Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Shooting nightscapes demands specific

photography equipment – and warm clothing

Get set up for

(^1) the night
Like all photographers, nightscapers and
astrophotographers obsess over the best
cameras and equipment. Should you go for
the very latest and very expensive mirrorless
camera to get the best results? Do you need a
pricey full-frame camera? The answer to both
of those questions is a resounding no, you do
not; nightscaping is far more about how often
you get outside at night and practise.
Yes, full-frame cameras produce a cleaner,
brighter and more detailed image than a
crop-sensor camera when shooting the night
sky, but when you’re starting out, it’s really
not important. All you need to get started is
a manual camera, one that enables you to
independently control ISO, shutter speed and
aperture, and manually fix the focus on infinity.
Some compact cameras can do that, but you
will also need a wide-angle lens – somewhere
in the region of 14mm-18mm – to fit as much
of the night sky as possible into one shot. That
makes an interchangeable DSLR or mirrorless
camera preferable, though if you don’t have a
wide-angle lens you can still get started with
the kit lens that came with your camera.
Add a tripod and a few more accessories

• not forgetting a warm coat and fingerless
  gloves – and you’re ready for the night.

What gear do you need? Get ready for darkness with these nighttime necessities

Left

Be prepared

A tripod, manual

camera and warm

clothes are crucial for

night-sky photography

Above

Starting out

Wait for a clear night,

preferably the week before

a new moon or just after, to

take your night-sky shots

Nightscape

photography is the

art of collecting

limited light

MANUAL CAMERA

You will need to manually control

focus, ISO, aperture and shutter

speed, so you’ll

need a camera

with manual

controls (a DSLR,

mirrorless or a

capable compact).

Full frame is best

but not essential.

WIDE-ANGLE LENS

What lens you use will

make a big difference.

Use the widest angle

lens you can get your

hands on, such as 14mm,

though an 18-55mm kit

lens is fine to start with. A

full-frame camera has a

wider field of view than a

crop-sensor camera.

TRIPOD

All night-sky photography

requires long exposures,

so you need to keep

your camera as steady

as possible. Small

travel tripods are fine,

but bigger tripods

put everything at

head height so are

more convenient.

ecessities

y photography

ng exposures,

d to keep

a as steady

Small

ds are fine,

ripods

ing at

t so are

enient.

1/2

sec

15

secs

x2© Shutterstock

TECHNIQUES

Shootingnightscapesdemandsspecific

photographyequipment– andwarmclothing

Get set up for

(^1) the night
Likeallphotographers,nightscapersand
astrophotographersobsessoverthebest
camerasandequipment.Shouldyougofor
theverylatestandveryexpensivemirrorless
cameratogetthebestresults?Doyouneeda
priceyfull-framecamera?Theanswertoboth
ofthosequestionsisa resoundingno,youdo
not;nightscapingisfarmoreabouthowoften
yougetoutsideatnightandpractise.
Yes,full-framecamerasproducea cleaner,
brighterandmoredetailedimagethana
crop-sensorcamerawhenshootingthenight
sky,butwhenyou’restartingout,it’sreally
notimportant.Allyouneedtogetstartedis
a manualcamera,onethatenablesyouto
independentlycontrolISO,shutterspeedand
aperture,andmanuallyfixthefocusoninfinity.
Somecompactcamerascandothat,butyou
willalsoneeda wide-anglelens– somewhere
intheregionof14mm-18mm– tofitasmuch
ofthenightskyaspossibleintooneshot.That
makesaninterchangeableDSLRormirrorless
camerapreferable,thoughif youdon’thavea
wide-anglelensyoucanstillgetstartedwith
thekitlensthatcamewithyourcamera.
Adda tripodanda fewmoreaccessories

• notforgettinga warmcoatandfingerless
  gloves– andyou’rereadyforthenight.

What geardo youneed? Getreadyfordarknesswiththesenighttimen

Left

Beprepared

A tripod,manual

cameraandwarm

clothesarecrucialfor

night-skyphotography

Above

Starting out

Wait for a clear night,

preferably the week before

a new moon or just after, to

take your night-sky shots

Nightscape

photography is the

art ofcollecting

limited light

MANUALCAMERA
Youwillneedtomanuallycontrol
focus,ISO,apertureandshutter
speed,soyou’ll
needa camera
withmanual
controls(aDSLR,
mirrorlessora
capablecompact).
Fullframeis best
butnotessential.

WIDE-ANGLELENS

Whatlensyouusewill

makea bigdifference.

Usethewidestangle

lensyoucangetyour

handson,suchas14mm,

thoughan18-55mmkit

lensis finetostartwith.A

full-framecamerahasa

widerfieldofviewthana

crop-sensorcamera.

TRIPOD

Allnight-sky

requireslon

soyouneed

yourcamera

aspossible.

traveltripod

butbiggert

puteveryth

headheight

moreconve

ecessities

yphotography

g exposures,

dtokeep

aassteady

Small

ds arefine,

ripods

ingat

tsoare

enient.

1/2

sec

15

secs

x2© Shutterstock

TECHNIQUES