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Which Canon?


Starflyer

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I already have a 400D which I'd like to keep for day time use, now I'd like to dabble with modifying a DSLR myself - but which one.

I'm considering buying a 450D, is this a good choice to mod? It'll only be used for astro so I'm considering filter removal or removal and replacement with glass as I'd rather control the filtering myself. Any comments on this and a source of pre-cut glass would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Ian

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Ian if you're planning to control the filtering yourself rather than thru a baader filter- why bother with glass at all ? The Edmunds replacement is too thick and will require shims etc but if it's for astro and AF is not a concern, make life a little easier and just go for removal as per Psychobilly !

Karlo

PS good luck (if you're gonna do yer sen !)

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Remeber if you go this no glass route that you have to take care of the UV/IR in the external filter... THe standard Astronomik CLS doesn't so you need the CLS-CCD version or the Hutech IDAS...

I'm modding the 1000D in a few days time but this time i'm going with the Baader repalcement filter as I want to maintian viewfinder and AF focus as it will be a dual use caamera. You may also find that you can't get camera lenses to focus at infinity if you dont put soemthing back in which means that the camera wont be any good for widefield use...but is not an issue if its going to spend its life on the back of a scope...

I'd be inclined to upgrade to the 450D for daytime use and mod the 400D for astro...

Billy...

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Thanks for the replies so far.

Hi Karlo - I'm planning on doing it my self, so thanks for the good luck wishes, I'll need them :( I was thinking of going the glass route so that I would be able to clean it if required at some point in the future - I wouldn't fancy cleaning the sensor itself :?

Hi Peter - I already have a 2" Hutech IDAS (LP2?) filter, so no need for extra filtering expense at the moment. I would like the option of doing widefield at some point, so I take it I would need the glass in there, would I need to shim it or just 'bung it in'? I'm not a big daytime photographer, I just like something with a bit more control than a point and shoot. I'd be more than happy keeping the 400D for daytime if a) the 450D would be better for astro than the 400D and :grin: the 450D is easier to mod than the 400D. I seem to recall you saying (in a post that I can't find at the mo) that the 450D is slightly easier to mod?

Hi Dave - The camera will always be used through the lappy, so I can't see that I'd ever use the liveview feature. Focusing on the lappy screen now takes a couple of minutes using one of Peter's masks :)

Hi John - As I mentioned I'm more than happy with the 400D for daytime, but I hadn't considered the 1000D for modding - is this as good for astro / as easy to mod as the 450D?

Cheers,

Ian

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Ian, I've no clue about modding I'm afraid. But if it's only for this use, then the extra features like spot metering in the 450d aren't really going to be of benefit, so why pay for them ? I'd have thought that 10Mp would be more than enough and that 12Mp in the same size sensor isn't going to get you a whole lot more either.

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I'm probably wrong here Ian but I was under the impression that the shims would be req'd between the chip and the shutter to retain AF, IF the Edmund's Scientific glass is used. If it's only to be used for astro and you're using the lappy for focus with one of Peter's masks :( then don't bother with the glass (PITA to cut from everything I've read). The chip has protection-it's not bare the outside world even without the filter, so cleaning it would be no more a tricky job than if it was there, besides you're a careful enough bloke !!

G Honis' site is the one you want for modding

Keep it simple mate ! You know what Billy's modded pics are like especially those without a filter replacement, IDAS will do a cracking job (wish I had one).

Karlo

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More pixels can actually be bad thing as all you end up doing is massively oversampling IIRC.....

the 450D More focus zones tighter spot metering faster continous shooting and bigger lcd etc are all "wasted" on astro work... but great for normal photography ... possibly the only benefit for astro is the 14 bit rather than 12 bit capture of the 1000D...

the unfiltered 350D is a Ha Hoover but the noise performace of the 1000D is far superior, remote liveview is handy i dont use it for focusing its ok but use a mask with 2 sec test shots as its far more precise especially with full screen preview onthe laptop.

