Message posted by Joerg (Webmaster) on July 16, 2018 at 9:25:18 PST:

For my panoramas on this web site I used an older Canon D-60 and later a 5D Mk. 2 DSLR camera mounted to a Celestron C5 spotting scope. The mount is called a T-adapter. A tripod with a gear head makes it easier to pan across the base for your panorama. Some people use sand bags instead to rest the scope on. Definitely easier to haul up the mountain if you fill them at the top.

At 26 miles distance you want to avoid all camera shake. Look for a camera that has a feature called "mirror lockup" to avoid shake from the mirror moving. You will also need a remote shutter release.

The biggest challenge is getting the focus point right. With the setup described above you look through the camera's view finder and focus using the scope's focus knob. A view finder magnifier can be helpful to find the focus point.

The best view of the base is in the early morning. At that time the air (and your scope) warms up rapidly and your focus point will continually drift, requiring you to re-focus frequently.

Some people use a technique called "image stacking" to reduce random noise in the final panorama. It involves taking multiple pictures of the same area and using a computer program to "stack" them to reduce noise.

Once you have your gear together, practice with it under similar conditions. Find a hill you can drive up to and take a panorama of buildings 26 miles away.

Lastly, you need to be lucky enough to pick a clear day. You are looking through 26 miles of desert air. Good luck, and be safe. Tikaboo is not an easy hike, especially with all that gear.

In Reply to: Photography Equipment posted by Woody on July 15, 2018 at 22:40:20 PST:

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