1000D and exposure issues

[Zendrix]

Hi!

Im about to start using a Canon 1000d. I checked on the forum that people normally have 1 minute or more of exposure time, but the specifications of the 1000d (rebel XS, i think) say that minimum exp. is 30seconds. Is this gonna limit capturing DSO?

How do ppl get over 30 sec? with bulb mode and pressing the button on a remote controller?

It must be painful to deal with so many beginners everyday!

Thanks

[Psychobilly]

You use the bulb setting (next past 30s in manual) and either a remote shutter release cable (or timer remote) http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&_nkw=1000d+remote+cable&_sacat=See-All-Categories or the supplied USB cable and the Eosutils software that came with the camera.. much better functionality is achived by using one of the deicated actro apps such as Astrophotography Tools (APT) http://www.ideiki.com/astro/ or BackyardEOS http://www.backyardeos.com/

Peter..

[Zendrix]

so i can connect the cam to my laptop with USB cable and, via Backyard EOS, set the exposure time that i want through the bulb setting (which itself is acting controlled by BackYardEOS) for times over 30s? Not needing a remote shutter release cable for this example?

Thanks

Rui

[Psychobilly]

Yep... thats about it... well sort of... in bulb mode the shutter stays open for a duration contolled by the remote or software you dont set its duration in the camera - soem more sophisticated cameras have the "intervalometer" or timer built in) you can even do that with the supplied software and capture a number of exposures of any length over a period of time.. either of the other two pieces of software i mentioned will give you a lot more functionality include "palns" which at tehir simplest are lists of exposures of defined length at different ISO settinsg with defined gaps between them etc...

I editied my original reply to include links to both APT and BackyardEOS...

Peter...

[Zendrix]

Thansk mate!

I'll give it a try with one of these programs. (Im gonna go out of the theme of the thread for a while here) Also, im about to buy a motor for my EQ2 (beginners material.. anyway, i have to start somewhere ). I saw 2 kinds.. one was a simple one, with 1 speed and a place for a battery and thats it... the other had multiple speeds. But because maybe ill upgrade my EQ in one or 2 years, i dont think it makes sense to buy a better motor for my EQ2... Do you think i can get away with this one speed motors for a EQ2, being the goal to picture some DSO?

Thanks again

Rui

[Psychobilly]

Is it adjustable ...? Can you tweak the speed slightly to match the sidereal rate..?

The better controllers use quartz crystal controlled circuits to set the tracking rate...

Peter...

[Zendrix]

This is one of it: http://www.google.com.cy/imgres?q=ra+motor+eq2&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=JRQ&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1010&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsfd&tbnid=kGm6AhxPnByrOM:&imgrefurl=http://astronomia.co.uk/index.php/accessories/mount-accessories/motor-kits/sky-watcher-ra-motor-drive-for-eq2.html&docid=O4V_KGOHrcWL7M&imgurl=http://astronomia.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/2/3/231.jpg&w=400&h=303&ei=Fi_GT9zsGsbU8QO4upTqBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=203&vpy=162&dur=2691&hovh=195&hovw=258&tx=165&ty=99&sig=104005568313901685891&page=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=223&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:68

And this is the other: http://www.google.com.cy/imgres?q=ra+motor+eq2&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=JRQ&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1600&bih=1010&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsfd&tbnid=wNKXnVS4jy2N2M:&imgrefurl=http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/skywatcher/mountsandtripods/RAmotordriveeq2.html&docid=3VxLbATCSMTbNM&imgurl=http://www.scopesnskies.com/images/products/main/RA%252520mtr%252520EQ2%252520261.jpg&w=261&h=261&ei=Fi_GT9zsGsbU8QO4upTqBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1137&vpy=155&dur=522&hovh=208&hovw=208&tx=67&ty=103&sig=104005568313901685891&page=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=172&start=0&ndsp=39&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:78