Legacy Astrophotography: Milky Way Panorama

[Nightfly]

I've always have wanted to assemble such a photograph. In April I planned a four panel sequence that took place in the wee hours of April 28th.

This was the first planned mosaic of several. I have a few more coming.

Four panel panorama using a Pentax 67 and 165mm f/2.8 @ f/4.8 with Kodak E200 transparency film developed N+1.5. Each exposure 35 minutes in length. Images combined in Autostitch

Legacy Astrophotography: Milky Way Panorama by Nightfly Photography, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

Jim

[Fenriz]

Wow, it doesn't get any better than that......Fantastic job Jim.

[Spikey]

Superb shot(s) Jim

[garethmob]

another fantastic photo nightfly!

[Ponoobersie]

Dear lord that is just stunning!!! wow!

[Komet]

Brilliant image .... really impressed with this. 8-)

[Gina]

Wow! That's magnificent

[Catanonia]

Amazing work, kicks CCD into touch eh ???

Loving this mate, must be so hard to do without todays technology.

[ollypenrice]

That is very very fine and lovely, Jim. The more you go into the depths of the Milky Way the more the film medium comes into its own, I think. The colours of the gas and dust are splendid.

Olly

[todd8137]

Nice

[Quatermass]

great work there really nice.

[laser_jock99]

Quality image.

[Nightfly]

Thanks very much for the kind words. I am enjoying this image as well. The four frames matched quite well and allowed for pretty much seamless mosaic. I have a few more panoramas to get though and will post them when ready.

Olly, I have always been impressed with the color fidelity this film (Kodak E200) maintains. Even faint details come though well.

You got to love the star-clouds of summer. So beautiful.

[dmahon]

Not quite sure I understand the legacy use of film but then scanning it in to a computer and stitching it together in software - but it's a great image however it was done!

[Starlight 1]

Allway nice to see your film work on here Jim .

[Nightfly]

Not quite sure I understand the legacy use of film but then scanning it in to a computer and stitching it together in software - but it's a great image however it was done!

Thank you.

I outlined the Legacy Astrophotography Project at my Flickr page.

"The Legacy Project is a planned sequence of photographs of the night sky. Over the last several years astrophotographers have switched to digital as the medium of choice. While there are many reasons to do this, film is still a great way to capture wide-field images of the Milky Way and the sky in general.

The project's mission is to continue film's "Legacy" as a medium for long exposure images of the night sky.

The sequence of photos started in October 2009 and will end at a point yet to be determined.

Great care has been given to compose, expose, and process each image. Only the best combination of film, lenses and exposure times are used.

Each image is shot under the dark skies of my home in Maine.

My goal is to produce the finest images obtainable with film emulsions. "

[Gina]

Your images are certainly an inspiration JIM Really excellent work needing real dedication. I agree that the resolution of colour reversal film is far greater than the current digital cameras and even greater if you use medium format film and camera. Certainly an excellent medium for high resolution widefield images.

I was a keen user of film many decades ago including medium format. I changed to 35mm film for the convenience of the SLR and interchangeable lenses - I did miss the tremendous resolution of 120 size film but I couldn't afford a medium format SLR. I used to do my own processing - I have always been a DIY type person. I must have spent hundreds of hours in hot stuffy darkrooms

Eventually I got tired of spending so many hours to produce just a relative few photos and the problem of only 36 exposures on a roll of film plus the wait before you got to see the results. So after digital cameras had been out for some time I eventually got one and I took more photos. No carrying a bag of films about plus heavy camera and lenses and I'm afraid convenience won over quality. It is only relatively recently that I have managed to afford a half decent digital SLR. And now I have three DSLRs One for general terrestrial use and two cheapos dedicated to AP - though I've only had one AP camera working at a time.

My main interest in AP is in DSO rather than widefield though I do intend to try some widefield later. I may find I want more resolution than my 12MPx 1100D will give, at which point I may have to look at my options. I still have my Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR but I don't currently have a darkroom. OTOH there are hundreds of DSOs to keep me occupied

[Bob Andersson]

Hi Jim,

Beautiful image. I have a copy of the same lens but even with my ML16803 camera (which cost enough to buy a lot of film!) I'd need to mosaic four panels to match a single panel from your mosaic. And I'd need to do separate red, green and blue subs and, for best rejection of bad pixels, repeat each at least three times and preferably more. Film does have advantages: great work.

Bob.

