Best lens for astrophotography.

[hobsey]

Not wide wide but I tried my Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro last night and it does quite well at f4.

Here is an hour on the North American area.

Canon 60Da....12x300secs at f4  ISO 1600

na105mmtest.jpg

Thats a lovely image.

Looking forward to getting my 105mm

[Coastliner]

You guys are going to ruin me financially with these images. 105mm Sigma, 40mm pancake, 28mm 1.8, etc.

Keep 'em coming, really impressive - I need darker skies, NOW!!

Neil.

[jgs001]

Neil, in all seriousness, don't rush out to buy any lenses at the moment. Use the 50 for now and gets used to it. Then when you're satisfied you're getting the most from it look at other lenses. I use my lenses for daylight photography first. It just happens they double up as some cracking astro lenses too.

Good job Mike, excellent result.

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[happy-kat]

How does a macro lens work as I am struggling with the infinity focus bit or rather lack. I have a vintage lens that won't focus to infinity on my dslr but gives me great macro ability as the focus is very close. Is this the focus meant by macro please?

[lensman57]

How does a macro lens work as I am struggling with the infinity focus bit or rather lack. I have a vintage lens that won't focus to infinity on my dslr but gives me great macro ability as the focus is very close. Is this the focus meant by macro please?

Hi to all,

As an ex photographer ( I am talking about emulsions, developers for every lighting condition and so on ) may I just say that the modern so called " macro lenses " are just close focusing lenses and nothing else. A true macro lens is only optimised for a reproduction ratio of at least 1:1 and is good for nothing else, some used to call them copy or process lens ( even illumination and total flat field ) .  I still have a few of these attached to my 5X4" plate cameras from Rodenstock and Schneider and I believe  a Nikon of 300mm of FL @ F8 somewhere. The modern close focusing lens uses very clever optical trickery in order to keep the aperture constant as the point of focus draws nearer, somthing that is at odds with the traditional proper macro lens as the  aperture correction  has to be calculated for the subject distance to the film plane and a correction factor then applied. How these modern  " Macro " lenses perform at infinity focus is subect of debate with regards to optical and geometric aberrations but I just want to say that by no means I am not advocating the use of these  for AP, one just has to try it and see how it performs and mostly for hobby purposes they are more than adequate. The above is just for information just incase anyone is interested. Hope you find this  useful.

Now where have I left my Cooke's triple convertible lens?

Regards,

A.G

[hazegood]

Rather than start a new thread as my question is similar will ask here

I have an 1100d with the standard non IS 18-55mm kit lens,

I also have a tamron AF 70=300mm LD DI  finks its around F4

cant track, as such, although I can piggy back it on my scope,

Any suggested settings , can get to a reasonably dark area with an hours drive

Leigh

 

[jgs001]

Kat, a true macro lens is defined as a lens that gives you 1:1 reproduction. So if you're shooting something that's 22mm across, then on an APS-C sensor the subject will for all across the sensor. Zoom lenses with the macro designation are not true macro lenses but they show you to focus closer than normal.

Interesting lensman, obviously there are differences between modern and old lenses, I think the results from the Signs 105 and 150 macro lenses speak for themselves. I had mine run through CCD inspector, and the image is incredibly flat.

Leigh, if you can't track, then take a look at my post in imaging tips and tricks for widefiekd with a camera tripod.

Sorry we've diverged sidewhat Neil.

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[lensman57]

Kat, a true macro lens is defined as a lens that gives you 1:1 reproduction. So if you're shooting something that's 22mm across, then on an APS-C sensor the subject will for all across the sensor. Zoom lenses with the macro designation are not true macro lenses but they show you to focus closer than normal.

Interesting lensman, obviously there are differences between modern and old lenses, I think the results from the Signs 105 and 150 macro lenses speak for themselves. I had mine run through CCD inspector, and the image is incredibly flat.

Leigh, if you can't track, then take a look at my post in imaging tips and tricks for widefiekd with a camera tripod.

Sorry we've diverged sidewhat Neil.

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Nothing wrong with those Sigmas, I do have the 70mm and the 150mm " Macros" as well as some expensive Micro Nikkors. I just wanted to point out the difference between close focus and Macro lens. Now I wonder how these stand up to a 120mm Apo Sironar, @ F8 it covers an image circle of over 270mm for 1:1 reproduction with virtually no CA, now that is a Macro lens but for god's sake don't try it for AP. 

A.G

[wxsatuser]

Neil, in all seriousness, don't rush out to buy any lenses at the moment. Use the 50 for now and gets used to it. Then when you're satisfied you're getting the most from it look at other lenses. I use my lenses for daylight photography first. It just happens they double up as some cracking astro lenses too.

Good job Mike, excellent result.

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Thank you John and excellent advice.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I have a vintage lens that won't focus to infinity on my dslr but gives me great macro ability as the focus is very close. Is this the focus meant by macro please?

Modern macro lenses can focus to infinity, but I'm not sure about vintage ones. If it's just short it's probably due to the adaptor being just two thick, I have this problem with a couple of my M42 lenses and have ordered a new adapter advertised as guaranteeing "infinity focus". (The exception to this is if you are using it with a Nikon DSLR, which has the sensor further forward. This leaves it very short-sighted with a simple adaptor, it needs one with a glass element to reach infinity.)

Neil, in all seriousness, don't rush out to buy any lenses at the moment. Use the 50 for now and gets used to it. Then when you're satisfied you're getting the most from it look at other lenses. I use my lenses for daylight photography first. It just happens they double up as some cracking astro lenses too.

I think that's good advice. I have a basic setup and plenty of items on my wish list, but I'm more hampered by a lack of processing expertise than equipment. My plan is to enjoy what I have, learn with it and then buy carefully with a mind to other applications, such as macro.