EQUIPMENT ALL OK BUT HOW TO CREATE BEST SHOTS

[Selcal]

Hi fellow contrailspotters,

Although not contributing to the group I really enjoy watching all the photos published
on this forum.

If time permits I am using a 8" Synta Dobson Skywatcher together with a CanonEOS 300D
and/or Nikon D2X camera.

Normally I shoot with manual setting, starting with ISO 100 with shutter speeds around 800,
and after sunset start changing ISO to gain maximum speed.

My question: please share your best camera settings, which software you use, and the best
enhancing techniques.

Below please find a picture I took this evening from a departing Kalitta B747 out of Schiphol
still very low at FL 145 and climbing.



Many thanks for your tips!

Rob
Location BASGU
the Netherlands

[ilpavone2004]

Well first thing to get good shots is to collimate perfectly your scope so if you're not able you have to learn how to collimate a newtonian scope. About camera setup what i can say is that you have to shoot at 1/800 or less. In contrail spotting there aren't so much tricks...it's almost all about experience and feeling with your scope.

Regards,


Mattia Vichi

[contrailwatcherUK]

Hi, welcome to the forum....

Your pic seems to have quite dark edges, maybe your using the wrong camera attachment. Are you using the 2" attachement or the 1.25"?

You need to make sure your getting the full potential of light into your scope and through to the camera, so if the hole where the camera is fitted is too small, (e.g. the 1.25" fitting) you will not gain enough light.

Hope this helps