Good DSLR Camera for Astro-photography?

[Raazor]

Hello,

I am looking for guidance on a good DSLR camera to use for general photography as well as shooting through my telescope.

I would like to be able to take great pictures of the sun and planets as well as nebulae and galaxies.

I am familiar with the Canon EOS line, but not much else, and would like to spend from $500 - $800, roughly.

I'd like to know if this is a realistic expectation, and what other camera models are recommended for this type of application.

Thanks so much!

[billyharris72]

I went with Nikon, but if I had my time again I'd go for Canon. Not for optical reasons (they're both good) but because that's what most people seem to use, so the support software, filters etc are mostly designed with Canon in mind. Canon also have free software to control the camera from a PC (Nikon charge). Any half decent EOS should do fine, and there are plenty of good images of nebulae and galaxies taken with DSLRs. For planets, you are actually better off using a modified webcam or dedicated asto video camera (see for example the ZWO ones, which seem good value) as the workflow is very different (it involves stacking thousands of very short exposure images to overcome the distroting effects of atmospheric seeing conditions, which are a problem at high magifications).

[gonzostar]

I have being using a Canon 450d DSLR for the past couple of years.Which i have being told is ideal for starting out.  I have not being disappointed with it for galaxies, nebulas. However thinking of getting a dedicated astro camera for planets.

[happy-kat]

Assuming new then I'd look in the xxxd range with an articulated screen such as a canon 600d. The later models I think like the 750d has wifi as well which at least one member I've read finds useful. If buying second hand then a canon 550d has a neat video crop mode giving better planet/Moon image as the object doesn't end up soooo tiny on the video I understand.

[HunterHarling]

If I were you I would get a used rebel or something and modify it.

[Buzzard75]

I've been looking at cameras myself. As someone else stated, I've found there seems to be more support for Canon in terms of filters and add-ons than some of the other manufacturers. We have a Canon EOS Rebel T4i, but I've been looking at getting a cheap, used T3i that I can tear apart and modify if I wanted. If you intend to do both general photography and astrophotography, you're probably not going to be tearing it apart and modifying it. And for $500-800, you can actually get a pretty nice camera. I'm only looking at spending $200-300 because of what I might do to it.

[michael8554]

Hi Raazor

I would buy an astro modded Canon. 

For general use too it needs the IR Cut Filter replacing with a Baader BCF filter, and the sensor reshimmed to preserve autofocus.

Then decide whether a tilting LCD screen is required to save neck-crick.

Then for planetary video, 1:1 LiveView x5, or 1:1 Movie Crop Mode:

http://www.astropix.com/html/i_astrop/eq_tests/canon_one_to_one_pixel_resolution.html

Michael

 

[Merlin66]

Micheal,

if the internal color correction filter is replaced with a Baader then there is no need to re-shim the sensor position.

I use my FULL full spectrum (both filters removed) with a clip in filter for use with standard lenses.

 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

18 hours ago, billyharris72 said:

I went with Nikon, but if I had my time again I'd go for Canon. Not for optical reasons (they're both good) but because that's what most people seem to use, so the support software, filters etc are mostly designed with Canon in mind.

I agree Canon are still the best budget option, because of low cost, ease of modding, compatibility with cheap M42 lenses and good software support. On the other hand, I'm hearing the Nikon sensors are a bit more sensitive (slightly higher QE), and there is modified firmware available for most recent models to work around the 'star eater' noise reduction problems they had in the past - they are certainly capable of good results.

[billyharris72]

Indeed, I've not had any issues with the Nikon as such. Fortunately the Star Eater thing has not been an issue for their last few cameras - I think from the D90 onwards they changed the noise reduction and it now works quite well. Good point about M42 lenses - these don't focus to infinity on Nikon cameras without an adapter that introduces more glass (cheap glass, with lots of CA) into the optical path. That's a big plus for the Canon route.

[michael8554]

15 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

Micheal,

if the internal color correction filter is replaced with a Baader then there is no need to re-shim the sensor position.

I use my FULL full spectrum (both filters removed) with a clip in filter for use with standard lenses.

I was quoting from one of the UK modding companies.

On re-reading I see they remove BOTH filters - on the basis that the remaining filter also has some anti-aliasing that reduces resolution.

They go on to say that even with the Baader BCF the sensor needs shimming to correct autofocus.

Out of interest, how clean do you manage to keep your no-filters sensor?

Mine has a number of persistent in-focus dust particles, rather than out-of-focus bunnies on the more usual remaining LPF-1.

Michael

[Merlin66]

Michael,

I haven't had any problems with dust since I fitted the Astronomik Clear clip-in filter.

