My new star tracker cost more than my camera but it was worth every penny

I saved up for a Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer last year, about $400. Before that, I was just using a tripod and short exposures, so my Milky Way shots had a lot of noise. The first night I used the tracker, I got a 3-minute exposure of the Orion Nebula from my backyard. The detail was amazing, like I could see the gas clouds clearly. It did take a couple of tries to get the polar alignment right, but now it's easy. Has anyone else made a big gear jump that really changed their photos?

3 comments

3 Comments

rose_jenkins6427d ago

Ever notice how the right tool can turn a hobby from frustrating to totally absorbing?

betty_fisher52d ago

Wait, you're telling me people actually get to that point? My tools always feel like I'm fighting them. The idea of one just disappearing while I work sounds like a fantasy. Maybe I've just never spent enough on good gear. That "time stops" feeling is what I'm chasing but never catching.

the_ryan27d ago

Yeah that shift from frustrating to absorbing is so real. It's not just about the tool working better though. For me it's when the tool feels like an extension of my own hands, like it disappears and I'm just making the thing. That's when time stops mattering. A bad tool keeps reminding you it's there getting in the way.