Landscapes - and Astrophotography (1 Viewer)

[Jason Goodmanson]

At the end of the month, I'm driving out to California for a memorial service for my mom who passed away in October. This drive will take me through (what I believe to be) some of the most stunning mountains in the country - the Sierra Nevadas.

And since this is a movie forum - I'll specifically be in the area of the Alabama Hills where TONS of movies have been filmed at, especially westerns (think John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and others.)

This is the part of the country I grew up in (specifically my high school years where I did a lot of growing up) and I haven't been in about 18 years or so.

This trip made me want to get as many pictures as I could get because I haven't been back in so many years, and I don't know when I'll be back.

So I bought myself a fairly decent used wide angel lens for my antique DSLR. I bought a Nikon D90 brand new in what, 2010 (see, it's antique!) and really haven't used it much in a long time. But this trip makes me want to start using it again.

I see that lots of you here do a lot of wildlife photography - anyone do landscapes? Any tips or tricks you're willing to share?

Learning about landscape photography has also made me want to dabble in some astrophotography - because, come on, it's amazing to see those stars and the Milky Way. Unfortunately, I'll be in California about a week off from optimal conditions, but I still want to experiment with it. (Maybe since it's not optimal, it won't be crowded like I know it can be at some of these locations.) Anyone here ever done any of this type of photography?

I realize I don't have the fanciest of cameras, but my Nikon still shoots some impressive pictures (especially in the era of camera phones). However, all of this research really makes me want a new camera but I don't have a good reason other than ooooh shiny.

 

[Colin]

I've done a very small amount of astrophotography, but nothing to write home about. I just got a new mirrorless dslr, so I'm sure I'll be playing around with some night photography this summer!

Keep me posted on if you take any landscape or astrophotography pictures! I'd love to see them.

PS- I had a Nikon Z6 mirrorless and I really liked it. I had to switch to Lumix for their video capabilities. But the D90 is a great camera, even if it is 13 years old.

 

[JohnRice]

Which lens did you get? Also, don’t limit landscapes to wide lenses.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

Which lens did you get? Also, don’t limit landscapes to wide lenses.

I got a nearly new Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 from KEH. It seemed like a quality lens for the price.

Unfortunately I haven't had much of an opportunity to take it out and play yet - the weather hasn't been great. Maybe I can mess around tonight since the wife is sick and the dog is staying at daycare overnight and I'll be up a little later than normal watching soccer. I may have just talked myself into something.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

I've done a very small amount of astrophotography, but nothing to write home about. I just got a new mirrorless dslr, so I'm sure I'll be playing around with some night photography this summer!

Keep me posted on if you take any landscape or astrophotography pictures! I'd love to see them.

PS- I had a Nikon Z6 mirrorless and I really liked it. I had to switch to Lumix for their video capabilities. But the D90 is a great camera, even if it is 13 years old.

I'm in Colorado which has a few areas that have little light pollution (maybe little is too positive - less light pollution?) so I'm excited to try my hand at this. The area I'll be at in California has next to no light pollution which will be a lot of fun, but I don't know if I'll be able to get out after dark - have to see how the days go.

I've always been a Nikon guy (probably because the buddy that got me to buy a camera in the first place was a Nikon guy) but it seems like Nikon has slipped to a distant third behind Sony and Canon. If I do dip my toes into the mirrorless world, I can choose what's best for me. I won't worry too much about trying to reuse any of my DX lenses and can honestly just keep the four I have with my D90 as a walkaround camera.

I'll be sure to share some landscapes once I get back. The Sierras are a beautiful part of California. Also excited for next autumn when all of the aspens change color .

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I do quite a bit of landscape photography. With that new ultra wide angle lens you bought, look for compositions with strong foreground elements for the best results. Personally, I don't shoot a lot of wide angle landscapes. My 24-105mm lens is plenty wide enough for most of my landscapes using a full frame body.

Here's an example of a wide angle shot with a strong foreground element from our last visit to Glacier National Park:

These are more typical of focal lengths I would use.

65mm on full frame:

47mm on FF:

 

[JohnRice]

I do quite a bit of landscape photography. With that new ultra wide angle lens you bought, look for compositions with strong foreground elements for the best results. Personally, I don't shoot a lot of wide angle landscapes. My 24-105mm lens is plenty wide enough for most of my landscapes using a full frame body.

Here's an example of a wide angle shot with a strong foreground element from our last visit to Glacier National Park:

These are more typical of focal lengths I would use.

65mm on full frame:

47mm on FF:

I agree with Scott.

When I was shooting DX, my favorite lens was the Sigma ART 18-35mm. I had a Nikkor AF-P 10-20mm, but didn't use it all that often.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I agree with Scott.

When I was shooting DX, my favorite lens was the Sigma ART 18-35mm. I had a Nikkor AF-P 10-20mm, but didn't use it all that often.

I have owned a few ultra wide angle Canon zooms over the years -- EF-S 10-22mm (when I shot just a crop body), EF 17-40mm f/4 L and EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS. I probably used them more for interior or architectural shots than traditional outdoor landscapes. During my transition from dSLR to mirrorless, I have been re-evaluating my lens lineup. I decided I didn't need a more expensive UWA full frame zoom lens, so sold the EF 16-35L and bought a more compact, less expensive RF 16mm f/2.8 prime instead of the RF 14-35mm f/4 L IS. I do still have a EF-M 11-22mm for my small crop body Canon M50, though.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Now, for astro photography, that Tokina f/2.8 lens will be a useful tool. I don't really shoot that subject matter (not much opportunity where I live). However some of what John and I mentioned still applies. You will want to incorporate some foreground elements on land into the shot. Also, you will be using slower shutter speeds, so a decent tripod is a must. Plus you will want either a remote shutter release, or at least use the timer on your body.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

I agree with Scott.