I do use liveview for aligning the scopes though so i no longer even have to fit an look through an EP :( I just use the center focus zone indicator when the star disappears behind that then its "aligned"...

I am going to mod the 1000D but this time i'm fitting the Baader filter to preserve AF and Infinity focusing with camera lenses...

As beamish said dont be woried about cleaning the sensor I use a sensor clean to clean the "unprotected" surface of the sensor in the 350D although its harder to get into the corners as there no "deadzone"

Billy...

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Thanks for the helpful replies, I was set on a 450d but now I'm not so sure :?

I was hoping that the 14bit output would make some difference. What I'm after is the best modded DSLR solution I can get for a maximum of £400, until either I can afford a dedicated cooled CCD, or I give up altogether and sell all the kit due to lack of clear skies :(

I would appreciate your feedback on the post mod 1000d Peter and also how the mod itself went.

More confused than ever now :?

Ian

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The 450D gives 14bit RAW files whereas the 1000D gives 12bit, that's quite a difference in colour resolution so If you have a choice go for the modded 450D - it a very simple mod as it's essentially the same internal layout as the 1000D. The live view is brilliant for focusing. I reckon retire the 400D for daytime work as it's a good camera.

Sam

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Thanks for the reply Sam. I'm still confused (doesn't take much) and would like as many opinions as I can get on which camera to get and how much of a benefit the 14bit output.

To go back to one of my earlier points. If I want to use it for widefield with a lens in the future would I have to mod it with an Edmunds glass plate to be able to reach infinity focus? Also would the liveview still work if I decided to do without the glass replacement when the camera is used in a 'scope?

Cheers,

Ian

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In theory the difference between 12 and 14 bit is significant 4096 levels per channel compared to 16384...

should help in differentiating fine detail in the colours etc....

A lot of discussion about this on the various forums.... but some of the respected camera review sites reckon its pretty difficult for your "average Joe" to tell the difference especially on "normal2 sized prints... and on a PC screen....

Buy the best you can afford...

Billy....

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Remeber if you go this no glass route that you have to take care of the UV/IR in the external filter... THe standard Astronomik CLS doesn't so you need the CLS-CCD version or the Hutech IDAS...

I'm modding the 1000D in a few days time but this time i'm going with the Baader repalcement filter as I want to maintian viewfinder and AF focus as it will be a dual use caamera. You may also find that you can't get camera lenses to focus at infinity if you dont put soemthing back in which means that the camera wont be any good for widefield use...but is not an issue if its going to spend its life on the back of a scope...

I'd be inclined to upgrade to the 450D for daytime use and mod the 400D for astro...

Billy...

I was wondering, if you removed the filter altogether and then used a Astronomik Original White Balance Clip in filter, whether this would also restore the autofocus. This would all depend on whether the OWB filter had the same thickness of glass as the original front of CMOS sensor filter. It might be worth making inquiries with Astronomik.

Regards

Kevin

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Ian,

The liveview works fine as this is what's actually on the sensor so it doesn't matter what you do to the bits in front of it. I managed to get my 1000D to focus to infinity without the glass the other day but it was right on the edge, I'll have to test it with some widefield shots.

Sam

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Hi Sam it depends on a couple of things... the focal lenght of the lens, how far beyond infinity the lens can travel etc... You can often get focus by stopping the lens down and using the increased depth of field to compensate etc...

Kev IRRC its not only the thickness thats important but where it is in relation to the sensor...

Billy...

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Starflyer...

I don't know if this is of any interest to you but another SGL member has a MODDED 400D up for sale for £360.

Here's the link >> http://www.stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,37907.0.html

Zaph

I can't get the above link to work correctly! It's in the Buy & Sell > For Sale section under the title "Canon 400D Modded" - seller is cosmos

HTH, Z

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Cheers Zaph, I had seen it and it's a bargain now he's reduced it to that price.

But... I have my heart set on a 450d now for the extra colour depth, and it won't cost me much more than that to do it myself.

Thanks Peter, I'll give Bern a ring later.

Ian

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