Five Questions: Super Resolution, Ghosts, Intervalometers and More

If you have questions, we have either answers or opinions, and we’re not shy to share either.

This installment of our “Five Questions” series features inquiries about Adobe’s new Super Resolution, the work of Alexey Titarenko, Milky Way lenses for the Nikon Z 7, intervalometer recommendations, and the efficacy of carrying two Coast flashlights.

If you have any questions you would like to throw our way, please contact us anytime. Questions could be about gear, national parks and other photo locations, post-processing techniques, field etiquette, or anything else related to night photography. #SeizeTheNight!

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1. Seeing Quadruple

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Question:

Regarding your post about Adobe’s new Super Resolution feature, I was surprised to see the headline mention “quadruple” enlargements. I thought the new feature was “2X.” Did I read it wrong or misunderstand the feature announcement? — Robyn

Answer:

It’s just a math thing. You are correct that Super Resolution doubles the pixel count of an image in both the horizontal and vertical linear directions. For example, a 200 x 300 image would become 400 x 600.

That results in the total area of the image being quadrupled. In that same example, the resolution would go from 60,000 square pixels to 240,000 square pixels—i.e., quadruple, or four times the number of pixels. See the image above for a graphical representation. — Chris

2. Ghosts in the Composition

Question:

I am trying to mimic Alexey Titarenko’s work, especially the movement he puts in. I used native ISO, an appropriate aperture and a long shutter. Would you mind giving me help in this type of work? — David C.

Answer:

I assume you are talking about Alexey’s “City of Shadows” series. Interesting human movement happens in exposures from 1/15 to 15 seconds, because most people can’t hold truly still for more than 1 to 2 seconds.

In order to create the “ghosts and shadows” effect that Alexey is getting during daytime, you need to use a 3-, 6- or 10-stop neutral density filter to allow for a long enough exposure. Operating under overcast skies will help, as will lots of experimentation.

A lot depends on how much stillness you want to show in the chaos of movement. That is important. For example, for Alexey’s shot of the handrail, it was critical that the rail remain sharp amid the mass of bodies moving past. It works beautifully. However, many of his other photographs feature just a little movement, which allows him to capture a “soul” that is still.

On the other hand, reaching longish shutter speeds like that at night is easy, because you’re already working with minimal light. In fact, the challenge in dark conditions is actually adding light so you can see the human subjects in all that darkness. For more info on how to do that, see my blog post “Photographing Phantoms.” — Gabe

3. Z 7 Milky Way Glass

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Question:

I have a Nikon Z 7 and would like to try Milky Way photography this summer. I have the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens and believe the f/4 aperture will not be fast enough to prevent star streaking. Would the Nikon Z 20mm f/1.8 S or the Irix 15mm f/2.4 be an acceptable alternative? — Jerry

Answer:

You’re right that the f/4 lens will be very limiting for star-point images in general. They would require you to shoot at an ISO of 12,800, which I would not recommend with the Z 7 unless you’re planning to stack multiple frames in software such as Sequator or Starry Landscape Stacker. Since you have a Z 7, I suggest going with a native Z lens. Though I haven’t shot with most of them, word is that they’re all truly outstanding.

I have not shot with the Z 20mm f/1.8,  but I love that focal length for Milky Way. So I think that either that lens or the more-expensive Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 would be your best bets.

The Irix lenses are excellent, though they require an adapter to use on a Z-mount camera. (Irix will no doubt release Z-mount lenses in the future, but we don’t know how near that future is.)

If you’re still stuck about which lens to buy, you could always rent to try before committing. We can recommend Borrow Lenses or Lens Rentals. — Lance

4. Intervalometer Recommendation

Question:

I just reviewed your 2017 article on wired versus wireless intervalometers. Are you still recommending the wired Vello Shutterboss II? — Hadley

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Answer:

Yes, it’s still on the recommended list for wired intervalometers. Though it does share the one weak spot of all wired intervalometers, which is the connection point to the unit, which often wears down over time.

If you’re open to a wireless solution instead, my favorite intervalometer overall is the Phottix Aion. Not only does it not suffer from that weak spot, but it also allows for exposures of fractions of seconds, which is useful when shooting with NPF Rule shutter speeds.

To learn more about the Aion, see my post “A Better Intervalometer.”

Though I do champion my favorite, either of the above options will suffice. You really can decide based on your personal priorities and be happy and successful either way. — Matt

5. Are Two Coasts Better Than One?

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Serpent—Borrego Springs. Nikon D4s with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens set at 24mm, light painted at close range with a Coast HP7R flashlight. Three exposures at 15 seconds, f/4, ISO 6400.

Question:

I notice that you guys seem to all have both Coast HP7R and HP5R flashlights. I want to buy a more powerful small flashlight than I have now. Do you own both because the HP7R is too powerful for some applications? If you were to buy just one, which would it be? — Mark

Answer:

Yes, we all own both the HP7R and the HP5R because the difference in power is useful for different applications. The HP7R is a very bright flashlight (300 lumens), while the HP5R is less bright (185 lumens). Both have a second power setting that drops the output by 90 percent, so the combination essentially gives us four different lumen options.

How do we use this versatility? One example: If we’re shooting the Milky Way under a new moon (pitch black, no moonlight at all), then our apertures are very wide (f/2 or f/2.8) and we are using very sensitive ISOs such as 3200 or 6400. That makes 300 lumens overkill and more difficult to control, whereas 185 lumens can be very effective. You just don’t need a powerful flashlight for that kind of sensitive exposure.

An opposite example is when we’re shooting under the much brighter conditions of a full moon, when our apertures may be set to f/5.6 or f/8 and the ISOs to 100 or 200. These less-sensitive exposures require a stronger flashlight to paint the scene.

The different flashlights can also be more or less useful when considering the distance of the subject from where you’re light painting. A rock formation 100 yards away obviously requires a more powerful light than a flower 2 feet in front of you.

So yes, it’s nice to have both models to cover all the possible situations. But if you are looking to purchase just one, I would recommend one of these strategies:

1. Purchase the more powerful HP7R and use some neutral density gels to knock down the power when needed. You can get a sample pack that contains all you might need for less than $10.  Remember, you can always make a bright flashlight dimmer, but you can’t make a dim flashlight brighter.

2. Decide which conditions you favor for night photography. If you mostly shoot under a new moon, get the HP5R. If you find yourself doing a lot of work under brighter conditions (full moon, city scenes), purchase the HP7R.

Either way, both of these Coast flashlights are excellent night photography tools that are worth every dollar you spend on them. — Tim

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Five Questions: Remote Setups, Induro Tripods, Acceptable Noise and More

Answering questions about night photography is our livelihood, and it’s our passion. We do it on workshops, we do it at conferences, we do it here. And we’re happy to do it in all those places.

This installment of our “Five Questions” series features inquiries about remote setups, multi-row night panoramas, tripods, high ISO noise and controlling a Luxli via Bluetooth.

If you have any questions you would like to throw our way, please contact us anytime. Questions could be about gear, national parks and other photo locations, post-processing techniques, field etiquette, or anything else related to night photography. #SeizeTheNight!

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1. An Overnight Remote Setup

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The Tether Tools Case Relay and Rock Solid 10,000mAh External Battery Pack.

