Best bang for my buck...well... 'pound'

[danccat]

Looking to upgrade my 1100d and 1200d cannon cameras for astrophotography both DSO's and planetary imaging.  Want to stay with canon... i'd have about £400 to spend... recommendations please!

[Hawksmoor]

I purchased a new Canon 600d unmodded body for just over 200 pounds sterling and have been very pleased with its performance for a range of astro activities.

[ecuador]

Well the only Canons in the mid-low range that have a newer sensor than the one you have are the new 750D/760D which are beyond your stated budget. The only sort of improvement I can see over what you have at a low budget is if you get a 550D which has the same sensor as your 1200D, so you won't see much difference in DSOs, but has a 60fps video crop mode that is good for planetary photography (still, something like a QHY5L-II will give you much better results for planets and it is within your budget). I am assuming you have a modded 1200D - otherwise that right there (the modding) is your "upgrade".

I purchased a new Canon 600d unmodded body for just over 200 pounds sterling and have been very pleased with its performance for a range of astro activities.

If he already has a 1200D he will not see a difference - at least in astro stuff, they use the same sensor. Otherwise the 600D is a great buy right now (and it is indeed better than the 1200D in general).

[happy-kat]

You would get a flip out screen.

[kenny k]

+ one for flip screen.My neck loves it

[Alien 13]

As an upgrade you cant go wrong with the 600/650/700D and the flip screen gives you the option of a fully self contained package for out and about imaging sessions.

If going 2nd hand you might be able to stretch to a 60D or similar check out MPB Photographic.

Alan

[wxsatuser]

A 60d would be the best for both types of imaging.

Flip screen and movie crop plus the 60d has on sensor dark current suppression, no need for darks.

You can forget about hot, dead and stuck pixels as well with the sensor clean function.

[ecuador]

A 60d would be the best for both types of imaging.

Flip screen and movie crop plus the 60d has on sensor dark current suppression, no need for darks.

You can forget about hot, dead and stuck pixels as well with the sensor clean function.

AFAIK on-sensor dark current suppression is present on Canon cameras from some point on (I can't find info on when exactly, presumably the 550D, 600D that share the same sensor with the 60D would have it as well) and it doesn't seem to remove the need for darks when it comes to long exposures (especially at warm temperatures). I mean, otherwise Canon themselves would not be offering the Long Exposure Noise Reduction option, isn't that right?