First attempts at Milky Way widefields

[dgsgc]

Shot these at the weekend on a trip to our cottage in cornwall. I was really just practicing focusing but am quite pleased so though I would share them.

I am still finding focusing very hard, the slighest turn on the focus ring seems to make massive adjustments and I cant seem to get it spot on.

Should I try a different lens, heres what I have in my photography kit: Canon 24-105L F4, Canon EF50mm F1.8, Canon EF85mm F1.8, Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4.5, Sigma 70-300mm APO.

Any pointers much appreciated.

Kit used:

Fixed tripod

Canon 40D

Sigma 17-70mm

Cassiopeia region: I think it has just about picked up the double cluster and M31?

17mm F2.8

4x30 seconds

ISO1600

Cassiopeia region2 by David.Giles, on Flickr

Cygnus region:

17mm F2.8

1x30 seconds

ISO1600

Cygnus Milky Way 2 by David.Giles, on Flickr

Cygnus region: Prefered how the single shot looked, the stacked image looks too noisy, guess thats because there is no darks though?

17mm F2.8

3x30 seconds

ISO1600

Cygnus Milky Way by David.Giles, on Flickr