Good dslr focus.

[NIGHTBOY]

I've got to ask this as its bugging the hell out of me...

When I was out last night taking pics of the moon with my dslr attached to my 200p (prime focus) the moon through the viewfinder of the camera looked super sharp, so did the pic preview after the pic was taken. When I viewed the picture on my laptop (after swapping sd card over) it didn't look so great. Is there anything you guys do to get the perfect focused image or was it just a spot of bad luck??

[Kropster]

I am guessing that the larger laptop screen just showed what you couldn't see on the smaller camera screens.

Maybe you are getting blurring from the exposure being too long and showing up movement/shake... so perhaps shorter exposure and maybe increased ISO to get rid this.

[long_arms]

I used to just focus through the viewfinder. I've certainly had times where its looked perfect on the little screen but later discovered it could be better. 

I thought I would give a bahtinov mask a go and well...it's a lot better than I expected, perfect in fact! The small tweaks I find myself doing to achieve good focus takes only a few seconds and through the viewfinder I am sure I would not be able to see the difference before and after.

So I would say make or buy (as I reluctantly did) a bahtinov mask. It really is worth it and very simple to use. On my 200p I fitted the electronic focuser thingy as well which helps with the small adjustments.

Dan

 

[frugal]

If you are using a Canon DSLR then ypu can use Backyard EOS to help with the focussing. It has a live view mode that shows the width of a star in the viewfinder. So you can tinler with the focus to get it as low as possible

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[Sandancer10]

I always zoom in to show the biggest image on the camera's live view and find that works quite well. Very good for imaging the Moon and Jupiter.

[baggywrinkle]

If you are using a Canon DSLR then ypu can use Backyard EOS to help with the focussing. It has a live view mode that shows the width of a star in the viewfinder. So you can tinler with the focus to get it as low as possible

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I always zoom in to show the biggest image on the camera's live view and find that works quite well. Very good for imaging the Moon and Jupiter.

I would agree with both of these. If you re using a Canon then the Backyard is a great program and expanding the live view can also help. What camera are you using?

[wxsatuser]

Seeing has a lot to do with it, thats why most people stack images.

[NIGHTBOY]

My cameras a canon 700d. I was thinking about running a feed into my laptop so I can see the live picture on it.

[Steve Ward]

As was suggested in the other thread a long USB lead and APT / BYEOS is the way to go , and a Bahtinov mask , though the latter is of little benefit for Lunar / Solar work.

[pianorealm]

I had the same problem trying to image the moon the other night. The view looked fine at the time...in focus but was terrible when I reviewed the images on the laptop. Going to make a bahtinov mask methinks

[NIGHTBOY]

Oddly enough I took a photo of the moon at 3pm and it came out beautifully in focus. You can see the pic in my 'will it wreck my dslr' thread. I really think a live feed into a laptop or into a tv via hdmi is the way forward.

[leelee970]

The best thing to use is the Bahtinov mask on a nearby very bright star.

 

This will give you good focus.

 

But if you are taking a single image then a lot is down to the seeing at that precise moment in time.

 

That is why webcam type cameras are used, videoing many frames per second. You simply let a stacking program like Registax process the best individual frames to average out any poor seeing and errors etc.

If your DSLR is capable you could try imaging in video and then stacking the best frames.

[Leveye]

I use liveview and then check with APT zoomed in and sometimes a  Bahtinov mask. After you take a test shot APT will review it for you to check. You can get a Bahtinov mask for very cheap now. Mine was only 12 dollars of very good materials and is adjustable to fit my main scope or any of my camera lenses. If after all this you're still having issues a visit to the eye doctor may be in order. Happens to the best of us trust me!

[frugal]

As was suggested in the other thread a long USB lead and APT / BYEOS is the way to go , and a Bahtinov mask , though the latter is of little benefit for Lunar / Solar work.

Steve,

Couldn't you use the mask to set the focus on a star, and then once you have the focus set slew across to the moon?

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