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Re: (meteorobs) Video Lenses for Leonids
----- Original Message -----
From: Jay Friedland <jay@cinemagic.com>
Subject: (meteorobs) Video Lenses for Leonids
> Hi all,
> I have followed many of the discussions about video lenses for meteors
> and I'm trying to zoom in on which lens will deliver the nicest
> "wide" Leonids shots.
> I've got a PC164c and have done some experimentation with 35mm
> lenses and C-mount and I'd love to hear what folks are going to use to
> try to catch the storm. My choices look like:
> 24mm f2.5 Tamron on Tamron to C-mount
> - very crisp about 10 degree FOV
> 4mm C-mount
> - hard to get crisp stars - 70 degree FOV
> 1-3mm Fujinon super fisheye
> - very wide field - individual stars are not seen
> but good for fireballs?
> Others?
> Also any opinions on the aperature size vs f-stop issue
> would be appreciated.
> Thanks,
> - Jay
Jay:
Your 24 mm f2.5 is probably as good a choice as any. If you go to wider
angle lenses your faint magnitude detection limit will drop. I would aim
your camera near the radiant depending on how high it is above the horizon.
Meteors are more concentrated near the radiant so you should capture more
meteors there. I would perhaps suggest an altitude of 40 to 60 degrees
above the horizon to aim your camera. This way you are looking at a thick
portion of the atmosphere where meteors become visible. The larger the
aperture of the lens the better. Since your shooting video you can use as
fast a lens as you can get your hands on. You can always stop it down if
the background is too bright. Try and aim as far away from the moon as you
can, sticking to the parameters noted above. A good f.o.v is probably from
10 to 20 degrees or so for best results with video systems. Other video
observers will probably post their own suggestions.
Ed Majden
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