In-camera sky tracking without an equatorial mount

Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:15:44 PM UTC-7, RichA wrote:
Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

Wat wong wid barn door tracker?
Don't cost $2k?
http://eyegasms.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p257705873-4.jpg

On Wednesday, 13 March 2019 23:12:07 UTC-4, StarDust wrote:
On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:15:44 PM UTC-7, RichA wrote:
Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera..

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

Wat wong wid barn door tracker?
Don't cost $2k?
http://eyegasms.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p257705873-4.jpg

That film Stone-Age thing won't accommodate the resolution of 24-45mp cameras.

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 10:28:56 PM UTC-7, RichA wrote:
On Wednesday, 13 March 2019 23:12:07 UTC-4, StarDust wrote:
On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:15:44 PM UTC-7, RichA wrote:
Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

Wat wong wid barn door tracker?
Don't cost $2k?
http://eyegasms.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p257705873-4.jpg

That film Stone-Age thing won't accommodate the resolution of 24-45mp cameras.

Why you need 40 mpx camera to photo the dark sky?
Even the Hubble don't have it?

The Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), which is to be installed during the servicing mission in 2009, will also have 2 CCD chips each of 2048 x 4096 pixels for a total of 16 mega-pixels.

On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:15:40 -0700 (PDT), RichA
wrote:

Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

It's unclear how useful this is. If you're shifting the sky, you're
blurring the foreground. So you need multiple exposures and post
processing. For a high resolution camera, image rotation will still
show up in many parts of the sky, which will produce streaking. And
the system is just building an image inside the camera using shorter
exposures... something that you could do manually outside the camera
while maintaining more control.

On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:12:02 -0700 (PDT), StarDust
wrote:

On Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 6:15:44 PM UTC-7, RichA wrote:
Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

Wat wong wid barn door tracker?
Don't cost $2k?
http://eyegasms.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p257705873-4.jpg

Well, that one is a bit crude. But there are a number of very nice
camera tracking platforms available that cost less than a camera lens.
They are an excellent approach for those making wide field night sky
images with consumer cameras.

On Thursday, 14 March 2019 09:40:09 UTC-4, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:15:40 -0700 (PDT), RichA
wrote:

Pentax has this feature in some of their DSLRs. The sensor utilizes it's IBIS (internal vibration stabilization) mode of the sensor, but the motion tracks the sky. So, all you have to do is put the camera on a tripod, point it at the sky, and shoot. No separate tracking platform needed. Of course, it has limitations, but it seems like a very nice option in a camera.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/wp-conte...y-way-0193.jpg

The camera used here was a full-frame costing about $2000.00, but they have inexpensive APS sensor models that have or can have added the feature.

https://www.lonelyspeck.com/pentax-k...graphy-review/

It's unclear how useful this is. If you're shifting the sky, you're
blurring the foreground. So you need multiple exposures and post
processing. For a high resolution camera, image rotation will still
show up in many parts of the sky, which will produce streaking. And
the system is just building an image inside the camera using shorter
exposures... something that you could do manually outside the camera
while maintaining more control.

I'm not sure what level of control they have over the motions of the sensor, if some kind of motion could be achieved akin to a field rotator. Also, 5-axis IBIS (image stabilization capability) which a few cameras now have could allow for following the sky without field rotation.