The clip in certainly seems to work for me, and allows standard lenses to focus OK.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

I have no interest in using my 450D for earthly imaging, so I removed the cyan filter (that cuts the IR really heavily).

As well as using it with scopes I have done some truly evil things to several lenses to achieve infinity focus.

[newbie alert]

Any DSLR will do the job..you just need to take these factors on board..most use canons for the ease of getting it modded for use with nebulae..you will struggle to find someone to mod a Nikon.. for use with galaxies,nebula and the full disc of the sun and moon a DSLR will be fantastic assuming your mount is capable of tracking long enough for long exposures..

For the planets a designated planetary camera such as the zwo,altair,qhy,point grey etc will be far superior to any DSLR,due to the smaller pixels and rapid frames per second rates..for dso you need long exposures..for planets you need high frame rates  and do what's known as lucky imaging where say a minute  of video is split up into frames and the best ones stacked to give a cleaner image..

What scope are you using?

[alacant]

Why not get 2 cameras? E.g. 2 x 1200d cameras fall within your budget. Body only to modify for astro stuff and the other with a lens for day. HTH.

[iapa]

I started using the Nikon D90 that I had, but, after some time, and research o thus site, consensus seemed to be Canon where a bit better suited.

nikons will automatically take a 'dark' to reduce noice, and they also do more processing of the image internally 

as my D90 was getting near to needing replaced SWMBO said to buy a Canon - unable to refuse such instruction - I went for a 700D.

images where sharper and I ran that for a few months

i then got a 600D which had had internal filters removed (Astro modded) and there was certainly more detail capture at the red end of the spectrum.

somewhere, I posted a couple of side by side comaraison images where only the camera was change.

ive since moved to a CMOS mono camera now, ZWO 1600mm 

[Raazor]

Thank you all for the great responses and input!  Per the feedback, I will be going with a Canon.  I still need to finalize the model 700D looked promising but I will revisit that.  Newbie Alert asked what scope I'm using.  It is a Celestron Inspire 90AZ that my wife got me for Christmas.  I will upgrade before too long, but for now, that's what I'm using.  (I'm truly a newbie  ).  Thanks again for all the great input!

[iapa]

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[Adam J]

If you are really wanting to spend that amount then get a canon 6D you will not regret it. I have seen many great images from that camera. The only thing that I would note is that for that kind of money you are nearly into dedicated astro camera territory.

[TareqPhoto]

If it is general photography then anyu or many camera will be just good,

For astrophotography, i have dozens of cameras but i never think about using any for astro, so i simply went with a dedicated astro camera, first with ASI120MC for planetary, then QHY163M for everything else, and i can't be happier with those choices regardless i didn't use QHY yet, modding my DSLR won't give me happiness for long time and i am still thinking to sell them as stock so i can upgrade to newer DSLRs if possible, so getting Canon for Astro isn't my good idea to be honest, and that is me only. 

[andrewthomasnyc]

I bave a canon 1dx, canon 5dmk3 and a sony a7r. I will choose sony a7r over and over again for this type of photography. It is jist more sensative to light and you get a trie reading in your lcd view compared to canon which looks good in preview and when you get home and look on a computer the image  is usually darker then hoped

not to mention you can put any lens on a sony because they sell adaptors for every lens to fit

[happy-kat]

Has the sony a7r been updated to not eat stars on longer exposures? As far as I had read that model exhibits the problem.

Edit - there is a thread about this and a petition to Sony to make this a user choice whether stars are removed by the noise algorithms and the a7r is listed as an effected model amogst other Sony cameras.. 

[mikey2000]

I love my Sony A6000 for AP.    The only catch is that it isn't that well (or at all) supported by the 'usual' AP applications.  I still make it work though as I bought it before I started astro shooting.  It's a nice compact daytime camera too.  For AP, the noise is very low.  I've never seen banding or any pattern noise. The live view is top-notch and very useful for focusing.  I just wish it was more sensitive to the Astro colours.  I can't dare to get it modified but I'm starting to think about getting a second had A5000 for modification.  (Same sensort, I think).  I've not been affected by the Sony Star eater as with my EQ3 setup, stars tend to be larger than one pixel; at 6000x4000 APS-C anything smaller or equal to 1 pixel is basically invisible anyway)

 

Deep down, I think I want a dedicated Astro Camera....

[RAWBob]

I have the a6000 too, lots of adapters for it and it works perfectly for solar and moon/planet shots, but no idea how well it will work with DSO's, I will be testing that soon enough.  I also have a Nikon D7200 and a D610, both work extremely well.  Not sure if I will mod any of them, I do a lot of regular photography and I'm just getting into this game, I have an awful lot to learn.

 

Bob