IN alyn’s BAG 04 Samyang 14mm f/2.8
01
Benro C2970t and ih1 head WEB: www.benro.com
Having a stable base is essential for astrophotography, with exposure times being anywhere between 20 seconds and several minutes. Even after spending many a rugged night up on the mountains and the grit-fest that is the British coast, my Benro is still as reliable as it was on day one and the carbon fibre strikes a chord between weight and stability. The single-knob ball head makes life much easier in the dark, too.
02
Canon eos 6d WEB: www.canon.co.uk
I owe a lot to the low-light performance of this camera. I’ve even pushed the ISO as far as 12,800 and still obtained printable shots. I’m sure if it had a conscious thought it would hate me for leaving it outside time-lapsing whilst I cosy up inside my sleeping bag and tent. After all I’ve put it through, it’s still snapping away.
03 Samyang 24mm f/1.4 WEB: www.samyang lensglobal.com
I’ve grown quite an affinity for this lens. I really love the 24mm focal length, and the maximum aperture of f/1.4 means it can practically see in the dark. Autofocus and electronic aperture controls are not needed for astrophotography, and the absence of these is not just missed but welcomed, as it keeps the price low despite its phenomenal performance.
WEB: www.samyang lensglobal.com
as much as I love the 24mm focal length, there are times when you just need to go super-wide. 14mm allows me to capture a huge amount of the night sky in a single exposure, perfect for things like Northern Lights displays and meteor showers. The low price point and lack of chromatic aberration, even when shooting wide open, makes this lens an astrophotographer’s favourite.
05 dew-not telescope heater WEB: www.dew-not.com
I wrap this around my lens with Velcro and, with a little bit of hacking to power it from a portable battery, it keeps the lens nice and warm whilst time-lapsing. During winter it keeps frost from forming on the lens and during humid summer nights it keeps the dreaded lens fog at bay. There’s nothing worse than a time-lapse being cut short due to one of the above.
06 Sidande wireless intervalometer WEB: www.amazon.co.uk
this bit of kit is essential for capturing time-lapses, though I’m pleased to see that the 6D Mk II will have the functionality built-in. I love seeing how the Milky Way traverses across the sky over the course of a night, or a sped-up version of the night’s aurora. I bought a wireless one as I enjoy jumping into the shot for the occasional longdistance self-portrait.