Taking pictures of stars with D3100

Z

Zengarî

New member
Hi there! new camera D3100. l like it very much. l have a question. Stars at the night how can l take a picture like that.
Stars+Deb+Sandidge.jpg

Could someone help me please? l know not so much about this. l am new :)..

For example; F1 when they take a picture the car is very nice taken but other things like (stars on the picture).

Thanks.
 
Z

Zengarî

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

And if it is possible a table with settings (quick settings ) or best settings. Sorry for asking too much questions.:) my english is not very good sorry about that.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Re: New D3100 owners

For the stars, you need to install the camera on a tripod. The tripod makes the connection between the trees and the camera so when the earth move, the trees move at the same time as the camera and on the picture only the stars seem to be moving. The exposure has to be very long in the photo you showed.

In the case of the fast racing car, you have to follow the car with the camera while using the proper shutter speed. This way, the car looks sharp and the background looks like moving. You have to experiment with different shutter speed and follow the car as it passes in front of you. -Have a look at my gallery, I have shot some cyclist in Montreal last week using this effect.

Welcome to Nikonites and enjoy your Nikon.
 
Z

Zengarî

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

Marcel Carey said:
For the stars, you need to install the camera on a tripod. The tripod makes the connection between the trees and the camera so when the earth move, the trees move at the same time as the camera and on the picture only the stars seem to be moving. The exposure has to be very long in the photo you showed.

In the case of the fast racing car, you have to follow the car with the camera while using the proper shutter speed. This way, the car looks sharp and the background looks like moving. You have to experiment with different shutter speed and follow the car as it passes in front of you. -Have a look at my gallery, I have shot some cyclist in Montreal last week using this effect.

Welcome to Nikonites and enjoy your Nikon.
Click to expand...
You have very nice pictures taken . WOW ... the picture is not mine just taken from google to make me sure that l ask good question. l really dont know a lot certainly about the exposure and l do want to learn. On which mode do l have install it for the best result (stars).? how do l change the exposure? Thanks.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Re: New D3100 owners

Ah... You want the recipe... For recipe, you have to follow a cooking lesson first. You have to read and read again your camera's manual and practice.Most of your questions are answered in the manual and maybe some other photography books. You have to understand that photography is not that simple and the camera does not take the picture and make decisions about how to take the picture. The camera will do what you will have asked it to do.

So don't expect to create masterpiece until you have taken many many pictures. Enjoy the learning experience and you will see your pictures getting better and better with time.
 
Z

Zengarî

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

Marcel Carey said:
Ah... You want the recipe... For recipe, you have to follow a cooking lesson first. You have to read and read again your camera's manual and practice.Most of your questions are answered in the manual and maybe some other photography books. You have to understand that photography is not that simple and the camera does not take the picture and make decisions about how to take the picture. The camera will do what you will have asked it to do.

So don't expect to create masterpiece until you have taken many many pictures. Enjoy the learning experience and you will see your pictures getting better and better with time.
Click to expand...
thanks friend.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Re: New D3100 owners

And be thankful that digital is here. When I learned photography, I had to buy film, pay to get it processed or process it myself to learn that not all pictures turn out like I wanted.
DIGITAL cost nothing once you have the camera and lens. So just take as many as you can and read that manual.

We will be waiting to see the pictures that you will take and post here.

Enjoy the camera.
 
Marcel

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Re: New D3100 owners

For the stars, you could try a google search with " startrails". You should be able to get some tricks. ;-)
 
Z

Zengarî

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

l did it finally but it was not very nice. Maximum 30 second exposure l have with my lens 18-55 and 300. l have heard that l could take pictures every 30 seconds exposure (for example like 10 pictures) after wood with a program(l dont know which one :S) make it 1 picture. Do you know how? l read the manual book but it doenst say. Thanks anyway l really appreciate for the information. Thanks a lot....
 
P

PavementPilot

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

What you are referring to is called Time Lapse (TL) Photography. You will need more like 400+ images to make a short video. One trick to making TL is having an intervalometer, which is not build into the D3100. If you do not have one, there is a work around and you have to be at the camera every time you want an image. You will need a stopwatch or a watch that shows the seconds (digital or analog). Set your camera up for the exposure you want and place it on the tripod. Also turn off the VR as it is on the tripod. If you do not have a remote shutter release, set the shutter delay to 2 seconds, so that when you press the shutter release on the camera, it has a chance to settle down. Note the time and press your shutter release. When the capture is complete, what the set amount of time you want, and subtract 2 secs, for the shutter delay. Press the shutter release again at the appropriate time, and repeat, repeat repeat.

You will need quicktime or even Windows Live Movie Maker works too, for compiling all your shots of the series into a video.
 
C

Calgary 617

New member
Re: New D3100 owners

Zengarî said:
l have heard that l could take pictures every 30 seconds exposure (for example like 10 pictures) after wood with a program(l dont know which one :S) make it 1 picture. Do you know how?
Click to expand...

That's called image stacking.

Here's a tutorial on image stacking for star trails, it also mentions the software used.
4 Steps To Creating Star Trails Photos Using Stacking Software

If you want to get nice, round star trails, you should set your lens focusing on Polaris, all stars turn around it. Here's the wikipedia article, it helps you find Polaris and shows you a sample shot of a star trails shot with Polaris in the center: Polaris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
J

Just-Clayton

Senior Member
i just learned about the bulb on the d3100. need a tripod and a remote switch. set your mode switch to manual (M) turn speed down until you reach bulb. use remote switch to hold shutter open as long as you want or until battery goes dead or you run out of space on chip.
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
For star trails, you will need to take 30 sec exposures for at least an hour (I don't know if the 3100 has an interval shooting option), and then compile them in a program to make one picture. The best site I found for this information is startrails

He also includes a link to free software so you can compile the shots.

Hope this helps.
 
Z

Zengarî

New member
thanks a lot. l am already trying a lot. Reading, reading and reading :). Your comments are very helpful really. l habe just one question to ohkphoto. You said l need to take at least one hour pictures with 30 second exposures. Today l bought a remote control (not digitally but with hold function). What happens if l let make one picture on Bulb (hold function and 20 minutes)? Thanks for the information..
 
ohkphoto

ohkphoto

Snow White
Today l bought a remote control (not digitally but with hold function). What happens if l let make one picture on Bulb (hold function and 20 minutes)
Click to expand...

You will get a lot of hot, burned pixels --totally useless. This method will work only with film cameras.
 
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