Struggle with my Canon 1300D

[Richard Hather]

I've tried a few times to use the family camera for astrophotography without much success.

I use a T adaptor to attach the camera to the diagonal on my 6SE telescope.

Then when I try to take a picture more often then not it flashes up unable to do this on live mode or in certain settings tries to use the flash which bangs into the telescope which then means I have to turn the camera on and off.

Ive tried some settings in manual mode and a couple of other options but without much luck.

I am new to this and I only want some nice images of the moon and planets to begin with?

Richard

[tooth_dr]

Is the camera on 'M' - manual mode?   I dont think the flash should pop up if this mode is selected.  It'll work ok for the moon but not ideal for planets.  Are you able to get focus on the moon ok?

[Richard Hather]

Yes I've tried in manual mode with the flash off and that's when the message unable to take picture in live mode pops up?

Richard

[JemC]

The instructions should be in the manual, but just in case you do not have one, check out this site, it explains which settings you need to change,

http://support-th.canon-asia.com/contents/TH/EN/8202836400.html

Regards

[happy-kat]

I could be wrong but I don't think you should have the diagonal in. Can you see the Moon in focus on the LCD when you use the diagonal?

[Richard Hather]

Thank you i will try a few more settings and see if I have more luck.

Richard

[spillage]

If you have a laptop it might be easier using the canon software or download apt for free. As happy-kat suggests remove the diagonal and connect the camera directly into the back of the scope.

You may find it easier to test in daylight..just keep away from the sun.

When you get the focus close it might be worth attaching a clothes peg to the focuser to make small adjustments.

[Richard Hather]

I knew it would be something simple I will try without the diagonal in and see if that makes a difference.

Sometimes the moon is in focus but it still won't take the picture?

Richard

[happy-kat]

I'll have a think later because i have had times at night with camera and kit lens and the shutter wiold not fire I did something to fix this but can't recall what right now.

[Richard Hather]

Thank you I appreciate your help it probably is something simple in the setting or as you said because I had the diagonal in I couldn't get focus.

Richard

[Alien 13]

A couple of additional point to those already mentioned, use manual mode and make sure the ISO setting is around 100-400 for lunar and not set to auto, the Camera is a Wi Fi model so you can use the Canon EOS utilities remotely with a laptop or the Canon camera connect app if you want to view and shoot with a mobile phone or tablet.

Alan

[ronin]

Do not have a Canon but on mine you cannot really just select M as the mode of operation. First you need to manually set the ISO, try 800. Then you have to set the mode to S and set the exposure length try 20 seconds. I also have the P mode set to no flash, if it is in A mode then the flash is Automatically selected by the camera if it so decides. Maybe on mine if "Not mode = A" then it defaults to my setting of no flash - just a thought. Sure there is another thing I set also (??).

On a Canon find the Noise Reduction and turn that off.

After all that I set the camera to M and take images for DSS processing which is what you want. The ISO should not make a problem but I could suspct that the exposure length might. I equally suspect that part of the problem is that although setting are defined the camera still works out if what you have selected makes sense and will either complain in the staus display or they may simply refuse to do it.

Camera manufacturers are giving the person holding the camera less and less manual control and just maybe Canon have taken it to that extent on yours. As in the camera has decided that it all makes no sense so bad luck, no exposure.

Finally, never found Live View to do much, the night sky on mine is just too dim to allow an image on the rear screen in real time. Image appears after a 20 second exposure and when I request to see it. Yours may I suppose just be saying "Too dim to use Live View".

[Richard Hather]

Success the camera at least worked I think my exposure was to high maybe I should have used a 2x Barlow but I had company and I wanted to show them as much as possible.

But I used a 1/20th exposure and ISO 800 which I think got me the moons but washed out the bands and detail on Jupiter.

What settings would I use to get the detail and bands and would I benefit using a Barlow?

Im very happy I got an image last night though all thanks to not using my diagonal ? Thanks everyone for your input ?

Richard

[happy-kat]

That's great. I think it is exposure for the moons and then exposure for the planet, it is not one size fits both. 

[Swithin StCleeve]

5 hours ago, Richard Hather said:

Success the camera at least worked I think my exposure was to high maybe I should have used a 2x Barlow but I had company and I wanted to show them as much as possible.

But I used a 1/20th exposure and ISO 800 which I think got me the moons but washed out the bands and detail on Jupiter.

What settings would I use to get the detail and bands and would I benefit using a Barlow?

Im very happy I got an image last night though all thanks to not using my diagonal ? Thanks everyone for your input ?

Richard

Hi Richard.

I'm new to astrophography too. That's a nice sharp image, when you alter the ISO/shutter speed, you'll get the bands, but the moons will become much fainter! That's what I've found. I don't think you can get both, unless you do a composite image later. Good luck! (some recent Jupiter pictures on my blog)