Catherine Hill Bay Jetty and the Milky Way NIGHT Shoot

[Cage]

Nice one Morgo.

That very low cloud on the horizon adds to the shot, and a similar scenario shouldn't worry us too much as the tail of the Milky Way will be above the horizon.

[crm]

Hi - just joined the Forum last night and as live in Newcastle am interested in attending when conditions permit.

[Mark Aitkens]

welcome crm - Im new too.

Im looking forward to this meeting (hope I can actually make it when it goes ahead given expected notice period of 24hrs). Lots of people to meet and do cool stuff (i'm new to astrophotography too).

And speaking of new, I anticipate receiving my new Pentax K-1 (Full Frame) in the mail this week. I hope I can handle of this newness

[Cage]

Hi - just joined the Forum last night and as live in Newcastle am interested in attending when conditions permit.

Welcome to the forum.

Keep checking here from about Thursday 21/7 for updates on the possible date. The weather is looking pretty iffy up till then and there is a big front crossing the Bight so the date is very much in the lap of the gods.

- - - Updated - - -

(i'm new to astrophotography too).

And speaking of new, I anticipate receiving my new Pentax K-1 (Full Frame) in the mail this week. I hope I can handle of this newness

Mark, just slip the new K1 into 'Manual' and it's the same as all your previous cameras, albeit with some more goodies.

[Mark Aitkens]

Mark, just slip the new K1 into 'Manual' and it's the same as all your previous cameras, albeit with some more goodies.

Goody goody, another K1 user. We can share lenses

I was hoping to do a 20mm compare using my FA20/2.8, M20/4, K20/4 and SMC Tak 20/4.5

[Cage]

Goody goody, another K1 user. We can share lenses

I was hoping to do a 20mm compare using my FA20/2.8, M20/4, K20/4 and SMC Tak 20/4.5

, not quite.

I was a K20D and K5 user but then crossed to the dark side for the Full Frame offerings of Nikon. I was never really happy with the K5 although most users swear by them. Just check the old glass for those that may have coma or CA problems.

[Mark Aitkens]

The K5 is an interesting beast. The only thing I disliked about it is the 'sharpness' it delivers and the AF. WRT sharpness this is why they removed the AA filter in the K5iis (and in so doing made a near perfect APS-C camera). The sensor upgrade in the K3 has not really delivered much benefit over the K5iis, but, the new camera model did improve AF performance substantially. I expect the K1 to be simply better all round.

[Cage]

Sharpness is at least as much to do with what is in front of the sensor as the sensor itself.

I was into birding and came to the mistaken conclusion that to get sharp, detailed shots, I needed more megapixies, hence the move to full frame. I think the shots that Lance posts on the Bird Forum with his 20.9mp APS-C Nikon D500 disprove that theory. Of course the 15 grands worth of glass helps too.

[Cage]

Interesting article on the Milky Way in Sky and Telescope.

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser...m_medium=email

[Mark Aitkens]

Sharpness is at least as much to do with what is in front of the sensor as the sensor itself.

I was into birding and came to the mistaken conclusion that to get sharp, detailed shots, I needed more megapixies, hence the move to full frame. I think the shots that Lance posts on the Bird Forum with his 20.9mp APS-C Nikon D500 disprove that theory. Of course the 15 grands worth of glass helps too.

Four core elements combine to give desired sharpness.

1) Awesome optics (yes, like fine wine, the more expensive the more awesome).
2) AA filter or not (the filter is important for controlling moire but does impact sharpness).
3) A sensor capable of sufficient resolution to pick up the detail.
4) Accurate AF.

An APS-C sensor is good enough at 16MP - my K5iis is a testimony to that. The crop factor on APS-C is also a bonus if the lens optics are awesome.

Panning back to astrophotography and long exposure, sensor performance re: noise is also important if high ISO is to be used. WRT long exposure I recently stumbled across this article:

http://www.brendandaveyphotography.com/?page_id=726

The K5 performed surprisingly well in that department. Really well. I will be sure to test this out when we meet.

