How to Photograph a Total Lunar Eclipse with a Dwarf Smart Astrophotography Telescope
Photographing a total lunar eclipse is one of the most rewarding experiences in astrophotography. Watching the Moon transition from bright white to deep red—and capturing every phase along the way—creates a unique opportunity for both single images and creative composites.…
The Best Travel Case for the Dwarf Mini Smart Astrophotography Telescope
One of the first things I noticed after getting the Dwarf Mini Smart Telescope was that—unlike the Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope—it doesn’t come with a case. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it does create a practical problem pretty quickly. The…
DWARF Telescope EQ Mode Setup: Step-by-Step Guide for Deep Sky Astrophotography
Smart telescopes like the DWARF 3 and DWARF Mini have made deep sky astrophotography dramatically easier than traditional telescope rigs. Instead of hauling out heavy mounts, counterweights, and complex tracking systems, these compact telescopes combine automated pointing, tracking, and image stacking into…
7 Reasons to Buy a Smart Telescope for Astrophotography
I currently own both the Dwarf Mini and Dwarf 3 smart telescopes, and I’ve also shot astrophotography with a traditional full-sized rig in the past. While the large setup delivered great results, I eventually stopped using it because of the…
OM System OM-3 Astro: What’s Actually New — And Is It Worth It?
OM System’s new OM System OM-3 Astro is being marketed as a dedicated astrophotography version of its retro-styled mirrorless body. The promise is simple and exciting: richer nebula colors, better night-sky rendering, and astro-friendly tools built directly into the camera. But once…
The Olympus 100-400mm f/5.0-6.3 vs. the 300mm f/4 on a Handheld High Res Moon Photograph
I recently picked up the Olympus 100-400 f/5.0-6.3 lens from OM Digital Solutions Reconditioned Gear website. I waited a long time to get this lens because I’ve really happy with my Olympus 300mm f/4 lens. The refurbished price plus an…
How to Create a 360 Degree Star Trail with an Olympus OM-D Camera
Olympus has created a Live Composite feature that greatly simplifies long exposure photography including star trails, street scenes, fireworks and light painting. How Does Live Composite Work? Live Composite mode takes an initial image as the base exposure and then…
Next Steps in Learning Deep Sky Astrophotography – An Equatorial GoTo Mount
One of the next pieces of equipment I purchased that really improved my astrophotography was Equatorial GoTo Mount. A GoTo Mount will improve and assist your astrophotography in several ways: Precise location and slewing (moving) to Deep Sky Objects in…
How to Mount a Guide Scope to Your DSLR / Mirrorless Camera without a Telescope
I have several good Canon DSLR lenses that I have been using for Astrophotography. Using my Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Go To mount with a good polar alignment, I’ve been able to get 3 – 3.5 minute exposures. I wanted to take…
Mindset and Tips for Learning Deep Sky Astrophotography
It’s the middle of the night, you’re learning new photography techniques with new equipment, and photographing long exposures on dim or invisible objects. What could go wrong? Everything and anything! The other night I was photographing the Lagoon Nebula. It…
