Not true. It's pretty easy to get exceptional results. All you really need is an average DSLR and something such as the astrotrack, plus a good tripod.

It also helps (greatly) if the DSLR has long exposure noise reduction feature. There are some tricks you can do to reduce or mask the noise in post processing, with nearly any camera, as long as the noise doesn't overwhelm the image.

In any event, it reallllllllllly helps to get about 20 or more miles away from the nearest city- or major sources of lights.

Lastly, with more than about a 2 second exposure, the camera will record some movement in the stars.

The more spendy lenses are typically made for more spendy cameras. A pricer lens will 1) be faster (have a bigger max aperture); 2) often produce less vignetting at max aperture; 3) be longer lenses - that is, provide more magnifying power; and most importantly, be serious camera bling.

You can get a perfectly workable name-brand telephoto lens up to about 300 MM for a couple of hundred $$. These are great things to buy used at pawn or used camera shops.

You can mostly eliminate vignetting problems by using F8 or F11 so that the middle portion of the lens is used. Most vignetting and other aberrations occur at the outside part of the glass used in lenses. The downside of stopping down the lens is that it requires a longer exposure or higher ISO. If you crank the ISO up, you introduce noise, and of course, you need a good tripod and astronomical mount to track star motion without blurring.

The thread I posted will provide nearly everything you or anyone needs to produce amazing results.

I was looking at lenses made for my camera. I did find others comperable for far less. which I will take advantage of at some point. I'll keep an eye out for em at pawn shops and whatnot

instaprints.com/featured/sapphire-skies-sapphire-sky-skyporn-j-andrae.html This picture was accepted into a Judged art show. I dont expect to win anything. but it's nice to be accepted. I beat 54 artists and 158 images to be selected 1/34 images.

Interesting pic to be sure.

- Peter.

Night images
 

You have reasons to be happier. The images convey an atmosphere of mystery and of strange warmth. I find night images particularly demanding as I am not so experienced yet. I am now more focused on improving my skills by taking shots in daylight.