attaching nikon dslr to 70 x 700mm refractor telescope

[prof91]

Hi I have just obtained a 70 x700mm refractor scope an would like to attach my Nikon d7000 camera, I have a T2 thread/bayonet ring and extension tube to 1.25" , it fits into eye piece of telescope but no way of securing it eyepiece has thread which has a ring with screw to secure eye piece but camera attachment only fits when I remove eye piece ring, then extension tube slides inside of tube I do not know size of thread on eye piece.

Telescope is a Zennox so only a cheap starter to see if I get good enough to justify buying a better telescope at a later date.

would be grateful if anyone can help.

[Cornelius Varley]

Can you post some photos of how you are trying to attach the camera to the telescope ?

[noah4x4]

Looking at an image of the Zennox 76 x 700 (e.g. on Amazon)  it appears to me as if the main eyepiece holder tube and focuser is welded, glued or riveted to the OTA. My guess is that it takes only 1.25" eyepieces? If what you have is a standard Nikon T-Ring and extension tube with a routine (larger) 'SCT' fitting; you will never get it to fit into the 1.25" tube. 

You probably need a narrower extension tube that will fit into the 1.25" holder. A "1.25 inch to Nikon DSLR F-Mount telescope T-adapter ring" supplied by Camerapix might possibly work (Search Amazon to find), but don't blame me if it doesn't. XCSource also appear to make one. This costs  £14 so possibly worth a punt. But it will be useless with anything other than cheap inferior telescopes.

No disrespect,  you are seeking to attach a sophisticated £700 + DSLR camera to a telescope costing less than a tenth of that.  Even if you found the right component it begs the question will the results be so poor that you become disillusioned? You can't put lipstick on a pig and make it beautiful. The reviews for the Zennox are pretty awful. You run the risk that this will deter you rather than see you progress to the joys of astrophotography. But hope this helps.

[barkis]

I have to agree with Noah.  The combination you are trying  to match,  is likely to produce rather uninspiring results.  You probably would be better using your camera with a wide field lens and image areas of the Milky Way with 30 second exposures on the Bulb setting. They can  be quite pleasing results.  Experiment a bit with Different  ISO and exposure settings. 

[prof91]

Thanks for reply I realize it is a cheap scope but was a gift so hope to learn a bit as a newcomer before investing in better equipment.

[prof91]

Thanks to all for replies I will just use the scope to learn a bit more using my books and will invest in a decent telescope have more time to get into it now I am retired.

I have been experimenting with my wide angle lens and am improving on astrophotography and will be getting out on to Dartmoor for better results with no light pollution.

Kind regards to you all

Alan Pye

 

[happy-kat]

Just wanted to say you don't need a telescope for astrophotography, you might already own other lenses for your camera. Your telescope is a great start into observing it will have so much more reach than your own eyes, but I expect the tripod won't be upto balancing with a camera as well as the telescope. Why not hunt out that comet that is there now, Honda. With your telescope when on Dartmoor. And leave your camera taking wide field area images of the same location. Capture it on camera and see it with your own eyes.