Hello everyone,
I seldom to think about astrophotography as I live in a city with serious light pollution, but I have a chance to travel to Austria in May.
This might be a good chance for my attempt to photograph the Milky Way (even at midnight).
I have a Z50, ftz and 3 lens, they are the z dx 16-50mm, sigma 17-50mm f2.8 and af-p dx 70-300mm. The sigma 17-50mm f2.8 might be a choice for me to try out, but its widest focal length and the aperture are not ideal for astrophotography as a dx body.
As you known, there are not much astrophotography lens selection for Nikon DX body, especially the Z dx body. And I don't think I would spent too much money on this, since I haven't had much opportunity to try out astrophotography. For examples, Vilrox 13mm or Tokina 11-20mm or Tokina 11-16mm.
After some research, I found there is a Pergear/ Brightin Star/ Artra Lab 12mm f2 (basically they are in the same specification with different brand name). It is cheap and it has f2. Of course, the corner image quality is really bad at f2 and f2.8, but I can use longer shutter speed (can be 5s more than in 17mm) without having the star-trailing.
Could you guys share some advice? It the sigma 17-50mm f2.8 good enough?
And do you guys have samples of taking Milky Way with Pergear 12mm f2 (and/or the sigma 17-50mm f2.8)?
Thank you.
March 31, 2023
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I have three recommendations:
1. Use your Sigma 17-50 (which would be 171.5=~26mm = 500/26 = 19 seconds - so, you can try 15 and 20 second shutter depending on your tolerance for pinpoint stars.)
2. If you want to spend money, purchase an inexpensive star tracker ( MoveShootMove, ~ $300 USD ). This is going to give you better results than any inexpensive lens you've mentioned. There is a slight* learning curve.
3. No matter what you do, absolutely practice how to manually focus at night at infinity. -
The new Sigma 16mm F1.4 lens for cropped sensor Z mount may be worth your cconsideration.
Fred
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True. Stopping down one, corner aberrations will be reduced nicely.
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Sigmas have been mentioned, and available in different mounts that can be adapted. Sony has several fast wides. The Sigmas and Sonys are readily rented.
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Would any of the various Viltrox lenses work for this ? Maybe the 13mm f/1.4 ?