When I was shooting DX, my favorite lens was the Sigma ART 18-35mm. I had a Nikkor AF-P 10-20mm, but didn't use it all that often.

I have the 18-105 kit lens that came with the camera.

When I got my wide angle, I took some sample shots from my apartment's balcony just to see how the lenses compared, and the 18 looked okay.

Keep hoping for a sunny day to get out and experiment for a bit - it's been very cloudy for a long time out this way.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

Now, for astro photography, that Tokina f/2.8 lens will be a useful tool. I don't really shoot that subject matter (not much opportunity where I live). However some of what John and I mentioned still applies. You will want to incorporate some foreground elements on land into the shot. Also, you will be using slower shutter speeds, so a decent tripod is a must. Plus you will want either a remote shutter release, or at least use the timer on your body.

I can't find my old remote that I bought years ago when I was playing with sparklers, so I ordered a new one from Amazon. Got a wireless one rather than an IR one since I wasn't going to be in front of the camera. And I have a tripod - haven't used it much but now I have a reason.

Admittedly, I didn't really know what I was doing, but I did get some fun pictures with sparklers (it was honestly just fun messing around with a girl friend, some beers, and sparklers.)

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

Here's one of the pictures I took on my recent trip to California. It's a stacked image of a few I took. I realized on this trip that I had no idea what I was doing, so I just took all sorts of pictures and hoped for the best.

I was super close to buying a new camera after this trip (I was looking at a Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens) but just couldn't pull the trigger. Especially since we are really hoping to buy a house this year and justifying a new payment for something I didn't need seemed a million percent frivolous. So I told myself use my existing setup, get comfortable, maybe find a clue, then get a new camera. After I buy tools to build bookshelves in the new house (inevetabily), new computer desk setup, new home networking, at the basement theater. Yeah, I want all the things.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

Here's another one that didn't go as good as the first.

I couldn't get my wife's hands and the rocks in focus so I thought I would intentionally try and take multiple pictures knowing that I could merge them later, but I didn't account for her hands moving while the rock didn't. There may be a way to salvage this and make it better, but at this point in my editing life, I definitely lack those skills.

Anyway, I'm hoping to have the time to sit here and really go through these pictures and see what I can turn them into. I have my 3-month subscription to Lightroom and Photoshop, and have the Lightroom Classic Classroom in a Book sitting - here. Just need some time.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

One last one - just playing around with adjustments in Lightroom. (Plus I kind of like the heal function to digitally remove someone who was in the background - that's pretty slick.)

 

[JohnRice]

I was super close to buying a new camera after this trip (I was looking at a Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens) but just couldn't pull the trigger.

The Z5 is a very nice camera, and all most people need. That and the 24-200 would make a good single lens setup. It would be a big step up from your D90, especially in dynamic range and how much you can rescue photos taken under less than ideal circumstances.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

The Z5 is a very nice camera, and all most people need. That and the 24-200 would make a good single lens setup. It would be a big step up from your D90, especially in dynamic range and how much you can rescue photos taken under less than ideal circumstances.

You're not helping.

Like I told my wife, I need to re-familiarize myself with what I have and get comfortable again before I could even begin to consider a new setup.

The 24-200 seemed like a really great lens for a single setup like you said.

If it wasn't for that dumb house plan

 

[JohnRice]

You're not helping.

Like I told my wife, I need to re-familiarize myself with what I have and get comfortable again before I could even begin to consider a new setup.

The 24-200 seemed like a really great lens for a single setup like you said.

If it wasn't for that dumb house plan

I moved to mirrorless last year. DSLRs always kind of bothered me, since they’re kind of absurd, but the tech needed to catch up. There are just so many things I love about mirrorless cameras.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I moved to mirrorless last year. DSLRs always kind of bothered me, since they’re kind of absurd, but the tech needed to catch up. There are just so many things I love about mirrorless cameras.

I moved to mirrorless a few years ago, and agree wholeheartedly with John. I haven't missed my dSLR bodies since I sold them 2.5 years ago. Smaller, lighter weight, better auto focusing, seeing your exposure in the viewfinder, no need to micro adjust lenses for AF are just a few of the advantages. The only downside for me is the battery life is less, but I always have an extra battery charged so I've never run out of juice yet while out shooting.

 

[Jason Goodmanson]

Yeah mirrorless is the future, well it's here now, and does offer a ton of advantages over DSLR bodies. Can't remember if it was here or elsewhere, but someone said DSLR was a necessary step to get us to where we are today and from where we came from in the SLR times.

Nikon is still offering some great prices on the setup I was looking at, but I'm thinking it might be a Christmas present to myself or perhaps a 2024 bonus.

I'm hoping maybe this weekend to continue going through my pictures and see if anything is decent enough to share. At the very least, I have my Lightroom classroom book to occupy me with.

 

[JohnRice]

Yeah mirrorless is the future, well it's here now, and does offer a ton of advantages over DSLR bodies. Can't remember if it was here or elsewhere, but someone said DSLR was a necessary step to get us to where we are today and from where we came from in the SLR times.

I've certainly said that, because it was true. The manufacturers were also probably a little reticent to develop mirrorless, but Sony in particular essentially forced the issue. That's a good thing. They need to get faster and more responsive, and the viewfinders need to improve. However, even as it is, and since I haven't shot any action, there is so much benefit, from things like what information you can display in the viewfinder, to the large lens mounts and short flange distance. That last one really is a massive improvement, especially in what can be done with lenses and how sharp they can be.