Alignment with the camera in place

[glennbech]

For my last wide field images (500mm ish) I've been alignming with the DSLR attached to the scope. I just press the button that illuminates the 7 auto-focus points, and place the alignment star in the center "square". For wide field work this is more than accurate enough; and now I can do entirely without Eye Pieces :-) Anyone else do this?

[Psychobilly]

Hi Glenn,

I used to do the same with the D200 saved messing about changing things over and having to make large focus adjustments.

Billy...

[beamish]

It occurred to me just the other night !

Karlo

[brendant]

Funny , that's how I thought everyone else does it.

This trick also works very well when doing a 2 or 3 star Skyscan alignment to correctly center the star in the field of view, especially on a short focal length refractor where you could be a long way out of alignment by eye. I generally leave the camera on the scope with the focus locked and it makes it much easier for setting back up again rather than reinserting the eyepieces to do the alignments.

Brendan

[cygnusx1]

Of course all this assumes the alignment stars are bright enuf to see thru the viewfinder

[Reggie]

The alignment stars are usually the brightest ones in the sky Kev

[cygnusx1]

The alignment stars are usually the brightest ones in the sky Kev

true, usually altho sometimes the fainter ones seem better placed to select!

[jgs001]

Never thought of doing that... I'll give that a go next time.

[Reggie]

I'd have a go myself, but my dslr is attached to my imaging scope and my alignment accuracy isn't good enough (I don't think) to get me an alignment star on the FOV of a philips webcam.