Astrophotography with the air 2 modes?

Trigger · Aug 22, 2020

I know you can set the shutter speed on manual photos for night shots but are you able to use say a 1 second exposure when shooting in sphere, wide angle, 180, and vertical modes? I wanting to do a sphere shot of the milky way. Any help appreciated.

brett8883 · Aug 22, 2020

Trigger said:
I know you can set the shutter speed on manual photos for night shots but are you able to use say a 1 second exposure when shooting in sphere, wide angle, 180, and vertical modes? I wanting to do a sphere shot of the milky way. Any help appreciated.

There are 2 major issues

#1 issue is the lens is very wide angle and the drone cannot look up, a major issue when trying to shoot the stars.

#2 Even if you could look up at the stars the platform just isn’t stable enough to support very long shutters and I think you are going to need much longer than 1 second. You really need a tripod for good astrophotography.

It would be way better to do this on the ground with a Tripod and a better camera.

Dale D · Aug 23, 2020

Trigger said:
I know you can set the shutter speed on manual photos for night shots but are you able to use say a 1 second exposure when shooting in sphere, wide angle, 180, and vertical modes? I wanting to do a sphere shot of the milky way. Any help appreciated.

Astrophotography with a drone would be impossible in my opinion. I have been doing astrophotography for the past 5 years, and have taken several 3 day workshops on it. The usual technique (aside from dark skies and dark sites) is to use the sturdiest tripod you own, a very fast wide angle lens, and a 15-25 second exposure. Focusing on a star takes up to 5 or ten minutes in the set up time. The single exposure will require at least 15 seconds, and a timelapse will take several hours. I use a Really Right stuff tripod, a Nikon D750 DSLR, and Nikon 14-28mm f/1.8 lens, usually with shutter of 20 seconds and ISO of 1200.

Droning on and on... · Aug 23, 2020

Dale D said:
Astrophotography with a drone would be impossible in my opinion...

Doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with it. If you zoom in to this nightscape of Jupiter and Saturn, you can make out the optical double Alpha Capricorni at the upper left.

I thought it was cool.

RobertR · Aug 23, 2020

How about doing a long exposure from the ground with a tripod mounted DSLR, and sending the drone up and getting that in the photo?

As well as seeing what you can capture with the drone.

Dale D · Aug 23, 2020

RobertR said:
How about doing a long exposure from the ground with a tripod mounted DSLR, and sending the drone up and getting that in the photo? As well as seeing what you can capture with the drone.

If you did this you would have to decide on the exposure setting, right? Do you expose for the drone (?5 seconds), or exposure for the stars (15-20 seconds). Can't have it both ways. You could "light paint" it with a flashlight.

hiflyer201 · Aug 23, 2020

Dale D said:
"light paint" it with a flashlight.

a favorite of mine

RobertR · Aug 23, 2020

Dale D said:
If you did this you would have to decide on the exposure setting, right? Do you expose for the drone (?5 seconds), or exposure for the stars (15-20 seconds). Can't have it both ways. You could "light paint" it with a flashlight.

Do one exposure for the drone, and then the other for the sky, and then blend them in Photoshop, or equivalent.......

Dale D · Aug 23, 2020

RobertR said:
Do one exposure for the drone, and then the other for the sky, and then blend them in Photoshop, or equivalent.......

Many ways to skin the cat

Dale D · Aug 23, 2020

Here are two images taken of the Milky Way-AS small single AA battery flashlight was used to sweep quickly over the pine tree during the 5 second exposure. (Nikon D750, 28-300mm f/3.5, Really Right Stuff tripod).

d-rive · Aug 24, 2020

Dale D said:
... a Nikon D750 DSLR, and Nikon 14-28mm f/~~1.8~~ lens, usually with shutter of 20 seconds and ISO of 1200.

f2.8

RangerOne · Aug 24, 2020

Trigger said:
I know you can set the shutter speed on manual photos for night shots but are you able to use say a 1 second exposure when shooting in sphere, wide angle, 180, and vertical modes? I wanting to do a sphere shot of the milky way. Any help appreciated.

Well camera qualities aside. It is true flying looking up with a drone is not happening. But if you think out side of the box. Turn your drone on and set qit up somewhere pointed at the nights sky and get all your settings where you like them and get the best photos you can. I’ve seen some amazing YouTube posting of night photography with the Mavic Air 2.
Most people only think of flying the drone. The camera works even when not flying and also makes one hell of a good steady cam.
Anyway just my thoughts. I had ok results but a high end standard camera is the norm. But if you got what you got make it work. Get your drone out and just set it up hit record and set the controller down somewhere.
See in this mode what you do is turn off obstacle avoidance, set the controller in or on a handy spot where your not going to move or bump the control sticks. Matter of fact leave them off. Take your gimbal guard off as I’m sure you have.
Keep the legs of the drone folded. Pack it or place it where you want it. Steady cam or on a tripod placement for night and other time lap shots....if you want to strap it to a tripod. I have and it works. You just have to work with in the limits of what it is and toss the box and the book out once and awhile.
Good luck and happy shooting.
Drone Ranger....clear for now....