Putting together an astrophotography setup can look terrifying from the outside. Scroll through social media, and it seems as if everyone you follow has cameras, trackers and a tripod that cost more than your first car. Add up the cost of all three accessories and astrophotography, it seems, demands an astronomical outlay before you can even take your first image of the Milky Way.
Out in the field, though, you quickly learn that you don’t need everything. An old full-frame camera, a prime lens and almost any tripod will get you images you’ll treasure. However, at some point, you’ll be standing under perfectly clear, dark skies while your flimsy tripod struggles, and with no intervalometer at hand, you’ll spend a few frustrating hours pressing the shutter every 30 seconds just to get a basic star trail shot. Those nights are when you realise which small, affordable upgrades might actually improve your results — and your enjoyment.