[fwm891]

Well truly great image, and with the secondhand market awash with medium format cameras (Hasselblad, Bronica, Mamiya...) crazy prices for manual versions since the advent of digital capture (and no batteries to worry about!). Getting the trannies processed reliably and consistently would be the biggest problem...

[Nightfly]

Your images are certainly an inspiration JIM Really excellent work needing real dedication. I agree that the resolution of colour reversal film is far greater than the current digital cameras and even greater if you use medium format film and camera. Certainly an excellent medium for high resolution widefield images.

I was a keen user of film many decades ago including medium format. I changed to 35mm film for the convenience of the SLR and interchangeable lenses - I did miss the tremendous resolution of 120 size film but I couldn't afford a medium format SLR. I used to do my own processing - I have always been a DIY type person. I must have spent hundreds of hours in hot stuffy darkrooms

Eventually I got tired of spending so many hours to produce just a relative few photos and the problem of only 36 exposures on a roll of film plus the wait before you got to see the results. So after digital cameras had been out for some time I eventually got one and I took more photos. No carrying a bag of films about plus heavy camera and lenses and I'm afraid convenience won over quality. It is only relatively recently that I have managed to afford a half decent digital SLR. And now I have three DSLRs One for general terrestrial use and two cheapos dedicated to AP - though I've only had one AP camera working at a time.

My main interest in AP is in DSO rather than widefield though I do intend to try some widefield later. I may find I want more resolution than my 12MPx 1100D will give, at which point I may have to look at my options. I still have my Pentax Spotmatic 35mm SLR but I don't currently have a darkroom. OTOH there are hundreds of DSOs to keep me occupied

Thanks Gina,

You had many good reasons to upgrade into the new realm. As an electronics technician, I understand the technology, its advantages and disadvantages, but my aesthetic sense trumps most of that in what I want to produce for work. In narrow-field work it is harder to justify the old technology, but for wide-field there is a different story. My work may not be better, but it reflects what I want to create for images.

I think that in a very real way it can be better, but I do not want to sell you my vision, as singular as it seems to be. If people enjoy my images, I am very happy to share. That seems to be the case. I do have detractors (not here at SGL) that go out of their way to ridicule my work as pointless in today's world. But it is poor sport to tear down what I feel are important images, but they do. I'm o.k with that. I have to be.

I have seen nothing but very thoughtful and wonderful remarks here at SGL, many from you and others that make me feel at home on the other side of the pond. I thank all of you that appreciate my efforts and I hope I have inspired some as well.

Clear skies.

Jim

[Nightfly]

Well truly great image, and with the secondhand market awash with medium format cameras (Hasselblad, Bronica, Mamiya...) crazy prices for manual versions since the advent of digital capture (and no batteries to worry about!). Getting the trannies processed reliably and consistently would be the biggest problem...

You are correct. Equipment for analog work is very reasonable. Getting quality processing may be a stumbling block for many. I am fortunate to have a pro lab handle my work with impeccable service.

[Nightfly]

Hi Jim,

Beautiful image. I have a copy of the same lens but even with my ML16803 camera (which cost enough to buy a lot of film!) I'd need to mosaic four panels to match a single panel from your mosaic. And I'd need to do separate red, green and blue subs and, for best rejection of bad pixels, repeat each at least three times and preferably more. Film does have advantages: great work.

Bob.

Hi Bob. Yea, the film measures 56mm x 70mm. A very large, one shot color sensor! And I do mean one shot! LOL There is much to be said for "reusable sensors" such as yours. I would imagine defects in the lens are harder to tolerate with a smaller sensor, as good as the 165mm is.

Jim

[Gina]

I'm glad you feel at home here Jim I like to be constructive and give praise where it's due. I will also do my best to help where I can with my limited knowledge. I too find SGL a very friendly and helpful place and I read and post here more than anywhere else

I think it unlikely that I shall go to film but you never know. I like to try things and the further from mainstream the better This is evidenced by my project for a super-cooled DSLR Though this is also influenced by my lack of funds for a good quality astro CCD camera, of course.

[sulaco]

That's amazing, a real clever bit of work

[nightvision]

Fantastic image Jim!

I have used Ektachrome extensively but not recently, a very accurate film and cooler than Kodachrome. I have several (non-astro) friends who think all astro pictures are false coloured, this image proves the opposite.

I use to do my own E6 processing, are the chemicals still available?

Do you use any additional equipment for such long exposures?

Not having a LP problem must be like AP heaven.

Tony