BASIC SETTINGS
Several things will affect the ideal settings on your camera, including the conditions, the camera and lens. Here are some basic settings to get you started, and you can play with them from there. • First set your camera to the manual setting. If you have never done that before, don’t panic –it’s fun! • Next, set the image quality to RAW and not JPEG. This is important, not just for astrophotography, but any photography, as it gives you so much more image information to edit in post. • Set the white balance to around 3200k or select Tungsten. We can adjust this later in post if you are shooting in RAW. • Set the aperture –as wide as possible go e.g. ƒ/2.8. Once set, you shouldn’t change this. • Set the shutter speed based on the 500 rule above – for Paul, that’s 30 seconds with a 14mm lens. Once set, you shouldn’t change this either. • Set ISO to around 3200 to start. This setting we can change depending on our test shots. • Set the lens to manual focus, and then focus to innity. Although many lenses have a mark for innity, it isn’t always correct so test it. To test this during the day, focus the camera on something on the horizon and check where it is on the lens. You can even put a mark on the lens so you can see it later. Some people tape it so it won’t move. The other way is to do it at night. Temporarily set the ISO to as high as it will go, and use Live View on to zoom into the shot as far as you can. Find the brightest star you can see, then focus on that. Once set, don’t move the lens and set your ISO back to 3200.
Take a test shot using your remote shutter release or timer. You’ll be amazed at how many more stars the camera can see in a long exposure than you can with your eyes. If the shot is too dark, increase the ISO or vice-versa. Once you are happy with the overall exposure, concentrate on your composition.
In summary: Manual mode, RAW, 3200k WB, Manual focus to innity, ƒ2.8, ISO3200, 30 Seconds.
If you are shooting the Aurora and not the Milky Way though, keep all the settings the same but reduce the shutter speed to around 5 – 10 seconds. You will adjust this depending on the conditions.