Approaching the Scene 135: Nikon's 14-24 S, Z7ii & Stars 

stars! way too much light where I live. that's another reason I love these videos. many thanks

You guys are so lucky that you can do star photography in the summer. Not jealous at all!

Thanks. This is helpful as I consider getting the Z7ii.

Great video! I may end up upgrading to that 14-24 soon. Looking up the move shoot move too. Thanks for the test on this great gear!

Living up here in Seattle, I’m surprised more about your ability to find somewhere to see the stars than to photograph them! Awesome video!

Great Video! Thanks

Those mountain shots are beautiful…

Again a great Approaching the Scene. First I must say no matter the maker of a lens or camera to see images of the night sky is awesome when done right, like you do, and I also have the MSM and practice before the March rainbow shooting. Since I first started MW's in '14 with the first Ultra wide Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 I could never understand the elongated stars in the corners but pinpoint centers but as the years went by lenses got better and even today it still happens. When you show your images, even the long exposure on the MSM, there is the elongation of stars in the corners. Even my Sony 1224 f/2.8 and f/4 @ 12mm and 5 or 2 sec when magnified on back of camera it can be seen. It is just pincushion distortion (drove me crazy for years) when the lens keeps vertical stuff vertical and no lens correction works that for stars. I use ON 1 a lot but Capture One has a manufacture pincushion correction that corrects it for all to be pinpoint. But a warning it messes with the ground so correct then process in your favorite program, like ON1. Now Capture One has plug in for ON1...ON1 also easier to blend a ground with a sky (corrected in all ways). But to do the Milky Way the Radial tool (inverted and feather adjusted) of LR around the MW is best instead of dodge and burn, it is like a reverse edit to bring out the MW (I have told/suggested ON1 about but no go yet). So no matter how fast you shoot do not worry anymore! The nice thing better lenses mean less distortion with wider lenses meaning better pano merge in post and fewer shots for a pano. Also have found that using the "Z" mount with the MSM keeps the camera leveler when panning across at 180 deg of frames (like with a fluid head) and being higher getting lower more stable with less leg length, just saying as an add. When you get down to the south of Oregon for those vertical MW's in August use Planit Pro tide part (sine wave in time area) to plan when low tide for those sea stacks shots. A shot of MW rainbow over Mount Hood maybe April when higher. Great wherever you shoot! Thanks for the filter review always nice to see but with Daylight LED lights in cities it is more about highlight control (low ISO) and in some cases higher f/ also to have detail in highlight areas, zebras at night!!!

We have been one of the lucky ones here in the DFW area. Power all week so far and broke out the fireplace and dry wood after 10 years of non-use! So many people suffering from the mismanagement of our power grid here in Texas.

Hudson what I feel from you is your passion for photography. This is a great influence on my out look for expressing my self in photography.. Thank You.

Hello, What an interesting video, I thought I was doing something wrong when I tried the 500 rules even whit the D850 the stars where never right. Keep well, keep safe and have fun.

👍👍

HH is that the internal Kase light pollution filter you used?

If we had registered for the Zoom Meeting for the Office Hours when it was previously scheduled, do we need to register again for the new date?

Thank you for very informative video. Regarding light pollution, look at a new Astronomic clip in filters for Nikon Z. They are great.

Thanks! Looks like a great lens. The star cluster you captured is the Beehive, aka Messier 44, in Cancer. If you want to be more accurate with polar alignment, aim the MSM about a laser beam width or two away from Polaris in the direction of the end star in the handle of the Big Dipper. Polaris is about 2/3rds of a degree off the true celestial pole. Clear skies!

Whenever I see a pic of windmills the blades are stationary probably due to fast shutter speed. Can you get a pic of a field of windmills using a slow shutter speed showing full rotation of the blades, like an airplane propeller? We don't have them here in Florida, but I just think that shot would be killer. Thanks, love your videos!

Have you considered using the 14-30mm F4 lens since you are using the MSM tracker?

Hudson, are links to check out the two filters the Case & Nisi night filters?

What head was used to mount the MSM on the tripod in your studio recording, not the real-world example? also, do you recommend that or the Manfrotto one you used on the field?

If you were to not use a star tracker and instead use the image stacking method to reduce noise, with the z7 ii, do you need an external shutter release remote? or can you do it through the app?

How does the 14 to 30 f4 compare. Would you be more inclined to use the 14 to 24 or a panno on the 20mm. I have the 14 to 30 and the 20mm, and I am think of trading for the 14 to 24, but a little concerned about weight and filter cost

I need a little guidance. First...I really enjoy the series. I'm on my 11th Nikon in 47 years having upgraded from my D700 to the Z6 II. I try to shoot with a crop in mind...add a bit more to the scene and, if necessary, crop to fit a print (5x7, 8x10, etc.). I try to think in 35mm film terms. I shot a great picture of an old restored Ford truck. The grill with the Ford logo and the "teeth" that the grill formed was great...until I went to make a print. I shot/cropped to close to fit any standard print format. In looking at the reference material for the camera, I can't find anything that gives me a clue as to where the "35mm" frame is. Everything refers to the autofocus zone. There are 4 red corners that delineate the autofocus area but there's a lot more in the viewfinder frame. Should I consider the corners the 35mm frame. Suggestions folks! Thanks again for this great service. Working for a major airline, I get to PDX quite a bit as one of my pilot buddies owns a vineyard in Hood River. Great area for photography.

So on the bottom of the MSM is that a quick release plate from Kirk Photo???

Hi, I have been a fan of your videos. Love the topics and format you cover them in. Do you have a video on using the MoveShootMove star tracker. I recently purchased one. Thanks

Why do people think the MSM tracker is super light? You still need a wedge and a ballhead, plus the laser adds bulk. The complete package is a little lighter than the main brands of trackers, but people focus on just the MSM clockwork box. When I was considering the MSM, it aspired to provide what the name says...move, shoot, move capability for time lapse motion pans. They dumbed-down the product and it's now just a tracker. I'm excited for the really novel Benro robotic head on Kickstarter. And for lightweight shooting, I'm interested in trying Sequator and star stacking rather than using a tracker.

Hudson, I've encountered an issue with the Z7ii Live View black even with ambient light available. I see others where this is not a problem and a DPReview question with several reporting the issue. A solution presented is a creating a custom Picture Control that basically increases gain. This has to be a setting or firmware version issue given others Z7ii works fine, have you seen this issue? What picture control are you using? Shooting with the Z7ii and 20mm S 1.8

I no longer get email notices for your ATS vids. How do I re-subscribe? Thanks!

Is that z7ii better than the D850 to photograph a wedding with a field of view of stars like this?

Which MSM star tracker kit option would you recommend (have a ball head already RRS BH40) that would give me the ability to photography a sharper Milky Way as it moves across the sky . Normally during the course of a MW shoot I move around to at least 2-3 location for foreground options.

The star trackers name please ?

The windmill farms are not about power generation. They are about driving weather

So why shoot with the Z7II when the Z6ii has less pixels and thus wider photo receptors for the low light work? It has been widely acclaimed has a killer camera for night work.