Tools
What to set
The Sundial answers whether tonight is worth visiting, while these tools help you decide what to do when you get there. They can be used in the field, while you’re shooting.
Long exposure
You metered without the filter. How long with it on?
Your metered speed and which filters go on the front.
Depth of field
What comes out sharp, and where to focus so the most of it does.
Sensor, focal length, aperture, and where you focused.
Panorama
How many frames cover the sweep, and how far to turn between them.
Sensor, focal length, how wide a sweep, how much the frames overlap.
Movement
How fast to stop a moving subject and how slow to smear it.
What is moving and how fast, how far off it is, and your lens.
Sharp stars
The longest shutter before the stars streak.
Sensor, megapixels, focal length, aperture, and where you are pointing.
Time-lapse
How many shots, how long to stand there, and whether the card holds it.
The clip you want or the time you have, the interval, and the frame rate.