What DSLR do you use and Why ?

[Neiman]

Hiya, I’ve just been buying the gear that I need to start imaging with my Celestron 9.25 sct. I’ve bought a 6.3 focal reducer, I’ve bought an off axis guider ( yes - I have heard they can be temperamental to set up ) and I’m thinking about getting the Zwo asi290mm mini camera for guiding. The main camera that I want will need some saving for lol. So I was going to buy a 2nd hand DSLR but don’t know what I should be looking for in it ? What DSLR do you use and why ? 
cheers

Neil

[Ouroboros]

An unmodded Canon 450D for the simple reason that it's the camera I already had when I took up astrophotography 8 or 9 years ago.  It was quite a popular camera for astrophotography around that time. I seem to recall reading that it has as good if not slightly better noise to similar DSLRs, though later models may be better. I believe it was one of the first Canons  two have live view, which means it can be focused and the image framed at the scope.  It's still going strong, but it is a bit of a vintage camera compared with the many CCD and CMOS one shot colour cameras. 

Here's an image I took with this camera a few weeks ago really as a test run of using KStars EKOS software on my MacBook to control my mount, guiding and image taking. [33 x 300s subs, plus flats and bias, no darks, dithered. 400ISO] 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Ouroboros

[Neiman]

That my friend is a fantastic photo. Thanks for sharing your opinion on a DSLR. It’s really helped

[bottletopburly]

Have a look at secondhand camera sites such as Wex , camera jungle , mpb.com  as opposed to eBay here you can see condition how many clicks and you do get a warranty rather than buying blind , canon seems to be the main make of Astro dslr, 600d seems a good dslr which I was going to get  I have been using a 1000d canon , but instead I went for Nikon D5300  red version 24mp mint condition 1800 clicks for £275 body only it all depends on your budget .

[carastro]

I used to use the Canon EOS 450D and it was a great camera, but later moved over to Mono CCD imaging.  My 450D I kept as it still had uses such as Lunar eclipse, milky way, comets.  However it would not power up after a few years, and so I bought a 1100D to replace it, also seems to work well.  I don't know anything about more recent models, but if you are using a computer, get one with live view (or you will kick yourself for focussing), if you are not using a computer one of those LED screens that flap out and rotate would be very handy.

Carole 

[happy-kat]

I don't use a laptop and I don't have an articulated screen but I do use a 1100d controlled by an Android phone running DSLR Controller application which is very good and useful.

[City9Town0]

Modded 450D.... Cheap, useful to learn on.

I hope to go CMOS/CCD narrowband etc. in the near future.

[Grimbles]

Plus 1 for the 450d or the 500d.  I use a modded 500d now but originally the 450d, both very good and pretty cheap to pick up secondhand. 

[Tommohawk]

One of the Canon range is probably favourite - Nikon cameras are fine but there is more astro related software for Canon.

Astro - modded is probably best, although you can get this done for about £60 ish I think. Articulated screen may save you getting into some odd positions, although a link to the laptop does make control and focusing easier. If you are going to do planetary you'll find crop-mode is really helpful. But if youre using an ASI 290mm for guiding that'll be your planetary camera.

Have fun!

[RT65CB-SWL]

I have 2x Nikon DSLR's ...D40x and D80 - I have not yet attempted or done any astrophotography with either at the present time. 

Prior to that [and still use] a Nikon Coolpix 900 and an Olympus Camedia C2040.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Philip R

[alacant]

6 hours ago, Neiman said:

What DSLR

Hi. We use both an eos450d and eos700d. My preference is for the former. The latter seems less sensitive, maybe because it has smaller pixels. You can pick up a faulty one of either -it doesn't need autofocus nor any of the automatic exposure modes- cheaply. Both are economical to modify at a later date should you feel the need.

HTH

 

[CloudMagnet]

Another one for the Canon 450d over here. Great camera going strong after many years of use before using for astronomy. Easy to use and should be easy enough to pick up at a low price now.

I would love to have a go at a newer CCD camera to see if there is much difference between them but the picutre above gives me hope that the old timer will still work well.

 

[Neiman]

I’ve looked at the 450d and they are a cracking price for a 2nd hand one in great condition, and the responses seem to suggest that it’s also a cracking camera for some astrophotography. The only draw back I can see is unlike the 750d it doesn’t have the swiveley / flippy screen - which ( as a bad back sufferer ) May be of use and make it a touch more user friendly. The downside with the 750d its nearly 3 times the price ! ! !

[JamesF]

Chalk up another 450D from me.  I've had it quite a few years and done a lot of lunar/solar imaging with it as well as some deep sky imaging too.  I was still using it for lunar until recently in fact, but I'm now working on switching over to an ASI174MM and doing mosaics for full-disc lunar.