Question:

I live 5 miles from a spectacular 30,000-acre nature preserve of Sonoran desert. I have never seen a nighttime star or Milky Way image of this location, and I want to do one. The problem is that the preserve adamantly closes at sundown. I thought maybe I could take a camera and intervalometer and tripod just before sundown, set it up in an untraveled area and throw a bit of camouflage cloth over it. I can pull it off, but how do I keep my Nikon from powering down? If I use a muted wireless strobe to add a touch of fill, how do I keep the strobe from turning itself off ? Will an intervalometer let me program an 8- or 9-hour delay? — Jim

Answer:

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The Vello Shutterboss II—set for a 9-hour delay.

First, is there any chance the preserve would give you special access, knowing what you’re trying to do, and that the photos could be used to help support the preserve? As my lawyer step-father always says, you never get what you don’t ask for.

That approach aside, and barring a coyote mistaking your tripod for a saguaro (if you catch my drift), I think your plan would work.

Yes, you can set an intervalometer to delay the start of its program. My Vello Shutterboss II allows me to set a delay of up to 100 hours, so 9 hours certainly wouldn’t be an issue. I would, however, make sure the batteries are fresh, just in case.

The camera should stay on without a problem, again, as long as the battery is fresh. (See a pattern?) If you want to be really sure, you could use an external battery, like the Tether Tools Case Relay. If you’re going to be running long exposures back-to-back all night, I would do the latter for sure, or just let the camera stop when it stops.

As for the strobe, it’s probably a nonstarter. If you have one that can use an external high-voltage battery pack, and/or if you can turn off low-power mode, or if the camera’s signal will wake the unit via the hot shoe, PC cord or wireless trigger, then technically you’re all set. But the bigger issue is that a flash would definitely be noticeable even from a distance. A flash in the dark is hardly discreet. It would also likely be quite startling to wildlife, so cue that coyote to exact its revenge. However, you might be able to use a Luxli Viola set at very low power—i.e., Low-level Landscape Lighting, which can be surprisingly discreet, as well as relatively non-distressful to critters.

Finally, before trying this on-location, I’d give it a test run overnight in your backyard. Set up exactly how you would in the preserve, and let it all run. Once you perfect the approach, then bring the setup out for its overnight wilderness experience.

I’m very eager to hear how this turns out. Please send the results! — Chris

2. Foreground and Background for Panos

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Hovenweep National Monument, Utah. Two multi-row stitched pano frames shot at different exposures. © 2017 Gabriel Biderman. Nikon D750 and Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens set at 14mm. Sky: 20 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 3200; foreground: 3 minutes, f/2.8 ISO, 1600.

Question:

Is it possible to shoot panos with a well-exposed, moonlit foreground, not move the camera, then after moonset shoot a Milky Way pano background, then blend them in post-production? — S.W.

Answer:

In short, yes! You got it right. If your tripod doesn’t move, then you can do exactly what you’re talking about, exactly as you described. Ideally your tripod head’s tilt angle will be parallel with the ground—in other words, no angle at all, just perfectly straight and level. Then you can make one pano pass for moonlight at a low ISO for the foreground and one after moonset at a high ISO for star points.

Here are a few of our blog posts that might help you make the panos:

• “How to Plan, Shoot and Edit a Milky Way Arch Panorama” Part I and Part II

• “10 For 2017: Breaking Down Our Favorite Images of the Year” (see Gabe’s pano from Hovenweep, pictured above, and read about he used two separate exposures like you are planning) — Matt

3. Induro a Good Low-Cost Option?

The Induro CLT303 Classic Series 3 Stealth carbon fiber tripod.

Question:

I’m interested in purchasing a tripod, and I’m hoping that I can stretch my dollar. I have my eye on the Induro line, which Lance suggested as a reliable option in his book. I like to shoot wildlife (birds, especially) so I’m wondering if the Series 3 tripods (which I know would serve that purpose) would be stable enough for night photography, or do I need to go with Series 4 or 5? What are you using? — Christopher Z.

Answer:

I think that you’ll be fine with the Induro Series 3 tripod. For less money, you could consider the Series 2 or 3 Benro, but the former is a considerably better tripod. Also, check out their new Animal Series, featuring the Tortise, Bat and Rhino models.

There are a lot of good options out there, so it’s worth looking around.

I’ll offer two further suggestions:

1. See our e-book Three Legs to Stand On: A Guide to Tripods. There’s a lot of info in there that you might find helpful.

2. If or when you can, make a trip into Manhattan and visit B&H Photo, where you can put your hands on pretty much all the options, and also get expert in-person advice. If that’s not an option, try to attend a photography trade show or large conference where you can do the same.

I’m currently using (and am very happy with) a Gitzo Traveler tripod and Acratech head—but that’s a $1,100 combo. — Lance

4. How Much Noise is ‘Acceptable’?

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© 2019 Gabriel Biderman. Nikon Z 6 with a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens. 15 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 12,800.

Question:

I’ve read your article “The Z 6 is the Best Camera for Night Photography.” I’ve been set to purchase a Nikon D750 because of its low noise, specifically at ISO 3200. But actually your observation of the “highest acceptable ISO” more precisely zeroes in on the most important camera characteristic for a Milky Way photographer. Since you’ve photographed the night with both cameras, what’s the highest acceptable ISO for the Nikon D750? — Bill W.

Answer:

The “highest acceptable ISO” is subjective. Your high ISO threshold might be different than mine, which might be different than Lance’s, etc. It’s all about what’s acceptable to you. Though I will say that for night photography—and especially for Milky Way images—we tend to be more forgiving, because the noise of the higher ISOs blends in with the natural granularity of stars.

Another thought to consider is that noise from the same high ISO is more prevalent in darker moonless images than in brighter moonlit images—especially if we need to open up the shadows in post-production.

That all being said, I am comfortable shooting my D750 at ISO 6400 and I try not to go any higher. ISO 6400 is very workable, but if I go to 12,800 then I need to really massage that image in post, or I need to shoot multiple frames for stacking sharp stars and reducing the noise with Starry Landscape Stacker.

However, while the D750 still holds its own at ISO 6400 and has excellent color and image quality, a lot of the rest of the technology behind it dates back to 2014. So I would consider investing in a D780 (if you want to stay on the DSLR route).

In his post “Best of Both Worlds,” Lance does an excellent job comparing the D750 versus the D780 versus the Z 6. We feel that the D780 is the perfect marriage of the D750 and Z 6. You get a very similar sensor to the Z 6, and improved live view and autofocus over the D750. — Gabe

5. Remote-Controlling a Luxli

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Nelson ghost town, Nevada. © 2019 Chris Nicholson. Nikon D850 with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, light painted with a Luxli Viola (interior) and Coast HP7R (exterior). 16 minutes, f/4.5, ISO 64.

Question:

After your presentation at the Optic 2020 conference, I bought the Luxli Viola and am starting to play with it. I’m curious if you guys ever use the Luxli Composer app and Bluetooth control? There seems to be a dearth of instructional stuff on the many useful options. Perhaps all I need is to dial in the desired color temperature and “go for it”? — Steve W.

Answer:

I do use the Composer app! Not all the time, but it’s usually great when necessary. For example, I might want to place my Viola in a place that’s hard to reach, such as on top of some high rocks. Instead of climbing up and down every time I need to make a change, I can use the app to alter the settings remotely.

Another example is when putting the light someplace within the frame, where I might not want to walk through mid-exposure to turn it off—instead, again, I can do that remotely with the app. The image above is a good example of when I took that approach. Even at the dimmest setting, the Viola inside the General Store was too bright to leave on for the whole exposure. To avoid walking into the scene mid-exposure to turn it off, I used the Composer app to snuff the light after 8 minutes.

