First tentative steps in Astrophotography

[Pete Presland]

only you can decide what is sensible budget, but you could start planetary and lunar imaging with just webcam on your current set up.

[Alien 13]

Some good advice given i would allways try with what you have 1st, the capture and image processing techniques are similar regardless of equipment used.

A DSLR is a bit more flexible allowing you to take great images similar to those posted but can be reasonable effective on lunar/planetary too, if you use it with camera lenses you can get good results even with a fixed tripod.

These are a couple taken with my DSLR and scope (330mm FL) on the EQ3-2 with simple ra motor this is what i would consider the bare minimum for an AP mount provided it is used with short FL a 200mm camera lens is ideal.

Alan

[ollypenrice]

My take on it is to be realistic about what you want to achieve within DSO imaging.

If you look on the imaging board and you want to achieve images like those produced by Olly Penrice, Peter Shah, Tom O'Donaghue to name but three, then it's going to cost you a lot of money - Fact. In my opinion it depends on your expectations and ultimate imaging goals. That's a hard one to set at the start though.

Or Sara Wager to name but four...  

When I set out I wanted to make a good start at a serious level but not spend millions. I wanted to learn the ropes of real DS imaging. Ian King suggested a small apo refractor, a good small format monochrome CCD camera and a Skywatcher EQ mount. Autoguiding was not an option, it was obligatory, and he suggested AstroArt as a good software package. Now that I'm well and truly involved in this mad game I give the exact same advice. The rigs I use now are really just extensions of Ian's original advice. So, if it lies within your budget I'd say,

Small APO, Atik mono CCD within budget, HEQ5, autoguider, Astro Art, a legit discounted Photoshop version from the net like CS3 and a bucket full of patience allied to asking questions on here. Many will argue in favour of DSLR as a starter and this is a big money saver but, long term, you will want to leave it behind. DSLR is a phase I never went through, following Ian's advice, and I still agree with him.

Olly

[CJ77]

Once again, Thanks all for your time and patience. First step is to get "Making Every Photon Count", and then to set myself a budget. My feeling is, though that if I'm going to do it, then I will try and do it piecemeal, but properly, so expect more newbie daft questions going forwards!

[lensman57]

for now

Once again, Thanks all for your time and patience. First step is to get "Making Every Photon Count", and then to set myself a budget. My feeling is, though that if I'm going to do it, then I will try and do it piecemeal, but properly, so expect more newbie daft questions going forwards!

"

Small APO, Atik mono CCD within budget, HEQ5, autoguider, Astro Art, a legit discounted Photoshop version from the net like CS3 and a bucket full of patience allied to asking questions on here. Many will argue in favour of DSLR as a starter and this is a big money saver but, long term, you will want to leave it behind. DSLR is a phase I never went through, following Ian's advice, and I still agree with him.

Olly "

Hi,

I can only repeat what Olly has said. I started with a modded Canon 1000d, an SW EQ5 Pro and a 50mm guidescope with a guide camera and and an Altair Astro 80mm F7 ED, just to test the waters as the saying goes. The scope and the Canon were purchased second hand and I still have them, the EQ5 was later sold to make way for an HEQ5 and I still have the Canon but I hardly use it now. I have since got an Atik 314L+ Mono, an Atik 428 EX OSC and a QHY8 OSC CCD camera. The 314L and the QHY8 were also purchased second hand. I think that you should try for a realistic budget and the first step is the option of the mount as with a good reliable mount with guiding even an unmodded DSLR with a 200mm lens can get you on the way and allow you time to save for the rest of the stuff that regretably will not be cheap. If it does not work out you can always sell the mount with very little loss and just use the DSLR for normal use. If you decided that  this hobby is for you then the purchase of a decent CCD camera and the associated accessories will be a must but does not have to make remortgage your house. You will also have to make a few decisions regarding the intended targets as these ultimately will determine the choice of the mount, scope, filters etc, but for now my advice will be to go for short and wide.

Regards,

A.G

[CJ77]

Making Every Photon Count ordered..... toe well and truly dipped into the murky waters now 

[webby962]

CJ77, I too have just dipped my toes into the pond (or is that a vast Ocean?) that is Astrophotography. I too have read the book, and it is very good. I have been quite lucky (or unlucky depending on your point of view) that I am also a keen 'vanilla' photographer; which means I already have a lot of kit, a good understanding of the principles of photography and a very good understanding on the cost of equipment!!!!! Rather than splash out on loads of expensive kit, I have started with just taking a picture of the Moon (attached) with nothing more than the camera (Canon EOS40D and my zoom lens (70-200L2.8 and x2 TC)) mounted on a camera tripod. No guiding, no tracking.

What I leant was invaluable. The moon is bright. I mean very bright. This meant quite a small aperture and relatively fast shutter speed meant I could capture a shot I was happy with. In fact, I shot it using the self timer with the camera mounted on a Manfroto tripod.

I had a 70-200mm L2.8 lens fitted with the 2x converter giving me 400mm, but I used f11 aperture as otherwise the moon was too bright.

Shutter speed was 1/100 of a second and ISO was 100. This is well within the reach of a cheap DSLR and a kit lens (under £400 all up). 

 

I have a spare EOS1000D which I will no doubt mod, and I have just bought an Astrotrac TT320X for longer exposure Deeper Sky shots but still with the camera and camera lenses.

 

My advice as a fellow newbie (who went though all this many many years ago with 'vanilla' photography), is start cheap, master the kit you have, until you know which direction you want to go into, and then be prepared to sink a lot of money into the hobby (it helps to lie to the wife about the cost too.. I just hope she doesn't sell my camera gear for what I told her I paid for it!).

 

Happy snapping