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help with Canon 400d

Night Hawk

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Night Hawk

Night Hawk

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Hi, can someone please advise on what settings I need to take some moon shots with my canon 400d. I think the problem is trying to find infinity on the settings??? All I can find on the Internet is changing from Af to mf with the lens attached but nothing about the settings without the lens. I've taken off my camera lens and screwed in the t2 and adapter and tried with and without my 2x barlow connected to my scope. I've tried taking pics with different settings but yo no avail. Any help, spelled out in layman's terms would greatly be appreciated as I'm not a photographer. Thank you

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jambouk

jambouk

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I donmt know the camera; does it have a live view function?

What scope are you using? Can you achieve focus with the scope/dslr combo? What mount do you have? Do you need to be using the barlow?

Do you have the moon centred on the camera and able to see anything of it when you take a picture?

It is largely a case of trial and error. I'd say try iso 800, shutter speed trial and error; 1/1000, 1/500, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30... See what works.

Get back with some more info.

James

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jambouk

jambouk

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If so, does the moon appear to be in focus? Os it bang in the centre of the field of view? If yes to these two, select iso 800 and try various sutter speeds, 1/125 will certainly pick ip some light.

If you can't see the moon theough the view finder, that, i suspect, if your problem, the moon light isn't getting to the sensor and you need to make adjustments to get the moon better placed. This is tricky with a dob mount, but easily achievable.

James

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jambouk

jambouk

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Infinity referra to focus, and you have removed the lens off the camera so now to focus the image on the sensor of the camera you have to use the focuser of the telescope; you are effectively removing the canon lens and fitting a skywatcher 200p lens.

You should be able to look through the normal view finder of the camera, theough the "lens" [the telescope] and see what you are going to take a picture of. If you can't see the moon, either the moon is no longer in the same place and has moved away else the focus is wrong; again trial and error.

Best to work out where focus needs to be suring day light looking at a static distant object like a chimney or street lamp at least 200 yards away. Then remember where the focuser needs to be and try that at night. Always tricker at night as everything in the sky appears to move so you are never sure if the focus is wrong or if the target has moved off.

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MattJenko

MattJenko

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If the scope is actually pointing at the moon, then you should be able to connect your DSLR via the T-ring adaptor and the nosepiece to slot in the focuser tube instead of the eyepiece and a short exposure will see some light (not necessarily in focus). You will need to have the focus tube pretty much all the way in for the 200p (I am with the 250px).  If there is an extension piece to the focuser, you need to remove it when using the DSLR. A barlow is not needed for moon shots unless you want to seriously get up close and personal, but focusing is very tricky using one - I tried and gave up. I am only guessing but you either have the extension tube still in place, so cannot get focus, or there is something else amiss. You say the picture is just blank - is that a dark blank, or a white blank?

Cheers

Matt

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MattJenko

MattJenko

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From memory, some people have had trouble getting prime focus with the 200p along with some of the other Skywatcher observing newtonians, hence the popularity of the 200pds for imagers, as the tube is shorter, giving a prime focus position further up the focuser to allow cameras to be more easily directly attached. I have managed to get prime focus with my 250PX, but it is pretty much right at the most wound in point of the focuser. A barlow helps, as a side effect of using one is to move this focal point further out, but I would try getting prime focus first.

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jambouk

jambouk

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Using the field of view calculator, this is how the moon should be framed on the 400d; image one is with no barlow (but not sure you'll be able to achieve focus) and image two with a 2x Barlow. Having looked at these two, maybe you are just imaging the unilluminated bit of the moon.

post-25543-0-74485200-1427069602_thumb.j

post-25543-0-26241600-1427069616_thumb.j

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jambouk

jambouk

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Do try to have a go in day light on something static and in the distance. It is SO much easier and while it won't be bang on representative of night time activities, it will put you in the right ball park.

James

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RichM63

RichM63

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Even with no lens or telescope on the camera you should still see a blury target through the view finder. Thus an out of focus Moon will appear as white blur. Try this when hand holding and pointing at the Moon.

As has been mentioned, inward travel can be a problem for focusing hence extension tubes. DIY fix, unscrew the lens from the Barlow and just use the empty tube.

The Moon not being in frame at all would be black, the time taken to swap EP for camera and set things could easily mean the Moon has moved out of shot.

No liveview on the 400D but you can disable the Auto LCD Off function in the Tools Menu and then take test shots to help you decide where is the best focus point, ISO, and exposure time. ie the best pic is the setting to go for and use this as a base setting for future reference.

Rich

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happy-kat

happy-kat

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If you have an android device then I would use dslr controller or dslr dashboard application to communicate with the camera and get a live screen image. It uses the usb cable then you plug an OTG cable on that into your android device. You need camera in m mode and you get to control the camera.

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Night Hawk

Night Hawk

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Update. I've spent a bit of time viewing threads on this forum and the rest of the internet and I've possibly found the answer?

I followed some threads and checked my scope in my garage last night so I've not had chance to go outside with it yet but I did manage to get a some serious out of focus images.

How it's done.

I don't use the T adapater just the T ring. I remove 1.25" ep adapter so there is just the 2". But I then remove the screw ring that holds the 1.25" inch adapter to the 2". I then attach this to my T ring on my camera and then just attach this to my scope by tightening the 2 screws like I would if I was connecting the 1.25" adapter.  I beileve this screw ring also doubles as the Direct SLR camera connection

If I get any pics I'll post but I feel I'm on the right track now after following various threads. Thanks for your help

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/151576-help-to-begin-astrophotography/

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RichM63

RichM63

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Sounds about right for connection. Still try it with an empty barlow tube on the telescope side of the T ring to see if you can move the back focus position. Inward travel seems to be the general problem.

(I also use an ST80 telescope as a long camera lens and have to add extra focus travel by moving the camera outwards from the telescope giving about 1.25" of inward movement, although I can just get away without it on the 200P) Vignetting might become an issue but at least you'll get an idea of what correct length extension to obtain.

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