DSLR Shots and Discussions

Originally Posted by Titan1080

How grainy is really grainy? Post one of them up if you don't mind sharing. Without a tracking mount that compensates for the Earth's rotation, you're going to need to use faster ISO settings depending on the type of photo you're after and of course the lighting environment. In general, blurry shots are usually due to focusing error. I probably have the same kit lens as you and what I do is to temporarily set the rotary dial to landscape (the little mountain-shaped icon) and target the most distant thing you can see that the camera can focus on. Then flick the lens to manual focus and do your best not to touch it. Using the viewfinder is tough but possible, tougher still if you're in the city since your eyes will have trouble adapting to the dark with all the artificial light sources, even looking at a traffic light a half mile away can ruin your vision for a few minutes.

Keep your preview screen shut at all times and leave your cellphone in your pocket, that will definitely ruin your vision for up to 15 minutes if you even glance at it. The longer your eyes have to adapt, the easier you'll be able to see through the viewfinder. I also have a deep red flashlight that minimizes the impact to your eyes while allowing you to see what you're doing, you can either buy one or make one with a normal flashlight, some red mylar or whatever that plastic see-through gift wrap stuff is and some duct tape. The kit lens is definitely a good lens, probably the most versatile for astrophotography on a compact DSLR, since the 18mm level of the zoom will get you a nice wide field of view with a reasonable f/3.5 aperture. You really can't get much wider than that with a larger f/stop without spending serious cash on a full-frame lens.