I went out last night with my d750 and the Nikkor 24-70mm (My new Tokina 16-28mm lens hadn't arrived before I left to visit my mother, sadly!) It is SO much darker there than in Southern Maine, it amazed me to find that a 15 second exposure at ISO 6400 brought out so much detail in the Milky Way without any processing. Of course this one is processed to have some more contrast and color-corrected, but the native image was so beautiful, I couldn't believe it!Deer Isle Mill Pond under the Milky Way last night. . .I also did a couple of shots of the famous Deer Isle Bridge:Deer Isle Bridge under the stars. . .and:Deer Isle Bridge from the Beach. . .I have others with car headlights streaming across, but I felt like the headlights were far too bright and the real show was the silhouette of the bridge against the backdrop of millions of beautiful stars. The glow on the horizon is probably Blue Hill and Ellsworth, Maine lights.I'm sure there are many, many things I could've done differently, but I had a great time in the hour that I was out and can't wait to get up there again to do some more experimenting--next time I want to visit Deer Isle's gorgeous Sand Beach, which while it doesn't have an inventive name, has the most amazing rock formations on it.You can find all of my Deer Isle work here:https://cfwphotography.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Landscape-Nature/Deer-Isle-Maine/Thanks for looking. Cindy

Beautiful! Thanks for creating, and for posting.Do you have the newer 24-70/2.8E VR? With its better corners and edges, I was thinking it might be better for stars, than the pre-E VR version.

Thank you!  No, I think it is the older version--I bought it used on KEH.com when I bought my d750!  I also got the version without shake reduction.  Much less expensive and I'm lucky that my hands appear to be pretty steady!  (Of course this was taken on a tripod!)  It's a nice lens though!  CindyRexgig0 wrote:Beautiful! Thanks for creating, and for posting.Do you have the newer 24-70/2.8E VR? With its better corners and edges, I was thinking it might be better for stars, than the pre-E VR version.

NIce shots with the 24-70G wide open!  How did you go about focusing on infinity in the dark?

Thank you!  It was very difficult actually and there are many “outtakes”!  Haha!  I finally focused on the lights on the bridge and the lights near the pine trees in the other shot!  CindyErnie Misner wrote:NIce shots with the 24-70G wide open! How did you go about focusing on infinity in the dark?

Those are great images!  I really need to get our and practice astro photography.  Thanks for posting these images and giving me a kick in the but to get out there.

Cynthia FarrWeinfeld wrote:Thank you! No, I think it is the older version--I bought it used on KEH.com when I bought my d750! I also got the version without shake reduction. Much less expensive and I'm lucky that my hands appear to be pretty steady! (Of course this was taken on a tripod!) It's a nice lens though! CindyRexgig0 wrote:Beautiful! Thanks for creating, and for posting.Do you have the newer 24-70/2.8E VR? With its better corners and edges, I was thinking it might be better for stars, than the pre-E VR version.Thanks. This makes it easier, for me, to resist Gear Acquisition Syndrome.Actually, I handled the newer 24-70/2.8E VR, and captured a few test shots, and was not particularly impressed with the ergonomics. It did not help that it would have needed a significant AF fine-tuning, to get good images.My much-loved 24-70/2.8G ED was ruined by flood water, and though I “replaced” it with a truly wonderful 28/1.4E, I am thinking I will, eventually, acquire another 24-70mm lens.

You call it Gear Aquisition Syndrome, I fall it LBA: Lens Buying Addiction!  Hahaha!I’m sorry to hear about your lens being ruined by flood waters—I’m assuming other things you owned were too—awful!Cheers and thanks for the chat!  CindyRexgig0 wrote:Cynthia FarrWeinfeld wrote:Thank you! No, I think it is the older version--I bought it used on KEH.com when I bought my d750! I also got the version without shake reduction. Much less expensive and I'm lucky that my hands appear to be pretty steady! (Of course this was taken on a tripod!) It's a nice lens though! CindyRexgig0 wrote:Beautiful! Thanks for creating, and for posting.Do you have the newer 24-70/2.8E VR? With its better corners and edges, I was thinking it might be better for stars, than the pre-E VR version.Thanks. This makes it easier, for me, to resist Gear Acquisition Syndrome.Actually, I handled the newer 24-70/2.8E VR, and captured a few test shots, and was not particularly impressed with the ergonomics. It did not help that it would have needed a significant AF fine-tuning, to get good images.My much-loved 24-70/2.8G ED was ruined by flood water, and though I “replaced” it with a truly wonderful 28/1.4E, I am thinking I will, eventually, acquire another 24-70mm lens.

Aww, thanks Ed!  And welcome to dpreview!  Looks like you’re a new member here! 😁  CindyEd-Hunt wrote:Those are great images! I really need to get our and practice astro photography. Thanks for posting these images and giving me a kick in the but to get out there.

Thank you for the welcome.  I have been a lurker her for years and finally decided to join the conversations instead of just reading them.

Good!  That's awesome!  Don't ever be afraid to put in your two cents worth!CindyEd-Hunt wrote:Thank you for the welcome. I have been a lurker her for years and finally decided to join the conversations instead of just reading them.