Update: I finally got a clear shot of the Milky Way from my backyard

I always thought I needed a super expensive tracker to get a good photo without star trails. Last month, I tried the '500 rule' with my basic tripod and a 24mm lens, keeping my shutter open for about 20 seconds. The core came out way sharper than I expected. What's the longest exposure you guys have managed without a tracker?

3 comments

3 Comments

lane.mason1mo ago

Dude, that's awesome. The 500 rule is a game changer for sure. I pushed my old kit lens to 30 seconds once at 18mm and was shocked it worked. The stars were a tiny bit soft if you pixel peep, but for a social media post it looked amazing. Feels good to beat the gear hype sometimes.

terrymitchell1mo ago

Ever read about how the 500 rule kinda falls apart on modern high megapixel sensors? The math gets tricky because you can see star movement way easier when you zoom in. Makes those kit lens shots even more impressive honestly.

gibson.sean24d ago

25 seconds at 16mm is my max on an old crop sensor, and yeah you lose some sharpness at the edges but the core still pops. Sometimes the gear hype makes you forget a cheap tripod and the 500 rule can get the job done.