Another star trail photo from the Sacandaga Lake

Last week, when I took my Nikon D700 to the Great Sacandaga Lake and photographed the star trails in the heavens (new moon, no clouds in the sky), I decided to bring one of my film cameras along for the ride.

Yep, I brought along my Rolleiflex Automat MX twin-lens reflex camera.

Inside the Rollei was a pack of Kodak Ektachrome 64T 120 film, and although I knew I could get a decent star trail photograph with my digital camera, I wanted to try to capture the same with a film camera.

In order to get this shot, I had to wait until at least 10:00 p.m. to take this image.  I opened up the Rollei’s aperture to its widest possible setting – f/3.5.  The shutter speed was set on “bulb” – meaning the shutter would stay open for as long as I wished it so.  I attached a manual shutter release cable to the front of the Rollei, so that I could take the picture without having to hold my thumb on the shutter button.  The camera was affixed to a sturdy tripod.  This was going to work.

The exposure you see here is 90 minutes long.  The brightest stars in the sky streak across the heavens.  The few lights in the distance, as well as the illumination of car headlights as it traveled along the lake’s side road, allow for detail.

This is good.  Really good.

But I know I can do better.   I want longer star trails, not just light streaks.

So I’ve got at least two more “new moon” moments before winter hits.

And I plan to use them to my advantage – with my digital and my film camera equipment.