DSLR requirements?

[Guest]

i've been trawling the internet the past few days to try and find a camera requirements for imaging DSO. it's my other halfs birthday at the end of the month and she's expressed some interest in photography, which works out conveniently for me as well haha. but i see a massive range in cameras ranging from £279 all the way to £3,599+ (way way way out of budget). if i can narrow the requirements somehow i can see what fits both our needs but thats proving quite a task. the cheapest i can find new is the CANON EOS 1300D DSLR but after finding said requirements it may not prove suitable. any help would be appreciated

thanks 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

The cheapest suitable models would be 2nd hand Canons such as the 450D, 1100D, 600D or 100D, Canons have good software support for AP and are easy to get modded for improved Ha sensitivity (however, doing this messes up the colour balance for daylight photography, I got a new daytime camera when I had mine modded). A 1300D would be fine. For a bit more money I've been hearing good things about some of the Nikons such as the D5300 but haven't tried one myself.

Here's an example shot taken with my modded 1100D, a 2 minute exposure from a tracking mount using a fast 14mm f2.8 lens.

(From a dark site, processed to remove vignetting and reduce noise.)

Hope that's some help.

[Guest]

this is where it gets a little confusing for me. ill take the canon 1100D as an example. with a lens they seem to be about £200+ used, while the 1300D is £280 new. the 1100D is 12.2MP and the 1300D 18MP but the sensor is about the same size which packs more pixels into a smaller area. that tells me it could achieve finer detail. it just seems better to buy the new 1300D than a used 1100D at close to the same price. which is why im finding things a little confusing. is it just a case that the cameras resell value is still quite high?

[happy-kat]

Just before Christmas a used Canon 550d body only went for £90 on ebay, 550d has a good video mode useful if interested in imaging planets with a DSLR.

A flip out screen is a useful feature I understand so a used Canon 600d would have a flip screen and about £200 for a body on MPB (I have't used them but often look at the gear they have).

I have a 1100d and use it connected to my Android 7 inch tablet and the connectivity is great, which is why I didn't look at Nikon.

[SteveNickolls]

Hi Dakaar, 

I use the Canon 600D for DSO imaging and find the articulated Live View screen very useful. The more recent 700D additionally has touch screen capability and the even more recent 750D wi-fi connectivity for controlling imaging. If you are looking at a modified new camera then Astronomiser (in Mansfield Woodhouse) might meet your needs.

Good luck whichever way you decide to go.

Cheers,
Steve

[Guest]

i didn't even know we had a mod shop near by :D. due to the fact it will be used by both me and the other half (it is her present after all :)) and not enough budget for 2 mod would be out of the question. i am toying with the idea of buying myself a body only though. as i don't believe i will need the lenses. that one could be modded. 

am i right in the modding is just to remove the ir filter to allow more reds through? or are there other mods?

[happy-kat]

For astronomy use you can buy old manual m42 lenses on eBay very cheaply and about £10 for the eos to m42 adaptor.