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Comment by Spad posted on Upton upon Severn and surrounding area walk at 23/07/2025 - 20:45
Some more images from the weekend!
Ably assisted once again by Syd the Spaceman!
Ably assisted once again by Syd the Spaceman!
Comment by Spad posted on Lights, Laser, Syd and the Istrian Hut at 23/07/2025 - 18:34
Now you're talking my language!! I love night photography, so much so, that I am always being accused of being vampire, by this lot on Pentax Use!
Wish you had said that earlier!!! It wudda saved me from ranting on about star trackers!
In that case then the K3 is fine. I have done night time lapses, inc astro ones too, with a K3 and K5. On the K3 go for an iso of 800 or 1600. I find theyre the best two to yue on it for nightlapse. For the milkyway you can use 3200.
Some advise on astro time lapse.... if the moon is out and you are unfiltered, forget it. The moon will just wash out the stars and make the sky to bright. You end up with it looking you shot it with dawn rapidly approaching! Unless you want to do moon lapse! You can do it with the moon out, but you need a dual narrow band filter. You can get clip in ones to fit but they are hellishly expensive, but thats not biggest problem. It's finding one that fits Pentax. There is one out there but it's 300 plus quid. Another reason why I use Canon.
To see what brightness the moon is at, you can get an app for android called APT DC. Look for APT Darkness Clock. Another really handy app, is Photopills. Its about a tenner but really worth it. It's got tools to plan shots, shows you moon phases, where the milkyway is, what shutter speeds to use to keep stars from elongating.... it really is brilliant.
Ideally for astro/milkyway time lapse you want to be in a dark sky site all. Best time to shoot the milkway is Aug/Sept time.
To do a star astro timelapse.... best time is winter. Basically the colder it is the better your outcome will be!
Wish you had said that earlier!!! It wudda saved me from ranting on about star trackers!
In that case then the K3 is fine. I have done night time lapses, inc astro ones too, with a K3 and K5. On the K3 go for an iso of 800 or 1600. I find theyre the best two to yue on it for nightlapse. For the milkyway you can use 3200.
Some advise on astro time lapse.... if the moon is out and you are unfiltered, forget it. The moon will just wash out the stars and make the sky to bright. You end up with it looking you shot it with dawn rapidly approaching! Unless you want to do moon lapse! You can do it with the moon out, but you need a dual narrow band filter. You can get clip in ones to fit but they are hellishly expensive, but thats not biggest problem. It's finding one that fits Pentax. There is one out there but it's 300 plus quid. Another reason why I use Canon.
To see what brightness the moon is at, you can get an app for android called APT DC. Look for APT Darkness Clock. Another really handy app, is Photopills. Its about a tenner but really worth it. It's got tools to plan shots, shows you moon phases, where the milkyway is, what shutter speeds to use to keep stars from elongating.... it really is brilliant.
Ideally for astro/milkyway time lapse you want to be in a dark sky site all. Best time to shoot the milkway is Aug/Sept time.
To do a star astro timelapse.... best time is winter. Basically the colder it is the better your outcome will be!
Comment by Spad posted on Beginner Stumbles w/ Astro Tracer at 23/07/2025 - 10:31
Seriously tho....
Steve is right. You will probably better spending the money towards a new laptop/PC.
What you are running is a bit dated and it could frustrate you. Plus with a modern bit of kit, you'll open up a plethora of new editing toys to use.
Steve is right. You will probably better spending the money towards a new laptop/PC.
What you are running is a bit dated and it could frustrate you. Plus with a modern bit of kit, you'll open up a plethora of new editing toys to use.
Comment by Spad posted on Which Monitor at 23/07/2025 - 09:59
Th3r3 h4s b33n l0t5 0f 3d1t5!!!
Comment by Spad posted on Which Monitor at 23/07/2025 - 09:52
Oi M1ss C0ntr@ry!!!
Fir5l3.... th3r3 i5 n0th1n9 w60n9 w1th m1 ay3 5i9gt. 1 c4n s33 th3 c0mput3r sc6een @nd k3yb04rd p3r3f3ct1y w3ll.
S3cond1y.... y0u g3t @ l0v31y t4n f60m 4 81g 5cr33n!¡¡
533.... 1 h4v3 b33n u51ng 0ne f06 y34r5 @nd 1t h45nt 3ff3cted my 3y351ght wh4t 50 3v3r¿¿¡¡¡《《
Fir5l3.... th3r3 i5 n0th1n9 w60n9 w1th m1 ay3 5i9gt. 1 c4n s33 th3 c0mput3r sc6een @nd k3yb04rd p3r3f3ct1y w3ll.
S3cond1y.... y0u g3t @ l0v31y t4n f60m 4 81g 5cr33n!¡¡
533.... 1 h4v3 b33n u51ng 0ne f06 y34r5 @nd 1t h45nt 3ff3cted my 3y351ght wh4t 50 3v3r¿¿¡¡¡《《
Comment by Spad posted on Which Monitor at 23/07/2025 - 09:42
I'd buy a 4k TV..... you can get much bigger for less money. I got a Hisense 50" 4k for £250.... A monitor that size at 4k is silly money! Look at a 32in?
As long as you set it up right it will be fine.
Actually scrap that, I just noticed your spec... your computer will struggle at that resolution.
Look at a 1080p tv then.
I'd also look at getting more ram. 16mb would give you a huge performance boost.
As long as you set it up right it will be fine.
Actually scrap that, I just noticed your spec... your computer will struggle at that resolution.
Look at a 1080p tv then.
I'd also look at getting more ram. 16mb would give you a huge performance boost.
Comment by Spad posted on Which Monitor at 22/07/2025 - 22:29
So youre actually doing astr-timelapse?
Comment by Spad posted on Beginner Stumbles w/ Astro Tracer at 22/07/2025 - 17:02
Ok... so wide field. Are you trying to shoot the milky way?
I'd also close it down f4 on this lens. At f2.8 you'll get a large ammount of CA.
I'd also close it down f4 on this lens. At f2.8 you'll get a large ammount of CA.
Comment by Spad posted on Beginner Stumbles w/ Astro Tracer at 22/07/2025 - 12:54
Lubbyman wrote:
Steve
I had a genuine Pentax 13a adapter... it failed not long after I bought it. I have a third party one that runs fine! Spad wrote:
No.... not via the on camera USB socket.
But you can power a K3 Mk1 via a USB C to the K1's power socket.
Sorry, I should have made my post more clear.
Here is a link to one.
Thanks, Spad. Good to know that there's a 3rd party option. That's an answer to how to run a K3 for longer than a battery with allow, The Pentax adapter that plugs into a 13 amp socket rather than USB was as rare as hens teeth when I was looking for one.No.... not via the on camera USB socket.
But you can power a K3 Mk1 via a USB C to the K1's power socket.
Sorry, I should have made my post more clear.
Here is a link to one.
Steve
Comment by Spad posted on Beginner Stumbles w/ Astro Tracer at 21/07/2025 - 23:32
