Canon 50D... Astrophotography worthy?

[Ccolvin968]

Aside from my fun little experiment with the smartphone adaptor for binoculars and telescopes, I'm very interested in starting to build up my equipment for "real deal" astrophotography. I have two DSLR's. One is a Canon 5D MKII. It is currently inop and has to be sent in for repairs or replacement. I'm glad I had a 50D as a backup camera. I'm very familiar with cameras, their operation, and technical terms. I'm wondering if the 50D would be acceptable as an astrophotography camera. If so, then I need a good beginners mount, and a good beginner astrophototography scope. I've been in the visual astronomy field for three years with a scope, and since a kid with naked eye observing and binoculars. What should i expect my initial investment to look like money spent wise? So... Summed up... I need a good mount and tripod, and a scope since a 10" dob won't be able to accomplish much, a scope. I'm open to all suggestions.

[alan potts]

I should have thought the 50D would work fine, I have a 40D and although I only put it on a HEQ 5 Pro mount which was not well polar aligned I got a very good first time result. I was using a 300mm Canon L lens focused on the stars and set at F4, it is a little faster than that but I read somewhere it is good to stop the lens down from maximum.

I just pointed it somewhere near Deneb and opened the shutter for about 2 minutes, the result was fairly good and I did wonder if I tried then I could really get some decent shots, more than that is on the to do list. Other members on here take excellent Astro Photo's with lesser cameras.

You may well be best to wait for scope and mount recommendations from people that know what they are talking about, I am sure some will answer shortly. 

[happy-kat]

Or stick with camera and lenses and look at a staradventurer as an option.

[Ccolvin968]

What is a staradventurer?

[happy-kat]

One of these

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-star-adventurer-astronomy-bundle.html

Quite a few members have one so there are posts on them and what members are doing.