The following time lapse video shows a combination "Road Lapse" and "Sky Lapse" along Richmond Highway, U.S. Route 1 in Fairfax County, Virginia USA during the afternoon on 18 September 2026. My camera was facing east from the top of a seven-story parking garage.
A time series of 643 JPG photos was shot from 1:45 PM to 1:55 PM using a one (1) second interval. 10 minutes of actual recording time resulted in approximately 31 seconds of time lapse video, given the recording settings I used.
The photo set was rendered to video using Apple "QuickTime Player"; the resulting movie clip was edited using Apple "Photos." The final video was created using DaVinci Resolve.
18 SEP 2026 | Road/Sky Lapse along U.S. Route 1
643 photos at 1 s interval
Vehicular traffic is moving north-south along Richmond Highway. Clouds appear to be moving across the sky from north to south (left to right across the screen).
Tech Tips
My Fujifilm X-T5 camera was set for manual exposure and manual focus. Aperture was set for ~f/8. Shutter Speed was 1/250 second. ISO was set for 125. White Balance was accidentally set for 10,000 K (Kelvin), adding extreme orange-red warmth to the original JPG photos, and was corrected during post-processing. The focal length of the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens is, well, 6.5mm (~9.75mm to 10mm, 35mm equivalent). Aspect Ratio was set for M 3:2 (5472 x 3648 pixels). Image Quality was set for FINE+RAW (Fine JPEG plus LOSSLESS COMPRESSED RAF).
Related Resources: Posts on Walter Sanford's Blog with the label "Opteka 6.5mm."
It's easy to track and spot the station the International Space Station (ISS) at night during a nearly overhead pass.
Use the n2yo.com Web site to get tracking information about the ISS. By default, the track of the ISS is displayed on a world map. Click on the blue button in the right sidebar labeled "10-day predictions for Space Station."
"Excellent" passes are highlighted in orange, and usually occur (but not always) when the maximum elevation (El) of the ISS is higher, that is closer to 90 degrees.
For example, I used a red rectangle to highlight an "excellent" 82° elevation pass in the following excerpt from the n2yo.com table of 10-day predictions.
Click on "Map and details" in the far right column.
n2yo.com | Map and details for ISS pass prediction
At maximum altitude, the magnitude of the ISS was -2.4, making it one of the brightest objects in the night sky. There is a lot of light pollution at the location where I live yet the ISS is still relatively easy to see.
Hearing the ISS
Grab a ham radio and go outside to a clear place. Tune the radio to 437.800 MHz, the frequency for the ISS, and listen during the window of time between the "Start" and "End" times shown in the n2yo.com table of 10-day predictions. A relatively inexpensive radio such as the Baofeng UV-R5 should work just fine; it sells on Amazon for around $20.
I planned to use my Apple iPad mini 2 (running the Apple "Voice Memos" app) to record audio from the Baofeng UV-5R radio.
Apple iPad mini 2 / Apple "Voice Memos" app | Baofeng UV-5R
Notice I said "planned." I heard ambient noise including insects, air conditioners, airplanes, and helicopters, but I never heard the ISS on radio. See Tech Tips (below) for related information.
Seeing the ISS
I used my iPad mini 6 (running the "Final Cut Camera" app) to record video because the Google Machine says it works better than the Apple "Camera" app for recording video at night.
Final Cut Camera is a free iOS app by Apple that gives your iPhone professional manual video controls and live multi-camera recording. Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
I shot the video handheld, against my better judgement. I should have turned on the camera stabilization feature of "Final Cut Camera." In my defense, this was the first time I've used the app and I knew almost nothing about how it works.
The next two images show the end points of the part of the ISS's path that I captured on video, from near the zenith (A) heading toward the northeastern horizon (B).
Final Cut Camera app (frame grab) | ISS, Point A
Final Cut Camera app (frame grab) | ISS, Point B
The pass started at 20:29 (8:29 PM) and ended at 20:39 (8:39 PM). There was so much air traffic I missed the best part of the pass before I was sure I was actually looking at the ISS. A shorter segment of the 10 minute pass is shown in the following video.
