Whether you’re aiming to shoot the moon or the Milky Way, here’s some essential gear for astrophotography to consider – or perhaps to inspire your own personalized shopping list. Astrophotography is a hugely rewarding endeavor whose results depend to a large extent on the amount you’re willing to invest in the gear. Serious astrophotography can involve serious sums, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll be focusing on the newcomers to this genre, the hobbyist or enthusiast who has a relatively limited budget to work with. In other words, astrophotography without using a telescope and other expensive accessories.
Heavenly bodies
You probably already have a camera body and most will do the job just fine, but if you’re looking for something new and better, be sure your next model can handle higher ISOs. Mirrorless options have a slight edge over DSLRs – no flapping mirror to cause blurry photos when shot at slow shutter speeds – and to capture broad swaths of the night sky, a full-frame mirrorless body offers additional advantages over one with the limitations of an APS-C sensor or anything smaller.
The new Nikon Z6 III is an ideal candidate for astrophotography. One of the advantages over its immediate predecessor: a significantly upgraded autofocus system – 20% faster than the Z 6II – enabling the camera to focus in extremely low-light conditions down to -10 EV without having to engage the Starlight AF mode and to shoot at high ISOs with minimal noise creeping in.
Some cameras are specially optimized for shooting astrophotography, with a helpful star-tracer feature to eliminate streaky trails caused by the Earth’s rotation during longer exposures. The Pentax K-1 II, for one, comes with an integrated Astrotracer that uses the camera’s built-in GPS and sensor stabilization system in combination to effectively keep tabs on stars as they move in tandem across the night sky and render a static image. The 36MP full-frame K-1 II also features an unrivalled maximum ISO of 819200, and the LCD display can be set to Night Vision for optimal viewing and maneuvering in the dark.
As an alternative to interchangeable-lens cameras, Nikon offers another viable option: the Coolpix P1000. With a unique combination of 3000mm optical zoom – the most powerful zoom lens ever on a Nikon Cookpix model – excellent low-light capabilities and rock-steady Dual Detect IS to stabilize both horizontal and vertical movements, this camera allows you to see the surface of the moon with superb clarity and even to the rings of Saturn and beyond.
Through a glass darkly
For those who prefer the versatility of having interchangeable lenses, your choice of glass could have an even greater impact on the images you capture than the body itself. Wide angle is a given – the wider the better – to expose as much of your sensor to the night sky as possible, and a fast lens is also imperative when shooting in the dark.
Among the third-party options, Sigma now offers three new lenses designed specifically for astrophotography, including the 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art and the 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens.
One of the latest additions to this list, the 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art, is the first to combine such an ultra-wide angle with such a large aperture. Along with signature Art line optics and features designed specifically for shooting starscapes, the lens is also equipped with a set of functions to assist in night shooting, including a detachable tripod socket, a switch to lock the manual focus at a desired position and prevent accidental focus shifts when fumbling in the dark, plus a rear filter holder and more.
If you don’t mind manual focus, the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D wide-angle lens is another clear standout. Featuring one of the widest angles of view – 122 degrees – for an f/2.8 lens, it’s also one of the brightest 12mm lenses currently available. It boasts a close-to-zero distortion rate, and the floating optical design ensures exceptional sharpness at infinity focus. Lightweight, rugged and sporting a water-resistant front element, this is the perfect tool for capturing stellar highlights of the expansive night sky, and it’s conveniently available in range of various Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts.
Cover Image Credit: Clarisse Meyer on Unsplash
