Camera Advice

[lw24]

Hi all,

*Wasn't really sure where to put this post*

I was just wondering if anyone could offer me a little bit of advice. I've been looking at doing some astrophotography, but the following must be understood: I am not interested in getting great AP images composed of long periods of time worth of exposures using a equatorial mount, nor spending much at all.

What I'm looking for, is a digital camera (probably ), which will allow me to take some fairly decent widefield night-time landscape photos when mounted of a photo tripod (whilst on holiday, for example). It would also be nice if I could use it a-focally when attached to my telescope with an adaptor.

I'm not really sure if this is possible with a digital camera, so was looking for some advice. I've read before that a digital camera which allows the user to edit most settings manually, is good enough for what I want. It's just I don't know what camera to get.

Hope you can help!

Clear Skies

[lw24]

For example, would something like this be any good?

I don't really know what to look for in a camera, but it has 14 MP, up to 10 frames to be stitched, and has 5x optical zoom.

[JohnnyD333]

Hey lw,

You can take afocal shots with the camera that you have chosen. Although you have a philips webcam so I dont know why you would want to, you probably get good shots with it already. Widefield is a little different, of course you could put any camera on top of a scope or tripod and take wide shots. Its the depth and quality of the shot that is the question. Most point and shoot cameras can only hold the shutter open for a few seconds, can be noisy with night photos, and don't have the lens quality as the Canon and Nikon DSLRs of the world. You simply have more options and can capture much more with a DSLR, my advice would be to save a little more and buy a used DSLR. I have heard plenty of good reports from SGL on second hand cameras. If your going to spend the money, just save a little more and "future proof" yourself with a DSLR.

[Adz]

Whats the budget?

[jgs001]

Given what you have described as your objectives, that's probably not the best option on a camera. The details indicate shutter speeds of "1/2000 sec. - 1/2 sec. (up to 4 sec. in Candle scene mode)" and no indication of a bulb mode. Therefore for night time landscapes, I don't think you'll be able to open the shutter long enough (although the 4 seconds may well be sufficient for brighter scenes). Therefore you'd have to boost the ISO higher. The small sensor involved will produce more noise and have less quality than a dSLR and this will show up even more in long exposure night photography. My little £50 point and shoot works ok, but to be honest, it's hopeless for low light and requires some careful processing to make the results look ok.

I agree with Adam, what's the budget ??

[lw24]

To be honest, there's not really much to work with. Budget of about £50. I only posted to see whether this kind of photography was possible on such a low budget, which I now realise probably isn't.

Thanks anyway!

Clear Skies

[Ags]

I have a compact camera in that price range (also capable of 4 sec exposures in 'fireworks' mode) and it is not good for AP except the moon. In the 4 sec mode you are restricted to a low ISO; I can also take 2 second shots at 'high' (800) ISO but the noise is appalling. My compact is several years old however.

[Adz]

Only A focal really on that budget, but you can still get some great results

For a similar amount though, you might be able to find something with more preferable manual controls?

[lw24]

Only A focal really on that budget, but you can still get some great results

For a similar amount though, you might be able to find something with more preferable manual controls?

Yeah, I was hoping to find something with more manual controls.

[Adz]

Manual is the way to go. Do I notice a similar picture too

[lw24]

Manual is the way to go. Do I notice a similar picture too

I think so Beehive Cluster has always been my favourite open cluster