To learn how to use Composer, check out this YouTube tutorial that Luxli put together:

For our take on how to use Luxli lights, check out Matt’s 2017 blog post “How to Master Color at Night with the Luxli Viola.” — Chris

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Best of Both Worlds—The Nikon D780 Combines the Advantages of the D750 and Z 6

A little over 2 years ago, I did some extensive testing of the Nikon D5, D750, D810 and the then-newly released D850. The comparison was to determine which was the best camera for night photography. I concluded that the answer depended on your needs and budget––I recommended the D750 as a great camera at an extraordinary value, the D850 for those who make large prints on a regular basis, and the D5 for sports and wildlife photographers who also shoot at night and who have a healthy budget.

Then, in September 2019, Gabe wrote a post exclaiming hands-down that “the Nikon Z 6 is the best camera for night photography.” I’ve had a few opportunities to use the Z 6 at night since then, and it’s an awesome camera for sure.

Then I recently had the chance to work with the newly released Nikon D780, courtesy of B&H Photo. It’s widely reported that the Z 6 and D780 share the same sensor, and the comparative images I’ve shot indeed look very similar. But there is one subtle difference that makes the image quality of the D780 ever so slightly better than that of the Z 6, especially for night photography in extreme low light. More on that later.

This rundown of the D780 is not intended to be a general review for everyone considering a new camera, but is rather tailored to the needs of the night photographer. If you are a wedding, wildlife or sports photographer, or someone who shoots a lot of video, then my review may be of limited usefulness to you. In this article, I’ll evaluate the camera based on image quality at high ISOs in extreme low-light situations, for long exposures, and also in mixed artificial low-light situations typically found in urban areas at night. I’ll also be discussing the various features and functions as they relate to night photography in general.

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Rattle Dragon meets its match. Nikon D780 with an Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 1.3 seconds, f/4, ISO 6400. This image has been processed in Photoshop for effect.

Key Features

The camera features a 24.5-megapixel FX-Format BSI CMOS sensor and EXPEED 6 Processor, which is reported to be the same sensor as that of the Z 6––with one slight modification.

Similar to its predecessor, the D780 features a tilting screen. The 3.2-inch, 2.36m-dot LCD is also a touch screen that functions well for intuitive control over playback and menu navigation, as well as touch control over autofocus and shutter functions. It would be nice if the screen had an articulating arm; as it is, the tilt screen is of limited usefulness in the vertical orientation, but is great for working from high and especially low angles in the horizontal orientation.

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The D780 sports dual SD memory card slots like the D750, rather than the single XQD slot of the Z-system cameras. The former supports both overflow recording and simultaneous recording on both cards for peace of mind. It also accommodates the UHS-II standard, enabling fast write speeds for video and multi-shot sequences.

When used with the D780, the EN-EL15b lithium-ion battery is rated for an impressive 2,260 shots per charge without live view enabled, or 360 with live view. The battery can be charged via USB-C. For comparison, I recently got 554 25-second exposures out of a relatively new battery in the D750 (with live view and playback disabled) when shooting the Lyrid meteor shower.

The camera has variable aspect ratios of 1x1, 3x2 and 16x9, an in-camera monochrome mode, meter capabilities down to -3 EV, and shutter speeds down to 900 seconds (or 15 minutes).

Long Exposure

Yes, you read that right. Hallelujah! We finally have a Nikon DSLR with onboard shutter speeds that go beyond 30 seconds. There is a menu setting to enable extended shutter speeds, but once you turn it on, it’s a sticky setting, unlike Canon’s awkward Bulb Timer mode on the 5D Mark IV that requires going to the menu every time you use it.

We night photographers would have preferred even longer shutter speeds, but the D780 does have the Time mode, which, unlike the D750, does not automatically shut off at 1,694 seconds. Camera manufacturers have long been reticent to have programmed long-exposure times out of fear of long-exposure noise.

The primary implication of the extended shutter speeds is the elimination of the need for an external intervalometer in many situations. The extended shutter speeds combined with the internal intervalometer (or the easier-to-use but more limited self timer) allow for shooting stack sequences up to 2 hours, 15 minutes with the self-timer and virtually any length with the internal intervalometer.

I’ve been using the Time setting on the D750 and D850 and timing exposures either with my phone, or more often just by feel, because I never liked dealing with the fiddly and fragile intervalometers. For many night photographers, the onboard long shutter speed is a game-changing feature, even if it is only a convenience and has no effect on image quality.

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Echo Canyon Road, Death Valley National Park. An example of the range of tones in a black and white image shot under moonlight. Conversion in Lightroom, Adobe Monochrome profile, with no additional software. Nikon D780 with an Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 1 minute, f/5.6, ISO 400.

Autofocus

One of the things that has improved the most over the D750 is autofocus performance in both the viewfinder with a 51-point autofocus system, and also a hybrid system for live-view focusing. The hybrid system is adopted from the Z-series cameras, and switches between phase-detection and contrast-detection autofocus based on conditions. It covers approximately 90 percent of the frame with 273 focus points, making it easy for the camera to focus on subjects at the edges.

There is a low-light autofocus mode that extends autofocus capabilities down to -6 EV. The viewfinder autofocus system is accurate down to -3 EV. Under ideal conditions, this should allow for autofocus with live view in light as low as a quarter moon, and with the viewfinder under the light of a full moon. But autofocus on the Milky Way core is a long ways off still, as it is about -10 or -11 EV.

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Velociraptor, Borrego Springs, California. Nikon D780 with a Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 lens at 22mm. 1 minute, f/5.6, ISO 500. A collaborative light-painted image made during a recent workshop under cloudy moonlit skies.

Live View

The live view interface is derived from the Z 6. It’s mostly familiar for Nikon DSLR shooters, but requires a little getting used to. The good news is that live view image quality in low light is much improved, and focusing on stars, or on dark foreground subjects with a flashlight, is much easier than with older Nikons.

I did find that I got the best live view image in low light conditions using the video mode set to the slowest possible shutter speed, just like with the D750. This is a workaround—not an ideal field workflow—as you must remember to turn off the live view before taking the picture, or the RAW file will be cropped to the 16:9 aspect ratio. Still, it is a big and welcome improvement.

Customization

A customizable 12-position menu can be accessed by pushing the i button on the back of the D780 or tapping the i icon in live view. The i menu is an easily accessible place to store settings that you change frequently. The camera allows users to customize different i menus for shooting stills through the optical viewfinder, for shooting stills in live view and for shooting video.

The D780 offers two customizable buttons on the front of the camera that can be set to any one of a long list of functions; you can view them all here. Additionally, the AF-On and AE-L/AF-L buttons can be customized, and the bracket button on the front of the camera can also be customized to shoot multi-exposure images or HDRs.

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Build Quality

Comfortable in the hand and familiar to any Nikon user, the D780 offers a solidly built camera with full weather sealing in a relatively lightweight body. On first glance, it looks very much like the D750, but is just a little smaller with a few button changes. For a full-frame DSLR as capable as the D780, it’s compact and ergonomic. It’s basically a D750/Z 6 hybrid.

A Few Random Features

The live view activation button has been moved up to the right of the viewfinder, and the video record button is on the top deck, next to the newly located ISO button.

These changes require some adaptation, but the new position of the ISO button will be familiar to users of the newer Nikon cameras. It is a better and more logical position than on the D750, which has it second from the bottom on the button stack to the left of the rear LCD. Testing the D780, I inadvertently activated video recording several times while reaching for the ISO, but my fingers learned relatively quickly which button was which.

