Need help choosing a camera!

[Ahgii]

Hello! I am looking forward to buying a camera good for both landscaping and astrophotography/planetary imaging and all that. A small preference would be having panoramic view option ( moving the camera for getting widefield images by combining multiple pictures). Also T 1,25 adapter is a must. Clear skies!

[ronin]

Just for clarity explain "landscaping".

For astrophotography a DSLR will do, not good for planetary as that really uses a video to get/produce images. A "dedicated" astrophotography camera is these days usually the ZWO ASI series of cameras. Half suggest the 178 in either colour or mono. The uncooled one is not too costly and the sensor is not the smallest, nor the biggest.

The panoramic you seem to describe is stitching of images and that is commonly available software.

Also unsure of the T 1.25 adaptor, you buy the T-piece for the DSLR - if it is to be a DSLR. I assume there are 1.25" items but they may be too narrow for illumination of a DSLR sensor. If something like the ZWO then they are intended for a 1.25" focuser I believe anyway.

The ZWO's will do long exposure and video but for plantets you could use a half decent webcam attached to your PC, then you buy a reasonable used DSLR body.

Still wondering if "landscaping" means a picture of a tree in a field or a bridge over the Dâmbovița river.

[Ahgii]

5 hours ago, ronin said:

Just for clarity explain "landscaping".

For astrophotography a DSLR will do, not good for planetary as that really uses a video to get/produce images. A "dedicated" astrophotography camera is these days usually the ZWO ASI series of cameras. Half suggest the 178 in either colour or mono. The uncooled one is not too costly and the sensor is not the smallest, nor the biggest.

The panoramic you seem to describe is stitching of images and that is commonly available software.

Also unsure of the T 1.25 adaptor, you buy the T-piece for the DSLR - if it is to be a DSLR. I assume there are 1.25" items but they may be too narrow for illumination of a DSLR sensor. If something like the ZWO then they are intended for a 1.25" focuser I believe anyway.

The ZWO's will do long exposure and video but for plantets you could use a half decent webcam attached to your PC, then you buy a reasonable used DSLR body.

Still wondering if "landscaping" means a picture of a tree in a field or a bridge over the Dâmbovița river.

Well i would prefer something that can do all that i mentioned at least decently at a reasonable price, nothing in special. By landscaping i mean going somwhere with a nice view and photographing it, also probably family pictures ocasionally. And i would prefer having the panoramic option integrated since im more of a point and shoot type. Thank you and Clear skies!

[Waldemar]

I have been searching for the camera you are talking about as long as I can remember.... I am almost 70 years old and in astronomy since the early 80's

In the mean time I bought a SBIG STF8300, a SX TRIUS 36 (mono) and an ATIK 4120EX (OSC) for DSO, an ASI 174 MMcool for sun and moon, a LodeStar for  guiding and a Canon 40D for nature photography. Not to talk about the ones I owned and sold again...

So, I've never been able to find it. If you do, please let me know.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Waldemar

[ronin]

The landscaping bit means you are looking at a DSLR.

Usually people go for a Canon, standard alternatives being Nikon and Sony, my DSLR is a Sony but they are all very similar. Canon's have a good amount of software to support them, although the basic AP requires little.

Feature wise you need one on which you can turn off the Noise Reduction feature - you take Darks instead. Not all allow you to do this and it is useful. When you take an image in AP the sensor willget hot so after each exposure allow it to cool down before the next. Easy option is cool down = exposure length, so a 30 second exposure becomes 60 seconds in overall duration. Equally the additional time does allow the DSLR to complete all the tasks required after getting an image - like writing it tothe memory card.

The DSLR will need to be able for future use take images in RAW format, may not be necessary immediatly as DSS will stack jpegs to some extent, So start on jpegs and advance to RAW. RAW files are biggerso this is when the cool down/wait time is useful.

You will also need to buy an Intervalometer, or Remote Timer - Amazon about £20 say 25€ - finding one for older Nikons can be difficult or just impossible.

For the AP a smaller and so lighter item is advantaguous (weight) also useful for general use, they get heavy fast.

Not sure of the availability of used DSLR's. Reasonably common here. You can take simple wide field shots with DSLR and the standard lens then stack. Good practise for getting the DSLR and Intervalomer set up right, and then adding Darks into it all.

Don't think you can do panoramic shots directly, used to be able on one of the film cameras, think it was a Sony actually, but they in effect maintained a slit for the shutter, and the camera rotated. May have used 2 or 3 "normal" exposure lengths of the film. Don't think it is an option on a DSLR, or simply is not offered. Wouldn't a video with you panning across be similar? This may be what replaced the panoramic option. As said the way to get one is take 3 slightly overlapping shots then stitch them into one. Easy enough. Then you crop the composite to get the image you want.

[TareqPhoto]

Canon 6D or if you can afford it Canon 5D Mark IV

[iapa]

14 hours ago, Ahgii said:

Hello! I am looking forward to buying a camera good for both landscaping and astrophotography/planetary imaging and all that. A small preference would be having panoramic view option ( moving the camera for getting widefield images by combining multiple pictures). Also T 1,25 adapter is a must. Clear skies!

I have Canon 70D that I use for land based (nice vistas or family) and have used for astroimaging (although I've not done any planetary).

For combining multiple landscape images to get a wider panorama I have photoshop.

[Ahgii]

5 hours ago, TareqPhoto said:

Canon 6D or if you can afford it Canon 5D Mark IV

Those cameras are far beyond my budget. I was looking for something in the 500-550 range maybe a bit higher. Thank you! 

[Ahgii]

6 hours ago, iapa said:

I have Canon 70D that I use for land based (nice vistas or family) and have used for astroimaging (although I've not done any planetary).

For combining multiple landscape images to get a wider panorama I have photoshop.

The 70d is just a little over my budget but i may be able to find a sale. Seems like a good choice anyways, If you know any dslr that i might like in the 500-550 range, maybe a bit higher please tell me. Thank you and clear skies!

[iapa]

Maybe a 2nd hand 700D?

I managed to pick up a 2nd 600D which been modified for Astro photography for around the £200 mark. A clip in filter could be added to correct white balance for your non-Astro work?

 

[Ahgii]

3 minutes ago, iapa said:

Maybe a 2nd hand 700D?

I managed to pick up a 2nd 600D which been modified for Astro photography for around the £200 mark. A clip in filter could be added to correct white balance for your non-Astro work?

 

I am really lucky! Found an unopened 700d for only 400 dollars! Seems like something fitted for me, thank you!

[iapa]

Well done

[TareqPhoto]

Good, congrats in advance!