The Budget Imaging Challenge

[Knight of Clear Skies]

We've had a few fun challenge threads and I thought it would be interesting to see some budget images collected together, whether they be widefields, DSOs, lunar, planetary or solar. Time and again people have surprised me with what they've managed to achieve with very modest equipment. Just as observational astronomy can be enjoyed at any level from naked eye, to binoculars to increasingly bigger scopes I think the same holds true for imaging. Here's a few of my cheaper efforts to get us started:

The Orion Nebula with a 200mm SMC Takumar f4 lens at f5.6 (cropped). ~40 minutes of data with a modded Canon 1100D on an EQ3-2 mount, 75 second subs. My example of this lens cost me £22 off eBay Germany. Factoring in the mount of cost of the mount and camera I think it should be possible to better this image for less than £400 with careful second-hand purchases. It would benefit from more data, some structure is showing in the background dust but it's a bit noisy. Some people have managed to get the EQ3-2 running better than I have so it should be possible to take longer subs with it at 200mm, and for a crop like this I could probably have shot it with the lens wide open, doubling the signal.

This was one of my first efforts with a modded camera taken with an even cheaper lens, a 135mm Super-Takumar f3.5 (£18). It's just 30 minutes of data with a borrowed modded Canon 100D, riding on my EQ3-2, using 2 minute subs. The stars are a little distorted in the corners as I shot it with the lens wide open, I think I may have used the lens tool in StarTools to compensate for that a bit.

If anyone is interested I've put together a guide to some of the vintage and budget lenses I've used for AP. I'd also be interested to hear what other lenses people have used successfully, there are still a few gaps in my collection.

Turning to lunar imaging, I took this with a borrowed Soligor 400mm f8 lens:

It's really not a great lens and it tends to fall apart when mounting it on the camera. However, 400mm focal length is quite useful for lunar imaging (I also wonder if it would be useful for solar imaging with some Baader film on the front.). Think this was shot at f11 on my 1100D before I had it modded, from a fixed tripod. It's about 70 frames stacked in Registax, I bumped up the ISO a bit to keep the shutter time low but the stacking has removed the resulting noise successfully. As the frames were all over the place due to tripod movement I used PIPP to align them, Registax is a lot quicker and more reliable if you do this I find. Again, it could be improved upon, it's probably a bit over-sharpened and there are some artifacts showing at bottom-right and top-left. Here's a less sharpened version that you may prefer:

But I prefer the colours in the first one, unfortunately I'm not sure how I achieved that effect now.

I look forward to seeing your efforts.

[happy-kat]

Great idea.

The budget end of EQ mount imaging but not budget in image.

[smudgeball]

Hi

My first ever "long" exposure image. (three years ago)

Unmodified EOS 40D with nifty fifty lens, mounted on a barn door tracker.

One minute exposure of M42

My equipment level has increased a little bit since then

Neil

[StuartJPP]

Although my first foray into astrophotography only cost me £220 for a 2nd hand AstroTrac the rest of the kit that I already owned was not budget kit...so strictly speaking none of the imaging that i have done could be considered "budget".

[jimbo747]

Looks a fun thread, when the cloud disappears from Derbyshire I'll be joining in with my SLT mount and 80-200mm lens on my £70 1100d or my 70mm travel scope

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I also found this thread on the subject from 2012 which may be worth a look, although unfortunately many of the image links are dead now.

Hi

Unmodified EOS 40D with nifty fifty lens, mounted on a barn door tracker.

One minute exposure of M42

Nice job resolving the Trapezium with a 50mm lens.

Although my first foray into astrophotography only cost me £220 for a 2nd hand AstroTrac the rest of the kit that I already owned was not budget kit...so strictly speaking none of the imaging that i have done could be considered "budget".

That's a great price for an AstroTrac but yes, nothing about your images could be considered budget. I take it you were into photography for quite a while before moving into astro?

[glowingturnip]

here's probably the best I managed to get out of my old CG4 (equiv to EQ3-2 with after-market motors), Meade LPI guiding and Nikon D80 imaging rig.  All that stuff's been upgraded since...

[jarlaxle2k5]

Some of my DSO taken with 8" dob. synscan goto and canon 1100D.

Usually is the result of stacking 80subs of 30sec. each

I love that scope

[Knight of Clear Skies]

here's probably the best I managed to get out of my old CG4 (equiv to EQ3-2 with after-market motors), Meade LPI guiding and Nikon D80 imaging rig.

Good images, I suppose that's at the budget end of guided imaging. What's a ballpark figure for the cost of this setup please?

[glowingturnip]

hmm, well the original OTA and mount was about £350.  The laptop and dslr I already had.

The Meade LPI was about £60 off ebay, but to be honest was quite hard to use well with lots of heartache trying to find decent guidestars, but it's definitely possible.  I've not looked back since getting the QHY5liic though.

Guidescope I got a cheapo Celestron T70 travel scope off ebay too, about £40 quid, mounted piggyback, and actually it does the job perfectly and I'm still using it.

The synscan motor kit for the CG4 (equiv to EQ3-2) I see listed as £300 (here - http://www.green-witch.com/skywatcher-synscan-pro-goto-upgrade-kit-eq3-2-to-eq6-2373-p.asp)but I'm sure i paid much less than that, about £150 i think, so it would pay to shop around.  Not what I'd call a quality solution though, a definite source of PE, egginess and lost guidestars, but again it's possible.  Might be false economy though, if it's a choice versus a better mount.

[jimbo747]

Some of my DSO taken with 8" dob. synscan goto and canon 1100D.

Usually is the result of stacking 80subs of 30sec. each

I love that scope

For a big unwieldy dob and 30s exposures that is superb! Its better than some £1000 eq mounted images I've seen. I'd love to join in but not seen a star at a decent hour since march.

[MattJenko]

My whole setup for these images just over £500, so not sure how budget that is!

Second hand Canon 450d : £200.

Star Adventurer Bundle : £250

Tripod : £45

50mm Lens : £50

[Jambonature]

beautifull pictures and very inspiring. thanks for sharing keep up the good work