I know that I said I wouldn’t talk about video in this review, but quickly: Video shooting is much improved, and the D780 can shoot UHD 4K at up to 30 frames per second, or HD at up to 120 frames per second.

Moreover, there is now the option to create time-lapses from images shot with the Interval Timer Shooting mode instead of the Time-Lapse Movie option of the D850, which means you can keep the RAW files and still produce an in-camera time-lapse on the go. The D780 also has the same focus stacking mode as the D850.

The D780 is compatible with most Nikon F-mount lenses, including AI-S and all Nikon AF models.

On the negative side, there is no option for a battery grip, and the pop-up flash of the D750 is absent from its descendant. I suspect some people will miss these features, but they are relatively minor issues for a night photographer. Also, the intervalometer connects with the same fussy DC2 port. It’s difficult to identify the correct orientation of the plug, especially in the dark. Fortunately, it’s necessary only for timed exposures longer than 15 minutes.

Wish List

Although the D780 has most of the features that I would want on my dream camera, there are a few things would make it the hands-down ideal for a night photographer:

• Extended shutter speeds down another couple of stops to 1 hour. I’m grateful for the extension to 15 minutes, but why stop there?

• Image quality at ISO 25,600 comparable to what we get at 6400 on the D750/Z 6/D780. Those extra 2 stops would provide the much-needed wiggle room that astro-landscape photographers often need with our exposure variables. NPF Rule, anyone?

• An easier way to access the brightest possible live view image in low-light situations. The live view interface of the D780 is the same as the Z 6 and much cleaner and easier to use than that of the D750. However, a workaround is still required to get the best possible live view image at night.

• The flip lever to close the optical viewfinder (which prevents light from entering the back of the camera during long exposures) that’s found on the D810, D850 and D4-D6.

• The D500, D850 and D5-D6 have backlit buttons for ease of use in the dark. Their absence on the D780 is a distinction from the top-of-the-line models that cost considerably more.

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Fern and Waterfall, Portland, Oregon. A daylight image showing the dynamic range and color depth of the D780 sensor. Nikon D780 with a Nikon 24-120mm f/4G lens at 120 mm. 1/50, f/8, ISO 100.

A couple of features from other manufacturers that would be amazing to see developed for Nikon:

• Many Canon cameras have the ability to hold images in the buffer and process Long Exposure Noise Reduction while you keep shooting new images. They also have an auto-LENR feature that applies noise reduction as needed and that doesn’t necessarily double the exposure length. I’d like both these features in a Nikon body. Imagine being able to use LENR for all your shots without having to wait for it!

• The Astrotracer feature of the Pentax K1 for getting around the longest usable shutter speed limitation in astro-landscape photography is based on in-camera image stabilization. It’s not likely ever to appear on a Nikon camera, but it sure would be sweet to have.

Image Quality

What surprised me when I began comparing images from the D750, Z 6 and D780 was not how good the D780’s image quality is, but how well the 6-year-old D750’s images stood up to the newer cameras. That’s not to say that the D780 is in any way a disappointment––to the contrary, the overall image quality is among the best of any 24-megapixel camera that I’ve used.

In the limited testing I was able to do, any difference in image quality at ISO 6400 and 12,800 was negligible. There may be slightly less noise in the shadows on the newer cameras up to ISO 12,800. It was only at ISO 25,600 where the D780 and Z 6 were noticeably better. At ISO 25,600 on the D750, colors begin to bleed outside of detail boundaries and the image really starts to fall apart.

This begins to happen in a similar way at ISO 51,200 with the D780 and Z 6. The newer cameras essentially add one stop of usable ISO, but most photographers will probably still not want to shoot higher than 6400 or possibly 12,800 for nighttime landscape imaging. (There are pixel-peeping opportunities at the end of this post.)

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Inyo Mine, Death Valley National Park. Examples of the D780’s high ISO capabilities. The RAW files can be downloaded for evaluation purposes (see the link at the end of this post). Nikon D780 with a Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 at 20mm. From left to right: 6 seconds, f/4, ISO 12,800; 3 seconds, f/4, ISO 25,600; 1.6 seconds, f/4, ISO 51,200.

I did get to shoot in a contrasty mixed-light urban environment, and was impressed with the ability to pull detail out of deep shadows while preserving highlights, but wasn’t able to do side-by-side comparison testing of different cameras in that environment. DXO Mark rates the sensor on the Z 6 (and the D780 by extrapolation) at 14.3 stops at base ISO compared to 14.5 stops for the D750. This minor difference of one-third of a stop probably cannot be appreciated in real-world situations as opposed to in the testing lab. More importantly, the new sensor tests at a full stop more (9.3) dynamic range at ISO 6400, which is the standard setting for astro-landscape photography.

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The Kenworth of my Dreams, Portland, Oregon. The D780 is remarkably well-suited to urban night photography. Highlight and shadow detail is preserved and color rendering is gorgeous. Nikon D780 with a Nikon 28mm f/3.5 PC lens. 30 seconds, f/11, ISO 100.

Despite having the D780 for a while, I didn’t have the chance to photograph with it under starlight conditions––mostly due to lunar phase timing while I had it in California and an extended period of overcast skies here in Vermont. I have used the Z 6 for astro-landscape photography, and it produces some of the best Milky Way images I’ve ever seen. Assuming that the D780 has the same sensor as the Z 6, albeit with a few tweaks in how the images are processed, then both are class-leading for astro-landscape imaging.

ISO Invariance

Like the D750 and D850, the D780 sensor is ISO-invariant, meaning that you can underexpose by several stops to preserve highlights and bring up the shadows in post-processing without majorly compromising overall image quality. This is likely due to the dual-gain sensor that has been featured in many of the best-performing cameras released in the last few years.

The pixels in dual-gain sensors have two readout modes, the first at native and modestly increased ISOs for maximum dynamic range, and another for lower noise at higher ISOs at the expense of dynamic range. The D850 high-ISO readout mode kicks in at ISO 1600. I have not been able to determine when it switches over in the Z 6 and D780, but it’s probably similar to the D850.

The Orange Chair, Portland, Oregon. An example illustrating the ISO invariance of the D780 sensor. Intentional underexposure by 3 stops preserves the highlight detail in the windows. Nikon D780 with a Nikon 28mm f/3.5 PC lens. 20 seconds, f/11, ISO 100.

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Lightroom basic settings for “The Orange Chair” photograph. Deep shadow detail recovered with only minimal added noise in post-processing. The RAW file adjustments on the image show an increase of +3.00 on the Exposure slider.

A Final Note on Image Quality

At the beginning of this article I mentioned a slight image quality improvement over the Z 6, and this has to do with the on-sensor phase-detection autofocus system. This is an advantageous feature, because it allows for phase-detection autofocus during live view. However, some of the pixel sites on the sensor are utilized for autofocus, which can cause a subtle banding effect in very deep shadows—especially when the exposure is raised in post-processing.

The D750 does not have this on-sensor system, and thus does not have this issue. The D780 does feature on-sensor phase-detection autofocus (the first Nikon DSLR to do so), but the banding issue has been resolved.

Conclusion

With so many great cameras to choose from, night photographers are not lacking for options. These days the debate is often about whether or not to make the switch from DSLR to mirrorless.

The D780 offers the best of both worlds in the form of a hybrid of the D750 and Z 6. The D780 has the phase-detection autofocus, the 4K video and the live view features of the Z 6 in a solid, compact DSLR body with a backside illuminated dual-gain sensor with great image quality at native, high and extreme ISOs. And don’t forget about the extended shutter speeds down to 15 minutes that virtually eliminate the need for an external intervalometer.

