Astrophotography Guide

TIFFEN IMAGEMAKER GUIDE

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

TIFFEN IMAGEMAKER GUIDE

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

Elevate your Astrophotography.

We've compiled this list of tips & tricks as well as gear recommendations to help you create the world's greatest images.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been shooting the stars for years, we hope you’ll learn something new.

Elevate your Astro Photography.

We've compiled this list of tips & tricks as well as gear recommendations to help you create the world's greatest images.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been shooting the stars for years, we hope you’ll learn something new.

Go somewhere with a dark sky to escape light pollution. The most important thing with astrophotography is a good view of the night sky.

Image: A dark sky has an abundance of stars on the horizon. Shot in a Bortle 3 zone in San Juan, Argentina.

Camera Settings: 23mm F/2.8 8” 6400ISO

Use a wide angle lens to capture more of the sky and expose for longer without star trails. 500/focal length will be about how many seconds you can shoot without star trails. (This is for the full frame equivalent focal length)

Image: A wide angle lens fits more of the night sky into your composition.

Camera Settings: 16mm F2.8 15” 6400ISO

Shoot with a fast lens to let as much light in as possible. F2.8 or faster will allow you to keep a lower ISO to minimize noise.

Image: Prime lenses are great for fast apertures which maximizes light collected.

Camera Settings: F/2.2 8” 6400ISO

Shoot in bulb mode to get star trails in a single photo. Lower your ISO and close your aperture and exposure for several minutes or hours to capture Earth’s rotation. Make sure you have a strong tripod to keep the camera still.

Image: The Earth spins around a North-South axis. The North Star, Polaris, is just out of frame on the top right.

Camera Settings: 17mm F8 963” 1600ISO

Gear Used: Davis & Sanford Traverse TR684C-36

Use a tripod to keep your camera steady during long exposures. Night photography requires exposures ranging from 5-30 seconds and even more to gather as much light as possible. Even clicking the shutter button can cause vibrations, so consider using a 2 second timer.

Image: Stars and comets become richer in detail with long exposures.

Camera Settings: 50mm F1.4, F2.2 8” 3200ISO

Gear Used: Davis & Sanford Traverse TR684C-36

The Tiffen Enhancing Filter cuts light from light pollution while enhancing the red nebulosity in the sky. Even in a dark sky site, the enhancing filter will add color to celestial objects.

Camera Settings: 24mm F/4 180” 800ISO

Gear used: Tiffen Enhancing Filter

Add to your image with light painting. All you need is a small amount of light to illuminate a subject during a long exposure. Our Lowel Go Lite LED is the perfect lighting accessory for astrophotography.

Image: A dim light on the ground makes the joshua tree pop from a dark background.

Camera Settings: 16mm F/2.8 8” 8000ISO 16 panel panorama

Shoot during a new moon when the sky will be as dark as possible. Partial moon phases and full moons are useful for illuminating landscapes. Consider using a diffusion filter like Black Pro Mist with direct moonlight to add halation.

Image: A partially lit moon rises, illuminating the foreground and eliminating nearby stars.

Camera Settings: 16mm F/3.5 15” 800ISO

Add some atmosphere to the sky with a fog or double fog filter. Make bright constellations and planets stand out in the sky.

Image: The Orion constellation during a new moon in January.

Camera Settings: 16mm F/2.8 30” 6400ISO

Gear used: Tiffen Fog filter

10.

A star tracker can counter Earth’s rotation allowing you to shoot long exposures without star trails. Make sure you have a sturdy and level tripod to keep tracking accurate.

Image: Multiple minute long exposures stacked allow you to pick up the faintest details and eliminate noise.

Camera Settings: F/4 120” 6400ISO x 17 frames stacked

Gear Used: Davis & Sanford Traverse TR684C-36

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

GEAR GUIDE

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

TIPS & TRICKS

Get Started.

Davis & Sanford Traverse TR-553-228 Compact Tripod - The Tiffen Company

UV Protector

Filter

Protect your lens against the elements.

Domke F-5XB

Shoulder Bag

Able to hold your camera, lenses, filters, and accessories.

Davis & Sanford Traverse Compact Tripod

A perfect travel sized tripod to start astrophotography.

Lowel

Go Lite

This small light packs a punch bright enough to light up the foreground or a subject at night.

Take it to the next level.

Davis & Sanford Traverse TR684C-36 Carbon Fiber

A heavier load capacity allows for more accessories.

Domke F-7 Double AF Canvas Shoulder Bag

Able to carry equipment like a star tracker and larger lenses.

Digital HT Digital Ultra Clear Filter

Protect your lens against the elements.

Enhancing Filter

Perfect for minimizing light pollution and increasing colors in nebulosity and galactic structures.

Fog Filter

Emphasize bright stars and planets with a soft glow by using a fog filter.

Double Fog Filter

Emphasize bright stars and planets with a soft glow by using a fog filter.

Black Pro-Mist

Add a different kind of diffusion with the Black Pro Mist. Great for extra halation in the highlights without affecting the shadow regions.

Hyper Star Filter

Add some flare to your skies with a star filter.

Get Started.

UV Protector Filter

Protect your lens against the elements.

Domke F-5XB

Able to hold your camera, lenses, filters, and accessories.

Lowel Go Lite

This small light packs a punch bright enough to light up the foreground or a subject at night.

Davis & Sanford Traverse TR-553-228

A perfect travel sized tripod to start astrophotography.

Take it to the next level.

Davis & Sanford Traverse TR684C-36 Carbon Fiber

A heavier load capacity allows for more accessories.

Domke F-7 Double AF Canvas Shoulder Bag

Able to carry equipment like a star tracker and larger lenses.

Digital HT Digital Ultra Clear Filter

Protect your lens against the elements.

Enhancing Filter

Perfect for minimizing light pollution and increasing colors in nebulosity and galactic structures.

Fog Filter

Emphasize bright stars and planets with a soft glow by using a fog filter.

Double Fog Filter

Emphasize bright stars and planets with a soft glow by using a fog filter.

Black Pro-Mist

Add a different kind of diffusion with the Black Pro Mist. Great for extra halation in the highlights without affecting the shadow regions.

Hyper Star Filter

Add some flare to your skies with a star filter.

Imagemaker guide and images by Tiffen's Content Creator, Justin Hartney.

Inspired by science and the natural world, I use my camera to reveal what’s hidden to our eyes. Photography, video, and everything in-between are mediums to educate, inspire, and connect our planet to the cosmos.

Imagemaker guide and images by Tiffen's Content Creator, Justin Hartney.

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