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Advanced Astrophotography Shutter Time Calculator

This calculator goes beyond the basic “500 Rule” to determine the best shutter time for non-tracked astrophotography on a fixed tripod. Rather than just focal length, this calculator also factors in the effects of sensor pixel density, declination and allows for an adjustable tolerance for star trailing. Input your camera parameters and the calculator will output a recommended shutter time that minimizes star trailing depending on where you’re pointing your camera in the sky.

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How I Planned and Shot an Erupting Volcano with the Milky Way by Albert Dros

Albert Dros has been a great friend to Lonely Speck over the last few years, sharing with us his experiences shooting landscape astrophotography around the world. We had the pleasure of meeting him in his native environment of the Netherlands when we traveled through Europe last spring. A few weeks ago, Albert messaged me about his plans to photograph the Milky Way behind an erupting volcano. In this article, Albert Dros recounts his personal experience planning and shooting the Fuego Volcano in Guatemala.

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How to Find the Best ISO for Astrophotography: Dynamic Range and Noise

ISO is one of the three major exposure settings in the exposure triangle of a digital camera. Of the three: shutter time, f/number, and ISO, it is ISO that is probably most misunderstood. Even more so than f/number. In fact, it is a common misconception that higher ISO settings will cause images to be noisier. In fact, the opposite is often true. Wait, what?

That’s right, higher ISO settings alone do not increase image noise and higher ISOs can even be beneficial to low-light photography. In this post, I talk about the craziness surrounding ISO settings, how ISO actually affects exposure and how to find the optimal ISO setting on your camera for astrophotography.

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