It’s not the perfect camera for night photography––we’re still waiting for that one, and likely always will be—but the D780 comes very close.

Many photographers have made the switch to mirrorless for the reduction in size and weight, and others have resisted the change because they are not ready to sacrifice their FX lenses or don’t want to deal with an adapter to use them. Personally, I prefer the user experience of the DSLR, and don’t feel that the modest decrease in size and weight of switching to mirrorless is worth the trade-offs. When I reviewed the D850 2 years ago, I concluded that upgrading from a D750 to D850 wasn’t worth it for me, as the primary benefit was increased resolution that I didn’t need and backlit buttons that were convenient but not worth the added cost or extra weight in my bag.

Now with the introduction of the D780, it’s once again time to consider an upgrade. I’m buying one.

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which night photographers is the D780 for?

D750 owners

As one of Nikon’s most successful cameras ever, the D750 is hard to beat, though it is getting a little long in the tooth, having been released in 2014. With the D780, there’s a modest gain in image quality, especially at higher ISOs. However, most of the improvements have more to do with an updated user experience than better image quality. If you love your D750, but it has seen better days, or you are simply ready for an upgrade, you will not be disappointed with the D780.

Older Nikon full-frame camera owners

If you’ve been holding on to that D600, D610, D800 or even the D810, it’s time to upgrade. For D810 owners who need the higher resolution for huge prints, the D850 is probably a better choice for you.

Canon Shooters

Specifically, those who are dissatisfied with high ISO image quality, or struggle to use live view for focusing in the dark with their 5D Mark IV. Canon’s live view used to be one reason for a night photographer to choose Canon over Nikon. That changed with the inability to get a bright enough image for live view focusing with the 5D Mark IV and the greatly improved low-light live view performance in the Nikon Z 6, Z 7 and D780. The D780 has superior high ISO image quality for astro-landscape photography and wider dynamic range for urban night photography than any Canon camera.

APS-C Camera Owners

Yes, you. It’s time. It’s true that recent crop-sensor cameras do a much better job at high ISO than the older ones, but they cannot compare to the image quality of a modern full-frame sensor. For those on a budget, the D750 is still an outstanding value at $1,500. The $1,800 Z 6 is also a great option—it just depends on your preference for mirrorless or a DSLR. If you can afford it, get the D780. It’s worth the extra cost.

Z 6 Converts Who Love Their New Camera, but Miss Their DSLR

I know of at least one person who bought a Z 6 but switched to a D780 for this very reason. If I had bought a Z 6, I’d probably be in this category too.

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Pixel Study: High ISOs

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ISO 6400

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ISO 12,800

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ISO 25,600

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Nikon D780 with an Irix 15mm f/2.4 lens. 1/4, f/5, ISO 51,200.

I shot the same image on the same night with the same lens and settings to test image quality at high ISOs between the D750, D780 and Z 6. The images were made under clear, moonlit skies, and the subject was illuminated with a Luxli Viola on a light stand. The lighting was unchanged during the testing, except that the moon rose higher into the sky, which altered the shadows.

I tested each camera at ISO 6400, ISO 12,800 and ISO 25,600. There is very little difference between the three cameras at ISO 6400 and ISO 12,800, but the D750 image starts to deteriorate at ISO 25,600.

I also tested the D780 at ISO 51,200. At this extreme ISO, the image from the D780 deteriorates in the same way as the D750 does at ISO 25,600. The colors start to bleed outside of contrast edges. Color noise is still easily managed by Lightroom’s default correction, and there is no sign of background pattern noise. Luminance noise is significant.

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Download Test Images

So you can make your own evaluations, we are providing a selection of images made during the testing I did for this article at npan.co/D780testimages. They are mostly DNG files with embedded metadata. Feel free to download the files and manipulate them for evaluative purposes.

Warning: It might take awhile to download these, and we recommend not doing so with a mobile device using a cellular data connection. The files total nearly half a gigabyte.

(All images are © 2020 Lance Keimig, and may not be printed or republished without express written consent of the author.)

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Your Thoughts

Have you had a chance to shoot with the Nikon D780 yet? We’d love to hear your impressions and see your night images! Please leave your thoughts and photos in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.

Lance Keimig is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night. He has been photographing at night for 30 years, and is the author of Night Photography and Light Painting: Finding Your Way in the Dark (Focal Press, 2015). Learn more about his images and workshops at www.thenightskye.com.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

The Z 6 is the Best Camera for Night Photography

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Let’s not bury the lead. The Nikon Z 6 is the best camera for night photography.

Bold statement, I know. We live in a golden age for night photography, when there aren’t many “bad cameras” for photographing in low-light scenarios. Last December I tested the current batch of full-frame mirrorless cameras for a night photography series produced by B&H Photo. All three cameras I tested—the Canon EOS R, Nikon Z 6 and Sony a7R III—performed admirably. In fact, none of them would hold me back from producing excellent work during the day or night.

At that time I was “dating” a lot of camera systems. I really liked the Fuji X series because of the smaller bodies and lenses. But I was noticing a granular quality to my higher-ISO images that was troublesome for me. My maximum usable ISO for dark sky work with the X system was 6400, which worked most of the time.

The other camera in my bag is the Nikon D750. This is one of my all-time favorite night cameras. The colors and sharpness perfectly match my work. Yes, it is a 5-year-old camera, but guess what? It has damn good image quality and is a full-frame camera that costs $1,099 refurbished or $1,496 with a free year of Adobe’s Photography Plan. It’s hard to disregard that, even if it is a second camera.

Still, the more I have used the Z 6, the more I like it—enough so that I felt compelled to call it the best for the type of work I do, and to write down why.

What I like in a Night Camera

Before we get into exactly what I love about the Z 6 in particular, let’s go over what I look for and recommend in a night camera in general.

A lot of cameras are good—heck, these days a lot of cameras are great! I know this first-hand, because while working at B&H I’ve been lucky enough to try a wide variety of what’s on the market. But it takes a special set of features for a camera to be great at night photography. Below I’ll run through what I believe those features to be, and then I’ll go over how the Z 6 checks (or, in some respects, doesn’t check) those boxes.

It has to fit just right

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When standing at the edge, be comfortable with your gear.

First off, choosing the right camera is like shopping for shoes. Style points count, but the bottom line is it has to fit you and your needs. It has to be ergonomic to hold and be an extension of your eye, heart and hand. The camera, as well as the many buttons that decorate it, has to be “one with you” and not get in your way of seeing and creating.

Every camera has a learning curve, but if after a month of heavy use you are still struggling with what the buttons do, or if you feel uncomfortable with it, then it is not the best camera for you.

High ISOs are a must

Capable high ISOs are the next big factor. You need to like the image quality at 6400—otherwise, you will not be shooting the Milky Way. If you can get to ISO 12,800 or 25,600 comfortably, that’s even better.

Almost every camera from the last 3 years can get to ISO 6400 without the image being too grainy or noisy. Almost every camera also has ISO settings above 6400, but very few have good image quality beyond that point. (We’re not going to get into image quality charts and the like, but a little later in this post I will share real-world night photos and we will compare ISOs between competing cameras.)

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The Nikon Z 6 at ISOs 12,800, 25,600 and 51,200.

Testing high ISOs is very subjective. You and I could own the same camera and I could love it at 12,800 with some gentle noise reduction in post, while you could absolutely hate the same. We all have different thresholds. Get to know and understand yours.

