EASTERN SHORE, Va. (WAVY) – The Eastern Shore of Virginia has nearly 60 miles of barrier islands. These islands, unique in their beauty and shape, are often missed by visitors or even residents since they are only accessible by boat or plane.
Flying his open cockpit airplane, Gordon Campbell spends time soaring over the shore – looking for anything that catches his eye. The brisk wind rushed by him as his aircraft slowly moves along the coast – at around 30-45 mph.
“I sit out in front of the wing, the engine is behind me – I have very little wind in my face, and I can be free as a bird and take these images,” Campbell said.
His images, both breathtaking and vivid, are displayed all around the Eastern Shore. From his one-of-a-kind gallery in Cape Charles, the Barrier Island Visitor Center in Machipongo, and at many restaurants and businesses from seaside to bayside.
Sally Dickinson, Executive Director of the Barrier Island Center and Museum, said she and others at the center use them to teach visitors about the barrier islands and their history.
“The barrier islands are constantly changing and shape-shifting so Gordon can take a snapshot of what they were one year or even one month and it will be different after a nor’easter or hurricane or just the shape-shifting the barrier islands do,” Dickinson said.
The barrier islands Gordon sees today are elements of history. Years ago, many of the islands housed resorts or homes for people to visit. Today, nobody lives on the barrier islands, but they are still a critical part of life on the shore.
From the fishermen and oystermen who make their living from the water to the engineering marvel that is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Gordon has captured it all at various times throughout the year and day.
To really appreciate the beauty of the Eastern Shore, Gordon says you have to get off of Route 13.
“People drive up and down this road all the time but they don’t see anything if they don’t get off route 13. To really see it you have to get out on a boat or a plane. ”
Gordon says that some of the sights that he sees seem out of this world.
“I’m just capturing what is out there and I happen to be pointing my lens in the right direction… but I’m blown away by this beautiful earth we have,” Gordon explained. “Sometimes I put my camera down and I can’t believe what we’re looking at.”
The At Altitude Gallery is located in Cape Charles, VA at 245 Mason Ave and is the only known gallery to feature aerial photography exclusively. For hours, call the museum at 757-394-9200.
Fine Art America is a POD (Print On Demand) company and online marketplace that sells the work of more than 500,000 artists around the world. Fine Art America offers various forms of art including wall art, prints, posters, tapestries and apparel. Have you been looking for a shower curtain with a boat powered by butterfly wings for your newly renovated bathroom? You got it! A rainbow zebra coffee mug? Of course you can, go treat yourself!
If rainbow zebras don’t tickle your fancy, there’s no need to worry — Fine Art America has 10,702,506 coffee mugs, over twelve million shower curtains and close to nineteen million art prints for sale! Clear your schedule for the next six months, disconnect your phone and get to decorating!! What is the problem with such an amazing selection you ask? The problem is the lack of “fine” in the “art”.
A legendary Japanese maple at the height of its autumn spendor sits on a hillside inside the Japanese garden in Portland, Oregon. Fine Art Limited Edition of 100.
What Is Fine Art?
Fine Art has a wide range of definitions and is many things to many people. Art in general is subjective. By definition, according to Oxford’s dictionary, fine art is creative art, especially visual art whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content. Fine Art is also defined as an activity requiring great skill or accomplishment. Not just anyone can create a butterfly sailboat shower curtain you know! In my opinion, at the very least, I have an expectation that fine art is of a quality greater than mass produced trinkets and cheap photo prints. This is my personal definition of Fine Art America. In fact, Art America would be a far more fitting name.
Transform your space with Aaron Reed’s limited edition photography print, The Empire, from his Iceland Nature Photography collection. Order yours today! Fine Art Limited Edition of 50.
How Do Photography Art Buyers Feel About FAA?
Fine Art America is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau and it’s average customer review on the BBB website is 1 star. They have had 21 complaints filed against their company in the last twelve months alone. Searching TrustPilot, here is the first review that I found:
“If you want to wait over a month for your order, only to be sent the incorrect items, be offered a refund for this error on the companies part and then have the company refuse to give you a refund and send out replacement items that you did not ask for, Then I’d recommend using Fine Art America.”
Yikes. That doesn’t speak well of a company that claims to be the premier online marketplace for buying fine art originals, fine art prints and framed prints. With reviews like that, I wouldn’t spend five dollars there. Would you?