09 SEP 2026 | International Space Station
Tech Tips
I used the "Rubber Ducky" antenna (~6" long) that is included with the Baofeng UV-5R radio. I need to connect a V-dipole antenna to the UV-5R in order to determine whether it can improve radio reception from the ISS.
Luis Acosta, my good friend and radio guru, used the "Antenna Tool" app to show me how to "tune" a V-dipole antenna for receiving radio signals from the ISS. The following image shows the "Rubber Ducky" antenna is about half as long as the optimum dipole length recommended for good reception from the ISS. Luis said the legs should be in a straight line (rather than a "V") and the line should be oriented vertically.
How can you manually focus a lens like the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens that features virtually useless distance markings along the focus ring?
The Opteka "User Manual" includes the following information in the section entitled "Focusing Aides."
Many compatible cameras provide aides for manual focus precision. The two most common aides are Focus Peaking, and/or a Focus Magnifier. Be sure to consult your camera's user manual for assistance with configuring these features. Source Credit: Opteka 6.5mm f/2.0 HD Multi-Coated Lens User Manual, p. 6.
In my experience "focus peaking" and "focus magnifier (Focus Check)" are easier to use under controlled conditions such as a photo studio. Nonetheless, I'll tell you how to use those features on Fujifilm X-Series cameras, then I'll tell you about a simpler/better "hack" for focusing the Meike/Opteka lenses that just works for "all sky" photography.
Fujifilm manual focus aides
Here's how to set "focus peaking."
Fujifilm X-T3, XT5
MENU/OK, AF/MF SETTING, p. 2/3, MF ASSIST > FOCUS PEAK HIGHLIGHT > RED (HIGH)
Here's how to enable/disable "focus magnifier (Focus Check)."
"Hack" for manually focusing Meike/Opteka 6.5mm lenses
It's possible/probable the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens is a rebranded version of the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens, given the similarities in the physical appearance and specifications of the two lenses.
Apparently the Meike 6.5mm looked like this during September 2019.
The iteration of the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens that I bought from B&H Photo during May 2026 looks like this. Notice the labeling on the focus ring changed to include a few distances in feet (ft) and meters (m).
Gee, notice any similaries in appearance between the Meike 6.5mm lens and Opteka 6.5mm lenses? I think it's safe to say they are the same lens with different labeling on the focus ring.
Both lenses have virtually the same "focus throw."
In photography and cinematography, the term "throw" usually refers to focus throw, which is the total physical distance or angle a lens's focus ring must rotate to move from its minimum focusing distance all the way to infinity. Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
As an aside, I would say both the Meike and Opteka lenses have a relatively short focus throw of ~90 degrees. This is better for videography than photography, which might explain why the aperture- and focus rings are clickless.
Anyway, because the Meike 6.5mm and Opteka 6.5mm lens have the same "focus throw" it's reasonable to think they focus identically, meaning when the Meike focus ring is rotated so it's focused on a given distance, say 3 ft, the Opteka works the same way.
Here's some practical advice. With the camera/lens facing forward, slowly rotate the focus ring clockwise until it stops turning at the index mark on the lens barrel. From that point, measure 4.1 to 4.2 cm along the focus ring; that point, which should be aligned with the middle of the infinity mark on the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens, is equivalent to the 3 ft label on the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens.
Why set the focus ring to 3 ft?
Because the hyperfocal distance of a 6.5mm lens is so remarkably short, focusing this lens manually is incredibly forgiving. If you align your focus ring to roughly 1 meter (3 feet) while shooting at f/8, your total depth of field will stretch from just a few inches in front of the lens element all the way out to infinity. [1, 2] Source Credit: Google AI Overview in response to my query "At an aperture of f/8 what is the hyperfocal distance of the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens?"
In case you'd like to know/mark other Meike/Opteka equivalent distances, use the following measurements along the Opteka 6.5mm focus ring: 0.7 ft = ~7-8 mm; 1 ft = 2.2 cm; 3 ft = ~4.1-4.2 cm; ∞ = ~4.9-5.0 cm.