Test your camera at 6400, 12,800, 25,600, and all the stops in between. Bring the images into Lightroom and zoom to 100 percent, and drag the Luminance slider to see how it balances removing noise versus losing detail. If you are seeing color in that high ISO noise—splotches of red, green and blue—then push the color slider to the right until it is removed. You can be more aggressive with the color noise slider as there is no loss of image detail, even at 100 percent.

How well can the camera see in the Dark?

One of the biggest frustrations with dark-sky night photography is that it’s hard to see anything through the viewfinder, EVF or LCD screen. DSLRs have a slight edge here. When you turn on a DSLR, the meter information inside the viewfinder is actually pretty bright and makes it hard to look through. However, you can adapt in two ways, both of which are excellent solutions for composing in the dark:

1. If you turn off the camera and look through the optical viewfinder without all the internal lights, then you can see pretty well.

2. A little trick Chris Nicholson taught me (which Lance Keimig taught him) is to shine a flashlight through the back of the optical viewfinder and the light coming out of the other end (i.e., the lens) will shine onto the scene in front of you illuminate exactly what is in the frame.

But you can do those things only with a DSLR. For a mirrorless camera, seeing in the dark is a struggle. For the most part, the EVF or LCD screen can’t “gain up” for us to see anything. So we have to take multiple high ISO test shots just to “see” what is in the frame.

(However, in one of Sony’s latest firmware upgrades they introduced Bright Monitoring in their A7 and 6000 cameras. This is a game-changing feature for night photographers—but it could also use some further tweaking. It does very well in most rural dark scenarios but in really dark-sky scenes like Bortle 1 or 2 with no moon, you will still see very little.)

What lenses can you use?

A wide and fast lens is mandatory for any sort of astro-landscape photography—so the camera needs to be able to accommodate.

Irix 15mm f/2.4.

Our favorite night lens is the Irix 15mm f/2.4. It is an inexpensive, manual focus lens that has a click stop at infinity, and infinity is accurate. The lens comes in three mounts: Nikon F, Canon EF and Pentax. I have used adapters to mount the Irix on Fuji, Nikon Z and Sony without any issues, but rumors are swirling that Irix is working on mounts for Sony E, Nikon Z and Canon EOS R.

That being said, it is good to have a little variety in your lens choice. Wide fast zooms such as a 14-24mm f/2.8 or 16-35mm f/2.8 are great. A sharp 24-70mm f/2.8 would be my third choice.

That combo would fulfill most of my visionary needs on any given night, but unique lenses and fast primes that match the way I see can be inspiring. A wide tilt-shift lens, or a fisheye/superwide zoom such as the Nikon 8-15mm or Canon 11-24mm f/4, can add an extra oomph to compositions. I’m also a sucker for the Zeiss Batis lenses for Sony and Zeiss’ standard razor-sharp manual focus lenses.

Why I Love the Z 6

OK, it wasn’t love at first sight. But as a Nikon user, I was pretty excited to test the Z 6 and its rumored high ISO capabilities. Then my initial tests blew me away, so I purchased one last January.

We’ve had way more ups than downs, and we’ve been living together nicely for the last 9 months. I’m still waiting for the “perfect” Nikon Z lens (more on that later), but while waiting I’ve noticed that some of my favorite photos I’ve made this year have been with my Z 6. Below is the breakdown of our “relationship.”

Comfort

It is a super-comfortable camera for me. The grip fits nicely in my hand. I really like the thumb rest on the back of the camera, as it helps with the overall balance. The camera is light for a full-frame mirrorless, and is easy to carry on your shoulder for long periods of time.

Controls

The menu system follows the same logic as its DSLR predecessors, so as someone who has used Nikon for years, this camera was a cinch for me to pick up and start shooting. The buttons are easy to navigate and use. I also like the touch screen for zooming and swiping through images. (However, I do not like the touch screen for triggering the camera.)

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I’m a big fan of the LED top screen that gives me all the information I need to know: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, battery life, burst mode and shots left. This is the digital version of the LED screen on the top of most DSLRs. It doesn’t draw as much juice as the screen on the back, and it grants easy access to that information for making adjustments.

Memory Card

I have no gripes over the single memory card slot. I have yet to fill up my 64GB XQD card on any given night. And believe me, I’ve shot for many hours!

Power

Battery life is solid. The Z 6 uses the same tried-and-true ENELb-15 battery that all the Nikon prosumer DSLRs use. Consequently, I can bring the same battery and dual charger for both my Z 6 and D750. The Z 6 draws more power because of the constant LCD/EVF use, but I have yet to need more than two full batteries on a given night.

High ISO

This camera is the current champ for high ISO. The Sony a7S II is close, but the big separator is that the Z 6 is a 24-megapixel camera and the a7S II is only a 12-megapixel. That’s double the megapixels, which provides finer detail and smoother tonal transitions. You are not going to make large prints with an image from the a7S II unless you are finessing a lot in post.

Negatives (Not the Film Kind)

On the flip side, I do have gripes with the Z 6—which is OK, because there is no perfect camera.

Lens Lack

First and foremost is this plea: Nikon, hurry up and make some more lenses!

My favorite Z lens right now is the 14-30mm f/4. I love the compactness and I really don’t miss the extra stop of an f/2.8 version because I can go to those higher ISOs without worry (more on that later). I did test the 14-30mm against the F-mount equivalent, the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, which is one of my all-time favorite lenses. The cost difference is minimal right now—the f/2.8 F lens is currently $1,895 and the f/4 Z is $1,295. I don’t see much loss in image quality with the latter, so I’m torn. A 14-24mm f/2.8 Z-mount is in the works, but I assume it will be over $2,000.

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Nikon FTZ adapter.

One might argue that I could just use any F-mount lens I want by employing the FTZ adapter. But I’m not a fan of this tool. When I mount a camera body to a tripod and want to take off the FTZ adapter and lens, the FTZ mount gets in the way. To remove the FTZ mount and lens, I have to take the camera completely off the tripod, then swap lenses. This is definitely annoying.

(I applaud Canon for what they did with their offering of four different adapters, including ones that have a built-in neutral density or circular polarizer filter. This is great especially when you want to adapt superwide-angle lenses—which don’t take screw-on filters—to a mirrorless camera.)

Non-Articulating Screen

I like cameras with articulating arm screens instead of just the tilting-up-or-down version found on most bodies, the Z 6 included. Yeah, I understand that is adding more “fragile” components, but the articulating LCD does a few things I love:

• I can always flip my screen and protect it from scratches.

• People want their cameras to emulate their phones. Let’s face it, phones did a great job of copying the best functions of cameras; time for camera companies to take it back!

• I’m not a selfie guy but I do like taking self-portraits and putting my camera in low and different angels. The articulating angle arm gives more options.

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The articulating arm screen that flips out (left) is much more functional than a screen that just tilts (right).

Lightroom Tinkering

Nikon hard-bakes some very aggressive noise reduction that gets automatically applied upon import to Lightroom. The amount of reduction depends on the ISO.  I definitely suggest taking a good look at this automated noise reduction and customizing it to taste. With Z 6 images, the default noise adjustments are as follows:

• For ISO 6400 it applies 43 points of luminance, 75 points of detail, 10 points of color.

• For ISO 12,800 it applies 46 points of luminance, 75 points of detail, 10 points of color.

• For ISO 25,600 it applies 49 points of luminance, 75 points of detail, 10 points of color.

• For ISO 51,200 it applies 52 points of luminance, 75 points of detail, 10 points of color.

