Cameras for Star Trail Photography

Pete (ePHOTOzine Staff)

12

9 Nov 2011 - 2:48 PM

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Here's a new idea for a forum thread. Some subjects need very specific aspects of a camera or lens to perform well and having shot star trials with a few cameras I realise it's one area where you could review a camera in a very specific way. So here's my findings with the new Sony NEX-5n

How to use Sony NEX-5n for Star Trail photography
Set Manual exposure in the Shoot Mode
Set manual focus in the Camera Select menu
Set ISO100 in the Brightness/Color menu
Turn off SteadyShot in the Setup menu
Turn on MF Assist in the Setup menu
Turn off Long Exposure NR in the Setup menu

Comments on Sony NEX-5n for Star Trail photography
Focusing quite difficult.
Several hot pixels
Halation around bright stars
Back LCD glows while exposure being made. It's not on but not fully off either
Trails good, noise low in sky
Fiddly single manual exposure dial
No cable / remote release

Rating of Sony NEX-5n for Star Trail photography: 5/10



Our full review of the Sony NEX-5n

If you shoot star trails and find this useful would you add cameras you have used with a similar appraisal and we'll build this up into a useful database of cameras

Pete (ePHOTOzine Staff)

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9 Nov 2011 - 3:23 PM

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Quote: ? Surely one would just set it to infinity.

That would be great...in manual focus there is no such thing on this camera! and it goes beyond infinity.

elemental

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9 Nov 2011 - 7:54 PM

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Personally, I find wide is best for star trails. Gallery [link removed, please use EPZ portfolio.]
Latest example attached and shoot details included on web. Startrails are hard work but fun

Mark