the Sony may be brighter than the Nikon as well as it seems to show up the foregrounds very easily than I recall the Nikon doing.

Greg.