Canon 40D on a explorer 150pl

[djs44]

I have a canon 40D yes it is  a old camera now but good enough to photo the moon,i have couple to the scope via a EOS ring and a T adapter.Now the skies of late have been grim so i decided to take a pic of some trees.All the photos where out of focus,was wondering why.What advisable setting would any have as rgrds to the camera

[happy-kat]

Did you slowly move through the entire focus range to see if you could get focus?

[djs44]

9 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Did you slowly move through the entire focus range to see if you could get focus?

No i did not not sure how to to be honest,seeing as sky has been cloudy i decided to try it out on some trees just to see how camera works.

 

[Cornelius Varley]

12 minutes ago, djs44 said:

No i did not not sure how to to be honest,seeing as sky has been cloudy i decided to try it out on some trees just to see how camera works.

 

The trees may be too close to allow the camera to reach focus.

[djs44]

2 minutes ago, Cornelius Varley said:

The trees may be too close to allow the camera to reach focus.

Ak ok am new to all this will hope for a clear sky tonight and retry on the moon

[alan potts]

I have only just stopped using a 40D, decent camera and easy to use, you can get some nice captures with one.

This is taken with a 40D, 3 hours of mixed exposures.

 

Alan

[djs44]

19 hours ago, alan potts said:

I have only just stopped using a 40D, decent camera and easy to use, you can get some nice captures with one.

This is taken with a 40D, 3 hours of mixed exposures.

 

Alan

 

[djs44]

Very nice photo Alan,can you tell what setting you used on the 40D,i bought mine body only

 

[djs44]

OK i was up and in garden at 3.30 this morning as there was a break in the sky moon was visable.Now as far as scope goes all working fine but am unsure on the 2x Barlow that came with the scope seems to do nothing.Canon 40D i used this and got nothing at all,the setting i put on the camera are probaly way out,what i know about cameras you can write on a postage stamp.Setting where  live view  shutter speed 2500  ISO 500.The focus i got was zero nothing at all in camera eyepiece,i tried putting the Barlow to help but achieved nothing. ( is it poss the barlow that came with scope is rubbish?)Image below is what i saw in camera eyepiece.Yes i did use the focus know on scope.I cant experiment with camera as i only have the body.

[bottletopburly]

To connect camera to the skywatcher 150pl you need one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/skywatcher-dslr-m48-ring-adapter.html 

now the skywatcher has an eyepiece adapter  that unscrews from it’s base which is 2” here you unscrew the top piece , you need bottom part , this will then screw into the adapter in link , so once connected to camera you can connect to telescope focuser  you do ,you do not  need Barlow lens  using camera this way you will achieve focus .

[djs44]

2 hours ago, bottletopburly said:

To connect camera to the skywatcher 150pl you need one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/skywatcher-dslr-m48-ring-adapter.html 

now the skywatcher has an eyepiece adapter  that unscrews from it’s base which is 2” here you unscrew the top piece , you need bottom part , this will then screw into the adapter in link , so once connected to camera you can connect to telescope focuser  you do ,you do not  need Barlow lens  using camera this way you will achieve focus .

Hi Bottle  actualy i was connected to scope like you suggested photos enclosed,i do not understand why i am seeing nothing at the other end,i would have thought even if i just looked into it i would see something even if out of focus,it is i have left the cover on my scope on and no i have not lol,it has to some thing with the camera setting which i know nothing about

[bottletopburly]

Unscrew long barrel this will leave you with a 2” connection 

[Ouroboros]

Hello @djs44 I'm not familiar with this DSLR specifically but I would have thought that only way you could see nothing through the view finder is if you're using the camera in live view. Are you? 

You should be able to test and set up the camera and telescope up without the camera being switched on. Have you tried just looking through the view finder without the camera being switched on?  You should see light. With the camera attached to the telescope pointing at a distant object you should be able to adjust the telescope focus and get it into focus just looking through the view finder. 

Once you've done that, switch on the camera and adjust the camera settings until you see something in live view. 

PS if it's still out of focus then there's something wrong with the attachment to the scope. Dont complicate things initially by using the Barlow.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Ouroboros

[djs44]

42 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Hello @djs44 I'm not familiar with this DSLR specifically but I would have thought that only way you could see nothing through the view finder is if you're using the camera in live view. Are you? 

You should be able to test and set up the camera and telescope up without the camera being switched on. Have you tried just looking through the view finder without the camera being switched on?  You should see light. With the camera attached to the telescope pointing at a distant object you should be able to adjust the telescope focus and get it into focus just looking through the view finder. 

Once you've done that, switch on the camera and adjust the camera settings until you see something in live view. 

