Star Shots with a Sony a7

First this is my experience shooting with the Sony a7 at night. Here is my equipment rundown:
Sony a7
Sony SEL1018 f4 lens
Tripod  and cable release
To make these photos, I shot at f4, 30 sec and at 3200 ISO

Let me say that I love my a7, but for star shots - it sucks! (In my option and would love anyone to tell me how to improve the shooting experience and results!!)
Auto focus is a non-starter in this work and that leaves manual focus. The focus is of course digital and the focus adjustment is shown on the screen as a slider with and distance indicator below the slide to help IF you know the distance. During the daylight this has NOT been a problem, but at night there is NO IMAGE to focus on and therefore it is guess work. With the 10-18mm lens (which is designed for the APS-C format) I limited to approximately 13mm-16mm without vignetting. At the present time this is my widest lens. On this lens the manual focus scale goes from minimum focus the infinity, however the infinity mark is reached at about 5/8 of the way in the scale leaving about 3/8 of the scale IN INFINITY. This is different with each of my Sony lenses BUT they all use this manual focusing method and the spread for the infinity differs but they have a 'spread' for infinity NOT a spot. Therefore - shooting in the dark with a HUGE range for infinity, and not being able to see the sharpness on the reviewed images in camera, makes shooting a real "shot in the dark".
Also with this lens it becomes very apparent looking at the images that it loses sharpness rapidly as you move from the center to the edges of the frame - not good.
First conclusion - need a different wide angle lens.
Not being able to see my images clearly last night I will go out tonight and try my 24-70 lens and check its results.
Here we go:

This is early in the evening, included the patio railing, Tungsten color balance

 This was a fun shot early in the evening using the lights from inside the house for the foreground. A little wind is also obvious in the pine on the left of frame. This is the only shot that got some color in the Milky Way, and though the focus is not the best, I include it as an 'idea'.

Note: all the images were processed in LR CC 2015, included Camera calibration for lens; Removed Color Aberrations; NO noise reduction; Some sharpening; and some White adjustment.

This one is taken later. Focus seems better. Same LR corrections.
This is the same image using a Trey Preset Packager 3_An Infrared Morning

Interesting result - just trying different things to experiment.
Going thru various LR and Trey presets, here's another look at the same image using Trey LR Preset Package 2 - Cross Glassin

Enjoy the images and ANY responses are appreciated - especially the ones that are 'nice' and give me input.
Thanks

Reno and end of first leg

We were going to arrive early for the night shooting I had planned for here, and a good thing - I guess. They were having the Summer Festival 2015 and the main area of Virginia Street was covered in popup tents and band stages.

We strolled around for awhile watching the wildlife

But being we were only an hour from Ethan's folks place in Northstar we decided to press on and finish this leg of my journey.

I'll stay overnight here (The folks at Northstar have to be the best group of people, so friendly and helpful) and then will move on to see more relatives in the area.

We're Off

My nephew Mark's son (my grand nephew?) flew down to LAX with his Momma Bear Carol on Tuesday to join me on this first leg of the journey North. Bright and early Wednesday morning we were off,


















traveling through the Palmdale area to Mojave. I use this as a break point, as I had to find a tire repair business as my inside rear tires were FLAT. Added air and drove onto Red Rock Canyon for a little exercise

 and then on to Lone Pine to stay at the BLM land on Movie Road.
The stars were out Wednesday night and for the first time in many years for me and Ethan we were able to see the Milky Way. Awesome--

I was so awed that I watched more than I pressed the shutter.

Next morning the tires were low again and needed to stop in Lone Pine for aid. Before I had left I installed a set of valve extensions and apparently they don't stay firmly attached and as you drive they move and release air from the tire. We removed them and threw them in the trash ($35.00 for them and $75 for checking out the tires for punctures. $100 lesson.)

Drove on to June Lake, took the lake drive and saw Grant Lake at the lowest seen in years. Not quite as bad as the level at Mono Lake. Thank you LA Water. They have changed the restrictions for the Tufa area, so that you can stay all night - just don't look like you're camping. We stayed for the sunset - beautiful

Tried to get up at 1:30 AM for more Star shots but the cloud cover had closed in and not much to see.

