All,
I'm new to the group. After seeing a couple of really spectacular astrophotos
posted here and seeing the responses, I'd like to make everyone aware that you can take
superb astrophotos with your bird lens (or super-telephotos) and digital cameras.
(Actually pretty much any lens and a camera!)
The attached image of the galaxy M31 was taken with a 1D Mark II and
500 mm f/4 telephoto lens. The key to astrophotography is exposure time.
The attached image was 28.75 minutes of exposure time, but 40 to 60
minutes would be better. All you need is a tracking mount. I use a
Losmandy G11 (about $2,000), so a small addition to all your 1D Mark 3/D3
and 500 to 600 mm f/4 lenses :). You can take multiple short exposures
and add them together, deleting ones with tracking errors, or passing airplanes.
I actually originally bought my 500 f/4 for astrophotography, but I always had an
interest in wildlife, and finding how wonderful the 500 is for wildlife, I've been
doing much more wildlife than astrophotos.
Astrophotography with your telephoto lens
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