A long tree lined driveway boasting fiery reds of autumn welcomes visitors in the town of North Bend, Washington. Fine Art Limited Edition of 50.
Can You Find Quality Photography On Fine Art America?
While I am sure you can find thousands of examples of visually beautiful artwork from the tens of millions of options provided, the quality of the art produced is far from fine art. The products offered are not produced under artist direction or by the artists themselves. Fine Art America creates mass production poor quality artwork from one of its sixteen manufacturing centers around the world. You can buy a print for as little as $20. Once you receive it you will immediately know why you scored such a bargain!
Transform your space with Aaron Reed’s luxury fine art photography print, Out To Sea, from his Panoramic Wall Art collection. Order yours today! Fine Art Limited Edition of 100.
So Where DO I Find High Quality Art?
The worlds most successful photographers market their work directly through their own personal websites. Not only do you have the opportunity to purchase work produced directly under the guidance of the artist themselves, you often have a chance to get to know the artist on a personal level as well. This attention to detail offers both greater security and added value to you as a consumer.
In a business where the materials used to produce the products we sell are widely available to our competitors as well, our experience, expertise, customer service and our overall value as a brand are what truly sets us apart. As one of the most widely collected landscape and nature photographers in the world today, Aaron Reed Luxury Fine Art is the last place you will need to look for dynamic, limited edition photography prints with both material and real world value.
The amazing colors of autumn reflected in a still pond inside the Japanese garden in Seattle, Washington. Fine Art Limited Edition of 100.
Is Fine Art America Good For Photographers?
As an artist, trying to sell your work on Fine Art America is going to be very disappointing for you. With over 11 million photographs for sale, the chances of buyers seeing your work is next to impossible. In addition, Fine Art America charges higher than normal prices for cheap products and then allows the artist to decide what to charge on top of their prices.
While this may sound like a viable business model for some, you will soon find that with no way to stand out from the crowd and no unique products to differentiate yourself from the thousands of other photographers, you’ll be lucky to pay your electricity bill with your monthly profits.
Transform your space with Aaron Reed’s limited edition photography print, Diamonds In The Sky, from his Iceland Nature Photography collection. Order yours today! Fine Art Limited Edition of 100.
As An Artist Where Should I Sell My Photography?
As mentioned previously, there is no greater value than selling your work directly through your own personal website. There is an art to selling fine art without selling your soul in the process. If you are unsure how to sell your photographic art, working with an experienced mentor may be just what you need to inspire and provide direction based on their personal success & experience.
If you simply do not have the time, energy or dedication needed to set up and maintain your own business selling your work, there are more reputable companies out there that I would suggest looking into instead of Fine Art America, including YellowKorner, Lumas Photo Art and Saatchi Art. While I do not personally work directly with any of these companies, my limited experience researching each of them has shown that all three are better options for both consumers and artists looking to sell their work.
The quality of the work you will find on these websites does not compare directly to the the worlds best nature photography prints that I offer, but may provide lower cost options for the budget friendly, as well as higher royalty rates for fellow artists.
Transform your space with Aaron Reed’s limited edition photography print, Wind & Water, from his Iceland Nature Photography collection. Order yours today! Fine Art Limited Edition of 50.
Thank You
Whether you are a fellow artist who enjoys the inspirational and educational content that I provide through my blog, are a past student of mine, or one of the worlds greatest art collectors, I appreciate each and every one of you and thank you for taking the time to follow my work!
Non-Affiliation Disclaimer
Aaron Reed Photography, LLC is an independent business. Aaron Reed & The Luxury Fine Art website is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any other company, agency or government agency. All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. The use of any trade name or trademark is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply any association with the trademark holder of their product brand(s). All photographs found on this website are owned and copyrighted by Aaron Reed Photography, LLC.
You can almost hear the hush of the cool morning fog enveloping this tree lined driveway near Snoqualmie, Washington. Fine Art Limited Edition of 100.
Fine Art Limited Edition of 50
The contrasting colors of autumn against the stark white trunks of aspen trees located just outside Leavenworth, Washington. Fine Art Limited Edition of 50.
Looking at the sun through a telescope can cause serious damage to your health and vision, so how exactly are we meant to get pictures of the Sun’s surface if we can’t even look at it? Well, that’s where specially-made telescopes like the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope come into play. This massive solar telescope is the most powerful in the world, and it just released new images of the Sun’s surface.
