Focussing a DSLR?

[vulcan]

Had my first go at photographing the sun through my new Coronado PST and came across a couple of problems. I'm using a Nikon D200 and couldn't achieve any kind of focus without resorting to afocal projection. I hooked up my camera to my Hyperion Zoom and was able to focus fine. Why could I not focus without the Hyperion as I can with my ED80? The other problem was getting exact focus. Normally, we depend on a lens stopping down to get sharp images but using a camera like this, you have to be spot-on, yet the image in the viewfinder can't be focussed accurately enough. I don't have live-view with this Nikon although I do with another 'lesser' model. Since cameras have become 'autofocus' useful focussing screens have gone by the by. I resorted to bracketing (7 x 1/3) on fast continuous shooting and doing lots of minor tweaks to the focus but there must be a better way to focus???

[Merlin66]

Unfortunately when Coronado/ Meade designed the PST is was as a purely visual Ha scope.

Adding cameras, due to the limited back focus is always problematic. A barlow can help move the focus outward enough to focus a DSLR - check out Jan Timmerman's website.

For focusing - add a clothespeg or a vegemite jar lid to the small focus knob - this gives much finer control -and practise!

[vulcan]

Thank you, lots of useful hints there - THE FIRMAMENT - Solar System and Deep Sky webcam images

Another thing that puzzles me. All the photos I see show the Sun as yellow/orange yet I am seeing only red. Is this a processing tweak or do I need another filter?

[Merlin66]

All done in the magic of Photoshop ( or in my case the cheap PaintShop Pro) - you can have any colour you want.