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This is a bit aggressive. I would definitely go in and cook that to taste. I’ve found that zeroing out the amount of luminance and color noise and then adding 10 to 30 points of each cleans up things nicely and retains the detail.

Z 6 Compared to the Others

So there you go—a feature-by-feature breakdown of why I love the Z 6 (despite the few things I would change about it). But why do I say it’s better for night photography than the other options out there?

There are lots of features we can compare, but the point here is about night photography, therefore the feature we care about most is performance in low light. So let’s take a close look at the high ISOs of the latest full-frame mirrorless cameras. (There haven’t been many DSLRs released in the last year, except Canon’s recent EOS 90D, which I haven’t been able to test yet. Besides, mirrorless is the future.)

Note: To see the full-resolution versions of the comparison images below, visit here to download.

Sony a7R III

Let me preface this by saying that it is really difficult for a high-megapixel camera (over 30 megapixels) to produce clean ISOs above 6400. Think about it. All the full-frame cameras have a fixed amount of space in which to fit millions of pixels—the more that you cram in, the smaller the pixels get, and their “well” to receive light also gets smaller. Algorithms continue to get better but the sweet spot for a full-frame night camera is 24 to 30 megapixels.

That being said, the a7R III performs really well. There is no doubt why this camera has been incredibly popular for Sony.

The full-frame views of all these shots look good, but when we zoom to 100 percent and pay attention to the granularity of the sky and shadow regions, that’s when we notice a difference.

• 6400: Normal noise. Looks normal with no loss of detail in the brick and woodwork.

• 12,800: Acceptable noise. We can definitely see grain in the sky as well as in the wood and brick. But a gentle use of noise reduction (say, 20 points) would make this an acceptable ISO to use in the field.

• 25,600: Too much noise. This is where the a7R III breaks for me. It looks like we are shooting through a nylon stocking. There is noise from top to bottom. An aggressive amount of noise reduction (with a subsequent loss of detail) would be needed to make this work for me.

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Canon EOS R

The EOS R has the same sensor as the Canon 5D Mark IV, which isn’t a bad thing, as that has been a popular night camera for Canon users.

• 6400: Acceptable noise. But it looks like ISO 1600 or 3200 in the film days. Applying noise reduction by 10 to 15 points should clean that up just fine.

• 12,800: Too much noise. While I was testing, a car drove by and lit up the scene, but we can still see a heavy layer of noise over the whole image. Finessing the noise and detail could salvage the photo, but this would really be my breaking point if I was a Canon user.

• 25,600: Yeah, no. Lots of noise and grain here. I would need to be aggressive in removing it and thus lose a lot of detail. Best to not go this far.

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Nikon Z 6

Here’s why it’s better than the rest.

• 6400: Minimal noise. I’m impressed—it’s cleaner than any other camera I have tested at ISO 6400. I’d set noise reduction to 5 or 10 points, and then it looks almost like ISO 800.

• 12,800: Normal noise. It looks like the competition’s ISO 6400. Not much loss of detail at all. I’d set luminance and color noise reduction between 10 and 20 to make it even cleaner.

• 25,600: Acceptable noise. Definitely seeing the noise, but I can work with it. Setting the luminance and color noise to 20 or 30 points, the situation is remedied with minimal loss of detail. I would still try to slightly overexpose my image in this scenario, as opening up shadows in post-production would create more troublesome grain.

• 51,200: Too much noise. This is my breaking point with the Z 6. We are getting that layer of grain over the entire image and losing detail. I can be aggressive with my noise reduction and might be able to work with an image, but chances of making it good enough for a large print are minimal.

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Wrapping Up

For night photographers, creating great images at high ISOs is a must. I found the top three full-frame mirrorless cameras to be quite capable of ISO 6400, and I might even dip into 12,800.

The Z 6 separates itself by getting 1 to 2 stops better with cleaner ISOs. And that for me is a game-changing camera for night photography. It means I can pretty much shoot in any dark sky condition, even with an f/4 lens, and come away with excellent image quality.

Is it a perfect camera? No, but nothing is. Bedsides the excellent high ISOs, the other winning points are:

• the comfort of the camera

• familiar menu system

• adapting to a lens ecosystem that I am happy with

I’m looking forward to more native Z-mount lenses coming in the near future and hopefully a new FTZ adapter that doesn’t get in the way of my tripod work. And above all, I’m looking forward to the Z 6 enabling me to seize the night better than I ever have before.

Have you tried the Z 6 at night yet? Are you happy with it? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Gabriel Biderman is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night. He is a Brooklyn-based fine art and travel photographer, and author of Night Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Peachpit, 2014). During the daytime hours you'll often find Gabe at one of many photo events around the world working for B&H Photo’s road marketing team. See his portfolio and workshop lineup at www.ruinism.com.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT

Five Questions: Meteor Showers, Pano Stitching, and Lots and Lots of Gear

Welcome again to the National Parks at Night Q&A, where we share some of the great questions we’ve received via email. This time around we're featuring Q’s and A’s about post-producing meteor shower photos, advice about five different camera systems, pano vignetting and wide-angle lens choice from the Nikon world.

If you have any questions you would would like to throw our way, contact us anytime! Questions could be about gear, national parks or other photo locations, post-processing techniques, field etiquette, or anything else related to night photography. #SeizeTheNight!

1. Meteor Showers Post-Production

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Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. Nikon D750, 15mm Zeiss Distagon f/2.8 lens. 234 images at 22 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 6400, plus a single exposure at 382 seconds, ISO 2000 for the landscape after moonrise. Photo © 2017 Matt Hill.

Q: Regarding your recent blog post “Meteors and Eclipses and Comets, Oh My!—The Celestial Events of 2018,” one of the spectacular photos that has me asking “How did he do that?” the loudest is Matt’s photo of the meteor shower in Great Sand Dunes National Park.

As a novice to post-processing, I can only assume that the 234 photos were somehow aligned so that the stars did not turn into trails, while ignoring the meteor shower streaks that were not in the all of the other frames, and then overlaying or merging in the foreground. Is that an oversimplification? — Rex

A: We are planning an in-depth post about this exact technique that will run this summer. But I’m happy to give you a light preview that should answer your question. The heart of the technique is this:

I used PhotoPills to scout the shot. It was also my fourth visit to Great Sand Dunes, and my second during the Pereid Meteor Shower (the first time I totally botched it!). This time I approached it with better planning (and with better physical conditioning—those dunes are difficult to climb!). From PhotoPills, I knew that astronomical twilight ended at a certain time and the moon rose at a certain time. The latter was important because I knew that the dunes just don’t look right without a little sidelight.

I set up my shot, started the sequence of exposures and waited patiently for moonrise. Others in our group who didn’t wait for the moon to side-light the landscape have radically different foregrounds in their final images, with less detail and muddy shadows. But I understand their hesitance to stay out so late; honestly, I would have light painted the dunes instead if the descent and subsequent ascent wasn’t so difficult. Besides, I was enjoying the show—lots of meteors all over the sky that evening.

When it came to post-processing, I was deeply inspired by David Kingham’s generous video from a few years ago. An even better explanation that you can hold in your hand is available courtesy of my National Parks at Night colleague Lance Keimig, who has a full description of the technique in his book Night Photography and Light Painting—Finding Your Way in the Dark (on pages 114 to 119).

I used a very similar technique to isolate the meteors with layer masking in Photoshop, and rotated those layers to align with the stars in the base image layer. (Another option is to use Starry Landscape Stacker.) I then layered in that moonlit foreground, performed some minor tweaking, and voila!

