Tripod/jig to make it easier to use telephoto lens for stars

[Red Squirrel]

When using telephoto lens and tripod for stars I find it's really hard to get it just right, as it's shaky, and once you do manage to aim it you end up having to move it again. It also shakes from wind or just taking pic. I've tried to use two tripods, one on camera and one on lens but that is quite cumbersome as well, but does hold more steady.

Is there some kind of jig or other method where you can adjust up/down/left/right with fine adjustments like you can with telescope? I guess one option is to get an actual telescope, and then an adaptor that can fit a DSLR.

 

[CuriousMike]

You can't use a $99 tripod to take telephoto night photos.

You can look into making your own "barn door sky tracker" so that you can have longer exposures.

There are "geared tripod head"s that can do sorta what you want... but that's not what you want.

You want a sky tracker. Google "barn door skytracker".

 

[slashbinslashbash]

To stop shake, there are lots of techniques you need to use. I am not sure about astrophotography (and for any decently long exposure you will need a tracker dedicated to astrophotography in order to keep up with the movement of the stars), but to eliminate shake/movement in general:

1) Nice expensive ($200 or so) tripod legs with 10+ lb weight attached to the bottom hook to hold it steady in windy conditions

2) Nice expensive ($300 or so) tripod head that will give you smooth movement yet leave the camera pointed where you leave it, without any movement whatsoever. Even with a big telephoto lens mounted on it. But a big telephoto (70-200 f/2.8 or bigger) you should use the tripod mount on the lens, not on the camera body. This gives a balanced moment so the tripod head doesn't have to work as hard

3) Mirror Lock Up function. This flips up the mirror, waits 1 second, and then actuates the shutter so that the mirror flip does not shake the camera

4) Remote shutter release. Wired or wireless. Take the photo without touching the camera. The little bit of movement to press the shutter with your finger WILL generate blur.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Not too worried about tracking, I know that's a whole other ball game, maybe later, at this point I just want to be able to point the lens in a general direction, have it be solidly steady, and then be able to fine adjust using knobs, so I can try to dial right into a star. I find even with adding weight to an existing tripod, the shake is not so much the tripod itself, but the lens mount, as it's basically just one screw, so that general area is where there is shake.

I'm almost wondering if maybe I look into some kind of clamp that actually grabs the lens, instead of relying on the 1 screw from the tripod.

I'll have to check the mirror lockup, I think I did see that option. I already use a remote. I definitely mount on the lens, and not the camera. I did try both, with two tripods, and while it holds more steady, it's more cumbersome to change the position.

 

[CuriousMike]

Depending on the lens, you could get a lens collar.
You clamp the tripod onto the lens collar, centering the weight.

 

[twinrider1]

I haven't done that sort of photography, but aren't you always focused at infinity?
There are remote focusing apps that let you focus without touching the camera/lens.

What kind of camera and lens are you using? How long are your exposures?

And where are you taking the pics? Are hiking a mile to get to a spot or is it someplace easy to access. You can use a timed release on your shutter. And for wind, you could make a little windbreak with a piece or three of plywood or plastic.

 

[CuriousMike]

3) Mirror Lock Up function. This flips up the mirror, waits 1 second, and then actuates the shutter so that the mirror flip does not shake the camera

4) Remote shutter release. Wired or wireless. Take the photo without touching the camera. The little bit of movement to press the shutter with your finger WILL generate blur.

If you have 3, you don't even need 4.

On my Nikons, I set the Mirror Lockup to 3 seconds.
So, I depress the shutter, then it automatically lifts the mirror and waits for 3 seconds before exposing. It's somewhat mitigated the need for wired/wireless remote.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I always use remote, and typically I just go in front of my house as there's a field there. The issue is that moving the lens to aim is really wobbly, so it makes it very hard to get it to sit still at a certain point. What I want is something where I can use knobs to do fine tuning, and something that is generally more steady. The tripod itself is not what moves, it's the connection from tripod to lens.

This is the lens I'm using:



What I have in mind is something that clamps around the lens maybe even in two spots, and then has a mechanism similar to what is used for giant dishes. Something sturdy, but that can still be controlled easily (manually is fine). With a regular tripod, you loosen it up then move it, but this action is really wobbly and jumps around, and once you do find a star, when you let go the lens even after tightening it, it moves enough that you lose it.

If nothing exists, I might look at fabricating something out of wood.

 

[CuriousMike]

I always use remote, and typically I just go in front of my house as there's a field there. The issue is that moving the lens to aim is really wobbly, so it makes it very hard to get it to sit still at a certain point. What I want is something where I can use knobs to do fine tuning, and something that is generally more steady. The tripod itself is not what moves, it's the connection from tripod to lens.