[Cage]

I personally have in-camera long exposure and high ISO noise reduction turned off, preferring to do that in PP, although Nikon overrides that setting at ISO1600 or higher, and applies the in-camera noise reduction anyway.

I'm in the process of setting up my new SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro mount, and when all the bits arrive to mount my camera (a D7200 in preference to the D800, no OLPF and better high ISO handling) I'll initially be using ISO400/800 for my multiple exposures and taking Dark frames.

[Mark Aitkens]

I personally have in-camera long exposure and high ISO noise reduction turned off, preferring to do that in PP, although Nikon overrides that setting at ISO1600 or higher, and applies the in-camera noise reduction anyway.

I'm in the process of setting up my new SkyWatcher HEQ5 Pro mount, and when all the bits arrive to mount my camera (a D7200 in preference to the D800, no OLPF and better high ISO handling) I'll initially be using ISO400/800 for my multiple exposures and taking Dark frames.

I am very keen to see how you do this. For the moment I will be taking star trails with extra long exposure (digital or film), using 30 second (or less) exposure with high ISO using K5iis/ K3 (i.e. no tracking/ tracer) or using the astrotracer function in the K1 (looking forward to this built in GPS function).

[Cage]

@ JD

How did your Catho recce go ???

[JDuding]

@ JD

How did your Catho recce go ???

LOL

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/for...ch-of-Classics
"...So.
Funny thing happened on the way to Catho Beach the other day..."


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I am hoping to try and head out that way tomorrow or Tuesday.
The camera shop in Newcastle has some equipment put aside for me, so if i don't get side tracked (it happens ), I'll get to take some scouting shots tomorrow arvo.
But I am EASILY distracted and so make no promises

[Mark Aitkens]

The 'long range' forecast indicates Sunday 24th July as a possibility. Fingers crossed.

[piczzilla]

The 'long range' forecast indicates Sunday 24th July as a possibility. Fingers crossed.

Hey thanks for the heads up. I'll try applying for a day off from work for Monday 25th (I can cancel the leave later if it's a no go).

[Cage]

This looks promising for Mon 25th, Tues 26th and Wed 27th .... http://www.accuweather.com/en/au/new...st/12777?day=6

[piczzilla]

I don't think I can take any more weekdays off, I might have to pass if it's happening Monday night onwards. Would still love to see the images you guys capture though.

In the meantime, I've been shooting at the moon, and seem to have some success. Not sure how different it is from shooting at the milky way....

[Cage]

This is a shot I took a while back from the beach below the 'shooting possie'.

DSC_5234-Edit.jpg

The view should be similar from above, without the underside of the jetty. And depending on exactly where the Milky Way sits in the frame, possibly more sky and less foreground.

[JDuding]

Nice shot of the jetty Kev.

Just got home after a very pleasant day driving to Newcastle from Gosford area and returning via all the beach roads until I finally got to Catho.

I'll post a few scouting shots in this thread soon (Got work tomorrow, so might not be all that soon ).
There seem to be a few really good vantage points. but will depend on the position of the milkyway relevant to the jetty to know if they will work out on the night.

If the milky way is south enough, then there are plenty of vantage points that are very low and some have easy beach access to increase the composition options.
But...
If the milky way is any where north of the jetty... Kev's earlier scouting pic showed the elevated road/car park that we will be able to use, but no easy beach access.
Still should make for a top evening.

Now the bad news.


The Catherine Hill Bay Jetty.... is still set to be demolished.
I was speaking to some young bloke who was erecting some fencing nearby and he let me know that they also intend to tear up the access road leading to the jetty.
After checking with ol' mate Google, the jetty was offered to the local council in 2010, but rejected due to maintenance cost.
The latest article I could find was from August, 2015 on the NBN News site and it says all they are waiting on is approval from the government.

So...

Get snap happy.
Not sure how long this 1888 erected, now heritage site will be around.

My shots that I took today were rushed and so I doubt that any will be print worthy, so I will do another few day visits to make sure I have the shots I want.
Also hope that this upcoming night event isn't the last either