Can a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H100 point-and-shoot capture the Milky Way?
Asked 6/8/2017
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I’ll be traveling to the mountains and would love to photograph the night sky, especially the Milky Way. Is this realistic with a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H100 point-and-shoot? If so, what settings or techniques should I try?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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You should probably read this article on taking shots of the Milky Way.
Just to pick out one specific example, they show a shot taken with a Canon T2i ("a much older model" DSLR) and the Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 (basic kit lens). I set it to 18mm and f/3.5, shot a 30 second exposure at ISO 6400.
Now note this is a DSLR (larger sensor).
The exposure required a long exposure (30 seconds is typically the longest you can do without a Bulb mode on your camera) and very high ISO (ISO 6400). I'd consider that the high ISO seriously compromises what you could do with a P&S, which have small sensors and hence extremely high noise at high ISO.
To lower ISO you need to use a wider aperture (again, not an option for a P&S) and/or use a longer exposure (not really an option for a P&S even with bulb mode, as it increase noise more).
If you really want to do that, consider buying (or borrowing) a used older model DSLR and a basic kit lens (like an 18-55) and read that article to see how to proceed from that.
Now you can try and use the P&S to take the shot, but I'd not expect much and I'd suggest you try a night time shot of the sky in a park or similar before taking you trip to get a feel for what's going to happen.
Originally by user46861. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user46861
9y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
It may be possible to record the night sky, but a clear Milky Way shot is unlikely with the DSC-H100.
Milky Way photography usually needs three things:
- a long exposure (often around 30 seconds)
- a high ISO (commonly very high)
- a wide aperture lens
That combination is much easier on cameras with larger sensors, such as DSLRs or mirrorless cameras. A point-and-shoot like the H100 has a much smaller sensor, so high ISO settings produce much more noise, and the lens/aperture and exposure controls are typically more limiting.
If you try anyway:
- use a sturdy tripod
- use the widest focal length available
- use the widest aperture available at that focal length
- use the longest exposure the camera allows
- keep ISO only as high as needed, since noise will rise quickly
- shoot in the darkest location possible, away from light pollution
So: you might capture stars or a general night-sky scene, but don’t expect the kind of detailed Milky Way images commonly shown from larger-sensor cameras.
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