This is the lens I'm using:



What I have in mind is something that clamps around the lens maybe even in two spots, and then has a mechanism similar to what is used for giant dishes. Something sturdy, but that can still be controlled easily (manually is fine). With a regular tripod, you loosen it up then move it, but this action is really wobbly and jumps around, and once you do find a star, when you let go the lens even after tightening it, it moves enough that you lose it.

If nothing exists, I might look at fabricating something out of wood.

Christ.
You're using that monstrosity on a $39 camcorder tripod.
GLWT

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah, and it's not going that well, that's why I'm trying to figure out what my options are. Any tripods I find on Amazon arn't any better, well most of it is cheap Chinese crap. So unless there's something I might be missing that I'm not searching for.

I need something that is like a telescope, where you have knobs to move up/down and left/right, and that is sturdy enough that it won't wobble. That way I can eye ball it to where I want, then I can fine adjust until I see what I want. Right now any adjustment is more of a wobble.

 

[twinrider1]

I think you're looking at two issues.
First, I'd consider a telephoto support rail; something to lock the body and the lens together to take any bounce out of the body/lens. And then that single solid unit mounts to your tripod. You can buy something like this or DIY.

You wouldn't need something that adjustable or quick-release. Assuming Canadian tripod mounts are 1/4"-20 thread. You just need something for the rail, two blocks to mount the body and lens supports, a hole in the rail to mount it to the tripod, and some 1/4"-20 hardware. This might firm things up enough to get the shot.

The next step might just be a better tripod. Are you getting any stiction with yours, where it's bound up and let's go all at once, so you can't smoothly make small adjustments? I'd visit a nice camera store and try out some nice tripods just to see how good they can feel.

The next steps can get into some money.
You can get a geared head for a tripod. Has just what you're looking for; knobs that you turn to pan and tilt.

And then you have the equatorial mount. It lets your camera rotate on the same axis as Earth.

 

[Spacehead]

Something along the lines of this?
http://www.telescope.com/Mounts-Tri...al-Telescope-Mount/pc/-1/c/2/sc/34/p/9011.uts

Has the slo-mo control knobs & not too pricey.
Check out the other mounts too.

Orion has quality stuff. Not the highest end but good. Got my 1st scope there.
Not sure about shipping to Canada though.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

Christ.
You're using that monstrosity on a $39 camcorder tripod.
GLWT

Yeah. That's a pan head for video recorders. You want a ball head. A nice one.

Read this

http://bythom.com/support.htm

If you have 3, you don't even need 4.

On my Nikons, I set the Mirror Lockup to 3 seconds.
So, I depress the shutter, then it automatically lifts the mirror and waits for 3 seconds before exposing. It's somewhat mitigated the need for wired/wireless remote.

That's true, but I'm always one for a "belt and suspenders" approach when it's reasonably practical. I was also thinking of my days of using Bulb mode where (on Canon, at least) you hit the remote trigger both to open the shutter and to close it. I did this a lot with fireworks, since a continuous mode with a set exposure time might not catch an explosion in its entirety. The arbitrary length of exposure with Bulb mode is pretty handy there.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Something along the lines of this?
http://www.telescope.com/Mounts-Tri...al-Telescope-Mount/pc/-1/c/2/sc/34/p/9011.uts

Has the slo-mo control knobs & not too pricey.
Check out the other mounts too.

Orion has quality stuff. Not the highest end but good. Got my 1st scope there.
Not sure about shipping to Canada though.

That looks exactly like what I want. Do telescopes mount the same way as cameras? Wonder if I can use a telescope tripod for the lens?

 

[slashbinslashbash]

No, telescopes usually mount differently. In the description, it mentions an accessory that allows for mounting a 1/4"-20 thread device, which is what you need for a camera. Looks like it's $18.

This one looks like it's made to work with a camera and it also has the motor drive. Not a bad deal for $161.

http://www.telescope.com/Orion-Adventures-in-Astrophotography-Bundle/p/27154.uts

Also there are adapters to hook up a telescope directly to a camera.

http://www.telescope.com/Astrophotography/Camera-Adapters-T-Rings/pc/4/62.uts

 

[BrainEater]

The only thing I can add :

Keep your eyes out for 'surveyors tripods' for sale cheap at online stores/pawnshop/etc.

They do not have pan/tilt , but they are usually very sturdy , and you can mod a pan/tilt to em in an hour or two.

:thumbsup:

 

[Red Squirrel]

Actually that's another thing I've been pondering, getting a nice telescope with camera adaptor.

I'll check out those surveyor tripods and pan/tilt adaptors.