That's cloud cover

Friday morning and we moved into Bodie - the deserted town just North of Mono Lake and did a bit of strolling around.

IR shot of old house and sled.

Now we have camped for the night in Bridgeport. Cleaned the MoHo, made some tea, Charged the batteries for the cameras and got into this blog for all you wondering if I left or not. I think the travel for a couple of days and then regroup will be the MO I use for the trip, so don't expect a daily blog, but do come back and check it out.

Tomorrow we leave for Reno - some night street shots and then I lose my co-pilot when I drop Ethan off at Northstar in Tahoe.

Check back

Getting ready

Have you ever gotten ready for a travel trip?
Are you one who plans for weeks, writes lists of everything from what to do while away, to packing, lists of what to get done before you leave,  and also when to do the things on the list? Or are you someone who decides to go to destination "A", makes a reservation, and goes with packing for the trip done the night before?

I have usually falling into the later group.

While I was working, I would find out about traveling either for a scout for a couple of days to a week maybe the day before (Usually the producers didn't know if I would be going because of budget.) Or when we would go on location for three to four months, I had a week or so notice but I was working as well for 12+ hours a day so I still packed the night before.
I find myself now a days sort of blending my packing 'style', if you will, between the two. If I don't make a few lists, I will forget things. (You know - if my head wasn't attached...) I still wait until the last moments for many things out of habit - or is it that I keep thinking of things to do?

The MoHo is mostly ready, packed with all the food stuffs that don't need refrigeration, sheets cleaned, laundry being done as I write and cameras all packed. (Even as I write I am wondering if I have done some things I think I did. It never stops, does it?)

Make a comment about what kind of traveler you are. I'll do a short survey.
Leaving on Wednesday

Next Week, if the Surgeon says OK

My Nephew Ethan comes down here next Tuesday, and that is also the day I heck with the surgeon about how well my snozze is doing. Should be okay.
Ethan and I will head up US 395 from here the Lone Pine as our first stop. A little night photography of the Whitney Portals. We'll just be coming out of a New Moon, so not much pollution from that. Could be good.
Want to stop in Bishop and look at some Galen Rowell photos (Look him up if you don't know him. Sadly he died in plane crash a few years ago.) Then check out Mono Lake and then on to Bodie and the area before heading to Lake Tahoe to return him to his folks.
Hoping then to be able to proceed North to Alaska.
More to come

Almost Time - Summer Trip

My girls' birthdays are quickly approaching and with their celebration comes my Summer Journey. Last year, as you may  know, I went for an extended voyage on the Semester at Sea ship from June 14th to August 21st and then on to France and Italy for an additional two months. What a wonderful adventure and discovery.
This year I will stay in this Hemisphere at least This January I bought a small 25' Class C motorhome and will be doing my explorations from it.

Motorhome in Joshua Trees Nat'l Park

I believe that I will be able to leave on June 17th. Where will I go?? North!!
I think I'll go up US 395 on the Eastern side of the Sierras stopping at Mono Lake (Check on the Tufa), See if I can navigate the road into Bodie, the old ghost town, and then stop by to see the relatives in Tahoe for a short visit.
Then it will be onward to the North. Fairbanks sounds good. Travel the Alaska Highway. My copy of the Milepost should arrive tomorrow.
Drop by from time to time and see what I'm up to. Though, I will be going through some Non-wifi areas again, but I intend to take a few weeks going, in Alaska and coming back South.
Anyone have suggestions for a decent fishing rig?

Traveling the Southwest

I have been so involved with the Arcanum and shooting pix that I have neglected this blog for too long. I have been traveling the Arizona and New Mexico area, seeing the sight of Santa Fe and Las Cruces and then traveling home via the closest roads to the border with Mexico. I am in Gila Bend, AZ - anyone know where that is?? Heading home by way of the I-10. I'll stop tomorrow night at Joshua Trees and hope that the moonless sky will give me better opportunities for star shots.
I know that many people love this arid climate and desert environment, but I'm sorry - I just don't get it. Spring is a good time to be here, I guess, for at least the cactus are blooming and that gives a bit of color to the monotones ever present here.
here is a shot of a hollyhock you may enjoy.

Enjoy and I will be making more explorations this summer as part of a project I'm percolating. 

Best