The images, which showcase the Sun’s chromosphere, a layer of the Sun’s atmosphere directly above the surface, are unlike anything that we have captured before. The Inouye Solar Telescope, one of the few capable of capturing pictures of the Sun’s surface in such detail, is funded by the United States National Science Foundation and is run by the National Solar Observatory.
This observatory, along with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and others, has been designed specifically to study the Sun to help scientists better understand solar events like solar flares and more. And now, with these new pictures of the Sun’s surface, we could get even more insight into the star that our planet revolves around.
Image source: NSO/AURA/NSF
The telescope captured several new pictures of the Sun’s surface back in August, with the fiery chromosphere the main focus of them all. Each image is also representative of almost 32,000 square miles, though it might not look that big when you’re looking at it here. You can, of course, see the images above.
When comparing these newest pictures of the Sun’s surface with others that astrophotographers have captured, it’s easy to see just how powerful the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope is, and why the NSF and NSO are working so diligently to inspect and observe the Sun. Further, any insights that these images unlock for astronomers are even more data and knowledge for them to dig into.
This knowledge and these pictures of the Sun’s surface could then help us better understand and prepare for massive solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other solar events.
Man and bear are friends over the years and then she brings her cubs to meet him. Bears can be intimidating because of their strength and their size, but they can also be adorable animals. In this video, we see a man who has had a black bear come and visit him for years bring her brand new cubs to meet him. It is such a sweet moment.
Patrick Conley is from Asheville, North Carolina where black bears are very common and known to be comfortable with humans. The momma bear has come to visit Patrick Conley pretty often over the years and one day, she brought her newborn cubs to meet him!
Just look at that. Who needs paintings or imagination when nature alone can provide something as beautiful as the above snap? And that’s exactly the point of the Natural Landscape Photography Awards, which are designed to celebrate nature photographs at their most realistic and unaltered.
The NLPA has only been running two years, but in that short amount of time it’s still managed to attract mind-boggling photographs from seriously talented photographers all over the world. This year’s edition received over 10,000 submissions from 55 countries, from which the winners were decided by a panel of expert judges.
You can view all of the winning photographs of the NLPA and find out more here but, in the meantime, here’s a selection of our favourites.
Unistellar is offering one of the best early Black Friday deals we’ve seen as their eQuinox telescope is $1000 off (opens in new tab) and their eVscope 2 model is $900 off (opens in new tab) too.
The manufacturer is calling these discounts early Black Hole Friday Deals and the telescopes will be on offer from November 18 through to November 28. So if you’re looking for a high-end, high-spec, powerful telescope now is the time as you can either save $1000 on Unistellar’s eQuinox telescope (opens in new tab) or get $900 off their eVscope 2 model.
This time of year is always great for telescope deals and trying to bag a bargain on the best telescopes around. The appeal of these telescopes is their ease of use, their power, the sophisticated design and the use of technology all contributing to an out-of-this-world stargazing experience. If you want to take a look at more fantastic deals on telescopes that are more suitable for a smaller budget check out our guide to the best budget telescopes under $500.
It’s easy to look at the huge amount of money off these two telescopes and see the value in these deals, but what makes the telescopes worth getting? Well, the specs on these scopes are enough to make you want these alone, and the savings might just tempt you. Both make use of an app and because of the sophisticated technology, not much experience is required as they can auto-detect night sky objects for you to view.
While these aren’t like traditional telescopes, the two do share similarities with each other. Firstly, focusing on the eQuinox telescope and the $1000 saving (opens in new tab), it has a focal length of 450mm and a digital magnification of up to 400x meaning that given its wide field of view, deep-sky and faint objects like star clusters, nebulas are clearly visible. What’s more, there’s a light pollution reduction system so you’ll even have a good star gazing experience in built-up areas.
Then there’s the eVscope 2 which you can save $900 (opens in new tab) on, which somehow offers even more. The telescope operates solely through the use of a smartphone so it’s fantastic for astrophotography too. It also comes with 7.7MP enhanced image resolution and a Nikon eyepiece so there’s no need to purchase any extra astrophotography equipment.
