First (noisy) try to capture the Milky Way

[soundwave]

Finally had a chance to try and capture the Milky Way.

The results are VERY noisy, since I had to increase the ISO because the camera lens is F3.5...

These two images are at 20 sec exposure, F3.5.

The first image is at ISO 12,800.

The second image is at ISO 6,400.

I am using the Samsung NX2000.

- We don't have a tripod, so we just put the camera on the ground, with a phone wedged underneath the lens to keep it angled up.

- It was kind of a cloudy night, but every now and then the sky would clear for a good while.

- These images are at reduced size. I thought that the conversion to a lower size might hide some noise.. but if it did, then not by much at all.

We also caught a satellite passing by in the first pic, and we visually saw 2 very long, quick and bright meteors, which was pretty awesome. (I saw one, and they both saw the other one).

Hopefully I'll manage to take better pics in the future! 

[tad2106]

Noise or not - love these images - just started on this group - so much inspiration! 

[xtreemchaos]

great pics mate,i would not worry about the noise the lovely sight of the milkyway overtakes it by far.thanks for sharing...charl.

[toxic]

great go at the milkyway well done

[goose35]

Love the first one with the sillouettes

[soundwave]

Thanks for the kind words

[slim80]

As others have said forget the noise they are beautiful images.Well done

[robbie c]

Cracking images just shows what you can do then you improvise 

[soundwave]

Thanks again! 

I just noticed that in the 1st pic, it kinda looks like I'm hanging out with Quasimodo to my left    ...it's actually 2 people, one pretending to sleep on the shoulder of the other. (just to clarify lol)

[Pete Presland]

Very nice start despite "the hunchback of notre dame" appearance!

[Sonicfishcake42]

Great pictures, well done mate  

[stevewanstall]

I hope I can take something under a sky that dark one day! Nice pics

[CathR]

I would be happy if this was my first image   You could try dropping the shutter speed a bit.  I was on a course recently and the guy said it's better to lengthen the shutter speed rather than increase the ISO.  I've not tried it myself , so I don't know whether it's true but it wouldn't cost much to give it a try.  I don't know your camera (sorry) and whether it's full frame but if so you should be able to increase to 30 secs or perhaps 25 secs if not.

[soundwave]

Thanks!

I tried going to 25 and 30 secs, but the star trails were too noticeable. The lens is 20mm.

But I think that the camera slides down a bit on the makeshift "mount" that we made for it, which causes a lil bit of movement as well.

Here's one of the test shots that I took. This one was 1,600 ISO at 15 seconds. 

I seem to not have shot at low ISO @ 20 or 25 seconds for some odd reason... Hopefully next time