Thank you for this extra video you made Ralph! is it also for the D850 models? or only the Nikon Z serie camera's.

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

I’d imagine the same for the f mount range but haven’t got one to test sorry.

So I have watched both videos (excellent by the way) and my question is would we have to do this with an external plug in intervalometer as well or is it just Nikons internal implementation that's a bit funky?

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

My belief is that an external intervalometer should be ok. Although I’ve not tested it and none of them are easy to use.

When using an intervalometer for long exposures, you may observe that the actual exposure time is shorter than expected due to the way the intervalometer and camera handle the intervals between exposures. Here's a detailed explanation of why this happens: 1. **Interval Setting**: The intervalometer is set to take a series of photos at specified intervals. The interval setting typically includes the exposure time plus the gap between the end of one exposure and the start of the next. 2. **Camera Processing Time**: After each exposure, the camera needs a brief period to process and save the image. This processing time can shorten the effective exposure if not accounted for correctly. 3. **Shutter and Mirror Mechanism Delay**: For cameras with mechanical shutters and mirrors (e.g., DSLRs), there is a small but non-negligible delay caused by the movement of these parts. This delay can accumulate, leading to a shorter effective exposure time over multiple shots. 4. **Settings Mismatch**: If the interval setting on the intervalometer is not sufficiently longer than the exposure time, the camera may not have enough time to complete the exposure and reset before starting the next one. For instance, if you set an exposure time of 30 seconds and an interval of 30 seconds, the camera might not have enough time to save the image and reset, resulting in a slightly shorter actual exposure. ### Example Scenario Suppose you set the intervalometer as follows: - Exposure Time: 30 seconds - Interval: 35 seconds In this case, the camera has 5 seconds to process and save the image before starting the next exposure. If the camera's processing time is longer than 5 seconds, it might cut short the actual exposure time to fit within the interval. ### Solutions 1. **Adjust Interval Settings**: Ensure the interval is sufficiently longer than the exposure time to accommodate processing and reset time. For example, if your exposure is 30 seconds, set the interval to 40 seconds or more. 2. **Check Camera Specifications**: Review your camera's manual for details on processing times and mechanical delays. This can help you set more accurate intervals. 3. **Test and Calibrate**: Perform test shots to determine the exact delay required by your camera and adjust the intervalometer settings accordingly. By understanding and compensating for these factors, you can ensure that your long exposures are accurate and consistent.

@tongstravellingoz

Ай бұрын

From ChatGPT

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

Come on!!! What a great insightful comment. And a rare but valued one from Tongy (aka the Hammer - now ;) ) my question is that the difficulty Nikon create, given and including your advice is with star trails you always end up with gaps and not smooth line in the final processed image. How do you solve that one?

I got the nikon z30 for Milky Way have been so disappointed. I had no idea that such a basic feature would not be there

@RalphMayhewPhotography

2 күн бұрын

Sorry to hear of your disappointment. The z30 isn’t an Astro camera, it’s made to vlog with. I’m not sure how you could take a decent Astro image with it tbh. You’d need a specific lens which would be where I’d start: 20mm f1.8. The function is there you just have to use it differently than how you think.

@GodfatherAstro

2 күн бұрын

@@RalphMayhewPhotography sadly I learned it the hard way. I am more used to dedicated Astro cameras and telescopes. It does take good lunar photographs of the moon through a telescope though

I just tested my Z9 and it works fine, as programmed.

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

What length of time did you test the shoot for?

Have you long exposure noise reduction on…just a thought?

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

No definitely not. That function is awful.

You have to activate interval priority option

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

If you do that your limited to P and A modes which cause you to forfeit the control you need to take Astro with the best settings 🤷🏼‍♂️

Well that's a weird one! Will have to test mine

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

Yep. Very weird.

@davidrushworth658

Ай бұрын

I have always left the 3 second buffer (force of habit from Z6ii)........no probs.

I agree! The Z8 is junk... send it to me. 😁 I've not tried the interval timer with such long exposures.

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

Bahahaha classic 👊

This is ridiculous if it’s not a glitch!

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

Oh it’s ridiculous alright.

My Z6 ii works perfectly. if I set 600 intervals, it shoots 600 frames. Time for each frame as I set it.

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

That’s good news. Can you tell us the shutter speed and what you put in the interval seconds window? For it to be spot on it would need to be 30 second shutter speed (exposure length) and 30 seconds (I could accept 32 seconds in interval timer seconds) with no down time in between, allowing for seamless star trail shots.

@johnhall9378

Ай бұрын

@@RalphMayhewPhotography Interval plus movie mode, interval 18 sec, max shutter speed 15 sec, interval priority ON, ISO min 100, ISO max 3200, F stop 2.0, auto ISO, focus befor OFF, set 700 intervals, 700 frames shot

@RalphMayhewPhotography

Ай бұрын

Ah movie mode. Yep not a worry there, but that results in an mp4 rather than a heap of RAW files you can edit, is that right?