which camera for astrophotography

[reggy]

hi,

i have a skywatcher explorer 200 on eq5,iam looking for a digital SLR to use for astrophotography and regular use.

budget is around £350

any suggestions?

[steppenwolf]

Anything by Canon! For astro work, Canon seem to have the answer and they are also excellent general use cameras too.

[centroid]

The Canon EOS 300D or 350D seem to be a firm favourites, producing some excellent astro images.

Since the EOS 400D was released, 350D's are going at bargain prices, with several retailers still having some left on the shelf.

Dave

[trevboyd]

Definitely a Canon - I have a 350D and its great for both astro and terrestrial use.

Trev

[Tim]

You can get a canon 400D for 350 quid, but hurry.

Go to PC World. Buy it there. But show them that Amazon have it cheaper. They have a price match + 10% promise.

Then for a few more days there is a £50 cashback offer too, but you have to hurry.

I have only taken tripod pics so far, but am really pleased with the results. Couple on my blog if you like, click the earth icon link jobby on the left.

Cheers

TJ

[reggy]

looking like a cannon then

[SteelRat]

Yup - Canon 350D sounds like a good un

[Tedward]

I have a 350D on an Explorer 200. Chuffed with the results now I have sussed (with help from here) what is what. Then I found I needed a remote release thingamebob, the electric one has a bulb option, not sure of the term, but shutter can be opened until button released from its locked open position. It has shutter lock up and a low noise function, the latter I have yet to explore.

Only problem now is shooting in RAW all the time. Filling up me hard drive.

[Tim]

just to add that I received my £50 cheque back from Canon yesterday, just 2 weeks after purchasing

[reggy]

think im going to go with the 400 option if i can get it from pc world if not then the 350 it is,

i guess i can have the shutter open for as long as i want?

also any good links to astro sites for astro photgraphy with some good tutorials/guides?

[reggy]

tedward,

how do you take your pics on the explorer? is the mount solid enough to handle the extra weight?

[Vega]

I use the 400D and it's a cracker. It's much the same as the 350 only it has a couple extra useful features...

-Internal auto-dust cleaning system

-Larger LCD screen (really nice screen)

There are some other little add-ins but cant remember them. Either model will serve your astro-photography well

Matt

[barkis]

It seems that most astro imagers go for the Canon, so you could not have a better recommendation than that. I wish I had joined this forum before I bought my Olympus E-500. Although it has produced good pictures, the Canon seems more conducive to astro work in a host of ways.

Ron.

[Tedward]

tedward,

how do you take your pics on the explorer? is the mount solid enough to handle the extra weight?

Well, still on a steep learning curve and bet there are more experienced than me here but here goes.

I find the mount solid enough. Vibrations damp out quit quickly after doing the shutter lock up. A problem I had before I found out about that (shutter lock up), the tube vibrating from the shutter release. It was a bit windy last night, so timing the shots in between the wind shaking so it was judging when it was getting to zero shake then shutter lock up then take the shot. But then it got cloudy again before it got dark. I was messing with the moon in the twilight.

I have a "T" piece that screws to the focusing mount for the eye piece and the other side fits the camera sans lens. Then that attaches to the scope and then needs balancing. I use a remote lead to take the shot. The canon has the shutter lock up function. When that is enabled the first press of the remote release locks up the shutter. The second press takes the shot. It can either be timed or in "Bulb" setting which is press the button and go and watch some telly. The only problem I am worried about is the battery. Another thing to get. Oh and a motor, so at the moment its shooting the moon etc. As the lens is now the scope the aperture etc do not function.

Recently bought a 2 times barlow that mates with the "T" piece and the scope and also fits the eye pieces so a bonus buy.