A high ISO also means introduces a significant amount of noise and grain to the image which is why we tend to keep it as low as possible. Using a higher ISO means that the camera sensor is more sensitive to light and allows for a shorter shutter speed in order to get the same exposure. That’s why we need to make some compromises. Here I review one of Nikon’s new mirrorless models, the Z6, tested solely with astrophotography in mind. Following Sony’s lead, in late 2018 both Nikon and Canon released their entries to the full-frame mirrorless camera market. During the night, however, it’s often pitch black and using the same settings as in the daytime will result in, you guessed it, pitch-black images. I put the new Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera through its paces for astrophotography. During the daytime, a low ISO is preferred due to less noise and grain. Night photography is in many ways the opposite of regular landscape photography. Read More: Introduction to Aperture in Landscape Photography You Need a High ISO Currently, I shoot with the Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 for all my night sky images. It just means that you need a higher ISO or slower shutter speed to get a similar result. Learn star trails photography and photo editing The best camera settings. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get good pictures with an f/4 lens, though. Wide-angle lenses with a fast aperture such as f/2.8 are preferred for night photography but, unfortunately, they are often double the price of lenses with a maximum aperture of f/4.