2" DSLR adapter

[eid]

Hello.

Is there any benefit in using a 2" rather than a 1.25" camera adapter?

Thanks.

[SaraG]

Hello.

Is there any benefit in using a 2" rather than a 1.25" camera adapter?

Thanks.

A lighter wallet

[eid]

lol

[SaraG]

Well, since your telescope weighs so much we have to balance the universe and al that by lightening your wallet *shrugs*.

Ying and the Yang and all that.

[eid]

It really does weigh too much. I think it's going to fall off one day.

[SaraG]

Wish my wallet felt the same way.

Don't forget you will also be using 2" filters instead of 1.25".

[eid]

Yes, I wish I'd asked this question before I bought the 2" adapter and diagonal. I was very confused at the time.

[SaraG]

Can't you just use a 2" to 1.25" adaptor?

[eid]

The reason I'm wondering about a 1.25" camera nosepiece (apart from torturing myself with regret) is that I have a set of Celestron 1.25" colour filters which have never been used and I thought they may be suitable for imaging. Also, I could use my barlow without having to have the 2" diagonal in.

Im just wondering if a 1.25" nosepiece restricts the light path.

[SaraG]

you mean Vignetting?

[eid]

I do?

[SaraG]

I use a 1.25" nosepiece on my DSLR with no vignetting (I think ).

Vignetting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[eid]

ok I just looked up vignetting. I thought it meant something else entirely.

Yes, that's what I mean.

[eid]

I use a 1.25" nosepiece on my DSLR with no vignetting (I think ).

Vignetting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great. I'll get one then (assuming my filters are worth the bother).

Thanks for the help

[dark knight]

I use a 2" adapter and just find it a much more robust system. It is much easier for me to use and tighten everything up, it's just not as fiddly and just for me anyway appears to be a much stronger connection between camera and telescope. I get more confidence from the 2" system and find it more reliable, of course this could all be psychological, ie big is better lol.

[SaraG]

First Light Optics - 2" to 1.25" Eyepiece Adaptor

There is one, it says CALL, that usually is a bad sign when they cannot state the price up front.

Here is a 2" adaptor to T-thread if you want to try direct 2" connection. The real cost is in the 2" filters and barlows if you want more from the imaging and also use 1.25" and maybe end up with duplicate filters just different size.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Revelation_T_Adaptor_2__.html

[eid]

I do agree with you Carl, the 2" does feel a lot more robust.

My other option is to buy a new barlow instead.

And some 2" filters.

And a new mount....

[SaraG]

I do agree with you Carl, the 2" does feel a lot more robust.

My other option is to buy a new barlow instead.

And some 2" filters.

And a new mount....

And a new wallet.

[eid]

I have the 2" one you linked already Sara.

I think I'll just buy the 1.25" nosepiece. Its only 15 quid. Then I can use my barlow and filters.

Is there anything special about RGB imaging filters or are they all pretty much the same?

[SaraG]

For filters I think most prefer Parafocal as you won't have to refocus when changing filters.

You said DSLR, so you already are using a COLOUR sensor no?

You will be limited on IR spectrum sensitivity due to the IR cut filter on your DSLR sensor.

[eid]

Yes, I have an unmodded 1100d. Are you saying that I don't need colour filters then?

Sorry, Im really new to this.

I have considered doing the mod, but I thought I'd get some use out of it before risking catastrophe.

[SaraG]

Yes, I have an unmodded 1100d. Are you saying that I don't need colour filters then?

Sorry, Im really new to this.

I have considered doing the mod, but I thought I'd get some use out of it before risking catastrophe.

I have an unmodded 1100d too, so far I have just done solar and lunar, I plan to get Jupiter on it. Have you tried widefield using just the kit camera lens? I done some timelapses of the movement of the stars with it (with a programmable timer handset - cheap on amazon).

For solar and lunar I just use Continious shoot until the camera and memory buffer is full lol then I pick the best ones later, sometimes I use exposure bracketing.

Filters are usually for mono cameras no so you can "combine" the channels to create a colour composite after. Even more advanced is using different wavelengths (LRGB or even IR) for luminance but that is for advanced processing with mono cameras and usually using a filter wheel to automate the process.

Your main problems to overcome will be 1) Focusing and 2) tracking.

[eid]

Ah I see, that makes sense. I thought maybe you get more detail by doing one colour at a time or something. Well I can forget about that for now then

I didn't get a lens with my camera as they were out of stock and I was impatient.

I've done some planetary work with it using movie mode and stacking. Im currently trying to put together a moon mosaic which isn't knitting that well.

I did a load of subs on M42 last night, but I find them a bit washed out. Im not sure if that's just a problem with SCT's.

What I need is a refractor

[SaraG]

Well the problem with colour sensors (for most - there is some patents that have stacked multi wavelength passes on a single pixel sensors) is the Bayer matrix, that is a grid of 4 pixels (2 green - to simulate human sensitivity , 1 blue and 2 red) so you have just under 4x LESS the resolution of a mono camera of a similar sensor, the disadvantage (or advantage) here is you will use filters to pick out specific wavelengths (colour) to combine to make an image post processing.

You can still get good images of the moon, planets and sun etc by using Prime focus (attaching the camera to the telescope directly and not via the eyepices).

You can just gung ho the images using the DSLR by using bracketing (exposure level steps) and continuous shooting brute force until you get a feel for the right ISO and exposure times.

I save in RAW mostly and then convert to TIFF after using the standard canon software in batch convert mode.

I am waiting on the high speed SanDisk PRO cards to drop in price (90 mb/s read/write times) so I can get faster continuous shooting (up until the memory bus gets saturated and that will be the camera limit on writing speed).

I just set myself targets (timelapse, star trails, solar, lunar, planets etc) just to keep me getting a new learning experience in doing it, realistic goals mostly (I have no tracking or guiding). I see an image or video and I go out and try to copy it so I can learn how its done etc. Best and most fun way: ) Learn by doing.

I always want new toys lol, but I keep saying to myself, well lets see what I can do with what I have first ( I do buy small price things just to try them but not large toys lol - I have to try to justify that ).

As for my pictures, my own test is "Would I buy that print?".

[SaraG]

I use this for my camera programmable remote control NEEWER Timer Remote Control RS-60E3 For Canon 550D: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Since I cant be bothered hauling the computers out and power cables and I have a non-tracking mount anyway so it is overkill.

I've used this for a manual continuous shooting and also for Timelapse (which I then import to Sony Vegas - very easy timelapses using Vegas and very cheap).