In a nutshell, my "hack" for manually focusing the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens is set the focus ring for 3 ft, that is, rotate the focus ring until the infinity symbol (∞) is aligned with the index mark on the lens barrel -- everything from a few inches in front of the lens to infinity will be acceptably in focus. Ignore the fact that it looks like you set the focus ring for infinity (∞). You didn't. It's set for three feet (3 ft), the hyperfocal distance for both the Meike 6.5mm and Opteka 6.5mm lenses when the aperture is set for f/8.
After using a Fujifilm X-T5 camera and an Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens from Amazon to shoot Scenes 1-3 with the lens pointed straight up at the zenith, the camera/lens rig was relocated to the edge of the parking garage for a fisheye view of both the sky above and Richmond Highway below. Two more photo sets were captured.
Scene 4
The following photo is the first image in a time series of 344 images. The JPG photo is shown "as is," that is straight out of the camera without post-processing. As you can see the sky is overexposed, especially noticeable in the clouds.
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/250 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
The next photo is a post-processed .raf file -- Fujifilm's proprietary RAW image format -- exported as a JPG. Notice I was able to recover some of the detail in the clouds that was lost in the overexposed photo. So what are the takeaways? First, try to get the exposure right in-camera. Failing that, sometimes it's worth the time and effort to post-process the RAW files before rendering time lapse video.
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/250 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
As a sidebar let's briefly discuss exposure for all sky photography.
The Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens doesn't feature filter threads because the front lens element is so bulbous you can't use filters with the lens (e.g., circular polarizing filter, neutral density filter, etc.). So how can you set exposure to avoid blown highlights?
Remember the exposure triangle? Lower ISO equals less light sensitivity; smaller aperture (higher f/number) means less light enters the lens; and faster shutter speed means less light enters the lens.
I'm already using a low ISO. I don't want to reduce the aperture since f/8 seems to be widely regarded as the "sweet spot" for this lens. So I recommend turning on "preview exposure/white balance" and "blinkies" (see Tech Tips, below) and increasing the shutter speed until the blinkies disappear. Blown highlights cannot be recovered. On the other hand, it's usually possible to recover detail from shadows.
The following ProRes video was created using Apple "QuickTime Player." This video was made using the "as is" JPG photos with blown highlights.
25 August 2026 | 2:07 PM - 2:13 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
344 photos at 1 s interval
Notice the interval between photos was set for 1 second in order to capture the vehicle traffic along Richmond Highway (U.S. Route 1). The Fujifilm X-T5 was able to save FINE+RAW files to a memory card without a problem.
The next video was created using Apple "QuickTime Player" and edited using Apple "Photos."
25 August 2026 | 2:07 PM - 2:13 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
344 photos at 1 s interval
Scene 5
The following photo is the first image in a time series of 59 images. The JPG photo is shown "as is," that is straight out of the camera without post-processing. As you can see, the sky is exposed properly, preserving detail in the clouds.
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/1,000 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
I started recording another time lapse.
25 August 2026 | 2:14 PM - 2:15 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
59 photos at 1 s interval
The memory card was full soon after the time lapse began. I knew there was only one memory card in my Fujifilm X-T5, but I was in a rush to get to the roof so I took a chance that one card would be sufficient. I didn't realize the 64 GB memory card would fill so quickly due to the HUGE file size of photos captured by the X-T5 using the following settings: IMAGE SIZE = L 3:2 7728 x 5152 40 M; IMAGE QUALITY = FINE+RAW; RAW RECORDING = LOSSLESS COMPRESSED.
I'm planning to test using an IMAGE SIZE of M 3:2 5472 x 3648 (20M). That's comparable to an IMAGE SIZE of L 3:2 6240 x 4160 (26M) using my Fujifilm X-T3.
Tech Tips
Here's how to turn on "preview exposure/white balance." I recommend customizing the D-Pad to feature this function; in my case, I use the FN3 button. Press and hold the DISP BACK button to edit button settings.
