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Budget start to wide field

Dom1961

By Dom1961
in Getting Started With Imaging

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happy-kat

happy-kat

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Megapixels such a chaser, personally I don't get hung up on megapixel chasing.

Look for a second hand canon 600d if you want higher megapixel then the 450d. If your budget will stretch to a 600d you get a flip out screen.

450d and 1100d sensor is same size.

1100d has video capability I don't think the 450d does. Though the 550d has video crop mode good for planets.

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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Dom, looking at your sig details I don't see a mount. If you are going the camera and lenses route (cheap) then you will also need to factor in a decent tripod for fixed imaging or an EQ3-2 with motors for tracking.

S/H Canon 1000D, 1100D 400D, and 450D and acceptable low cost lenses can be had for not a great deal of money. Add in extra batteries and a timer grip or intervalometer and you will have a fairly independant rig to get you going.

From zero kit to first images can be done for under £500 if you buy selectively. Just hope that you don't really get bitten by the bug.

So any canon which I can afford?

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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Megapixels such a chaser, personally I don't get hung up on megapixel chasing.

Look for a second hand canon 600d if you want higher megapixel then the 450d. If your budget will stretch to a 600d you get a flip out screen.

450d and 1100d sensor is same size.

1100d has video capability I don't think the 450d does. Though the 550d has video crop mode good for planets.

So will they both be alright in daylight photography?

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brrttpaul

brrttpaul

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I have no idea about the pixels, i think to much of a deal is made over it at this level. Same I dont think you can buy a bad camera now really. Whichever camera you choose I promise you this, when you set it up and point it at the stars you may see a few dozen you press the click button and 20 secs later you are looking at an image with possibly hundreds of stars in it and it blows you away. Then when you finally get back down to earth you wish oh boy do you wish that you had studied harder at school and land that top job to pay for all the other things that are going to be on your xmas list lol

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Alien 13

Alien 13

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The cameras listed will all give good results for daytime use but its worth remembering that the you need to add up the costs of say a used camera and lenses against a new one sold as a bundle with a manufacturers discount etc.

Alan

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happy-kat

happy-kat

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I have a 1100d and use it for daytime and night time, happy with my choice as I got it for a very good price new at the time and it is a Canon so very interfaceable, be it PC or in my case Android tablet. Plus you can add Magic Lantern. All plus points and why I wont get a Nikon.

You can do lots with a static tripod, crickey it can even be a small bean bag with your camera connected to a intervalometer to fire it.

You can buy a used lens from Ebay for change from £25 (old manual lens plus an adaptor) to get going if you get a body only, you may even have someone in the family with a kit lens they don't use you could borrow.

There are lots of places you could look for a used one to land a good deal/price.

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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Sorry if I'm being annoying now, but I really don't get how megapixels don't matter now? I've always bought cameras and phones over which has a higher megapixel so I'm confused:/ please could someone explain? I'm really new to all things photography

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happy-kat

happy-kat

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Do you want video, do you want flip screen?

Those are the biggest differences and using your DOB a eos with video crop mode could be useful on planets.

Sharpness from my basic understanding is the lens, quality glass on a mediocre body takes a better picture the a mediocre lens on a quality body I read very recently on here.

I use my camera for day and night so won't astro mod it I don't want the hassle of white balance settings or post processing for day time photos.

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brrttpaul

brrttpaul

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Dont be obsessed with pixel count, I know nothing of Canon but they are the market leaders with astro photography. Nikon I think the D4s is about £4000 and its only 16 mega pixels whereas the model down is about £2000  and is either 24 or 36 megapixels, something like that anyway ( I know which one I would have). I am a beginner myself and started with just a tripod and a kit lens (served me well).  I was thinking about this so in my crazy world I have set up my star adventurer and a D7100 with the 55-200 kit lens on set at 200. The other thing I have is an invalometer and paid about a tenner for it, its probably the most underrated piece of kit in the set up but I have just set it to take 399 subs @30 secs exp starting at about 12:30. What its going to turn out like I will find out tomorrow lol. Oh and the plan was to point it towards M81 so  it will put my star hopping/guessing/wild stab in the dark skills to test. Hopefully I will put a pic up tomorrow  fingers crossed.

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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Just read a review of the 1100d and it supplied unedited sample pics, it looks great! I think I might save up for one! So will I be able to use the video function as I use my webcam and then use registax?

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IanL

IanL

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Don't worry about the camera's ISO range. Any of the models suggested will be fine. There will be a marginal benefit from selecting a specific ISO for consumer grade DSLRs due to slightly reduced noise. The best value to use will be somewhere between 200 and 1600 depending on the model but in reality you can process the images after the event to brighten them up even when taken at low ISOs. The main reason for a higher ISO is when you are relying on the camera display to frame and focus the image so you want it to appear bright. If you use software on a laptop or tablet to run the camera, it will stretch and brighten the image for you. More here:

http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/2014/01/do-high-isos-make-dslrs-more-sensitive.html

Of course if you have 30 grand to spare you could get a Canon ME20F-SH, which goes up to ISO4000000. It can shoot full colour HD movies by starlight, but you'd have to put up with a measly 2.6 MP. The large pixels are one of the reasons it is so sensitive. Points to the possibilities of what might come in more modest equipment in the future though.

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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I don't mean to sound like I'm contradicting you, but I'm just reading around, and I've seen that some people think the 100d is good for astrophotography, do you have any opinions on the 100d?

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RichM63

RichM63

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Hey nice website Ian, very informative. :)

If buying 'used' try to find out how the camera has been used and by what sort of photographer. Fr'instance one of the wildlife togs on here can rattle off 5-10k shots per day. Even though his kit is most carefully looked after he has openly stated that he wouldn't sell anyone a camera body.

If the person selling the camera appears to be fairly clueless and the body is not showing signs of wear, chances are that it has only been used for family holidays etc.

High shutter counts are a wear issue, astro work is faily low but very long open shutter work, so more of a heated sensor issue.

Any of the previously mentioned bodies will be OK and IMHO not much to choose between them.

ISO for 400D = 100-1600

ISO for 700D = 100-12800 (would I ever use 12800 = NO CHANCE, the noise would be horrible).

PS if anyone wants me to test an ME20F-SH just sing out. ;)

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Dom1961

Dom1961

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It was way more expensive so I didn't research it when I was looking.

Why not check that link I gave that camera model is reviewed for astro use on that site.

Sorry, which link are we talking about here?

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