Some of the later models seem to be considerably more noisy.  This may be a little out of date now, but perhaps is still worth a browse:

http://dslrmodifications.com/DSLRcomparison.html

James

[alacant]

22 minutes ago, Neiman said:

flippy screen

Hi. Not really an advantage; even with the flip screen, it's a lot easier to view Images and control the camera via your 'phone.

HTH

Edited October 19, 2019 by alacant

[City9Town0]

I do all the control via laptop.

Only 'crawling' is lining up the red dot finder for my first alignment star.

[City9Town0]

As a novice I got this, modded 450D and Sigma 150-600 and star adventurer.

[bottletopburly]

Don’t think the 750d is a good Astro camera maybe @Alien 13 can clarify 

[ollypenrice]

In your focally reduced scope the 450D is going to be working at about 0.7 arcseconds per pixel. You can't bin because it's one shot colour. This means you'll be massively over sampled and each pixel will be getting very little light, so your signal to noise ratio will be poor. And you have no hope of resolving real detail at 0.7"PP. Nothing, literally nothing, is going to make a DSLR the right camera to use at your focal length. It's important to get your head round why this is. But...

...but you can start with a DSLR, of course. It will be a very inefficient imaging system. The focal length will require very long exposure times and will crop your field of view without giving you any more real detail than a shorter focal length. You'll still get pictures, though. If I sound very negative it's because I just want to suggest that you ask yourself how much money you want to throw at a system which will never be a good one. A cheap DSLR to get you started, why not? But I wouldn't get drawn into buying an expensive one.

What your long focal length needs is big pixels, not small ones. Big pixel cameras are going out of fashion but long focal length owners like you can go down the monochrome route, when the time comes, and bin their pixels 2x2 to make them, in effect, four times as big and more efficient.

I don't think anyone so far has recommended Steve Richards' book: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html  If most of what I've said sounds like gibberish (you wouldn't be the first to say so!) you'll find it very helpful.

Olly

[happy-kat]

The 600d had articulated screen and should I think work with DSLR Controller (450d only basic support). The 700d and above I read on here not so good something too so with the focus mechanism change @Alien 13 might be able to share which models effected.

[City9Town0]

I'm with Olly.... I already had an old 450D that I got modded and use with my Canon and Sigma lenses as I 'test the water' with imaging. Having really enjoyed using the DSLR but seen some limitations.......

Having decided that this is a hobby I enjoy...The next step is the financial outlay of second-hand mount and scope (done)... and now I'm looking CMOS/CCD and narrowband.

 

HOWEVER.... I initially thought I'd only be imaging.... but visual is also becoming attractive.... Oh Dear... Serious cost implications!

[Alien 13]

I use a Canon 80D with camera lenses and it has probably the best noise performance of any of their APS-C cameras (not far off dedicated CMOS), it has an articulated screen but more importantly full wi fi control of everything including focusing. The camera is not modded but has plenty of Ha response for me.

Alan

P.S. regarding the issues with the 650/700/750D series it has been reported that they can cause banding issues due to the hybrid AF pixel design which puts a few extra rows of AF sensors between the main sensor ones, I had a 650D myself and never encountered a problem but I never stretched an image too hard. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Alien 13

[Kev M]

I use a 1300D....mainly because it was cheap at the time.....seems ok.

[Neiman]

11 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

In your focally reduced scope the 450D is going to be working at about 0.7 arcseconds per pixel. You can't bin because it's one shot colour. This means you'll be massively over sampled and each pixel will be getting very little light, so your signal to noise ratio will be poor. And you have no hope of resolving real detail at 0.7"PP. Nothing, literally nothing, is going to make a DSLR the right camera to use at your focal length. It's important to get your head round why this is. But...

...but you can start with a DSLR, of course. It will be a very inefficient imaging system. The focal length will require very long exposure times and will crop your field of view without giving you any more real detail than a shorter focal length. You'll still get pictures, though. If I sound very negative it's because I just want to suggest that you ask yourself how much money you want to throw at a system which will never be a good one. A cheap DSLR to get you started, why not? But I wouldn't get drawn into buying an expensive one.

What your long focal length needs is big pixels, not small ones. Big pixel cameras are going out of fashion but long focal length owners like you can go down the monochrome route, when the time comes, and bin their pixels 2x2 to make them, in effect, four times as big and more efficient.

I don't think anyone so far has recommended Steve Richards' book: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html  If most of what I've said sounds like gibberish (you wouldn't be the first to say so!) you'll find it very helpful.

Olly

Illy, thanks for taking the time out to explain stuff. I should have explained that the DSLR was only ever going to be a stop gap. I intend ( rightly or wrongly ) to go down the filter wheel with a monochrome dedicated camera like the Zwo183mm pro. I admit I don’t fully understand all the science behind it and need to edumicate Myself a tad more. I know what I want to achieve just not completely how to get there.

thanks once again for taking the time to help me out. Appreciated.

Neil

[Neiman]

Just ordered the book - make every photon count 😉

Edited October 20, 2019 by Neiman