These are highly sophisticated telescopes and although Unistellar is advertising these as Black Friday deals, you can actually save big ahead of the day itself. With savings of $900 and $1000 respectively, these discounts are not to be missed so easily.
Follow Alexander Cox on Twitter @Coxy_97Official (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) and on Facebook (opens in new tab).
Explore the power of photography at the MFA’s newest exhibition
Decades of Life Magazine’s publications are on display, which spark deep thought about the past and future
Updated: 8:30 PM EST Nov 16, 2022
SHAYNA: LIFE MAGAZINE AND THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY, A NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTED BY THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS BOSTON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM. >> THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT THE WEEKLY PICTURE MAGAZINE FROM 1936 TO 1972. SHAYNA: THE EXHIBITION OFFERS A SNAPSHOT INTO MANY OF THE MAGAZINE MOST RECOGNIZABLE IMAGES, SAYS THE SENIOR CURATOR OF PHOTOGRAPHS AT THE MFA. >> YOU CAN SEE NOTES WRITTEN BY PHOTOGRAPHERS AND REPORTERS, AND WHAT ALL THIS TELLS US IS PHOTOJOURNALISM IN THE 20TH CENTURY WAS A COLLABORATIVE ENTERPRISE. SHAYNA: AMONG THE MORE THAN 30 PHOTOGRAPHERS WHOSE WORKS ARE FEATURED IS MARGARET BOURKE WHITE, WHOSE IMAGE OF FORT PECK DAM LANDED ON THE COVER OF THE FIRST ISSUE OF LIFE. >> SHE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FOUR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ONE OF THE ONLY WOMEN IN THE EARLY YEARS. SHAYNA: IN 1948, ORDEN PARK PROPOSED A PHOTO ESSAY TO THE MAGAZINE ABOUT HARLEM GANG WARS. >> HE WOULD PHOTOGRAPH RED JACKSON, THE HEAD OF A GANG. HE WENT INTO HIS HOME AND PHOTOGRAPHED HIM WITH HIS MOTHER AND SHOWS A VERY SENSITIVE PORTRAYAL OF FRED JACKSON, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN IMAGES ONE WOULD IMAGINE OF A GANG LEADER. IT WAS AFTER PITCHING THAT STORY THAT LIFE HIRED GORDON PARKS AS A STAFF DOG RIVER. SHAYNA: THE EXHIBIT IS DESIGNED IN THREE HISTORICAL SECTIONS, WHICH REFLECT THE MAGAZINES ROLE IN SHAPING WAR, RACE, AND NATIONAL IDENTITY. >> THIS MAGAZINE WAS CREATED FOR PREDOMINANTLY A WHITE, MIDDLE-CLASS AUDIENCE. WE THINK ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE SHAPED. IN THE EXHIBITION WE SHOW NOTES AND OTHER THINGS TO SHOW THE DISPARITY BETWEEN TEXT AND IMAGE. SHAYNA: IN BETWEEN THE SECTIONS, WORKS BY THREE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. LIFE MAGAZINE AND THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY ON DISPLAY THROUGH MID-2023. FINALLY TONIGHT, WE HAD A BLAST HERE AT THE HOLIDAY MARKET. IT WILL BE OPEN THROUGH DECEMBER 30 1, 7 DAYS A WEEK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS DAY, AND DECEMBER 26. THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE AND ENJOY. I AM SHAYNA SEYMOUR. ANTHONY, BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO. ANTHONY: SHAYNA HAS BEEN SINGING CHRISTMAS SONGS FOR A MONTH ALREADY. GET OUT OF THE COLD NOW AND ENJOY SOMETHING WARM TO DRINK. THAT IS CHRONICLED TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I AM ANTHONY EVERETT. HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW
Explore the power of photography at the MFA’s newest exhibition
Decades of Life Magazine’s publications are on display, which spark deep thought about the past and future
Updated: 8:30 PM EST Nov 16, 2022
Life Magazine and the Power of Photography: A new exhibit presented by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in partnership with Princeton University Art Museum.
NEEDHAM, Mass. —
Life Magazine and the Power of Photography: A new exhibit presented by the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in partnership with Princeton University Art Museum.
As a long-time fan of the original Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM (opens in new tab), you can imagine I am very excited about the news from Canon Rumors (opens in new tab) that a new version of the EF-M 22mm is rumored to be heading our way soon for the Canon RF-S mount.
