Shooting Astrophotography with the Epoch Tripod

Astrophotography, the art of capturing the night sky, offers a unique opportunity to explore the universe. Armed with a camera, a tripod, and a bit of patience, you can photograph remarkable images of stars, constellations, the Milky Way, and even the Aurora Borealis, creating remarkable visuals of the night sky. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned shooter, astrophotography is more accessible than ever thanks to advancements in camera tech and the readily available tools for planning and executing your shoot. In this blog, I’ll cover the essential gear, techniques, and tips I’ve learned throughout the years I’ve been shooting the night sky and how you can do it yourself, too.

Camera Settings

Let’s start by discussing the gear you’ll need to arm yourself with. Unlike certain subjects of photography, like studio portraiture or high speed sports, the tools you need for astro can be quite minimal. A camera with manual settings is essential, though. You’ll want the ability to control the exposure triangle as well as focus. Look for a camera that performs well at high ISO settings, as you’ll be working in low light. Speaking of low light, if your camera can switch lenses, a wide angle lens with a fast aperture (low number) can be a huge benefit for allowing in the most light possible.

A few lenses to consider:

- 20mm f/1.4

- 24mm f/1.4

- 14mm f/2.8

- 14-24mm f/2.8

- 16-35mm f/2.8

- 17-28mm f/2.8

Of course, there are other lenses out there that can do the job, but this is a good place to start. Finding a lens with an aperture in the range of f/1.4 to f/2.8 will be crucial in allowing as much light as possible. My personal pick: 20mm f/1.4. It’s wide enough to capture a vast amount of the sky, while having that extra fast aperture to soak in as much light as possible. I never leave home without it.

Now that we have our wide angle lens paired up with our camera, how do we pick and choose our settings? Depending on your sensor, there’s actually a rule we can follow to figure out our settings accordingly. The Rule of 500 allows for us to figure out the maximum shutter speed we can choose before we start experiencing star-trailing.

The equation is as follows:

500 ÷ (Crop Factor x Focal Length) = The maximum amount of seconds you can shoot. Let’s try it with my gear.

500 ÷ (1.0 x 20mm) = 25 Seconds. This means I can shoot my exposures for 25 seconds before the stars begin to trail in my shots.

With this knowledge, we can now control our aperture and ISO with more ease. Shooting at f/1.4 and a shutter speed of 25 seconds, I can keep my ISO quite low, all things considered. I often start with ISO800 and adjust from there. This allows me to have minimal noise while shooting sharp stars and a proper night sky exposure.

Focusing on stars can be tricky since autofocus typically struggles in low light. The best approach is to switch our lens to manual focus and use the camera’s live view mode. Start by aiming at a bright star or distant light source, then zoom in on the live view screen to magnify the star. Slowly adjust the focus ring until the star appears as small and sharp as possible. If our lens has an infinity focus mark, that’s a good starting point, but finetuning is important. To ensure the focus is tack sharp, take a test shot and review it by zooming in on the stars. If they appear crisp and clear, you’re ready to shoot.

There are exceptions for using a longer shutter speed for astrophotography. For example, when you have certain celestial events that move quicker in the sky. Comets, the Aurora Borealis, and meteor showers can be a good time to speed up your shutter speed and shoot more shots in quick succession. Especially with the auroras, they will dance and move across the sky in real time. It’s one of the most magical experiences you’ll ever see.

Additional Tools

With our camera settings dialed in, it’s time to figure out the additional tools we need. Although we can use a delayed fire on the camera, I prefer a remote shutter. These can be wired or wireless, but it allows me to go fully hands-off from the camera and shoot as much as I want. The options from ProMaster are great and have proven time and time again to have me set up exactly how I need.

ProMaster makes the best tripod to keep my camera stable for the duration of my shots: the Epoch tripod. The Epoch has become my daily driver for tripod use. As a landscape photographer, I always value stability and efficiency in the field. The 3-section leg design offers the stability I’m looking for, even in the most challenging conditions, making it perfect for capturing those long-exposure night shots that I’m framing on uneven surfaces. The pan/tilt head allows for precise control over my composition, which is a game-changer for leveling out my horizon. Oh, and one of the most underrated features? The bubble levels. Each axis has not only degree markings, but a series of bubble levels that I can use to check my balance when I’m setting up. This is huge for panning motions to assure my horizon doesn’t become crooked halfway through large panoramic shots, like the image above.

SHIOP EPOCH TIRPOD

Planning the Shoot

It's time to plan our outing now that we have our camera settings finely tuned and our tripod and shutter release equipped. Start by finding a location with minimal light pollution, ideally far from city lights, where the night sky is at its darkest. Rural areas or designated dark sky parks are perfect spots. Timing is also crucial. It’s important to shoot on a clear, moonless night for the best results. The new moon phase is ideal, or aim for a time when the moon is below the horizon. Using apps like Stellarium or PhotoPills can help you determine the best time and direction to shoot, based on the position of stars, constellations, and the Milky Way. These apps also help with avoiding moonlight and when it rises and sets. My personal app to pick: Stellarium.

Oh, and don’t forget to check the weather forecast for clear skies, and consider arriving around sunset so you can set up and scout your location in daylight. This is often an underrated tactic, because you can take some test shots and compose the perfect scene. With Stellarium or PhotoPills, you can also simulate where certain celestial objects will appear in the sky laterin the night. If you’re a timelapse photographer, this could be the strategy for you.

Putting the Plan and Prep into Action

Starting out in astrophotography can feel overwhelming, but the key is to keep things simple. Begin with the basics: focus on mastering your camera settings and getting comfortable with shooting in low light. Patience is essential. You might not get the perfect shot right away, but every time you go out, you’ll learn something new.

It’s also helpful to connect with online communities or local photography clubs where you can share tips, get feedback, and find inspiration. Local camera stores are a great resource for this and meeting other like-minded individuals. Some stores may even offer camera/lens rentals, which would give you a chance to try out the best possible equipment (*cough cough 20mm f/1.4*) for your outings.

As you embark on your astrophotography journey, be sure to enjoy the process along the way. By arming yourself with the essential tools we talked about: a camera with manual settings, a wide-angle lens, Epoch, and a remote shutter, you’ll be well on your way to capturing some of the most special shots imaginable. The night sky offers endless opportunities for creativity and discovery, and with a bit of patience and practice, your efforts will undoubtedly yield spectacular results. See you under the stars!