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Photography Culture

More Stunning Astrophotography Shot Using Polaroid Instant Camera

Joy Celine Asto
No Comments
01/27/2019
2 Mins read
Astro-Polaroids-10

Last Updated on 01/27/2019 by Joy Celine Asto

Daniel Stein continues to take astrophotography to new heights with more examples of otherworldly snaps using a Polaroid instant camera.

Ever wanted to explore the possibilities of Polaroid photography? How about taking it to the stars? A couple of years ago, Daniel Stein showed us it’s possible to do some stunning instant photos of the Milky Way with a Polaroid camera. If you were amazed with those snaps, we’re glad to report that he’s back with more to wow and inspire us.

Stein previously shot with a Polaroid SX-70 and Impossible Project Film, with the help of his Canon 5D Mark IV with 24-70 f/2.8 L II lens, and an iOptron Skytracker mounted on a Manfrotto 055XProB tripod. If you missed it or want to revisit how he did his setup and shots back then, you can find that post here. Since then, he has changed his methodology, cameras, and film, but for the most part, he says the process is largely similar to how he did it previously.

Here’s how it went down this time, straight from Stein himself:

“Now, I have a SLR 680 my family friend gave to me, which natively takes 600 series film, therefore making it versatile for my astro and non-astro work alike. Additionally, I have upgraded my star tracker from the iOptron Skytracker to the iOptron Skyguider Pro. This rig allows for much more precise tracking. It also allows me to balance the load (albeit the Polaroid is pretty light) with an included counterweight kit, and it has an ST-4 autoguider port to correct the periodic error of the mount. I just acquired a Lacerta MGEN II Autoguider which I will begin using with my Astroroids (Astropolos? Astrpholaroidography?) for brighter, more vivid, images as the autoguider will enable for even longer exposures.

“I have also swapped the camera I use to compose from a Canon 5D to a Nikon D850 and corresponding glass. The D850 has illuminated buttons allowing for quicker and easier use of the camera, therefore giving more time taking picture and less time fiddling. Since the inception of the Polaroid Originals re-brand of Impossible, the film has much better chemistry allowing for greater reciprocity and as a result more detailed and colorful Polaroids. However, I do still have plenty of images that do not turn out as intended. For each good photo, I probably still have a failure rate of 2 photos.”

Visit Daniel Stein’s website and Instagram as well to see the rest of his work, especially his impressive astrophotography!

 

All images by Daniel Stein. Used with permission.

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