The Canon RF-S 22mm f/2 STM is rumored to be coming out alongside the as-yet-unannounced Canon EOS R50 (opens in new tab), which itself is meant to be a replacement for the EOS M50 (opens in new tab). A Canon EOS R50 and RF-S 22mm pancake lens might just be the perfect pocketable setup for content creation, and therefore a big win for Canon if it wants to continue to attract new users.
Although Canon’s EOS M range of cameras always felt a little like the unloved younger sibling of its attention-hogging EF older brother, Canon actually produced a couple of very nice EF-M lenses (opens in new tab). Canon EOS-M lenses managed to strike that perfect balance of image quality in an impressively compact form factor. Canon’s EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a shining example of this and potentially one of the best Canon lenses (opens in new tab) for the Canon M system of cameras (please don’t write in).
Sure, the EF-M 22mm has its flaws, hello extreme vignetting, but it is one of the most compact pancake lenses (opens in new tab) on the market, with sharpness and quality that has no right coming from a lens that size. Especially combined with Canon’s excellent M50 or M6 (opens in new tab) cameras, it is an excellent choice for travel and vlogging.
My hope is that Canon manages to keep the aspects of the EF-M lens that made it so special to begin with, and we get a really compact travel and street photography lens that also outperforms in the image quality department. Hopefully, the new wizardry in the RF mount and its increased flange distance can smooth out some of the issues with the previous EF-M version.
Stay tuned for more Canon rumors in our Canon rumors hub, and check out the best Canon camera (opens in new tab)s to see all the latest models in the lineup.
The best star trackers for astrophotography have changed the scene forever by counteracting the rotation of our planet and over Black Friday you’re sure to pick up some excellent discounts on these fantastic devices. It was only until a few years ago a long exposure of over about 10 seconds caused stars to blur. That made it very difficult to extract much data from deep-sky objects such as nebulae, but also from the Milky Way. Cue the invention of the star-tracker, which is basically a shrunken equatorial mount, but designed for cameras instead of telescopes.
Like an equatorial mount, a star tracker needs to be aligned (often with the help of a smartphone app) with the north celestial pole (the star Polaris) in the northern hemisphere or the south celestial pole in the southern hemisphere. It then keeps your camera in sync with Earth’s rotation. That way it counteracts the rotation of the Earth and keeps the target object still in a composition, thus allowing blur-free long exposures.
Of course, you’ll need one of the best cameras for astrophotography equipped with one of the best lenses for astrophotography, too. But if you’d rather something more general discover our guide to the best cameras for photos and videos and either the best tripods or best travel tripods to keep things steady.
The best star trackers for astrophotography 2022
Why you can trust Space Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
(Image credit: Benro)
Benro Polaris
Best star tracker overall and comes with camera interface controller
Specifications
Weight: 3.3lbs / 1.5kg
Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.5 x 4.3-inch / 145 x 140 x 110mm
While most star trackers are a compromise between their own weight and their payload, the Benro Polaris is both super lightweight (at 3.3lbs / 1.5kg) and super-supportive, taking a mighty 15lbs/7kg of gear (the highest carrying capacity of any star tracker mount so far). It achieves that by using precise high torque motors and a waterproof IPX6 rating. That helps explain the very high price. It’s the first star tracker to offer built-in DSLR control and a built-in micro SD card slot. Remarkably, the Benro Polaris can even be controlled via the cellphone network. Its huge 2500 mAh battery can be recharged via USB-C while alignment is via any objects from a choice presented on a smartphone app. However advanced the best star trackers appear, there’s evidence from this electric tripod head that their days are numbered.
(Image credit: Future)
Best star tracker for photographers whose kit is up to 3kg
Specifications
Weight: 1.4lbs / 650g
Dimensions: 3 x 2.7 x 4-inches / 76 x 70 x 103mm
Max. payload: 3kg
Power: 2x AA batteries or external portable battery
Tripod thread: 3/8-inch and 1/4 inch
Alignment method: Polar scope
Reasons to buy
+
Precise tracking
+
Lightweight design
+
3kg payload
Reasons to avoid
–
Unreliable smartphone app
–
Fiddly polar alignment
–
No laser pen
The incessant creep of light pollution means it’s now almost inevitable that you’ll need to travel to find the darkest night skies possible. Even if you don’t travel internationally, finding dark skies often means hiking into backcountry areas away from other humans. That necessitates a star tracker that strikes the right balance between its own weight and what it can support.
