Attaching my DSLR to my telescope

[Ovi]

Hello! I know someone who has a DSLR that he doesn't need it anymore and he will give it to me. It's a Sony DSC-HX1. How can I connect it to my telescope? I'm not sure, but by looking at photos it seems like the lens' are integrated(please correct me if i'm wrong) . My telescope is a TS Megastar 150 /1400. Thanks!

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi Ovi. 

This is going to be interesting. I think you may have issues...

• I do not think it is a 'true' DSLR.
• from what I have seen on some camera/photo sites, I think the lens is fixed/integrated and comes in/out of the body and is non-removable.

I have an Olympus C-2040 --->...and the lens is integrated to the body when powered on/off. The black 'tube' is a CLA adaptor, (front left of camera), and is specific for the Olympus C-2XXX series. The side that is facing upwards with the writing has a female T-thread so I can attach any male T-thread accessory to it and the other end it screws directly to the camera body where the lens is.

This image --->...shows the camera with the lens retracted, (powered off). 

Whether there is a specific adaptor for your possible/intended camera maybe limited. If you do buy the camera, you may have to hand hold the camera over the eyepiece or think of some other method of attaching/securing to your telescope.

There are 'universal' camera brackets for attaching digital compact cameras to telescopes such as this type ---> 

My advice at the moment is that you will need to test them both before buying or buy a DSLR with removable lenses.

I am sure other SGL'ers with more experience will advise what to recommend.

[lenscap]

The Sony  DSC-HX1 has a 20X zoom lens that goes up to 560mm focal length.

You may get some good astro photos without attaching it to a telescope at all!

Here is a review;

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydschx1

[RT65CB-SWL]

Following on from my earlier reply, here is an image, (with optical zoom), of Montes Appeninus area of the Moon I took several years ago...

...taken with my C-2040 attached to my Meade ETX105 + 20mm Plossl inserted in an eyepiece projection unit/adaptor, (as shown in the photo below).

 

Useful tip... if you do get the Sony DSC-HX1, only use optical zoom, don't use digital zoom.

[Aldebaran5]

I think this is  a Bridge camera which has an integrated lens so not a true DSLR. You can always try and piggy back the camera on the telescope to get our pictures and use the telescope for guidance. 

[Stub Mandrel]

It's a bridge camera. As has been said you can stack picture taken with it. I have had some success with my Nikon bridge (that has a rather longer zoom) even getting the rings of Saturn and bands on jupiter (at a tiny size!) and was even able top stack these tiny wobbly images to get recognisable planets!

You will certainly be able to image the moon with great success; take about 50 pictures and stack them using free programs such as PIPP, Registax and Autostakkert!3

Attaching to a scope will be fraught, unless you can switch off the auto-off function. Otherwise it will go to sleep and attempt to retract the lens. This will either cause it to stall or dump the camera on the floor.

Here's what you can expect from moon shots with a single well-focused and a stack of bridge camera images.