Kodak Ektar 100's performance at Long Exposures

[Nightfly]

I'll be interested in those results too. Never seen anyone try it, or report on it for astrophotography. Fuji's response curve shows that it drops like a rock above 525-530 nm, so it'll be interesting to see if low reciprocity makes up for poor response in H-alpha. I got some of Freestyle's Legacy Pro 100 (supposed Acros) to try last week. Maybe I'll point a few frames up at night.

Lee

It will be a month or two before I test Acros. I'll be sure to update here. Films are just not tested anymore. Somebody has to do it. I've seen good digital work, but I like my wide-field analog astrophotos, just something about it.



http://www.nightfly.zoomshare.com

[Tom Kershaw]

Jim,

Do you have any "getting started" advice for making these wide-field astro-photographs? Kodak E200 has been discontinued, at least here in the UK.

Tom.

[Ektagraphic]

You have done some AMAZING work!

[Ektagraphic]

It is so nice that you still preserve such an amazing artform with film and it being to Ektachrome thrills me!

[Nightfly]

Yes, I saw your thread on the E200 availability and it raised a red flag here in the states. I spread the word to my fellow film guys about it and I'm glad I stocked up. It seems that E200 in 120 is gone now. I have a freezer full thanks to your notice. It remains in 35mm fairly plentiful for now at least.

Without E200, or Elite Chrome 200, film astrophotography will take a downturn. There are a few other good films. Fuji Sensia 400 and Provia 400X still perform well.

Advice? If your looking to use your camera and lenses to image, I suggest looking for a small equatorial mounted telescope to "piggyback" your camera on. Use it to track the stars while your camera's film accumulates starlight. This is what I do. I use 35mm and medium format cameras. I use the 35mm for "fast" imaging and MF for long exposures with finely detailed images.

I suggest joining a forum like Cloudy nights. Read over the forum threads as many of your questions have been answered there.

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea...t/0/Board/Film

I hope this helps. Film astrophotography can be allot of fun. I will suggest first and foremost however that to get good images you should be under a dark sky. I am fortunate to have one here at my home. I sometimes forget that most of the world doesn't.

Send me a private message and I can discuss further if you would like.

[Nightfly]

It is so nice that you still preserve such an amazing artform with film and it being to Ektachrome thrills me!

Thank you. It's nice to have someone recognize film as a valid medium for astrophotography. Most of my contemporaries have gone digital. Some of it good, much of it bad (specific to wide field work) It has gotten better lately, the noise issue is the biggest problem.

You should see the 6x7 chromes on the light table! I admit that my work posted on the web still doesn't do the original justice. I do not have an expensive scanner. I may send out my best work for really good scans. I'd like that.

As an artform, film offers a view of the universe unlike any digital image. So with everyone doing digital my images are unique.

Dark skies and film, got to love it.

[Ektagraphic]

I just sent you a PM.

[Tom Kershaw]

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking initially along the lines of pointing the camera up at the sky and then looking at the results, a very basic start. So if I can still get Elite Chrome 200, it's worth getting some in-stock? The Provia 400X film has the advantage of being available in medium format, but have you tried any colour negative films?

Tom

[Nightfly]

Thanks for your reply. I was thinking initially along the lines of pointing the camera up at the sky and then looking at the results, a very basic start. So if I can still get Elite Chrome 200, it's worth getting some in-stock? The Provia 400X film has the advantage of being available in medium format, but have you tried any colour negative films?

Tom

Fuji Superia Pro 800Z is fast, but loses its color performance in a minute or so, however it would be good for begginer imaging due to the short exposures.

This was an 800Z image taken in April this year. Two exposure mosaic. Each image was done with a Spotmatic II with 50MM F/1.4 SMC TAKUMAR AT F/2. Each exposure was two minutes. Camera was "piggybacked" on an equatorial mounted scope to track while exposing. This image highlights the Sagittarius / Ophiuchus / Scorpius Milky Way low on my south horizon.

[2F/2F]

Pretty nifty..."panning" is not something most people would think is done in astrophotography! Great pix!

What are the chances of getting a nice wide-field shot without having the camera piggybacked on an automatic telescope? Would a 400 film pushed a lot in development do it? Say for example that I was using a 2.8 lens. I'm thinking something like T-Max or Neopan 400.