Cue the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini, affectionately known as SAM, which can take a payload of 3kg yet it is relatively easy to squeeze into a camera bag. It’s not the sleekest device ever, and nor is its SA Console app up to much. However, as we found during our Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini review, once you get used to its foibles SAM is reliable and relatively easy to use. It’s possible to get accurate long-exposure images of up to about four minutes, which makes SAM a great compromise product. Accessories include a counterweight and declination bracket to increase the payload.
(Image credit: iOptron)
iOptron SkyGuider Pro
Best star tracker for deep sky astrophotography
Specifications
Weight: 3.2lbs / 1.45kg
Dimensions: 4.4 x 4.5 x 3.7-inches / 113 x 115 x 95mm
Max. payload: 11lbs / 5kg
Power: 2000 mAh internal battery (20 hours)
Tripod thread: 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch adaptor
Alignment method: AccuAlign illuminated polarscope and app
Reasons to buy
+
Big payload (5kg)
+
Deep sky possible
+
Telephoto lenses
Reasons to avoid
–
Requires counterweight
–
Wedge lacks precision
–
Expensive
The priciest and one of the best star trackers around for astrophotographers is the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. Many star trackers are made for landscape photographers wanting to save on weight when out in the field searching for wide-angle compositions that include the night sky. But there are plenty of astrophotographers that only want to use telephoto lenses to capture light from distant deep sky objects. That means bigger payloads and longer exposures, which is what the iOptron SkyGuider Pro is designed for.
Able to take about 11lbs / 5kg, it can support long lenses or even a small telescope, making this a product that in some ways behaves more like a motorized equatorial mount, though its wedge lacks a little precision. Another downside is its use of a counterweight to reach that higher capacity than average, which adds a further 3lbs/1.35kg to the product. Aligning using its electronic polar finderscope and iOptron Polar Scope app, like most of its rivals this star trackers also tracks the Sun, Moon and allows 1/2-speed motion time lapses at night.
(Image credit: Dave Stevenson)
Best value star tracker for those that need to stick to a budget
Specifications
Weight: 1lb / 466g
Dimensions: 1.7 x 3.15 x 3.9-inches / 43 x 90 x 99mm
Max. payload: 6.6lbs / 3kg
Power: Internal 280mAh battery (5 hrs)
Tripod thread: 3/8-inch and 1/4 inch
Alignment method: Laser pen
Reasons to buy
+
Small and light
+
Easy to align
+
Green laser included
Reasons to avoid
–
Only accurate for a few minutes
–
No smartphone app
–
Wide-angle lenses only
Even smaller and more nimble than the SAM is the great value Move Shoot Move, a star tracker that’s suitable only for wide-angle lenses. That’s partly because of its limited payload of 6.6lbs / 3kg and partly, as we discovered in our Move Shoot Move star tracker review, because it’s just not the most accurate star tracker around.
While that might sound like a deal-breaker, it’s actually a plus if you intend only to take wide-angle images of the Milky Way and starfields. For such photos a rough alignment with Polaris is all you need, something that can be done easily and quickly using an included green laser pointer.
The Move Shoot Move isn’t going to accurately track Polaris for more than about two or three minutes (though the wider and lighter your lens the longer it will remain accurate enough). But if you have a reasonably fast wide-angle lens none of that is going to matter much. If you have a telephoto lens though, look elsewhere.
(Image credit: iOptron)
iOptron SkyTracker Pro
Best star tracker for travel thanks to its lightweight design
Specifications
Weight: 2.5lbs / 1.1kg
Dimensions: 4.5 x 4.5 x 3.7-inches / 115 x 115 x 95mm
Max. payload: 6.6lbs / 3kg
Power: 2000 mAh internal battery (24 hours)
Tripod thread: 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch adaptor
Alignment method: AccuAlign illuminated polarscope and app
Reasons to buy
+
Affordable price
+
Lightweight design
+
Good build quality
Reasons to avoid
–
Manual control only
–
Polar scope is easy to lose
–
Lacks ultimate precision
While iOptron’s SkyGuider Pro is aimed at deep sky photography, the pared-down and more compact iOptron SkyTracker Pro is aimed more at wide-angle nightscapes. Its payload capacity, at 6.6lbs/3kg, is a lot less than its stablemate and at 2.5lbs/1.1kg it also weighs less. As such it’s more suitable for those wanting to carry a star tracker in their camera bag during trips and travel.
