- Recommended for those who:
- ・Beginners who want to try photographing the starry sky for the first time
・Those who are not confident in the settings
・Those who want to learn the basics of how to take blur-free photos
Have you ever wanted to capture a beautiful, blur-free photo of a starry sky?
In this article, we will carefully explain the points to help anyone take photos of the starry sky with ease.
If you want to try your hand at starry sky photography or want to learn some photography techniques, be sure to read until the end!
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Use a tripod to prevent blurring when photographing the starry sky
To take beautiful photos of the starry sky, you need to use a method called "long exposure," which involves opening the shutter for several seconds or more. If the camera moves even a little during that time, the stars will blur and appear as lines, ruining the photo.
That's when a tripod comes in handy.
It holds the camera firmly in place, allowing you to take clear, blur-free photos of the starry sky.
Tripods are also easy to purchase on sites like for just a few thousand yen. They're easy even for beginners to pick up, and many models are lightweight and compact, making them easy to carry around.
Tripods are also useful not only for taking photos of the starry sky,
・Nightscape photography
・Selfie photography in group photos
・Time-lapse video
・Landscape photography where you want to reduce blur
It can be used in a variety of situations.
Just having one of these handy items will greatly expand the scope of your photography.
Start with an affordable tripod and experience the charm of starry sky photography.
Be careful of street lights getting in the way! Tips for taking beautiful photos of the starry sky
In order to take a clear picture of the stars, try to avoid street lights from entering the camera's field of view.
・Keep your distance from street lights
・Point the camera away from the city
・Use mountains or trees in the background to block the light
There are several methods such as:
If there are street lights nearby, you can use a lens hood to prevent unnecessary light from being captured in the image.
The key is to choose a location a little away from bright areas.
Avoid full moon days!
On nights with a bright moon, the sky can appear whitish and the light of the stars can become dim. A full moon is particularly unsuitable for photographing the starry sky.
If you want to capture clear images of the stars, try to shoot just before or after a new moon, or after the moon has set. If the moon is in the frame, ghosting and flare can occur, so you also need to be careful with your composition.
When photographing the stars, it's important to think of moonlight as a form of "light pollution," so check the position and time of the moon in advance.
Shooting starry skies in M mode
M mode is a function that allows you to manually set the shutter speed and F-stop.
STEP.1
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| Set the dial to M. |
Use the widest F-number when photographing starry skies! Basic settings for taking bright photos
When photographing the starry sky, the basic rule is to set the F-number (aperture value) as small as possible, i.e. to open the F-number. The smaller the F-number, the more light the lens can capture, so you can capture the stars clearly even in a dark night sky.
For example, if your lens is labeled "F2.8," that number is the minimum F-number (opening). Make sure to select the smallest number, such as "F2.8," in your camera settings.
Opening the F-number also has the advantage of not having to forcefully increase the ISO sensitivity or shutter speed. This allows you to take clear starry sky photos with reduced noise.
STEP.1
 |
| Push the dial up to select the F-stop |
STEP.2
 |
| Check your monitor and set it to the lowest F-stop setting |
To capture the stars without blur, we recommend a shutter speed of 4 seconds.
Setting the shutter speed is very important to take beautiful photos of the starry sky. At first glance, the stars may appear to be stationary, but the Earth is rotating, so if you leave the shutter open for too long, they may become blurred like a line.
The recommended shutter speed for beginners is "4 seconds." 4 seconds is a well-balanced shutter speed that captures the stars as points while still providing enough light. You can take beautiful photos of the starry sky with minimal blur.
STEP.1
 |
| Press up on the directional pad to select SS |
STEP.2
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| Set ss to 4 seconds |
ISO sensitivity should be set at 400. Adjust it according to the brightness.
- What is ISO sensitivity?
- ISO sensitivity is a setting that indicates the "sensitivity to brightness" of the camera to capture light. The higher the number, the brighter the image you can take in dark places, but the more likely it is that noise (graininess) will occur.
How to adjust the ISO sensitivity
Using ISO 400 as the reference, adjust as follows.
| Situation | Suggested Adjustment |
|---|---|
| The image looks darker than expected | Gradually increase ISO to 800–1600 |
| Image is blurry, but you want to keep a fast shutter speed | Raise ISO to 2000 or higher to maintain brightness |
| The image is too bright or there's too much noise | Try lowering ISO to 80–200 |
- Point
- When shooting stars, it is best to set the ISO sensitivity to 400 and adjust it according to the amount of light. By balancing brightness and noise, you can capture sharper and more beautiful night scenes.
STEP.1
 |
| MENU→camera icon→Sensitivity |
STEP.1
 |
| Set to iso400 |
How to use manual focus and tips for photographing stars
- What is manual focus?
- Manual focus (MF) is a focusing method in which you adjust the focus by hand. Its major advantage is that you can focus on the desired location even in dark places or with detailed composition where autofocus is difficult.
- Why MF is effective for photographing stars
- ・AF is prone to confusion in dark places → MF allows you to focus reliably
・You can accurately focus on small points of light such as stars and street lights
STEP.1
 |
| Press the dial left to select MF |
STEP.2
 |
| Turn the dial on the front to adjust the focus |
How to focus in magnified view
When trying to focus manually, the screen is small and it can be hard to tell if the focus is correct.
Manual focus (MF) using "magnified display" is useful in such situations.
This allows you to focus more accurately on small points of light or distant subjects.
STEP.1
 |
| press play button |
STEP.2
 |
| Zoom in with the lever |
STEP.3
 |
| Turn the dial to move the enlarged area |
Connect to your smartphone and control the camera remotely
When photographing stars, even the slightest shake when pressing the shutter can cause the image to blur. In such cases, remote control using a smartphone is convenient.
Most modern cameras are equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functions, making it easy to connect to a smartphone.
If you don't have a smartphone, use the self-timer to take the photo.
If you can't use a smartphone, use your camera's self-timer function.
This will prevent blurring by avoiding the vibration that occurs after pressing the shutter button.
We recommend setting the timer to 2 to 10 seconds.
STEP.1
 |
| Press the down button on the directional pad to select self-timer |
STEP.2
 |
| Set it to the number of seconds you want |
summary
To take beautiful photos of the starry sky, it's important to set up your camera and prepare the right shooting environment.
If you keep in mind the points introduced in this article, even beginners can enjoy starry sky photography. Be sure to give it a try under the night sky!