PS if it's still out of focus then there's something wrong with the attachment to the scope. Dont complicate things initially by using the Barlow.

opps yes i was in live view.you say adjust camera to see some thing in live view unsure on that part,why would i be doing that in live view if live view is stopping me seeing any thing ?Sorry am new to all this

[happy-kat]

Don't use the barlow.

The telescope is replacing the camera lens.

Did you try again in the day time on a distant tree (do not point anywhere near the sun, keep safe the sun is very dangerous)

Camera needs to be in manual or if that is too much try AV mode as you can only change the shutter then. Daytime auto ISO shutter try 1/200.

Are you sure your finder is aligned with your telescope, could the telescope be pointing not where you think and that is why you get nothing. If live view shows nothing then either your telescope is pointing at nothing or your focus is way off, this is where slowly winding the focuser from all the way in to all the way out helps. If you get to almost see focus on winding it all the way in or to the other end all the way out then let us know and we can suggest what to do next.

 

[Ouroboros]

1 hour ago, djs44 said:

opps yes i was in live view.you say adjust camera to see some thing in live view unsure on that part,why would i be doing that in live view if live view is stopping me seeing any thing ?Sorry am new to all this

No problem. Everyone is new to something. 🙂  

My suggestion is to keep things really simple initially and to set up the camera and telescope up by looking through the optical view finder only, and not in live view. 

The optical view finder sees what the camera sees. You will see light during the day through the optical view finder when the camera is attached to the telescope. Point the telescope at a distant (50 metres say) tree or building or something (not the sun) and focus the telescope.  If you still can't focus there might be something wrong with your camera attachment. But I'm betting you will be able to focus it up in the way I suggest. 

Once that's done we can move on to getting an image from the camera. Good luck. 

 

[djs44]

OK i have several people helping me here  i really appreciate this but can only concentrate on one person at a time.Brown Dwarf following you at the mo.What have i done well i took the camera out of live view.I then used a tv antenna to put mny scope on then  got mytelescope view finder linked to that in the cross hairs

Next i attached the cannon eos ring to camera with the T piece,inserted camera into scope and i can see those tv antennas after jugling with the focus control.that is as far as i have gone oh i took a photo the antennas are in it,camera set on M

[Ouroboros]

OK.  I'll step aside. I know what it's like when too many people pile in trying to help giving what seems like conflicting information. 🙂 

[happy-kat]

@Ouroboros I think you are the brown dwarf being referred to as that is not me, so best you carry on.

[Ouroboros]

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

@Ouroboros I think you are the brown dwarf being referred to as that is not me, so best you carry on.

Oh yeah! Chuckle.  I didn't look at the names.  OK @djs44 if it's me you're referring to I'm all ears. 🙂 

[djs44]

18 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Oh yeah! Chuckle.  I didn't look at the names.  OK @djs44 if it's me you're referring to I'm all ears. 🙂 

lol Yes it was you i was talking to.I am useless at this is it Happy Cat?

 

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by djs44

[Ouroboros]

24 minutes ago, djs44 said:

OK i have several people helping me here  i really appreciate this but can only concentrate on one person at a time.Brown Dwarf following you at the mo.What have i done well i took the camera out of live view.I then used a tv antenna to put mny scope on then  got mytelescope view finder linked to that in the cross hairs

Next i attached the cannon eos ring to camera with the T piece,inserted camera into scope and i can see those tv antennas after jugling with the focus control.that is as far as i have gone oh i took a photo the antennas are in it,camera set on M

Brill. Sounds like you're in business. The tv antenna was in focus was it? 

I suggest you make a mental note of how extended the barrel of the focuser is. You'll find when you look at the moon or stars that the focuser will be slightly further in. 

You might need to adjust the finder scope so that it is centred on the same object as the camera. I nearly always have to do that. It's convenient if they are centred on the same thing. 

Looks like you're ready to try out your scope in action photographing the moon or other bright objects. You'll want to stay in manual and adjust the shutter speed. With the moon you'll find quite short exposures work well (i.e.  1/30, 1/60, 1/100 of a second etc) with ISOs in the 100 to 400 range. Deep sky objects, galaxies etc, need much longer exposures. But we'll come to that in due course. 

[Ouroboros]

Is your scope on a motorised equatorial mount, @djs44? 

[djs44]

lol i am not sure who i am talking to now.ok state of play is i took camera out of live view aligned scope view finder to scope i hope pasistiond scope to some tv antennas about 250 yards away placed camera on viewfind vie canon eos rig and t piece ,using scope focus ring i got the antennas into image took a photo and hey presto antennas in photo

 

[djs44]

1 minute ago, Ouroboros said:

Is your scope on a motorised equatorial mount, @djs44? 

on a EQ mount but no motor as of yet go

t to save the pennies for that being a 75 year old pensioner have to be carefull