Fujfilm X-T5
MENU/OK, SET UP, SCREEN SET-UP, p. 2/4 > PREVIEW EXP./WB IN MANUAL MODE > PREVIEW EXP./WB.
Here's how to turn on "blinkies."
Fujfilm X-T5
MENU/OK, SET UP, SCREEN SET-UP, p. 3/4 > DISP. CUSTOM SETTING, p. 1/5 > check LIVE VIEW HIGHLIGHT ALERT.
The Opteka User Manual includes the following information in the section entitled "Focusing Aides."
Many compatible cameras provide aides for manual focus precision. The two most common aides are Focus Peaking, and/or a Focus Magnifier. Be sure to consult your camera's user manual for assistance with configuring these features. Source Credit: Opteka 6.5mm f/2.0 HD Multi-Coated Lens User Manual, p. 6.
In my experience "focus peaking" and "focus magnifier (Focus Check)" are easier to use under controlled conditions such as a photo studio. My next blog post will feature a discussion of some "hacks" for focusing that I use when shooting in the field.
I bought an Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens from Amazon recently. It's possible/probable the Opteka 6.5mm lens is a rebranded version of the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens, given the similarities in the physical appearance and specifications of the two lenses. Does the Opteka lens perform as well as the Meike? This post is the beginning of my answer to that question.
Three photo sets were captured using a Fujifilm X-T5 and the Opteka lens. Each photo set was rendered to video using Apple "QuickTime Player." I decided to share the resulting all sky time lapse videos "as is," meaning unedited, so you can see exactly what the camera/lens combo "saw" and judge for yourself how well the Opteka lens works.
Scene 1
The camera was mounted on a tripod with the lens facing the zenith. The entire dome of the sky is shown in the circular field of view; the horizon is located around the outer rim of the circle.
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/3,200 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
The aperture was "f/8?+" meaning it's unclear whether the f/8 mark on the focus ring is actually f/8, plus the ring was set slightly beyond the f/8 mark.
"No click stops on the aperture ring, so you have to keep checking to see if you've moved it. Also, marked apertures are not accurate. You need to turn beyond the marking to get the marked aperture." Source Credit: "Amazing Bargain, but Not Easy to Use," by Killersax (product review on Amazon Web page).
The next photo shows (better than words can describe) how the lens was actually set for all three scenes.
The following ProRes video was created using Apple "QuickTime Player."
25 August 2026 | 1:29 PM - 1:39 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
298 photos at 2 s interval
Scene 2
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/3,200 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
The following ProRes video was created using Apple "QuickTime Player." Look at that beautiful 18-point sunstar!
25 August 2026 | 1:40 PM - 1:51 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
313 photos at 2 s interval
Scene 3
6.5mm APS-C | f/8?+ | 1/3,200 s | ISO 200 | 7728 x 5152 pixels
The following ProRes video was created using Apple "QuickTime Player."
25 August 2026 | 1:52 PM - 2:02 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
313 photos at 2 s interval
Tech Tips
The dimensions of the JPG photos used to create all three time lapse videos are 7728 x 5152 pixels. That's way more than the resolution of Ultra High Definition, a.k.a., UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels)!
"YouTube officially supports maximum playback and upload resolutions up to 8K (4320p or 7680 × 4320 pixels)." Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
Click on the "Settings" button (gear icon) in the YouTube player and select the highest "Quality" available on your device.
The next image is a photo of the lens that I received from Opteka/Circuit City/Amazon.
Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens mounted on Fujifilm X-T5.
Hmm, what's wrong with this picture? (Remember that type of children's puzzle?) Look closely at the focus ring in both images. The lenses shown in the two images are similar but not identical, and the difference is critical. Unlike the product photos on Amazon there aren't any distance numbers (ft and m) marked on the focus ring of the Opteka lens that was delivered to me.
Instead of distance numbers the focus ring is marked "←Near" "Far→" and "∞" (infinity). The "←Near" label on the focus ring turns far to the left of the index mark on the lens barrel, possibly beginning at the closest focusing distance of the lens; the "∞" label also turns far to the left of the index mark. That's right, the Opteka lens focuses "to infinity and beyond." Way beyond.