(You can also see my sequence of images rendered as a time-lapse on our Instagram account.)

So, in short, your guess about the technique is in part not oversimplified, but in part is. Watching the video, reading Lance’s book and waiting for our summer blog post will all help to clarify this in-some-ways simple yet in-some-ways complex technique that is, either way, tremendously rewarding.

Also, we are planning a one-night event during the Perseids this year—to be announced. Stay tuned for details! — Matt

2. Full-frame Camera for Milky Way Photography

Q: In one of your blog posts (by Lance Keimig, I believe), a comment was made about full-frame cameras being best for star and/or Milky Way photos. In the same post it was mentioned that most of the newer full-frame cameras should be able to handle ISOs in the 3200 to 6400 range. My question is: How new?

I am looking to upgrade from a crop-sensor to a full-frame DSLR in the Nikon series. The D810 is way out of my price range, but I am thinking about the D610, or possibly the D750 if I can get a great deal on a used model. Would the D610, which entered the market in 2013, handle the 3200 to 6400 ISO range well, or should I really focus on trying to find a D750 in my price range? — Larry G.

A: I would strongly recommend going for the D750. It is without a doubt the best value in DSLRs for night and astro-landscape photography. If you want a minimal kit, consider adding a Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 lens, and that will be pretty much all you need, provided that you already have a decent tripod. The D610 is OK, but the D750 is stellar! — Lance

3. Pano Vignetting

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Milky Way pano over Montana. Seven stitched images shot at 30 seconds, f/4, ISO 6400. Nikon D750 with Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at 14mm. Photo © Gabriel Biderman.

Q: In shooting panos of the Milky Way and sunrises, etc., I’m having vignetting issues in Lightroom. When stitching, it creates vertical darker areas at the overlap portions of pano. Do you guys use third-party software to make night panos, or do you use Lightroom and Photoshop? — Steve W.

A: We are big fans of panorama night photography, but it definitely has its challenges.

While I have not noticed a heavy vignette in any of my panos, you might want to make sure you are applying your lens corrections prior to stitching. We generally work on all the individual images and correct them before stitching in Lightroom. Wider lenses definitely vignette more, especially when shooting wide open.

Lightroom and Photoshop do a pretty good job at single-row panos, but they can struggle with double-row and low-contrast scenes. I’ve just started playing with Autoan, which lets you take more manual control over your stitching. We will definitely be bringing this topic to our blog in the next few months as we do more testing and stitching! — Gabe

4. Canon, Phase One, Sony Options for Night Photography

Q: In building a kit for astro-landscape photography, do you know about the results from the Canon 5D as well as the 50-megapixel Canon camera? How about the Phase One IQ3 100-megapixel system? I have also heard the Sony system is great for astro-landscape images. — Jeannine H.

A: For astro-landscape photography, the best Canon cameras would be, in order of preference:

• 1D X Mark II

• 5D Mark IV

• 1D X

• 6D

• 5D Mark III

The 5DS and 5DS R are not built for high ISO or high dynamic range imaging, and as such are not well-suited for astro-landscape photography.

In terms of value, the 6D will by far get you the most for your money, but it is also an older camera that should be replaced soon. The next best value would be the 5D Mark IV. The minimal quality gain from the 1D X is not worth the extra money or weight in your bag. If you were stuck on Canon, I’d go for the 5D Mark IV.

As for the Phase One, in general, I have not been impressed by the high ISO performance of any of the medium format cameras, and the return on investment is definitely not there for night photography.

Regarding Sony, the a7S II and a7R II perform very well in low light and at high ISOs, and the live view in low light is great. However, I find the menu navigation is so awkward that it makes the cameras burdensome to use. (But it should be noted that learning menu structures from brand to brand tends to be like learning a language—the first you learn is the easiest, and everything after seems foreign.)

At National Parks at Night, most of us use the Nikon D750 at least part-time, if not full-time. It’s a great all-around camera, and a great value. The D750 and D850 outperform all of the Canons.

Another viable option you didn’t ask about is Pentax. The Pentax K1 combined with the 15-30mm f/2.8 lens is an outstanding value and is excellent for night photography. — Lance

5. Nikon Wides vs. Wide Zoom

Q: What is the advantage of the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 at $1,900 versus, say, their 24mm f/1.4 at about the same price? There’s more flexibility with the zoom, of course, but the f/1.4 is two full f-stops better. In night shooting, I guess that is really significant. But can’t you just increase the exposure time (leaving ISO alone) to compensate for the slower lens and obtain the same result? It seems the 14-24mm would be more useful presuming that f/2.8 will get the shot. Also, is there much difference in f/1.4 (24mm) versus f/1.8 (20mm) besides $1,200? — B.R.

A: Lots to consider here! But first, allow me to point out a misconception in your premise: You can’t just increase the exposure time and get the same results. Why? Because stars move. A 15-second exposure at f/1.4 would become (while leaving ISO alone, as you indicated) a 1-minute exposure at f/2.8; the former would likely produce sharp star points, while the latter would produce short star trails.

Now, on to the crux of your question: Why would we choose the slower 14-24mm over the faster 24mm f/1.4 or 20mm f/1.8?

View fullsize

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Nikon D810 and 14-24mm f/2.8. 15 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 6400. Photo © 2017 Chris Nicholson.

Yes, a wider aperture will allow you to expose with a faster shutter speed, which is important if you want to shoot a sharp Milky Way or star points, rather than longer exposures that create star trails. For example, say we’re shooting at a focal length of 20mm on a standard-size full-frame camera. Using the relatively accurate 400 Rule, we’d know that our maximum shutter speed for keeping the stars as points is 20 seconds. With that shutter speed on a new-moon night, at f/2.8 we’d need to shoot at about ISO 6400 to get a correct exposure. Whereas if you could shoot at f/1.8—an aperture 1 1/3 two stops wider—you could use ISO 2500, resulting in less high ISO noise in the image. Shooting at f/1.4 would be even better, because you could get the same exposure at ISO 1600.

That makes it sound like we should always use the widest aperture (and thus the fastest lens) possible. The caveat, though, is that not all lenses are created equal. For our purposes, there are two main points to consider:

• Many lenses are sharpest (in terms of focus) with the aperture closed down a couple of stops.

• All lenses suffer from some degree of comatic aberration, otherwise known as "coma." This aberration can cause stars—particularly those in the corners of the frame—to appear distorted, looking like tiny comets or flying saucers when viewed at 100 percent.

That brings us back to your question about why we might recommend the Nikon 14-24mm over the 24mm f/1.4 or the 20mm f/1.8. The reason is because from our experience with those latter two lenses, they show very apparent coma when shot wide open; with both, you need to stop down to about f/2.8 to get the coma to a level we believe is acceptable by our image quality standards. However, the 14-24mm produces so little coma that you can shoot it wide open and get the same results.

So, if you’d need to shoot those faster primes at f/2.8 anyway in order to get the same results as shooting the 14-24mm at f/2.8, then to us it makes sense to just use this fantastic wide-angle zoom instead and get the additional benefits of the variable focal lengths. — Chris

Do you have a question the NPAN team might able to answer? Email us today!

Chris Nicholson is a partner and workshop leader with National Parks at Night, and author of Photographing National Parks (Sidelight Books, 2015). Learn more about national parks as photography destinations, subscribe to Chris' free e-newsletter, and more at www.PhotographingNationalParks.com.

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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS FROM NATIONAL PARKS AT NIGHT