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Thanks again for the further tips.
I may start out simple or may go RAW. Not sure on that yet, will need to do more research on that.
I've got a decent tripod for my spotting-scope that I can start with, but I'm sure a ball-head would be much nicer for both purposes. The remote-release sounds great, as I'm envisioning the possibility of more than one camera operating at a time.
This will be mainly a hobby to help me get out of the house on my off-nights from work, so I may start out humble to see if I truly like it.
ETA: I have an idea for modifying an ammo-can with an adjustable cable that might work well for tripod-weight. Plus it would double as storage for gear.
I also like the idea of making up a laminated flip-book with various shots with stated settings as a reference-guide to get started.
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The ammo can idea is actually a great one! I haven't had to use a weight in a while, but that seems like it would work great.
Whatever head you buy, just remember it needs to be able to tilt up quite a bit, or at least be able to turn the camera backwards and tilt. You should be able to get by with most types, since nocturnal photography is a slow process and doesn't require quick/convenient/expensive heads.
You won't be able to get truly great shots without RAW, in my opinion.
It's a great hobby. Nocturnal photography always reminded me of the days in the dark room where you could watch the image slowly appear on the paper, except now you're waiting for it to go up on the screen. Just remember to take shots
you like, and don't listen to others, because especially in the photography world, opinions really do suck. Some of my favorite night shots have resulted in "meh" from others, but one of my worst got published in a middle-school textbook a few years ago. Go figure.
Start small with wide lenses, then start taking out some flashlights and start painting scenes. Have fun learning the process. And make sure you post results here!