Opteka, Circuit City, and Amazon are guilty of false advertising.
"False advertising is any published claim or statement used to promote a product or service that is untruthful, deceptive, or misleading to a reasonable consumer." Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
In my strong opinion Opteka, Circuit City, and Amazon should carefully consider offering some form of restitution other than simply returning the lens for a full refund. I'm open to suggestion.
The Backstory
I bought the Opteka 6.5mm circular fisheye lens because it's available for Fujifilm X Mount camera bodies while the comparable Meike version is no longer available.
"Opteka frequently rebrands and sells lenses produced by other Chinese and Korean manufacturers, including Meike and Samyang (Rokinon)." Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
Does the Opteka lens perform as well as the Meike? I don't know, yet.
I would like to be able to recommend the Opteka lens as a viable option to replace the Meike lens. First I need to do some field testing to see how the Opteka lens performs. (Limited studio testing is inconclusive so far.)
For now my recommendation is "buyer beware -- what you see is not what you get!" You might call the product photos on Amazon an "Optekal Illusion," but seriously, false advertising is an egregious matter.
Posts on Walter Sanford's Blog with the label "all sky."
Post update: Both the Web site address (http://www.Opteka.com) and e-mail address (support@opteka.com) listed in the hardcopy User Manual (included in the box with the lens) are invalid. #shellcompany?
This blog post is an homage to Jack Borden, founder of "For Spacious Skies," a non-profit organization "committed to promoting the beauty of the sky as a visual feast that anyone, anywhere, and at any time could partake." Source Credit: BORDEN, Jacob “Jack” - Local Newscaster & Founder of For Spacious Skies.
Sometimes the sky is astoundingly beautiful. Friday, 31 July 2026 was one of those days. Click on the following panoramic composite image to see the full-size version.
I decided to share two "as is" all sky time lapse videos, meaning unedited, so you can see exactly what the camera/lens combo "saw."
31 July 2026 | 1:34 PM - 1:54 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
6.5mm APS-C | f/8 | 1/4,000 s | ISO 160 | 623 photos at 2 s interval
Beautifully saturated blues and almost no blown highlights is the result of using faster shutter speeds, enabling me to capture the dynamic nature of the low level cumuliform clouds (moving generally from north-to-south across the sky).
Notice the sunstar (a.k.a., sunburst) that is visible in the second video during breaks in the clouds. A distributor of the lens says the sunstars are 18-point, although I haven't counted the points to verify that claim. (See the Post update at the bottom of this page.)
"A sunstar forms when brilliant, direct sunlight (or any other bright light) diffracts (spreads) as it passes through the overlapping blades of a lens iris (its aperture). These are the blades that open to admit more light (small f-number), and close to limit light (large f-number)." Source Credit: Sunstars, by Gary Hart.
31 July 2026 | 2:01 PM - 2:23 PM EDT | Fairfax County, Virginia USA
6.5mm APS-C | f/8-ish | 1/6,400 s | ISO 160 | 636 photos at 2 s interval
The aperture was "f/8-ish" for the photos used to create the second time lapse, meaning the clickless aperture ring was set a little higher than f/8. What was the actual f/stop? I don't know because the aperture ring for the Meike 6.5mm circular fisheye lens doesn't have any markings between f/8 and f/22, plus the lens is manual only (with no electronic contacts) so there isn't any communication between the lens and camera body.
Tech Tips
The dimensions of the JPG photos used to create both time lapse videos are 6240 x 4160 pixels. That's way more than the resolution of Ultra High Definition, a.k.a., UHD (3840 x 2160 pixels)!
"YouTube officially supports maximum playback and upload resolutions up to 8K (4320p or 7680 × 4320 pixels)." Source Credit: Google AI Overview.
Click on the "Settings" button (gear icon) in the YouTube player and select the highest "Quality" available on your device.
Related Resources
For Spacious Skies - Jack Borden (14:15) - a YouTube video by Sam Ruocco [The video becomes repetitive toward the end but the first two-thirds is worth watching.]