It has a wider appeal than just nightscapes since in addition to tracking objects in the night sky it can also follow the Sun, Moon and has a half speed for motion timelapses. As a bonus, its internal battery can run for 24 hours. Accessories include a counterweight and declination bracket to increase the payload.
(Image credit: Vixen)
Vixen Polarie Star Tracker
Best star tracker for small cameras due to the lighter maximum payload
Specifications
Weight: 635g / 1.4 lbs
Dimensions: 95 x 137 x 58mm / 3.7 x 5.9 x 2.3 inches
Max. payload: 2.5kg
Power: 2x AA batteries or portable battery
Tripod thread: 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch adaptor
Alignment method: Polar sight hole and smartphone app
Reasons to buy
+
Compact size
+
Excellent build quality
+
Tracks Sun and Moon
Reasons to avoid
–
Small payload (2kg)
–
Rather dated
–
Short battery life
The Vixen Polarie isn’t for deep-sky astrophotography. In the world of star trackers, it’s always a trade-off between size and versatility, and the Polaris compact size means it can support a payload of just 2kg. Therefore, it is best used with not only wide-angle lenses but fairly lightweight models, though using a mirrorless camera body will give you more flexibility. Alignment is via a supplied compass, a built-in latitude meter and a polar sight hole, so you will have to know how to find Polaris and/or the south celestial pole.
On hand to help are both red light illumination and the Vixen PF-L Assist app for smartphones. As well as long exposure astrophotography the Polaris can track the Moon and the Sun (the latter useful for solar eclipses) and its half-speed allows motion time-lapses at night. Its short two-hour battery life can be augmented by instead attaching a portable battery to its micro USB slot. Optional accessories include a counterweight to boost the payload to 6.5kg, a polar axis scope and a time-lapse adapter.
Best star trackers for astrophotography 2022: What to look for
However, star trackers — which sit between a tripod and a camera — are not all the same. They have varying weights and designs but also manage different payloads. While some are ideal for telephoto lenses pointed at specific targets, others can only handle wide-angle lenses for capturing the Milky Way. Both the maximum payload and the accuracy of star trackers vary. They are often fiddly and time-consuming, but at their best star trackers can deliver addictively good images.
As well as weighing your camera body and lens before making a purchase do remember to take into account the added weight of a couple of ball-head mounts and the load-bearing ability of your tripod. If in doubt, go for bigger capacity mounts because as a rule of thumb it’s best to have your rig’s total weight about half the capacity of the mount.
How we test the best star trackers for astrophotography
In order to guarantee you’re getting honest, up-to-date recommendations on the best star trackers for astrophotography to buy here at Space.com we make sure to put every star tracker through a rigorous review to fully test each instrument. Each star tracker is reviewed based on a multitude of aspects, from its construction and design, to how well it functions as an imaging instrument and its performance in the field.
Each star tracker is carefully tested by either our expert staff or knowledgeable freelance contributors who know their subject areas in depth. This ensures fair reviewing is backed by personal, hands-on experience with each star tracker and is judged based on its price point, class and destined use.
We look at how easy it is to set up, whether the star tracker mounts are reliable and quiet if a star tracker comes with appropriate accessories and also make suggestions if a particular star tracker would benefit from any additional kit to give you the best astrophotography experience possible.
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Haydn Mc Clure photographed this Blue-cheeked Bee Eater at iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
One Ashton International pupil is showing huge promise in photography.
Grade 7 pupil Haydn Mc Clure has been doing nature and bird photography for about 18 months, and is a member of Ballito Photo Club, where he has recently been promoted to a two star.
He is also a member of PSSA.
Haydn with his PSSA certificate.
Photographers can apply twice a year to the PSSA for a Certificate of Excellence.
Haydn applied for his COE in September to the PSSA Youth mixed panel, and was awarded the certificate of distinction.
Red-billed Quelea. Photo: Haydn Mc Clure.
His passion lies with bird photography and he is a passionate birder, as are his mom and dad.
His birding life list is on 350 and he has become adept at identifying birds.
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