I heard a guy at the star party say all astro photos need a telescope

He was at the Cherry Springs event in Pennsylvania last month. Said real space pictures only come from big scopes. But I got a decent shot of Orion with just my camera and a tripod from my backyard. Makes me think gear matters less than people say. What's the minimum you need for a good photo?

3 comments

3 Comments

rileycooper24d ago

Was he one of those guys with the massive setup that takes an hour to put together? I feel you, it's so annoying when people act like there's only one right way to do this. Your Orion shot proves the point, you can start with what you have. Honestly, the minimum is just wanting to try and learning what your gear can do, even if it's just a camera on a tripod.

tyler_knight24d ago

That guy at Cherry Springs has a point though. My first real nebula shots needed at least a 300mm lens and a star tracker, a tripod alone wouldn't cut it.

taylor.jordan2d ago

My first year I was all about wide field shots on a basic tripod, I thought trackers were just extra weight. Then I tried for the North America Nebula with my 200mm kit lens and got nothing but star trails and noise. That failure made me finally listen to people like @tyler_knight. It forced me to rent a tracker, and the difference wasn't just small, it was night and day. Now I get the need for the right tool sometimes, even if starting simple is still the best first step.